Artisans and Craftspeople Wanted

Hey, Y'all!

This blog isn't about me. (Yes, I know...hard to believe, right?)

It's actually about a small-town festival in need of vendors. Lucama (North Carolina, for those of you who aren't local to us) is hosting a Spring Fling Festival on May 16, 2009.

This fesitval is in need of vendors. Wall 2 Wall Photography will be there, and I'm hoping that any of you out there reading this will be there, too. If you are an artisan with a craft to show off, then please get a booth. If you are a craftsman/person with wares to sell, please get a booth.

The web site to check out is http://www.lucamacic.com/ and if you should have any questions, please contact Shelley at Shells4you@hotmail.com .

We look forward to seeing you at the Lucama Spring Fling Festival!

Ok, So Now I'm Not Slack - Just Busy!!!

Hi, All!
I may have been slack last month, but this month I've been busier than a one armed paper hanger in a paper factory....

Now that the Joint Commission has been and gone, the craziness at my day job has come down to it's regular low-key status. This gives me the opportunity to spend more time building the photo business...

We've recently come up with our own Economic Stimulus Package. This package includes the following:

Economic Stimulus Photos on CD Package - $130.00
This easy to use, economy-friendly package includes the following:

• Pre-session consultation
• A minimum of twenty of the best images of the session in jpg format on CD;
• One user-friendly directory of all images reduced for use in email and on the web;
• A second user-friendly directory of all images for prints up to 8x10 in size (we offer very reasonable prices on prints larger than 8x10);
• License agreement for printing and other uses (mugs, mouse pads, tees, etc.);
• Instructions for use and support after delivery;
• One 11x14” print of your choice.

Please give us a call (919-921-6328) a call if we can help you with any of your portrait needs.

We still have our Standard-Traditional Packages, too...

Traditional One-Pose Packages:
The "Standard Traditional" which includes

• 1-8x10,
• 2 5x7, and
• 16 wallet sized prints (retouching included) for $50,

the new
"Traditional Plus" which includes

• 4-8x10's,
• 8-5x7's, and
• 24 wallet sized prints (retouching included) for $75.

Both packages allow you to pick your pose immediately after the session.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to book an appointment for a photo session.

Cheers and Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Julie

Yes, I'm Slack, Okay?

Yeah, I know...It's been over a month since I've posted anything out here. I've been busy, busy, busy...

THE FACE...
First it was my face, which had a cyst (quite a large one, I might add) that had to be removed...again. Those of you that know me know that it was removed once in March, then I had to go back a second time in March because he didn't get it all, so they attacked it again. Then after several follow-ups at the derm's office, here in Goldsboro, they decided it had come back and needed to be removed again. In July. Went back for a few more follow ups. Still didn't get it all, so I saw a surgeon in October who was sweet, but wouldn't touch my face with a ten-foot scalpel, so I got a referral to be seen by a plastic surgeon in Greenville in December. On the fifth of that month I had surgery for the fourth time. And to say he laid my cheek wide open was an understatement. Good that he gave me post-op drugs. God knows I needed them! Went back on the 12th to have the stitches removed, and was scheduled for the final (yeah, right) follow-up today. Last week my cheek swelled up, felt bruised and then did some things I don't guess y'all want to read about, but needless to say I figured that the perCYSTent thing had come back with a vengance. Turns out (I find out today) that the self-disolving stitches are not my face's best friend, and now I've got an infection. But I'm cool with that...I really thought surgery #5 was on the horizon. An infection is the BEST possible news I could have gotten. So, anyway...the next thing on my agenda has been....

THE DAY JOB
As many of you know, I work at the local hospital. The Joint Commission has re-organized something called, "The Environment of Care" which is a major-big deal for accredited facilities such as the one I work for. At any rate, almost 100 policies had to be reformatted and submitted to Senior Management for review and that has taken up most of my 40+ hours weekly at the day job. Soooo, when I come home, I'm fragged to say the least.

TECHNOLOGY
This actually forced me to unplug for the better part of the week after Christmas. After being inundated with an ungodly amount of spam, and typing policies, and receiving an unnatural amount of text messages I finally just got a clue and didn't check email, Facebook, MySpace, the web site, etc., etc. I finally just stopped and took a few days off from everything.

