live and learn

productive mode...

normally, in the summer, i'm less productive. this summer, i seem to have a different mindset. no idea what's up with this, but i'm definitely in high gear. remember how i wrote about getting my boxed photos in albums? well, 5 albums and 2000 photos later, i'm finally done! i gave tons of extra copies of photos to family and friends this week too. oh and the alarming and possibly disturbing thing is:  the 2000 photos are from just the past 2-3 years. scary, right? and to think that i've probably done a over a hundred scrapbook pages of the same time period. it's a good thing that i love what i'm doing!

soon, i want to focus on the house again. i've talked and talked about wanting to get the guest room done-so hopefully that will happen soon. plus i need to do something with window treatments...and i'm dying to have new countertops and appliances for the kitchen. things that i thought would be done after 3 years here. it always takes longer than i think it will. i think because a person tends to make great progress when first moving into a different house, you assume that rate of progress will continue....but generally we wear out after the first year, and then progress slows way down. but i'm determined not to let it stop completely.

i've pretty much given up on my flowers. they look awful. they just weren't enough of a priority this summer. i love them, but work won my time and effort this year. i do have the most magnificient basil plant you've ever seen! tom has done much more with the flower beds and yard this year, than i have. i'm thankful that he has made efforts.

in my meandering thoughts lately, (mostly while editing), here's a silly list...

12 things i don't plan to do as i age:

1. wear sensible shoes. okay, so i'm not talking about not wearing cute, comfy shoes-cuz you know i love my diesels! i'm talking about getting dressed up to go out, and wearing those low-heeled, black boring things....that make you think of an old-fashioned schoool marm or nurse. you know what i'm talking about.

2. stop laughing. i hope i never take life so seriously, that i stop laughing.

3. stop taking care of myself. my grandma schneider continued to walk and do stretching exercises in her 90s. and she had the BEST legs until her dying day! we would be chatting away, as we got food ready at family gatherings, and she would talk about how great she felt and she'd say, "i can still do this!" and she would put her heel up on the kitchen counter and do a stretch. i loved that about her! she was just soooo physically active her whole life. she loved to be outside and doing. she's the one who taught me how to fish.

4. stop reading and learning. i don't think you can ever be well read enough or knowledgeable enough to stop.

5. lose my passion. for life and all the people and things i love!

6. caring about what i surround myself with. i like beautiful things and positive influences. so this includes the people i choose to invest time with as well as my surroundings.

7. become bitter. cuz i think this is a choice.

8. stop serving others and giving. i don't want to become a victim as i age. my mom, so easily could have done this after her accident. although she's physically limited, as well as limited with her speech, she is such a servant....always willing to help others and not worry about herself. i remember when we moved from one house at the lake to another, she stayed back at the old house and cleaned. there is NO glory in that...but she's not about the glory. the interesting thing is, i remember her doing this, more than anything else, anyone else did to help.

9. failing to recognizing God's grace every day. and realizing that no matter how i strive, if i just surrender to Him and His will daily, everything will work out.

10. stop being thankful.

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more. david steindl-rast

11. stop trying to live in peace with others. without compromising myself.

12. i hope not to stop attempting to live humbly, yet confidently. okay, so my aspirations may be a little grand, but because i have/had such strong women role models in my life, and a God who wants me to live to the fullest, i think it's possible.

because i can't post without a photo, here's one of g that MELTS me-

i could not love this adorable face any more than i do! and he is just the funniest, wittiest little dude.

i also want to say thanks for voting! i went from 17th to 4th in just 2 days! so please don't stop! here's the link again: a-list photographer please don't stop! and thank you so much!

another thing: i found the perfect military family for the shoot i want to do! both mom and dad are in service. they are absolutely perfect for what i have in mind. can't wait to do this! thanks for the emails and suggestions. you all are the best!

i hope you have a great day and God bless!

just for fun...

