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Sweet little Isabella kept giving me the most beautiful newborn smiles during our session!

Thank you, little sweetness, for being  just so perfect!

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Having a hard time deciding on the *perfect* gift this holiday season? Have someone special in your life who has everything?  If you’re like most of us, you have at least one person on your list that leaves you stumped. . .and I have the perfect solution, plus a gift for you, too!  Can you think of a better gift than priceless memories in the form of beautiful portraits? No? Me either!!

Holiday certificates from Michelle Mullins Photography are exquisitely printed, making your gift not only thoughtful and timeless, but also beautiful and elegant.

All gift certificates issued by Michelle Mullins Photography may be used toward the the purchase of  any products or service offered. This includes creative fees, hourly coverage, prints, albums, etc.   Holiday gifts are valid until July 31, 2011.

To purchase your gift, or for more information, please use the Client Request Link at the top of the page, or email me at michellemullins@verizon.net.

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1.  Have sweet, chubby, little cheeks and squishy baby lips. . .

2.  Add in a full head of hair and some neck rolls. . .

3.  Finally, mix in some blissful newborn sleepiness. . .

. . .And there you have Adorable, aka Baby Andrew!   I could be completely wrong, but I’m pretty sure he was trying to make me want a new little baby of my very own!  He was so chilled out and just so peaceful and amazing throughout his whole session! And being one of the first newborns since my back injury, I was very happy to have had such an calm little man.

Did I mention how adorable he was?  

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I’m so excited to announce my first ever Cute Kid Contest! This one’s gonna be so much fun, so get your cameras ready and send in those snaps!!

WHAT?

From September 3, at Noon (EST) until September 13, at 11:59 P.M., I’ll be accepting non-professional images of your little cuties.  Once the contest is closed for entries, each snapshot received will be loaded into an album on my Facebook Fan Page, entitled ‘Cute Kids 2010′. To vote for a photo, all you need to do is be, or become, a fan (or under the new facebook system ‘like’) Michelle Mullins Photography, then simply LIKE the photo for which you’d like to vote!   Anyone can vote, as long as they’re a fan, so tell your friends and family to join the fun!  Once all entries are posted in the Facebook album, you’ll have a week to vote for your favorite! Three prizes will be awarded to the contestants with the most LIKES.

WINNERS!

The winning entry will receive a FREE session with Michelle Mullins Photography (immediate family only), as well as a spiral bound mini album, and three high resolution images on a DVD (with a printing release). The second place winner will receive a $100 gift certificate from Michelle Mullins Photography, and our third place winner will receive a $50 gift certificate. Non-winning entries (one per household) will receive a $25 gift certificate!

DETAILS!

* Only parents or legal guardians may enter their children into the contest.
* One entry per child, no limit to number per family.
* Child must be 10 years old or younger on the date of entry.
* Submissions must be taken within the last month and must NOT be professional photographs – I’m looking for your recent snapshots!
* Photos will be accepted beginning Noon (EST) Friday September 3, 2010 until September 13, 2010 at 11:59pm (EST) via e-mail.
* Only photos e-mailed to michellemullins@verizon.net with the subject line CUTE KID CONTEST will be accepted
* ONLY the child’s first name and age will be posted for viewing.
* Contest is open to everyone, however the session must take place within 60 miles of Wise, Virginia.  If you live out of the area, you are welcome to travel for your session.
* Winning entry must complete their session before October 15, 2010.
* Prizes are not transferable and may not be altered or changed in any way, are not redeemable for cash, and may not be combined with other promotions.
* Additional prints and products will be available for purchase at retail prices.
* Winners must be willing to sign a portrait contract.

TO ENTER:

It’s so simple! Just email the following to michellemullins@verizon.net with CUTE KID CONTEST in the subject line:

Child’s Name:
Age:
Parent’s Name:
Email:
Phone Number:
A recent snapshot of your Cute Kid!

OK, so now you know the rules. . .let’s get started!!   You know you’ve got a Cute Kid, let’s see those snapshots!!!

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Some of you know that I sustained a horrible back injury back at the very beginning of summer. For those that didn’t…well, now you do! This injury kept me away from most everything, as I spent a few weeks bound to my couch, not able to walk, barely able to move. I wasn’t able to even lift my camera, much less take a photograph. But, after weeks of really intensive, but really wonderful chiropractic care (Thank you, Dr. Jessee), I feel like I can FINALLY safely say that I’m back! So, to get this blog back in shape, I’ll be posting several entries over the next few days! Keep an eye out for some exciting announcements in the next couple of weeks, too!!

