MAGGIE HOLMES Photography and Scrapbooking Blog

Photography Workshops Blog Blitz & Giveaways!

I am excited to announce a BLOG BLITZ today dedicated to my Online Photography Workshops! Lots of exciting things are included so be sure to read all the way through!

If you are new to my blog or website, let me introuduce you to my workshops:

I truly love teaching because it is so rewarding to see how much my students progress in such a short amount of time. A common theme among the feedback from my students is that the format of my classes and my teaching style makes the information super easy to understand. I have had so many students tell me that they have read multiple books, taken other workshops and even college courses but that the information didn't click for them until they took my classes! I can't tell you how much that means to me because that was my whole goal in teaching! I set out to create the classes that I wish I had access to years ago when I was figuring all of this out for myself. I can say that I give you all of my "rules of thumb", tips and tricks and things that I learned the hard way along the way. 

The best part of it all is the access you get to the private message board. It is there that you are able to ask me questions and I am available to help you all along the way. You will also post your assignments there for detailed personalized feedback. In addition you are able to converse with and get to know the other students which allows you to make friends with other people just like yourself who will encourage you all along the way.

For detailed class descriptions you can visit the WORKSHOPS section of my website.

Many COMMON QUESTIONS about the workshop are answered on my website as well.

Also if you want to see a sample of my photos you can visit the PHOTOGRAPHY portion of my website.

I have had many emails asking about when the next classes will be and I am excited to announce that the next two are now open for registration!

Photography 101: July 9th - August 18th, 2012

Advanced Photography: August 20th - September 29th, 2012

As a note - these are the last two classes I will be offering in 2012 and spots are limited so you are encouraged to register early in order to guarantee a spot. 

I am also excited to announce that for the first time ever I am offering an EARLYBIRD discount of $50.00 off! This offer is valid for a limited time only and expires May 31st, 2012.

And now, the GIVEAWAYS! 

I am giving away a spot in each of the two classes! You can enter to win by posting here on this blog post. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday the 23rd. 

I am also giving away a surprise BONUS spot in my Photography 101 class and the winner for this one will be drawn at random from one of the other blogs on the hop! You are encouraged to visit every blog on the hop and enter to win at each one because no one knows which blog the winner will be drawn from! It will be a surprise! That winner will also be drawn at random on Wednesday the 23rd. 

There are links on each blog taking you to the next one but in case you get lost or missed one, here are links to all of them:

Susan Weinroth

Dawn McVey

Davinie Fiero

Celine Navarro

Geralyn Sy

Kelly Noel

Veronica Jennings

Lisa Truesdell

Mou Saha

Piradee Talvanna

Stacy Cohen

Megan Hoeppner

Kim Watson

Good luck and remember to enter on all of the blogs for the BONUS spot! Also, if you purchase a class and then are drawn as the winner for that class, your registration fee will be refunded. This does not apply to previous classes taken or purchased. Only applicable to classes that are currently open for registration on the site and that are purchased during the time frame of this giveaway (Monday May 21st - Wednesdsay May 23rd). No purchase required. All winners are drawn at random.

Engagement Photos {Arizona Wedding Photographer}

I've been meaning to share some more photo shoots with you.... sorry I haven't been the best blogger lately! Still here and doing well, just crazy busy as ever! 

Isn't this the cutest couple ever? I had a blast with them and am super excited for their big day!!

Also, Photography 101 is starting today! This is my beginner/intermediate online photography class. I still have a few spots available for this session if you want to join us!

To see details about the class  and to read what past students are saying about it, visit my website here.

Have a great Monday!

Dear Lizzy & American Crafts: Blog Hop & Giveaway

Elizabeth Kartchner’s latest signature collection, Dear Lizzy Neapolitan, is fanciful & fresh featuring candy-shop colors and a diffused watercolor effect that takes you into a daydream of hand-drawn Mason jars, ice cream cones and balloons.
Dear Lizzy Neapolitan features 22 papers, including darling stitched ruffle paper & patterned vellum. Complementing the papers are a variety of embellishments from painted wood buttons, epoxy stickers, chipboard word banners, embroidered brads & wood grain chipboard pieces. Other new exciting products are Flutterbys (sewn butterfly & pendant banners), a Roller & Phrase Stamp and Paper Pinwheels. Here's a sneak peek of one of the products!

