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simple things roundup + weekly photo tip

Thank you to everyone who has linked up their beautiful photos so far this week!
Here are just a handful that caught my eye:
vintage valentine | kristy
last photo | ashley jean
waiting for porter | ashley
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If you’ve had a photo featured on the blog or on my facebook page this week 
be sure to grab a featured button below! 🙂
 

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Instead of a photo tip today, I thought I’d share a list of photo ideas with you in honour of valentine’s day. 


Why not capture some photos of the things you love this week…


1. A photo with someone you love.
2. A special place that holds memories you love.
3. A corner of your house that you love.
4. A book that you love.
5.A food that you love.
6. A note to or from someone you love.
7. A colour you love.
8. A quote that you love.
9. A place you love to shop.
10. A tradition you love.
11. A piece of jewellery you love.
12. A photo of someone or a group of people you love.
13. A time of day that you love.
14. A Part of your daily routine that you love.


Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

🙂


Say hello to another one of our fabulous sponsors, Bella Babies!


Bella Babies sells unique, handmade accessories for babies and toddlers. In their shop you’ll find all kinds of darling items! From headbands to ribbon belts, petti skirts and more!

shop | facebook

valentine’s day roundup

Happy Valentine’s Day tomorrow! 
Here’s just a quick roundup of all the Valentine’s fun we’ve had around here lately + one extra project from last year that I forgot to share in my 2011 roundup.
I hope you’ve had as much fun as I have gearing up for the big day! 

the simple things

Its been a bit of an icky week around here with the flu making its way through the house. It hasn’t been that enjoyable, but the extra snuggles definitely have been and Emily helping out when I needed her was such a sweet thing to see. 🙂

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Welcome to{simple things sunday}this week everyone!
This party is all about celebrating the simple moments and simple joys that make you smile each week. So grab that camera, snap a photo or two and come share with us each Sunday!
Just a few quick rules to play:
please, please, please read the rules carefully
1. Grab a button and include it in your simple things post.
2. Link back directly to your simple things post not your blog/website.
No links to other linky parties, giveaways or craft projects pretty please. 
This linky is all about the photos.

3. Be sure to pop by and visit at least 3 other links and leave a comment.

Leave as many as you can. 🙂

 
I can’t wait to see your photos this week everyone! I’ll be featuring some of my favs on the blog + Facebook throughout the week so stay tuned! If you were featured last week be sure to grab yourself a featured button!

Also, please remember to stop by as many of the other links as you can each week and leave lots of comments! Comments are the funnest. Everybody likes ’em, so be as generous as you can with the comment love. Thanks a bunch!

🙂

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Please welcome another of our fabulous sponsors Stylish Beach Bum.

Gina, a Southern California native, is the creative talent behind Stylish Beach Bum and she makes comfortable, beautiful and affordable camera straps.

Visit Stylish Beach Bum where you can view all the styles Gina has available along with information about her coordinating lens bags!

shop | blog | twitter

friday craft day: hugs + kisses valentines banner

Just popping in today to share this SUPER simple valentine’s day banner that I gave you a peek at earlier in the week. I really love how it turned out and I love even more how fast it came together!
photos taken by my nine year old + edited using photoshop actions from addy lane
To make your own hugs + kisses banner simply download the template pictured below and print on your favourite colour of card stock or patterned paper. If there’s a front/back side to your paper be sure to print on the back so the lines won’t show if you don’t cut your letters out perfectly. You’ll need to print on landscape for the letters to fit.
Cut out your letters. Punch holes along the top of each letter for stringing them. Thread bakers twine or any other type of string you may have on hand through your letters and that’s it! 

simple things roundup + weekly photo tip

little big guy | bunch of barons


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If you’ve had a photo featured on the blog or on my facebook page this week 
be sure to grab a featured button below! 🙂
 

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This weeks quick photo tip:

I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with self timer photos over the past year. I’m not sure why, but they’re fun + I’ve captured some of my favourite photos using the good old self timer, so I just can’t help myself. Getting a good self timer shot can be tricky, but is definitely not impossible….

A few quick tips for using the self timer:
1. Be prepared – it’s gonna take more than one try. I rarely get “the shot” on the first attempt.
2. The biggest challenge with self timer photos is getting the camera to focus where you want it to. Choose where your camera will focus by having a test subject stand in the place where you want to be in the photo. Lock the focus on the subject {press the shutter button halfway until you hear the beep} then press the shutter button all the way to engage the timer and if you don’t have a remote…RUNNNNN! In that first photo of me reading to Addie, I focused on her laying on the bed then quickly hopped in the shot.
3. Ever thought of using the self timer to take a photo without you in it? The self timer can be a great tool when trying to capturing photos in low light situations. Eliminate camera shake + blurry photos by setting your camera on a sturdy surface and letting it do the work. I used the self timer to snap this photo of the christmas tree at night without flash.
So, are you ready to try a self timer photo of your own! 
Go on! Give it a try, it’s the funnest thing. 
🙂


Say hello to another one of my fabulous sponsors, The Rusted Chain!


