I don’t know where I’m going

“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you’re going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.”

~  C JoyBell C

Maine coast

 

If you’d like to see more of my work, connect with me, or inquire about a session, I’d love to hear from you.  Please follow me on FB, Nanette Faye Photography, and Insta @nanettefaye.  xo

 

The hair on his chin. Living and loving through cancer.

It’s 3am on Tuesday morning. He rises in the dark to begin his 3 1/2 hour trip north after a long weekend with me, as he needs to be in the office by 7. This long-distance relationship certainly presents its challenges but also has so many rewards.

I came in on the tail end of his cancer journey, and he, at the beginning of mine.  He was looking to “give back” for all the support he had been given during his two and a half year battle.  I welcomed a kind man to my support team, as, besides my brothers, I didn’t have a strong guy to lean on after I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  He understood the cancer fears and wasn’t afraid to talk about them. And he provided a safe place for me to share my feelings around what I was experiencing, by sharing his own experiences, feelings and emotions with me.

Each morning, he would send me a quote or thought for the day, sometimes funny, sometimes inspirational and sometimes just heart-felt.  In the afternoon, he would call to check in and see how radiation had gone.  In my cancer story, he is an integral part. In his, I am thankfully in the afterword. Although, in reality, his story is never-ending.  So, maybe it’s more like Chapter 2 as he has a rare blood cancer called Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia. He will always carry it with him but has been keeping it at bay for three years this July.

During his many months of chemo treatments, he lost the hair on his body.  His chin was the first place it started to grow back.  He says he keeps it as a reminder of this, but I secretly think it’s because he knows I think it’s sexy. (wink, wink)  This is really his story to tell but I will say, I am happy that today he is strong and healthy, and with me, even if only on the weekends.  We are a great team in many things, besides just fighting cancer.  Yesterday, we were at Dana-Farber in Boston for his semi-annual work-up.  We got great news that he is doing very well. Our life plans go forward to wherever this long-distance relationship takes us. We are thankful.

I love this hair on his chinny chin chin, and what it represents for him, and for us.

 

 

This Charming B&B was our prize for flying by the seat of our pants!

Yesterday, I had planned to review this lovely Bed and Breakfast we found in Saint Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, Canada but I got a little sidetracked talking about the two amazing days we had before on the Bay of Fundy! If you want to catch up on those, you can read it here.

So, continuing…we neared the end of the business district of Saint Andrews, and we spied a little sign with an arrow pointing to the ocean that read, “Bed and Breakfast.” We decided to check it out. One house off the water and it is adorable! Yellow, quaint, and a “Vacancy” sign, it was the Sea Haven B&B!  We headed back to Main Sreet to check what Google said about it, and the prices. “Organic, spotless, friendly, delicious breakfast….”  It was a little more than we had planned to pay for the night but we decided to go for it!

 

Sea Haven Bed and Breakfast

As soon as we  graced the front door, Liz and Gary warmly greeted us. We chatted a bit, and they offered to show us the room. We, so far, were the only ones there for the evening.  They have two upstairs rooms they rent. They showed us the front room with a beautiful view of the harbor.

View of the harbor from our private deck

We said we would take it, and dropped our bags.  Liz left and came back with homemade humus, some yummy crackers, a freshly squeezed lemonade for my honey and lemon water for me.  Exactly what our parched bodies needed.  We sat on the little deck overlooking the harbor and enjoyed the view.

The room was beautiful with fresh flowers, lovely local paintings,, beautiful sea glass and shells decorating the surfaces, and everything was spotless. Liz let us know that she only cleans with organic products, and the sheets and duvet cover are dried on the clothes line! I was in heaven.  We asked for a dinner recommendation, and we were close enough to town to walk to Gables Restaurant. 

On the deck with extra blankets for warding off the chill.

View from our deck

After a delicious dinner and sunset, we snuggled on the deck and watched the boats come in for the evening.