All of the above made me reflect and set some resolutions for the new year. Read on:

1. Under-promise and over-deliver: Translation? Instead of trying to do and be everything for everyone all the time, make fewer promises, and then give more than expected. That way, if time constraints limit you, you haven't bitten off more than you can chew, and even if you only deliver what you promised, you've still met your commitment. (I think of this one specifically for all the fund-raising I have a tendency to do. I'm only one person, therefore, I cannot single-handedly coordinate the Arts & Crafts Auction for Relay for Life, and the whatever else needs to be done, and the other misc. fundraisers, and United Way, etc., etc.) Also create a BALANCE for giving and taking. If you give too much and take too little, you burn out. If you take too much and give too little, well, that's just greedy. Everything in moderation and balance.
2. Family first! (Ok, family first AFTER God...but I have secular friends, too, LOL) I'm finding that if I take the time to do the fun things with the family, I come out of it with a little less time on my hands, but am more refreshed and can do more with less time. Seriously, that extra hour of Guitar Hero or bowling is NOT going to kill you financially, I promise!)
3. Do NOT sweat the small stuff. I'm learning the hard way that stressing out to the point of insomnia over such trivialities as the DDJ, you have nothing left when it comes time to stress over really legitimate things. Case in point? My mom's biopsy came back bad. If I worry about my day job and the ridiculous things all of that encompasses, I will not have the energy to focus on caring for my mom and her emotional needs. What happens at the office stays at the office and if it goes south? Well, then, it will just stay south until 8 a.m. the following business day.
4. Take care of yourself. Yes, we're busy; we are moms, career women, friends, cooks, housekeepers, homemakers, etc. If we don't take care of our own needs (ohhhh, I dunno, a hot bath, favorite t.v. show, good book, etc.) then we can/will not be able to adequately take care of what is important to us: spouses, children, friends, jobs, etc. This includes eating well and exercising, even if it's just a well balanced snack and a walk around the block.
5. Always work on bettering yourself. This can be anything from learning a new skill or craft to setting realistic (BITE SIZED) goals for yourself. Otherwise, you stagnate.

Okay, so I guess that is it for now. Do want to thank Brenda for her verbiage on resolution #1. That was more eloquent than anything I could have possibly come up with!

Until next time....

I LOVE Taking Portraits!

Wow! It's been a really busy week! I booked to portrait sessions at our fundraiser a couple weeks ago and I got to shoot both within the last week!

I did the Konigs last Thursday evening. Kevin & Cindy have been married just over 8 years and you would think they are newlyweds. They're so sweet I get a toothache everytime I am around them. :) They chose a Wall 2 Wall Standard Traditional package, and I think they will be very happy with it. When I last spoke with them, they were planning to use this photo in their Christmas cards.

Yesterday was a busy one for me, also...I got up early, had breakfast, drank at least a pot of coffee, came into the studio early to get some web site updates done, as well as update my blog, but alas! That wasn't meant to be. I found that my anti-virus program had expired. Apparently I had ordered two copies of Norton 360; one for each laptop..but at about six months apart. Well, the one purchased in November of last year went over a couple of days ago, and the one for the first laptop had been renewed for up to 3 computers and it doesn't expire until April, but of course, NOTHING is as easy as it seems with my software, so I ended up on the phone with the Symantec people for over an hour! I spoke to a lovely person who was very personable, and we got it all worked out. Just in the nick of time, too, I might add.

I had the Dutton portrait session scheduled for yesterday, as well, and when Rhonda called me to tell me she was on her way I told her to drive R E A L L Y S L O W L Y because I still had the Symantec people remotely controlling my laptop out here in the studio. Fortunately all is well that ends well, because I regained control of the computer, updated the virus software, and the laptop was ready to rock and roll when we reviewed the proofs right after the shoot. As you can see, Mark and Rhonda have a wonderful family. The kids were an absolute joy to photograph. Madeline was very poised (AND photogenic) and Okey needed a little convincing to jump in Mommy's lap for the family shoot, but as you can see, it was a great session!

I was able to put a rush job on the processing so that everyone would have their prints prior to Thanksgiving, which is so important when families get together. It's nice to have those current portraits in hand when you see the grandparents and aunts and uncles and everyone's clammoring for a copy of your portraits.

If I don't post again this week, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Fundraising and Picture Taking...

So, wow! It's still November, I'm still busier than a one armed paper hanger, the DDJ is still making me crazy, but I remain (much to my surprise) upright and breathing! All I can say is that I will be SOOOO happy when the Joint Commission has come and gone. Perhaps the PTB will regain their normally even keel, huh?

We had our fundraiser out here at the studio on Saturday. While we didn't have an incredible turnout, we were able to acquire almost four huge boxes of groceries which we delivered to the Taylor family, and needless to say, our timing was wonderful. :)

During the weeks leading up to our fundraiser I was able to complete the Sperry photoshoot, some of the portraits I am posting here. I've got two more shoots coming within the next week, and because they were booked during our fundraiser, I am able to contribute 30% of our proceeds toward the benefit.

I just want to give a shout out to all that helped us get this thing off the ground. Specifically: Lori & Aaron Carver, Rhonda Dutton, Brenda Warren, and Cindy & Kevin Konig. Without these people, our benefit would not have been as successful as it was, and I want each and every one of you to know that I appreciate your participation, your encouragement, and your fellowship on Saturday. Can we all say, "Laminin"? I knew we could! God is GOOD, y'all! :)

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to keep up with all this craziness! Blessings to all!