Photos — Page 3

The Magic Way to Simplify Digital Photo Organization

“A good snapshot stops a moment from running away.” – Eudora Welty… I love photography. I’m definitely the person in my family that’s responsible for capturing those great moments we have all year – from videotaping birthdays, to snapping fun pics of the kids in the pool, to making the annual photo books for everyone at Christmas time. I have so many favorites – but I’m not always good about organizing them…

This is Abby last year at the holidays. I can’t even believe how much she has changed over the last 10 months – my oh my, where does the time go? Her hair wasn’t even long enough for pigtails last year! But I love this silly little smile and those chubby cheeks. Priceless to me. [Read more…]

New Customers Get $40 Free at Paper Coterie

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” – The Wonder Years… I’ve told you ladies before – I am such a big fan of photo products. Whether it’s photo wall art that I make myself, or pretty cards and personalized journals that I order from a few favorite sites – I just adore anything adorned with my most-loved pics of friends and family. And of course, becoming a new mom a couple years ago just doubled up my photo junkie tendencies. I really like a site with cool modern designs on their photo products, but so many have really crazy-high prices. But there is one site that does combine perfect design with prices to fit my real mom budget – Paper Coterie. Let me show you a little taste of what you’ll get there, since they also have an uh-MAY-zing promo right now – All new customers get $40 in free product. No strings – just free. Trust me – it’s real. This is how I first found them, was with one of these promos a year ago. So, since I read about that on one of my own favorite blogs, I’ll pay it forward now and share it with any of YOU lovely ladies who haven’t shopped her before….

“Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.” – Paper Coterie Memory Book

This is a recent photo book that I made, with a few of my fave pics of Abby. The whole book is filled with delightful prints {yep, delightful is the only word to describe it…} like these little piece umbrellas, pennant banners, tiny flowers, and other prints to make you smile. The whole look is kind of eclectic, but works great together. It’s called Dream a Little Dream, and comes in a boy or girl color scheme.

“God gave us memories that we might have roses in December.” – J.M. Barrie

This is on my list to buy soon… Their personalized photo journals. I have a couple from last year that I’ve totally used up. So I want a new one for me, and a few for holiday gifts too – everyone loves these. {Early Christmas shopping like I am? Here’s another super inexpensive, yet always loved, holiday gift idea.} Another great product to check out right now is the Baby Announcement cards – buy one set, and get a second set of cards completely free. This is good for EVERY set you buy – so buy two, get two free. And on and on. Use coupon code babygogo at check out until September 9th, 2012 to get this deal.

“She glances at the photo, and the pilot light of memory flickers in her eyes.” – Frank Deford

Another reason that I just adore Paper Coterie – {Well, I mean, besides the amazing product designs, the affordable prices and seriously amazing promotions…} – they really appreciate their customers. The service is excellent, and if you ever have a question or problem, they get back to you right away to help you out. What’s even better? They sometimes send out fun free gifts with your purchase – like this adorable necklace that I unexpectedly found in my package not long ago, as a thank you for ordering. Love that.

Get $40 in beautiful photo & paper products – completely free

This is such a great way to check out some of the awesome products at Paper Coterie. Just fill your cart with $40 or more in products, and every single one of my readers who enter coupon code Welcome2012 at checkout will have $40 taken off of their total. You can pick out a bunch of fun goodies for yourself, or start stocking up for the holidays. When I try to explain the quality of these products versus other brands I’ve tried, I explain it this way – You know the difference between business cards from Moo.com, and Vistaprint? Well, these books, cards, journals – everything is made from that high quality, silky-smooth sturdy paper. You’ll love it, pinky promise.

Friends don’t let friends pay full price…

Because friends don’t let friends pay full price :) Learn how to get $40 in #free photo products from @papercoterie –sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/09/new-cu…

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) September 4, 2012

Already a fan of Paper Coterie?

If you’re not a new customer to Paper Coterie, you can still get some sweet savings. Just head over to their site, and on the main page click the “Shuffle” button on the photo display – it’ll bring up all of the latest specials you can get. You’ll also find a sweet new giveaway to win a $150 Visa Gift Card. Make sure to sign up for their email list too – so you get first notification when there are new freebies and promotions.

{Disclaimer: Photos and opinions are my own. I purchased these products myself, and have used this $40 free promotion towards past purchases of my own. I received no compensation for this post. Post includes some affiliate links. This is one of my fave brands, and I know you’ll fall in love with it too.}

How to go “Design Spotting” with Me & #DysonDesign

“Good designs come from the heart, not from the brain.” – Danny Sengers… I want to know – what designs inspire you? Do you notice great design in your daily life? Many times we really don’t – badly designed products are frustrating, don’t do what they should, slow you down – forcing you to take notice of their flaws. But a product that is designed well becomes such a seamless part of your day that you often stop paying much attention to it. I talked to you a few weeks ago about some amazing designs in my life that I did notice, once I took a little time to pay attention to the amazing things around me. Last week, I decided to do a little more “Design Spotting” – and made a point to capture photos of the things I saw that amazed me with their beauty, smart function, and plain ol’ awesomeness. I’d love to see what inspires you too – snap some photos to share to Instagram and Twitter, and tag them with #DysonDesign. I am super excited to see what you find.

