cathy's daily blog-o-rama

The saddest part of my day...

2012-02-17T06:00:00.008-07:00

When all that's left is soy-foam. :)

Happy Friday everyone!

A long walk today, doing some art and soldering, and then some weekend shopping.

Sounds like a pretty good couple of days.

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Just thinking about

2012-02-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

my husband, how thankful I am for him...for always having my back, for almost never telling me my hair looks bad (even when it does), & for happily eating cereal (again) for dinner when my mind is on everything BUT dinner.

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Who's your best friend?

2012-02-14T19:48:00.004-07:00

You know...the best friend that's waiting for you to come home. The friend who curls around your feet while you're cooking in the kitchen. The friend who's whole life is happy when they look into your eyes and know that they are safe.

I have a very special session available for your best friends. :) And now is the perfect time of year to do it!

Pet Session: $200

1 hour session

20 images in private online viewing gallery

digital files of all images

$100 of session is donated to National Mill Dog Rescue

Super fun. :) Contact me to book a very special pet session.

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Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Or as our 15 year old son calls it "Singles Awareness Day". Love that! I'm happy today because my husband is taking me to Whole Foods to get a big-ass-vegan-cookie. Yum! AND I splurged and got myself a soy latte this morning...we'll see how my stomach takes the coffee-ness. I just couldn't do tea today. Tea is tame and meek and mild. I want to kick today in the bootie and make it call me mommy. Or something less creepy than that. I feel like I need to be fierce today. And creative. And when you have that feeling, you just need to run with it.

Thankful friday

2012-02-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

Thankful for...
1. Vegan chocolate chip cookies from Whole Foods...omg. amazing.
2. the internet...sometimes it's overwhelming, but today I found a mixed media artist/psychologist Seth Apter and the world of art/creativity/hope felt smaller, more intimate, and something that, one day, I could be part of.
3. 5 mile walks with my dear friend Traci.

Thankful for...

2012-02-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

Tangerines with leaves still attached. :)

3 things

2012-02-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

Today I'm thankful for:

1. My messy office. I have a huge room for my computer/photography stuff, an art work area, and a great closet for storage. Pretty awesome.

2. For the flowers from my mom. LOVE them!

3. Frost!

Happiness

2012-02-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

I found this TED talk on Karen Walrond's blog and it is AMAZING. Please, if you have 12.5 minutes, take a break from your day and watch. :)

The reluctant tea drinker

2012-01-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

I like tea. I do. But not in the morning. Not to get me fired up for the day.

My favorite part of getting up in the morning is the smell of the coffee brewing...so earthy and smooth. I used to drink it with a flavored creamer, but nixed that while trying to cut down some calories and chemicals. I still miss creamer. It's been over a year. Can you tell I don't take to change very well?

But I adjusted to just drinking it black. You can really taste the coffee that way. So dark and pungent and beautiful. Coffee was my business partner and my best-friend-pick-me-up. Coffee said "GO!". Coffee woke me up and kicked me in the butt...in a good way.

Til a few weeks ago.

Apparently when I am under stress, drinking a whole bunch of coffee doesn't always work. Instead of it getting me fired up for the day, I just felt a painful burning fire in my stomach and throat.

Not good.

So. I am rocking out the tea. Which really means I am pouring myself a cup of tea in the morning with a really bad attitude and overflowing resentment at the way coffee betrayed me.

now.

2012-01-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been MIA for a bit. Lot's of stuff going on. Almost none of it is appropriate to talk about on a blog. :) It's strange, this blog thing...how it's changed over the years, as my business has grown. I yearn to be real and open with the world. To the extent that I'm not afraid to make a fool of myself in the name of authenticity. But this is not the place to pour my soul. There is a very real amount of censorship and editing with every single sentence I write. I think about image and respectability and consumer confidence.

Needless to say (and sorry for being so cryptic!), it's been a rough start to the new year. My birthday is next week and every time I think about it, I get sad and maybe even a little panicked. I start thinking about where I should be at this place in my life. Like my life should be neat and contained, wrapped with a pretty bow.

But life is messy. And sometimes there is nothing to contain you, define you, comfort you with labels and bows.

My vacation from the blah is living in the now. Sitting with it. Accepting it. Being in it. Rather than being fearful of the future, to enjoy every single detail of now. Instead of thinking "I am never going to get all of my work done today..." I will choose to listen to the typing of my fingers while I write this. Congratulate myself for showing up on my blog today (for the 4 readers out there...and btw, thanks Mom for being one of them!). To taste, REALLY taste my green tea. To be so thankful for the shelter we live in while it's so windy and cold outside. To do one thing at a time. One breathe at a time. Now.