i have to be careful when it comes to contests and competitions, because i tend to have a competitive streak. when i was a kid, i remember once in a great while, going to play putt-putt golf, and i remember being such a poor sport! i wasn't old enough to be good enough to win, and i hated losing! i've warned tom not to take me to play putt-putt....because even though i'm older, i still suck. so yesterday, kelly emailed me a link (from her sister tami) about a local news stations website's *a-list* of vendors....including wedding photographers. so even though i'm partial to tracy madden and channel 6  ; ), i bit and signed up. if you would like to vote for me, i would love it....however, i only want votes if you think i deserve it....not just because you like me : ) i'm a little late signing up, the voting started over a month ago, but it doesn't end until august 8, so who knows! here's the link a-list photographer . thanks for checking it out! oh and a little disclaimer: i can't find a way to edit, so i didn't realize that vertical images would be cropped to fit and now i can't find a way to change my images....plus i couldn't find where to put the text about my business. oh well. it's all in good fun-i will not be a poor sport- iwill not be a poor sport- i will not be a poor sport....

last night, i did a shoot of the sister, of the cutie from yesterday's post. she's pretty cute too-

 

here's the best part-she's as sweet as she is adorable.

last summer, i had this idea that i wanted to try on an adventurous family-i put it out there, and i had a volunteer family. well, i have another idea, but this time it's a little more specific. i need a military family. and i'm guessing that a military family would be patriotic, right? or is that not a correct assumption? i need a patriotic military family. i was going to use the location for my sweet friend holly, but as happens in military families, they moved (wah!) anyway, the land will be developed soon, so i need to do it soon, if i'm going to do it. oh and the other really specific thing is, it would have to be shot at sunset...like 8:00-8:30. so if you know of someone, or if your family fits what i'm looking for, feel free to email at bnovacek@aol.com i will be shooting this for free (no sitting fee)....if the family wants to order prints, i would just charge for the prints they/you want. i'm super excited about this, so i hope we can find a good fit!

thank you for your comments and support yesterday. sue's comment, stated exactly what i was trying to say....i just want to be sensitive to others. i'm not ashamed or insecure about where i stand-i just don't want to sound self-righteous. and even though i like to think that i don't need validation, it is nice to read your encouraging words. so thank you!

i hope you have a wonderful day and God bless! 

possible controversial post...

i'll start off light and end with the possible controversy. after working all day saturday, i feel good. i have a plan for the clutter and i even have some of it dealt with. one of the things that has been weighing on me that i didn't even really realize, are all of the photos i have, that aren't scrapbooked or in albums. i know with all the photos i take, i'm not going to be scrapbooking all of them. so i'm cool with having all the extra photos in photo albums. and that has been my plan for some time now. HOWEVER, i haven't made the move to put them in albums....they're just piling up in boxes and overflowing everywhere. i used to print a lot more photos than i do now. i'm learning. so as i was organzing my studio this weekend, i realized it was time to get the photos under control. i went out and bought a large photo album (and i can already see that one isn't going to be enough) and while tom and i sat outside saturday night, i started filling it. it feels good to have a plan. hopefully i'll have all the surplus photos in albums soon. my studio closet already looks better.

i have the room in good shape now and it's amazing the effect that has on creativity. i made a page for a friend...

totally free. it felt good.

and a page about a dear friend-

as i wrote a few weeks/months ago....i really like simple pages.

and i took some photos of a really cute boy friday-

i love his serious looks-but he has a great smile too! i'm looking forward to doing a mini-shoot with his sister tonight!

okay, so on to the possible controversial topic. church. i have felt compelled for some time to write about this...but i've pretty much avoided it until now. the reason: i don't want to come across as judgmental. if i were speaking in person, i think it would be easier to make that clear. to me, one of the ugliest character traits is a judgemental attitude. i try not to be. so this is not about pointing a finger and saying "you should go to church" it's more about "this is what church can add to your life and i just want to encourage you to try it". yes, i'm a people pleaser : ) but i'm sincere.

top 10 reasons i go to church(and i'm going to be really real here...and not worry about being pc):

1. i love the way i'm in the moment when i'm in church. there are so many times day to day, when i recognize that i'm not really conscious. i'll be going through the motions, but i'm really a million miles away in my thoughts. when i'm in church, i'm in the moment fully. i love the way i feel fully alive. sometimes, i'm sad, convicted, full of joy, remorseful, relieved, grateful....but whatever i'm feeling, i'm feeling alive.