 

As part of the blog hop I am giving away the Chipboard Word Banner pictured below! So cute! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment here in this post and then I will draw a winner at random in a few days! Also the Amy Tan class giveaway is still open so be sure to check that out below this post as well!

 

Your next stop on the BLOG HOP is Liz Tamanaha. Be sure to check out all the stops because each of us is giving away part of the new collection and I also believe that someone is giving away the entire line!!!!

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In other news my first online Photography Workshop of 2012 starts today! I am super excited to be teaching again after the holiday break! Every class I teach is so rewarding becasue I get to see my students progress soooo much in such a short amount of time! The best is seeing people who start out shooting in automatic mode and then go to shooting in full manual in just a few weeks! They are always so surprised how easy it really is once they gain the knowledge along with my tried and true tips and tricks! Bye Bye frustration and hello to fabulous photos!! That's what it's all about!

There are a few spots left in this class so if you want to jump on board and join us, it's not too late! More information on my workshops can be found here at Maggie Holmes Design.

December Daily Photography Workshop

Here it is.... my newest online photography class that I have been soooo excited to launch! 

This one works differently than my other 2 photography workshops. The class is an email based workshop in which you will receive 1 email per day for every day in December. The class is inspired by Ali Edwards' wildly popular December Daily Album concept in which you create an album that includes photos/thoughts/memories/memorabilia/etc for each day in December.

In case you aren't familiar with this you can find a lot more information about the December Daily Album concept on Ali Edwards' site.

The only glitch I have ever run into with my December Daily albums is keeping up with them and staying on track in order to finish and complete the whole album. For me it is a super crazy busy month and I am sure it is for most of you too. So, it is easy to forget about it or get stuck and not know what to take pictures of, what to document, etc and then we give up.

My photography workshop is designed to help you stay on track with your album and it also takes the guesswork and confusion out of the equation when it comes to taking your photographs. The daily emails will be a great reminder to take your photos and you will also be inspired with examples and ideas. This will keep you from falling behind and then being stressed about not having photos for some of the days.

:::Here are a few more details, and answers to questions about the class:::

If you struggle for ideas and creativity when it comes to taking the photos each day for your December Daily Album, this class is for you.

If you struggle with not knowing how best to capture the details, like the twinkling Christmas lights at night, close ups of decorations, etc, then this class is for you.

If you are looking for easy and applicable tips and tricks on how to improve your everyday photography, this class is for you.

There is no certain camera required for this class, although I will give technical information on settings when it is applicable. You can take this class no matter what type of camera you will be using to take your photos. In fact I will be using a mixture of cameras including my digital SLR, point and shoot, instax cameras and Iphone. My photos, ideas, inspiration, tips and tricks will be varied amongst all of them.

You don't have to be doing a December Daily Album to take this photography workshop. Anyone can join in. You can simply come along for the inspiration and ideas and use them in your own creative way. You could also take my class and simply create an album that is only photos using the ones you take each day with me. Whether you create a detailed Dec Daily Album or something super simple, the things you learn will apply!

Not all of the emails will be Christmas focused. The December Daily Album concept is about documenting your life each day in December, not just documenting the Holidays. My class offers a nice balance between Holiday related photography and non-Holiday related photography.

If you have any other questions, let me know! Registration is open now and class starts December 1st!! 

Way too long...

Seriously a month? I can't stand that I haven't blogged in such a long time! But instead of beating myself up over it I am trying to remember that this seems to happen each year around this time. Not only am I busy doing my normal things - being a mom, wife, studio calico, my online photography classes, etc - but it is the craziest time of year for my photography business. Every year I try to gear up for it and think I am going to stay on top of it all but it seems like something has to give and it ends up being the blog. :)

I do keep up with posting on instagram, twitter and facebook so if you don't follow me and want to keep up with the little day-to-day things that are going on around here you can find me and follow me by clicking on the links or by looking me up on instagram under maggiehdesign.

