I have been so inspired by the Portland business community’s efforts to raise money for the Haiti relief efforts that I’m jumping in too — through Jan. 31, anyone who books a wedding package will see 5% of their purchase go straight to MercyCorps and their work in Haiti — that’s from $120-$210 per couple.

It’s moments like these we’re reminded that we’re all people and that banding together makes me feel so hopeful about what people are capable of.

That is just what it’s like to be on the GemKitty site — like playing with jewelry. It’s so much fun!

I’ve been working with GemKitty’s founders (and our friends) Arwa and Todd to get some new product shots of their amazing, handcrafted high-quality necklaces. It was so fun to photograph them all — I got to touch and play with so many different necklaces!

GemKitty is featured on Elfster today, and as part of their holiday shopping promotion they’re offering a complimentary hand-crafted holiday necklace (pictured below). How could you lose? They’ve also got expedited shipping and other holiday incentives — check it out!

I think one of the coolest parts of the GemKitty experience is that you get to design your own necklace, choosing from different designs and materials, so each necklace is exactly the way you want it. Sounds like a great custom Christmas gift to me (hint, hint — ahem, Eric).

We’ve done some chatting about how perfect their build-your-own necklaces would be for a bridal party or attendant gifts. Take note, brides!

Thanks, Todd and Arwa of GemKitty, for making such beautiful jewelry and such an awesome customizable online shopping experience!

I’m super excited to show you, blog readers, what my designer Allison Doty and I have been working on for the holidays this year. These are our custom Sara Gray Photography holiday cards (there are two choices) and they’re part of the family portrait deal I’m offering throughout the fall and early winter.

For $250, you’ll get a family portrait session on location plus a set of 25 of the coolest and most unique holiday cards around. You get to choose which one you like best, and each card will feature a few photos of each family. The cards were custom-designed specifically for my clients, so it’s a chance to be different this year with what you send out.

Appointments are available starting now and leading up until the first week in December, and your cards will be delivered straight to your door. I think it’s a great way to get your family together around the holidays and end up with some great new photos and your annual cards taken care of!

To schedule your holiday family session, call me at 503.927.3077 or fill out the contact form and we’ll get you on the calendar! Appointments are only offered for nine weeks, so make sure you get it scheduled before both of our holiday calendars fill up.

A note to Seattle clients: I will be offering several dates in the Seattle area for these sessions, so get in touch soon — I haven’t forgotten you.

**Clarification: The holiday cards are folded cards, so the front main photo and design is on the front of the card and the smaller photos and message will be on the inside. There is also a small version of my logo on the back of each card. Thanks, Catherine, for reminding me to clarify!

Well, the month of June has almost come to an end, and that means the Big Brothers Big Sisters 25/25 promotion is drawing to a close. I’ve got to admit, I had visions of booking the calendar full with people taking advantage of the promotion and of me writing a check with many zeros on it to Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. Alas, the response wasn’t quite that big, but I am proud of what we did – together with two very willing families, I’m glad to announce that I am going to be writing a check for $90 out to the organization this week.

I do want to say it’s been loads of fun working with them, I really believe in what they do and I encourage you, even if you didn’t go through me to help them out, to find out more about what they do and either volunteer or think about sending a small (or big!) donation. I also hope we can partner together again in the future for more promotions like this!

Because every post is better with a photo, enjoy this little teaser from my weekend in Seattle. This is my dear friends Angie and Sam’s little guy, Manny, and he’s full of personality. You’ll be seeing more of him on the blog in the next couple of weeks. Have a great Monday!

In a down economy, one of the first things people cut out is their donations to charitable organizations. There are many that are hurting, and one local charity here in the Portland area that really needs continued community support is Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.

Here’s what they do: “Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children reach their potential through professionally-supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that have a measurable impact. Founded in 2002, Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest has become the largest one-to-one mentoring program in Oregon, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency on the west coast and the ninth largest nationwide.”

They serve kids in seven local counties, including southwest Washington, and the children helped by their organization are more likely to get better grades, maintain healthy relationships and avoid drugs and alcohol. It’s a really important cause, and these people are doing great work.

So here’s the deal: for the month of June, I’m going to be doing a special promotion that will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. We’re calling it the “25/25″ promotion and it works like this: You call or e-mail to schedule a family portrait session during the month of June – a perfect Father’s Day gift, by the way! – and you mention Big Brothers Big Sisters. You’ll get 25% off your package as part of the promotion. Depending on the package you purchase, that’s between $100 and $250 off!

The second part is that at the end of the promotion, 25% of the profits will be donated directly back to Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. You win, they win. It’s that simple.

Ready to get started? Go here to fill out our contact form, or call me directly at (503)927-3077 to get an appointment on the calendar, and let’s help this great organization together!