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Printable Elf on the Shelf Note Cards

Our little Elf on the Shelf, Harvey, has been having all kinds of fun at our house! He often leaves a little note for the kids to explain his antics or tell them about a special treat he’s left for them, so I created some simple printable note cards to have on hand.

You can download a copy of these blank notes here and add a handwritten note or open them in your favorite photo editing program and add your own text like I did. They are available in JPG and PDF format and there are four different note cards in total. Here are a few examples of how I’ve been using them. 
Follow me on instagram for daily posts featuring our Elf’s adventures and check out this list of 25 no-fuss Elf on the Shelf ideas if you’re in need of some SIMPLE inspiration! 

Project Life® and Winter Memories

Just popping in to share a quick digi project life page that I created over the weekend using the new Winter theme pack. It’s seriously darling – I love the colours and vintage inspired designs! Reminiscing about our first winter back from the island was fun – the kids reactions to the first snowfall were precious and I had to create this quick page to document the memories that accompany these special photos. It’s another warm weather Christmas amongst the palm trees for us and while I’m not missing the frigid temperatures up north, the kids sure are missing the snow this year.

The new Project Life® Winter theme pack is available in digital format here and I believe its available in stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels – correct me on that if I’m wrong, but I haven’t seen the actual cards available anywhere online.

It’s nearing the end of the year and that means my time on the Project Life® 2013 creative team is drawing to a close. It’s been great fun, many thanks Becky and her team for the fabulous opportunity! Visit Becky’s blog for the last dose of PL inspiration from the 2013 team here. Keep checking back as I continue to document our adventures in 2014!

You can see all of my Project Life creative team submissions from 2013 here. I’m so thankful to have documented some really important memories using this simple + inspiring memory keeping system!

Simple things Sunday Photo Link Party No. 136

Every year I take a photo of the kids wearing their Santa hats – it’s a little Christmas photo tradition that’s really special to me. Taking the annual Santa hat photo in a location that showcases where we’re living at the time is always fun & this year I thought it only fitting that we take it during a beautiful sunset, among the cactus! I’m so thankful for this photo that will be a special reminder of our first Christmas in Arizona.



Now it’s your turn to share what simple moments you’ve been celebrating this week! Join Stacy of KSW and I for Simple things Sunday! You can share your photos on both of our blogs using the linky tool below or  join us on instagram using hashtag #SimpleThingsSunday. Stacy on Instagram // Rebecca on Instagram

 
What is Simple things Sunday?

This weekly photo share is all about taking time to photograph the everyday details that make your life unique, beautiful, and special. Each Sunday we gather here to share our photos with each other. To enjoy the beauty that can be found in the ordinary and to be reminded of just how important the simple things are. 

Just a few quick rules to play:

1. Grab a Simple things Sunday 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.

12 Days of Christmas with Big Picture Classes

I’m so excited for Big Picture Classes 12 Days of Christmas to start next week! It’s going to be a lot of fun…I can’t wait to document more of our Christmas memories in my new December Duos album! If you haven’t heard about this class already, come read more about it, take a look at a few exclusive sneak peeks inside my December album AND find out how you can save $5 off this fabulous class!




12 Days of Christmas: December Duos $24.99

Document Your Holiday in a Delightfully Fun and New Way

Capture Christmas as it happens! A dozen instructors are here to help you photograph this year’s holiday memories and display them in a delightfully simple album that will warm your heart for years to come.The “December Duos” concept is easy, stress-free, and inspiring. Every day for the twelve days leading up to Christmas Day, two of our twelve instructors will share a scrapbook layout, video message, and a page prompt in the form of a duo (“warm & cold,” “give & receive,” “near & far”). That’s a total of two-dozen inspiring ideas!

Register here and take $5 OFF using coupon code DECDUO. Offer expires 12/10/2013.

 Here’s a peek at what I’ve been working on for my December Duos album so far. I’m keeping this project life® mini album super simple and it includes memories from Christmases through the years. It’s been so fun to put together so far and it will be fun to share more of it with you in class along with some fun downloads to create your own!


I’ve created some fun printable journaling + filler cards for the album using Crystal Wilkerson’s beautiful papers along with some templates to help create your own unique photo collages, like the one pictured below.



I’m thrilled to join this outstanding lineup of instructors next week and to share more from my December Duos album with you! I can’t wait to see you in class! Click here to view a short intro video to the class + to register now for 12 Days of Christmas. 

