Shutterstitch

Christmas Card Session

2011-11-17T20:57:00.004-05:00

Check out these cuties in their Christmas hats! These are just a few of the images from my November Christmas card mini session. These guys were a real hoot!

John's Senior Portraits

2011-11-15T21:11:00.010-05:00

What's a good senior shoot without giving your little sister a headlock?

John is graduating this year and we captured some photos of him and his family at the Athens Botanical Gardens. The gardens are special to John because he did his Eagle Scout project there, which was to construct signs for all the trails. He did a great job and it was neat to see how proud his family is of him.

The End of a Pillow Era

2011-11-03T21:26:00.004-04:00

I wanted to let you know that I have decided to no longer do any sewing such as pillows or quilts. I have decided to focus exclusively on photography. It's keeping me very busy and it's what I am passionate about. So if you want to own one of the last Shutterstitch quilted pillows you will have to go to Helix in downtown Athens to buy one. Thank you to everyone who has been a loyal customer and has bought my pillows over the years. I have probably made at least 200 of them at this point, many more than I ever expected.

Herring Family

2011-10-23T19:53:00.006-04:00

Here is another sweet family from my fall mini sessions at the State Botanical Gardens in Athens. I have known this family for ages and ages and was very excited to photograph them! I love that their daughter brought her favorite doll named "Brother" with her too. What a bunch of cuties. :)

Bowman Family

2011-10-23T10:37:00.008-04:00

This family really paid attention to all of my tips on what to wear for their mini session at the State Botanical Gardens. Look how they are all wearing different textures and patterns but they each have some purple on, whether it is a dress, shirt, or scarf. It looks great! I'll give them an A+ for bringing it all together!

Hobbs Family

2011-10-22T21:26:00.007-04:00

I have to admit, this little guy was so darn cute. He was running all over the State Botanical Gardens during my mini session, looking at the water, the trees, and pretending he was going deer hunting. I think he and my little guy would get a real kick out of each other!

Coffee Family

2011-10-22T20:48:00.010-04:00

I met the Coffee Family through facebook. They have two beautiful cutie pies with gorgeous blue eyes and a lot of energy! :) They had a fall mini session at the State Botanical Gardens in Athens. I love these chalkboards we used to write their names and age.

Spruill Family

2011-10-22T19:35:00.008-04:00

I had the honor of doing two fall mini sessions for the Spruill family at the State Botanical Gardens in Athens last weekend. The first session was for their daughter's engagement pictures and the second was of the whole family. The light was coming in just perfectly in these early morning shots. Lots of great ones to choose from here!

Colleen and Stacy's Engagement

2011-10-19T13:31:00.019-04:00

I am soooo excited that my best friend is getting married next spring! YAY! They will have a gorgeous outdoor wedding overlooking a vineyard. So, for these engagement pictures they wanted a natural setting where they could show off their love for biking and the outdoors. Aren't they cute together?

What to Wear: Blue and Orange

2011-09-14T22:05:00.002-04:00

This would be a cute outfit to wear to a senior or engagement session. Even a family photo shoot would look great with this blue and orange color combo. Other family members could wear clothing in various prints or solids of blue or orange.

What to Wear: Family

2011-09-14T21:57:00.003-04:00

This is a great example of a casual style to dress your family in for a portrait session. Keri Russell and her family are wearing similar collared shirts and pants but they are all different colors that coordinate together (blue, white, and black). A classy and timeless style.

What to Wear: Color Schemes

2011-09-14T21:50:00.007-04:00

Clients often ask me what they should wear to a photo shoot. I like to tell them to dress their family in a color scheme that has 2-3 colors in it. That way everyone won't be too matchy-matchy. Here's a helpful color clothes chart I saw on Pinterest to help you pick out a good color scheme for your session. Click on the image to zoom in.

Shutterbug Photography Workshop

2011-08-14T14:52:00.004-04:00

I am going to teach another Shutterbug photography workshop on Sept. 24 at my studio in Bogart, GA. It will be geared towards beginner to intermediate photographers who are interested in learning how to make the most of the camera they have (especially DSLR cameras). We will learn more about basic manual camera functions, natural lighting, making any location into a great background, engaging the subject, and capturing the moment. At the end of class we will practice what we've learned, so bring your camera!

During the last photography workshop one of my students said about the workshop, "It was great- the small number of people and informal setting to ask questions was perfect. Not intimidating for a beginner like me!"

($30 per person. To sign up e-mail Shutterstitch@gmail.com )

Tie Pillows

2011-08-14T14:48:00.004-04:00

I'm working on 13 pillows for a client made out of his grandfather's neckties. Isn't that a great way to preserve his memory? He's going to give them to his relatives for Christmas. I wish I could be in the room when he does that. I bet they will love them!

Williams Family

2011-07-14T12:49:00.014-04:00

I want to commend the beautiful Williams family for not only being troopers in the hot Georgia summer weather, but they also did a great job paying attention to my What to Wear blog post. They are all wearing summer blues that coordinate well and aren't too matchy-matchy. One of their son's shirts even matches his brother's shoes! How awesome is that!? A+ :)

What to Wear: Old Navy

2011-07-03T20:27:00.004-04:00

Are you looking for some ideas for what to wear for your next family photo shoot? Here are two different ideas I put together for some summer fun. Each ensemble is made entirely of Old Navy clothing, shoes, and accessories.

