Laurie Endsley Photography

WE'VE MOVED!!

2012-01-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

YOU CAN NOW FIND MY BLOG LOCATED AT laurieendsley.com

There is Still a ton of work to be done own my new site so please be patient with me. In the mean time all of my old posts can be found there as well as all of my new ones!

Happy Crafting!
Happy Clicking!
Happy Cooking!

Blogspot its been real!
Laurie

January: Pictures to take this month.

2012-01-11T04:08:00.000-08:00

OK, so it is the start of a new year, lets get off on the right foot as far as recording those memories this year! That way at the end of the year you can pick your favorites and make them into an amazing album for you, for the grandparents and... for the children. (You DO know that everything is always for the children, right?) :)

Here is my list for january of picture that are must haves or must takes:
1. NewYears Eve (we don't have this, we were all asleep by 9!)
2. Playing with new toy
3. A picture for the thank you cards (always cute if they are holding a "Thank you" sign)
4. Writing thank you notes for holiday gifts
5. Child's art work on the fridge. (always fun to do it with them!)
6. First book you are reading
7. The list of your New Year's Resolutions

And because I am keen (isn't that a fab word?) on living by example. Here is my little guy playing with a new toy....

I Heart Faces: Best Face Photo from 2011

2012-01-09T00:54:00.000-08:00

Dear I Heart Faces,

Thanks for starting the year off with a contest where I knew exactly which picture I wanted to enter!! This is one of my favorites from this past year! For more entries hop on over to I Heart Faces for some AMAZING entries!!

Love Laurie

Photography Tip: How to preserve your family memories

2012-01-06T13:41:00.000-08:00

As we all know it is not enough to JUST have a session or click away at your little ones doing something cute, you need to get those images out of the computer and into Albums and up on the wall. I have collected some sites and ideas for you so that you can see some handy ways that people display their images.

I do an album each year of my favorite images. Personally, mine are relatively small, maybe 30 pages 100 or so images... Below is a link to a site where Susan Keller shows how she makes her UBER album each year.

This image is from the site Iheartfaces.com If you click on the link or the picture there is a great article about how to pick the pictures you want to save and how you want to put together your album.

Or you can display them in your home... I love the idea of canvas pictures...

Or check out this website where there are great displaying ideas. (Click on picture to link)

Or something like these....

There are tons of different ways to display your images! Think outside the box or just come back and visit next time I do a display post!!

Happy Snapping!

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LOVE MINIS!

2012-01-04T05:59:00.000-08:00

Ahh, Love is in the air!! Let's record it! Document it! And enjoy it!! As always don't forget to snap a few pictures of the ones you love this week! Happy Snapping!!!

Favorites of 2011 Holidays Part II

2012-01-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

I can't help it... when I start doing my favorite posts I IMMEDIATELY think of Sound of Music and the song "These are a few of my favorite things" and it is had to narrow down the love but here are my next five...

6. Talk about a trooper, its freezing, the ground is wet, it's crowded and this little one brought it! Her A game that is!! I LOVE this little girl... and the coat. I would totally steal the coat if it was in my size. I it is I may beg momma to let me borrow it for my little one when the time comes.

7. Oh, if all of our families could be this beautiful...

8. This little guys walk aways KILL ME with cuteness...every...single...time.

9. Single handedly my FAVORITE couple picture of the year. Why? Because they look so in love, so connected and so happy. This family is fantastic and I CANNOT wait for our next session~~

AND 10. Ok fine, it's cheating, it's really 5 pictures but edited as one as a storyboard. Love it. Love the story behind it, love the couple. (apparently, love the word "love" in this post...)

Oh, there are so many more pictures that I just die over but I can't post them all, that would take forever and I am already pushing it because the house seems quiet.... too quiet! Much love to all my families and clients for amazing sessions this past year. I hope to see you for the Valentine's Minis!

These are a few of my favorite sessions. (Sing to the tune of "These are a few of my favorite things.") PART I

2012-01-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

I did almost twice as many Christmas/holiday sessions this year than I did in 2010! I hope to add an additional 20% to that this year (feel free to start spreading the word...) And here are a few of my favorite ones...

1. If I could guarantee that if I had twins they would turn out this cute... I'd have two sets.

2. For an hour, early in the morning in the FREEZING cold (remember that 5 minutes in early December when it was cold?) This teen did not take a single bad picture. Love. her.

3. The puppy, Piper was a Christmas gift this year... lucky girl. :) And after taking the pictures... lucky Piper. What a sweet couple.

4. One of the last pictures from my Stockyard sessions. I love the mommy and little guy talking pictures. What a sweet moment.

5. My very first holiday session. I love these people!! How great is that wagon...

Crave Photography is giving away a lens!!

2012-01-01T07:45:00.000-08:00

I love Crave photography's work! She is located out of Utah and does lots of photoshop mentoring... They are currently hosting a contest to give a way a NIkon or Canon 85mm lens. Go check it out!

Click here to enter!!

You can also find her on pinterest and Facebook!

So... they really do watch what you do.

2011-12-17T06:07:00.000-08:00

There was a moment about two days ago when my house seemed strangely quiet. Since usually we are at a sound level that rivals a landing strip I felt the need to go see if I could find my fist born. As I rounded the corner to his room I saw that he had taken my tripod from the study and had set it up in the hallway. You know how people always say, "your kids watch everything you do?" Well, apparently it's true... and hilarious!

Don't forget to snap some pics of your little ones today! Happy Snapping!!

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The sneak attack picture.

The picture after he realized he was not going to get in trouble for stealing my tripod.

I heart faces: Furry Faces!!

2011-12-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

I didn't have an entry for this week (and I was pretty bent out of shape about it because how much fun are pets and furry faces?!? But then I got this AMAZING session this past Friday where a great Hubby surprised his wife with a puppy for Christmas! And I have to Ask, How cute is this face? Take look at my I'm getting SOMETHING for Christmas post for the reveal of Piper the Puppy and head over to I Heart Faces for more great pet entries.

Happy Monday All!

I'm So Crafty: I made a ruffled Christmas tree skirt

2011-12-12T06:10:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I was... researching (yes, that is what I am calling the HOURS I spend on that site) on Pinterest, I found this AMAZING ruffled tree skirt. And I thought I could do that. Now, I knew I couldn't do a full skirt because I have, like a million kids. Ok fine, I just have two but The little Guy moves around... a lot.

Jake moving around a lot.

But oh, how I wanted that look. Sooo, I took my old tree skirt and decided to add ruffles to it. Here we go....

First, I took some muslin and extended my skirt by about 8 inches.

My old tree skirt getting a facelift.

Jake contemplating where to move next....

Then I cut a TON of Burlap strips.

A bunch of Burlap strips.

And hot glued them in a ruffly look.

Start with the bottom ruffle and just start gluing!

A close up.

Simple folds make the ruffle. If you look close you can see my finger prints in hot glue on the burlap.

And the finished product.

Not bad for a pack of glue sticks and $8.00 worth of fabric!

Like my post, like me, wanna know when I post my sessions and craftiness? Follow me on my blog or on Facebook or both.

And Happy Christmas and Happy Crafting!!

Photo Card

2011-12-11T12:36:00.001-08:00

With Glee Christmas

Turn your favorite photos into personalized Christmas cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

I'm getting something for Christmas Session

2011-12-09T17:22:00.001-08:00

I. Love. This. Session. I love the location. I love the people and I love the premise. Who doesn't love the perfect skies, beautiful people and the cutest puppy ever? Talk about making my job easy.

Like my sessions, hire me. Like my blog, follow me. Like to know what I post and session more of my work, follow me on Facebook.

Here they are making my job easy.