Beki Hastings is the owner + creative mind behind The Rusted Chain jewellery.  Her designs feature the best of rustic elegance and trendy looks and each piece she creates is custom made using sterling silver, stainless steel, natural stones, and the finest components.

Some of Beki’s designs that I’m loving right now…
Visit The Rusted Chain shop to see their wide selection of beautiful products and stop by The Rusted Chain blog for a chance to win one of two $50.00 gift certificates to Beki’s shop! 

last chance to purchase addy lane’s vintage actions


 I get questions emailed to me often about what types of photoshop actions I use when processing my images. Two of my favourite vintage actions are the vintage tea tones and storyteller sets from Addy Lane. The above photos were edited using them and you can see more examples of photos I’ve edited using Addy Lane’s actions here, here, here and here.
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This week, all of Addy Lane actions and templates are being retired. After Wednesday, February 8th they will no longer be available. This is your last chance to purchase any of these beautiful action sets and they are now available at 35% off now through Wednesday. Head over to the Addy Lane Facebook page for a coupon code.

*I have not been asked by Addy Lane to promote these actions. They are just my favourites and I love the way my photos look when I edit with them. If you’d been thinking of purchasing them I didn’t want you to miss out on them before they’re gone.  

🙂
I’m excited to introduce you to my newest sponsors over the next week and featured today, is the lovely Elena of Bird + Tree.

I adore Elena’s charming blog filled with beautiful photos, DIY projects, fashion + beauty advice, beautiful words and all kinds of pretty things. If you have a chance to stop by Bird + Tree please do. Elena’s sweetness shines through in her words and you’ll leave feeling like you’ve made a new friend! 🙂

blog | facebook

life ‘n reflection giveaway winners!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Life ‘n Reflection giveaway last week!
According to random.org the winners of the three sets of photo valentine’s are…
comment no. 77 from Brooklyn Hren

comment no. 3 from Kristin

comment no. 45 from Mandi Eschenbach
Congratulations ladies!

Shoot me an email letting me know which of these two sets is your favourite and we’ll get you your prize!

set number 1                                           set number 2
A huge thank you to Kristy of Life ‘n Reflection for her lovely giveaway! 
Be sure to stop by her shop for even more beautiful digital designs.
🙂

the simple things

This weeks simple thing:
 Lunch with Grandma + Grandpa, complete with some yummy vanilla milkshakes!

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Welcome to{simple things sunday}this week everyone!
This party is all about celebrating the simple moments and simple joys that make you smile each week. So grab that camera, snap a photo or two and come share with us each Sunday!
Just a few quick rules to play:
please, please, please read the rules carefully
1. Grab one of the buttons below and include it in your simple things post.
2. Link back directly to your simple things post not your blog/website.
No links to other linky parties, giveaways or craft projects pretty please. 
This linky is all about the photos.

3. Be sure to pop by and visit at least 3 other links and leave a comment.

Leave as many as you can. 🙂

 


I can’t wait to see your photos this week everyone! I’ll be featuring some of my favs on the blog + Facebook throughout the week so stay tuned! If you were featured last week be sure to grab yourself a featured button!

Also, please remember to stop by as many of the other links as you can each week and leave lots of comments! Comments are the funnest. Everybody likes ’em, so be as generous as you can with the comment love. Thanks a bunch!

🙂

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Say hello to one of our fabulous sponsors, the oh so sweet, Little Penelope Lane!

Little Penelope Lane specializes in unique hair accessories for the young + the young at heart.
Sarah Hull is the creative talent behind Little Penelope Lane and the story behind how her darling shop came to be is such an inspiring one.
Stop by Little Penelope Lane to have a peek at Sarah’s selection of hair wraps, headbands and hair clips. She has some adorable accessories perfect for Valentine’s Day!
blog | facebook | shop

valentine’s ginger crinkles

Valentine’s Ginger Crinkles
2 ¼ cups butter
2 ¼ cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup molasses
¾ tsp salt
5 ½ tsp baking soda
2 ½ tsp cloves
2 ½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
6 cups flour
­­

Mix together all ingredients. Chill dough. Roll into balls and dip top half in sugar. For a flatter cookie, use the bottom of a cup to slightly tap down each cookie before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Don’t overcook, you want them moist and chewy. Allow to cool. To add the hearts on top simply melt red + pink chocolate in the microwave. Using a ziplok baggie with a tiny hole cut out of one corner as a piping bag, draw a heart on the top of each cookie. 


This delicious recipe is from my sister-in-law and its always a favourite around Christmas time, only the cookies are typically dipped in white chocolate. I’d been craving a batch of these yummies and had to think up some excuse to make them after the holidays, so valentine’s cookies it was. 🙂

This recipe makes a huge batch, but they freeze really well so are perfect for making ahead. We’ve got our cookies all made and will be giving them out to the kids teachers for Valentine’s day. Yippee for getting one thing crossed off the old to-do list. 🙂


I created these little gift tags to package up our valentine’s cookies and thought I’d share them with ya quick! You’ll find the download link below. Print size is 8.5 X 11 and there are 3 of each tag per sheet.