I have lots of exciting things to share with you today!!

1. Elizabeth is almost 6 months old! Hello! Where does the time go? She is an absolute joy and is the happiest baby on earth! She is rolling around now and her first little tooth just poked through as well!

2. I was featured as the guest designer for Crate Paper this week! You can see the post along with my layouts here on their blog! I'm not sure why my layouts look all pixelated over there though :( They don't look that crazy in real life!

3. Did you see the 2012 Creating Keepsakes Dream Team announcement yet? I will be back for another year and couldn't be more excited about it! 

4. I will be launching some new online workshops at Maggie Holmes Design very soon and can't wait to share the details with you!! I will still be offering my current photography classes which start back up again in January 2012 so no worries, those are not going away! In fact, the first one is almost full so if you are thinking of signing up, do it quick! It might be time to snag yourself an early Christmas present!! :)

And just to tease you I will give you a little hint about one of the new classes - It has to do with documenting December......... any ideas?? Stay tuned! I will be back to announce it soon and link you up to the registration page!

 

 

Colorful Kisses....

Heading back up to Utah for SPARK this weekend! I will be demoing and selling the latest Studio Calico products including the mists, masks and stamp sets!! I hope to see you there!!

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In case you missed it, my NEW WEBSITE is now live!! Please go there to purchase my PHOTOSHOP ACTIONS (for the most current versions) and to register for my ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES! We are in the middle of my last class for 2011 but I have some 2012 classes open for registration already and people are signing up!! It's the perfect thing to put on your Christmas wishlist.... just make sure to give your list to your hubby or mom or best friend early so you get signed up before it fills up!

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It rained a lot and even SNOWED when I was up in Utah with my kiddos for fall break! They sure loved making snow balls and playing in it but I was a little upset that it interfered with my plans for taking LOTS of pictures while we were there at all my favorite Utah locations! I had even scouted out some new ones that I wanted to try but it didn't happen so I guess it will have to wait! Boo!

On our way out of town..... literally...... we stopped really QUICK to take some last minute pictures. I haven't even looked through all of them but I just saw this one and had to open it and do a quick edit. I am in LOVE with the COLOR and the KISSES!! These two are like 2 peas in a pod -- very similar personalities!! When they are not driving me a wee bit crazy with their ENDLESS energy, they are making me smile and laugh and they most definitely always make me feel LOVED!

Hope you have a colorful weekend!! If you need some creative inspiration come see me at SPARK!!!

New Website: Maggie Holmes Design

I have a NEW WEBSITE!!!

I have been working on this for what seems like forever and am so excited that I finally get to announce it!

Maggie Holmes Design

Along with the website redesign comes a new logo, new branding, new pricing for photo shoots, new photography galleries, new scrapbooking gallery, etc etc. 

I worked with a company called Moselle on this and they have done a fabulous job! I can't even begin to describe how awesome it was to work with people that were able to design what I was envisioning and what feels totally and completely "me."

I am beyond excited and hope you will head on over there to check it out!  

To celebrate I am also doing a giveaway today! One person will receive a spot in my next Photography 101 Online Workshop.... valued at $250.00!

To enter you will need to go to my new site, check it out and then come back here to tell me what you think! Also, you can enter more than once if you share the new site with others on your blog, facebook and/or twitter. After sharing it in one or more of those places you can come back here and enter again by telling me where you shared it! I will be back later this week to draw a winner at random!

Creating Keepsakes Guest Post & Giveaway

I am a guest blogger over on the Creating Keepsakes Magazine blog this week and wanted to share it with you. It's photography related and I'm sharing tips on how tell a more interesting and dynamic story with your photographs!

Click here to read it!

