So today head on over to …

Get it together now→win “Get It Together Kit” from @GITKIT / getittogetherkit.com at Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog

Also, if you’re a vendor looking to advertise somewhere, contact Robyn (the founder of Paperie Boutique) for some great ad rates!

Solution — Camera strap covers. There’s a lot of vendors out there that make them, but my favorite is Priddy Creations. Amy’s a fellow Texan and quite the crafty woman and mom … you can visit her blog and Etsy store.

All three of my cameras are adorned with her straps — my older two have variations of her aqua/turquoise and brown damask straps and my workhorse currently is decked out with the polka dot and cream strap. I really need that polka dot with brown background strap to be honest … yes, her straps are an addiction! I actually purchased the strap for the workhorse camera before I got that camera

Her prices are great too — one of the best investments I’ve made to date, truth be told. What I love about her straps is that they come padded — many of the other ones you’ll find for sale don’t have padding. It cushions you neck, thus no chafing, and on hot/humid days when I’m getting my photog workout and sweltering, the strap absorbs the sweat and ends up cooling my neck when all is said and done.

You can easily remove the strap covers from the strap that comes with your camera to launder them — although the trick to getting them on and off the strap easily is hooking them to a straightened out wire hanger

Do I need to say anything more? Go drool over the crafty goodness in her Etsy store. Oh, yeah, Amy’s giving one away too — the winner will be picked on Wednesday the 18th, so hurry on over to enter. Don’t own a DSLR? Win it and gift it to me for Christmas

So … please stop by — as this site gets a number of hits as well — and help me help these charities I am passionate about (the money is coming directly out of my day job paycheck every other week (when I’m paid) until I reach the comment total – more than I typically donate at a time to these charities (normally I donate a lesser amount on a periodic basis throughout the year). And those of you who already have, thank you — its very much appreciated.

– While on the roadtrip, I was able to cross off several items (or parts of) on my 101 in 1001 days list. As soon as all the images are online and I have time to write up a post about each one here, I’ll post it on both sites.

– Also, over at my business website, I’m holding a July special to raise money for the three year old son of one of my friend’s coworkers who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma (they live in Denver). Even if you’re not in East Texas — but know someone who is that has been thinking about a portrait session, send them over to A Fundraiser for Cullen. And if you’re interested in helping, contact me with your info and I’ll pass it on to April (my friend who is spearheading the effort) and she’ll contact you with further details. Meanwhile, I’m sure both Cullen and his family would appreciate all the prayers and positive thoughts for a successful recovery that could be sent their way (comments can be left on their journal and guestbook located here).

– I also am posting twitter updates for the business here. I have a personal twitter account that is private; if you’re a friend of mine or a fellow photographer and aren’t following me, let me know and I’ll pass on the url.

– 5 foot 4 Productions, my commercial, travel, and fine art photography, has just undergone a website overhaul and a slight move (out from the sub-directory). As soon as I wrap up the trip edits, I will be launching a gallery of travel and fine art photography prints for purchase, as well as at least one postcard set (possibly two or three).

– My trip up north reaffirmed one of my addictions: huckleberry. So — if you come across the hard candies, gummy bears, pie filling, soap, lotion, and whatnot that can be easily shipped to the Lone Star State, I’ll give you my mailing address to route it to I’m sure we have something here I can trade; if not, want a fine art photographic print?

– I forgot what else I was gonna say. Problem with not being able to type as fast as I think. Do they have a program out yet that I can think it out what I want to write and it types it up? It was bad enough that the voice one couldn’t keep up with me when I gave it a trial run years ago … what good is technology if I can’t maximize it to the fullest, huh?

Okay, back to being productive — images to come at the biz blog soon.

Btw, I have two things on the 101 in 1001 list I’ve knocked out recently and will be knocking out several more during my trip. Will post about them all in July!

Have a great rest of June!!

This time its a photo frame I found in Grapevine last fall:

To enter, leave a comment on this entry by midnight CST on Saturday, February 21st answering the following question: “If you could do anything — and money, time, and fear wasn’t a factor — what would you dare to be remarkable at?”

Additional entries can be earned by blogging or twittering about the contest (leave a 2nd comment with the links) or by updating your facebook status with the direct link to this entry (leave me the link to your profile in the comments here).

Winner will be randomly selected and notified on Sunday the 22nd ….

So … what do you have to do to enter? Leave a comment answering the following question:

“What is your all time favorite book?”

You can receive an extra one or two entries if you do one or both of the following as well — be sure to come back here and let me know you have posted on your blog and/or twittered about the giveaway:

(1) Post on your blog about the contest and link to this entry

(2) Post on Twitter about the contest and link to this entry

You can enter through midnight CST on Saturday, January 24th — I’ll announce the winner on Sunday, January 25th after 12 noon CST.