“Content precedes design. Design in the absense of content is not design, it’s decoration.” – Jeffrey Zeldman

I really do believe that the basis of a great design is a smart idea. I love this photo, and this is definitely a design that is more than mere decoration – this is a structure with a purpose. This is just one of hundreds of windmills that now dot the top of the ridges that you drive through when leaving Washington, headed towards Oregon. Those small dots on the hillside are cows, which helps you realize the magnitude of these giant energy-generating gadgets. It’s very surreal as you drive through them all – they’re beautiful in their simplicity, yet they seem so foreign in this natural landscape. They’re incredibly quiet, even though there is such an incredible amount of them in one place. It’s a very weird feeling as you pass them…. But knowing that these massive windmills are here, in this mostly desolate area, quietly and simply creating energy from the winds that blow by, is pretty amazing.

Design is about making things good (and then better) and right (and fantastic) for the people who use and encounter them.” – Matt Beale

Another amazing example of design that is smart, and beautiful in it’s simplicity is the Dyson Air Multiplier. Have you seen this fan yet? {If not, click through below to check it out.} I’m amazed, and have to admit – I do not really understand how this works. But I am incredibly intrigued, and am looking for somewhere local to check one out in person. I love that the design is like nothing else I’ve ever seen in a fan. I love the “cool” factor it has. And I love the safety of no blades for little fingers to get stuck in. Seriously – this is what I call impressive design.

The Dyson Air Multiplier is available in table, tower and pedestal sizes. With no fast-spinning blades, it’s safe, easy to clean, and generates smooth air with no buffeting. Keep cool with Dyson Air Multiplier. Learn more at www.dyson.com/cooling.

Get inspired with #DysonDesign on Instagram and Twitter.

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Dyson via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Dyson.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 13, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | No Comments

Creative Facebook Photo App Creates Personalized Photo Books & More!

New PhotoPad App for Facebook: I am a collector of photos and memorabilia. I love photos, I have books filled with ticket stubs, letters and cards, menus and postcards, announcements for babies and graduations… You get the idea. Holding on to those moments in life are very important to me, and I really treasure all of my scrapbooks and albums. But now that life has changed, technology has updated, and most of my photos are digital – I love finding creative new ways to share them with friends. Which led me to this fun new app – It’s called PhotoPad, and you access it right from Facebook.

“She glances at the photo, and the pilot light of memory flickers in her eyes.” – Frank Deford

This creative photo app for Facebook is super easy to use, and can make some really fun stuff – Use it to instantly convert the photos in your Facebook albums into photo books, eCards, Postcards, and more. I used it for the first time this morning, and made a whole photo book, filled with pics of Abby. Very cool, right? Here’s how it works:

Get started: Log onto Facebook, then go to the PhotoPad Facebook page to learn more, or just click through directly to their Facebook photo app if you’re already logged in.
Loading: The first time I used this app, it loaded SUPER slow. I’m not sure if my internet was running slow, or if it always takes a little longer your very first time using it – but each time I’ve logged in after that initial trial, it’s been much quicker.
Choose a product: Ok, this part confused me a little. The first screen that comes up says, “Choose a heart,” and has a bunch of images to choose from. But, I couldn’t figure out what to do with that heart? So I just skipped it, and went up to the toolbar at the top. You can make an Instant Photo Book, which will autofill pages with a selection of your Facebook photos. Or, make a traditional style book where you add photos individually, a postcard, ecard, or other choices.
Pick a theme: This also confused me for just a minute… When I started the photo book, there were 4 choices of theme to pick from. BUT, don’t let that fool ya! When you get started, there are a ton more cool layouts, themes, backgrounds and more to customize your designs. These are all under the “Change Styles” tab in the toolbar.
Load your photos: This one is simple as can be, just click “Add Photos” in the toolbar, then choose which album you want to draw your pics from. Choose the photos you want to use, check the boxes, then they’ll load into your layouts.
Customize it: You can add stickers, text, shapes, borders, and all kinds of other fun stuff to make your cards or books your own. I added a few little flower stickers to my simple layout, along with some text to describe what the photos are all about. Took me only about 2-3 minutes to create my first couple of pages, and less than 15 minutes for the whole book.