I sure have missed you all!

xo

P.S.  what’s a post without a photo or two?   We were lucky enough to visit the lake for a week just before my injury and the kids had so much fun.  I have so many cute snapshots of them laughing, playing and jumping in the water, but this is one of my favorites.  It was so hot that week and you can really feel it in this picture, but my baby was determined to catch a fish-hot or not!  Here he is, just waiting it out!

After all that work, a Slush Puppy was definitely in order!!

I was so excited a few months ago when I was contacted by a local mom needing a set of head shots. Her daughter, Madison, was soon to grace the stage in her debut performance at Barter Theatre.   Madison was one of a chosen few who made it through several rounds of auditions to land the role of Phoebe in this summer’s production of Annie!!! If you’re not familiar with Barter Theatre, just know that this is a very big deal! Barter has a wonderfully colorful history and is one of our area’s most prestigious stages. Well known actors that had their start at Barter include: Gregory Peck, Patricia Neal, Ernest Borgnine, Hume Cronyn, Ned Beatty, Gary Collins, David Birney, and Larry Linville.

Even considering the impressiveness of this historic theatre, I can tell you without hesitation that I’m not one bit surprised that Madison is now part of it’s remarkable history. She’s a beautiful, talented, charming, and witty young lady and I loved every second that we spent together. If you’re near the Abingdon, Virginia area this summer, definitely try to make it to the Theatre to see Madison and the rest of the Annie cast for their awesome performance! I’m positive you won’t be disappointed!

Thanks, Madison, for being so awesome and I can’t wait to see you up on stage!

I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving Day!   We had a great day hanging out with family and eating until we couldn’t move!!!  Totally good times, I’m tellin’ ya!

Tonight, as I think about all that I have to be thankful for, the amazing people that I’ve had the privilege of working with this year, and all the people that have touched my life, I feel the need to give back – to reach out into the community and to honor someone who touches the lives of others.

So, I’m opening up a contest here.  A chance for you to tell me all about someone who deserves special attention and someone who would love to receive the gift of custom photography.

The rules are simple.  Nominate someone, anyone, other than yourself, who has touched your life in some way.  Just email me the story of the person you’re nominating, letting me know why you feel they deserve this gift.  I’ll review all the entries and the story that stands out among all the rest will be the winner.   The lucky recipient will receive a complimentary mini-session, along with a set of images and the nominator will also be rewarded with a $150 gift certificate from Michelle Mullins Photography.

The contest will remain open until December 6, 2009 and the winners may book their sessions for Spring 2010!

All entries must be emailed to michellemullins@verizon.net.

I’m so excited to hear about the amazing people in our community!  And because it’s been a while since I posted a photo here, I’ll leave you with this – my daughter and the best gift she says she’s ever been given!

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Soon, many of us will be gathering with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving, to eat delicious food, and maybe even see relatives and friends that we haven’t seen in a while. But, for many American military members, this just isn’t possible. Their commitment to our nation takes so many of them away from the comforts of home and the things we often take for granted. This Thanksgiving, between all the cooking and catching up, please take a moment to remember our military members and their families – remember their sacrifice and say thank you.

There are lots of ways to show your gratitude.  A quick Google search or a call to your nearest military installation will give you tons of options, but here’s something you can do very quickly, even with all you have going on this week.

Let’s Give Thanks is a national program designed to deliver millions of cards to servicemen and women overseas with messages of support from home and they make it so easy to contribute! By clicking the banner below and following three simple steps, you can show your support!

And if you find yourself with a few minutes to spare, you might want to visit the website of The Gratitude Campaign and watch the beautiful video they’ve prepared to show us all how to say Thank You, without saying a word.

It’s not often that I post moments from my personal life on my blog, but I just had to share these with you.  These are the kinds of moments that inspire me, that give me joy in creating, and that truly take my breath away.  Fleeting moments of childhood, of life, a little glimpse, a stolen moment, insecurity, trust, joy, sadness, fear, fun – these pieces of life that make us each unique and also that make us all the same.   To capture those kinds of moments for others, and to capture them well, are things that I aspire to each and every day.  In the coming months, I hope to bring this out even more in my work, and to provide my clients with priceless, real documentation of their own lives, showcasing what makes them so special.  For tonight, here’s a little glimpse into my life – a few moments away from the busyness of the holiday season for me, spent at the park as a quiet observer in a child’s world. . .

This is what I love to capture. . .real laughter, pure emotion.  I love it and I’ll do almost anything to get it!  Just ask yesterday’s clients!  I was attacked by a monkey named Appledee and I didn’t mind a bit because he helped me get these smiles!  Thanks so much, Mom and Dad, for letting me show these sweet boys on my blog!