2. i love to corporately worship. singing, praying, totally into the Lord as a body of people. it's powerful.

3. i want to glorify God. i think this is our purpose as God's creation. a part of this is publicly acknowledging my loyalty to Him.

4. i like the accountability. in my church, when someone asks how i'm doing, they really want to know the truth. it's not a place that i can slip in and out unnoticed. my church family holds me accountable. i can be real there.

5. i love to be united with my family in church. we usually have a full row and i can't even put into words the joy i feel when i look and see my family sitting together in church.

6. i like to dress up. okay, not pc, but i'm trying to keep it real.

7. i feel like it's a way i can honor my grandparents. they are in heaven, but i know that it would make them happy to know that i'm in church. it was important to them, it's important to me.

8. i need to hear the Word. the Word is truth and i need truth in my life. and in the Word it says, "faith comes from hearing the message" rom 10:17 so even though i read it every day, i NEED to hear it spoken. plus hearing the Word challenges me in my daily life. i think on it all through the week.

9. when i miss a sunday, i feel empty. i hate missing. plain and simple.

10. i love the people. this is different than the accountability thing. i just adore my church family. i love that it's a group of people bonded by faith, and that we're all ages, colors,- all walks of life and yet we can love each other, and be there for each other. i am accepted, i know i can mess up and they'll be there to help pick up the pieces. and i want to do that for others. serving others is a huge part of why i want to be in a church body.

yeah, i love my church. i'm thankful to have found a place/body where i can go and bless, and be blessed in Jesus name.

i am not a preacher. but i sorta feel like one right now. again, this post is not to cast judgement, or make anyone feel bad, it's meant as an encouragement. it works for me. i believe i have experienced growth i would never have known, if i weren't attending church.

i pray for God's blessings for each of you!   

just a quick post...

we have a completely free day today, and i need to spend my time decluttering, reorganizing, editing and working up in my studio. i'm hoping to feel such a sense of accomplishment, that we can do something fun later in the day. tom and i both love listening to good live bands, and tonight, my hometown is having a fundraiser for the local swimming pool featuring 5 bands, one being a blues band. plus, stepbrothers is out now. i do love having a free weekend day. there are so many things i want to do, i don't even know where to start!

we had a great night last night. i am totally laughing at myself and the wording i used yesterday for our night. *dinner party*-what in the world? we had friends over to grill! it's good i can laugh at myself, right? i have plenty of opportunities. i did make baked brie, and it's so easy and yummy. tom was NOT into it, but donna, jamie and i liked it. in addition to the awesome grilled NEBRASKA steaks, we had huge baked yukon tators, a big green salad and grilled yellow squash (that i had marinated in fresh garlic, soy sauce and olive oil) very relaxing night.

you have to check this out. my friend denise makes really cool art and her tags were featured here...you'll have to scroll down about 3/4 of the page. beautiful work-she is a true artist! so proud of her and happy for her successes!!!

okay, i'm already getting too wordy, so here are a bunch of family photos that i have wanted to share:

isn't she the sweetest! i need to see her and squeeze her!

molly and her friend at alexis' game. such cuties!

only a few more weeks! can't wait!

this is joey-ryan and jennifer's pup. he's so sweet!

i hope to catch up on some family photo editing this weekend too. i think i have pretty grandiose ideas of what i can accomplish....so we shall see!

i hope you have a wonderful weekend-God bless!

why we do, what we do...