Please remember that all free downloads are for Simple as That followers only. Follow via Google Friend Connect on the left sidebar or sign up to receive updates via email or through your favourite RSS reader. Thank you.


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Enjoy and have a fabulous weekend everyone!
If you have a chance to stop by and visit any of our fabulous sponsors throughout the weekend please do! There’s so much fun stuff to discover.


:stylish beach bum:
:bella babies:
:pearenthetical press:
:changing lanes:
:the rusted chain:
:bird + tree:
:penelope lane:
:special moments:
:seven cherubs:
:laura taylor photography:


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Don’t forget about the Life ‘n Reflection Boutique giveaway
ending this Sunday! 



Enter to win a darling set of photo valentine’s! 
THREE lucky winners will be chosen. 


🙂



I’m linking up with these blogs:

Our Trip Home from the Island of St. Eustatius

Documenting our trip home from the island has been on my to do list for the longest time and yay for me….I finally finished sorting and editing all our photos from the trip and am super excited to share them with you! Just in case you’ve been waiting. 😉 Get ready because there are A LOT of photos….
Leaving Statia was hard. Despite the fact that we knew the time was right for us to leave, there was still a certain amount of sadness at saying goodbye to the friends and the places that had been such a part of our lives for the past 18 months. Saying goodbye to our sweet landlady was particularly hard. She was like a surrogate grandma to the kids during our time on Statia and we knew we were going to miss her a lot.
After we’d said our goodbyes and were waiting in the tiny Statia airport for our plane to arrive, sadness began to turn into excitement. The kids were really looking forward to riding on the tiny plane and we were spending 3 days on the St. Maarten and they couldn’t wait to explore a new island. 
The plane finally arrived, and we walked out the airport doors, onto the runway to board. I couldn’t believe the kids weren’t nervous about the plane trip at all…those tiny planes make me so uneasy, but it didn’t faze them at all. As we took off we looked out the window one last time to see Statia fade out of view and in just 15 minutes we were arriving on St. Maarten.
They shuttled us from the airplane to the airport doors and once inside we collected all our bags + grabbed some lunch. Airport food never tasted so good! 🙂
We’re just going to skip the part of the story where we had to figure out a way to transport the 6 of us + 10 suitcases + 1 stroller + a collection of carryon bags to our hotel and move right along to the part where we arrived at the hotel, changed into our swimsuits and headed straight to the beach. 🙂

We explored around front street in Phillipsburg, saw the cruise ships + had some fun on the jet skis. The kids fell in love with the white sand and when the sun started to go down we ended the night with ice cream. What could be more perfect?
The next morning we grabbed breakfast and explored around our hotel a little bit. It was like a zoo around that place, with talking parrots, monkeys, rabbits, turtles and all kinds of beautiful birds.
Fifi the parrot was Emily’s favourite. 😉
After visiting with the animals we all packed into the rental car to do some exploring. We found some great views and were even able to catch a glimpse of Statia from one of the lookouts. 
This was one of our favourite beaches and I’m sad I can’t remember the name of it now. It was a beach that the locals frequent, so it was quiet, there weren’t any big waves, which was perfect for the kids and it was absolutely beautiful! We stayed there for a good part of our second day and played in the sand and water, ate french fries and I of course took a few pictures…
A trip to St. Maarten wouldn’t be complete without visiting Maho beach and watching the planes land and take off. It’s amazing to see! This was the kids favourite spot. The waves were absolutely huge and Emily and Carson had a blast playing in them. The little girls were content to play in the sand and watch the airplanes go in and out.
We stopped of at one other private beach on the French side that day but didn’t stay long after we discovered it was the sort of place that clothing was optional….ooops. We had a quick picnic on the beach and then headed back to the hotel for the night to get ready to leave the next day. 

We attended church in the morning at the small LDS chapel on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, then headed back to the hotel to pack up and begin the task of transporting all our luggage back to the airport. When we finally boarded our plane to Toronto we breathed a huge sigh of relief. Me and the Mr. were getting pretty tired by this point and getting home was all we could think about. We spent one more night in Toronto and then we were on our way to Calgary early the next morning.
The kids were all such good little travellers. Alivia had her moments, but she’s two and we forgive her. 😉 When the kids finally caught their first glimpse of snow out the plane windows as we arrived in Calgary there were squeals of delight!
And speaking of squeals of delight…as we came down the escalator and all the super special people who were waiting there to greet us came into view…there were a few more! And there were tears and there were hugs and it was awesome and it made every exhausting moment of the trip home worth it!
We are so thankful to be back home. Sure, there are days that we find ourselves missing our little island and the sunshine and the beaches….but we’re getting used to this new life {or is it our old life?} and are looking forward to figuring out where we go from here. The future is exciting and scary and unknown all at the same time, but I have faith that its all going to work out exactly the way it’s supposed to. 

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