You may have seen my review a few days ago of Pixel2Canvas.  It pretty much said, “They rock!”  Well, since they have offered a savings to me on some of the canvas gallery wraps, I’m passing that savings on to you.  If you’ve never owned a canvas gallery wrap, never seen one, or been afraid of one, then you were just like me a few weeks ago.  Now I’m not knocking on buying prints.  I believe some people have great talent in decorating their house with beautifully framed photographs & positioning them on the walls in superb ways.  I am not one of those people.  Hence, my fascination with gallery wraps.  You order them, they arrive, you open them, and as easy as that, you hang them on your wall.  DONE!  Wasn’t that easy?  Take a quick look at my second video to see what they’re all about.  This sale is for ONE WEEK ONLY!  (if it lasts longer, I’ll let ya know)  Here’s the prices:

• 16×20 – $100.00
• 16×24 – $110.00
• 20×24 – $130.00
• 20×30 – $140.00
• 24×36 – $170.00

(*prices do not include sales tax or shipping)

And the video….

Canvas Gallery Wrap from Mandy Sroka on Vimeo.

Baby Kiss Leather Album from Mandy Sroka on Vimeo.

Welcome to my video debut.  I have to give a big thanks to my friend, neighbor, and fellow blogger, Mary.  She came over last night, loaned me her sweet camera, and video taped me making this little speech.  Thanks Mary!

On to the baby Kiss book….

So, as I said, the specs are:  4×4 inches, leather cover, hard pages, 10 spreads or 20 pages, sweet carrying pouch.  *BAM*  That’s it.  It’s so simple, and so awesome.  I’ll be offering to anyone who’s had a past session with me for an introductory price of $80.00.  That includes shipping from me to you (but not sales tax).  So, instead of ordering 15 to 20 photos that are showcased in this sweet little guy, you can hold them forever & always in this little album.

Keep scrolling down to see detailed photos of the baby Kiss & cover choices.  Enjoy!

Blech!  I hate having my picture taken.  However, if  I want people to get to know me, and feel comfortable with me, then I need to step out from behind the camera from time to time….to show you that I’m more than just some words on a blog floating around the internet.  So, friends, readers, this is me…or some of me.  This is what I look like when taking a photograph.  I will say that when I’m taking a photograph of anyone but myself I am always smiling, or laughing, or barking, or singing, or doing whatever it takes to get the person on the other side of my lens to feel at ease.  I apparently only give myself this stern face.  Oh, and these are my new glasses, or at least half of them.  I bit the bullet & went in & got my old ones replaced.  They only had one arm left and were slightly tilted on my head.  Imagine wearing glasses or sunglasses and having only one ear…that’s how my old glasses felt.

I’m also working on a few little video blogs (vlogs???) to show you a little more of me & some cool products I’ve been trying out and am ready to offer to YOU!  Hopefully you will like what you see, ignore my awkwardness on the camera, and have fun!

Photos:  Megan Beth.  She’s funny.  She’s awesome at her job.  She’s real.  She’s local.  She inspires me.

Pretty much every day of the week – even multiple times a day – I have princesses visiting my house.  They usually magically appear out of my girls’ bedroom, or all of the sudden Emma will go in to the bathroom & then *BAM* a princess will walk out!  During this photograph I was visited by Ariel & Ariel.  One Ariel was in her mermaid state, and one was in her human state.   As you can see, human Ariel needs to get her color done again.  They also brought their little doggie too.  (who, by the way, ran away for three hours yesterday night during the freezing cold – little punk!)

Photos: Vanessa’s Photography.  Vanessa Ard came to the Professional Photographers of Greater Annapolis meeting this past Tuesday and shared about benchmarks, and pricing, and overhead, and percentages…stuff that I’m pretending I know about…stuff that I WILL understand.  She was a great wealth of information & so helpful in answering all of my questions afterwards.  Thanks Vanessa.  Your honesty & openness & feelings about taking new photographers into the fold inspire me!

I’m gonna be honest with you, internet readers, friends, stalkers, whoever you are.  I really don’t feel like writing this blog post tonight.  I actually just feel like shedding some tears.  I get this way from time to time, my husband will tell you.  And mostly there is no real reason.  I am just feeling overwhelmed…but all in positive ways.  My heart is on overload.

I took the above photograph during a quick trip to Target tonight.  I sometimes enjoy shopping alone, later in the evening, to just think, relax, and get stuff without little hands grabbing for things they “need!”  This guy greeted me in the bargain section, where things range from $1.00 to $2.50.  I picked up my little girls each a pair of white Easter gloves.  They love dressing up.

Then…that got me thinking…I’m about to leave my little girls for two whole weeks.  *gulp*  Fourteen days.  *sniff*  My family!  My heart is heavy with this burden, yet it also heavy with the burden of those people I will soon see & meet in Ethiopia.  There is a lot to be done, on my end.  My visa, my medications, packing, shopping, camera gear, recording bedtime stories for when I’m gone, loving on my husband while I’m here, etc, etc, etc.  But it’s good to stop and think that no matter how on “Target” I am on my end, nothing – absolutely nothing – will be able to prepare me for what God has for me across the ocean.  I am fully expecting to lean on Him as I cry for my family and as I cry for my new brothers & sisters in Ethiopia.  *sigh*  Pray for me, please.

Here’s a little video from last year’s group….