because we can't not do what we do! i can't NOT do creative stuff. i can't NOT photograph people. i have to. because if i don't, i'm a crab-apple. once you know who you are and what you NEED to be doing, you have to just do it. before a person figures it out, it's miserable....aimlessly drifting, trying to figure out what's going to make you happy. yeah, i think a lot.

last night, i had the best time! jacque, amanda and their  mama luann, were so easy to be with....we just had a great, relaxed time. AND, amanda had the stellar idea of doing some of the shots at the radio station where both girls work. oh my-i was in heaven. we were on the roof and in the cool old building....it was perfect!

i was freaking about all the cool looks from the roof! it was insane!

she sort of reminds me of keira knightley in these shots.

oh and she's really tall : )

i know i say it all the time, but i am soooo fortunate. i have the best clients!!!

yesterday, i meant to update about the LA photo shoots and didn't get it done, so here's what's up. i think it's safe to say, that it's a go! the event that i am SO excited to be a part of is artistic affaire deux. i've heard GREAT things about it and can't wait! no surprise that the event is sold out this time. here's my plan with the shoots: since i don't really have a timeframe that i have to go with, i'll continue to schedule family/portrait shoots for the days before and after the event. i don't plan to stay more than a week, but i'd love to do a shoot or two a day for the days i'm there. thanks for the interest! more details on the class i may be teaching soon.

looking forward to a relaxing night tonight. we're having a little dinner party, with very simple food. i really want to do baked brie...if i can figure it out and find good cheese in town. otherwise we'll just grill some steaks, bake potatoes, make a green salad and call it good. you've probably noticed that i haven't written much about cooking lately. we have been eating in a lot, but it's been very quick simple stuff...probably not worth sharing. and our cooking club hasn't met for a while, so we need to get that going again. life gets busy, right?

today is kirby's birthday! i hope you have a great day-happy birthday kirby!!!

have a great friday! God bless!

please bear with me....

on the magazine thing. i don't mean to come across as self-indulgent or vain about this...it's just a big thing for me, and something that may or may not ever happen again, so i'm trying to soak it in and enjoy it for now. i stopped by the world herald ad office yesterday, and holly and jen were so sweet! they loaded 3 BOXES of the magazines up on a dolly, and walked down with me, and loaded them in my trunk! they have been wonderful to work with. soooo, pretty much everyone i know is going to get a copy! if you live in the area and would like a copy, let me know! i'm pleased with the portion of the article about me (other than the fact that they published my age! i thought that was confidential! eek.) and there was one thing i noticed that i need to clarify....it quotes that "i don't do traditional weddings", which i'm sure i said, BUT, i just wanted to make it clear that i shoot traditional type weddings, just not in a traditional manner....no lined up at the altar shots. hope that makes sense.  i'm not sure if you'll be able to read the fine print, but since my interview wasn't up on the website, here it is-

i've never advertised before, so this was a first too-

i love the quirkiness of the photo and the simplicity of the ad. oh and the cute couple too : )

i went to bagels directly after picking up the mags and i have to say it was fun to share my excitement and see my friends excited for and with me! plus, it was perfect timing for katie (who is the bride in the ad) to be there and get her copy too!

the magazine will be on barnes & noble shelves (and around the area) around august 15. seriously, if you would like a copy, let me know! it is really well-done.

it felt good to do some of the routine things that have been overlooked or done on the fly lately too. i went to my favorite inspiration shop, camera shop, whole foods and target. so refreshing. and then when i got home, i had a pool-full of some of my favorite peeps.

oh and the pups were poolside the whole time.

jared and beth were sweet to offer to take all 3 kiddos for the afternoon, so that brooke could have a few hours of her own. the baby is due in about a month, so it was great timing.

payton is diving routinely now....and even has about 4 different versions. i don't know how he dives with a lifejacket on, but i'm glad he doesn't even question it.

g swims so hard, that when he climbs out of the pool, he can barely keep his eyes open. and what about those eyelashes? right before i took this shot, we were all talking about the new baby, and i told them that i hope he looks like griffin, because since payton and harper look alike,  g needs his own twin....he smiled SO big. then we talked about how g and jared looked alike as babies. so i guess if the new babe looks like payton and harper, g has jared. i have to admit, i'm getting a little impatient to meet baby boy.