(Okay, so that would be a really good place to stop this blog post, but I want to take a moment to put people at ease...my marriage, health, & business are fine. Much is thriving. It's just been one of those months. )

Thursday

2012-01-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Today is a new day. A day that has never been and never will be again. And today, I feel that newness, that hopefulness, that sense that something good will happen.

It feels like it's been a while since I felt like that.

To be honest, it's only been a week. But it was a rough week. I won't go into the details, but ya, a rough week.

Thank you Thursday, for being a new day.

monograms!

2012-01-13T08:00:00.002-07:00

This week I sent off my latest wholesale order to Canada...so fun! I love thinking about who will wear these, where they will be taken (far off lands?!), and the joy that comes from a little something new around your neck.

2012-01-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

I've talked a lot on this blog about my dreams...how they stay with me for days. How they haunt me. How sometimes, I don't want to go to sleep because I don't want to dream at all. Two nights ago, I had the classic work-anxiety dream...my camera didn't work, the models didn't want to do the shoot, the light was constantly changing, I got lost a few times, there were crowds of people in the way, and other people were criticizing me the whole time...questioning my decisions...and there was a random crying baby I was babysitting. While working.

And frankly, this doesn't cover the half of it. But you get the gist.

What I'm left with is the feeling that nothing will go right, there will always be impossible obstacles in my way, and I will never live up to other's expectations.

I could go a few ways in my battle against negative thoughts here...but today, the most freeing thing I can think of is this...I am allowed to fail. Things will go wrong. There might be impossible obstacles. And it's very likely that I will disappoint people in the process.

And that's okay.

I have a book called "The Awe-Manac, a daily dose of wonder" by Jill Badonsky and today, at the bottom of the page, it said "Today I get to.....(fill in the blank)...."

I put in a few things like I get to be awesome, I get to be fierce, I get to be creative. But the one "get to" that really felt peaceful within my soul is "Today I get to fail." Ahhhhh. The permission to fail. The permission to make mistakes, to not have the answer, to get lost. Pretty great.

What's your answer to "Today I get to...................................................."?

Happy Anniversary

2012-01-03T22:17:00.000-07:00

We rang in the new year with smoke coming out of our dishwasher and a horrible chemical smell filling the house. Then I had a long line of issues with a magazine photo shoot, mostly with the location, a miscommunication, and a small, but very inconvenient technical malfunction. And then today I found out a friend of mine is moving a few states away.

And that is when I finally cried. You know, the ugly cry thing. Where you spit a little if you try to talk. And your face contorts into positions that no one ought to see.

I was sad and felt out of control and I felt weak.

There are many times that I am thankful for my husband, but today, he really rose to the occasion.

First, he made me get up out of the heap I was in and took me out to coffee.

Then he hand washed all of the dishes that were on the counter (because the dishwasher is still broken). Um, did I mention that I had promised to clean them? Ya, he did them anyway.

Then he played video games with the kids while I went on a walk and then took a nap.

He didn't blink an eye when I said that we are all on our own for dinner (subtext: scrounge through the fridge for anything you can find).

And when he asked for a back rub, and I said (without even looking up) "today?", he just laughed & went downstairs to his office.

Ya, I know. He's the best. Tomorrow will be our 20th wedding anniversary and I am so thankful for every single one of those years. Some harder than others.

I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I love you sweetie. There is no one else on earth I would rather be with when I ugly-cry.

And you can count on that back rub tomorrow. :)

Who knew the Walmart parking lot could be so romantic?

2011-12-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

Some wedding details

2011-12-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

The tat says "you are loved" in Norwegian. Dreamy, right?!

2011-12-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

If you struggle with feeling "good enough"...here's a great read. :)

Quashing the Self-Improvement Urge

Today I'm going to choose joy and enjoy the gift of today.

TeuxDeux

2011-12-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

I have a dog in my lap, fresh hot coffee, and a list a mile long.

Oh how I love lists! And thanks to this website and app, it's all organized and pretty...TeuxDeux. Super awesome. I love it! I've been searching for a good to-do list and this is it. When you don't finish something, it automatically goes to the next day. LOVE that!

Happy Thursday!

Diggin Diptychs

2011-12-14T06:00:00.001-07:00

Lately

2011-12-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Groom

2011-12-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

(what the men do before the bride arrives)

Today, I am on a roll. Proofing, ordering, soldering, returning emails, more proofing. And finally feeling like I'm not drowning. Boy that feels good. I so thankful for every single minute of today. I see some awesome Christmas music in my future. Hurray!