The next morning, my honey went downstairs and came back with delicious coffee to have in our room before breakfast. At our arranged time, we headed downstairs for an amazing organic breakfast, and great conversation with Liz and Gary as they prepared our breakfast. The blue willow china made me feel very at home, there was a lit candle on the table..at breakfast, and the view was to die for.  Gary made me a perfect latte, and our cups overflowed with delicious coffee. The breakfast was more than I usually have but it was so good, I ate every bite. All the while, we chatted with our hosts. They were very willing to share information about the area, and we also willingly ventured into more personal conversations. They are very interesting people!  It felt like having breakfast in a friend’s home.

Organic breakfast on blue willow

Our breakfast view of the harbor

After breakfast we took a short stroll down to the beach in front of the B&B as Liz mentioned you usually could find pottery shards washed in from sunken ships. I was all over that!  We spent about an hour scouring the beach and came away with some beautiful pieces.

We hated to leave the beach but it was time to check out and head home. There were some really nice beach rocks on display in the room and on the bureaus downstairs. They had been drilled out to hold a candle. Gary told us they are made by a local disabled veteran who wants to do something to support himself, and he sells these at the local farmer’s market. They were very plain but so nice. I love bringing something home from an adventure that was made by a local artist, and this seemed like the perfect thing.

Local artwork

signed

We truly enjoyed our visit at the Sea Haven Bed and Breakfast, and we’re talking about making a winter trip back to experience Saint Andrews-by-the-Sea with snow.

Thank you, Liz and Gary for a very memorable visit!

Cheers!

Nanette and Warren

You can find me on Facebook, Nanette Faye Photography.

 

Traveling by the seat of our pants! Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada

It was our first adventure, traveling by the seat of our pants, together, flying without reservations… literally! Summertime can be tricky to travel like this, and you must have some faith because sometimes you don’t find what you are expecting. Sometimes, it’s even better! It was HIS first time heading out for an adventure like this but he was willing and excited about it.

With passports in hand, we headed across the Northern Maine/Canadian border. The woman at the New Brunswick Tourism Bureau was an excellent help! The first evening, we landed in Saint John, New Brunswick. A small, seaside town a little over 2 hours from where we are in Maine.  It’s located on the north shore of the Bay of Fundy, at the mouth of the Saint John River.  I hadn’t been there for over 20 years. We had a late lunch in a little restaurant down on the boardwalk. It was good but even better was that we got our first taste of  Picaroons beer, with their main brewery being in Fredericton, NB! Yummy! 

The next morning we were off to parts unknown. We headed north toward Hopewell Rocks with the understanding we would stop anywhere along the way that one of us wanted to. I was driving and my first detour was out to a point of land called Enrage Point which houses Enrage Lighthouse!  It was a gorgeous ride out!

Seaside village of Alma

Lobster roll and Bay of Fundy scallops for lunch with this view in Alma

Cape Enrage cliffs and beach

Cape Enrage beach which you have to be off an hour before the tide changes or no way out.

Good thing his legs are strong! Long steep stairway to safety from the beach.

It was a tad windy and cold but our favorite stop of the day! Enrage Lighthouse

We made it to Hopewell Rocks!

Just before sunset we made it to Hopewell Rocks where the biggest tidal change in the world happens. It’s a pretty spectacular place.  After exploring for a while, we found a funny, little motel with a room left open. We had a couple of cold drinks on the back porch, watched the sunset and hit the hay early.

The next morning we headed southwest on the Bay of Fundy Trail.  We retraced a little of our tracks but found some cool spots to stop. It was hot, and after a long, active day the day before we were looking for a good beach.  And…we found one! INcreDible place!!  New River Beach Provincial Park! Wow! We loved it!

New River Beach

We spent the afternoon here walking, swimming and relaxing before deciding we needed to keep heading down the Fundy Trail to find a place for the night.  We pulled into Saint Andrews, NB, and drove through town. He remembered staying here with his boys when they were younger and playing hockey. I had never been here. The most famous hotel is the Algonquin Hotel and Resort, and while grand, was not really what we were looking for. We drove to the end of town and just before the residential area began, I saw a little sign with an arrow toward the water….Bed and Breakfast.

