Tips on How to Create Perfect Photography Flat Lay for Business

 

Product photography is very crucial for business marketing on digital platforms as well as selling products online. As an entrepreneur who is seeking to leverage digital marketing, it is good to understand the different types of product photography. Today, we are going to discuss product photography flat lay.

So, what does it entail? Photography flat lay is just what the name suggests; it involves laying products on a flat surface and photographing them from above. Of course, this is a delicate project carried out by professional photographers to capture all the essential details and prevent faults like shadows and blurriness.

As an entrepreneur, it is smart to know tips on how to do photography flat lay for your products. This article will tell you more.

Holiday Gifts Round-Up

The KiiPix™ is a portable instant picture printer that produces retro-stylized photos from any smartphone. KiiPix™ is easy to use, making it a "snap" to capture, print and share! Simply place any smartphone on the KiiPix™ instant picture printer , push the button and turn the crank, and print photos from your camera roll or Instagram. The picture rolls out and you have a forever memory to keep or share. Unlike a traditional instant camera that often wastes film for blurry pictures, you can enhance the contrast or play with filter options before your photo prints. From fixing that annoying red eye to adding bunny ears or other fun filters, KiiPix lets you augment your own reality and then print it out to share with the real world.

No matter the time of year my boys like to go outside and have a fire. So for them a fire pit is the perfect gift to receive. Traditional fire pits are bulky, heavy and worst of all, leave a rusty mess behind. Fireside Outdoor set out to invent a new, easier way to enjoy a fire. Their innovation and new technology solves all of the problems associated with old fire pits. Lightweight, clean burning and easy to set up the Pop-Up Pit is the best way to host a fire, anywhere, anytime and on any surface. The Pop-Up Pit sets up in just 60 seconds and cools down in 90 seconds so you can pack it away after your fire. It's great for anyone that likes to camp, tailgate, or just go outside and have a fire. My son had this one out of the box and up for a fire the same day it arrived. And since then has had a fire at least three nights a week because it's so easy to use.

Right now you can save 20% at checkout by using my special code "Tilton20".

This unique notebook and pen set that harkens back to a time of tactile creativity. BLU is the first ever journaling notebook made with pages that have the look and feel of traditional blueprint paper! Every BLU Notebook comes with a white gel pen that looks great when used on its blue gridline pages. Perfect for those that like to doodle, or need to draw-out their thoughts and plans.

Glider Gloves are the ultimate texting glove for any Smart Phone or touchscreen device. They are made from special conductive fibers that keep your hands warm while having access to text, by touching any part of the glove to the phone surface.  Unlike other touchscreen gloves, Glider Gloves are warm and don’t limit functionality to the tips of your fingers. The entire glove is touchscreen compatible, so you not only can use your fingertips to text, you can easily pinch the screen to zoom and even use your knuckle to swipe. I've been using these for a few weeks myself and I LOVE them! So much easier to use than any other pair of touchscreen gloves I've ever owned. AND they keep my hands warm too!

Did you know succulents are the trending plants for houseplants? They easily brighten up room yet require little care and sparing watering. They also make for great DIY projects such as succulents arrangements since they come in various shapes and sizes and can fit in small spaces. Succulents Box offers 150 varieties of succulents and monthly subscriptions boxes so there's a wide selection to choose from. It's nice because for the beginner you can get a subscription box that has everything all picked out for you, or for the succulents enthusiast you can pick out individual plants to complement their collection. Either way you go you won't be disappointed!

Now with dual drive, the new Create+ 3D printing pen is completely re-engineered to give you an ultra smooth and enhanced Doodling experience. Improvements include greater durability, reduced chances of nozzle clogging, and better speed control for doodling over big spaces or intricate details. The Create+ 3D printing pen is a versatile tool for ages 14+. Especially those that like to create art, design wearables, build models, decorate their space, fix things, or just play - the possibilities are limitless! Beginner-friendly so there is no need for special skills, a perfect gift for anyone who loves to create.

I'm not going to pretend like I know a thing about Soft Beads or even fishing tackle for that matter. I'm just going to say when my husband saw these packages on the kitchen table his face lit up and he got really excited. And if he gets excited then I know it's something good. The other thing I won't pretend is that I remember all of the conversation that happened once he picked up these packages and started inspecting them. It was kind of like Charlie Brown listening to his teacher. (And yes my husband was the teacher in this scenario.) Wha Wha Wha Wha. These are really awesome. Wha Wha Wha Wha. Great for fishing for...... I think I got the point. They are fisherman approved in my house and that's all that matters.

BnR Tackle's signature soft beads are excellent for steelhead, trout, and even salmon. These work especially well in the winter spawning months as the beads mimic fish eggs floating down the river, and the fish can't resist them! BnR Tackle's soft beads are available online through their website, and packs of 10 start at $5.29 + shipping. The beads are available in a wide range of colors and sizes from 8mm up to 20mm.