Photography Tips: Great Captures and Pictures to take this month

2011-12-09T05:42:00.001-08:00

We all know that I love suggesting pictures that you can take yourself. I love it for two reasons:

1.) I like telling people what to do.

2.) I love me some list!!

So, with this being the happy time of year here is the LIST of captures I am ORDERING you to take!!

* Your family doing a Christmas Activity (making cookies, a gingerbread house, watching Frosty the Snowman in their Pjs.)

*Presents under the Tree

*Your kiddos with Santa

*A picture of your kids Christmas list (this would be GREAT for the baby books and boxes! hmmm, I might steal this and do it every year...)

*A cup of Cheer. (Hot chocolate, coffee, a hot toddy...)

*Snow if you have it!

* Your kids holding a festive sign.

Just a short list of things to help you get started on making sure your families holidays are recorded! Get to it and Happy Shooting!!

And because every post needs a pic...

Jake holding his festive sign...

Our family's attempt at a Gingerbread house.

2011-12-07T09:12:00.001-08:00

Holy Cow. That's all I have to say about our Gingerbread house. Yesterday we gathered around the ol' family kitchen table, the Hubs, Jakers, Mads and I and gave decorating the family gingerbread house a go. As you can see, this may not be where our talents lie. I will admit that the Hubs is turning out to be pretty handy with an icing bag. I think he might have decorated a cookie house or two in his past. And Jake is pretty good at placing (and scarfing down)candy, note the awesome Roof and window job... I think I might be the weak link here... I did those trees out front. I have aptly name it the Gingerbread house that Love built, itsn't that the important thing?

Either way, Happy Christmas time!

And, thanks Memaw and Pawpaw for the Gingerbread house kit. :)

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Note the not straight buttons on the gingerbreadman. Seriously, I promise I didn't decorate with my feet!

Jake decorated the door, still a little proud of that...

There is the Jake finger smear. If James and Jake get sick it is NOT my cooking... this time.

My baby girl is 14 weeks

2011-12-06T12:11:00.001-08:00

Every few weeks I like to take a few quick shots of the kiddos. they grow so fast and I want to be able to remember as much as I possibly can. So this past week I took the Jakers out (will post soon) and today was Mads turn. Oh, how I love this little face! How I lucked out and got such a sweet and happy baby I will never know!

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas Session

2011-12-03T12:18:00.001-08:00

I love this little guy, not only does he make my job easy but when I got a Christmas card in the mail with his face all over it I couldn't help but smile back!! So, thank you little man for making me grin and Happy Birthday!!

Photography Tips: Pictures to take this winter

2011-12-01T07:22:00.000-08:00

I have finally made my short list of "Must-Take" pictures for this holiday season. I thought I would take a moment and share it with you! There are of course a ton more pictures that you could take (and please do!!) but this is a great starter list to get you thinking about what you might what to document this season.

The "must take" list:

1. Family members putting up the tree

2. Mantle hung with stockings

3. Visiting Santa

4. Menorah being lit

5. Shopping bags filled from shopping trips

6. Making cookies

7. pictures of your Elf (more on the elf here)

8. Your little ones in front of the tree

9. Kids in their Christmas/winter gear

10. A sneak peek of your kids opening presents and stockings

11. Putting up the lights

My take on #8.... this image took me forever! But I finally got one that I was happy with. It was taken during the day with Jake in front of the Christmas tree (not beside) and looking out the window.

TIPS for great images

Remember try multiple angles, don't be afraid to focus on little parts of an image (fingers, toes, one cookie...) and whenever possible natural light is your friend. Also, actions shots are fun and they give depth to your images, so there is no need to line everyone up and make them sit and smile for the camera. Enjoy and happy shooting!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Session Sneak Peek

2011-11-29T05:34:00.000-08:00

It was cold, it was windy and the place was crowded. Not ideal for an amazing session but somehow this little fam managed to take some of the greatest pictures... ever! I love some many of them that I want to print some of them out and hang them up in MY house!! I can't wait to see which ones they chose for their Christmas cards.

90 Miles and hour: Elf on the Shelf

2011-11-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

I am so excited for Christmas this year! Our tree is up, our presents are bought (at least most of them are!) and my little guy is finally (he's 2 1/2) big enough for Elf on the Shelf. I have had many a question about what Elf on the Shelf is, so I thought I would do a simple run down so that you could participate if you would like!

Elf on the Shelf is a little Elf who comes to visit from Santa in the North Pole around Christmas time. Everyday he watches the children to see if they are being naughty or nice and then each night he reports back to Santa what he saw that day. And then the next morning he is found in a different location in the house, like hide and seek. (And that is where this post comes in.)

I have searched the internet and seen some GREAT Elf on the Shelf ideas. If you don't want to just move the location of your Elf but want him to be mischievous you could always have him doing fun things like....

Taking Santa's Hot Chocolate at http://community.babycenter.com

Snowball fight at Flikr.com

Turning the milk green at http://community.babycenter.com

or even:

- Elf drinking from Mom's coffee mug. (our corresponding advent event: Hot chocolates at Starbucks)

-Elf reading a Christmas book. (our corresponding advent event: reading The Night Before Christmas)

-Elf making snow angel in Sugar. (our corresponding advent event: Making Christmas cookies)

-Elf under mistletoe

-Elf: back from the north pole, sprinkle with coconut on our window sill

There are tons of ideas. We will be doing this as part of our advent calendar so I had to find 25 different elf-y ideas.I have pinned many at my Pinterest page here.

But don't let the kiddos touch him or he will lose all his magic and juts become a doll. :)

*** Elf and Book are available at Target and Amazon.com just search

ELF ON THE SHELF or go to the book section in Target.

And Happy... Elfing!

90 Miles an hour: Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T04:41:00.000-08:00

Ah, Thanksgiving the one day a year where everyone expects you to eat until you fall asleep! How could you not love this holiday? The pies, the big, fat, juicy roasted (or fried... did you know that they have an indoor frier now? $138 at Costco.) Turkey. All that dressing and yummy goodness. And then there are the pies, oh the pies... Apple, Sweet potato, cherry, chocolate... pumpkin and my new discovery Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake which is just shut your mouth, slap your grandma good stuff. The football and the screaming and yelling that goes with it...

But what I love most is the family. It's a time to be with all the ones you love, to remember what they mean to you, to remember all the reasons you love them. So this Thanksgiving, while you are seated around the adults table (secretly wishing you were at the kids table with your adult beverage because you totally know that Batman could take Superman in any fight...) take a moment and drink it all in; The way the house smells, Dad yelling at the TV, the baby asleep in Grandma's arms... it won't be like this forever. And take a picture.

AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Madie Packed up and ready to head to Honey and Bear's Ranch.

Photography tips: What to wear for family photos: Part Two

2011-11-22T04:15:00.000-08:00

Holiday Sessions are in FULL swing (as are the holidays) So here is another post of what to wear for a session. (The first post can be found here.)Even if you aren't having professional pictures done, it is always a great idea to wear coordinating outfits when you get the family together, who knows maybe an impromtu session will take place after the thanksgiving meal.

A cute picture ideas: all the guys on the couch after the dinner watching football. Snap a shot during a commercial and you have all the men in one location. Just make sure that you clear the clutter from behind them before snapping the shot. OR What about a quick shot of everyone at the kids table? All seated and happy and occupied! Now if everyone is coordinating... you have a classic picture! I will be dressing my family to "match" and calling my family to see what everyone else is wearing to. Go, take pictures and enjoy your holiday.

