10 Not to miss holiday picture ideas

The holiday season is now upon us and you won't want to miss a minute. There are many traditions that was like to keep during the holidays, and passing them down to our children is a very special thing. Documenting them through pictures will help keep those memories alive and the traditions extra special. So, keep your camera handy, with plenty of fresh batteries and memory cards, or film for you old school shutter bugs out there. ;)

Here is a list of some of those "not to miss" moments:

1. Putting up and decorating the Christmas tree.

2. Decorating the house with Holiday/Christmas decor

3. Wrapping presents

4. Baking and decorating cookies (this is one of my favorite traditions!)



5. Special Holiday events such as Christmas Time in Aledo or Christmas on the Square in Weatherford.

6. Family gatherings. Candids and posed pictures (where everyone gathers around and smiles at the camera) will capture your time together. Make sure to get a group photograph including you! ;)

7. The table decorations. If you are having a fancy dinner, or just have the table decorated for the feast, be sure to grab a picture of it all dressed up. You can even capture individual dishes and entrees.

8. Christmas outfits. We as parents love to dress our kids up in fancy outfits that they sometimes don't love. I enjoy getting at least one of their frowny faces in the outfits. A smiley one of all the kids is somewhat hard to come by. If you are having trouble, try bribery (like ice cream or a small treat if they cooperate with you, or an extra half hour of tv time) with the older kids. Younger ones usually respond to peek-a-boo or other games you play with them. If all else fails, get them individually and collage the pictures in a multiopening frame.

9. The milk and cookies for Santa. Get pictures of the kids leaving cookies and milk out for Santa, and then one in the morning of the empty plate and glass.

10. Christmas morning chaos. Try to capture the kids' excited faces as the run to the tree to see what presents they got. Other ideas are to get them opening presents and their reactions to them. Gather all the presents they got to get a "group" picture with them to remember what they got this year.


Pamela Powell is a photographic portrait artist in Parker County Texas. Pamela received her BFA in art-photography from Sam Houston State University and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America and the Texas Professional Photographers Association.
You can view more of Pamela's fine portrait work by visiting: http://pamelapowellphotography.com
Follow Pamela
on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pampowellphoto
on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pampowellphoto

So you took all these pictures, now what? | Photography Tips

So you took all these pictures, now what?

Hopefully now, you have been inspired to take many pictures of your family. But have you done anything with those images? Are they still on your memory card in your camera? Do you show people your vacation pictures on the back of your camera? It's time to get them off your memory card and onto your computer!

"But, I have soooo many pictures! It will take hours to figure out when and where everything took place!" That's okay! There are plently of computer programs to help you organize your pictures.

If you are working on a MAC, then iphoto is great for that I hear. I have no experiance with it personally. Ask one of your MAC friends, or go to the Apple store and ask an assosiate there for help.

I personally use Adobe Lightroom. It is a program designed specifially for photographers to help them organize their images. When downloading, you chose where you want your images to go, can name the folder, and can choose weither you want the images to be organized by date, or all into one folder. There is also a meta data setting so you can copyright your images, tag them, explain what, where, when, why and how the image was taken. You can also rate them with a 5 star rating and a color coding rating. You can even edit the image without damaging the file. It saves the steps you did to the image seperatly from the original so you can always go back and undo everything you did to the image. And that's not everything. I could go on all day... If you are seriouly into photography, and shoot with your image setting to RAW or you like to do lots of editing and playing, then this would be a program you would be interested in. If you have no idea what RAW is, or not all into the editing and tagging and such, then do not fear, there is a program for you! (and it's cheaper!)

My Creative Memories Consultant, Deb Brittain, told me about one of their products called Memory Manager. This is what she says about it: "Memory Manager is a fabulous PC program that helps you organize and find your images quickly! It automatically imports and organizes your photos by the date they were taken. It offers additional simple organizational techniques and ways to cross-reference and fine tune edit your photos. It also allows you to rate your photos with a star system and works in conjunction with StoryBook creator plus which helps you create digital albums. One of my favorite features is it allows you to title each photo and tell the story for each one so you don’t forget those precious memories. To find out more information or to see a demonstration contact Deb Brittain at debbrittain@att.net or 817-907-4087."

So there are no more excuses! Get those images off your memory cards and onto your computers! But wait! You're not done yet. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, back up your images! Burn them to a CD, copy them to an external hard drive, save them to an online data backup service, whatever it is, PLEASE be sure to have AT LEAST two (2) copies of your pictures digitally. You just never know WHEN (not IF) your hard drive will fail and you will lose ALL your precious memories.

Best thing to do about not losing all those digital images is to get them printed. But getting them into a program like Memory Manager or Lightroom will make it a little easier to sort and prioritize the images you really want to print.

Pamela Powell is a photographic portrait artist in Parker County Texas. Pamela received her BFA in art-photography from Sam Houston State University and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America and the Texas Professional Photographers Association.
You can view more of Pamela's fine portrait work by visiting: http://pamelapowellphotography.com
Follow Pamela
on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pampowellphoto
on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pampowellphoto

Photo Challenge | A Day in the Life of...

Instead of tips and tricks to photography, I thought I'd offer a photo challenge to all you mama's. This challenge involves having your camera on you at all times. Throughout the day, you will be taking pictures and documenting what you are doing. The goal is to have enough images to tell the story of a day in your life.