Bribes for Sunday

2011-12-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gone to someone's blog and thought, oh my gosh, where have you been all my life? That's the feeling I had when I found The Freedom Experiment this morning. Lovely blog with lovely words that make you feel like it will all be okay and the impossible just might be possible. I love that. Here is my favorite post so far...just in time for the busy holidays...55 Gentle ways to take care of yourself when you're busy. GREAT post. GREAT.

Today I am going to take pictures of MY kids. I know, I couldn't believe it myself! Of course I had to pay them each, but you do what you have to do. I'm also going to introduce our cranky old dog, Lily, to my mom's new puppy. We'll see how that goes. I might have to pay Lily in peanut butter treats :)
And then I'm going to listen to Christmas music while making cookies for all the kid's teachers. Because sometimes you have to pay teachers in cookies. I'm all about the bribes today. Bribes are very Christmas-y. Hey, bribes should be the 56th way of taking care of yourself!

Happy Sunday everyone!

Oh Thursday my thursday.

2011-12-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day in a while that I have the WHOLE day to work. I have one million things to do, calls to make, and pictures to edit. Sounds good to me. The perfect way to start my creative juices flowing is to push through 30 minutes of sketching. Love love love. Oh, and I think I found my new favorite pen, the Faber-Castell Pitt artist brush pen. The link is a to a set of them...oh, how I would love a set!...but the brush is uber cool.

Okay, so I've sketched, finished my venti soy latte, half a cup of coffee, and a whole grain english muffin with the tiniest amount of peanut butter...the only thing that would make this morning perfect is a huge bowl of vegan chocolate chip cookies to munch on while I work. I will refrain and turn on some Christmas music instead. Just as good and no calories. :)

I lie. Not really just as good. But whatever.

Okay, this may seem weird but...

2011-12-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

(image found on Pinterest...I couldn't find the source)

I have this idea for a painting, with a dead bird in it.
No, that's not the weird part.
I have a request...if you live in Colorado Springs and you see a dead bird somewhere (not in the middle of the highway), would you contact me and let me know so that I can photograph it? Thanks for being on the lookout! :)

2011-12-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here, waiting for Project Accessory to start and I'm thinking about a few things...
1. My daughter takes the longest showers. I'm listening to our water bill add up by the second. I can hardly complain about it though...it took me almost 40 years to realize that I could take a shower in less than 30 minutes.

2. I need to drink more water during the day. Sometimes it takes until 8pm to realize that I am really really thirsty. And then I'm up all night peeing.

3. This is a great post on change...click here. :)

4. The way I sit at my desk (in almost a yoga/indian-style/I'm-scared-that-spiders-will-attack-my-feet position) might be hurting my back. Which makes me feel about a hundred years old. I refuse to change my position while sitting at my desk, but I might need to add some more yoga to my day to stretch out my back.

5. I broke down today and bought regular christmas cards at Target. And not just regular (and in that I mean that I did not design them), but they don't even have the "insert photo here" place. I haven't sent out cards for a few years now and I KNOW we've been kicked off a few lists. But I always put this pressure on myself...I'm a photographer. I need to send out a greatly designed and hugely personal Christmas card that includes all of us on the front and our little dog too in a picture summary that explains our whole life. On a 5x7 card. Are my expectations too high? Well, it's just not going to happen. I'm super busy from July until after Christmas. And I'm sick of the guilt. But I also want our far away friends to know we still exist. So they will get a hand signed note that says we love them and we are still here and PUT US BACK ON YOUR HOLIDAY CARD LIST, DARNIT!
One day I will have a great picture of us and I will send it out to all our friends and they can see how beautiful and happy and well traveled and sophisticated we are. Until then, you know, whatever. :)

Monday oh monday

2011-11-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here are a few Christmas card examples for my clients this year...

(I am in LOVE with chevrons this year!!!)

Today I have already done my grocery shopping for the week (except for vegan cheese which can only be found at Whole Foods or Target), walked the dog, did some yoga, started in on the laundry, tidied the kitchen, and eaten a yummy yummy english muffin with jam. And have had way too much coffee. And all I want to do is take a nap. SO...I'm going to drink a lot of water and just start digging away at the work in front of me. Here's the great thing about Monday's...you always have Tuesday to finish what you didn't get done on Monday. And that is why Tuesday is my favorite day of the week. If Modern Family was on Tuesday nights, I would burst into a thousand tiny pieces of sparkly confetti in absolute happiness and joy.