i hope i don't get in trouble with beth for posting this...but i think it's my new favorite pool shot. if i had beth's body, i'd be thrilled with this shot!

i was talking with a friend this morning, who is going through tough times, and although life is really good for me right now, i know it's only by the grace of God. i also know that when a person is in a peaceful, good season, you need to enjoy and appreciate it, but at the same time, be aware that it may not always be this way. i know that only a portion of this season is due to good choices. i also know that without good choices, a person isn't likely to have a time of peace. i told my friend, that i recognize that right now, i'm able to hold her up and encourage her, but tomorrow our roles could be reversed.  so whatever season you are in right now, know that it isn't permanant. life is always changing. and that is why i cling to my faith, whether i'm in good times or not. the Lord is the only unchanging, stable *thing* in life. hebrews 13:8.

i hope you have peace today and that God blesses you!

more photog talk....

lots going on. once again, my head is spinning! i'm about to burst! and some of the things i'm excited about at this point, aren't even definite. i think the fact that the future is pregnant with possiblity, thrills me. the thrill of the unknown. one thing that i want to mention that is on my mind and i'm enamored about, is a possible upcoming trip to LA. i have an opportunity to attend a very cool artistic event(more details on this to come!) as photographer; doing mini-shoots, plus shots of the event itself. and then a possibility of teaching a scrapbooking class too. all still preliminary. so why do i mention it? because if everything works out, and i end up in the area, i would love to do some photo shoots while i'm there. so if you are in the LA area, and would be interested in a photo shoot in october, email me for details at bnovacek@aol.com. i'm SO hoping this all works out!

yesterday, i had one on one time with harper, doing her 2 year photos. there is nothing in the world like one on one time. i feel like i know her so much better, and that our bond is even stronger. she was a perfect angel, and we had the BEST time together. we went to three different locales and she didn't fuss once. i did wear her out...she fell asleep in the car on the way to the last stop. i've just begun to look through the images, so here are a few that stood out-

i thought this new grunge conversion was perfect for this shot. i was delighted to find this graffiti wall too!

i didn't have a brush along for the different dos we tried. but i love the messiness!

 

i love this one. she was pointing and saying "down". but she patiently waited while i snapped this one shot!

this last shot was taken downtown and the reason she is smiling so big? a super cute older couple pulled up and parallel parked right by us, just to watch! they were talking to her and she was talking jibberish back at them. right after this shot, she waved at them and said *bye* and blew them kisses! no idea who they were, but that is why i love my town! they were honestly just enjoying watching us and not threatening at all. we were in the downtown area around noon, and there were quite a few business people out walking and everyone we saw, stopped and said hi and chatted a bit. what a town! mayberry-ish!

i'm going to be heading in to the big city in a few minutes....i plan to pick up a big box of wedding magazines! and have bagels and shop. i haven't done this in forever, and i need it! always good for the soul...to just get away with no pressure. i don't have a problem with disciplining myself to work at home, i have a problem discipling myself to not work all the time! so stepping away for a half a day is a good thing.

did you take me up on my challenge yesterday? i know i did! i spent some good quality time with harper, and jared, and then later with tom, and i chatted with tara, and talked to my mom and dad,  donna, pam and a few other friends. so good to get back in the loop. oh and on a side note, i think this is the sweetest thing ever-jared knew about the wedding magazine, and wasn't sure who would be carrying it....so he stopped by archivers on his way home last night! so out of character for him to stop at  a place like that! it means the world to me, that he thought of me. and that he's proud of me.

you may have noticed that my playlist isn't playing on auto any more. i decided to make it optional. all you have to do to hear it, is hit play. last night i not only updated it in that way, but i added about 10 new tunes. i SO love al green and i had forgotten how much. i hope you continue to enjoy the music!

have a great day and God bless you!

