MomShots

That is goals for 2012. Not actually 2012 goals. That would be a lot of goals. I’m not that much of an over achiever!

Happy New Year!

This is an exciting time of year for me. I love to reflect on the goals I made last year and create new goals for this year. I did pretty well on my 2011 goals except I didn’t complete two of them. I did not run a 5K race and I started a 365 project but gave it up after a good few months. You can see my 102 days worth of effort here.

This year I have a good little list of goals with such standards as loose weight and make a conscious effort to be more cheerful. I just realized that I didn’t put any photography goals on my list. I believe that I need to add one on but I don’t want it to be another 365 project.

A few things I really enjoyed about that project was that I had my camera in hand all the time. I had a fun time thinking about photography so frequently and sometimes I felt like I was growing a little artistically and technically. However, I also found that I enjoy taking photos much more than I like uploading them, sorting through them, editing them and posting them online. That was my downfall. That whole editing and posting part really killed it for me.

I think I could do a photo project if I took a smaller bite. I’m thinking of doing a year long project for 2012 with weekly photos and month long themes. I still need to work out the details.

Are you planning any photography goals for 2012? Any big projects? Or just working on learning some technical information like how to shoot in Manual?

Here are just a few of my favorite MomShots from 2011. These were taken early in the year during my 365 project.

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What are your 2012 goals? Do you want to work on a goal together?

My baby isn’t a baby anymore. She’s a 19 month old toddler who is turning more and more into a big girl every day.

One of my favorite things to do lately is to turn my screensaver on and just watch my computer pull photos from my files for me to look at. Is that the 2011 version of a photo album? It is at my house. My kids will sit with me and we will all comment about who is in each photo, what that person was doing. It’s been great fun and really shown to me the importance of photo albums. Which is something I need to rededicate myself to for 2012.

Here is one of my favorite things about photos, and I’m sure yours too: You can look back and see the details of that growth from baby to toddler, toddler to big kid, big kid to teenager, etc. You get my point.

This photo is from September 2010 and she was just a little 4 month old baby.

Now she’s rapidly growing up and using tools like chairs to get what she wants.

So the MomShots Tip of the Day is to take a minute and compare those little bodies to how they looked a year ago, two years ago, five years ago or more. Take a minute to enjoy who they were and who they are now. Give them a hug and tell them that you love them. Saver that moment in time.

Another thing I have been thinking about… Camera Straps. Will you please leave a comment and tell me about yours and why you like it? Seriously. I will love you forever.

Well, first let me say Happy Mother’s Day! It’s a beautiful day here in Utah with a clear blue sky and sweet chirping birds. I even got to sleep in a little bit. Yay! I love days like this. My husband is upstairs with my boys making brunch right now and I am looking at the cute little bouquet with three gerber daisies my boys so cheerfully brought me a few minutes ago.

So without ado let’s get on with the winning!!! Are you as excited as I am to know who won? I wish I could give one to each of you. I really do. I love camera strap covers. I really like the one I made (and one day will put up a tutorial for anyone who wants to make one the way I made mine). I love the comfort and visual versatility that camera strap covers offer. I also really love the ones that Jessie has at her Etsy site. She has some beautiful fabrics and how can you go wrong with a lens cap pocket?!? That feature is brilliant!!!

Now to the winning!

Drum roll please….
While the drum is rolling you can hear the announcer in a small fast voice saying, “Winner is randomly chosen through the use of Random.org.”

The winner of the camera strap cover with the ever so soft minky fabric upgrade is…

#67

The winner of the much coveted camera strap cover with the lens cap pocket is…

#13

Congratulations to both of you!

Everyone else, thanks so much for playing! MomShots will be hosting another giveaway in a few weeks so stay tuned and keep your finger on the shutter release button.

Happy Mother’s Day to you all!!!

And for the obligatory MomShot here is one of my oldest and youngest holding hands at the Torrey Pines Beach, my favorite beach in San Diego. If we were within driving distance of that location I would be headed there right now!

to enter the camera strap slip cover giveaway hosted by Designs by Jessie. If you haven’t entered yet be sure to head over to the original post and leave a comment!

Don’t forget that if you purchase two slipcovers from her she’ll throw in a lens cap pocket upgrade for free. Tell her you came from MomShots in the comment on your purchase. I should add that if you are thinking about purchasing one from her but are on the fence, her prices are the most competitive prices that I have seen. She has great fabric designs and she has the unique feature of a lens cap pocket available.

And remember, it’s OK to buy yourself a mother’s day present! You deserve it!!!

Again, not my giveaway, but over at Giveawayaday you can enter to win one of these cute camera straps. She makes them for SLR cameras and for point and shoot cameras and uses a wide variety of really cute fabrics. Go check out her Etsy site and then go back and leave a comment with your favorite pattern. Easy peasy. Maybe you’ll be the winner!

Shealyn Camera Strap Covers

You know how I L-O-V-E these things.  I do seriously.  Isn’t this like the third time that I’ve talked about them?  I have decided that they are like earring or other pretty jewelry - you can never have too many.  

I actually took off the camera strap cover that I made and it is sitting in my desk drawer.  I took it off because my husband needed to use the camera for a day of walking in downtown Salt Lake, taking architectural photos.  It was a bit “girly” and so I took it off so he could continue being “manly”.  He didn’t ask me to; he wouldn’t.  But I know that man and knew he’d rather just have boring old Nikon strap showing. 

That’s what happens when you are sharing a camera.  One day when I have my very own camera I will put girly-girl camera straps on it to my hearts content.  One day…  *sigh*  Oh!  But until then, I am just so happy to have a camera to use, I couldn’t be more thankful.  I will also continue to put camera strap covers on the camera.

Anyway…  this morning I was blog hopping.  I get stuck in these blog hopping moments going from one cute blog to another.  Getting enamored by all the cute projects the people are making.  I found this site and saw the giveaway for a cute camera strap cover.  I can’t pass that up!  You know how I L-O-V-E them (seriously, I wrote that twice in the same post - it must be true love)!!!  The giveaway ends today so jump on over there and enter. It would be so cool if a Momshots reader won!

In my perusing of blogs photographic, I found this cool site.  First off, I love her name - My Funky Camera.  I think it’s a great name with lots of personality.  She makes lens cozies and camera straps out of bright, colorful fabric.  I love them!!!  I’m putting a lens cozy and a new camera strap on my wish list.  

In case you didn’t know this about me…  I LOVE handmade items.  I am also attracted to bright shiny objects.  Now bright, shiny, handmade objects are even better.  It’s a match made in heaven! 

I am in the market for a new lens - a 50mm.  I need a lens that is more suited to portraits instead of product photography.  When I get my new lens, I’m going to *need* a lens cozy for my old lens.  It may be a necessity…