Search for Spring Gear Begins Here

While I'm in the process of re-building up my assortment of photographic equipment (after a break in that left me robbed of almost all of it)  I am searching the internets for some really funky gear to haul my current gear around in!
Since I'm always on the run, I hate lugging around more than I need to. Laptop bag, camera bag AND a purse? NO WAY!  I want something to carry around my laptop, my camera,  AND my wallet, keys, cellphone and sunglasses. (with a handy lil' pocket to carry a lipstick as well? hey, I'm still a woman, after all! haha) 
So begins the search.....
I found some awesome, lightweight laptop sleeve/bags, one of which was love at first sight:

 

Laurex 17" Laptop Sleeve w/ Handle and Shoulder Strap

While it looks light and low maintance to carry around, it's basically just a sleeve with a strap.  Nowhere to fit all my junk!  So moving on, I found....

Tote Couture Quilted Laptop Case

The front pocket is perfect for all my personal crap,  but still no room for my camera! But look how pretty!  I  love the color and zebra print oh-so-much! I think maybe it would be okay to carry around this one on days I don't have my large SLR camera on me? ( nowadays I always carry a small digital camera for photo "emergencies" that I could easily fit in this bag with the rest of my stuffs)

My other option is to find a camera bag that will fit my camera and junk, sans laptop.  THAT would be okay as well.  I don"t usually need both my laptop AND my camera with me at the same time anyways unless I'm travelling.. Dare I go that direction instead?

Just when I began to think it was my only option, and that the elusive all-in-one bag was merely a practical daydream...

...I found it.

 The ultimate in all-in-one convenience, that doesn't scream "I'm a camera bag, steal me!" and is modern, funky,  and definittely not-your-dad's-camera-bag!

I like the bright orange red and black one on the right!

And! And! And! It's big enough to fit my laptop - and- my camera -and- all my other junk!

Yippee!

Now if only I can invent a way to strap a portable tripod to the side of that thing.!  =)

My New Neighbors!

As I left the house this morning to drive my kiddies to school, I met my newest neighbors, who just happened to be waddling around in my front yard! Upon my return, they were still quacking about, so I figured they might be hungry. I grabbed a few bread loaf ends and my camera and ran outside to snap a few pics of these cute little dudes (and I think the third one is a gal).

I wish I could keep them as pets!. I'm hoping they'll come back again, so I can get a few more shots. I was pressed for time this morning, and they wouldn't stay still, although they did let me come surprisingly close to them. I was only about 2 feet away when I took this photo, absolutely no zoom lens required! But as you can see, they were on a fast-paced mission .

I have a busy rest of the day ahead of me, so I better make like these ducks and fly! Oh ,who am I kidding, I'\m more likely to waddle back to my office.

Visit your neighbors today, and wish them a happy Monday!
Or just feed them bread and take their picture, hahaha

And the Winner Is,.....

Okay here it is folks!  AND THE WINNER OF THE 1,000 VIEWS GIVEAWAY PRIZE IS.......


Drumroll please........

hempfaery   !!!!

Well, it was pretty good odds this time around, given that the odds were 1 in 4, hahaha! I was hoping alot more people would enter, but I realize the wasn't a while lotta time for this contest. But hey, there's always the next one!
ANYWAYS

Congrats to hempfaery! Yay! I will contact you via email to get an address of where to send your prize. Don't forget that you only have 48 hours to respond with your mailing address, or I'll have to draw a new winner.

 And to everyone else, I wish you all a good night! i have had a ridiculously long day. Full of surprises ( good ones, don't worry) but it's been a long day so I'm off to dreamland. Just wanted to make sure I posted the winning blog first!
Good Night all!

Sweet dreams =)
-J

GIVEAWAY Contest Details

AAAAAAAARE YOUUUUUUUUU READYYYYYYYYY? 

Continuing on the Milestone theme, since my 1,000 page views milestone is what inspired this particular giveaway in the first place,  I thought, why not give away something that others can use to celebrate their own milestone's, and preserve their own memories?

Introducing......
The uniquely handpainted.....

MILESTONE MEMORY BOX!

Tra-La-Laaaaaaaa~

This little beauty was a little treasure I discovered in a local shop that has all sorts of brillant,unique gifts and things! I'm not sure that it's intended purpose is that of a MILESTONE BOX, but the writing on the outside with the inspiring quotes made me feel like it should be one!   I have one at home that I store all kinds of precious milestone memories in. Some ideas you may want to include in yours could be photos, concert tickets, a wine or champagne cork from a first date or an anniversary, the tassle from a graduation cap, and any other sort of milestone memorabilia that you want to keep safe and in one place.  This particular peice of art was hand painted by Canadian artist Rhonda Kullberg, from Brendan, Manitoba.