I will tell you all about it tomorrow… I hope you have enjoyed this mini Canadian adventure along with me. Anywhere in Canada you think we shouldn’t miss next time we head over the border?

xo

Find me on Facebook, Nanette Faye Photography

 

How and Where to Print Images that are sitting on your iPhone

I am doing Darren Rowse’s, at Problogger, 7-day blog challenge. A blog post a day using a different format each day. Today’s challenge is to create a blog post that answers a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ).  I was like, “hmmm….,” then bumped myself on my forehead remembering just earlier this morning, I answered an email from a client asking a question that I get asked a lot!

“How and where do I get prints made from all the photos I have on my phone?”

People are worried!  They have images they LoVE on their iPhone, they know they could lose them if it crashed, and they really want prints that they can hold in their hands of those adorable grandchildren, sweet dogs, pretty flowers, and gorgeous sunsets!

There are a couple of different ways depending on whether you want to send them to;  1.) print directly from your phone, or if you want to;  2.) download them onto your computer and upload them into a print company’s site.

1. I print a lot of my Instagram images, many square, through a company called Artifact Uprising directly from my phone! But you can use this company for any images in your phone’s camera roll.  I love this cool company! Their motto is, “Off your device, and into your life!” They offer a square print package, 25 prints for $21.99! And sometimes, if you sign up for their emails, you can get this package for the price of shipping. Yup!  The paper is textured and beautiful!   You an order directly from your phone, with the Artifact Uprising app for iPhone, just download the app from iTunes. Here is how it works! This video shows them creating a photo book from the app but the same concept is used for ordering prints.  
    I order these prints to be used as postcards and/or giveaways through my business, or sometimes attach one of my business cards to the back. Great size for framing or for the refrigerator!  🙂    Sometime, if I want to see my Instagram images larger, I go to Artifact Uprising’s website on my MacBook, and then I can scroll my Instagram’s website and order from there.   This is what the Artifact Uprising ordering page looks like! It’s very intuitive and easy to use.  You can search for images on your computer, or through Instagram.

2.    If I have downloaded my images from my iPhone onto my laptop or home computer, I can also order from another more local company that I really love working with, Hunt’s Photo and Video, in South Portland, ME. They have other stores around New England but I am in Portland often so I can pop in and pick up my prints. They will also send you your prints.  When you connect the USB to your iPhone and into your laptop, your images from your phone should flow directly onto your laptop. Or if they are connecting through bluetooth, you don’t even need to plug it in.  You images will be saved onto your computer and then you can order prints from there. These folks print each print by hand with lots of attention to detail.  They have online ordering, which I also think is very intuitive, where you can create an account and upload images into their site. They will provide very personal service and I think their prices are great. Another super company to order iPhone images from.  Please, please don’t order prints from big box stores or drug stores! That is not the business they are in, and printing is an art in and of itself. If it’s worth the effort to print, it’s worth the effort to get the most for your money and enjoyment.

If you have been wondering how the heck to get your iPhone images off your phone and into your hands, I hope this helps.  Please feel free to ask any questions you might have in the comment section! I really feel passionate about getting images onto paper and on our walls, on our desks, and into our hands, and the hands of our children.

Happy Printing!

Do you have other  burning questions I might be able to help with?  Let me know!

xo

8 Great Reasons collaborating with other women is good for your business (and your soul)

Circle of Women, connecting and collaborating

I’ve found over the years, that most of my favorite photography work and personal projects have been collaborations I did with other women. Some men too, don’t get me wrong. But I do believe us women are natural collaborators, and natural supporters of each other.  I love when other women ask me to help them with a project, and i often seek out other women when I need help creatively, supportively or sometimes to just share the tasks. These are some things I have found to be true about collaborating that help me as a person, a women, and ultimately therefore, are good for my photography business.