A few things to keep in mind when choosing outfits for a family session:

1. Pick a color scheme. (Such as yellow/green or blue/orange as seen in the examples). Not every family member has to wear both colors, but your family will look more cohesive if everyone wears at least one or two of those colors. You can always throw in some neutrals to your color scheme like white or khaki.

2. Mix it up! Not everyone has to wear blue shirts. Mom can wear a blue skirt, Dad can wear a blue shirt, and your son could have blue stripes in his shirt.

3. Play with patterns. Not everyone should wear a pattern but one or two polka dots or stripes in the family would make the photos more interesting than all solid colors.

4. Avoid clothing with words, characters, and pictures on it. These things distract from your beautiful faces!

Featured!

2011-06-11T21:49:00.002-04:00

I was excited to see my portrait of the little fella with the mustache shirt by Two Lollidots featured on Hugghins Photography's blog. They put together this fabulous collection of clothes to give you an idea of what to wear for your next portrait session.

Bolen Family: Sneak Peek

2011-06-06T21:07:00.013-04:00

The Bolen family was quick to take advantage of my Summer Special. I think Rev. Bolen called me up as soon as he heard about it. What a smart guy! :) His family and I met on North Campus at the University of Georgia for a family portrait session. I love the old architecture and beautifully landscaped lawns there. Everyone was a good sport despite the fact it was 95 degrees outside. (You gotta love these Georgia summers!) P.S. The last photo is the family's reaction to the fact that their daughter had a hot date later that evening. So silly. :)

Photography Workshop!

2011-06-06T12:16:00.001-04:00

I am going to teach a photography workshop on July 9 at my studio in Bogart, GA. It will be geared towards beginner to intermediate photographers who are interested in learning how to make the most of the camera they have (especially DSLR cameras). We will learn more about basic manual camera functions, natural lighting, making any location into a great background, engaging the subject, and capturing the moment. If we have time we'll practice what we've learned, so bring your camera! ($30 per person. To sign up e-mail Shutterstitch@gmail.com )

Summer Special: Free CD with session

2011-05-31T22:15:00.007-04:00

Hooray! Summer is here! Let's kick it off right by giving you some fresh, new family portraits to hang up in the house. During June and July only, when you book a portrait session you will also receive a free cd of your session images. (Normally digital images are $50 each.)

Not sure what to wear or do? Relax. This will be fun and stress-free! I will customize this session to fit your family's unique personality including the location for the session and even wardrobe consultation if desired! Your portrait session may be used for newborns, babies, children, maternity, families, seniors, and couples.

The session fee is $200 and it includes a one hour session in the location of your choice plus 40 high resolution digital images. Prints are not included. The session fee is due at the time of booking. Sessions must take place between June 1-July 31.

Favorite Artist of the Week: Angie Dunlap

2011-05-31T22:03:00.003-04:00

I love whimsical children's art so when I saw the illustrations and murals made by Angie Dunlap I was really excited. Wouldn't they look great in your child's bedroom or playroom? See her entire portfolio on her website here.

Photo Restoration

2011-05-31T22:00:00.002-04:00

A good friend of mine's father-in-law passed away very suddenly and she asked me to restore an old picture of him from the 1960's. Here are the results. Pretty nice huh? I hope that it will help the family keep his memory alive.

Baby Shower Quilt

2011-04-16T20:21:00.008-04:00

Pretty soon I'm going to start offering a new product: Baby Shower Quilt Kits. This will be a fun and meaningful activity for mothers-to-be at a baby shower which becomes a great keepsake for baby. I made this one for Julia. You can see us making it at her shower here.

Basically in your kit you will receive:

pre-cut quilt squares in the color scheme of your choice
stencils to trace (such as animals, flowers, food, etc)
fabric to cut out the animals, flowers, food, etc.

During the baby shower guests can choose a quilt square, trace a stencil design onto fabric (or make up their own), cut it out, and pin it together. This can be done during the snacks/ mingling of the party or as a separate activity time. After the party is over, send the pinned together quilt squares to me and I will sew it all together! Wouldn't this be a wonderful way to remember loved ones throughout the years and give the baby and mother something to cuddle up with?

I can also just make a quilt like this for you too, no baby shower needed!

Contact me for more information at shutterstitch@gmail.com

1st Birthday

2011-04-11T20:35:00.007-04:00

My little cutie pie turned one recently. I was stoked to use his new cute felt applique shirts and birthday crown from Two Lollidots. They have some really neat little clothes for kids. (You may recognize their product photographer on their blog too.) :)

1st Birthday on the Farm

2011-04-11T19:09:00.021-04:00

Recently we celebrated my son's first birthday with a party on our relative's cattle farm. I made some delicious barnyard cupcakes. The cows and chicks were vanilla cake with white icing and the pigs were strawberry. You can get the full recipe from the Disney Family Fun website.

These super cute animal balloons were bought at the Joy Shoppe in Commerce, Georgia. We had a whole farm of chickens, ducks, cows, dogs, horses, and pigs! All of the children took them home as favors.

I bought these cute animal plates at the grocery store. Silverware was stowed in pots for plants.

I tried to keep the menu farm-y so we had: bunny food (carrots and peppers with dip), fresh fruit, deviled eggs, moo-tastic meatballs, chips and fresh salsa, chickpea hummus, farm animal cupcakes, and I meant to also do pigs in a blanket but just didn't get around to it!