I'm also hosting a GIVEAWAY for a spot in my next Beginner/Intermediate Online Photography Workshop which starts in October. (Click here for more details on the class.) To enter you have to visit the CK Blog and leave a comment on my guest post. We will announce a winner later this week. Good luck!

 

P.S. The Studio Calico giveaway is still open below so keep reading onto the next post! EDIT: The Studio Calico giveaway is now closed. Thanks for entering!

It's been a while....

I can't believe how long it's been since I have posted here.... lots going on.....

The biggest event that has happened recently is the arrival of our little

Elizabeth Kate!

She is perfect in every way and such a good baby and I have been trying to soak up every minute and enjoy each little moment with her. I absolutely love the newborn stage and I can't get enough of snuggling her! My favorite is to just sit and hold her all curled up like a little ball. This time passes much too quickly and I don't want it to be over yet! 

Needless to say I have taken hundreds of photos of her... sneaking in some more formal photo shoots amongst the day to day and the normal routine which consists of feeding her, snuggling her, changing many many diapers, doing all of her laundry, more snuggling and then repeating all over again. 

All of these were taken at the hospital. I love how fresh and new she looks! Her tiny little feet are all wrinkly and just soooo cute! Love those tiny toes! As I start to sift through the other photos I have taken since I have been home I will definitely share! Although I have to save some for a special project that I just got asked to do and I am super thrilled about!! Can't wait to share it with you eventually!! :)

All of that is on top of it being summer and having all of the kids home, taking the boys to swim team and basketball camps, taking Emily to her dance class, trying to have some fun before they go back to school, and recovering from a c-section! Talk about jumping right back into the chaos!! But it is all good chaos and I wouldn't have it any other way! I feel incredibly grateful and blessed every day that I get to be a mother! I love it!

I will try to get back on here more regularly since I do have even more photos to share now, but if I go missing for a few days, just know that I am most likely on the couch holding my little Elizabeth Kate snuggling and holding her as close and as tight as possible! :) I just can't get enough!

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In other news, I do have an ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS starting very soon.... In fact it is just around the corner! There are a few spots left so if you want to jump in, click here to be taken to my workshops page for all of the information and to register. 

The ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS is also filling up very quickly so if you want to secure your spot in that one, do it now!

To all of the students that have registered already, you will be hearing from me by email a couple of days before class starts so watch for that! Can't wait to get started and to officially "meet" you all!!

Photography Workshops: New Classes Open

I have been getting lots of emails asking about when my next

Online Photography Workshops

will take place and when they will be open for registration....... Here is the info:

 

Beginner/Intermediate - July 11th - August 20th, 2011

Advanced - August 22nd - October 1st, 2011

Beginner/Intermediate - October 3rd - November 12th, 2011

This is all I will have time to squeeze in before 2011 is over.........

Here are a few things that are worthy of mentioning:

1 - If you want to take one or both of the classes, now is the time to register in order to reserve your spot. They will fill quickly and once spots are gone they are gone.

2 - The advanced class always fills up really quickly from my past beginner students and many of them like to jump right into it after taking the first class. Just mentioning that in case you are going to take the July 11th class..... you may want to register for the August Advanced now because it will most likely be full before the July class even starts.

3 - If you are going to take the October 3rd class, I will be teaching the Advanced class again in early 2012 so you shouldn't have to wait too long before being able to follow up with the other class.

Also.........

If you are looking for detailed information on my photography classes you will want to check out the links in the right column here on my workshops page.

If you are looking for some testimonials from past students you can go here.

And of course, as always, if you have any questions feel free to email me using the link underneath my photo.

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And just to spice this post up a bit, here are a few photos that I don't believe I have shared before:

LOVE the colors!! Also you gotta love it when her outfit just happens to match the location perfectly! I PROMISE I didn't plan it this time.... it was just a random day out shopping! 

And here is a foot shot with a little bit different editing....... I love her in those pink converse!

P.S. the Creative Spaces special issue magazine giveaway is still open below so if you haven't entered, you still can!!