Photography Holiday Giveaway

*This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Tina Ide. Please shoot me an email using the ‘say hello’ tab above to claim your prize Tina! Many thanks to all of you who took the time to enter. 🙂

Last week I shared my 2013 Photography Gift Guide that’s filled with ideas for the photography lover on your holiday gift list. These are products that I use and love in my own photography and that I recommend wholeheartedly to friends and family. Today I’m thrilled to team up with a few of my favourite shops shared in the gift guide, for a fabulous giveaway that’s sure to make anyones photo lovin’ heart skip a beat!


We’re giving away one GREAT BIG prize package {valued at over $250.00} to one lucky winner! Could it be you? Scroll down to find out what you could win and how to enter!

Jo Totes

Jo Totes is my go to source for chic, stylish camera bags! I have several of their bags and I love each and every one! They just came out with the new Abby bag, check it out here! Lucky us, Jo Totes is giving away a $125.00 gift certificate as part of the Simple as That photography Holiday Giveaway giveaway prize package!




Bluebird Chic

The winner will also receive a one of a kind, handmade ruched camera strap cover from Bluebird Chic. Leah’s unique camera strap covers are so comfy and absolutely beautiful! Today Leah from Bluebird Chic is also offering 25% off your next purchase from her shop using coupon code SIMPLEASTHAT25.  























My Mom Snaps

The winner of the SAT photography Holiday giveaway will also get a copy of the darling children’s book My Mom Snaps along with a set of coordinating notecards. From the colorful illustrations to it’s playful rhyming verse, this book is sure to be a hit for kids and snap-happy mom’s alike! Take a closer look inside the book + read my review here!



MiaBella Actions

Today’s prize package also includes a $100.00 shop credit to MiaBella actions. I love using actions to edit my photos – they’re quick and easy to use and can transform your photos from mundane to magical with the click of the mouse. These are some of my favorite actions and right now Leah Profancik of MiaBella is offering all Simple as That readers 25% off their next purcahse using coupon code miabellagift!

How to enter:

To enter simply follow the prompts in the rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway closes Monday 12/09/2013 at 12:00am MST. Winner will be announced Tuesday morning. Winner must contact me within 48hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. Good luck everyone! 🙂

Photography eBook Holiday Bundle

I’m THRILLED to share some exciting news with you about my photography eBooks! I’ve always wanted to bundle them together and offer them at a great discount and guess what, we finally did!

My eBooks rarely go on sale and nows your chance to purchase them all at 30% off! Aimed at the beginner to intermediate photographer, these eBooks would make the perfect gift for the photo enthusiast on your Christmas list! You can find all the purchase details here and continue reading for a description of what you’ll find inside each book.

Within these 70 pages, pro photographer Rebecca Cooper shares her best insider tricks for taking amazing photos in all kinds of real-life situations.
You’ll learn how to take the best possible photo in the first place as well as how to use a few simple editing tools to add an extra dose of magic to your everyday moments.
Illustrated by 127 real-life photos, this life-changing eBook is organized into six useful chapters, including: Photographing Real Life, Using Real Light,Capturing Real Relationships, Practicing Real Patience, Enhancing Real Photos, and Checklists for Real Life.

Don’t Say Cheese.

This 52-page downloadable eBook is packed with 247 tips, tricks, and ideas to help you capture your children’s real smiles and authentic expressions—images that show who they really are (and go far beyond asking a child to just “say cheese”).
Drawing on Rebecca’s years of professional experience with little kids’ photography, this eBook is divided into sections specifically for children, toddlers, babies, and newborns. With all this, plus the bonus Photo Games and Checklists section, you’ll be capturing real smiles in no time at all—and having a great time with your kids along the way. Save the cheese for your pizza and try Rebecca’s tips for photographing children instead!


No time to go page-by-page through your camera’s manual? Never fear! Professional photographer and scrapbooker Rebecca Cooper will show you how to take better everyday pictures in a flash (no pun intended!). With easy-to-follow instructions and lots of images to guide you, you’ll increase your photographic know-how and improve your photography in an afternoon. Composition and lighting tips suitable for photographers of all levels. Technical tips aimed for beginning DSLR or point-and-shoot camera owners.

Simple things Sunday Photo Link Party No. 135

Our little Elf Harvey arrived today and the kids are so excited to welcome him back for a second year of holiday fun! If you do Elf on the shelf and are looking for some no-fuss Elf antics, take a look at this post from earlier in the week. We celebrated our Elf’s arrival with our traditional December 1st Christmas breakfast and it was YUM-ee!