Wanna make that man in your life smile? Gift him these goodies from GearWrench. My teenage son saw them sitting on my desk and the first thing out of his mouth was "you can give me that set for Christmas". And that was followed by him explaining to me how he could use each of the items in his everyday life at work. I have to be honest it was a pretty good pitch on his part. And maybe, just maybe Santa might surprise him Christmas morning.

The GearWrench Bluetooth® Speaker and Radio features not just your typical Bluetooth capabilities but also the ability to listen to FM radio via the built in antenna. Great for those times your cell phone battery is getting low (which happens to my son almost daily at work)! Meets IP65 Specs for Dust and Water Resistance so it's great for indoors and out. And it has a six hour run time and 10 watt dual speakers with speakerphone feature. It's really an awesome all-in-one speaker.

Speaking of convenience and portability the GearWrench 500 Lumen Rechargeable Flashlight is just that. The smaller size makes it easy to slip in your pocket for use at a moments notice on the job. It features a dual 250 and 500 lumen rating so it gives off plenty of light. The rear activation switch makes it easy to turn on/off at the touch of a button. It has a sealed water resistant IP54 rating for dust and water spray. And lasts up to five hours on a single charge via the included lithium ion battery.

I'm pretty sure he was most excited about the GearWrench 12-1/2" Professional 500 Lumen Ultra-Thin Flex-Head Work Light of all three products though. He was telling me all about how he could use it when he was working under sinks and places that he needed both hands to work on things and couldn't spare one for a flashlight. It features an ultra-thin flex head that directs light in hard to reach places. As well as a magnet and hang hook for easy positioning. Dual light settings on the light bar - 500 Lumens on high 250 Lumens on low, and a single 30 lumen light on the top. It even has a low battery warning when there is five minutes of power left reminding you it's time to recharge.

The newly redesigned myCharge HubPlus 6700mAh portable charger is truly the only powerbank you'll ever need. With integrated Apple® Lightning™ and micro-USB cables, as well as the newly added USB port, staying charged on the go has never been easier.  Boasting a 30% reduction in size, the HubPlus is more compact and portable than ever before. Just drop it in your purse or jacket pocket on the way out the door and you're set to charge all of your devices on the go. With the myCharge HubPlus carrying cables is a thing of the past!

For people who want more out of every moment, BoomBoom has created all-natural, plant-based solutions to help you stay focused, feel refreshed, and be a better you. As someone that has been using essential oils for years I can attest to their usefulness. I'm a firm believer that they do help and often times choose my oils over OTC medications. I just love the idea of using something that's natural and from the earth vs. something synthetic for healing my body.

The Relax + Unwind blend of organic essential oils will soothe your mind/body and provide deep relaxation. While the Breathe + Focus blend of organic essential oils will enhance your breathing and increase your mental focus.

By now you know me and my love for the fun scents Softsoap comes out with through out the year. And just like always they are perfect yet again for the holidays. It's a festive time with peppermint and cherries all around!

Softsoap® Limited Edition Peppermint Fizz Moisturizing Body Wash
Embrace the holiday season and its festive fragrances with the new limited edition Peppermint Fizz moisturizing body wash. Experience an invigorating peppermint fragrance that creates a truly indulgent experience for the senses. This moisturizing body wash leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth, while retaining skin’s natural moisture.

Softsoap® Limited Edition Cherry Spritz Moisturizing Body Wash
Revel in the excitement of the holiday season with the new limited edition Cherry Spritz moisturizing body wash. Awaken your senses with the uplifting scent of cherry blossom, while the moisturizing formula keeps skin soft and smooth. This moisturizing body wash helps retain skin’s natural moisture.

Insect Shield Repellent Apparel protects against mosquitoes and ticks that have the potential to carry diseases such as Malaria, West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever, Lyme Disease and the Zika Virus. Their lifestyle collection offers a range of every day basics including shirts, pants, hats and accessories for men, women and kids. With built-in EPA-registered Insect Shield protection that lasts through 70 washings you don't have to spend your time worrying about bugs while outdoors with your family. Insect Shield uses a patent-pending process by which a formulation of the insect repellent permethrin is embedded in the clothing. Insect Shield has something for everybody on your Holiday list, even the family pet!

We've had this handy little speaker hanging in our shower for a couple weeks now and I have to say am very impressed. For the size it really belts out those tunes. I'm talking clear music that you can easily hear over the shower. My tween daughter loves to sing in the shower so this handy little fella definitely comes in handy in our house.  The SoundBot Shower Speaker has advanced digital sound, noise/wind reduction technology, and a unique loudspeaker cavity structure to deliver premium acoustic sound and enriched music listening experiences. It even has easy to access hands-free talking, volume up/down, fast forward/backward, pause/play, and power buttons right on the front so you can use them even while in the shower. It's water resistant so you don't even have to worry if you accidentally splash water on it. It's definitely a lot better than trying to hear music from your phone sitting on the bathroom sink while in the shower.