As always feel free to share my post and link to my site, but please give credit!

http://robbiegphotography.com/blog/2009/09/04/what-to-wear-what-to-wear-tulsa-family-photographer/

http://corinanielsen.com/blog/what-to-wear-november-2011/

I'm Crafty: And Green! Homemade Shower Cleaner

2011-11-18T06:11:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I found this recipe (on re-nest.com) for Homemade nontoxic, animal friendly, child friendly, environmentally friendly, and CHEAP Shower Cleaner. With all those "promises" how could I not try it? Now, I am not a Shower cleaner, I hate it, so I am not going to use anything that prolongs my time spend in there cleaning... This cleaner is FABULOUS! Can I say that about a cleaner?

Here it is:
Organic Shower and tub cleaner:

In a jar (Note my Salsa jar), combine 1 2/3 cup baking sodawith 1/2 cup Dawn liquid soap. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Stir before using, (I used a spoon). Apply with a cloth or sponge and rinse well.

Dip your rag into the cleaner and rub onto the doors and tile. Then wait 1-2 minutes and take a barely damp rag and wipe off. I didn't even have smudges!

This Totally works! Give it a shot and then let me know if it works for you! i am trying a toilet cleaner next. :)

Happy Crafting... and Cleaning!!!

I heart Faces: Autumn

2011-11-14T05:20:00.000-08:00

For my entry this week I wasn't really sure what to pick. We have seen pumpkins, seen Halloween, I posted a leave entry last year so I thought...hmmm... how about gourds? So here is my entry, taken at the Dallas Arboretum during a cousin session. Now, I thought about lightning the photo up but loved the color contracts in this image!! For other fabulous entries head on over to I Heart Faces!!

Photography Tips: Where to get those Holiday Cards printed.

2011-11-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

So, you have decided to do Christmas card this year. I love Christmas Cards, I love taking the pictures (both as the photographer and the subject.) I love picking out the stamps, addressing them, mailing them. I love getting them in the mail (hint, hint.) But most of all... and if you are like me... most of all, I LOVE picking out what card I am going to send. That is what got me thinking about this post. I was going to offer prints through my photography business but after talking to a few other photographers I found that the best deal (financially) for my clients and friends is to present them with a cd of their images and let them pick their own print company for themselves.

Now, the question is, "Where do I go to find great cards?" Because I love you (and Holiday Cards!!) I have scouted the web for some great card sites for you. Here are a few different sites (with links) that I have found. AND all sites are pretty comparably priced. Vistaprint has the cheapest, but for the most part cards run from .50 to $3.10 a piece. Personally, I thought the cards at Shutterfly.com and Minted.com were the cutest!

So, weither you are my photography client (if your not, I would love to have you.) I have found some great places to get your cards.

As a side note: As far as profession picture prints and canvases, here there are HUGE discrepancies between commercial companies and ones that professional photographers use. I offer profession photograph prints and canvases to my clients for this reason!

As always thanks for stopping by, feel free to share and happy... carding!

Vistaprint.com

To view more cards at each site, click on the card. :) May not be visible if you are using a smart phone to access images.

minted.com

Photography tips: Fall Picture Must haves and how to do it!

2011-11-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

Tis the season to get that camera out and start documenting your families holidays! Halloween has come and gone, Thanksgiving is around the corner and soon your family will be tearing into presents underneath the Christmas tree. So, I thought it would be a great time to write a post about MUST HAVE Fall pictures and how to get some great shots.

Side Note: Every year I make a small album of my favorite pictures from the past year. It costs about 19.00 and each page spread is a month. All my albums are printed, no lose pictures, bound and all are the same size. Love it.

Here is a list of ideas to add to the ones documenting your Holidays this year:
A table set for thanksgiving
Everyone around the TV watching a football games
ranking leaves
Kids playing in a pile of leaves
A pumpkin pie.
your favorite hot beverage.

When taking the pictures, get up close, cut out unnecessary background, it clutters the picture and takes away from the pictures main focus. Try to use natural light when possible. Your house doesn't have a lot of natural light? Move objects next to a large window or open the front door and place your subject there! Give it a shot and let me know!

I'm Crafty: A Thanksgiving Turkey for my little turkey.

2011-11-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

What's the best thing about having kids during the holidays? Sure eating their Halloween candy is a perk. So is getting to see Santa and an having an excuse to sit at the kids table at Thanksgiving. But I truly believe that one of the biggest perks is the crazy stuff you get to dress them up in, especially when they are still too young to realize the hilarity of it all. Enter... the Turkey onesie. I made this a few days ago, with the help of my very patient and helpful hubby. Now, granted Mads onesie is a little big on her but we were expecting her to be a little bigger than 9 pounds at 2.5 months old and I wanted this to be a cheap craft so I used a ones we already had...

What you need:
*16 inches of Ribbon. I chose three different kinds, but I have seen it done with one type of ribbon and as many as six different types.

*6x6 inch square of brown material. (I used felt because it is thick and would cover the ribbon behind it)

*A snip of yellow material

*1 onesie. I actually used one with a saying on it and covered the saying. You can use any color and have your ribbon match that if you like and that would be perfect too!

*Sewing machine

*Thread

* About 30 mintues of free time.

Now, I didn't show the steps because there just isn't that much to it. Cut a shape that looks the one pictured. You Can trace the one that I have here and then enlarge it to the same to fit your onesie, if needed. Then cut the ribbon into as many tail feathers as you desire, the ones on the bottom need to be just a tad longer than the ones on top. You can not mess this up, seriously, if they are too short just use them in a different section of the tail. Pin together on the onesie and sew! And you are done.

I am planning on doing a matching headband and leggings too... but those are later crafts. :)

As always, feel free to share this with friends, link back to my site, and craft away. If you are not crafty, need additional help or would like me to make one for you, please email me and I will respond ASAP!

Now, go be Crafty!!

This is what it looks like up close and pinned.

The finished project. I love her look of "I am holding as still as possible mom, just take the picture."

Quick and easy: Capturing your little ones handprint.

2011-11-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

So on occasion you see an idea that is well... ingenious. So simple, yet so brilliant... this my fine friends is that idea. I am NOT bragging because its not my idea, but I stole it and now you can too! (My husband tells me that my m-i-l used to do this with him.)

As you know, I am ALL about photographing little ones, my little ones, your little ones, the people down the streets little ones. But sometimes all you want is a fast easy way to capture just how small your baby is right this moment. And that's where your copier comes in. This is my little man's hand (with mine to show size) on our copier and framed. I still need to do Little Mads hands too. I will be hanging it on the wall next to all our professional printed pictures.

Enjoy and feel free to share!

I made two copies, one for the wall and one for the baby book.

First Holiday session of 2011: And I love them.

2011-11-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ah, Fall is in the air. Christmas is 53 days away and holiday sessions have started! I love holiday sessions because they have become a part of my favorite time of year, the happiness, the joy... Everyone is just happy. And I love this session and these people!! :)

What to wear when you are having your picture taken... or you just wanna look cool.

2011-10-25T06:37:00.000-07:00

I have lots of my clients ask me "What should I wear for our session?" So, I scoured the web looking for some great clothing ideas. Frankly, I think some of the combos are great for ANY TIME not just for pictures!! I found some great sites with some great images and I have posted them along with some key "rules" here for you. I hope this helps!

Rules to Live by in pictures:
- pick 2-3 colors and stick with them.
-Accessories are your friend. You can change them up and and switch them out for completely different looks. A hat here bangles and bracelets there.
-This is the time to really show who you are. But you want to stay away from things that are too trendy, they will take away from the classic look in your pictures.
- Stay away from colors that are non complimentary to your skin tones and hair color. White rarely does great things for anyone so while it is a simple choice it may not be the best for a dominate color scheme.
-Patterns can add a lot of interest to a photograph.
-Layers are great! For the same reason as accessories! :)

http://lauriesachsphotography.com/blog/what-to-wear-guide via Pinterest.com

http://www.linajarmond.com/blog/what-to-wear-guide-9-working-on-your-color-scheme-raleigh-photography/ via Pinterest.com

From:

http://robbiegphotography.com/blog/2009/09/04/what-to-wear-what-to-wear-tulsa-family-photographer/ via Pinterest.