pinching myself....

i'm so excited about this-

it's web-sized and teeny- but it's my photo on the cover! the omaha world herald publishes a regional wedding magazine and it's really well-done. inside is an article about megan & dave, and their love story. according to what i see up on the website, they've used an additional 7 photos in the body of the article. yay! you can read the article online here. it's killing me that i don't have a hard copy yet! i may have to stop by their office tomorrow, when i'm in town.

yesterday i spent most of the day unpacking, doing laundry, returning emails and calls, and working on photography stuff. i was surprised at how much i accomplished, considering i'm normally exhausted the first day home from a trip. i also had lunch with my parents, my sister, brooke and the kiddos and tom. that was awesome. and late last night, i even found a little time up in my studio...mainly just re-organizing. i need to get back up there today. i have 2 simple shoots today. i made dinner last night, and hope to make dinner at home as much as possible this week. after eating the way i've eaten for the past week, i need to have a lighter, more healthy approach this week. i started my day today with yogurt and flaxseeds. i do need to get groceries, so eating healthy could be challenging, until then.

a local photographer just sold off most of his studio equipment and props recently. i picked up some great stuff....a chair, a large easel, and a small easel and black chip frames. i didn't know how the easel would work with these frames, but i think i like it-

i'm constantly changing things up, so this is a nice refresher for the living room.

yesterday, i mentioned that i really loved the time with friends in chicago. one of my favorite things to do at home, is to sit outside at night and just relax. there were two nights, while we were in chicago that it worked out to sit outside the hotel with friends. that is one of my favorite memories of the trip. i wish i had a photo or two, but i just didn't take photos this trip. i think i have a total of 50 shots, and most of those are from a little mini-shoot i did for friends. and i can't talk about chicago without mentioning kim. kim works as an independent contractor for creativity, and i got to know her a little in vegas two years ago(i think?) or maybe just a year ago. at any rate, we hit it off and i am just so glad to call her a friend. lots of other very dear friends were in chicago and i was blessed to spend whatever time i could with each of them. even if it was just when they stopped by our booth : ) and one thing, that is sort of hard to put my finger on, but i have to say....it's awesome to see friends starting new ventures, or reaching their stride in the industry....and seeing them find their niche and excited about what they're doing. i saw a lot of this at this show.

i had the pleasure of taking a few photos of kimber and summer. kimber and i met through a design team we were on a few years ago. it ended up being a disappointing experience work-wise, but i met some great friends, like kimber, through the experience. sometimes, i think a negative experience can bond people and end up being a positive. we're in this together, kinda thing. so kimber and i are forever bonded!

 

aren't they cute? thanks kimber and summer!

i don't think i've shared this yet. a few weeks ago, i had the coolest surprise in the mail. kl sent me this amazing piece that she made....

i adore it! it's one of my most favorite pieces in my home. i love original art, and to have talented friends who share, is just the best!

i've already done a shoot this morning and i'll be doing harper's 2 year photos this afternoon. can't wait! i have such plans. i love the freedom i have with our grandchildren. and the one on one time is invaluable. hopefully, i'll have some fun shots to share tomorrow.

i have a challenge for you today. do something fun and creative today. take a moment, step away from your responsiblities and do something unexpected! no matter how busy you are, just take a moment. i love this quote, by an unknown psycho analyst, "many of us would just as soon have our choices made for us, but the heroine, when at a juncture, makes her own choice-the nonheroine lets others make it for her". i'm not condoning weird wacked choices necessarily....i'm just referring to small options we have every day. i think prayerful consideration before making a big life changing decision is essential...but the daily junk we get caught up in, IS avoidable, through conscious choice. so make a conscious choice today to do something different and fun. spend time with people who matter to you...instead of saying you're to busy. i'm talking to myself here too.

have a great day and God bless you! 

i'm home and i feel richer....