Now, there’s a better way to rub out all those kitchen prepping odors from your hands.​ ​Kirk’s, one of the largest natural soap brands in America, has just introduced a new Odor Neutralizing Hand Wash. Their odor neutralizing hand wash uses a unique, natural vegetable fermentation technology (similar to some natural deodorants) to completely eliminate kitchen prep smells, like fish and garlic. It’s also tough on every day pungent odors, dirt and grime. Premium Coconut Oil creates a creamy lather and soothing Aloe Vera ensures that your hands are left feeling soft, healthy and free of bad odors! Now no one will know what your hands went through before they arrived for those holiday gatherings.

Of course everything doesn't have to be about gifts you give to others. Even though Entry Ice Melt could be considered the "gift of safety". It's a great way to make sure you keep your friends and family safe when they are visiting for the holidays.

People, pets and the planet love Entry — the first 100% CHLORIDE-FREE de-icer that melts snow and ice in as little as 30 seconds, while you watch. Entry’s residue-free, liquid formula is safer for paws, plants, floors and metal. It’s also better for your drinking water and the planet. Above all, it clears ice and snow from sidewalks, driveways and other outdoor surfaces quickly, before your eyes – before slips and falls can happen.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product to share my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brand.

Don't forget your furry friends this holiday season!

If you have furry friends I'm sure you have lots of cute photos of them on your phone just like I do. And will probably be taking even more throughout the holiday season. And just like the ones we take of our "real" kids we don't want to lose those precious photos. Thanks to Pet Photo Saver you don't have to worry about that happening. The Pet Photo Saver is an awesome 2-in-1 tool that not only organizes your pet photos, but also backs them up on the drive for safe keeping.

Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 for dads & grads

Have you ever had one of those moments you wished there was a way to save a copy of an important document? Or maybe scan something like a photo or your child's artwork to send to a relative? Well wish no more that's exactly what you can do with the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100. It's battery operated so it's super portable, plus it's very compact at just under 11" wide. Plus it's wireless so you don't even have to worry about plugging it into a computer for it to work. Just connect via a Wi-Fi connection to your computer or your cell phone and you're ready to scan and save your document.

Scan to:
• PDF
• Searchable PDF*
• JPEG
• Word (editable)*
• Excel (editable)*
• Business Cards*
• Mobile

Now that's a whole lot of options! Just imagine the possibilities. You could scan artwork drawn by your kids and save it forever in digital format! I'm thinking it would make an excellent graduation gift, or even for dad on Father's Day. Just think of all those things they could be saving digitally and saving room in their desk drawers!

About:
The ScanSnap iX100 is the world's fastest battery powered ScanSnap. Whether scanning receipts, contracts, recipes, or plastic cards, the iX100 takes scanning beyond the desktop and into your mobile world. Completely wireless and weighing only 14.1 ounces, the iX100 brings mobility and wireless scanning to your PC or Mac as well as iOS or Android device. With it, you can scan bills, business cards, mail, kids' artwork, old pictures,  - you name it - to the cloud to become the most organized, paperless version of yourself. Comes with automatic sorting associates scans by type of document and saves specific categories to different cloud services (Evernote, Google Drive, Google Photos, Box, etc.)

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I may have received monetary compensation and/or product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

MyPhoto.com for Father's Day

I recently had the opportunity to try out a fun new to me online tool for creating gifts from photos. It’s called MyPhoto and let me tell you it’s super easy! You have the choice of either uploading a photo to the website or you can email the photo to 123@myphoto.com then watch your inbox for a link. Either way you will get the same results – every product on the website personalized with YOUR photo. I love it! Finally no more trying to visualize how your gift will look ahead of time. You get to actually see how it will look right on your screen. MyPhoto offers a wide selection of customized photo gifts with price ranges from $10-$200 so they have something that will fit every budget. I was able to get both of these custom photo gifts for $50. I do want to point out that the glare on them is from taking a photo for this post. They are actually both beautiful and flawless photos. Each photo was HD printed onto high-quality aluminum and arrived ready to display with a wooden stand. They really are quite elegant pieces. I picked these two photos from a recent weekend trip we took with our daughter because I thought they would make nice Father’s Day gifts for my husband to put on his desk at work. Production and shipping is super fast too, your order will be delivered within 5 business days from the time you place it. Now that’s what I call super fast delivery, and without any expedited fees either! So these make perfect last minute gifts for any occasion really.

About MyPhoto:
MyPhoto was founded with a single mission: To create the easiest and fastest way possible for photos on your phone to become amazing products and gifts. It’s this singular vision that has driven every decision the team makes, because at our core is an unwavering passion to make memories come to life. Our on-demand technology allows someone to create a custom photo product in less than 60 seconds, and get it delivered to their doorstep in 5 days or less. We call it “Crazy Easy. Crazy Fast.”, because we know how important these favorite photos are to you, and getting them to you fast is just as important to us. Every product we create is crafted with care. We take customer satisfaction so seriously, that we kick it up a notch and provide a 100% Smile Guarantee. If our customers don’t smile when they open their package, I’ll make it right.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I may have received monetary compensation and/or product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Vivitar Air Defender X Camera Drone

My son has been begging for a drone ever since they first came out. You know back when they were hundreds of dollars and only the military and rich people could afford them. Thankfully like other electronics after a bit of time they too have evolved into more average consumer friendly versions and prices. So this year for Christmas I can finally surprise him with the drone he's always wanted.