What to do with the images you say? If you are a scrapbooker, make a scrapbook page or two with journaling. Blog it on your personal blog and share with friends and family. Or make a mini photo album and tuck it away in a time capsule of sorts and take it out again in 10-15 years and compare your life then to how it was now. It would be neat to see if it is more hectic or peaceful.

This is a commitment, and it might be easier to have a point and shoot camera so it is more portable, and yes, the phone on your camera will work too! And let the kids get involved too, if they have their own camera. It would be fun to compare your day you had together to see it through each others eyes.

Here are a few images from my day September 1, 2011:

Wake up



Car pool line


Dropping off my daughter at school


Leaving with my son


Ready for stroller Strides


Fearless Stroller Strides leader! (Come out and join us! Info here: http://classes.strollerstrides.net/aledoweatherford/location/index.aspx)


At the Recycling center


Making dinner


Ready to eat!


Clean up...


Play time!


Me time!



Nighty Night!

(my husband does not like to have his picture taken, so that is why he is not in any images! Just so rumors don't start...)

I hope you enjoy this little challenge! Leave a comment here to share your day in the life of... post it to your blog!


Pamela Powell is a photographic portrait artist in Parker County Texas. Pamela received her BFA in art-photography from Sam Houston State University and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America.
You can view more of Pamela's fine portrait work by visiting: http://pamelapowellphotography.com

It's such a great time to buy or refinance!

Interest rates are at an all time LOW!! Now is the time to buy the house you've been dreaming of or refinance your current home! Currently rates are 4% for a 30 year fixed conventional loan. The 20 year average rate is 6.93% To break it down simply, if you borrow $300,000 from the bank your montly payment including principal and interest only will be:

4% - $1432.25.

5% - $1610.46

6% - $1798.65

6 7/8 - $1970.79

If you lock in an interest rate of 4% you will save big time bucks over the life of the loan.

4% vs 5%- You save $178.21 each month, $2138.52 each year and $64,155 over the life of the loan!

4% vs 6%- You save $366.40 each month, $4396.80 each year and $131,904 over the life of the loan!

4% vs 6 7/8% (the average interest rate over the last 20 years)-
You save $538.54 each month, $6462.48 each year, and $193,874 over the life of the loan!

There has never been a better time to buy, build or refinance! If you have any questions about buying, selling or refinancing I'd be happy to help!


Special Thanks to Parker County Mama Alicia Brunson
Phone: 817-441-7707 | Cell: 817-680-7786
Fax: 817-441-7993 E-mail: alicia@pamsnowden.com

http://aliciabrunson.imxagents.com/
http://myrealtoralicia.blogspot.com/2011/06/parker-county-mama.html

Starting to save money with coupons

Coupons save consumers millions of dollars every year. Only 3% of all coupons that are printed every get redeemed. Why is that? I have found through the years of couponing it has to do with time and not knowing how to truly coupon and make it worth your while.

I would like to introduce myself to all of the present and future couponers. My name is Krista Cole I am a resident of Weatherford, Texas. My husband and I have lived in Weatherford for about 8 years we have three children. I work full time in the metroplex and commute daily. Couponing started out as a hobby but has become a necessity in my household. My story is no different than most households in America my husband lost his job late last year so we have had to learn to live on one income and I had to be crafty in doing do. I initially started couponing with a few in hand saving a couple of dollars on a shopping trip and would always stare in wonder at the woman at the store that would come out with two baskets of items and spending a few dollars after coupons. How do they do that? I will first tell you that if you just want to save $20.00 or $30.00 a week on your grocery tab that this is a very quick and easy process. However if you want the mega savings you will have to invest some true time into doing this.



To start with you will need to know the “Lingo” and get your stores coupon policies. I suggest pick one grocery store that is going to be your main store as well as a pharmacy. Go to the websites of each of these stores and print out the coupon policy. If the policy is not on the webpage send an email to the corporate office requesting a copy of the policy. Make sure you are specific to your area since most corporate offices handle many regions and policy and pricing does vary. And if all else fails pick up the phone and give them a call they will normally email it to you. Make sure that you print them out and keep them with you on your shopping trips. As you truly get into the mega savings you will need the policy with you. Keep in mind Wal-Mart will ad match and the Coupon and Ad match policy is online. I would choose another store as your primary grocery store simply because they do not double or triple coupons to maximize your savings. Myself personally I don’t shop at CVS or Walgreens. I simply don’t have the time to keep up with the extra care bucks and register rewards. I know others who do and I will share with you how to save this way as well. Now for the “LINGO” these will be key words you will see on website blogs and wonder what these people are talking about.

Brick – This is a printable coupon from online normally found on different coupon source sites.

BOGO – Buy one get one free

Cat – Catalina LOL this is what some people throw away L When you get your receipt at the register these also print out they are coupons for your next purchase.

Blinkie – These are the plastic coupon dispensers in the store that you take one and another spits out behind it.

Peelie – This is a coupon that is on an item on the shelf and you can use at the time of purchase.

Hangtag – These are coupons that are around the mouth of bottles that can be used at the time of purchase.

