One of the most memorable things I did while I was pregnant was to capture the growing belly in pictures. It requires a little time and commitment but the result is well worth it. I took pictures of myself on a weekly basis throughout my pregnancy. I wore the same t-shirt and posed in front of the same wall for consistency.

To make it easier we designated Sundays as picture taking days. These pictures will be treasured forever and I'm sure the baby will love to see how she grew inside me - and will probably be amazed by how tiny she once was.

The pictures also work as a great reminder of how thin I once was and how big I'd become. Of course, once you've had the baby you can reverse the process by taking pictures of the shrinking belly. Warning - loosing weight does not progress as quickly as putting it on.

For those who may not want to do this on a weekly basis, a monthly picture works just as well. The sequence of these pictures also makes for a great flip book.

I plan to capture my baby growing through the first year as well.  

We have a long-standing relationship with the George Eastman House (GEH). Of course it was the home of the founder of Kodak and today houses one of the greatest Museums of Photography. We at Kodak love helping out when we can and what better time than the Holidays to collaborate and help make memories.


Christmas Tree at the GEH


George's dining room


The Fireplace


Christmas Carolers

A few days ago the GEH hosted it's Annual Holiday party - bedecked in Holiday décor, bursting with cheer, packed with Ginger bread houses it opened it's doors to hundreds of kids who had the opportunity to meet Santa.









The only thing missing was a good photographer to capture the exchange between Santa and his little followers. In came a group of volunteers from Kodak who helped out on their personal time - equipped with amazing photography skills and tons of Holiday spirit.


Mimi, our star photographer


Bob showing Rachel and Scott how to print pictures at the kiosk

We took along a desktop Kodak Kiosk and handed out prints minutes after the pictures were taken. It was amazing to see the joy on people's faces - the joy of instant gratification!

The gingerbread houses, another annual tradition at the GEH.









Mimi Lee, Bob Burris and Jenny Cisney and I had a great time and were really glad we spent the evenings amongst the beautiful festivities.

Halloween is just a week away and we have some great Halloween projects in the Kodak Tips & Projects Center.

These are printable lollipop covers you can add your own spooky photo to or use as is with Halloween greetings. Download the templates and see step by step instructions for making your own.

 

Carving jack-o-lanterns have become an art form! Visit this page to download these pumpkin carving templates that range from "easy" to "expert". Your pumpkins will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Check out these tips for taking spooky photos. Your friends and family will really wonder if your house might be haunted!

This is the beginning of many firsts for me - I am pregnant with my first child. So far I've experienced: The feeling of discovering that I was going to be a Mommy for the first time. The joy of sharing the news with my husband for the first time. The first visit to the Doctor's. The first congratulations, the first sickness, the first blushes, the first stare at my belly, the first ooh's and aah's.

But nothing can compare to the feeling of 'seeing' my baby for the first time - my first ultrasound. My husband was with me and the memory of the joy on his face the first time he heard the heart beat still brings tears to my eyes.

Being the techno-geeks we were ready to capture those precious moments. Armed with various cameras - point and shoot, camera phones, the latest Zi6 video camera we felt invincible. Imagine our disappointment when we were informed that none of these capture devices were allowed. We could only get a copy of the ultrasound on a VHS tape! Ummm, we got rid of our video player years ago. The glimpses of my baby were held captive in a black plastic 'box' that I could only stare at helplessly.

With some help from Kodak friends I got the movie converted and I have posted it to YouTube to share with friends and family.

Hubby and I have seen it so many times just in the last few days. I even feel the baby move when I watch the DVD now :0)

I am a home décor fiend and became that way after watching a few episodes of Trading Spaces, when I first moved to the US. Back in India DIY as a concept does not exist. You do what you're best at and leave the rest up to the professionals. That's why we have carpenters, plumbers, painters and electricians.

Not the case in the US, I soon learnt (unless you have gobs of money). Moving out of the dorms into my first apartment was like breaking free in more than one way. I could decorate my apartment to express my style. And people here did it on their own, wow! Since my first off-campus apartment I've lived in a couple of apartments and now in my own house. I DIY a lot of stuff and am an HGTV addict.

I will share my projects and processes in future blog posts. Here's a sneak peek at the Accent Wall project that acts as a backdrop to the most precious item in the house - the 50" plasma TV.


I must admit that I had not been following 'Trading Spaces' until my fun, cool job brought me back in touch with 'Trading Spaces' , popular host Paige Davis, and the TLC design team. Paige Davis will act as Kodak's media spokesperson and Kodak has partnered with TLC to include product integration in 5 of the 13 upcoming shows throughout the new season starting Sep 20, 10/9 c. I have some inside scoop, but you're going to have to watch the season premiere episode on Saturday night to get the skinny.



Also, check out the Paige Davis section on our site. We bring you pictures, projects and more from Paige Davis. Enter to win a Picture Perfect Room Makeover and download the new Make Something Magazine.

Visitor: Oh you are so lucky to live so close to the Falls
Me: Um, ya!

Visitor: It's just so beautiful,
Me: Yeah, you can just turn on the tap and watch water flowing...
Visitor: GASP!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not frivolously disregarding a Wonder of the World. I was just as much in awe of it the first few times I saw it as anyone else and more. But if you see it 5 times in a month, this wonder of the world, isn't so 'wonderous' any more.

I love water bodies and my favorite thing to do is stand right by the American Falls and watch the water flow through the edge and plunge down. Since I am an animator - the constant thought in my head is - how would you capture the beauty and flow of this in a 3d animation. (yes, every single time this thought crosses my mind and I find myself going through a mental animation exercise).

But I digress, having been there so many times, I've come up with a perfect plan to get the best out of the Niagara Falls experience:

1. Stop over at the Horseshoe Falls (parking ticket from here is valid at the American Falls/boat ride area as well)

2. Walk along the Horseshoe Falls, do the Cave of the Winds

3. Walk over (or take the People Mover) to the Bridal Veil Falls, enjoy the view

4. Walk over (or take the People Mover) to the American Falls, enjoy the view

5. Walk onto the observation deck, before descending to the Maid of the Mist boat ride, take beautiful pictures with the Falls in the background.

6. Lastly take the boat ride on the Maid of the Mist - cherry on top.

The Niagara Falls does not fail to deliver on photo opportunities, no matter the season!