Photos in an Instant

Never in a million years did I ever expect that instant photos would become popular again. I can remember using an instant camera when I was growing up and thinking it was so cool. You know the kind I'm talking about where you snap a photo and the picture comes out the front of the camera and then magically the photo appears. Of course things evolved and we moved on to digital cameras...and eventually cell phones for our picture taking needs. For some of use the reintroduction of instant photos is like reliving our youth, while for some it's a whole new world they are exploring for the first time.

FUJIFILM recognized this up and coming trend and jumped right in from both angles with their instax SQUARE SQ10 Camera and the instax SHARE™ SP-2 Printer. I have to say I really like them both. But as an avid cell phone user I decided to opt for checking out the printer over the camera this go round.

I'm actually really glad I did because the photos you get from the printer are super cute! I love that you can snap a photo with your phone and then in a matter of seconds have it come right out the end of a mini printer. WOW instant photos right in your hand! The printer is so small and compact I can even carry it in my purse and barely notice it's there. Why would I do that you ask? So I could take it to my daughters school party and print photos of her and her friends that's why! I am totally loving that instant photography is not just a thing of the past, but also of the present..and the future I'm sure!

About:

The instax SQUARE SQ10 Camera uses a new instax SQUARE Film format that delivers exceptional image quality with numerous artistic expressions. This new system takes the image quality of instax to the next level and allows everyone to add a creative, artistic edge to their photography with an intuitive interface designed especially for the SQ10.

The instax SHARE™ SP-2 Printer allows users to print out smartphone pictures faster than ever in high quality credit-card sized prints. Available in two body colors, silver and gold, the SP-2 has a printing time of 10 seconds from print data transfer to print output

Connect with FUJIFILM: Facebook | Twitter

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received monetary compensation or product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

VIVITAR for the whole family!

When it comes to holiday shopping I'm one of those one-stop-shop people. I want to pick something up for my whole family all at the same time to well...save me time. I also like being able to go on a website and do a little research ahead of time to save myself from having to do it in a store. The VIVITAR website is really nice for this because it has everything they carry neatly laid out on their website by category. Actually before I visited their website to check out their action cameras I had no idea they covered so many categories of products. Now that I know I'm pretty excited. All in one visit I was able to find something both of my kids are going to love getting for Christmas this year. I'm still debating between a couple products for my husband, for a man who has everything it's a little harder to find a special gift that's unique.

Polaroid makes homemade Valentines a breeze!

I had no idea Polaroid had so many awesome products beyond their ever expanding electronics line. I can actually remember my first Polaroid camera and how much anticipation (or was it frustration) I felt as I sat and waited for the photo to magically appear on the photo paper. Boy have things come a long way since those day! I still have some of those old photos though and without my Polaroid camera they never would have been possible so I'm pretty thankful I waited for them to take life. Fast forward to the year 2017 and see what Polaroid has to offer now. They have some really cool scrapbooking products that are sure to make your heart melt like they did mine. My daughter has been dabbling in scrapbooking with me for awhile now and these were just the things she needed to keep her busy and make some awesome scrapbook pages. Plus they all arrived just in time for us to sit down and make our annual homemade Valentines for her school classroom exchange. She's always been super picky when it comes to her Valentines so we've just been making them at home instead of picking them up in store. With this set she can cut out little hearts from super cute border stickers and attach them to her cards. Use her glitter gel pens to address the cards. And for some added flair she can even cut the edges of the cards with fun decorative edge scissors. I can already see all of the bits of paper on the floor now! But hey, this mom is totally okay with that as long as it's while we are having fun...and of course someone cleans it up when they are done. :-)

Products Featured:
• Vibrant gel pen sets to share love notes in neon, glitter and metallic tones
• Mini photo punchers to jazz up cards with hearts, smiley faces and other playful shapes!
• Decorative edge scissors to take card edges from ordinary to extraordinary
• Colorful border stickers that frame Polaroid prints with fun patterns to bring precious memories of loved ones to life!

Connect with Polaroid: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

It's time to start printing those holiday photos!

Raise your hand if you have tons of photos on your camera phone from the holidays just waiting to be printed. Come on admit it, there's at least a few on there. It's time to free up that valuable phone space by printing them off. With the Epson Expression Premium XP-640 I'm able to wirelessly print photos from my phone with ease. Maybe those photos are trapped on your camera and not your phone. The Epson Expression still has you covered. You can pop your memory card right into the front of the printer and use the touch panel to print without the need of a computer. I have to tell you I'm loving all of the features. The photos come out super fast, and they look just as good as if I had ordered them online. No more waiting weeks for one of the online printing services to finally ship out your order and the post office to find their way to your mailbox. Safe yourself the hassle and print your photos at home!