Q – Coupon

Dbl – Double

Trp – Triple

RP – Red Plum coupon circular in the Sunday paper

SS – Smart Source coupon circular in the Sunday paper



This is your main lingo that you will see and if you have any questions I will be happy to help. So let’s get started. You need either a binder with the clear plastic baseball sheets or you can use a shoe box of some sort. The little plastic coupon dividers will not hold all the coupons. I personally go by my memory which is like a lock box so I use a plastic box and bought a sheet of poster board cut it into dividers and wrote the different sections with marks a lot on the top. I cut my coupons organize and paperclip them and put them in the proper section. If you are going to use the binder you need to have the tabs on the pages to separate each section. Example: Frozen foods, Cold foods/Dairy, Canned foods, Boxed meals and pasta, Drinks, snacks, Baking goods, cereals, etc. don’t forget household items health and beauty, cleaning supplies baby items and pets. You may also want to have a section for store specific coupons as well. Once you figure out what system you want to use then you need to begin collecting your coupons. I myself by 3 double Sunday Fort Worth Star Telegrams you can also buy the Weatherford democrat and get coupons as well. Clip the coupons you are going to use and organize them in your coupon holder. You can match up to what is on sale at the time for this week or wait till the new ads come out on Tuesday for the sale starting Wednesday. Your first trip you will not save a lot of money it is going to take some time to build up your coupon cache. Plan on about 2 months before you have a big supply. I will give you the matchups that I find for the week and supply you with any links for printable coupons as well. Good luck happy and Happy Couponing.

Thank you for your post Krista. If your ready to start couponing you can also join the Coupon Queens of Parker County on facebook
couponqueen@groups.facebook.com

Tips for taking pictures for on-line Auctions

Tips for taking pictures for on-line Auctions

So, you no longer need those dishes or that old toy, and you want to sell them on an on-line auction. Having a great photograph really improves your chances of making the money you were hoping for. If your pictures are too dark, or too light and don't show the item well, then it might not be bid on like you would hope.

1. Use a digital camera or borrow one if you don't have one. This will make it easier to upload the images on-line. Also, use a smaller image size so you won't have to resize your images before uploading them. If your image is too large, people will have trouble viewing it. Read the guidelines on the auction site to see what their specifications are. I used a simple point and shoot camera for the images on this post.

2. Simple backgrounds work best. You want the buyers eyes on your item, not your cluttered living room. Use a plain wall or even set up a simple backdrop. Towels and sheets clamped to the back of a chair work well. Just be sure to keep them smooth and with as little wrinkles as possible.





3. Good lighting. It is important to have the item well lit. Simply adding a few spotlights might be all you need. If you are photographing something white though, be careful with incandescent light, it gives off a yellowish hue and can make the item look dingy. See if there is an incandescent setting on your camera to help. Shooting the object in the shade or on a cloudy day takes advantage of soft lighting and shows more of the detail. Use window light for a softer look.




4. Show detail. This means get in close. Get as close as you can and have the item still in focus. A sturdy tabletop tripod might come in handy if your hands are shaky. Try out the macro mode on your camera and see if that lets you show off the details. It is okay to take more than one image. Take a picture of the entire item, then get in close to show one of it's distinct features that make it unique and appealing to buyers.





Pamela Powell is a photographic portrait artist in Parker County Texas. Pamela received her BFA in art-photography from Sam Houston State University and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America.
You can view more of Pamela's fine portrait work by visiting: http://pamelapowellphotography.com

Parasites, Pets, and Kids. Know the facts: Don’t expose your children!

Do you have a pet living in your home or just an outdoor pet that your child plays with on a daily basis? Parker County Mama Rebecca Walker owns Lucky Paws Housecalls...Rebecca is a mobile small animal veterinarian serving Aledo, Weatherford, west Fort Worth and surrounding towns. She has some great tips on how to keep your kids safe from parasites that family pets can carry.


. Hookworms and roundworms can be harbored by your dog or cat and transmitted to children. It is thought that 30% to 50% of dogs and cats carry gastrointestinal (GI) parasites. Dogs get infected with hookworms and roundworms by walking places where other dogs have defecated. The eggs and larvae end up on your dog’s feet then your dog licks his feet and infects him or herself with these GI parasites. If your dog licks his anus and then licks your child, or if your child pets your dog then puts his/her hands in her mouth, he or she can become infected with these parasites.

• Dogs can get ticks that spread lyme disease, anaplasmosis, rocky mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and tularemia, which can affect people if the ticks detach from the dog and attach themselves to your child.

• Cats get infected with hookworms and tapeworms by hunting prey. Even if your cat lives indoors, the ingestion of one house mouse can expose your cat to GI parasites. Cats with a flea infestation can also spread cat scratch fever to children.

How Can You Prevent the Risk of Spreading Parasites to Your Children?

• Keep your dog on monthly heartworm preventative all year. This medication helps to prevent hookworms and roundworms in your dog. In addition, keep your dog on topical flea and tick control all year.

• Scoop the yard where your dog defecates at least weekly, ideally daily, as worm eggs and larvae found in stool can contaminate the environment.

• Have your veterinarian perform a fecal analysis on your pet’s stool at least once per year. This ensures that the preventatives have effectively protected your pets.

• Keep your cat on heartworm/flea prevention year round. This medication eliminates hookworms that could be potentially spread to humans in the household. It also kills fleas, which can be culprits in spreading cat scratch disease (cat scratch fever).

• Teach your children to wash their hands before eating, especially if they have recently handled their pet.

