• Love that Pottery Barn table, shelf, desk — but not the price tag? Check out Knock Off Wood. DIY plans that real people can actually create. And WOW, you can’t tell the difference.
• Photoshop Nerds: FREE shortcut cheatsheet PDF from Smashing Magazine. Print yours now. Thank me later!
• Etsy Love: Coney Island Tilt-Shift images by Depuis. DREAMY. Saw them first on A Little Sussy.
• Upcycling: Resuable connectors turns trash into toys. Perfect for kids who’d rather play with the boxes.
• This sample kids packaging has my design-loving parts all a-flutter.
• Simple Mom/Kids introduced Simple Living Media last week adding three new blogs: Simple Bites, Simple Homeschool + Simple Organic. Can’t wait to see how they develop

I recently created a new client info site via Wordpress and wanted to password protect it. Even better, I wanted to brand the login page to match my identity. Here is the link:

www.lifeographer.com/clients

This is what the login looks like:

Only clients who are logged in can have access to the info. Start by downloading and installing this plugin:

1. Members Only: wordpress.org/extend/plugins/members-only/

Now login to your Admin Panel at www.yoursitename.com/wp-admin/

Step 1: Add a user – it can be a general username + password that you will give to all prospects. Do this in the WP-ADMIN section under the “users” menu.  You can add more than one user if you’d like/need to.

Step 2: Go to the Settings>Members Only menu. This menu will appear AFTER you install the Members Only plugin. Check the box that says members Only. Then, select any other options you prefer:

Now your site is only accessible to users with a password.

But, your login is the default Wordpress login.

To create a custom login download this plugin.

BM Custom Login: www.binarymoon.co.uk/projects/bm-custom-login/

You will have to read the instructions to create your custom graphic– they have a flickr group as well if you have q’s. It’s relatively simple, though, as a PSD template comes with the download.

Once you create your custom files, install and activate the plugin.

To further restrict guest access to any portion of your admin panel, you can install the Backend User Restrictor Plugin: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/backend-user-restrictor/

You’re all set…and private

xoxo,

S.

What’s on the list this week?

Artisan Bread in Five: I'm starting this today and can't wait to see the results. Oooey, gooey crusty baked goodness, here I come.

Hunter Boots: Oh how I covet you. Why, oh why are you sold out all over the U.S. until April? I could have used you in that anomaly of a snowstorm last week.

Shaun King: Doing amazing things in Haiti through a network of friends + twitter. Lots of opportunities to step up and serve.

The Yellow Bird Project: Cute tees for charity -- picking mine out now.

Google Calendar Tips: Shortcuts and functionality you never knew existed. My favorite calendar just got handier.

Valentine Heart Hand Stamps: A cute heart-day project for the wee ones. Simple and not too much fuss.

Nine Ways to Teach Your Kids to Live Simply: Great ideas and reminders. I bookmarked this one.

Jump David Jump: Writer David Wenzel (husband of photographer Amy Wenzel) chronicles his journey of faith. You need to take a few moments to view his story.

When it comes to displaying photographs and creating wall galleries, I love Room & Board’s simple and clean design ideas. Check out some of their display recommendations past and present. Their advice for picture-perfect displays: “Mounted picture ledges let you lean photo frames and books casually against the wall, while rails provide extra room for adding accent pieces into your display. You don’t need extensive wall space in order to showcase your collections. Blend frames of varying sizes and shapes on a single shelf to lend depth and perspective to an art or photo collection. Let the frames overlap for an organic, mix-and-match look.”

You can also unify your display by using frames of the same color.

Do you have favorite gallery inspirations? Or, care to share your own displays? Leave a link in the comments!

One notable addition is the Studio Mini Session. Ideal for maternity, baby plans or  capturing milestones in between annual family shoots, a mini is an economical alternative to a full-length session. Mini sessions are held in-studio and last up to 30 minutes. Five images are fully retouched and included with your purchase.

Purchase Lifeography’s Mini Collection (a series of four mini sessions) and receive a complimentary 6×6 Art Book where all 20 session images are exquisitely displayed in a handmade flush mount archival album with thick sturdy pages and a custom image cover.

The nitty gritty:

Mini Session + Five Digital Files: $300
• A 20- to 30-minute studio session for up to two individuals (3 months or older).
• Gallery of five fully retouched + edited, high-resolution digital images (choice of color or black & white), printable to 11×14. Presented online and available for download from a private, password-protected online gallery.
• Option to purchase fine art prints and canvases a la carte.

Mini session images differ from our on-location offerings, but are an ideal way to showcase relationships, a child’s milestones, or a baby belly simply (and during cool weather!). So, what can you expect? Below is a sampling of studio images from the past few months.

Occasionally, I encounter a couple so comfortable in front of the camera, the session simply flows. LaShawne is one of the most stunning pregnant mamas I’ve had the honor of photographing–she glows from within. And, together with her husband David, there is a connection so deep I couldn’t help but notice it in every shot I captured. Happy couple is an understatement — their home is buzzing with anticipation of the new life to come and the changes in store for their family. I am giddy with anticipation for their newborn shoot. This baby is going to beautiful and surrounded by faith and love. See you three soon.

XOXO
Stephanie

XOXOXO
Stephanie

First, you must know that I’m a lover of words and stories at heart. These days, I prefer to use a camera to share them.

My hope:

Is that my sessions are filled with lucky shots that are no accident;
That I am not merely an observer, but a narrator;
and a craftsman that is masterful at fostering conditions that allow for real moments to unfold.

Anyone with an eye for composition and light can document life as it happens. I firmly believe it takes something more to dig beneath the surface–to evolve into a photographer who is not just a picture taker, but a picture maker.

There is a moment of extraordinary that can be extracted from every 10 minutes of ordinary. Capturing it is not about point of view, equipment or framing. Instead, it stems from connection: connection to who the photographer is as an artist, and most importantly, connection to the people being photographed.

What does love look like? Exhilaration? Exasperation? How did she gently twist your hair around her fingers when she was three? And, what did it feel like the day you first held his tiny hands in yours?

I aspire for my photographs help to tell the stories. Theirs. Mine. Yours too…