Epson Expression Premium XP-640
• Superior photo quality — vivid, bright photos and sharp text, with 5-color inks
• Fast — lab-quality 4" x 6" photos in as fast as 20 seconds
• Create — borderless photos up to 8" x 10"; dedicated photo and DVD trays
• Convenient — save time and paper with auto 2-sided printing
• Ultimate wireless — easy iPad, iPhone, Android tablet and smartphone printing; includes Wi-Fi Direct® for network-free printing
• PC-free printing — 2.7" LCD and touch panel, built-in USB and memory card slots
• Creative Print App — easily print Facebook and Instagram photos and create custom cards, collages and more
• Individual ink cartridges — replace only the cartridge that runs out
• Small-in-One — ultra powerful performance, ultra slim design
• Share — scan to Facebook and the cloud for easy photo sharing

Connect with Epson:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Phone memory full of holiday photos? iXpand can help!

With cell phones having really nice cameras built into them now days many times I don't even carry a digital camera with me anymore. I'm always snapping photos here and there and sometimes that means getting that dreaded "memory almost full" message on my phone. I even got a phone with more memory on my last upgrade because I kept getting the almost full message so much. And sadly this past Christmas it happened again! Memory Almost Full!!! Thankfully though I have a way to help combat that dreaded message and allow me to keep on snapping those photos. It's called the iXpand Flash Drive and it allows us iOS users to back-up our photos to a handy little portable flash drive. The iXpand Flash Drive from SanDisk offers a sleek design, helps make life easier, more productive, and keeps photos and videos more organized.

When I first used my iXpand Flash Drive I was like a little kid at Christmas - literally. I love that it's so compact that I can drop it in my purse and not even realize it's there. Yet when I need it well, it's there! Upon first plug-in it will automatically do just what it needs to get you started on your device. It's super user friendly and there's not much you have to do to back-up your photos. If you like you can even leave it plugged in and have your photos go right to the flash drive. Life simplified, now that's what I'm talking about!

Features:
• Designed to help iOS users quickly and easily free up space with up to 128GB of additional capacity, and features an easy to use app so users that live life on-the-go are set-up for success.

• Automatically back up photos, videos, contacts and even favorite social media photos directly to the drive through the iXpand Drive app’s social media backup feature.

• Featuring a USB 3.0 connector for faster transfer speeds to Mac or PCs, the next-generation iXpand Flash Drive is the perfect gadget to help organize anyone’s professional and/or personal life.

• Enjoy all your music in one central location. The Music section will combine music that resides on the drive and within your iTunes Library.

Connect with SanDisk:
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Capture memories from a different angle with Limelens #TheLimeLife

Witches, werewolves, and ghosts will soon be roaming the streets with Halloween. These eclectic figures are looking for the best ways to capture the intricate details of their creative ensembles, without lugging around professional gear. Have you thought about a piece on capturing your Halloween moments?

As a scrapbooker I'm always looking for new and fun ways to capture memories at holidays. I'm really looking forward to trying out my new Limelens set when I take pictures of my daughter tomorrow night while we are out Trick-or-Treating. I mean how cool would it be to capture her all dressed up in fisheye style! I love that by using the included attachment that sticks to my phone I can easily slip on a Limelens for some photos, then slip it off again when I'm done.

Limelens offers superior quality smartphone lenses with a greater choice of photo angles, framing and composition. The Thinker, a dual macro/wide lens, and The Captain, a 190 fisheye lens, are the must have tools for any novice to expert photographer snapping away on their smartphone.

Features:
• Versatile attachment compatible with 40+ devices whilst ensuring the lens is stable and is easily attached and removed.
• Ability to take photographs with wider angles, in order to capture all elements of their photograph.
• Capture incredible details of their subject, of which a smartphone camera alone could never accomplish.
• Provides smartphone photographers with a sense of community, encouragement and inspiration for their projects, no matter their distance, experience level or ability.

The Limelens introductory Set includes both lenses as well the Limeclip attachment that fits over 40 devices, including leading smartphones and tablet brands. Available at www.limelens.com for $49.

Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Save big with the Expression ET-2550 EcoTank All-in-One Printer

As the mom of two kids in school it seems like we are always printing something. Whether it's a multi-page book report, or color photos for a special project we are constantly printing. If you've ever purchased printer ink you know that the cost can add up fast. I've always felt like we run out at the most inopportune times too. You know when you need to print an important report and don't have a back up cartridge on hand. Living in the country there's no where to pick up ink quick when you need it either. Plus if you don't catch it on sale it can really be pricey.

Thankfully Epson knows what it's like to be a parent with a house with printing needs. So much so they came out with the Expression ET-2550 EcoTank All-in-One Printer. It's not your typical printer either. Instead of having costly cartridges to replace when you run out of ink it comes with refillable ink tanks. And to top it off the printer comes with enough ink for up to two years of printing! That's the equivalent to about 20 ink cartridge sets. Wow...I mean WOW! This mom is definitely excited to see just how long the ink lasts. The print quality is superior and super easy to do from a wireless computer, tablet, or even your cell phone!