Lastly, don’t forget about Rabies. In Parker County, it is required by law that pets be vaccinated for Rabies once per year. Keep your veterinarian issued rabies tag on your pets collar and save the vaccine certificate in a safe spot.

Give me a call if you have any questions or need to get caught up on the above recommendations. Lucky Paws Housecalls can come out to your home or you can come see us this Saturday July 16th at Tractor Supply in Weatherford for our LOW COST CLINIC.
www.luckypawshousecalls.com

Thank you Rebecca Walker for sharing your insight and valuable knowledge about caring for our pets and keeping our kids safe!

10 Ways To Lower Your Electric Bill

It's summer time in Texas and that means one thing.....it's HOT! I thought a post about the top 10 ways to lower your utility rates. When doing research it made me realize a couple things that I can be doing as well.

Set Your Air Conditioner For 78 Degrees or Higher
If you are someone who loves the house at 70 degrees, you may want to rethink that idea during the summer months. Since an air conditioner cools at the same rate no matter the setting, think about how much more energy you’re using to cool it down to 70 degrees especially when it is reaching the upper 90’s outside. With that being said, the “industry recommended” minimum temperature is 78 degrees during the summer months. By sticking to these guidelines, you’ll stay cool (enough) and will help maximize your energy savings.

Programmable Thermostat
According to the Energystar.gov website, you can save about $180 annually by using a programmable thermostat (Note: this figure only applies if using the thermostat correctly). Programming temperature changes throughout the day will allow you to maximize the usage of an air conditioner to coincide with the outside conditions (night vs. day). It will also help you by automatically adjusting the temperature up when you are away at work or school (no sense in cooling an empty house for 8+ hours a day). If you are forgetful like me, this tool is an easy way to automate your savings. Just don’t forget to change the programming for each season!

Air Conditioner Maintenance/Filters
Proper maintenance of your air conditioning can ensure that your system will operate at its optimal efficiency level. The more efficiently it runs the less energy/money you waste. The best time to maintain your system is in the winter or spring, before the heavy usage of the summer. You might even get a better deal this time of year since the a/c repair guys aren’t as busy. Proper maintenance can also prevent many small problems from becoming big, expensive ones later. In addition, change your air filters monthly. A dirty air filter can cost you money because it blocks the air flow, causing your unit to work harder to push cool air through your home. A clean air filter will save you money on energy costs and prolong the life of your air conditioner.

Start Grilling
With your a/c working overtime to cool the house down just from the heat outside, why add even more heat in the kitchen? There are two easy suggestions. First, use a crockpot or toaster oven instead of the oven or stove. They use less energy and they don’t pump as much heat into the kitchen. Second, since it’s a little cooler in the evenings get outside and grill. In addition to energy savings, grilling is also a healthier and quicker way to eat – it’s a win-win!

Ceiling Fans
Fans are an efficient way to make a room comfortable without having to lower the temperature. The air circulation they provide evaporates moisture on your skin, causing you to feel cooler. The combination of fan use and prudent management of your a/c settings will result in overall energy savings. If you do not have ceiling fans, they can be easily installed in any room with an overhead light. You can pick them out at your local Home Depot or Lowes for less than $100 (or more if you want a fancy one).

Use Shades/Blinds
One way to cool your house is by not letting the heat in. Shades and/or blinds provide a great barrier to the outside heat, and not require any electricity usage. If you currently have shades in your home then during the day, remember to keep them closed, especially when the sun is beating down in the afternoon. If you do not have shades or blinds in your home, they can get pretty expensive, so at least try to cover the windows that get the most sun exposure. Another option is solar screens, which block out 90% of the UV rays while still allowing you to see out your windows.

Plant Shrubs/Shrubs
Another way to save on energy costs is to create shade around your home by planting trees or shrubs. It is best to plant them near windows and on the sunnier side of your home. Just be sure to plant them at least one foot away from your home’s wall and from any full grown plants. In addition to planting them around your home, you can also save money by planting them around your air conditioning units. A shaded unit can actually improve its efficiency by as much as 10% compared to a unit in direct sun. Just be sure not to plant too close to where they can block the unit’s airflow.

Seal Up Your Home
Your home could be losing electricity through air leaks in doors or windows and through bad insulation. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 30% of energy usage through proper insulation and air sealing. That could be a nice savings off your bill, especially during the hot summer months! In order to see if your home is losing electricity, you should conduct a home energy audit. This is something you can do yourself or you can hire someone to do this for you. If you choose to do the audit yourself, then you may want to check out Do It Yourself Home Energy Assessments. There is information that can help guide you through your own energy assessment.

Change Laundry Habits
First, wash clothes in cold water. It will save on the energy required to create more hot water. Another idea is to dry your clothes at night. When drying your clothes during the day, the dryer exhaust heats up the house, which in turn causes your air-conditioner to run more. By operating your dryer at night, the house won’t heat up as much and you save on your cooling bill.
Switch to a Lower Electric Rate

The easiest way to lower your electric bill is by switching to a lower electric rates. Since the Texas electricity market has become deregulated, many companies are able to offer competitive pricing for consumers. When you’re shopping for a lower electric rate, decide if you want to power your home with a fixed or month-to-month energy plan. A fixed plan will enable customers to lock down a low rate for a fixed term while a month-to-month plan gives customers the ability to take advantage of energy rates as they drop.