And that’s it – easy peasy! When you’re all done, click the “Publish” button in the toolbar, and decide whether to publish it publicly, send to friends, or keep it private in your own collection. The app will store all of your creations right there in Facebook, so you can access them again whenever you want them. What a fun way to share photos from events like birthdays or weddings with friends and family, right? Love it.

Check out the PhotoPad app for yourself on Facebook today too!

If you try it too, let me know what you think of it! And feel free to stop by my Facebook wall and share some of your new cool creations – I’d love to see how you use this with your fave photos.

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” – The Wonder Years

{Disclosure: I received compensation as part of a campaign with Living Your Moment in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 26, 2012 Filed Under: Tech Tips | No Comments

Instagram May Photo Challenge

Are you a Photo Junkie?

If so, then you’re probably a total lover of Instagram too! Which means you’ve gotta join me in doing this sweet photo challenge from Paper Coterie – They want to see all of the little ways that you celebrate your life, since they’re celebrating turning 1! Yep, one whole year running their beautiful business. Since I love any excuse to take more photos for Instagram, I love this little challenge.

Check out my latest pics for the challenge on Web.stagram – or follow me on Instagram, @sunandsipcups.

About the Challenge:

Birthdays, holidays, and special occasions are amazing ways to recognize milestones. Don’t get us wrong. We LOVE a good reason to celebrate. But finding value in and documenting the beauty of the everyday is our special mission. This month, we’d love for you to join us in purposely seeking out and capturing the details of the everyday. To Join – Each day, follow the photo prompt. Share your photo via Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Tag your photos with the hashtag #connectwithpc and the name of the prompt. We can’t wait to see how you document the beauty of life well lived.

Love Paper Coterie as much as I do?

They have some amazing specials right now you can check out, including a code for a free gift, and some Mother’s Day deals at 60% off! Love that.

Wanna shop ’em? Shop Paper Coterie birthday specials all month long!
Wanna share ’em? Become a Paper Coterie affiliate!

Let me know if you’re joining this challenge too by leaving me a comment with your Instagram name, so I can follow you. I missed a couple days – but I’ll be posting a pic {or two, or three….} for each days challenge from now on!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 7, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 9 Comments

Photo Gifts that Combine Retro & Modern Design – at HUGE Discounts for Mother’s Day!

I Heart Paper Coterie!

I am so incredibly in love with the photo products at Paper Coterie – seriously. I ordered a few months ago when they had the free $40 in credit for new customers, and was BLOWN AWAY by the totally gorgeous selection. Everything is so pretty – like a really cool combination of retro/vintage style, but still totally modern and fresh. How can that be? Well, you’ll have to check them out and see it yourself –

Shop Paper Coterie Today – Mother’s Day Sales and Birthday Bash!

I love the products, and the quality is as good as it gets. Like, perfection. But – the other thing I totally love about them is that they LOVE you back! My order came with a pendant necklace, as a thank you for my first order. They are always running really amazing specials where you get free gifts, totally free credits, or super sweet discounts. Right now you can get –

Free Mother’s Day printables, that are totally pretty.
$20 Memory Keepers {this is a beautiful box that you personalize with photos, and fill with great memories.} – plus a free gift.
Mother’s Day specials – express shipping, and gifts at 60% off!

Check them out, and stock up on gifts for the special women in your life – and for yourself. This is now my #1 go-to shop for any type of photo or paper products. If you want to stay updated on their promotions and unique new photo products, check them out on Facebook!

What are YOU getting your Momma this year?

Do you ever purchase photo gifts? {If so – seriously, you MUST check these out. You’ll probably never shop anywhere else again!} Do you do the traditional flowers and a card? Jewelry? Or are you a DIY type?

You’ll find more Mother’s Day Celebration and Gift Ideas on my Pinterest board – and I”d love to hear your creative tips too!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 7, 2012 Filed Under: Shopping | 5 Comments

Color, Click, Capture – Photo Challenge

Color, Click, Capture

This Week’s Color, Click, Capture Party is On!

Welcome to Week 8 of the Color, Click, Capture photography challenge hosted by East9thStreet, A Helicopter Mom, Nap Time Is My Time and Sunshine and Sippy Cups. This week our color is BROWN.

Winter Wine Tour

During the spring and summer months, the wineries in my area are in full bloom – filled with the greens of the vineyards, and bright flowers in the gardens. But, on our recent winter wine tour, there’s not as much color. Lots of browns covered in icy white. It’s a different kind of beautiful – and we had an amazing time. This was one of our stops along the way – Bonair Winery.

Want to participate in our challenge? It’s super easy! Here’s how it Works:

Take a picture the represents the color of the week.
Write a blog post that features your picture and link it up.
Visit other people’s posts and hopefully find some inspiration!
You can put the button and link code on your blog if you wish but it’s not a requirement.

Our color next week is WHITE – so start working on some great photos to share next Wednesday, in our weekly Color, Click, Capture photo party link up!