About:
The Expression ET-2550 EcoTank wireless all-in-one is just one printer in Epson’s game-changing EcoTank lineup and addresses a big customer pain point – out of ink frustration. Students and parents will be a little less stressed when utilizing the ET-2550 for cartridge-free printing with super-high capacity, refillable ink tanks. The printer comes with enough ink in the box to print for up to two years. This huge amount of ink is enough to print up to 4,000 black/6,500 color pages, or the equivalent to about 20 ink cartridge sets so students don’t have to worry about running out of ink at inopportune times. In addition, the ET-2550 delivers convenience and value with ultra low-cost replacement ink bottles and innovative refillable ink tanks. It features built-in wireless connectivity for easy printing from a wide range of smart devices – perfect for students with connected lifestyles. And when it finally comes time to replace the ink, bottle refills are available for just $12.99 each. The ET-2550 features built-in wireless and easy printing from tablets and smartphones, plus a 1.44" color LCD, and PC-free photo printing with a built-in memory card slot.

Connect with Epson:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Free up your phone space with the SanDisk iXpand™ Flash Drive

Summer vacation is in full swing and families everywhere are on the go. Whether it's a quick trip to the park, or an extended family vacation we are on the move. And that means we are taking lots of photos to share with family and friends along the way. With cell phones having really nice cameras built into them now days many times I don't even carry a digital camera with me anymore either. I know I'm always snapping photos here and there and sometimes that means getting that dreaded "memory almost full" message on my phone. I even got a phone with more memory on my last upgrade because I kept getting the almost full message so much. Thankfully though there's a new way to help combat that dreaded message and allow us to keep on snapping those photos. It's called the iXpand Flash Drive and it allows us iOS users to back-up our photos to a handy little portable flash drive. The iXpand Flash Drive from SanDisk offers a sleek design, helps make life easier, more productive, and photos and videos more organized for iOS users.

When I first got my iXpand Flash Drive I was like a little kid at Christmas. I love that it's so compact that I can drop it in my purse and not even realize it's there. Yet when I need it well, it is there! Upon first plug-in it will automatically do just what it needs to get you started on your device. It's super user friendly and there's not much you have to do to back-up your photos. If you like you can even leave it plugged in and have your photos go right to the flash drive. Life simplified, now that's what I'm talking about!

Features:
• Designed to help iOS users quickly and easily free up space with up to 128GB of additional capacity, and features an easy to use app so users that live life on-the-go are set-up for success.

• Automatically back up their photos, videos, contacts and even favorite social media photos directly to the drive through the iXpand Drive app’s social media backup feature.

• Featuring a USB 3.0 connector for faster transfer speeds to Mac or PCs, the next-generation iXpand Flash Drive is the perfect gadget to help organize anyone’s professional and/or personal life.

• Enjoy all your music in one central location. The Music section will combine music that resides on the drive and within your iTunes Library.

Connect with SanDisk:
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Exclusive offers from Shutterfly!

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

Check out these awesome exclusive offers from Shutterfly:

EXTENDED! Get 101 Free Prints
When: 1/3-1/6
Promo Code: NEWYEAR101
Terms: Offer expires January 6, 2016 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for 101 free 4x6 prints through shutterfly.com, our mobile-friendly site or Shutterfly apps. Offer cannot be redeemed more than once per account and/or billing address. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply. Not valid on other sizes, other products, prepaid plans, prior purchases and orders placed for in-store pick up. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale. We reserve the right to modify or replace any part of these terms and conditions without notice.

Get Up to 50% Off Your Order
When: 1/1-1/6
Promo Code: NEWYEARSALE
Terms: Offer expires January 6, 2016 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for 30% off qualifying regular priced merchandise orders of $1-$48.99; 40% off $49-$98.99 and 50% off $99 or more (after select discounts and before taxes, shipping and handling) through shutterfly.com, our mobile-friendly site or Shutterfly apps. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply. Not valid on Make My Book services and fees, personalized postage stamps, prepaid plans, gift certificates, Videograms, cards sent using mailing services, prior purchases and orders placed for in-store pick up. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale. We reserve the right to modify or replace any part of these terms and conditions without notice.

40% Off Sitewide Plus 50% Off Hard Cover Photo Books
When: 1/7-1/13
Promo Code: WINTER4050
Terms: Offer expires January 13, 2016 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for 50% off first 20-pg hard photo cover photo books and 40% off all other photo book cover types, additional photo book pages and everything else through shutterfly.com, our mobile-friendly site or Shutterfly apps (only select products are available on the apps). Taxes, shipping and handling will apply. Not valid on Make My Book services and fees, personalized postage stamps, prepaid plans, gift certificates, Videograms, cards sent using mailing services, prior purchases and orders placed for in-store pick up. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale. We reserve the right to modify or replace any part of these terms and conditions without notice.