Written By Alicia Snowden Brunson
A local Parker County Mama Realtor
You can check out here website @ http://www.myrealtoralicia.com/ or her blog myrealtoralicia.blogspot.com

Photographing Fireworks

Photographing Fireworks

It's Fourth of July Weekend! Are you going out to see a firework display? Maybe you are feeling a little daring and are doing it on your own? Either way, you may want to try and capture those fiery works of art, to scrapbook or even hang as art in your home. Here are some tips for you!

1. Use a tripod.
Since it's dark out, and trying to press the shutter button at just the precise moment is just about impossible, you will need a tripod. A tripod will allow you to leave the shutter of your camera open for longer than an 80th of a second, the recommended slowest aperture on your camera to hand hold and still get a sharp image. Don't have a tripod handy? That's okay. I have used tables and walls before. You just need something to hold your camera steady on.



2. Long Shutter Speed
What does this mean you ask? Well, you will want the shutter to remain open for a longer period of time so you can get that sparkle of the fireworks to show up. Longer shutter lengths will capture more light over a longer period of time. If you camera has a bulb mode, try using that. This allows you to leave the shutter open as long as you have the shutter button depressed. Having a release cable comes in handy with this method, to help prevent camera shake. But don't leave it open too long. Then you will have an overexposed messy looking image that won't be pretty at all. Usually, opening at the time of "fire" and closing just after explosion is all the time you need. The grand finally is much harder to time, so practice those exposures before hand to get a good sense of how the fireworks photograph.


Here, I left the shutter open to get my daughter "writing" with a sparkler.

3. Use a shorter focal length
if you have ever photographed fireworks before, you know how hard it is to predict precisely where they are going to explode. Using a shorter focal length will allow you to capture more of the sky, and not miss the beautiful fireworks. Once you have had some experience getting the shot with fireworks in it, try experimenting with a longer focal length. This is especially fun if you have a zoom lens. :)

4. Use a lower ISO
ISO refers to film speed, or how fast the film can capture the image, but we still use it today in the digital era. It is better to use a slower ISO, one around 200 or smaller, to get clean shots, ones without any digital "noise".




5. Turn off your Flash!!
If you put your camera in manual, this won't be an issue for you, since it will only fire if you "tell" it to. If you leave your flash on, it will not illuminate anything, except what is directly in front of you and within a short distance. So, you might be illuminating the smoke of the fireworks too, or someone in front of you.

6. Use Manual mode
This is that letter M on your camera. This allows you to set your aperture (size of the shutter opening), your shutter speed, and your ISO. Also, use manual focus, or your shots may be very blurry since your camera will have trouble focusing in low light.

Most of all, be safe this Fourth of July! Have fun and send in some pictures you took to share!


Pamela Powell is a photographic portrait artist in Parker County Texas. Pamela received her BFA in art-photography from Sam Houston State University and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America.
You can view more of Pamela's fine portrait work by visiting: http://pamelapowellphotography.com

Pool Or No Pool?

When it comes to local Real Estate Parker County Mama Alicia Snowden Brunson can offer a bit of good advice when it comes to adding specialty structures to your property. Summer is here and a question on many mom's minds is should we dive in and build a pool? Before you take the plunge here are some things to think about.

1. How long are we planning on living in this home? Plans change all the time, before you invest several thousand dollars in to building that dream pool you should make sure that you will be there long enough to enjoy it. The last thing you want to do is build a pool this summer, only to move the next.

2. Where does my house fall in my neighborhood? Are you the biggest, nicest home in your neighborhood? If so you might want to reconsider investing more money into it. If you are the average sized home in a neighborhood and you plan on living there for five or more years, it's probably a great investment!

3. Don't expect to get your money back when you sell. Build a pool so you can enjoy it, but don't build one expecting to increase the price of your home.

4. The value a pool brings depends on the buyer. Pools in Texas are usually a great selling point, some buyer's specifically look for a property that already has a pool. However, some buyer's will not purchase a home simply because it has a pool, while others are willing to pay more for a home with a pool.

All in all, summer memories playing in the pool are priceless and putting in a pool is a great decision for many families. Pools provide great entertainment during these hot Texas summers. Just make sure that before you jump in you have realistic expectations of your investment.

Alicia Snowden Brunson has been a licensed Texas Realtor since 2003 and has seen the market completely change. She enjoys the challenges that real estate brings, it's definitely something different every day. Most of all she loves working with people and helping them achieve their real estate goals, "cliche I know but it's really true! Working with buyers and sellers, the thrill of negotiating that deal, and putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together, there's nothing like it! I would love to assist you, your family & friends with all your real estate needs big or small. I'd love to hear from you!"

Thank you to Alicia for her real estate insight & support for http://www.parkercountymama.com/. Make sure to take a look at her website http://www.myrealtoralicia.com/ or http://myrealtoralicia.blogspot.com or even connect with her on facbeook, Real Estate By Alicia.

Local Art Studio Aspiring Little Artist In Parker County

Nestled down in the little city of Aledo is a special place helping local children learn to draw & paint. The Stone House Studio & Gallery is a unique place for art. Owner Pamela Gordimer grew up an artist's daughter and began painting in her mother's studio at the age of six. Over the years Pamela continued to develop her skills as an artist and knew that she wanted to continue to share her talents not only with adults but with children of all ages!