1.     Inevitably some of her clients, through gained knowledge of my products or services, or getting to know me as a person, will become my clients too.

2.     Two, or three creative brains are always better than one. And it’s so much more fun!

3.     There is room for all of us. I don’t have a corner on any market, nor do I want one. I love seeing all women succeed in business, and feel that the more we support each other, the better our own businesses becomes.

4.     I learn! New ideas, new concepts, new things about people and how they live and who they are. I learn about new places…collaboration on projects often leads to people’s homes, or businesses, or some other outlandish place I’ve never been before, and wouldn’t have found myself if not through working with another business owner or creative.

5.     I get to see the world, and my (creative) work, through someone else’s eyes.  My business does better because I, as a women and a business owner, become better “rounded.” I become more empathetic, understanding and knowledgeable through working with others.

6.     We, together, produce some pretty good damn art. Whether that’s photography art, writing art, the art of gathering like-minded women together, or the art of living creatively and intentionally. 

7.     We just don’t have to do it all alone. I don’t have to have ALL of the creative ideas, or be good at every step, or do all the work. So often when we are business for ourselves, we feel as though we do, that we are little islands all by ourself. When we collaborate with others we trust, the work flows between the two of you. No one feels so overwhelmed and in the end, everyone feels a commitment to the project. Everyone’s voice is heard and you can celebrate the small and larger business and personal victories together! Yay! Let’s have a glass of wine!

8.    And finally, we all make more money. Isn’t that one of the biggest reasons we are in business to begin with?  And, it’s not a dirty word! We all have dreams that need to be supported by making enough money. And we all should be financially rewarded for our hard work, efforts and creativity. I want to be an artist in business, but I don’t want to be a starving artist. I have found that working, creating and collaborating with other women works, in my heart and in my purse.

Journey through the Creative Lens, women’s retreat weekend

 I have collaborated on many projects in the past few years. Some of have been through my photography business, such as sharing a photography blog with another female photographer “across the pond,” and others have been personal projects such as organizing and leading a women’s retreat weekend, where I did some leading/teaching, and two other creative, inspirational women shared in those roles. I walk away from projects I collaborate on with other women, feeling “filled up,” feeling an intricate part of a great whole!

 Tell me, what is one of your favorite collaborations you have done? What did you gain?

And if you have an idea for a collaborated project you’d like to run by me, leave a comment below, and let’s chat!

Cheers!

xo

Nanette

Find me on Facebook too! 

Our Circle of Women is expanding (and an update on Southern Maine circle)

Our Circle of Women is expanding!  We are heading North, and if you live in the Houlton, Maine area and would like to join our creative group of women, we’d love to have you! If you aren’t familiar with Circle of Women, you can read about the first gathering that was held in Southern Maine here!  We had a wonderfully social evening, meeting and networking with other local women artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. I am still on a creative high and can’t wait to meet all of you in Northern Maine!

             Circle of Women
              You are Invited

~An informal gathering of artists, creatives, and entrepreneurial women, sharing ideas and supporting one another’s endeavors.

~On Wednesday, June 22nd, we will gather at 5:30pm to meet, share, network and hopefully leave feeling inspired and supported.

~We will gather at a cozy home in Houlton for a glass of wine, appetizers, and maybe we’ll even learn a thing or two from each other! If we have time, I will be offering a half an hour of sharing a few things I have learned about building and managing a Facebook business page for your own business or creative endeavor, for those who are interested.

~We have room for 20 women, and we’d love to have you join us. Please leave me your email address here in the comment section if we can plan on you. I will be sending more information to those who do!

UPDATE ON SOUTHERN MAINE GATHERING:  Our next gathering will be at Julie Steinbach’s home on Wed, July 13 for socializing, networking, and Amy Webster will be leading a mini session on art journaling.   Not to be missed! We do have a few spots open for any women in Southern Maine who are interested in joining us! Please leave me a comment in the comment section below with your name and email address. 

Enjoy this Sunday evening!
xo
Nanette