Need more help? Pinterest.com (you can follow me on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/laurieendsley/ and find all of my pinned clothing ideas and poses there. If you see something you like let me know for your session and we will use it!) is a great place to find ideas. You can also Google "What to wear for photographs" and TONS of ideas and pictures will pop up!

Photo images come from the site: (I found them on Pinterest!)
http://www.linajarmond.com/blog/what-to-wear-guide-9-working-on-your-color-scheme-raleigh-photography/
http://kristinrachellephotography.com/blog/2009/10/san-diego-photographer-fashion-friday-3/

Sometimes the Random shots are the best.

2011-10-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have a moment and JUST wish that you were able to snap a picture really quick? This was one of those moments. I love this pic of my brother and my little niece and nephew. Makes my heart happy. :) Happy Monday all!

I heart Faces: Let them be little

2011-10-24T05:40:00.000-07:00

So, its not a technically perfect picture but it is a perfect picture of my little guy being well... little.

And I am still not sure if this is my favorite picture or not but I know the rules. :) I look at pictures like this and think "Why was my first thought GRAB THE CAMERA!!!" and not "Hey Stop your kid from eating dirt." Either way Happy Monday Folks1!

The link back to IHF: I heart Faces

Yay for Little E and the Pumpkins!

2011-10-21T05:20:00.000-07:00

Last year this little guy came dressed as a monkey and this year we captured his serious side. I am IN LOVE with not only him, but his session!! When I got home and looked through our images I nearly jumped for joy... who am I kidding? You know me... I DID jump for joy!! Even though the patch was crowded and Little E was on the move that the lighting was great and that we got fantastic pictures. Can't wait for our Holiday session Little Man!

Little A takes on the Pumpkin Patch.

2011-10-19T04:10:00.000-07:00

100% personality and energy, that is what little A is full of... and I love it! How much fun are the little kiddos who keep you on your toes? With her great big ol' brown eyes and toothy smile I was thrilled to be taking pictures of her at the Pumpkin Patch this past Saturday. Oh, and the crazy hair!! I love how little A just radiates energy and life, makes me happy just thinking about it. I can't wait for our next session. Little A, thanks for an AMAZING session. :)

There is still time to book for Fall 2011

2011-10-04T07:57:00.001-07:00

The time is finally here to start booking your sessions. It is a first come first book on dates and times. You can message me via facebook, text, call or email me to book your dates and times.

In other exciting news... I will be offering professional prints of your session starting this fall. All sessions will still recieve the CD of high resolution prints but now you can order great quality prints as well. (Information will be provided at the time of booking.)

For information about what is included in each session please review the "Booking a Photography Session" section on the blog.

Thanks and I can't wait to "shoot" you!

Holiday/Fall Dates

Dates: October 28-29

Arlington Locations Available:

Babe’s Chicken House

Veterans Park

Dates: November 16-17, 27 and December 9-11

Frisco/Plano Locations Available:

Babe’s Chicken House

Frisco Historic Center

Central Park (this has both a water feature and a field)

Mini Sessions are available at all Frisco or Plano Locations

Dates: Nov 11-13, December 4-5

Fort Worth Location Available:

Stockyards

For returning clients, I am offering a 15% discount off of half and full sessions (This offer cannot be combined with any other offer.)

Half Session are priced at $63.75 while Full sessions will be $127.50. Prices listed do not include State SalesTax.

For an additional fee of $25 another date or location can be arranged. Please inquire if you are intersted in this option.

90 Miles and hour: Jake vs. the Pumpkins

2011-10-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

The Arboretum is in full swing with Pumpkiny goodness! Last week the kiddos and I made the short jaunt to the Dallas Arboretum and snapped a few pics for our October session. I am IN LOVE with how the pictures came out, especially the one I like to call... "mom why are you making me do this." See if you can guess which picture that is. :) If you would like to have a session at the Arboretum send me a message.

I Heart Faces: Favorite Things Challenge.

2011-10-03T07:04:00.001-07:00

This is my little guy... his current favorite thing? Apples. Lots and lots of Apples. Big ones. Small ones, Green ones, Red ones. You get the point. When I did his September pictures, (I do a small session each month of my kiddos so that I can see how they grow. I also make a year album of pictures in December and this way I always have pictures from each month that are not just snap shots. I also give albums to the grandparents.) the ONLY way I could get him to sit still long enough was to give him a huge apple. I don't mind that half of face is covered by an apple the size of his head because well, that's my Jake... and his favorite thing.

iheartfaces.com

Hello Arboretum, thanks for the Pumpkins.

2011-09-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

Ahh, there is a crisp fall feeling in the air... wait... no there's not! It's fall in Texas and when I did the first pumpkin session of the year it was 95 degrees out side. But that didn't slow this group down. We ran, we frolicked, we tore that Arboretum up. And I must say got some great pictures in the process.

If you would like an Arboretum session, please email me!

I'm Crafty: I love a good wreath.

2011-09-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

So... apparently I love wreaths. I don't know how this came about or why but all of a sudden I have a desire to make more wreaths than I have doors! I have done the kind with flowers and made some with balloons, but when I came across this idea I knew it was my next wreathing (is that a word?) project. And that is exactly what I am doing.

This is my latest creation, a yarn and felt Fall wreath for the front door. Let me know what you think!

**Want a wreath? They are super easy to make. Don't have time or aren't crafty, email me.

What you need:
1 thing of yarn (any color) $2.99
3 felt craft sheets .25 each
1 straw wreath with the plastic still on it. $3.99
Glue gun

As usual feel free to share the post, link to it, etc. Just make sure you let people know where you got it! Thanks and go be crafty.

I chose orange because I wanted a real "pop" of color, and well orange says fall to me. You start at one point on the wreath and just start wrapping. And you wrap and wrap and wrap. It is time consuming but incredibly easy. I did mine over a three day period during tv time at night... between story time, and three o'clock feedings...

An up close of the felt flowers. I am going to have to do a tutorial on these, but they are easy too. Start by cutting out a circle of felt and then cutting the circle in a spiral pattern, roll it all back up and hot glueing along the way. Don't worry like I said, I will do a tutorial on those later.

90 Miles an hour: Country in the city and a Big Apple.

2011-09-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you how excited I was when I saw this field last week? No, I can't because words do not describe how thrilled I was to find this in the middle of the city! So I packed the little man up (along with the hubby and the new Baby) and we headed out for pictures. the trick was having the Hubs drive around the city block with the babe in the back while I hopped out and snapped some quick pics!

P.S. If you want a session using this location we need to do it ASAP because i don't know how long it will last.

I Heart Faces: Back to School

2011-09-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

All I have to do is holler, "Jake its lesson time!" and my house is filled with the sound of little feet hitting the tile. Luckily for me they are usually in the direction of our lesson spot. I get misty just thinking about his first day of Kindergarten so I cherish when he comes to sit with me at lesson time... I know it will end all too soon.

http://www.iheartfaces.com/

I'm Hungry: "No-nuts for Breakfast please"

2011-09-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

"No-nuts. No-nuts!" That's what the little guy was calling for this morning. "Well, we can totally have No-ntus for breakfast." I replied with a grin. Why correct him when it is so much fun to have No-nuts for breakfast?

I had a few requests for my donut and glaze recipe on FB this past week. The basic recipe came from my Bella Cucina Artful Food Donut cook book. (Now, I should tell you I am one of those people who own a donut maker, no shame here... (Target $16) But from what I can tell you could also make them in a oil...