This summer Pamela is offering Children's Art Classes. She currently offers group or private lessons. Lessons are once a week for an 8 week period. Supplies are included in the cost of the class. Pamela is also donating $10 from each registration to Cooks Children's Hospital Creative Arts Program. A special place where Pamela use to teach artistic healing to patients.

You can find exact class information & times on the Stone House Studio & Gallery Website. http://stonehousestudioandgallery.com/ Make sure to tell Pamela that Parker County Mama sent you!

Enjoy! Ms. Gordimer is also a proud sponsor of http://www.parkercountymama.com/
Thank you for supporting our website!
Rebecca, Parker County Mama

Tips for great vacation pictures

Before you head out on that super fun vacation this summer, why not do a little homework so you can come back with album worthy pictures to show off to your friends? Here are some tips to help you do just that!

Did I remember that?
Create a checklist of all your camera supplies, so nothing gets left behind. Pack your camera, memory cards (or film if you shoot film), battery charger, extra battery, camera bag, camera strap, camera manual (just in case!), any lenses you may want to use, etc. These are pretty obvious, but replacements can get expensive in certain places. And since you brought it along, be sure to always have it on you. You just never know where or when a perfect picture opportunity might happen!

Where are the best photo opportunities?
Before you leave, look at vacation planners and on-line sites about the area, to see what some of the best photo opportunities are, such as a famous sign or other landmarks. You will also get some inspiration as well.




Create a story
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so, many pictures should tell a story, right? Only if you have the right pictures. ;) Look for unique subject matter that might not be found anywhere else except your vacation destination. Find fun details at the places you go. Look for interesting compositions in your viewfinder. These make fun storytelling images.






Be sure to capture details such as restaurant signs that you ate at, maps of the subway you rode, menus at the local coffee shop, etc. These will also help you remember where you went, because someone will ask! It also might be wise to take a small journal with you so you can jot down funny sayings, or memorable experiences that will help enhance the pictures and help tell the whole story that the pictures might not be able to.





Get the whole picture!
Not only do you want detail shots, you will want to take some scenery images. These are the ones that will set the stage for where you went. Shoot wide, and even try a panorama (multiple shots that are stitched together). The detail shots will complement them and fill in the well, details! ;)




Did Mom go on that vacation?
Don't forget to take pictures of the people on your trip as well! Capture them in front of signs, at the table enjoying the local flavor, enjoying the rides and sites. And, try to get a group picture. There is most likely a timer on your camera, so use it. You will be very happy you did. Find a table, a park bench, anything to set your camera on safely and set the timer. Also, hand that camera off to someone else every now and then. You, the photographer, need to be in pictures too! You will be very happy years later that you did.






Do I have to smile?
No you don't! Some of the most memorable pictures are the ones where everyone is enjoying themselves, capturing life as it happens. So, let the kids be kids and it's okay if they are not looking at the camera.


Have a safe and happy summer!



Pamela Powell is a photographic portrait artist in Parker County Texas. Pamela received her BFA in art-photography from Sam Houston State University and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America.
You can view more of Pamela's fine portrait work by visiting: http://pamelapowellphotography.com (coming soon!)

Tips For Taking Pictures In The Bluebonnets

It's that time of year again! Bluebonnets are everwhere, and us crazy Texans are out with our children to take pictures of them. There are a few things to think about before plopping your children down in the midst of one of these beautiful fields.

• Most of the fields we can see along the interstates and highways. It is very dangerous to take pictures here, and not worth risking the lives of your little ones and yourself. Instead take the back roads, as this can be less dangerous. Always be on the look out for traffic.

• Another danger of bluebonnet fields are snakes. Please be sure to use caution!

• When in the field, be careful not to trample on the flowers, or pick them. Leave some for others to take pictures in, and this will allow for bluebonnets next year. Blubebonnets are an annual, so they need to drop their seeds in order to bloom again.

• When photographing your children, you want to keep your photo session simple and fast. Don't take too many pictures as it could easily wear them out, and make your next photo session even harder.

• Keep clothing simple as well. Busy patterns on clothing distract from the bluebonnets as well as your children's faces.

• Try photographing in the early morning, as children are happier and less cranky then. This also allows for fewer shadows on their faces. Also, try different angles, like getting down low or taking the picture directly overhead. If they get fussy, take a break and try again later.

• Take a friend with you and take turn engaging each other's children, so you each can get happy smiles from your children. Peek-a-boo or another of your child's favorite hand games are good way to get them having fun. Favorite songs and a favorite toy are also good tricks to have along.

• Most importantly, have fun yourself. If you are stressed out, it will make them anxious as well, and then no one will have a good time. Keep a smile on your face and be silly!