Now it’s your turn to share what simple moments you’ve been celebrating this week! Join Stacy of KSW and I for Simple things Sunday! You can share your photos on both of our blogs using the linky tool below or  join us on instagram using hashtag #SimpleThingsSunday. Stacy on Instagram // Rebecca on Instagram

 
What is Simple things Sunday?

This weekly photo share is all about taking time to photograph the everyday details that make your life unique, beautiful, and special. Each Sunday we gather here to share our photos with each other. To enjoy the beauty that can be found in the ordinary and to be reminded of just how important the simple things are. 

Just a few quick rules to play:

1. Grab a Simple things Sunday 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.

Black Friday – Cyber Monday Savings

For those of you who are at home in your PJ’s like I am, taking advantage of the online savings instead of fighting the crowds, here are a few Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales that caught my eye from brands I know and love! Happy shopping!

I use Easy Lunchboxes everyday to pack school lunches and I absolutely love these reuseable, containers! One of my most popular blog posts to date are these school lunch ideas I shared that are all packed in Easy Lunchboxes containers. Easy Lunchboxes have NEVER gone on sale before until this weekend! Save 20% off all their products including compartment containers, mini dippers and cooler bags. Offer valid 11/29 – 12/2 only on Amazon!

The kids and I LOVE Kiwi Crate craft kits and they’ve got some great deals happening all weekend long. See the flyer below and take advantage of the savings by shopping here. If you’ve ever wanted to give Kiwi Crate a try, now is a great time to purchase your first kit or subscription. Their limited edition kits also make great gift ideas!

Big Picture Classes is getting in on the Black Friday action! Register for one, two, or 39 of our $1.99 self-paced classes, which you can access instantly and enjoy as often as you want, forever. Last chance to get them before they retire!

Save up to 40% on select Jo ToTes Camera bags! If you have a particular Jo Totes bag on your Christmas wishlist this year, now would be the time to buy!!

Shop Tea Collection for some great savings on dresses, leggings, pants and tees! I love tea collection for my kiddos because their clothing is cute and durable! This is a great time to stock up on some wardrobe basics from Tea Collection.

Simple as That Digi Shop Black Friday Deals

Just popping in to share a couple of Black Friday/Cyber Monday specials in the Simple as That Digital Shop this weekend. Sales run today through Monday December 2nd at midnight MST.

Enjoy 50% off all Christmas card templates. Purchase all 12 designs as a set for an additional savings. These are PSD files suitable for use with Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. Visit this post for more details about the templates + to check out my freebie set. You can also find a quick tutorial on how to use my holiday card templates right here.

I’m also offering my popular Children’s Art collage template set for 40% off! The discount applies to the set only, not individual templates. Use these templates to create a special gift for the Grandparents for Christmas this year! Simply add your child’s artwork – scanned or photographed – print at your favourite photo lab and place in a frame! To read all about these templates and for some quick tips on photographing your child’s art, visit this post. Art collage templates can be purchased in the shop here.

Stay tuned later tonight when I’ll be sharing some incredible Black Friday savings from some of my favorite places to shop! How many of you are planning to hit the stores to snag some good buys? We’ll be staying home in our PJ’s and taking advantage of the online savings. Check back here at midnight tonight for some of the deals that have caught my eye! 

Simple as That Photography Gift Guide

When the Holiday season rolls around, I often get asked for advice from people looking to purchase photography gifts for a loved one. After all the emails from blog readers, phone calls from friends and family and questions from aquaintences looking for gifts for the photo enthusiast on their list, I’ve finally put all of my recommendations together in one handy place. I’m excited to share some of the products I use and love and ones that I’ve recommended to others, in this 2013 photography gift guide. Be sure to bookmark this list so you can keep it handy while you’re shopping black friday and cyber monday sales and be on the lookout for some great deals on these fabulous photography products!

Unique and practical gift ideas for the photographer on your gift list.
Unique and practical gift ideas for the photographer on your gift list.

1. Canon T3i: This entry level digital SLR is the camera I’ve been recommending to friends and family looking to purchase a “BIG” camera for themselves or someone who is just getting into photography. With 18 Megapixels, HD video capabilities and a DIGIC 4 image processor this little camera packs a punch and it’s perfect for beginners. I recommend purchasing just the body. Skip the kit lens and invest in something of higher quality. See some of my lens recommendations below.

2. Canon 5D Mark II: If you already have a digital SLR and are looking to upgrade, one option is the Canon 70D. I’ve heard great things about this camera, though I’ve never shot with it myself. I shoot with the Canon 5D Mark II and have for the past 5 years. I love this camera and can’t say enough good things about it!

