Real Deal: Real Simple

So last week several of you mentioned Real Simple was one of your favorite magazines. It is my fave too! I was SO excited when I visited Amazon and found that subscriptions were on sale for $10 a year! My subscription just ended so I scooped one up before the deal expired tomorrow. Just thought I'd share for all of you RS lovers and for those in need of a great + inexpensive gift.

They're At it Again!

Amazon is having another great magazine sale so I thought I'd pass along the news. $6.99 for some of their best selling titles including one of my must-haves: Country Living. Other great titles include Marie Claire, House Beautiful, Cosmo, Veranda, Esquire, Seventeen, Bazaar and more. Updating your subscriptions for a little more than the cost of one issue at the store is a great way to save and still enjoy your faves.

I love the internet magazines that are popping up these days but there is something about the real thing that is just the best. Picking up a tangible copy and settling in with a good read is one of my favorite things to do. What are your favorite magazines? I'm always looking for new titles to love!

More Beautiful You

As a photographer it is important to stay inspired and to always continue learning. To do so I am always reading fellow photographer's blogs, I am a member of professional forums and I look to magazines for ideas too. Most of the time doing these things keeps me inspired and seeking to improve. But every now and then the doubt seeps in via these sources.

The past couple of weeks I've really been struggling, finding myself comparing myself to others. The gorgeous images I see have not been sparks of insight. Instead they are photographic evidence of my imperfections. Perfect lighting, creative compositions and vibrant colors have my mind reeling with that horrible question: "Am I good enough?"

All of the questions and fears that create doubt have popped up. "Maybe I'm not cut out for this" has been on frequent repeat inside my head. But tonight, as always my Father spoke to me and helped calm the seas of skepticism. He spoke to me via my car radio and I am feeling uplifted.

A few necessary baking supplies led me to make a quick trip to the market. My radio was turned down low but I saw it was on K-LOVE so I prayed a quick "speak to me" before turning up the volume. The next words I heard brought instant tears to my eyes.

"There could never be a more beautiful you
Don't buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you"

Today I wanted to share the song "More Beautiful You" by Jonny Diaz in case you were feeling a bit discouraged, or doubtful.  And if you have little girls in your life or a daughter of your own be sure to share these lyrics with her.  While writing this post I found they Jonny and his mom just released a book based on the song. Even more encouragement for all you beautiful ladies!

Summer Reading

Our city's library has always had a summer reading program where children can sign up and receive a record sheet and prize chart. For each tier completed a trinket of some sort is awarded: a bookmark, a free Happy Meal from McDonald's, tokens for the local Chuck E. Cheese. Each summer as a child, I'd eagerly sign up and set to complete all the tiers. I was a bookworm so this seemed just too good to be true!

I'm too old to participate now but I still find myself reading more during the summer. Nothing goes better with the dog days of summer than the crashing waves, a beach chair and a stack of books. I've put together my very own Summer Reading List (which is really just the books I plan to read before the summer is over:

• The Art Of Dancing In The Rain: A Novel
• Bringing Home The Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag
• The Help
• Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School At a Time
• The School Of Essential Ingredients

I'm a super fast reader so I will probably read even more. Any recommendations? What are you reading this summer?

*photo source*

ETA: Join me on Goodreads if you'd like to see my thoughts on the books I'm reading, etc.

Italian Rustic

This book belongs on my bookshelf. And it transports me (virtually) to Italy. Now if only I could make the real trek!

Little Italy

"Little Italy" by Jennifer Altman is now on sale and I'm dreaming of owning a copy of my own. If you've never visited Jennifer's blog Nectar & Light you are really missing out as it contains a plethora of amazing and inspiring photographs. This book is her first and I imagine that it will be wildly successful.

The sixty pages in this hardcover book detail memories, polaroids, a few recipes and a story or two. The book includes a limited edition print and loads of inspiration. Jennifer says of her book:

"I want it to inspire you to follow your heart - to step on foreign ground, to feel that ground reverberate through your body. I want you to hold the hand of your best friend and lose yourself in magic moments together. I want you to laugh until you can hardly catch your breath and remember that beautiful moments with friends can heal your soul and grant you vision anew. I want to inspire you."

Now that sounds like something that belongs in my collection!

Hungry Planet

I am intrigued by this book Hungry Planet: What The Wolrd Eats in which photographer Peter Menzel and author-journalist Faith D'Alusio explore the eating habits of 30 families in 24 countries. The authors spent time with each family and photographed them with a week's worth of groceries. The variations between families is quite astounding. A detailed list of the food, expenditures, and country's averages are included an add to the interest of the photos alone. Sounds like a a perfect coffee table book and way to explore various cultures. I bet most of us reading this would be grateful after seeing some of the pages! The authors also penned Material World which takes on the possessions of the world's families.