CONTEST RULES:

1. You must be a member of my facebook page: Janice Evelyn - Photographer. If you aren't already, you can click on the link below, then click on the "Like" botton at the top of my Page.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Janice-Evelyn-Photographer/19822367477

2. You must post a comment below this post. The comment qualifies as your "entry" for the contest.

3. The winner will be chosen at random on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 6 pm. Pacific Standard Time.

4. Once chosen, I will contact the winnner via email to verify a mailing address he/she wishes to have the prize sent to.  The winner MUST respond back to me WITHIN 48 HOURS of the date of the closing of this contest (March 11, 2011) or a new winner will be chosen.

So there you have it folks!  And to all you guys out there who kinda scrunched up their noses when they saw the somewhat "girly" prize posted here, you know that Mother's Day isn't too far away?  This could make a lovely gift for your mom, grandmother, or your lovely wife!

Happy Contest Day!

-J

1,000 Pageviews and Giveaway News

OKAY EVERYONE,  I have some exciting news! Since I started this blog back in November of last year (2010) the blog has officially reached a milestone - as of today, it has OFFICIALLY REACHED OVER 1,000 PAGEVIEWS!  Yippeeeee! Okay, it may not be excitng for you, but for me, I am constantly wondering "does ANYONE read my blog?!!!!! "   hahaha.
So because I can't possibly give each and every one of you a hug, I'm offering a huge heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you for all of the love and support you've shown by visiting my blog, and to celebrate this wonderful MILESTONE, I am going to be having a GIVEAWAY CONTEST!!!!!  I want this contest to be open to ANYONE from EVERY COUNTRY around the world.
So,
 What am I giving away you ask?
 wait for it......

wait for it.....

.....because I'm going to fall asleep typing right now, so rather than mistype and screw up the entire contest, I will post the details and contest rules tomorrow by lunchtime!
WATCH FOR IT!
And visit my blog a few more times, hehe =)

Holy Hot-Pink-Butterfly-Pen, Batman!

Those of you who know me, know that it's a minor pet peeve of mine, being that I work as an office administrator at my day job, to have my pens consistently "stolen". Not that I think anyone does it on purpose, people are just very busy in my office, and they often borrow my pens when they are at my desk in the front lobby, and absentmindedly walk away with them afterward.  After losing about 6,492 of them (well, maybe not quite that many, hehe)  I began a search for the most obnoxious-looking pen I could find, in hopes that if I found something so ridiculously over-the-top, nobody would DARE be caught dead with it! hahaha.

The cashier at the till politely humored my barely-contained excitement over finding this pen ( pictured above) today,  I'm sure she found it odd that a floofy, sparkly, hot pink butterfly pen had made my day just that much better! 

Now at least if someone DOES walk away with my pen, it will be alot easier to track it down! 

Not too bad for a Monday!

 Hoping all your Mondays are filled with hot pink butterfly pens,

-J

Project #6 - Operation: Reinvent "Bombshell"

BEFORE                                                                                                  AFTER

 

The challenge: transform an ordinary hardwroking mother of two, into a "bombshell", and show everyone (including her)  what an EXTRAORDINARY lady she truly is!

I''ve been trying to get this blog up all week, trying to come up with something witty and inspirational to write about this project. But a picture says a thousand words. So why tamper with a good thing?  I would just end up ranbling anyways, hahaha.  It was only my second Boudoir shoot I'd ever done, and we had alot of laughs, especially since the photos were meant to be a surprise gift for her man, who was supposed to be out for the day and we kept hoping he wouldn't come home while we were still shooting - trying to explain might have been awkward  hahaha.  But I have to say, my favorite part is when she came back a few days  later to pick out the photos she wanted, and she saw the final edited images and her face lit up when she saw them. She was so happy about the final pictures that when she came to pick them up ( they were a valentines gift for her honey)  she was actually jumping up and down with excitement, hahaha. I thought to myself, "that, right there, is why I do this." 
So there you have it folks. A Befiore & After segment. 
I'm working on a few photo challenges for upcoming projects, and I'm planning more photo adventures in the area , so stay tuned for more pics real soon. Some ideas I'm working on:
Fashion Week (I may have a lead on a fashion show)
Fire & Ice
Stained Glass (I swear, I will find an open church one of these days! haha)
Lightening (this may not be till late spring)
Snowboarding Action ( gonna get up to the ski hill before it closes and find a few showoffs! )
Graffiti
Ink (tattoo art!)

T|hose are just a few of the suggestions I'm working on.  Keep sending in your suggestions and I'll keep adding to my list!

Here's a few other pics from the same shoot....  ooh la la! 

I hope you all have a FANTASTIC week!!!!!
Here's to staying tuned and staying outta trouble (oh, who am I kidding?!!)
-J