not monetarily, but in friends and experiences. i put more faces with familiar names and i actually feel refreshed, and ready to go this morning. seeing all the new products and samples, and spending time with creative people had that effect. i can't wait to spend time in my studio...i was afraid before i left, that it would be a while before i felt like working on projects again, but it's not that way at all. so thank you, inspiring friends. i also feel super blessed about the time i spent with awesome friends. my only complaint is that i didn't have enough time with you all. i want to shout out to all of you, but i'm too afraid of missing someone! after a time of wondering about this industry, i feel totally encouraged and hopeful. i really recognized how many really fun, geniune, good-hearted people there are. i think some of us questioned that for a time. this show, i came home with a totally different vibe. that feels so good. of course it's always good to spend time with the girls i work with. they are the best. i love, love, love how much we laugh. my ab muscles hurt at least once a day during showtime. thanks tracy, jen and leslie! we had a smaller group this show, as creativity is planning a huge new release for the upcoming winter show...this show featured a new line of wall vinyl called "hip in a hurry". we did have a new rhonna line called "urban junque" that is a limited edition collection. and as always, we had beautiful new stamps. i really like the new packaging with page ideas and instructions right in the package. also, i really like the new stamp pads. i had a chance to try them briefly before leaving and i really liked the way they worked with the acrylic stamps.

other CHA talk:

i did some freelance samples for chatterbox and i have to say, i was really inspired by their new *artilicious* line. very me. flocked papers, cool accents, a little glitz, and rich, beautiful colors...

the last two photos are horrible quality, due to finishing them late at night and the fact that the glitter was still wet. i also made for paper cupcakes, but after seeing the other designer's cakes, i'm feeling like maybe paper cupcakes are not my forte!

one more image i want to share. i have the new baby on my mind a lot these days, so when lori was so kind to take jen, kim and i along with her sister and friend to ikea, i was thrilled to find this yummy rug for newborn shots! and then, i had asked amy if she could make a little custom onesie for baby... and she finished it and brought it by the booth-i was ecstatic! i love it so much!

can't wait for him to get here!

so much more i want to say about CHA, but i need to get on with my day, so i'll continue tomorrow. today is our daughter in law jennifer's birthday-happy birthday jennifer! and a belated happy birthday to ryan (his birthday was last friday). this was really bizarre-i was standing in our booth the first day of the show and i could have sworn that jennifer walked by. later in the day, she walked by again....and it was just uncanny how much she looked like her. i saw her a few more times throughout the show, and at one point, i ran into her and told her she has a twin in nebraska. it was weird talking to her, because even up close, she looked like jennifer....but her voice didn't match. very weird. i wish i had taken her picture. but i think it was probably strange enough for me to approach her. if i has asked her if i could take her picture, she probably would have thought i had lost it.

i hope you have a great day and God bless! 

yeah, um, i'm fine...

i think i'll look back over the past few weeks and the blur of what life has been like, and wonder what happened! it may even happen while i'm on the plane this morning. it's been a whirlwind for sure. i am looking at my calendar for next week, and it looks so empty comparatively. not complaining...about the busy-ness or lack. i guess there will always be times when things are spinning busy, and times when it's calm. and it's all good. it is gratifying to think about all the projects i've done in the past days...and to realize how fortunate i am to be doing what i love to do. so here are a few more projects-

here are a few i did for fancy pants:

when i opened the box with the new products from fancy pants, i was immediately inspired and couldn't wait to use them. such great stuff! thanks jodi!

and here is a project that i did for the fiskars booth-

i finally got this one to load! i covered a card box with my beloved black wool (which i have been hoarding) and then used the new fiskars punches for the flowers and an old sherbet dish for the base. does anyone have a good source for wool? i'd love to not have to hoard what i have so much.

no harper bday photos. we went to payton's tball game last night and by the time we had dinner after the game, the kids were overtired and we decided to wait to celebrate when i get back. i'm sad that i don't have a single photo from her actual bday. we did have a great evening together...she even fell asleep on my lap, which hadn't happened in a long time.