I made little tags for the food out of scrapbook paper.

I made a coordinating banner out of scrapbook paper, string, and die-cut letters. Thank goodness for being a teacher and having the die-cut machine handy!

When it came time for the birthday boy to blow out the candles, I took off his cute birthday shirt so it wouldn't get cake on it. The little girl in the red dress exclaimed, "The baby is getting naked!"

We gave him plain strawberry cupcake (no candy on top) and he was like, "What the heck is this?" He hadn't really had any sweets up to that point.

"Mommy it may taste funny to me, but it's fun to smash up!"

My two favorite guys in the whole world!

Everyone wanted some lovin' from the birthday boy!

Sneak Peek: Henry

2011-03-06T21:12:00.009-05:00

This just might be the cutest little guy yet. Such squishy little cheeks and gorgeous black hair! It was a pleasure to hold this sweetie and photograph him on his 8th day in the world. His Momma and I have been friends for years and years and it did my heart so much good to see her cuddle up with her tiny baby Henry.

Two Lollidots

2011-03-06T11:37:00.019-05:00

Ann Marie and Cody make hip, trendy children's clothing at Two Lollidots. They have a variety of tutus for special occasions and holidays, cute felt clips, t-shirts for boys and girls, and reversible sundresses. Everything is so cute! I will definitely have to get some of their tie t-shirts for my little boy.

I had the pleasure of doing a product photo shoot with them. Their children made great models and I think we all had a lot of fun trying out the different outfits and running around alleyways and on train tracks!

Adventures in Finger-painting

2011-03-06T11:27:00.006-05:00

I recently let my son, (then about 10 months) try finger-painting. I mixed up some Jell-o vanilla pudding with pureed sweet potatoes, pureed peas, and pureed blueberries. I make my own baby food, so I had some readily on hand. Then I put them in little dishes with a large piece of drawing paper on the kitchen floor and let him have at it! It was fun watching him really get into it. The only thing I would do differently is put the "paint" in plastic cups instead of ceramic ones, because he did try to throw them!

Starry Night Bottlecap Mural

2011-03-06T11:15:00.004-05:00

This fall I made a large 8 ft. x 12 ft. mural with my elementary art students completely out of bottlecaps. We studied Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night and then each of my 700 K-5th grade students took turns drilling in about 10 bottlecaps each. We used about 7,000 bottlecaps, all recycled from the students' homes! The idea came from artist, Michelle Stitzlein , who sells the complete instructions to the mural in her book, Bottlecap Little Bottlecap.

Favorite Artist of the Week: Toilet Paper Tube Art

2011-02-22T20:09:00.003-05:00

I found this image online and it just made my heart smile. I love that the artist used a recycled toilet paper tube to create a tiny little world. I don't know who the artist is though, unfortunately.

Sneak Peek: Emily

2011-02-16T13:23:00.009-05:00

Now that my son is almost a year old it is hard to believe he was ever as small as little Emily. She was just one tiny bundle of cuteness. She was very good and quiet while her sisters were running around her photo shoot in fairy costumes. I think she even fell asleep with all the noise! I guess when you are the third child in the family, you get used to that sort of thing. Take a look at her pink striped leggings... now that's stylin'!

Circus Baby Shower

2011-02-16T11:14:00.024-05:00

This weekend I helped throw a baby shower for my dear friend Julia. It was a circus themed shower using her nursery room colors: red and light blue. The party was held at the church where Julia is a children's pastor. Aren't the decorations cool? (Thanks to my co-hosts Shannon and Amanda). They were inspired by some of the links above.

Amanda made these cute little circus tags for all the food with circus stickers.

Strawberry, Nutella, and Vanilla cupcakes with animals on top.

These are so easy and yummy to make: cherry tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and a little balsamic vinaigrette on top right before the party.

The pretty pregnant lady: Julia Goolia!

Our craft activity was to have everyone make a quilt square for a crib quilt. I cut flannel into 8x8 inch squares and the ladies traced stencils and die-cuts into shapes on fleece. Then they pinned them to their quilt square.

A few finished squares. I'll post the finished quilt when it is done.

Guacamole, Artichoke dip, Italian Skewers

Fruit salad, cupcakes, cookies, lemon blueberry trifle

To make the Lemon Blueberry Trifle:
For the lemon mixture: Mix two 3.4 oz boxes lemon Jello pudding powder with 2 1/2 cups milk and three 6 oz. containers lemon yogurt
Layer 1 inch cubes of angel food cake, then lemon mixture, then blueberries. Repeat two more times. Top with Cool Whip and blueberries.

Tissue paper flowers

The guests filled out wish cards for the baby.

I just love this silly lady and can't wait to meet her baby!

Curious George Baby Shower

2011-02-02T21:17:00.012-05:00

I am a bit late in blogging about this Curious George "Sprinkle" that I threw for my cousin's wife Lindsay. Her baby is now 5 months old! But I wanted to show off the party anyway. I figured out how to make a diaper palm tree by using a coat hanger to fashion a hook shape. Then I slid rolled up diapers onto the coat hanger and wrapped a ton of brown yarn over it. I made the leaves by painting thick paper with green paint and used 3 brown beads for coconuts.

Fabulous monkey cupcakes

Fresh fruit kabobs went well with our cook-out.

Monkeys love banana pudding.

