My Web Site is up!

I am happy to report that my website for my portrait business is now live.

www.stephaniewallacephotography.com

I now need to get my business cards printed and maybe some flyers. Hopefully jobs will follow.

I'm enjoying the Spring color. Here are some recent photos taken of the magnolia tree in full bloom:

SPRING COLOR AT OUR HOUSE!

Hooray - Spring has finally arrived. We have blooms and weather that doesn't always require coats! I'm so happy the winter is finally over.

Bill was gone Tuesday - Friday last week. He was in Cleveland for his Unit Meeting. He came home Friday afternoon, and then left again Saturday afternoon. He is now in Texas handling hail claims. Seems like he has been gone more than home lately.

I've been busy at work and tired at home. I'm glad Phil is back from his two weeks in Alabama with the reserves. He has been taking Emily to all of her play practices which is now 3 times a week.

I have my website up, but the music is not working. I need to call godaddy.com support to find out what's up. Just haven't done it yet. Today after work, Amanda and I took the dogs for a walk, then I took Katie and Amanda out to eat. Bought Katie a new pair of shoes and a purse at payless, then we went grocery shopping.

I am ready for bed now. I'm exhausted!

FINALLY GOT OUTSIDE WITH MY CAMERA!

The sun finally came out yesterday afternoon (even though it was still cold), so I got outside with my camera and took some photos of things blooming in the yard. We had snow flurries, but the snow didn't stick, so I am still hopeful that my magnolia tree will be full of blooms by the end of this week! :-)





I got a couple of photos of Moose too - he is really getting big, but still a puppy! It looks like he is posing nice, but he was actually laying down in the neighbors yard because he did not want to come back in the house. He loves being outside. We are looking into getting an invisible fence installed for the dogs.


I'm posting this at work, so I really should get back to typing up the minutes from this morning's College of Business Faculty meeting.

PIMP MY PIXELS

Well I haven't been taking many photos lately, but I have been playing around with editing photos in photoshop a lot. I discovered this group on flickr called "Pimp My Pixels" http://www.flickr.com/groups/pimpmypixels/
anyway people submit photos that they would like the group member to digitally edit or "pimp". It's a lot of fun. There are some really talented people in the group. I'm not all that great, but here are a few before and after of shots that I have "Pimped":

BEFORE

AFTER

(this member indicated that his little girl loves Hello Kitty)

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

(Itried something a little different for these teens)

BEFORE

AFTER

(lightening up the shadow on the face was pretty difficult)

It rained all day today and was pretty cold out too, so I didn't get outside with my camera. Katie and I cleaned the livingroom and shampooed the carpet! It was pretty nasty (Darn Moose!)

Not sure what tomorrow will be like? I do plan to shampoo the carpet in the upstairs hallway though. Bill should be home in time to go to bowling. We only have a couple more weeks of our league. I'm glad because I'm getting tired of bowling twice a week!

Two Months Later (said in the "Sponge Bob Narrator" voice)

Wow, as usual it's been forever since I've had a blog entry. I am hoping to pull my camera out this weekend and take some photos. It's been a while. Hopefully the weather will cooperate, but it IS still April in Northern Indiana....... sigh! Forecast low for Saturday night is 31 degrees - Brrrr!!! My magnolia tree is about to bloom. We lost all the buds last year before it bloomed because we had an April snow. I'll be really mad if that happens again.

I have a new position at work. I am now the Secretary to the Dean for the College of Business. I started last month. I like it a lot so far. It's a step up and more pay, which is always good. It's also less stress too.

I am still working on getting my photography business going. I am working on my web site and hope to have it up and running as early as next week. I also want to make some business cards. I've been hired to shoot my first wedding. It's at the end of September. I am very excited about it!

I got my new graphic pen tablet and upgraded my photoshop elements this week. Need to play around with it more to learn it. I guess if the weather is bad, that is one of the things I'll be doing this weekend.

Bill flew to Texas today to surprise Hope for her birthday weekend. He was going to pick her up at school and then spend the evening with her. They will spend time together tomorrow too and he'll head back home on Sunday.

Phil has been away for the Army reserves for the last 2 weeks. He is scheduled to return tonight and should have Emily for the weekend. She has play practice tonight, again tomorrow morning and again on Monday evening. Can't wait to see the play. I hope she'll do well. She doesn't seem nervous at all yet......