Check back late this evening — I’ll have it online by then!!

Ok, so I saw this on my Aussie pal’s blog and thought it was too much fun not to participate in! What a great way to kick off the New Year also!

So here’s what to do …

1. Be one of the first 3 people to leave a comment on this here little old post, and I will send you a handmade gift! How much fun does that sound?

2. You then need to post the Pay It Forward challenge on your own blog and make a gift also for your first 3 commenters and so on it goes.

The gift can be in any price range you like and you have 365 days to post it. I would like to get mine in the post as soon as possible though so I won’t be sending them on the 364th day.

I’m also more than happy to send overseas!!

If you are one of the first three to comment be sure to leave a reliable email address in the email section so I can contact you for your mailing address!

So — what are the prizes?

For US readers — a 12×16 matted print of the Tower Bridge in London — found at a market in Grapevine a couple months ago …

And for non-US readers — a 4.25″x11″ mini calendar (found at LittleBrownPen @ Etsy) and two (2) cowgirl tile magnets — found at a shop in Fredericksburg last weekend.

So — what do you have to do to enter? Leave a comment answering the following question: “What item is at the top of your Christmas wishlist this year? Can be your realistic or dream wishlist!”

To earn a second entry in the contest — post a blog entry about the contest on your blog — use the trackback url (in the title) to link directly back – then come back and leave a second comment that you blogged about the contest.

Since I’m a bit late in getting this online, comments can be left until midnight CST on Saturday, December 20th. Sometime during the day on Sunday the 21st, I’ll post the winners — and send you an email as well. Once I have addresses, I’ll send your prize your way. The US winner might have it in time for Christmas, the international winner, hopefully by New Year’s!

If you caught last Wednesday’s entry, you saw my dream Christmas wishlist — but my realistic one includes dvd sets of Chuck and Ugly Betty and a new mouse and usb hub.

So — what are you waiting for, leave a comment already!

PS … I have a lens for sale for the photogs that drop by here on occasion, go here for more info!

… but nonetheless, here’s a few things I would love to have to decorate with/use this Christmas …

Red Bird Plates @ Pier 1 — I know my former coworkers at Harvard on the Hill would love these as they picture our beloved mascot

Gift Wrap — I can’t choose which one I like most!

Appliqued Wool Stockings — I so want one of these — any one of these, but especially the birds one *hint hint*, but I can’t justify spending that much on a stocking! Maybe a tree skirt for that price?

Silver Tree — okay, I’m cheating here — I’ve owned one of the first silver trees they sold back about five years ago Mine’s a 2 footer though. Wish I’d bought the 4 footer …

Jar Table Lamp — I can’t find it on their site … but basically its a jar converted into a lamp (maybe BHG has it on their site, I just don’t have time to look it up, their’s had sea salt, pine cones, and xmas tree twigs in it). I’m creating my own version with an oversized vase from Wal Mart + some fake snow from the dollar store, and a couple of ornaments. Maybe next year I’ll have time to find some sea salt and spray paint some pinecones … but other than that, I love all of this year’s Pottery Barn holiday decor! Actually I love all of the stuff they have in their home decor holiday section this year

Holy Lights Tidbit Plate — again, with the beloved red birds (aka former mascot)

I also found most of these in the most recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens — another thing in there I loved was the mention of color schemes with your holiday decor. One decorator has turquoise and orange as her Christmas/winter holiday color scheme. I loved her decorations — mine’s been silver and turquoise since I bought my West Elm silver tree (plus I have amassed a large collection of silver/blue snowmen). After seeing her orange paired with it, I might think about adding it! I did add brown this year and switched my turquoise ornaments to a pine (fake) tree since they went well with the Texas/Western theme I have going …

And, if you’ve read this far … keep reading for a giveaway …

I’m advancing the Friday Freebie by a couple of days (roughly) as I’ll be out of town this Friday. I have one (1) $10 off any purchase of $30 or more Bath and Body Works purchase — in store only (in the US)! They’ve had a lot of good deals lately, so here’s a way to get some extra savings! Btw, the coupon expires on December 24th … so, if you’re not done shopping yet and would like a chance to save some dough at that oh so addictive store, leave a comment telling me what you’d buy with the coupon … deadline is Sunday, December 7th at noon. Late that evening, I’ll randomly select a winner and contact you for your address — be watching, because I’ll drop it in the mail asap so you can use it right away.

Btw, in case you’re wondering, I received it when I went in to use my ‘get one item free with any purchase’ gift card — I took advantage of their candle sale and got two of the Creamy Nutmeg jar candles (the 14.5 oz ones) for a grand total of $11 with tax (basically 75% their retail price)! One’s a gift, the other, well … I’m still debating whether to keep it or give it away in a future Third Monday Giveaway (not this month, however).