Off to get that water...
Oh, and for the commenter who asked (and thank you for your comments!), there are a number of ways to make a vegan cheesecake, but the one my mom made used soaked and pureed raw cashews as the cream cheese alternative. SO delicious! I could've eaten it every day for the rest of my life. I mean, come on!...it had a gingersnap crust! that is crazy good!

A little art for black friday

2011-11-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

{#1...Mixed media digital art - November 2011}

Today I'm getting Christmas stuff out. And putting up lights outside. And eating vegan pumpkin cheesecake and left over tofurkey (yes, in that order).

Project Runway marathon makes today just about perfect.

Happy Thanksgiving week!

2011-11-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

One from today's shoot...

By the time Thanksgiving hits, I am usually a little loopy. Not from too much wine, although that has been known to happen, but from working non-stop since mid summer. My brain starts to go on overdrive. I end up staring blankly at my teens when they talk or are asking me questions and honestly, I'm not computing any of it. I have constant colorful dreams. Last night I had a flying dream. I have dreams so vivid that my morning journaling is mostly filled with just getting out the images and feelings from the dreams so that I can get on with my day. This is not super unusual except that it's just more intense the more I work. Like the more I work, the less my mind shuts down.
Don't get me wrong...I love what I do. And I'm so happy for the work. And I hesitate to do anything that sounds like whining here. But it's good for me to admit that I am not truly resting. Even when I'm taking a few minutes on the couch to read a magazine, I am looking for photoshoot ideas, memorizing the designs of advertisements and color schemes. In a few days we are going to get away. Just for a day. No computers. No cell phones. Just us and nature and hikes and breathing. And maybe my mind will get a little vacation. :)

Goats!!!

2011-11-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

Does everyone know that I love farm animals? Love I tell you. I spent a little over an hour photographing these goats (and cat) and it felt like 10 minutes. They are the sweetest things...tasting every part of my outfit (and only grabbing skin once...ouch!), curious, sweet, gentle, and affectionate. Um, I want one please. Do you think that our home owner's association would go for it?!

What a little sweetheart! Doesn't she look SO happy?!

This kitty likes to play with the goats. When she goes after something in the dirt, the goats copy her and do it too.

Mother and daughter. (by the way, their ears aren't cut off, they are a special type of goat that have little curly ear buds, like swirly flower petals. )

Thanks for hanging out with me sweet goats. I hope to be back soon. :)

happy Friday y'all!

2011-11-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

Today is filled with projects, cleaning, and getting ready for pizza and a Harry Potter marathon. Feels like a pretty great day. Let's see if I can smash in a tight workout and it'll be just about perfect.

I could just die...

2011-11-03T18:43:00.000-06:00

How cute are these siblings?! Oh my word. Dreamy. Amazing. Sweet. Real. Beautiful. For a photographer, it doesn't get much better than that.

Oh, and thank you so much for your kind comments about the ABC thing!...Now I don't feel like such a freak. Ya, I didn't mention that I have to turn north to tell my right hand from my left, because that is how I learned it in 1st grade when we did the pledge of allegiance :)

Tuesday confession

2011-11-01T06:00:00.003-06:00

Confession: I have to go through the whole alphabet in my head if I am looking up something that's in alphabetical order.
Does anyone else have to do that? Is this something that I should keep to myself?! LOL!
Happy Tuesday!

oh monday

2011-10-31T08:07:00.000-06:00

(Anderson Cooper look-a-like, don't you think?!)

I think I'm going to have to break my "one-cup-of-coffee-a-day" rule, which to be honest, I haven't been that strict with. I have the hardest time getting back in the swing of things when I've taken a few days off of work. First come the lists. Then come the panic that I will never get everything done on my lists. Then I procrastinate by wandering through the internet abyss. Then I eat something with chocolate. Then I decide to just START. ON. SOMETHING, gosh darn it!

5 minutes later, it's time to pick up the kids from school.

So, it's 8am and I'm going to make my lists, tidy up a bit (which always makes me want to jump into work more), and then start on something.

But first, I'm going to get my second cup of coffee.

it's my favorite day!

2011-10-25T11:06:00.000-06:00

(I'm in the middle of doing final edits on a session and just had to post the image above...the green sweater, the red hair, the perfect pale skin? yes yes yes!)

Today there's an orthodontist appointment, volleyball pickup, proofing to be done, dinner to make, and Biggest Loser to watch. Love love love! Right this second, I'm going to take a break from proofing to do a super fast workout ...I want to feel my muscles tight and tired.

