Here’s a quick sneak peak at a couple photos from a wedding I shot this weekend. I have much more to show you and tell you about this wedding – so FUN! But I couldn’t wait to show you these images -
More to come!
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Winter Wonderland – Snow photos
I’ve been hunkering down, sipping hot tea, sitting by the fire and staying warm. Despite all the cozy fun things we’ve been doing, snow days are hard for me. I keep thinking about all the things I should be getting done but can’t. Yesterday I forced myself to savor. I went out with my camera to take some wintery shots and play a little in the snow. It was so beautiful and peaceful. I’m still feeling a bit anxious with now the forth day off of school but, as I can do nothing to change this forced down-time, I’ve started to enjoy it more and actually feel more calm. I find that works every time I start to feel that way whether it’s snowy or not. Taking time to savor is the best remedy for anxiousness!
Here are a couple of shots from yesterday -
This next one was taken looking up underneath a tree -
Get out there and “savor” people!
Charity: Water
Thank you to all who supported me or someone in my family in an effort to bring clean water to people around the world who do not have access to it. Between myself, Ben and the girls we raised around $1700 over 2011.
I thought it’d be a good lesson for the girls to learn how fortunate we are in this country where we have anything we want so easily but I came away myself with a better understanding of this most basic problem. Let me tell you that I don’t take for granted anymore the hot shower I can take whenever I want, the glass of clean water next to my bed at night or being able to cook with water that I know will not make my family sick.
It’s not too late to donate to my campaign or start your own! If you do start your own, let me know and I’ll donate!
Favorite Photos from 2011
I went back through my photos from last year and quickly picked my favorites. I tried not to think about anything and just picked the ones that I loved. I have favorites from each photo shoot I did this year but wanted to see what I was drawn to from my own photos.
I learned that when I really like a photo – I usually make it B&W. I also learn that sometimes it wasn’t the necessarily the photo I liked but the memory attached to it. Anyway, it was an interesting experiment for me.
Here they are in no particular order -
Christmas Card Fun
My friends the McArthur’s like to do different types of cards than most. Each year I look forward to seeing what they will come up with next. This year they asked me to help them. We had so much fun! Here’s what we ended up with -
haha! Love it! I hung it up in my office so I can smile at it all year long!
Ode to Lumpy
Lumpy is my husband Ben’s nickname. We have now been working together for about two weeks and he is getting stuff DONE! Yesterday we rearranged my office/art room to accommodate both of us working here. This task would have taken me at least three days and I’d probably give up in the middle and just stuff things in the closet. But when Lumpy does something – HE DOES SOMETHING! He is all in. I could weep with gratitude for him taking on all kinds of things that I was doing before that were, well, really hard for me! Like computer stuff – bluck! And taxes – bluck, bluck!!! Not only that, but he starts laundry, and picks up the girls if I can’t, or starts dinner… He does so much around here that I need to clone him! I’m so thankful for Lumpy!
And because a post without photos is boring -
Oh dear! Where to start!
There is so many things swirling around in my head to tell you. Each one different yet mostly connected which is why I’ve not blogged because I don’t know where to start! I guess the big one is that Ben has quit his job to start a new business and to help me with my business! We took two days and schemed and planned our next steps. This is where all the various alleys branch from that I could blog about. It’s exciting. And a bit scary…. ok, a lot scary. But over all exciting!
I feel like we are packing to climb a mountain. The gear that goes in the pack will likely change as the climbing starts. But I want to tell you about the first bit of gear that I’m packing – planning and organization. I’m hopeful this will help us reach our goals.
A while back I blogged about a book I was reading called Organized Simplicity. The author has a great blog – www.SimpleMom.net. On it she has free PDFs you can download to organize your day. After using the system, I figured out what worked for me. I borrowed a few ideas and added my own and came with what I think will work for me this year.
I discovered that I needed something I can take with me – smaller than the binder I was using. Something I could slip into my purse. I needed something that I can write on because using my phone or various task organizer apps just don’t work for me. I like writing them out with a pen and checking or crossing them out. I also didn’t want to keep printing paper so wanted something that I could re-use.
Here’s what I came up with -
First, since I have a tenancy to save things… I went through my junk and found a cool book cover that I’d saved.
I cut covers off and drilled holes in them so that I could add rings to hold it together.
I then made my pages using some of my favorite photos.
Then I laminated them! (Side note: I’m now looking all over my house for things to laminate! So fun!)
Viola!
“S” for Sugar. I love it!! It’s going to need some modification like the rings are too big and I need to buy a fine point Vis-a-Vis but so far it’s working!
Here are the pages -
1st page
Middle pages -
Last page -
Mistletoe Photo
Our first Christmas abroad was spent visiting friends in London. It was absolutely lovely. I want to do it again! London and Christmas just belong together. We went to the amazing Borough Market, ice skating at the Tower of London, museums, shops and lots of yummy food as well as a wonderful time with old friends.
Here is a photo I took while on that trip of Mistletoe growing in a tree. I had no idea it grows like this!
Isn’t that cool?! Like some natural decoration.
So here’s a big Christmas kiss from me to all you. May your Christmas be filled with hope, magic and wonder.
Merry Christmas!!
Book Wreath
I made a wreath from book pages for our Christmas decorations -
It was inspired by one of the design blogs I like – thenester. In her blog she said it took her an hour. Mine took a lot longer than an hour!! But I love how it turned out! I used a hot glue gun for the whole thing – making the cones and then gluing them on. I think gluing the pages into cones with craft glue might have worked better and then attaching them with hot glue to the wreath ring.
Things I would do differently -
1. Not buy the green foam ring but those straw ones like she does on the nester.
2. If I did buy the green foam ring I’d wrap it with book pages to start with. I added more book pages than I probably needed too just to hide the green.
3. Plan for hanging it before I glued the cones on. I really struggled hanging it because I was trying to put wire in the back without smashing the pages in the front.
I love using books for everything from cards to big decorations like this! It’s is virtually free!
I love her so much!!!
I have a new baby! Ok, so she’s not mine. Yet. Planning on stealing her away…very soon. She is delicious!
This is the family I’m stealing her from -
I love to see how much her brothers love her!
Actually everybody is in love….
See what I mean!! YUMMmmmmy!