Written By:

Parker County Mama Pamela Powell, who is photographic portrait artist in Parker County Texas. Pamela received her BFA in art-photography from Sam Houston State University and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America. You can view more of Pamela's fine portrait work by visiting http://pamelapowellphotography.com/ (Coming Soon)

Fresh & Funky Handmade Gifts By A Local Parker County Mama

As a stay at home mom myself we are often tasked with so many responsibilities: cleaning, cooking, tending to the children, laundry, and the list goes on. The sad part is that no one pays Stay At Home Moms a salary for all of their hard work. We learn to budget on single incomes and somehow make it work. Local Parker County Mama Ashli Smick on the other hand decided that she still wanted to be a Stay At Home Mom and try to use her sewing talent to bring in a small extra income for her family. Ashli uses a great website called "Etsy" to diplay and sell her unique handmade baby gifts. She specializes in baby blankets, adorable onesies with monogramming, bibs, hats and a few other speciality items. Her funky handmade gifts are sold under "Honeydew Moon" on the Esty website. I've personally got the chance to get to meet and know Ashli. She is a wonderful mother of two little boys and has one the way. She is passionate about her family and her designs. The best part is she is a native of Parker County and loves our special community. So if your looking for something different and handmade by one of our own Parker County Mamas you must check out her store on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/honeydewmoon

Parker County Mama loves sharing stories about other Parker County Mamas. E-mail me @ Parkercountymama@yahoo.com if you want to share a special story about a local mama!

Frogs n' Fairies Children's Boutique A Local Parker County Favorite

As many of you know in downtown Weatherford the square offers many unique shops and restaurants. One of the newest one's to open up this past December is becoming a local Parker County Mama favorite. Family owned Frogs n' Fairies Children's Boutique specializes in unique clothing for newborns all the way to adolescents. Today my boys and I had the chance to stop in, try on some of the adorable clothes and even get the boys picture taken. Every month store owner Courtney Clark Saltzgiver opens her doors for little one's to come and try on the clothes, take part in a special photo shoot and finally mom gets a 20% discount on anything she would like to purchase. My boys had a blast. The store is SUPER kid friendly. They have a separate area for the kids to color, enjoy a snack and just hang out while moms shop. Besides the cute clothing the store also offers jewelry, diaper bags, hair bows, shoes, clothing for mom, children's swimwear and so much more. It's not only a great spot to find a new outfit for your child but a fun place to pick out a shower or birthday gift for someone special. You can get more details about Frogs n' Fairies by visiting http://frogsnfairiesboutique.com/index.htm

You can look for their store ad in Weatherford Democrat! The store is located at 207 North Main Street, Weatherford, TX.

Happy Shopping & tell them Parker County Mama sent you!

Parker County Mama

A Crafty Blog To Visit

Since I've started Parker County Mama I've come across some amazing blogs that are totally appropriate for sharing on my blog and facebook page. Today I found one called "Smilemonsters". The best part is that Smilemonsters is designed by local Parker County Mama, Jo Dunn who is a stay at home mom always looking for ways to keep herself and her kids busy through crafting. You must visit this blog. She has created some adorable and unique crafts with step by step directions so you can easily follow right along. My favorite quote from her blog is "I gravitate towards simple cheap crafts and recipes that are kid friendly most of the time. Nothing to complicated or with to many steps for me. Pretty paper, scissors, and glue are my favorite craft supplies that I use over and over again." Basicaly Smilemonsters is an awesome craft resource for any mama trying to stay busy and not go broke at the craft store. Jo you are very talented lady. Thank you for sharing your ideas on your blog. Here is the link to Smilemonsters http://smilemonsters.blogspot.com/ .In the end Parker County Mama is about finding the goods and sharing them. Motherhood is extremely overwhelming but when we are filled with ideas and inspiration is can make each day a little easier!

Happy Crafting!
Parker County Mana

JBF Fort Worth Home : Fort Worth

Are you ready for AMAZING Savings?



JBF Fort Worth Home : Fort Worth: "Join us at the LARGEST Children's and Maternity
Consignment Sale in Texas
Just Between Friends Fort Worth
February 28 - March 9, 2011*
Will Rogers Memorial Center Exhibit Hall
*See our Calendar for date/time specifics"

Join us each Spring and Fall for the best one-stop children's and maternity shopping in town! No need to go from store to store to store, JBF has it all in one place. Once you discover JBF, it will be a sale you will never miss again - just ask readers of Metroplex Baby & Kids who voted JBF Fort Worth as the best children's consignment sale in DFW!
Join us as a consignor and make 65% on your items that sell. Volunteers not only get to shop early, but they also make 70% on their sold items and our Shoppers will be amazed at the deals you can find in our 75,000 square feet.

Can you help us spread the word about JBF by having your child's school send home FREE ADMISSION PASSES for March 4th in each kids' backpack? The more people that know about JBF, the more items we will sell! Contact Pam@JBFSale.com and she will get the Passes to you

Special Valentines

As Valentines Day approaches will all busy helping our kids get their special Valentines ready. This year I decided to use Smilebox to create some of our Valentines. Smilebox offers a variety of customized cards, collages, scrapbooks, etc to help you create and share your photos. You can even download videos. Some of the designs are free but you can also purchase an annual membership to have the ability to design, print and share as much as possible. I've been using Smilebox for 2 years now. I've done birthday invitations, thank you cards and so much more with this program. So if your looking for a creative way to do your Valentines or just to share your memories you need to check out Smilebox. Up above you will see the design I used for my son Coen. We will be attaching these to small treat bags for his pre-school class.

Free picture collage customized with Smilebox

The NICHE is here for YOU!

The Weatherford ISD Community Resource Education offers a full-service "Resource Niche" open to the community - Teachers, Churches, Booster Clubs, Home School Groups, Scrap Bookers, Day Cares, Mom's Groups and Anyone is welcome. The Niche is located in the Travis Student & Family Education Center at 602 W. Water Street.