Here you go:

THE "NO-NUTS"
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp Vegetable oil

THE GLAZE: (This is my recipe because the ones I found were not sweet enough to balance the cake like donuts.)

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp sugar

Heat in microwave at 15 second intervals. It should come out runny so that you can drizzle. This is easily made to taste. You can also make mint (andes candies) butterscotch, any type with a little heated jelly...

90 Miles an hour: Breakfast at the Casa.

2011-09-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

To think just two years ago, the picture on the left was Jake.... where does the time go?

Noshing on a little formula before we start the day.

Granola... yes please.

I'm Crafty: Taggy Blanket

2011-08-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

We have all seen them in the stores for oh... 40.00 plus dollars. Most of us buy one or get one at the baby shower. But now you can make one in the colors that you want, the style you wish and the size you desire. That perfect taggy blanket can me yours for a little nubby material, some ribbon and a little time. Here is how you do it. Remember feel free to repost, share and use just tell people where you got it.

Not creative or want one made to your specifications? Contact me!

What you need:
1-2 yards of nubby material
scissors
sewing machine
thread
ribbon (varies based on blanket size)
stick pins

I bought a yard of this awesome green material because I am making a half blanket so it fits in the stroller without folding up but tucks cleaning on each side. I have also found that it fits better in a car seat at this size. However, if you are interested in a full sized taggy you need about 2 yards of material.

The tags. 6 inches long, 3 different ribbon types. I believe that the blankets look better if you vary the width of the ribbons that you are using. I start by cutting just a few and then more as needed so that I don't have left over 6 inch pieces.

Next, Fold your tags in half with the pretty side showing. You will pin your tags around the edges of the blanket on the pretty side of the nubby material. I spaced mine three inches apart in this case.

From a distance it looks something like this. I pinned all of the tags to just one side of the blanket. The other side will lay right (the pretty side) sides facing in the next step. I was going to use that black and white stripe ribbon you see by the machine on the right but it seemed like over kill when everything was together.

Ok, so the two pretty sides of the blanket are facing each other. The little "taggys" are on the inside of the blanket. Now, pin the second side of the blanket to the tags and the other side. Like a taggy sandwich. :)

Goes a little something like this when it is pinned. Then sew around the edges leaving enough room for you to turn the blanket right side out.

When it is turned pretty side out. it will look like this.

Then I sewed a seem on the outside of the blanket as well. you can chose to do a straight seem, a zigzag (which is what i did), a double seem... whatever suits your fancy.

The final product. Enjoy!!

I Heart Faces: Pets

2011-08-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

When I saw the theme for this week, I knew exactly what session I wanted to pull my entry from. When I did this session it was meant to be outdoors but Mother Nature had other plans. Instead of being a sunny and beautiful day like we expected it was the exact opposite, complete with the tornado sirens going off in the background. So my hubby helped me set up a make shift studio in our living room, ignored the sirens and managed to capture this awesome picture! It is still one of my favs!!

www.iheartfaces.com

Beautiful Eyes

2011-08-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

I just took this picture of my little guy last week. Sometime I am amazed at how little ones will elt you get right up in their faces with camera!

I'm Crafty: How to make AMAZING Iced Coffee

2011-08-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered that I love iced coffee... not a little bit but A LOT. Frankly, in my world of loves it falls somewhere between ice cream and the perfect pair of peep toe pumps. But the problem seemed to be trying to make the right cup with the right portions. I don't like my coffee too strong or too weak. I didn't want to have to work to hard to get my coffee and I wanted to only have to make it once a week. Well, folks here it is. I have listed a step by step how to make the perfect cup of iced coffee happen! Feel free to share, leave comments and let me know what you think. If you are not a follower of my blog, go ahead a follow so you know when things are posted!!

I used a 2 Mason Jars (Container stare 3.99 a piece) they close tight so that the coffee stays fresh for a week.

1 tablespoon per cup of water... I threw in an extra tablespoon this last round because I felt it needed a little more kick... loved it.

5 cups water, 6 tablespoons of coffee all in Mason Jar One. Place the lid on and give it a shake so that it is all mixed up and the grounds are soaked.

Wait 8-9 hours. Then you are going to filter the soaked grounds through a coffee filter. I went through about 2 filters, held in place with a rubber band. I was told you could also use cheese cloth but could not find some. Next time I am going to try it though...

The filtering process

The finished product, in Mason Jar Two. A full cup of ice... don't be stingy with the ice after all you ARE making iced coffee!

3/4 coffe, 1/4 whole milk. I like the whole milk because it gives a' richer taste. I would think if you liked flavored coffee you could add in you favorite flavored creamer.
ENJOY!!

Holiday and Fall Sessions 2011: IT'S BOOKING TIME!!!

2011-08-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

The time is finally here to start booking your sessions. It is a first come first book on dates and times. You can message me via facebook, text, call or email me to book your dates and times.

For information about what is included in each session please review the "Booking a Photography Session" section on the blog.

Thanks and I can't wait to "shoot" you!

Holiday/Fall Dates

Dates: October 28-29

Arlington Locations Available:

Babe’s Chicken House

Veterans Park

Dates: November 16-17, 27 and December 9-11

Frisco/Plano Locations Available:

Babe’s Chicken House

Frisco Historic Center

Central Park (this has both a water feature and a field)

Mini Sessions are available at all Frisco or Plano Locations

Dates: Nov 11-13, December 4-5

Fort Worth Location Available:

Stockyards

For returning clients, I am offering a 15% discount off of half and full sessions (This offer cannot be combined with any other offer.)
Half Session are priced at $63.75 while Full sessions will be $127.50. Prices listed do not include State SalesTax.

For an additional fee of $25 another date or location can be arranged. Please inquire if you are intersted in this option.

Pumpkin Patch Mini Sessions 2011

2011-08-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Patch Mini Sessions

Dates: October 14-16

Location: Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch

Price: 42.50 with tax

I'm Crafty: A new use for books.

2011-07-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

Our little Madie will be here in less than 45 days!! So this past week I was thinking about the final touches for the nursery and had decided that I wanted some really bright and happy pictures for the nursery... but where to get something different, fun and cheery? Something I hadn't see a million times over? So.... I headed out to Half Priced Books. That's right, the book store. I scoured the shelves and finally found a book with great pictures that I thought would be PERFECT for the nursery. Then I hit Target and for $14.00 a piece I got these great see through frames. I cut out the pictures using my circut cutter (about $15.00 at Hobby Lobby) but if you have a really steady hand you could do without one.

I love the idea so much I plan on doing the same in Jake's room and the kids bathroom...

Ah, I love this little guy Session

2011-07-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

And for my last session before maternity leave, I have a quick sneak peak (don't worry momma there will be more ASAP!) of one of my favorite little guys. How can you not just go crazy over that sweet little face, those big blue eyes and that always happy personality! I just love him!!!

How to display your favorite images.

2011-07-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

Well, you have asked and I have hunted... and researched and googled, and FINALLY have found some of my favorite ways to display your favorite images. Many time we do our sessions, we get the pictures back, we love them and want to show them off but think, "HOW!?!" Here are 19 images I have found for great arrangements to help give you some ideas on how and where to hang your favs. If you have any questions, go to my page on Facebook and leave me a comment on the link and I will do my very best to answer.

