Ella and Miles Fall 2010

From Ella and Miles Fall 2010

From Ella and Miles Fall 2010

From Ella and Miles Fall 2010

From Ella and Miles Fall 2010

From Ella and Miles Fall 2010

December Newsletter

Happy December!

Photography Tip of the Month

This is a big month for photos and so I thought I would give you all some tips on how to better organize your photos. There are so many opportunities to capture memories with family and friends this time of the year. My biggest piece of advice is to try to keep your photos as natural as possible . Constantly interrupting conversations, gift openings or meal time to make everyone set up for a picture is a little rude in my opinion. I think it is great to set up a photo of the entire family or grandpa and grandma with the grandkids but, make sure that you find a convenient time for everyone involved. I like to find a time at the beginning of the event. The kids are still clean and put together and you will not interrupting meal time, game time or a conversation. Organize your photos: Put your photos into your computer ASAP and format your memory card so that you have plenty of room to take more photos at your next event. Immediately delete blurry or non desirable photos, only keep the photos that you really love. Organize your photos in your computer by date or event. This makes it so much easier to find your photos when you want to print or share them on line. Print your favorite photos and display them proudly! Photography makes a beautiful work of art for your walls or book shelves. Surround yourself with your favorite family memories and you will be so happy you did. Every time I look at my photo of the "Painted Ladies" my memories of my trip to San Francisco with my Mom come flooding back, and it always makes me smile. Make your very own coffee table book. We took a trip to South Dakota last summer and we had all these great photos from our trip. It was so hard for me to choose just a couple to frame and hang on the wall, so I decided to make a coffee table book, that way I can display all of my favorites rather than choosing just a couple. These coffee table books also make great gifts for the friends or family who took the trip with you.

Family Activity

I can not ever get over how quickly the weeks fly by this time of year. I was thinking about what kind of project I wanted to do this month, and I thought I would give you some fun homemade gift ideas your kids can make for their friends and family.

Natural Play Dough Gift Pack Supplies: 3 cups flour 3 tablespoons cooking oil 1 1/2 cups salt 6 teaspoons cream of tartar 3 cups of water Cook all ingredients over low heat until it forms a ball. Use natural food color or spinach, beet, carrot or blueberry juice to color your dough. We love to add an essential oil to scent our play dough for a little aroma therapy fun. *Place a small ball of homemade play dough and a cookie cutter in a clear plastic bag and tie it with a cute bow. Little Artists Art Cards Make a custom set of note cards with your child. Supplies: card stock markers, crayons, paints glue scissors envelopes Cut an 8 1/2 by 6 rectangle out of white card stock, fold in 1/2 so you have a 4 1/4 by 6 card, (this will fit nicely into a store bought envelope). Let your child decorate each card with markers, crayons or paint. You could also choose to scan and copy drawings and glue them onto the front of each card. If you choose to glue an image onto the front of the cards feel free to use colored card stock for the cards. Original Work of Art Give your kids paints and let them create their very own work of art to hang on the wall. You can choose to inspire them by introducing a famous work of art or, you can let them find their own style. You will need: a simple, inexpensive frame (we love ikea frames) paints and brushes paper Happy Holidays!

A Beautiful Fall Day!

It is time for the November Newsletter!

Give Thanks!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There is no pressure to buy the perfect gift, no need to decorate your house or get dressed up in your Sunday best. We literally drive over the river and through the woods to my cousin's hobby farm in Woodbury. Their old farm house is tucked away in the woods along with a big red barn, horses and chickens. It is the perfect setting for the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. We eat, laugh, catch up with family we have not seen in a while and play outside in the crisp fall air. I feel so thankful every year for my loving family and the beautiful Thanksgiving we all share together.

Photography Tip of the Month

Clothesline Gallery: This is a fun way to display your photos or holiday photo cards. Choose an area of the wall about 4 feet long to hang your gallery. Hammer two nails, one on each end of the space, about 5 feet above ground, with about half of the nail still visible. Tie a cute ribbon or thin rope to each end, fairly tight but not completely stiff. Use clothespins to hang photographs and childrenís artwork on your clothesline. Make it a monthly project to clear off the old photos and artwork and replace it with new. Have fun with monthly themes; holiday artwork and cards, retro pictures of you and your husband when you were kids, sports themed photos and artwork... the possibilities are endless use your imagination and have fun!

