by Dave & Karin, seen on Flickr

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Clickin Moms allows you to post your own photos and browse the galleries of other members. A great place for photo inspiration!

The best part of a Clickin Moms membership is the access to the forums. Here you can ask a question and you will get advice and answers from all over the world! Some of the topics in the forum include:

• Photoshop and Lighthouse Tutorials
• Lighting Issues
• Equipment advice and reviews
• Photo Editing Tips
• Scavenger Hunt Photo Challenges
• Buy and Sell used equipment
• Advice for starting and building your own photography business.

We are giving away a One Year Membership to Clickin' Moms and to enter is simple.

Just leave a comment and let me know what photography question you would love to ask on Clickin' Moms.
Comments will be accepted through Wednesday, November 25th. Winner will be picked at random. Good Luck!

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While preparing for a baby shower photo shoot this summer we came up with this easy plush owl craft. And it can even be no-sew if you switch the stitch for a little fabric glue. We won't tell! {wink} Read on for a list of materials, step-by-step instructions and a template download.

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One of the great sources of bliss in this world is giving, and as a stay-at-home mom, I can often give more "time and talent" than I can give funds. Anyone can make a positive difference in the world by helping others, even though they may have little money or time. I have found enormous comfort in sharing time and talent with others in my darkest days, after the death of our 12 year-old daughter, Katie.

Katie was diagnosed with a rare form of adrenal cancer in October, 2006. She endured five rounds of chemotherapy treatment, an 18-hour surgery (to remove the tumor) and many difficult weeks of recovery. Her courage, humor and strength were (and are) a huge inspiration to me.

To our horror, Katie’s cancer recurred just a few months after she completed her treatment, and we had to face the fact that she was going to die. After caring for her at home, with the help of hospice, we were by Katie’s side when she passed away, in August of 2007. It is terribly painful to have to learn to live without her. I started writing as a way of coping with this personal and spiritual crisis.

One of the activities that comforts me during the most painful times is sewing simple quilts for the cancer ward where Katie was treated. I've been doing it for nearly two years, and we have just turned the "Katie's Quilters" project into the "Katie's Comforters Guild" at Seattle Children's Hospital. My goal is to have a handmade blanket waiting for every child who is admitted to that hospital. Our hope that our guild will continue to grow until the need for blankets is met; we are just getting started!

Why did we decide to make blankets, instead of raising money to buy blankets?

A store-bought blanket is a nice gift. But the gift of a homemade blanket, with all of the care, love and intention that goes into it, can have a profoundly comforting effect on a person who is in the hospital.

Many patients don't know they are going to be checking in to stay, when they arrive at the hospital. Some come in through the Emergency Department; some are airlifted to the hospital. Some simply come in for tests, but a problem is discovered, and they are unable to go home to get items that are comforting and familiar to them. This is what happened to Katie. By grace, she had thought to bring her favorite quilt with her (one that I had made) on that day. It was months before she was allowed to go home again, and that quilt was a reminder of the security and love that she enjoyed in her home life. That blanket was with her during her weeks of in-patient chemotherapy; in Ronald McDonald House, in the months we lived there; it was with her in the intensive care unit, and on the surgery ward, as she grew stronger and prepared to go home again. It was also on her bed when she passed away, and now it is in my bedroom, as a token of love and comfort.

Katie used her quilt as:

• A tent, to hide under, and sometimes to feign sleep with

Here she is a few weeks later, checking her email on the SCCA ward.

• A mask, to block smells that bothered her

Her quilt is barely visible --under the big pink and purple fleece blanket from a friend -- in this photo with David and two of the Seattle Seahawks, but it's there!

• A lap blanket, to warm her legs when in the car or a wheelchair

• A wrap, like a pashmina, to keep her upper body warm

• A blinder, to avoid sights she disliked (such as hypodermic needles);

• A bathrobe, over her pajamas

This is David, Katie and Nurse April, helping Katie to walk after her surgery.

• A distraction, studying its pattern (the state flowers of the U.S.A.), instead of watching procedures

• A comforter

Here she is on the surgery ward, almost ready to go home, nearly 6 weeks after her 18-hours-long surgery.

I'm sure there are lots more possible uses. Kids are creative!

In these difficult economic times, many of us cannot simply write a check for a charity that we love and want to support. Among crafters; however, I have come to learn that we nearly always have a “stash,” some materials stored away that we haven’t had a chance to turn into a gift or a project.

Are you a crafter? Do you sew, knit, crochet or work with fleece? If you have a “stash” of materials, and would like to share it with sick children, I invite you to join us (or to start a project of your own, in your part of the world). Our guild’s website is www.katiescomfortersguild.blogspot.com

If you would like to learn more about the hospital, click on this link to Seattle Children’s Hospital’s website.

The joy of sharing your time and talent, and knowing the comfort that it will bring to others, is a great source of bliss. I hope you will find that this is true in your own life.