3. 50mm f/1.4 Portrait lens: As an alternative to the 18-55mm kit lens that typically comes with each camera purchase, I usually recommend the 50mm f/1.4 lens to people making a first time camera purchase. There is the less expensive 50mm 1.8 lens, but the f/1.4mm is much better quality, will last longer and the difference in price is worth the investment in my opinion. The f/1.4 is a great lens and I shot with for years until I upgraded to the 50mm f/1.2. It’s important to note that this is a fixed lens, there’s no zoom on this one, but it’s a beautiful portrait lens.

4. Camera Strap Buddy: I purchased a camera strap buddy a few years ago and it hasn’t left my camera since! A word about the Camera Strap Buddy from the Photojojo website: The camera strap buddy attaches one end of your camera strap to the bottom of your camera, transforming the way you wear your camera into a comfy sling style.

5. Jo Totes Camera Bag: Jo Totes is my favourite place to shop for gorgeous camera bags made especially for women. The quality, colours and versatility of their bags is amazing and I love being able to fit so much inside my Jo Tote while still looking stylish. I have several of their bags but my favorites are the Gracie in butterscotch and the Rose in coral.

6. Adobe Photoshop: When it comes to post processing I edit all my photos in Photoshop. I’ve subscribed to the Adobe Creative Cloud and love having access to all the latest versions of my favorite Adobe programs. I’ve been using this program since I started editing my photos and am comfortable with it and recommend it for people who are serious about design and photography. I don’t even know how to do half of what this program can do, but I’m comfortable with what I do know and love using PS to edit and all the printables I offer here at Simple as That have been created using PS.

7. Photoshop Elements: A less expensive alternative to Adobe Photoshop is Photoshop Elements. It’s another great adobe program that is a little more user friendly and doesn’t bog you down with all the bells and whistles of PS. This is the program I recommend for people looking to try out some basic photo editing or digital designing.

8. 24-70mm 2.8 Lens: While I love my portrait lenses, a good zoom lens is definitely important to have. About a year ago I invested in a 24-70mm f/2.8 and right now it is my go-to lens. I have it on my camera all the time when shooting everyday photos. Indoors, outdoors wherever I am – it’s such a well rounded lens and it does really well in low light.

9. MiaBella Actions: I love using actions to edit my photos. They’re quick and easy to use and can transform your photos from mundane to magical with the click of the mouse. Some of my favorite actions are by MiaBella. Right now Leah Profancik of MiaBella is offering all Simple as That readers 25% off their next purcahse using coupon code miabellagift!

10. Ruched Camera Strap covers: I always like having a cover on my camera straps so they’re more comfortable and of course to make them prettier. Some of my favorite camera strap covers come from Bluebird Chic. They offer a variety of different designs, my favorite are the ruched straps. They’re soft and comfy and oh-so beautiful! Today Leah from Bluebird Chic is offering 25% off your next purchase from her shop using coupon code SIMPLEASTHAT25.  

11. My Mom Snaps: This cute picture book by Kari McGrath and Darcy Jerome has a special place on our family bookshelf. This book is darling! From the colorful illustrations to it’s playful rhyming verse, this book is a sure hit for kids and snap-happy mom’s alike!

12. Eye-Fi Wireless SD card: I haven’t used one of these yet, but I know photographer friends who have and their reviews have been positive. I’ve added one of these Eye-Fi cards to my Christmas wish list this year. It would come in handy, especially when travelling, because this SD Cards give your camera wifi powers that beam photos from your camera to your smartphone, tablet or computer! 

13. Handmade Photography Gifts: One of my favorite place to shop for handmade, photography themed gifts is Etsy. I’ve curated an entire list of beautiful, unique and affordable gift ideas for the photo lover in your life. From vintage camera totes, to camera themed washi tape…there are so many fun things. It’s definitely worth perusing Etsy for a few photography inspired stocking stuffers!

14. My Photography eBooks: For those who are looking to improve their photography skills, I’ve written 3 photography eBooks that outline some of my top tips and tricks. From capturing the everyday, and conquering lighting challenges to getting kids to have fun in front of the camera – I’ve loaded these books with all of my photography know-how! Everything is shared in a simple and easy to understand format with loads of photo examples. Regularly $28.97 you can purchase all three of my eBooks for just $20.00 as part of this Holiday Gift Guide Photography bundle.

For more Photography themed gift inspiration you can also follow my Photography Gift Ideas pinterest board, I’ll be adding plenty of new pins throughout the coming weeks!

Follow Rebecca {simple as that} Photography Gift Ideas on Pinterest

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