*Note: these are not my images. I googled arrangements and began scrolling through countless sites and tip blogs. Including but not limited to: www.ehow.com,www.familycircle.com,andiegopictures.org,www.thehome.com,lilyrose.hubpages.com,www.bhg.com/decorating,interiordec.about.com,www.hp.com, www.houzz.com, annalynchmcclary.wordpress.com, www.kaboodle.com, www.thingsthatinspire.net, www.homemadesimple.com, potterybarn.com

90 Miles an hour: The Acrylic Paint incident of 2011

2011-07-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, at 8 months pregnant you move... slowly. Add in a small space and a little guy who goes 0 to 90 Miles an hour in 3 seconds flat and you are bound to have disasters. Multiply that by the doctor's orders of "rest" now so the stress contractions will stop and you have my Thursday morning. Needless to say my little guy has a different idea of what "rest" means, and therefore we had the events that transpired this morning of me trying to squeeze through a too small space to get the acrylic paint he found away from him (no, I did not succeed.). God bless him. Sometimes parenthood really is laughing to keep from crying.

The space i couldn't get through to catch the Jakers.

I do have to admit... I kinda love this picture.

The clean up, Jake helped. Crazy kid loves to clean. :)

Poor kid... we have had a rough morning...

A Morning at the Stockyards Session

2011-07-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

I don't know what's better an incredibly adorable lively three year old or a momma who comes prepared. Luckily for my session last week I got both! It was great to meet up with this little guy and his mom at one of my favorite locations, the Stockyards to do his three year pictures. And let me tell you with those bright, happy big brown eyes and mommas pocket full of quarters for the the carousel and horse (let me tell you I went straight home and loaded up the diaper bag quarters!!) we have a great time... we almost didn't notice the 103 degree heat!!!

Fix it Friday on I heart Faces! #105

2011-07-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

I love Fix it Fridays. I haven't participated in a long time because of sessions, school, the little guy, growing a human... But I had some free time today so I entered. Here are my edits, let me know what you think!!

This is the Original from IHF.

My color edit. I brightened the picture, added a Gaussian Blur and sharpened the entire image.

Took my edit and made the original Layer urban black and white upping the contrast in the process. I left the blur /second layer as color so that the image would have a soft faded feel to it.

I'm Crafty: Farm animal cupcakes

2011-07-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

Allison Chose to make Cow and Pig Cupcakes but as soon as you see the process you will know that you can easily make just about any animal imaginable. Wouldn't this be so cute with monkeys?

For this installment of "I'm Crafty" its not actually ME who is crafty! I have this amazing friend Allison Kulle and she is a chef, yes an honest to God, "I don't burn things" trained chef. This past weekend was her little girl's birthday and for her party Allison made these amazingly cute cupcakes. When I asked her about them she told me she had taken pictures of the process (I knew I liked her.) Well, I had her forward those pictures on over to me so that I could share them with you. That way we could all make crafty cupcakes too!

PInk marshmallows cut in half, with little chocolate chips in the middle make the snout.

Pink frosting. A little red food coloring (or pink food coloring if you can find it) to the color tone of your choice.

The ears are the other half of the marshmallow cut in half, frost the cupcakes and BOOM!
The eyes, and yes your animal needs some peepers, can be bought at Michaels.

Boom! the perfect little pig!

To keep with the "pink pig" theme Allison used Strawberry cupcakes.

But wait... there is more! Frost in white to start the cows. Allison used chocolate cupcakes here.

Smore marshmallows, cut in half make the nose, cut in half again and its ears. Mini chocolate chips for the nostrils...

Runt's bananas for ears and you have a COW!

Seriously, have you ever seen anything this cute?

And there you have it. Great for a first birthday, a second birthday... my 32nd birthday...

Hopefully, Allison is going to become a regular on the blog in a new blog post cooking series!

I'm Crafty: How to make a Birthday Wreath.

2011-06-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

Both the Little man and the Big man's birthdays are both coming up this weekend. And clearly we were going to need a way to greet our party guest at the front door! I found this wreath online and thought... how hard could it be? Turns out... piece of (birthday) cake.

What you need:

floral pins (found at Hobby Lobby 75 for $1.39) I used 3 packs.

straw wreath (Hobby Lobby $3.99)

And a TON of balloons. I used almost 300 (at Wal-mart a pack of 75 is $5.)

I then wrapped wrapping string round the top to hang it from the door. But you could use ribbon or do a hook on the back... lots of options. Let me know if you have any questions and happy crafting. :)

The pins are "U" shaped and you can find them in the floral area. Then you just stick them in all "willy-nilly."

Here is the finished product. Not bad, huh? Took about 45 minutes to complete.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

I have known my Dad for awhile now and let's face it...I love the guy. When I was going through my pictures from Father's Day and I saw this one, I thought..."yup, That's my dad!"

Not many people can say that their dad has always been there for them. That he taught them how to ride a bike and picked them up when they scraped their knee. That he coached their softball team, soccer team, ran times at their swim meets and showed up to track meets over and over and over again. But I can. I can also tell you he gave me a great example of what to look for in a husband, in a partner and in the future father of my children, and thanks to him I knew what I had when I found my Jameson. So thanks Dad, for all the homework help, the one on one time and letting me know you love me. I love you too.

I Heart Faces: Let's hear it for the boys!

2011-06-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you forget how small your kids used to be... you get so used to looking at them as they are and forget how tiny they used to be. WHen I went looking for a picture for this week's contest I can across this picture taken a little over a year ago. And I could, if just for a moment... remember my little guy in all his baby pudginess. Boy, I miss that.

www.iheartfaces.com

A little less than extreme couponing.

2011-06-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

About two months ago I started couponing. It really started out more as a challenge to myself to see how much I could save more than necessity or frugality. I had seen that show "Extreme Couponing" on TLC and thought... seriously it can't be that hard. And surprisingly its not! Now, let me preface by saying I have no desire to be one of those crazy coupon ladies who have 450 things of deodorant in my basement or 100 cans of cat food and no cat. My goal is to get in and out of the store before Jake knocks over another hot sauce rack or throws up in aisle 14... again and if I can save 25%-30% then that's even better,

So how do I do it? I comparison price shop, use the flyers from Krogers, Albertson, and Walmart that come in the Sunday paper and in the mail on Tuesday, Coupon.com and ONE (1) Sunday paper. By just using these tools you can save quite a bit without investing a lot of time and effort.

Under each of the following pictures I have laid out my strategies. Please if you have questions like my Facebook page and leave me a question/comment. If you know some one who would like this post link it on your facebook, share it with friends just give so some credit!! This is just to get you started, the more I figure out the more I will share. Enjoy!

This is the front page of my binder. I have a zip lock bag with all my old receipts so I can check back on prices as needed, and my savings per week chart to know whether or not I am wasting my time. I am not... in the six weeks I have been doing this we have had 1 bill over 100.00 and that was the first week.

The front of my binder. On the left I have a list of things that I have plenty of and don't need to buy anymore, I don't want to be one of those crazy hoarding people. So these are all things that I don't even need to think about buying or circling. I also have an index card that says CVS has better prices than Walgreens... and they do 90% of the time and thats enough for me. I go to CVS only because they do a ton of buy 1 get 1 free sales and sometimes the prices beat walmart. (If you just stick with Walmart though you will get better prices 75% of the time and if you don't want to go to two places I totally get that be cause usually I don't either and just stick with Walmart unless I have a ton of coupons that will make the Buy 1 get 1 sales freakin' awesome.)

My coupons are in baseball card sheets. (Walmart $4 at one of the registers and you get like 32 pages which is plenty starting out.) I separate into 12 categories. (My labels are just an index card cut into labels and taped on to the first page of each section. Again I am pretty cheap just in general.) And I have sections like Frozen, baby, dairy, paper, etc... With them separated this much its easy to see what I have. The card holders make it easy to see the expiration date too because the front and back are clear and everything lays flat..

When the ads come in the mail. I circle the items I know we are going to need or that we use and won't go bad. I then check my coupon book and try to match coupons to the ads. Again sounds worse than it is, this is usually about 20 minutes of my weekly hour of couponing. I then add the things that need to be to my list. This is how I got all that detergent for 8.00 and the free stuff I have posted before.