i can't wait to see friends in chicago! i can't believe that several years ago, i worked a trade show for the first time and didn't really know anyone. now i consider my friends in the scrapbooking industry some of my dearest friends. and i'm looking forward to getting inspired by all the new products and seeing all the cool samples. i'm not jaded at all. i still love seeing everything. i think i may even appreciate it more now. the other thing i look forward to, is good food. eating is a high priority...we're already emailing about reservations for tonight : ) i'm hoping we get to do a little shopping too. it seems a shame to be in a great shopping city and not shop.

i probably won't be posting while i'm in chicago, but i'm sure i'll have a lot to say when i get back. here's a quote to think on, "often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. the way it actually works is the reverse. you must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want". margaret young. i so agree.

so have a great week/weekend, (i'll miss our interaction) and God bless!

2 years ago...

miss harper quinn was born! she is such a little peanut, it's surprising that she has such presence. i love how she responds when she sees her pop and i. she squeals and laughs and runs and jumps! i love it! perfect cure if you're having a bad day. one thing i remember reading a long time ago, about relationships was this: *when your loved one walks in the door, hopefully your eyes light up and you stop what you're doing to greet them*. sometimes when i'm working and tom walks in, i don't do this...and then i feel bad. i always want my loved ones to know that they make my eyes light up and that nothing is more important at that moment, than them. and i do want it to be spontaneous, like it is with harper : )

happy 2nd birthday baby girl!

her and her beloved rabbit. she calls him nigh-nigh. i have a picture of her and nigh-nigh on my frig and she always walks up to it, points and says "nigh-nigh". there are a million photos of other family members, but she always shows me nigh-nigh. and he's a little nasty after 2 years of lovin'. talk about unconditional love!

thanks for all the nice comments on the wedding photos yesterday. i've really enjoyed shooting weddings lately.

here are more shots....

this was totally leah, the bride's sister's idea. but i love it! and i just have to say, that both the bride and the groom's families were so geniunely nice. they made donna and i feel so welcome.

 

these 2 boys are not only cousins, they are the best of friends. they were inseparable the entire weekend.

leah is just 2 weeks older than harper. what a sweet little face.

it was just a beautiful day. thanks for trusting me to capture it kristal and brett.

one more thing. we got the okay to share a sneak peek of the new melissa frances lines. i received the *thankful* additions. this line is really gorgeous and is extra special, because of the significance of melissa's fight and now victory over breast cancer. i wanted to do a layout about my aunt mary, who fought and won too. i've had the concept of this layout in my head for a while and couldn't wait to put it together-

once again, i have to say how thankful i am to have such strong women in my life as role models. aunt mary is the perfect blend of strong, yet feminine, soft-hearted and determined. love you aunt mary.

i'll be back tomorrow and then be on a break until monday. have a great day and God bless!

loveliness...

that is the one word that i keep coming up with for the weekend. well, that and busy-ness. between CHA preparations and shooting a wedding, i was pretty much constant motion. but as tom pointed out to me, i enjoy it.

the couple whose wedding i shot saturday, were in megan & dave's wedding, and happen to be their best friends. i felt a certain amount of pressure, photographing kristal & brett, just because the chemistry between p & p lastertrons and i, was so dead-on. fortunately, i think the chemistry was good with k & b & me too. i am loving the shots i've looked at so far. they have a different *feel*, and that, honestly was one of the things i was striving for. i wanted to capture the uniqueness and quality of their day and not try to re-enact what had been done before. today, i'll share shots of the couple and tomorrow, i'll add more family shots.

donna and i met up with kristal and her sisters at urbane salon in the old market. i am still thinking about how cool all the stylists were....and totally supportive and into making kristal's day....i saw lots of hugs and tears....

not that their job was particularly challenging with such a gorgeous bride to begin with, but they did an amazing job. donna and i thought she had a certain movie star quality....sort of audrey hepburnish.

brett came to the salon for the initial meeting with kristal, before we went out to do location shots. i thought this shot of him waiting and reading a magazine was adorable!