Decorations

Guess the number of animal crackers in the container. We also played baby pictionary.

Babies love baby showers!

She was ready to pop!

Sneak Peek: Owen

2011-01-26T20:59:00.012-05:00

Five week old Owen was a pleasure to photograph. He was so quiet and content to be cuddled up in blankets. He didn't even cry until the very end when he started getting hungry. You could tell his older brother was smitten with him and they were so sweet together!

I also had fun using my new favorite prop: my vintage suitcase. It makes a cozy little bed for babies!

Sneak Peek: Winston

2010-12-31T21:15:00.014-05:00

Newborn Winston was three weeks old when we took these portraits a few days before Christmas, but he was still a tiny 7 pounds. He and his Mom were such troopers. The power went out in my studio and we had to move our session to my house instead. It was so easy to shoot them though, because they are both such cuties! I had a great time meeting them. Winston's Mom is a fellow art teacher like me!

Christmas Card Sessions

2010-11-07T21:27:00.003-05:00

I'm having a super deal on Christmas Card Sessions. During the month of November you can get a 30 minute portrait session, online gallery of your images, 25 Christmas cards, and one 8 x 10 print for only $100 (value $150). Contact me for more info: shutterstitch@gmail.com

Baby Quilt: Little Golden Books

2010-10-31T10:25:00.008-04:00

I recently had a pregnant, soon-to-be-mama see my pillows for sale in Helix ( in downtown Athens, Ga.) and bought one for her nursery. She also ordered a custom baby quilt for the room as well. I used red and brown fabrics to coordinate with the really cute Little Golden Books fabric. It even has the Saggy Baggy Elephant on it! It looks like her daughter is having fun playing on it!

Best Halloween Costume Ever!

2010-10-31T10:19:00.002-04:00

I could not stop laughing when I saw what my brother came up with for his Halloween costume this year... a Travelocity gnome! He just may be the tallest gnome of all time measuring in at 6 feet 4 inches!

Sneak Peek: Christina and Justin's Wedding

2010-10-27T20:42:00.016-04:00

Christina and Justin were such a fun couple to photograph during their wedding at the State Botanical Gardens in Athens, Georgia. The location was special to them because they had their prom together back in high school in the same conservatory where their reception was held. So sweet! Christina was an elegant bride in her lace gown and Justin just may be the funniest groom I've worked with to date. He definitely had the craziest dance moves!

Sneak Peek: Erin and Charlie's Wedding

2010-10-18T20:24:00.028-04:00

Erin and Charlie were married on a beautiful family farm in Rome, Georgia. The reception site was one of the most interesting locations I'd ever been to. It was a renovated barn with all kinds of antique farming equipment, signs, and folk art on the walls. It made a really cool backdrop for the evening's events. The table decorations were lovingly handcrafted by the bride's mother out of old barn wood and antique trimmings. The weather was perfect, the food was out of this world, and the happy couple was just as they should be... happy to be marrying the love of their life. Congratulations Erin and Charlie!

Sneak Peek: Christina's Bridal Portraits

2010-10-14T15:36:00.015-04:00

It was really fun to photograph Christina at the Botanical Gardens Conservatory in Athens, despite the dreary weather that day. We had arranged for a portrait session outside on the University of Georgia campus, but the all-day long showers of rain caused us to move elsewhere. The conservatory turned out to be a perfect location. The light was beautiful coming through the glass windows and it was meaningful since this was where her wedding reception was going to be located. I think Christina was a real trooper and totally rocked the photo shoot in her vintage gown.

Back to Work!

2010-10-14T15:13:00.002-04:00

Wow, I can't believe how long it has been since I've posted on this blog. Yikes. I'm feeling guilty about neglecting it. I started back to work teaching art in August since the birth of my son and have been working like crazy since. Life is good. I have the sweetest husband and baby and have work for my hands to do. Thanks be to God.

Sneak Peek: Amber and Brian's Wedding

2010-07-25T12:13:00.022-04:00

I feel so blessed to have been a part of Amber and Brian's wedding day. What a fun couple to be around! Amber has the sweetest personality (which probably helps with the 1100 elementary art students that she teaches each week) and Brian and his groomsmen kept me laughing a mile a minute. Their wedding was at Dunwoody Baptist Church where her Dad is a minister. (He performed the ceremony), and the reception was at the Doubletree Hotel in Roswell. The couple met while living in the same dorm freshman year at U.G.A. Best wishes for a long and happy life together!

Sneak Peek: Newborn Ashlyn

2010-07-17T10:16:00.011-04:00

It was so sweet watching Tricia with her baby Ashlyn at our newborn studio session this week. You could tell just how much she has longed for this baby and it was so neat to see the special bond that they have. Ashlyn did a great job. She slept almost the whole time and barely fussed at all! I enjoyed using my new prop- a doll bed that I used as a child for my little dollies!

Sneak Peek: DuVall Family

2010-07-17T09:29:00.017-04:00

I had a great time chasing around my cousin's two year old daughter in Piedmont Park last weekend. We had fun on the seesaw and slide while I made these portraits. What a sweet little girl! She's not too excited about becoming a big sister in two months, but maybe she'll warm up to the idea. :)

5 Babies is a Lot of Babies

2010-07-13T12:23:00.016-04:00

At our family reunion I attempted to make some portraits of all the babies in our family at once (ages 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years old). It was quite a feat. Next time I don't think I would have used this white quilt for a backdrop. It came out all wrinkly, but by the time I realized it wasn't a good idea, all the kids were on it and there was no way I could move them all without a meltdown.