I don't carry my binder into the store. I have take all my coupons, double check for expiration and accuracy before hand, then I never even take them out of my bag until check out. I make a list on what I need, mark what has a coupon and how much the coupon is for and if there is an ad that has a better price.

So my grocery list looks something like this...

Diapers Tom Thumb 8.99 Coupon S1.50

Coke Krogers .88

bananas Krogers .67

Razors Albertsons 5.99 Coupon $4.00

This way I can just glance at my list and know if the price is better.

That's what little girls are made of... Session

2011-06-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice. That's what little girls are made of. If ever a little girl fit this description it was this little one here! She started and ended the session with big smile for her mommy and me! And luckily my camera was there to catch every single sweet expression. When Mom told me that her daddy love her eyes and eye lashes I knew I was going to love this session. Look at those lashes and swoon. I think I am in love!

I heart Faces: Bright and Vivid

2011-06-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

I hate to admit it but, gasp, this is my first entry of the year. But when i saw that the challenge was Bright and vivid I immediately thought of the my little guy in bluebonnets. I loved unexpected captures like this one, where you just capture the person being them. And i hope I did my linky thingy right, if I didn't let me know! Thanks guys and Happy Monday!

http://www.iheartfaces.com/

90 Miles an hour: Jake gets new clothes and a sandbox.

2011-06-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit that I was NOT on my A game when I got Jake dress this morning. I was so excited about his new shirt and cute little shorts that I rushed him out of his little night time onesie this morning so I could see just how cute he would look in his new clothes. However, what I forgot to calculate into the cute equation was.... the new sandbox.

Ten minutes in new clothes+five minutes in the sandbox= Priceless picture of the little guy having fun!

Thank God for wash machines.

The Twins turn one: Part Two: Black and White

2011-05-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

There were so many cute ones from this session that I had to share just a few more pictures of cuteness personified.

90 Miles an hour: Jake wears Pampers Swim pull ups.

2011-05-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

Who are we kidding... Swim Pull ups are hilarious looking. Oh, sure they try to "cool" them up with Diego or Dora... but really they are just another way to find your children amusing.

The Twins turn One!

2011-05-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it... after taking their photographs for 9 months, my favorite little twins have turned one. They grow up so stinkin' FAST!!! And they move even faster. It took both parents and a 6 month pregnant me all to keep up with them this go round and even then I think they got away from us more times then we would like to admit. Now, I am not done editing their awesomely adorable session but I just had to post a few.

90 Miles an hour: Splash day!!

2011-05-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

We love splash day... main;y because our kids are awesome!

A pitstop at 90 miles an hour.

2011-05-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

I love this picture. I don't really know why, but I do. I love the little hand grasping the block, the way some are stacked and some aren't... the way haphazard yet orderly way my little guy was meticulously stacking blocks, like he had a plan or a vision for the block city he was building. What made me snap the pictures was the consistently precise movements and placements that my little two year took, especially since he is usually "bull in a china closet-ish." Makes me wonder what is he thinking....

Going 90 miles an hour with all the Windows down.

2011-05-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

90 miles an hour with all the windows down. That's what its like being the mom of my two year old. Sometimes I swear he moves so fast you can't see his legs moving just a blur from the waist down. So this past weekend the dishes didn't get done, the floor didn't get swept and bedtimes weren't kept. But I did get to play Matchbox cars, build with building block, read Russell the Sheep one more time and snuggle with my little Jake who is growing up too fast anyway. I consider it a fair trade.

I'm Crafty: How to make a Pillow Case Dress.

2011-05-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

I posted a picture of a pillow case dress that I made for my little Madie we are expecting in September on my Facebook page... and boy did I get a response. Many of you asked how to do it... well, here are the step by step instructions I promised. This is just the basic dress, you can add ruffles and pleats, like the one I made for her. I will show you how to do pleats and ruffles in the next I'm Crafty post. If you have questions email me or if you want one made let me know.

What you need to get started:
A sewing machine
Thread
Scissors
Iron/ironing board
Tissue paper for your pattern or McCall Pattern M6058
1/2 yard of material for the outside of dress
1/2 yard for lining
Ribbon of your choice

Here is my pattern. First figure out how long you want to make the dress. This one is for a 13-17 pound baby. (14 inches long) The easiest way to determine this is to go get a dress out of your little ones closet and measure the length, and the placement of the arm holes. (I made my pattern out of tissue paper.) You can't mess up on the size of the neck area because the ribbon you run around the neck line gives you plenty of wiggle room. But if you don't even want to attempt to make your own pattern McCalls M6058 pattern (you can find them at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby) will fit up to a two year old, the weight and sizes are on the back of the pattern envelope and I believe they also have a pattern that fits up to size 6x.

Fold your material to that you can pin your pattern. (The next picture is a wide angle.)

See all that material on top? That is material I am not using on this dress. I folded the material so my half pattern just fits on the material. The I cut out two. A front and a back.

This is the lining. I just did a plain white, but you can use ANYTHING you want. Solids are easier because you can't pin them backwards and we are going to be doing some turning things inside out. :)

Here are my 4 finished pieces.

Iron everything perfectly flat.

Stack the front and one of the linings together. The fronts and the backs of all the pieces are the same since you used the same pattern four times. Notice that the right side of the material is facing down. Easy right?

Pin it together. And do this for the back as well.

I set my machine on just a simple normal stitch. For this dress I start on a "9".

Sew along the side of the dress, along the bottom and up the other side. Don't sew the top neck part closed you are going to have to turn the dress pieces right side out so you can see the pretty side of the material.

And we are SEWING!!

Turn the piece right side out.

It looks something like this.

To make all the angles sharp, take a pencil or your scissors and run it along the edges inside the piece so that all the points are sharp.

Iron again to make everything look sharp and clean. The iron is your best friend when you sew. It can make everything look great... well almost everything!

Press the neck line (both front and back flat.) I have about an inch flap here.

I set my machine on the zigzag stitch. I am sure it has a more professional name... but I don't know it. :) You can also do this as a regular stitch. I like the zigzag because it adds character to the dress.

The finished space for the ribbon.

Pin the sides together and sew along each side.

Press the seem flat.

Attach a Safety pin to the end of your ribbon. Then thread the ribbon through the top hole that you made. The safety pin will make it easy to move through the space you made for the ribbon at the neckline.

The Ribbon Run through it.

The finished product

And there you have it!!

Happy Sewing. Next I am planning on making hooded towels for Jake and Madie!!

I love him most when he is asleep, and even more when he is awake.

2011-05-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

You know what they say about a cobblers kids... maybe the same is true for a photographers child, but I am bound and determined to document my little man every chance I get. I haven't taken pictures of my little man in weeks. Ok that's not true, I take pictures of him all the time, but I'm talking about pictures where he is wearing cute clothing, not covered in bubble mixture and yogurt and the background isn't our kitchen or family room. So this past week I took Jake over to one of my favorite locations and shot a quick mini-mini of him. I love this kid more than life, I just can't help it. :)

I now pronounce you Mr. And Mrs...

2011-05-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

It has been LIFETIME since I posted some of my sessions. Don't worry I am going to be more vigilant on getting them up. So... let's start with this one.

About a month ago (I know, I know I took forever posting this one) I second shot a beautiful wedding in grapevine. The day was beautiful, the bride was beautiful, the cake was fantastic... It was an amazing day and here are some of the moments I was lucky enough to be able to capture.

Baby Blues Session: Part 2

2011-04-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, Ok, sometime I just love a picture so much that I have to add another sneak peek. Not surprising my session from last Sunday has made another sneak peek necessary!