Your Choice! Get One Free Magnet, Placemat, Set of Address Labels or Two 8x10 Prints
When: 1/9-1/10
Promo Code: ONEFREEBIE
Terms: Offer expires January 10, 2016 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for one free magnet, one placemat, one set of address labels or two 8x10 prints (glossy/matte) through shutterfly.com or our mobile-friendly site. Must select one of the four products listed. Offer cannot be redeemed more than once per account and/or billing address. This particular offer code can only be redeemed once. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply. Not valid on glass and stationery magnets, pet placemats, other print sizes and finish, other products, prepaid plans, prior purchases, orders placed for in-store pick up and purchases made on the Shutterfly apps. Valid for the intended recipient only. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale. We reserve the right to modify or replace any part of these terms and conditions without notice.

ALL customers… Use promo code CARD4U to get a free card and try out any style you want.

There's still time to win them over with a GoPro for Christmas!

For the size the HERO+ packs a whole lot of awesome features. We had actually been debating for quite some time about investing in a GoPro camera and just hadn't narrowed down yet which one we wanted to get. Thankfully I was blessed with the opportunity to review the HERO+ so now we have one to test out to the fullest. I've actually already ordered us a full kit of accessories to use with it. My husband and kids are hunters so they are pretty excited about wearing it to hopefully catch a deer in action. I'm most excited about using it to record my daughter's first jazz performance. With features like built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® we can access all of the camera features from our phones without ever touching the camera. Heck we can even share photos and videos moments after they take place. It's even waterproof up to 131' so it's great for the boys to take fishing too. And because it's nice and small it doesn't take up much space for on the go use anytime and anywhere.

About GoPro:
The HERO+ debuted on Oct. 4 and is the perfect entry-level waterproof camera without lacking quality, capturing amazing photos and video. At $199.99, the HERO+ is Wi-Fi-enabled to allow post-as-you-go footage with the free GoPro App.

The price has dropped on the HERO4 Session price to $299.99 — a sweeter price point for both new GoPro users and core users stoked to add a new camera to their lineup. This is the smallest, lightest camera GoPro offers. It’s waterproof without a housing and has a simple one-button control.

The HERO4 Silver and Black editions round up the top tier of the collection, coming it at $399.99 and $499.99, respectively. There is no denying that both these cameras produce stunning footage and go above-and-beyond with performance settings.

GoPro App + GoPro Studio.
Expand your GoPro experience with the free GoPro App and GoPro Studio software. The GoPro App allows you to control your camera remotely using your phone or tablet, view and share your content and watch “best of” videos on the GoPro Channel. Use GoPro Studio to create your own engaging GoPro-style videos to share with the world.

Connect with GoPro:
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Create, Print, and Share Photo Collages with the #PicCollage app and #HP

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with PicCollage, HP and MomSelect. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm one of those people that tends to take well.. a lot of photos when it comes to my kids and even more so when it comes to holidays. I like to capture all those special moments for scrapbooking, and to share with family both on and off line. Sometimes I however go a little overboard with the photo taking and it makes it a little harder to share them without uploading forever, or printing a ton of photos. Thankfully I now have the PicCollage app on my phone that I can create a collage of those photos to share with my friends and family.

The PicCollage app is very user friendly and easy to use which is a big benefit in my book because it doesn't take too long to create a collage and you're all set to share it. Plus you can do it all right from the app. You can share on social media, save to your phone, and print to your at home air-printer. When creating your collage you can spend as little, or as much time as you want on it. To get started you can choose grids, templates, or freestyle for your background. Then from there you start customizing by adding photos, fonts, stickers and backgrounds. The above photo shows two collages that I created using a grid and a template to start. I did both of them in a matter of minutes and I shared one on Instagram and the other I printed at home. You can share on social media and print your collages by clicking the little box with the arrow pointing up in the right hand corner of your collage layout. From there you can choose how to share or print your photo collage.

I already had some Social Media Snapshots photo paper in my printer so I just chose to print at 4 x 5 instead of 4 x 6. And as you can see it turned out great. Now my daughter has a photo she can show off to friends and family and when she's done we can insert it into our family scrapbook.

About PicCollage:
Currently available for both iPhone and Android devices, the PicCollage app allows you to easily showcase your memories all in one photo. Simply select pictures from your gallery, choose your background or template, add fun stickers and text, and then upload your collage to social media for everyone to enjoy!  And now, thanks to technology from our friends at HP, PicCollage allows you to print directly from your phone onto a 5x7 inch photo sheet (default) or a 4x6 inch photo sheet, making it easy to create tangible memories of your favorite collages to display!

Check it out now!
You can download the app and find inspiration for collages on the PicCollage website.