We had a time trying to keep everyone still!

Waiting patiently for all the girls to get ready....

"I thought I liked dog kisses, but maybe not!"

Family Reunion

2010-07-08T21:01:00.016-04:00

Every summer my extended family gets together in South Georgia for one big weekend of food, fun, and fellowship. This year we also celebrated two birthdays and there were a LOT of new babies in the family to play with. (Stay tuned for my upcoming post where I attempted to photograph 5 babies at once, ranging in age from 4 months to 3 years old. It was CRAZY...) There's nothing like spending some quality time with family!

Sarah is such a Ham!

Aunt Cindy's famous sourdough bread

"Why did I have to get stuck in a family of all GIRLS?"

Designer Birth Announcements

2010-07-07T21:14:00.009-04:00

I have a new line of designer birth announcements. They are so sweet! I LOVE photographing babies. It is so special capturing their first days when they are so tiny. (There are even more birth announcement designs to choose from than this.)

Favorite Artist of the Week: Sarah Harber

2010-07-02T20:29:00.011-04:00

I have to brag on my cousin, Sarah Harber. She made my son the CUTEST animal baby quilt. Some of the animals are even made out of African fabric from the clothing our grandfather wore as a missionary in Nigeria in the 1960s. That really makes it special to me. All the animals are cut free-hand, without any patterns or templates... and my son's name is hidden amongst the animals' names. It's SO COOL!

In this last picture here you can see some of the outfits my grandmother and grandfather would wear in Nigeria, West Africa (1967). They would only dress the family up in matching outfits for special occasions. This is right before they came back to America on furlough. (My Mom is the tall brunette on the left.)

Orange Jello Salad

2010-07-02T20:17:00.004-04:00

There aren't very many times when I'm cooking that I feel the urge to lick the bowl clean. But when I'm making Orange Jello Salad, it's definitely one of those times. I don't know whether it's the tangy orange or the fluffy marshmallows or the creamy cool whip, but I can't get enough of the stuff. It is one of those recipes I always asked my Mom to make for me for my birthday as a kid. Then one day I realized that it is so easy to make, I could do it for myself!

Maybe you'd like to whip up some of your own fluffy goodness.

Orange Jello Salad:

6 oz. pkg. Orange Jello powder
16 oz. carton of reduced fat sour cream
8 oz. carton of lite Cool Whip
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 can mandarin oranges (drained)
1 small can crushed pineapple (squeezed out)

Mix Cool Whip, sour cream, and jello powder. Add fruit and marshmallows. Mix and pour into dish. Refridgerate overnight. Makes about 8 servings.

JULY SPECIAL: $50 Print Credit with Portrait Session

2010-06-29T09:18:00.002-04:00

This month I am offering a special deal. Book a portrait session ($100) and get $50 in prints absolutely free! You can't beat a deal like that.

This offer is good for a session with up to 4 people and can be used on maternity, newborn, child, or family portraits. Any additional people in the session are $10 each. About 1 week after your session I will show a sneak peek of your portraits here on my blog and on my Shutterstitch facebook page. Two weeks after your session your images will be in an online gallery where you can select the prints you want and show your friends.

This deal must be booked and paid for between July 1-July 31, but the session doesn't have to be scheduled for July. So you can plan ahead for fall sessions too!

Call (706) 714-6967 to book your session today with Karen.

Fabulous New Logo

2010-06-25T20:49:00.004-04:00

I am so excited about my new logo and blog design, created by The Modern Polkadot! She was a pleasure to work with.

Granola Bars

2010-06-06T12:46:00.004-04:00

I came across this recipe for Do It Yourself Granola Bars and decided to try it out this week with my friend. It was really easy to make, wholesome, and very tasty. The only thing I would change about it is they were a little crumbly so next time I would add more honey and almond butter to make them stick together. You can find the recipe here. We made two different kinds. In one kind we put mini chocolate chips and dried cherries. In the other we put assorted dried fruits. Yum. Yum.

"Pretty Little Pillows" winner

2010-05-31T09:07:00.003-04:00

The randomly drawn winner of the autographed "Pretty Little Pillows" book is......

Stephanie Sanders!

Congratulations! I will mail you the book this week!

Don't Throw That Away!

2010-05-26T20:48:00.007-04:00

Skateboard bench
Book house

Bus stop made from a recycled bus- (Here in my home town of Athens, Georgia!)

Toilet paper tube bunnies

National Geographic magazine wall shelf

My new favorite website is www.recyclart.org . It is an online portfolio of innovative art made by many different artists that use recycled items in a new way. I can't stop pouring over all the great ideas!

The BIG 3-0

2010-05-20T19:30:00.014-04:00

I just turned 30 years old yesterday. Crazy. Time sure does seem to fly by. So, I spent a little time reflecting on some of my favorite things I've done over the last decade. Here's a sampling:
2001- I fell in love big time in this very room at my campus ministry. Later my sweetie beat me in a pie eating contest here. This photo reminds me of a lot of good times.

2001- Studied painting, photography, and bookmaking in Cortona, Italy. Ate way too much gelato and loved every second of it.

2002-2010 I've been teaching art to a bunch of awesome elem. kiddos. We really got into Jackson Pollock with this project!