Family Activity

Turkey Time! This cute little turkey is the perfect project for you and your little friends to make on a chilly November afternoon. Supplies needed: red, orange, yellow and brown construction paper glue sticks scissors black fine tip marker Project instructions: First, trace a round dinner plate on brown construction paper and cut it out. Trace a smaller circle on yellow construction paper using the top to a small butter container or something a similar size, cut that circle out. This smaller yellow circle will be your turkey's face. Cut a small diamond shape out of a piece of orange construction paper for the beak. Use brown construction paper to draw and cut out your turkey's legs. Next, trace your kids hands both left and right on each the red, yellow and orange construction paper. Have your kids cut out the shapes themselves, if they are able. Cutting is a great opportunity to work on your pre schoolers small motor skills. Now, glue all of your turkey parts in their place. Last, give your turkey eyes with your fine tip black marker. A little extra credit: Have your kids write something they are thankful for on some or all of their fingers that make up the turkey's tail. *You may choose to prep your turkey body, face, beak, and red gobbler before you introduce the project to your kids if you are working with younger children who are not able to use scissors well. Happy Thanksgiving!

www.swell-photography.com

3 Beautiful Girls!

Giggles

Meet the Diaz kids!

Lady Annika

She just turned five and when I asked how old she was she told me "I am a whole hand". How cute is that? I think she is the most beautiful 5 year old girl; I may be a tad biased, she is my niece.

Hooray for Fall!

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I love the crisp fresh air, the red, orange and yellow leaves that brighten the trees and then fall gently to the ground. I love crisp apples, hot soup on a cold rainy night and opening the windows to let in the fresh fall air.

Fall is also my favorite time to take pictures. The bright, colorful trees make for a perfect backdrop for family portraits. I also love to get out and take photographs of the brightly colored leaves.

Next time you head out for a walk to enjoy the season bring along your camera and take some fall pictures. Here are some tips on how to get some great shots that you will be dying to get out of your camera and on to your walls.

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Photography Tip of the Month

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Tip #1
Get in close. Wide landscapes are beautiful but, it can be tricky to get the detail you desire. Your eye sees much more detail than your camera will ever be able to capture. If you really want to capture the bold color and the detail of the leaves you will need to get up close.
Tip #2
Keep your eyes peeled for a unique photo. Look for a single bright leaf floating in a stream, or a red leaf laying near a mossy rock.
Tip #3
Bring the kids along. They often notice small details that we over look. Like a bug crawling across a beautiful leaf, or a really cool rock on the side of the path. Slow down and walk at their pace you will be amazed at the things you will see.

Family Activity

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Fall is such a beautiful time of the year to get outside and explore nature. So, throw on those sweatshirts, grab a little bag for your treasures and head outside to explore your neighborhood and find the signs of fall. Collect beautiful leaves along the way so that when you return home you can make a fall themed nature collage.

Here are instructions for a No Glue Collage. This is a great way to make a collage with out the glue mess; it also makes it easier for little ones.
Supplies:
clear Con-Tact paper
masking tape
fall leaves

Project:
Start by taping a piece of contact paper to a wall, window or a low table and set your fall leaves near by.
Next, let the kids discover the stickiness of the paper and then let them begin to stick the leaves to the Con-Tact paper.
After the kids have finished you will preserve the collage by placing another piece of contact paper over the art work and finish the edges with masking tape.

Enjoy this project; sit back and watch the kids explore the colors and textures.

October Promotion

Holiday Family Photo

A $75.00 family photo session and 3 uploads for holiday cards and gifts. First, I will come to your home or a park near by your home and do a short family session. After the session I will edit your photos and give you a preview of your photos on line. You will then choose up to three photos to be uploaded to the online photo sharing site of your choice (Kodak Easy Share, Shutterfly etc.). From there, you are welcome to create holiday cards or print photos for gifts. This package has a value of $175.00 based on my regular pricing, so this is a great deal, because of this I will only be offering this special price to the first three families that book the "Holiday Family Photo" session`. This special sitting must take place in October or November. Please give me a call, 651 271-8946 or email me, jeneichen@swell-photography.com if you have any questions, or to schedule a session.

Heart of the City Dental

Check out the new staff pictures for Heart of the City Dental. Thank you to my friend Heidi and all of her co workers for a fun session!