Services include: Die Cut Machines, Binding Machine, Sticker Maker, Poster Maker, Paper Crimper, Label Maker, Badge Maker, Copy Machine, Cold Laminating Machine & more.

Tons of scrap booking and craft supplies are available for purchase.

Hours are Monday-Friday 7:30-4:30 pm

Wow this sounds like an amazing "Free" resource right here in Parker County. We will be checking it out soon.

Parker County Mama

FREE Kids Club Event! - Hulen Mall , Fort Worth, Texas

FREE Kids Club Event! - Hulen Mall , Fort Worth, Texas

A Little Searching = A Lot Of Savings

Hello Parker County Mamas. I know for sure that we are all trying to save a little extra money whenever we can. Over the past year I have been trying to save as much as possible by using coupons. Its almost like a competition between me and the specific store I'm shopping at that particular day. I love looking that the end of my receipt to see the total savings. Most of I love to shop and if I can save money I love to shop even more. Here are the few of my strategies I wanted to share with you on how I find the best deals and coupons.

Always get the Sunday Paper. It is usually loaded with 2 or 3 coupon inserts.

You can also go to a brands specific website and they usually offer coupons or promotions on their site. For example here is the Campbells Chunky Soup site http://www.chunky.com/?pd=yes or the Kellogg's Cereal site http://www2.kelloggs.com/ Both of these sites are loaded with coupons.

I also subscribe to a magazine called ALL YOU. Each month they have tons of coupons and recipes in there magazine. The February issue has $79.36 worth of savings coupons. You can also just pull coupons off of their website. http://www.allyou.com/

Another smart option is to join a specific stores savings program. For example Brookshires offers a value card. You can earn rewards and extra coupons. I know Kroger, Tom Thumb, SAM's Club, CVS, Walgreeens and other stores offer these types of incentives.

Shopping the ads is a must. Compare prices. I know you might say this takes so much time. Designate 1 hour and I promise it will be worth the savings. Sunday is my coupon clipping day. I search through my paper and keep all the ads to refer back to them over the week.

Shop at Target. Yes Target offers on-line coupons plus you can also use one manufacturer coupon along with their coupon. So I first see whats on sale, search their site and then see if I have any coupons that match up. I love saving double at Target. For example this week if you purchase 3 Huggies Jumbo Packs you earn $5 back. The Sunday paper has a $1.50 off and a $2.00 off coupon. I actually got two inserts so I can use a coupon for each pack to save a total of $5.50. The total cost started at $27.00 for 3 packs. After my coupon savings I'm now down to $21.50 plus I get a $5 gift card reward so my total cost is $16.50 for 3 packs of diapers.

Finally subscribe to specific blogs who do nothing but share information about coupons and deals. My favorite is http://www.thefrugalgirls.com/ well besides Parker County Mama.

Finally you can always just type the word "Coupons" in your google search bar and you will be amazed on how much stuff is out there. I challenge you for 2 months to start clipping coupons, use them and then save your receipts. After two months look back and see how much money you saved. You will be amazed and realize that by doing a little searching you will have saved a lot of money.

Happy Savings Parker County Mamas!

Here are few other sites I check frequently: http://www.redplum.com/ , www.coupons.com

KIRKLAND'S HOME

KIRKLAND'S HOME
Here is a great coupon for Kirkland's Home Store. Save $10 off a $50 purchase. There is a Kirkland's store by the Barnes & Noble by the Hulen Mall.

Parker County Mama

Parker County Mama: "BRRR it's cold today in Parker County. Today is a good day to stay home and cook. Here is the link for the Kraft Kitchen. We use this site a lot to find kid friendly meals and other treats."
http://http://www.kraftrecipes.com/home.aspx

A New Year Of New Connections

Wow! It is already January 9th. Before you know it summer will be here. Now to back track for a minute Christmas at my house was grand. The in-laws came in like a flash and were gone before we knew it. It was so nice having them around. We don't get to see our family very often so when we do we take full advantage of the extra help. The hubs and I got the chance to sneak away for a night and even go shopping ALONE. Another Wow, yes it was amazing. No screaming kids, no strapping the boys in and out of the car. Just as easy as pie to walk in and out of a store. Now moving ahead, the holidays have come and gone. The boys are finally back in school and I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do with myself. As I spend more time developing Parker County Mama I get so excited. Right now its just a blog and a facebook page. I love connecting with other people. I love finding local resources and seeing so many opportunities not only for myself but for the my boys. My ultimate goal is to turn Parker County Mama into a real website. A site where moms feel confident about the daily posts, referrals and resources. I want Parker County Mama to be a one stop shop for local moms. For example "Is their a list of local Mom's Day Out programs?" yes of course jut go to the Parker County Mama site. So now you know what I really want to do but can I actually get it done? You will just have to keep checking back with me. My husband of course wants to know why I can't bring home 6 figures in my spare time. I just laugh and remind him that I have the hardest job in the world and as soon as the government starts paying stay at home moms we will all it hit the jackpot. He quickly adds "I know dear I could never do what you do." Finally I'm sending happy wishes out to all my new connections. I may have not met all of you yet but "Cheers" to a New Year of New Connections in Parker County.


Parker County Mama