2004- Studied art history and photography for my Masters of Art Education in Bayeux, France. Here I am at the Palace of Versailles.

2006- Got married to the love of my life.

2007- That year I started Shutterstitch and began doing festivals and selling my travel photos and pillows.

2010- Gave birth to what I think must be the cutest baby on the planet. :)

Goals for the next 10 years:
1. Write more love letters to my husband.
2. Have more kids. Later. Not anytime soon.
3. Be a good mommy and wife.
4. Go to Ireland, Prague, Greece, and Japan, or at least some of those places.
5. Learn how to grow and sustain my own vegetable garden.
6. Continue to grow my business.
7. Breathe and take time to enjoy each day.

Mother's Day: It's the Thought that Counts

2010-05-19T12:29:00.007-04:00

I just thought you might get a kick out of what I got for my first ever Mother's Day present. Since this is the first time I am a mother myself, I was kind of expecting some lavish treatment on that day. Instead I got a gray blob. Yup. You heard me. A gray blob. My husband attempted to make an impression of our two month old's foot and our son moved around so much that the impression ended up as just a blob of gel. He never got around to adding the plaster of paris to the gel base (which is step 2) because it didn't turn out. Oh honey, thanks anyway. It's the thought that counts. Maybe try that again when he's about 5 years old. :)

If anyone out there has successfully achieved this with an infant, let us know how you did it.

New Quilt for Sale

2010-05-18T21:28:00.007-04:00

I just posted my latest creation for sale on Etsy. It is a sunny yellow play quilt, perfect for that summertime baby shower gift or tummy time for your own baby.

Favorite Artist of the Week: Michelle Stitzlein

2010-05-17T12:17:00.009-04:00

As an elementary art teacher with a tiny budget, I love learning about how to use recycled products to make fabulous art. When I came across artist, Michelle Stitzlein, I thought her use of found materials to create new sculptures, was pretty awesome. She uses piano keys, broken china, fragments of old furniture, and other scraps to make butterflies. She also teaches workshops on how to turn bottlecaps into sculptures. Her book, Bottlecap Little Bottlecap, will also show you how to do it.

GIVEAWAY: Autographed "Pretty Little Pillows" book

2010-05-10T20:36:00.006-04:00

I am so excited to announce that one of my pillow designs has been published in a book called Pretty Little Pillows by Lark Books. It's a really fabulous hardback book with the directions on how to make over 29 different types of pillows. Some of the featured designs are on how to make pillows with creative stitching, quilting, piecing, and other techniques. There are directions on how to make fold-out pillows, cushy toys, tooth fairy pillows, ring bearer pillows, eco friendly pillows, travel pillows, and gorgeous decorative ones too. Basically, just about any pillow you can think of! My featured pillow in the book is a quilted pillow (seen above) that is great to make out of scraps of fabric that you might have laying around the house. It's eco friendly and fun to make!

I AM GIVING AWAY ONE FREE COPY of PRETTY LITTLE PILLOWS. I'll even autograph it for you. :) You can enter to win the book by becoming a follower of this blog. Go to the light green side bar on the right side of this page. Scroll down until you see "Followers of Shutterstitch". Click on that and sign in. I'll be picking a follower of my blog at random on May 31 to win the autographed book. Don't miss your chance to own a copy!

If you can't wait that long to find out if you've won, then you can buy your own copy here.

Favorite Artist of the Week: The Wonderland Studio

2010-05-08T20:20:00.003-04:00

I adore these fun and funky mobiles by The Wonderland Studio, available on Etsy. They come in a variety of colors and designs.

New Pillows

2010-05-08T20:17:00.004-04:00

I'm finally getting back into making pillows again after being on maternity leave. Here are two lovable, huggable custom pillows that I made for Renee in Ohio. And yes, those are flamingoes in the pink/green pillow!

Snoogle Product Review

2010-05-03T15:54:00.004-04:00

I know this is a silly picture to post. But as a pillow-maker myself, I have to rave about my all-time favorite pillow to sleep on. It's the Snoogle. It's designed as a pregnancy pillow to support your belly and back, but it's also great for nursing once your little one arrives. I just had the best nap of my life while snuggled up in it with my own newborn. I don't think I could have survived my pregnancy without it either. I have mild scoliosis in my upper and lower back and this really supported me well and helped me get some great nights of sleep. The only downside is the pillowcase wears out and pills up after a few months of washing. Plus the pillowcase is hard to slip on and off. Maybe I should start designing Snoogle covers with zippers on the side!

Marimekko Fabric

2010-05-03T15:48:00.005-04:00

I recently discovered the most beautiful fabrics by Marimekko. My Aunt Cindy went to Finland, where the fabric is made and re-did her guest room in a new Marimekko bedspread and coordinating artwork. I fell in love with the crazy cow print. Too bad the cow print fabric is $150 for 2.9 yards. *Sigh*. I'll have to admire it from afar. But wouldn't that make some cool pillows?

Sneak Peek: Mike and Ema's Engagement Session

2010-05-02T17:22:00.011-04:00

I can't believe my little brother, Mike, is getting married! Ok, he's not exactly little, he's 6 ft. 4 in., but he is my younger brother. He is getting married this summer to the beautiful and sweet, Ema. They are a great couple and I am really happy for him. Mike is a guitarist and both of them like heavy metal music so we went to a location with some great textured graffiti walls, rusty silos, and an industrial urban feel that I thought might go with their rocker personalities.

