The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: Favorite photo from August

August 27, 2011 | Posted by

This weeks challenge: Favorite photo from August.
The challenge: The challenge will be based around your children. Take or find a photo of your baby (or kid… or puppy… or kitty). Just pick your favorite photo from this past month. 😀


My example of “Favorite from August”:

This is our friends baby girl. I just love this photo of her.

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  • First time joining the Paper Mama photo challenge? Start here for rules and upcoming challenges. 🙂
  • My photo challenges do require you to have either your children or one of your furry children (pets) in the photo (unless it’s a self portrait week). It could be just one finger… or a toe… but, they must be there.
Heart.
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The Paper Mama


♡ Chelsey

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AND, the winner of the "Furry Friends" photo challenge is…

August 27, 2011 | Posted by

This weeks challenge was: Furry Friend!

First:
{Tezzie}


Congrats to the winner! Great job, and please feel free to grab the Fact: I’m Awesome button! Because You are awesome!!

The Paper Mama

Second:
{House of Emery}


Fourth:
{TrystanLynae}


Fifth:
{Mallory’s Musings}


Congrats to my top 5 winners! If you’d like… you are more than welcome to grab a Top 5 Photo button below!

The Paper Mama

My Favorites in no particular order:
{DRW Photos}
{Living Our Love Song}
{Ashley Sisk}
{The Stiles Files}
{LEM}

If you’re one of my favorites you are more than welcome to grab a “Paper mama hearts me” button below!

The Paper Mama

 . 2010 winners . 2011 winners .

Favorite Photo from August.

♡ Chelsey

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Simple Twist – Cascade Braid hair tutorial

August 26, 2011 | Posted by

The simple twist 2-piece-braid! It truly is simple! So much easier than trying to do a three piece braid… I do this hair style probably 3 times a week… It gets my hair out of my face… BUT, it’s still looking cute! Yeah!
SOoooo…. the Simple Twist – Cascade Braid… hopefully I easily explain this for all of you. It’s SO freakin’ simple… It will look lovely with many types of hair! Ok… here we go…
Directions:
1. Starting from the bangs…. grab two chunks of hair at the bangs and twist the bottom piece over the top piece.
2. Grab another small piece of hair and add it to the bottom chunk and twist the bottom piece over the top piece. ANNNDDD repeat. Basically your only picking up and adding hair from the bottom piece and twisting over the top.
3. Continue the Simple Twist braid to the opposite back side of your head. From there I pick up one more piece of hair and turn it into a normal 3-piece braid and braid down to the end of my hair and tie off with a tiny clear hair band.
4. That’s all! It’s super simple! Seriously so awesome.

♡ Chelsey

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Categories: diy, hair

Owning your self portraits.

August 25, 2011 | Posted by

Self portraits… something most of us photography lovers fear: turning the camera around. BUT, self portraits are beautiful. At least I think so. Yes…. I HATE it when I have a 5 billion chin photo (this happens a lot)… or, I don’t look as fit and slim as I did when I was 16 (I mean really…). But, I do honestly believe that we need to own our beauty! Wow… that really sounded like some cheesy tv commercial… But, it’s true. There are things about my body that I really don’t love… like my crazy zig zaggy c-section scar and unfinished appendectomy scar… tired looking eyes… but, I try to throw those insecurities aside when I take a self portrait.

I guess for me… the hardest thing about taking self portraits is getting over myself… Even if no one is around I still get insecure… like someone will find me photographing myself and say, “Pfft, that girl is photographing herself! Weird!” That hasn’t happened… that I know of. 😉 Self portraits are some of my favorite photos to do. They’re fun and I love experimenting with them. Below are some examples of different ways I like to take self portraits… hopefully they can inspire you!
Poser! Why not? So, these seem to be the hardest for me to take. Mostly because I’m making an effort to pose and look good and prevent double chin….


 Arm’s length… can be so strong and emotional. I really love to fill up a photo….

Be silly…. It’s always fun to laugh at yourself! These are usually my favorite to take (umm… especially when they involve a cupcake…)!

Change you view! What about all the details around you? The details in life are so very important to capture!


And, just because… here is some self portrait inspiration from a few favorite photography bloggers…

{1. Mandy from A Sorta Fairytale 2. Ashley Sisk 3. Ashley Sisk 4. Jess from IROCKSOWHAT 5. Mandy from A Sorta Fairytale 6. Elena from Selfie Magic}
I also recommend reading this wonderful post from A Beautiful Mess. Very inspiring and she shares a ton of wonderful tips! So, what about you? Do you own your self portraits?

♡ Chelsey

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Categories: photography

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: AND… then, she turned 20 months old.

August 24, 2011 | Posted by

Hey baby girl…
Here you are… a mere 4 months away from your 2nd birthday. I can’t even believe it. You are crazy amazing and I love you more than anything (yes, even more than fried chicken and wine. that’s a LOT).

You are wonderful… you say “bless you” to every sneeze… you pointed at a black dog and said, “black” (umm… where did you learn your colors?)… you can count from 4 to 5 (ha ha! seriously. 4, 5. 4, 5. 4, 5.)… you pretty much repeat anything I say (damn my cussing ways… must stop…)… when you meet someone new, you appear to be shy. BUT, I know better: you like to observe your new surroundings from my arms until you are cool with it. Then, you’re crazy. ;)… You’re Uncle Adam taught you how to high five… you are in love with your aunt Nicole and uncle Mike (they’re visiting us for a month from New Zealand)… You’re still OBSESSED with Dora and Diego. OBSESSED… still sucking on a Paci. Not sure how I’ll be breaking that habit… I haven’t even attempted to potty train you. :)… you’re meltdowns are insane and very dramatic. I may need to look into timeouts. That scares me… your favorite animals are Dogs! But, you do love cats and horses too… For whatever reason you end every word in a high pitch. It’s hilarious and pretty cute… Your hair is outta control. But, you wont let me cut your bangs and I can’t seem to keep hair clips in… you love trying on clothes/accessories and checkin yourself in the mirror…. I’ve trained you to tell me I look pretty (ha ha… kidding. sorta.)… Pretty much: you are awesome.

I love you so freakin much! Happy 20 months!

Love,
Mama.

{If you have a Wordless{ish} Wednesday, please feel free to link it up below. BY the way: Shawntae from A Little King and I now share our Wednesday Linky’s. :D. And, feel free to link up to these blogs too… 5 Minutes For Mom, Parenting by Dummies, Project Alicia, Supermom, And Then She Snapped, and Live and Love Outloud.}

♡ Chelsey

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