Baby Blues Session

2011-04-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

Oh... my... gosh! Have you ever seen such big beautiful blue eyes on such an itty bitty thing? I can't get enough of them!! This little one was amazing to shoot, and even when she was cranky she was adorable. In fact some of the cranky pictures are my Favs!! (And can I tell you I would KILL for momma's hair!) There were so many great shots that it was hard to pick just a few for the sneak peek, but I tried!!

Little man in the Bluebonnets.

2011-04-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

I had a great time chasing this little guy around the bluebonnets last week, except for that moment when I crouched over the one cactus in the field! What a joy this little guy must be to his momma, I know he was to me. Every time he said, "momma, help me help." my heart just melted a little more. I hope momma and little man enjoyed the session half as much as I did!

Jake Location Scouting... take oh... MILLION

2011-04-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

A Sunday stroll in the bluebonnets Session

2011-04-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

Why do I love my job? Because of little girls like this! When the little one you are photographing reaches up and takes your hand as you walk through a patch of bluebonnets its hard to not just be filled with happiness. So thank you to my new best friend and her sweet mama for making my Sunday session such a joy... (well except for the cactus quills I had to dig out of my hand when I got home, but that was my own fault!)

We are Family!

2011-03-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

The last of my 'mini-minis" from Saturday... my family. Ok, part of my family anyway. Even though the ground was...moist to say the least, we were working on a time crunch and it was FREEZING we really did get some great pictures!

Spring time in Texas Mini-mini Session

2011-03-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

You know how you can tell two people just belong together? Well, these pictures certainly tell that story. it was so much fun doing a "mini-mini" with this adorable couple because they were so in sync it made taking the pictures a piece of cake... Thanks guys, until next time!!

Baby in a bonnet... in the Bluebonnets!

2011-03-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Yay! It's Bluebonnet time in Texas again and no one makes it look as cute as this little one! We did a quick "mini-mini" this past Saturday and here is her sneak peek!

I Heart Faces- Slice of Life

2011-03-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

Ahh, this is our Jake, our slice of life. The one who keeps us on our toes, makes us smile and wakes us up at 4am because he is ready to play. I can't image anyone else capturing the phrase "slice of life." My husband and I... this is our slice of life. :)

Jake does Blue bonnet time in Texas

2011-03-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

I have been on the look out for blue bonnets for weeks! And today we found some!! Jake had a great time running through them and I had a crazy time following him with the camera, trying to make sure Jake didn't step on them and avoid the state flower myself. In the end I loved the results. :)

2011-03-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

I... love... this... face! I do, I can't help it. These are from our mini-session last Sunday in a hidden gem of a location. This little guy has never looked cuter, I loved how his shirt had him fitting right in with the tulips and the greenery. And when I caught those elusive smiles on Sunday, I felt like I had won the lottery!(Good job momma!) One of my favorite moments of the whole session was when this little guy found a lady bug... you can't plan moments like that and they sure do make for great pictures. I can't wait for our next session.

My Future's so bright... Part 2!

2011-03-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Because I just adore so many from this session I wanted to do another sneak peek! Thanks for making me look so good!

My future's so bright...

2011-03-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this lady!! Not just because she made my job SO easy last week but because she is all round Ah-mazing! I have known her since my mom taught her in Kindergarten and I must say there is no way her parents aren't proud of her, I know I am!!

Boys will be boys Session

2011-03-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

What does cuteness, massive amounts of personality and sweetness look like in a package? Well, probably a lot like one of my sessions from this past week. I had the joy of chasing this little one around (on his birthday no less) for his 2 year old pictures. And don't let him tell you otherwise but he had fun too... I think his favorite part was throwing rocks in the water catchers. :) Happy Birthday Little Man!!

Thank Heaven for little boys.

2011-03-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

Mr. G really kept his parents on their toes on Tuesday... oh, who am I kidding he kept ME on my toes!! I don't think he really understood that when you are this cute, pictures just need to be taken. I had a great time chasing this little guy around as we watched for trucks, and listened for trains. Until next time little man!

Perfect for Spring... a Lily.

2011-03-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

There was never a sweeter baby that little Lily. She even had that sweet little baby smell that makes you want to lean in close and just breath it in (and I did... more than once!) She was perfect the entire session even when I was creating chaos around here. It might help that here mommy and daddy are two of the greatest parents ever or maybe she really is that perfect!

Spring is in the air.

2011-03-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

I love Spring. The new budding flowers, the birds chirping, my child covered in mud from the spring rain showers that just pop up from nowhere here in Texas. But the other day while Jake was running around trying to catch bugs and eat them, I was mesmerized by the Bartlett Pear Tree in our backyard and I just had to snap a few.

The Cousins Part II

2011-03-03T13:06:00.000-08:00

I don't know what is cuter.. the bunny ears and tutus or the adorably perfect sailor dresses. I am telling you the whole session was golden! I can't wait for our next one. :)

The cousins!

2011-03-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

This was such a great session. The girls spent the session in tutus, bunny ears and giggles. NOthing makes time fly faster than little giggles and sweet faces!! Could these two be any more adorable, probably not.

I HEART FACES: Anything but Faces

2011-02-28T05:55:00.000-08:00

I love this challenge!!! I knew immediately what picture I wanted to use even though I have so many pictures that I love where there is no face present. I chose this one for this week's challenge. In a matter of minutes these lifeless clothes will be brought to life to be used to save another. And knowing that these clothes have THAT job... make this image one of my favorites. Let me know what you think!!

The Twins are Nine Months.

2011-02-23T10:50:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite sessions of ALL TIME! Both girls were sweet and precious as always and we had such a great time in a different type of location this round. I know that their parents must have the best time with them because these two little girls make my day every single time I see them. I can't believe that they are already nine months old, time flies so quickly. until next time ladies!

Fit it Friday on I Heart Faces!!

2011-02-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

I love Fix it Fridays on I Heart Faces. And I love this picture!! One thing I worked on this week was cropping because as we all know cropping can make all the difference in making a snapshot more than just a snap shot. Let me know what you think of my edits.

Original Picture

Edit 1

Edit 2

I Heart Faces- Red

2011-02-14T05:52:00.000-08:00

Few things inspire little boys the way firemen and policemen do. So a few months ago we took baby Jake to the locate fire department to see the firemen. Needless to say one of his favorite parts of the firehouse was the fire engines. I am not sure what he is going to when he grows up but I do know our collection of firetrucks got much bigger after this trip!!

Fix it Friday #86

2011-02-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

Yay for Fix it Friday on I Heart Faces!! Somewhere between changing beds, Toddler Time at the Library and the gym I knew I was going to get it in today!! Let me know what you think!

I love him more than life when he is a sleep...

2011-02-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

I love Jake more than life when he is asleep and more than that when he is awake. Ahhh, I know it has been over a week since I got on and posted pictures... probably because this last week has been... well overall uninspiring and inspiring all at the same time. I am leaning towards changing my blog up... to make it more everyone friendly not just people who are interested in photography. Maybe a section about being a mom and wife, a cooking section and a crafty section.And of course the photography section front and center. But giving my blog more of a happy Pioneer Woman feel. I love her blog! So we'll see. If you have a thought on it let me know.

Jake, snow and the window

2011-02-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

When we had yet another artic blast come through last week all of North texas was shut down for four whole days. And guess where you could find Jake... at his window.

My first wedding: The reception

2011-02-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

Ahh, yet another installment of the wedding from this past Sunday. I love the first image so very much!!

I Heart Faces- Fix it Friday #85

2011-02-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

Yay Fix it Friday!! Just what I needed on the four snowed in day in North Texas!! Let me know what you think.

The original

My edit: Lifted all tint and color corrected the original. Then converted to black and white and upped the red color in the picture. I increased the contrast and there you go.