Sneak Peek: The Ham Family

2010-04-22T12:58:00.010-04:00

I just love this family and their two precious little girls. We had so much fun playing tea party on this farm in South Georgia. I love how the parents jumped right in to play tea party too!

Favorite Artist of the Week: Stéphanie Kilgast

2010-04-22T12:00:00.003-04:00

Wow, wow, wow. I love these teeny tiny little cakes made by Stephanie Kilgast. They are perfection. She also sells her miniatures and dessert jewelry on Etsy.

PORTRAIT SPECIAL: Free 8 x 10s

2010-04-11T16:53:00.002-04:00

I'm having a special right now. When you book a portrait session in April you will get two free 8 x 10s of your choice (a $34 value). The session can be for anytime between April- July 2010.

Birth of a Son

2010-04-05T09:20:00.009-04:00

I must admit, I've been a little busy lately. On March 9 I gave birth to our first baby, a son! Motherhood has been very challenging and rewarding at the same time. It has been a joy to watch our little boy grow and learn over the last month.

I've enjoyed making newborn portraits of him in my studio. He's a good little model!

Favorite Artist of the Week: LoveNostalgicWhimsy

2010-03-07T10:32:00.003-05:00

I can't get over how fun these little cat beds are. They are made out of vintage suitcases and are sold by LoveNostalgicWhimsy. She also turns suitcases into other furniture such as chairs, bedside tables, and vanities.

Tutorial: Food Face Plates

2010-03-07T10:21:00.003-05:00

Here is another great idea from At Second Street. She drew family member's faces on ceramic plates with Pebeo Porcelaine paint pens and baked them in the oven as directed on the package. When they were complete, she dressed them up in some yummy food. Looks like a great gift idea for kids!

Tutorial: On the Go Activity Book

2010-03-07T10:14:00.005-05:00

I love this idea from At Second Street. It's a On the Go Activity Book that she made for her daughter to play with in the car or while shopping, etc. It has fun activities like dress-up, tic-tac-toe, and a coloring section. All of the directions are on her blog. Awesome!

My Home: Before and After

2010-02-26T20:04:00.014-05:00

My husband and I bought our home about a year and a half ago and have enjoyed adding splashes of color to the walls and our own personal decorating style. We refinished the empty attic space and made it into a sunny guest room.

Olive colored walls, a new couch, chair, and rug bring the whole room together. The oil painting over the fireplace is one that I did in college of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The olive colored walls also warmed up the kitchen.

Spring Pillows at Helix

2010-02-21T21:13:00.006-05:00

These are some of my new pillows for sale at Helix this spring. Helix is a hip gift boutique in Athens, Ga.

Favorite Artist of the Week: Tsuru Bride

2010-02-20T22:11:00.004-05:00

I love these fun metallic clutch purses by Tsuru Bride. She has all kinds of animals from sheep to sharks in different sizes and shades. Check out her shop on Etsy.

Zoe's Quilt

2010-02-20T22:01:00.003-05:00

My niece Zoe was born a few months ago and I made this bright and girly quilt for her arrival. She started using it right away for a little nap!

Newborn Shots

2010-02-20T21:57:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about babies lately of course with my own little one due this week... so I thought it would be fun to put together a montage of baby portraits I've done in the past.

My Son's Nursery

2010-02-18T16:54:00.011-05:00

I finally finished getting my son's nursery ready. He's going to be here in just a few days!

There were a lot of little projects I did in the room. I made him a baby quilt with sweet little elephants on it. I collected some fabulous art on Etsy and from family treasures. I distressed my husbands' childhood dresser (he carved a rocket on one of the drawers as a child.) This was the first time I ever distressed a piece of furniture before and I learned a lot, so I'm going to share my tips with you:

Distressing Furniture:

Step 1: Remove the handles. Sand off as much of the old paint or varnish as you can with sandpaper. (Mine still had a stained look which is fine. Just get all the shiny paint off.) An electric sander is not recommended because everything will look too perfect.

Step 2: Take a thick white or clear wax candle and rub it on all the edges of the dresser and drawers.

Step 3: Paint everything with acrylic latex house paint.

Step 4: Sand the edges and surfaces, especially where you put the candle wax.

Step 5: Apply a VERY THIN coat of Polyurethane. It is very important to only do one side of the dresser at a time while it is laying flat. I learned the hard way that if the furniture is standing up while you do this, you'll end up with a ton of runny drips running down the sides of the dresser.

Links to the Artwork I bought on Etsy:

Elephant Print

Crocodile Print

Alphabet Giraffe Print

Animal Wall Decal

Pregnancy Self-Portraits

2010-01-31T19:13:00.008-05:00

As many of you know I am going to have a baby in a few weeks. YAY! It's hard to get good pregnancy photos of yourself but here's what I was able to capture....

Bella Wedding Album

2010-01-31T19:07:00.004-05:00

Here is an example of what one of my finished wedding albums looks like. This is the Bella Album. It's an 18 page library bound album with the couple's wedding date printed on the front. The sample photos inside are from Sara and Jim's lovely wedding in Atlanta.