Note: Children’s Hospital can only accept brand-new blankets; no pre-owned or used blankets can be given, due to issues of infection-control.

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by Sherrie St. Hilaire, seen on Flickr

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by kevindooley, seen on Flickr

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Year after year, it's the same story: Tears and tantrums, wild untamed hair that was just brushed, clean clothes that are immediately dirty and a chorus of moans and groans… yes folks, it's family portrait time.

Bottom line: No one loves having their photo taken. But no one is ever sorry they did it. Afterwards.

Believe it or not, now's the time to schedule your annual family portrait with a professional photographer if you want one done for the holidays.

My advice: book now, schedule early.

I don't want to have to say it aloud, but hey, the holidays? right around the corner.

The sooner you schedule your family portrait session the sooner a) it's over and b) the better your photos will be.

What? The better your photos will be? It may seem a little far-fetched, but believe me, it's not.

As a professional photographer, the busiest time of year for me is not wedding season (Spring through Summer) but Fall when people are looking for family portraits to put in their holiday cards or to give as gifts. In the months of October and November, it's not uncommon for me to have 3 – 4 family portrait sessions booked per weekend.

Besides avoiding scheduling conflicts, having your portraits done before the holiday rush often results in better photos because the photographer isn't as limited on time, hurrying to get to the next shoot or in a time-crunch to get the photos back to you quickly.

The more time your photographer has to do post-production editing (i.e., Photoshop and the like), the better your photos will be. Of course, the better the photos, the harder it will be to choose the one you like the best, but that's just a chance you're going to have to take, right?

When choosing your photographer make sure they're a good fit for you and your family. If you're looking for a more traditional portrait with a backdrop and studio lighting, don't pick a photographer who has a photojournalistic style. A good photographer should be able to capture your personalities, not just your smiles. A photojournalistic approach may not be what you had envisioned for your holiday card, but tends to work well when you have small children who aren't so thrilled about having their photograph taken. A nice, classic posed shot may be just what the grandparents are looking for to add to their hallway wall.

Also, be sure to look at the photographer's portfolio before working with them. The photos will speak for themselves. You wouldn't normally hire someone without looking at their resume, right?

Things to look for in a professional photographer:

• Style of photography matches your own
• Upfront about costs & what's included in package
• Works well with children
• Flexible scheduling
• Reasonable turnaround time
• Guarantees his/her work
• Lets you keep the negatives/files for reprinting

Tips for better photos:

• Never say "cheese" – it creates a forced, cheesy smile
• Try breathing in when the photographer counts to three (It tends to make you stand up straighter and is more flattering)
• Black clothing is always the most flattering
• Avoid white clothing can be too bright/harsh
• Remove glasses (if not wanted in photo)
• Relax…

If you love your photographer:

• Ask for business cards – a referral is the best "thank you"
• Tip them
• Schedule next year's session now for a potential discount

Whatever you do, have your portraits done at least once a year. You will never be sorry.

Do you have any funny stories you want to tell about family portrait time? Share them on our forum!

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What a fun way to help a young child express thankfulness and to teach gratitude!

Here is a link to the clip art used in the video.

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Sarah, our Family Editor created a book for her 365 Photography project. She had used the service at Shutterfly before, and couldn't wait to compile her year in photos into one bound treasure.

I was so terribly excited to have all my pictures in one place, and that I’d be receiving them in a book – and then when Shutterfly asked me to do a review, I was glad to – because I was already prepared to buy this book – it was, in fact, already in my shopping cart waiting for me to click “Purchase”. I was already familiar with the ease of use of their photo book system, and the quality of the product. How often do you get the opportunity to talk about a brand you ALREADY LIKE?

Malia, our Relationships Editor, created a book for her sister's wedding. What a great idea and a fabulous gift for any occasion.

My sister got married back in August and like the scenario I mentioned earlier, her pictures are all over the place. I gathered up several of my favorites and created an album for her and my new brother-in-law.

Have some photo projects you have been putting off?  Or want to create some books for Holiday gifts?  Here is a fabulous giveaway.  Shutterfly is offering to give 2 readers with a set of 4 books to make.  Four gifts off your list just like that!

• (1) New 7×9 photo books with personalized soft photo covers starting at $15.99.
• (2) Soft photo covers on our existing 5×7 and 8×8 books, both at great starting prices of $12.99 and $19.99 respectively.
• (1) Our flagship 8×11 photo books with a hard photo cover.

The winners will receive codes that are valid through November 30, so you can get to work on your projects right away!

How to enter:

Leave a comment telling what kind of book you would make, or who would receive these as gifts!

Extra entries for:

Subscribing to the Blissfully Domestic newsletter

This contest runs now until November 18.  Winners will be notified by email, so be sure to supply a valid email address.  Open to US residents 18+.

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