As the biggest shopping day of the year approaches, you’re likely wondering what to place on your own wish list as well as what to grab for the favorite memory keepers in your life.
Instead of pulling items out of thin air (or the Sky Mall catalogue), I like to think about tools that will improve my efficiency and satisfaction in activities I already enjoy. Think: what will help me (or the gift recipient) be a better photographer, writer and scrapper in 2010?
The twelve items on our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide are certain to be a hit with scrappers of all interests, tastes and experience levels.
Better organization in 2010
Moleskine Notebook
A 5×8 grid-ruled notebook is the perfect size for jotting down quotes and sketching layout ideas when you don’t have access to your computer.
Photo Freedom
Stacy Julian’s well-known guide contains step-by-step instructions to getting your photographic house in order.
Lightroom
I was skeptical of adding another piece of software to my routine, but Lightroom has taken photo editing and organization off my list of worries.
Better photos in 2010
Understanding Photography Field Guide by Bryan Peterson
Have you read a lot about how and why cameras and their manual settings work? This guide puts that knowledge to practice with techniques for every situation.
Digital Photography Vol. 1-3 by Scott Kelby
These manuals are essential reading for every amateur photographer with any kind of camera.
Canon XSi 12MP DSLR
There are so many great cameras these days, the best I can do is recommend the one that I have and love. My one word of advice: you shouldn’t be deciding based on megapixels. You’ll find the most satisfaction by looking for great performance in lower light conditions.
More peace of mind in 2010
Kingston 16GB SDHC Memory Card
Ensure you have plenty of space to store the highest quality images your camera can capture by upgrading to a 8, 16 or 32GB memory card. Many cameras use SD cards these days, but make sure to double check.
Mozy 1 year subscription
I’ve used Mozy for just over 6 months now and still think its a great decision. The settings are fully customizable so you can feel protected without your backup system being a headache.
500GB Western Digital Passport EHD
These handy external harddrives are perfect for toting around your photos and supplies for scrapping on the run. Be careful though and make sure you keep a backup of every file!
More fun in 2010
Clean and Simple Scrapbooking – The Sequel by Cathy Zielske
If you’re a fan of Cathy’s fresh, graphic design-inspired templates at Designer Digitals, re-create her classic look with the inspiration and instruction in this book.
Fiskars 12″ Trimmer
Even if you’re not so much into hybrid or paper scrapbooking, every mom needs a paper trimmer around the house to make easy work of many projects.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8
Is your copy of PSE a couple of years old? Upgrade to the latest and greatest version, released just last month. Enjoy many new features that make using Photoshop Elements easier than ever.
What’s on your holiday wish list?
So sorry to hear you are sick. Will be praying for your quick recovery so you can enjoy the rest of the week.
This was a great post. It always seems like I’m mulling over something or have a question and then “ta-da” – an e-mail appears from you covering that exact topic. Please feel better soon!