Maternity Leave

2009-11-29T08:32:00.007-05:00

I am going to be taking maternity leave from Dec 24- April 15. We are expecting a baby boy in February. During my maternity leave I will not be doing any photo shoots or custom orders for pillows, quilts, photo books, etc. I will be available to talk by phone about photo shoots that you would like to book for after April 15. My Etsy shop will also remain open for travel photo and pillow purchases online. Clients can also still order prints online from my Client website. Thank you for understanding during this exciting time for our family.

Published in Pretty Little Pillows!

2009-10-29T23:27:00.006-04:00

I am so thrilled to see that "Pretty Little Pillows," the book I will be published in, is now taking pre-orders on Overstock.com. The book will feature one of my "Poppy" quilted pillows and the instructions for how to make it yourself. Sounds like the book will be out in May 2010. Can't wait to see it!!

Sneak Peek: Caroline's Pregnancy Portraits

2009-10-23T23:26:00.012-04:00

Caroline and Matt were so fun to work with at Lenora Park. She's been craving blueberries during her pregnancy and I just had to include them in the shoot.

Sneak Peek: Christina and Justin's Engagement Session

2009-10-23T22:54:00.010-04:00

I love the rustic feel of the session I had at Hurricane Shoals' Heritage Park with Christina and Justin. It was a nippy day but they were real troopers and we got some great shots!

I'm Having a Baby!

2009-10-11T18:33:00.005-04:00

I am excited to announce that I am going to have a baby boy in February 2010! This will be our first child. We can't wait to meet the little guy. Here is a maternity picture I did of myself at 16 weeks and an ultrasound of the little cutie at 12 weeks.

New Pillows on Etsy

2009-09-12T22:08:00.005-04:00

I've posted some new pillows that I made on Etsy today. Check 'em out.

Favorite Artist of the Week: Kirsten Lepore

2009-08-28T19:52:00.002-04:00

I can't help but be-bop to this fun animation of the childhood game "Guess Who." If you like this, check out some of Kirsten Lepore's other animations.

Sneak Peek: Sara and Jim's Wedding

2009-08-22T19:59:00.016-04:00

Sara and Jim had a lovely, heart-warming wedding at the Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta. The reception was in a beautiful glass room at the Retreat of Dunwoody in Atlanta.

Favorite Website: Awkward Family Photos

2009-08-10T19:47:00.008-04:00

I have to share my new favorite website with you: www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com . It is chock-full of embarrassing and awkward moments from punks in space to kittens in pockets... this website will keep me laughing for hours.

Sneak Peek: Allie and Matt's Wedding

2009-08-02T18:58:00.012-04:00

My sister, Allie, got married last weekend to her long time sweetie, Matt. Their small family wedding was at DeSoto Falls in North Georgia. The family hiked up the mountain and Allie and Matt had a ceremony up at the waterfall. It was so pretty!

Sneak Peek: June's Headshots

2009-07-28T21:22:00.005-04:00

June De Nadai is an actress based in Boston. I made these headshots for her portfolio while she was in Georgia on vacation this summer.

Sneak Peek: Odum Sisters' Studio Session

2009-07-28T20:34:00.010-04:00

I enjoyed taking some headshots in my studio of the Odum sisters. We also made time for some fun shots, too.

Sneak Peek: Bracewell Family

2009-07-18T14:26:00.008-04:00

It was lovely to work with the Bracewells at the Athens Botanical Gardens. The kids had fun climbing rocks, picking up leaves, and playing on the paths.

New Product: T-shirt Pillows

2009-07-16T13:14:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Daniel for asking me to make these custom t-shirt pillows for his girlfriend's birthday. It was a great idea and I'll be offering custom t-shirt pillows as a regular product from now on. These make great gifts for the hard-to-shop-for friend or family member. If you want your own, send me your shirts and an idea for a color scheme and I'll get to work!

Sneak Peek: Malachi's Portrait Session

2009-07-15T13:31:00.007-04:00

Don't you just love seeing happy babies in their Daddy's arms? Malachi did such a good job showing off all kinds of different expressions during his session from contented to curious and sleepy. What a good baby.

Sneak Peek: Carleigh's Portrait Session

2009-07-11T15:17:00.010-04:00

Sweet newborn Carleigh was so much fun to photograph. Her Dad even brought out his old U.G.A. football helmet for the session. Little Carleigh fit so snug in there we could hardly get her back out!

Sneak Peek: Raegan's Portrait Session

2009-07-04T17:26:00.010-04:00

Isn't Raegan a cutie? She was so precious playing with this kitty. Thanks to my in-laws for letting us use their gorgeous farm as our backdrop. More photos of Raegan to come on my website shortly...

MEGA PHOTOGRAPHY SALE!!

2009-07-02T18:25:00.004-04:00

In my Etsy Shop I am having a huge photography sale. Buy one 8x10 photo and get a free 5x7 photo or fabric collage. You can't beat that! These make great gifts!

Sneak Peek: Claire's Portrait Session

2009-07-01T09:16:00.012-04:00

I'm posting a few of my favorite photos from 15 month old Claire's portrait session yesterday. I think she wins the future heartbreaker award, just look at those lashes! I'll post the rest of the photos in the client section of my website later.

Sneak Peek: Miller's Portrait Session

2009-06-29T13:32:00.009-04:00

I am busy working on the portraits I made of Andy, Stacey, and Miller (14 months) and wanted to share a sneak peek of a few of them. They were the cutest family to photograph. We had fun playing on North Campus at the University of Georgia. The rest of their portraits will be on my client website shortly.