Express yourself with HP Social Media Snapshots #StickAPic

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with HP and MomSelect.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've been helping out with my daughter's Girl Scouts Troop meetings and wanted to do something fun with the girls that would help teach them about expressing their true feelings. Feelings are something many girls in her age group (9-11) sometimes have difficulty sharing with others. Through the activity I planned I talked to the girls about feelings and how it's okay to share them with their Girl Scout "sisters". And that's it's okay to be silly, sad, mad, afraid, you name it and not have to feel like others will tease you for it. As part of this I had each of the girls do a photo of themselves alone with whatever expression they wanted to show a feeling. And then we did a second photo with a friend showing how they feel with their friends. And of course we did a few extras with groups of girls together just having some fun. I wanted to make sure they all had a some photos to take home and stick somewhere they wanted.

Through use of the HP Social Media Snapshots App (available in the iTunes Store or Google Play) you first choose a photo either from your camera roll (which I did to protect the girls privacy) or from one of your connected social media accounts. Then you can move the photo so it's centered on the photo layout, and you can choose your border. For this activity I picked the "clean" border because I planned to use the white space at the bottom for the girls to write their feeling they were expressing in the photo. There are a bunch of really cute ones though. I actually did several of the summer one to print photos at home. I even used a few of them I printed to decorate my laptop cover.

Once you've picked the photo and picked your border you use the special HP Social Media Snapshots photo paper to print them out wirelessly on your printer. The paper is 4" x 5" just like the old Polaroid instant photos I'm sure you can all remember. And it's extra special because the back peels off to reveal a sticky surface that's actually re-stickable on most surfaces. Of course if you attach it to paper like we did it's going to be pretty much stuck for good. The girls used their photos to make "Sometimes I feel" posters to help them think about all of the ways they feel. After we were done they all took their posters (and extra photos) home with them to share with their families. The girls kept telling me how much fun it was and where they were going to stick up their extra pictures they had once they got home.

Want to try it out for yourself? HP Social Media Snapshots 4" x 5" Sticky Back Photo Paper is available at Staples.

Now through October 31st, HP Social Media Snapshots are BOGO when you use the following link and click “redeem now”

Sherish the moment with a photo that's private

There's a really cool new app out called Sherish. It's a completely private way to share your beloved photos. If you're like me you sometimes shy away from sharing photos of your kids on social media in fear that they may get shared by someone else and well who knows what after that. With the Sherish app when you share a photo it can only be see by the people you've personally invited to see it. Plus as soon as you post a photo you can have it automatically send email updates to the members so they know you've added something new.

Sherish allows you to add voice recordings to your photos telling others exactly what the photo was all about. I really liked this part because we have family hundreds of miles away and now my kids can recorded messages to go along with the photos we are sharing for their grandparents. You can also add comments and tag people in the photos. Another great feature is that Sherish has partnered with Walgreens so you can have your photos sent right from the app to the store for printing individually or as an album. Once you've uploaded all your photos you can access them by album, date, location, or people.

Sherish is very easy to get started with and you can make it as simple or complex as you like with how much you want to want to do with each photo. To share photos with others they do not even need a Sherish account. I love this part because I know I could never get my in-laws to download the app or even the desktop version and try to figure it out. This way I can upload and it just sends them an email with a link for them to go see the photos.

"In a recent survey of social media awareness conducted by the University of Michigan, more than 74 percent of parents said they had doubts about posting photos of their child on social media. The study also found that a startling 51 percent of parents offer up personal information alongside their photos that could identify a child's location, and 27 percent have publicly shared inappropriate pictures of their child."

About Sherish
Headquartered in Indianapolis, Sherish’s mission is to be your private, all in one photo solution for all your photo management, sharing and storage needs. It automatically organizes your photos and puts you in control of who you share your photos with. Sherish allows for users to have access to a private photo sharing network outside of social networks that so commonly track and profile their users. Sherish provides unlimited, safe cloud storage that is ad-free on a subscription basis. For more information, please visit http://www.sherish.com.

Download it: You can download the Sherish app at iTunes or for your desktop. Sherish offers unlimited photo storage and is now available in the iTunes app store for $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. Sherish for Android will be available in June.

You can check out Sherish FREE for 6 months right now so check it out!

Valentine's Day: Make your phone unique with a custom Case! #casetify

If you like to have a case on your phone that stands out, and want something that shows off you and yours then you'll definitely want to check out Casetify. I recently had the opportunity to create my own custom case and couldn't be happier with the results. I've actually gotten a ton of compliments since I put it on my phone. In just a few simple steps you can create a case of your own too! First you choose the model of phone you have, then you choose the case style you want, and finally the layout for your photos. After that you just drop in the photos from Instagram, Facebook, or directly from your computer. They even have a "stamps" section if you want to add a cute emoji or quote to your case. From there you save your case layout and place your order. It truly is as simple as it sounds.

Casetify offers custom cases for iPhone, iPad, Galaxy, and some other cell phone models too.  Plus they have lots of other great phone accessories you might want to check out too!

Buy it: You can create your own Casetify case on their website or with the Casetify App.

It may be too late to order for a Valentine's gift this weekend, but how cool would it be to make a case using photos from your actual Valentine's day/date/party?