Goal today? To drink 3 ginormous bottles of water. Ever since my trip to Cali, I've been slackin on the water. Why is it that you have to work for like a month to form a habit and only 3 days to break the whole thing down?

one for today

2011-10-24T09:39:00.000-06:00

I don't usually post images from magazine shoots, but I just love this one so much. :)

Today's goals:

Normal work stuff

Figure out what to make for dinner

Try not to eat the entire package of cookies we bought last night

Goal for this minute:

Switch gears from coffee to soothing tea and get ready for a kick-ass week.

weekend

2011-10-22T21:07:00.000-06:00

This weekend:

lots of shoots, more laundry than should be legal, movie watchin, pizza makin, and much thankfulness for fall.

Published!

2011-10-17T20:53:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! I am the WORST at self promotion, but I'll take a small stab at it and announce that I wrote a soldering tutorial for the latest issue of Handcrafted Jewelry magazine. Yay! If you've ever wanted to try soldering, check it out and let me know what you think. :) Also, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I'm happy to help. Once you get the hang of soldering, it can be a really relaxing hobby to do. I like it because you have to concentrate (so you don't hurt yourself) and all other things sorta float to the side.
Aren't these bird houses cute?!...( I didn't do them, but I love them)
You can get the magazine in digital and paper versions.

Here's my project...

On the other side of the small pendant is a mirror so you can check your teeth after you eat. Perfect!

(me, showing off my good cutting skills)

a close-up that I took...

And for anyone who would like to do the project, feel free to right-click-save on the image below to make if for yourself. (please do not sell the image)

The image was altered by me from a graphic (and with permission) from the The Graphics Fairy. The smaller butterfly pendant includes an image from the amazing Corinna, the owner of Piddix.

You can find all the other resources in the magazine to get you on your way to doing some swell soldering.

Oh, and Jeannie wanted to know what my recipe was for the vegan cookies I was making...here's the link...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (totally NOT healthy-vegan stuff, but SO good!) created by the amazing Sarah Matheny. Thanks for asking Jeannie!

If you have ever wanted to try a few vegan recipes, get this book. Everything I've tried so far is amazing. Also, her blog is really great.

Ready for some beach pictures?

2011-10-10T19:55:00.000-06:00

Well, you're not going to find any. I got back on Friday night from a quick trip to So California for a shoot and some time with family. I also spent a fair share of time in Trader Joes and at the beach. But as much as I love the beach, what turns me on in my soul and what turns me on in my camera are completely different. In my camera, I'm a detail girl all the way. Grungy funky details.

Anyone want a massage?

This is as close as I got to honoring the beach that I love.

And here is a random heart I found in the sand. :)

This week, I'm catching up with orders (I think I say this every week...hmmmm), I have a big wholesale pendant order to fulfill, birthdays to plan for, and LOTS of water to drink. Maybe some tea too.

dirt, moss, & other good things

2011-10-03T13:10:00.000-06:00

This weekend: Good run, planted a tree, awesome photo shoot, TONS of laundry, moved my office to a larger room in our house (this was a slightly bigger task than I thought it would be), made an amazing soba noodle salad with fresh veggies roasted outside in the grill, walked the dog, played cards with the kids, napped on the couch, shopped with one of our teens, library trip (oh how I love the library!) and made yummy vegan cookies that no one in my house wants to try because they are "vegan"...Great!...all to myself then! It was a good weekend that is leading up to an exciting week of traveling to So. Cal for a photo shoot and see my brother and sister-in-law and look longingly at the ocean for as long as I can.

Oh Thursday

2011-09-29T08:20:00.000-06:00

Today: walk with BFF, do final proofs for a thousand orders that have come in in the last week, figure out what to make for dinner, watch our daughter's softball game, buy some new sunglasses, project runway tonight. Sounds like a pretty great day. :)

Oh the temptation

2011-09-26T10:20:00.002-06:00

I have recently cut my coffee down to one cup in the morning. So far, it's been okay. Today though, man was I tempted to go for a second cup. I'm not sure if I've caught my breath from the pace of the last few days. I had a number of shoots, my BABY turned 13!, we had a gathering of teens in our house for some high-pitched frivolity, our dog required some emergency care (everything's alright now), and all the normal stuff of keeping my business and household running smoothly. And now it's Monday. Ready set go. :)

Oh, and some images from one of last week's shoots...I swear, he did have some smiling images, but I just LOVED these. :)

Save. Duplicate. Back up.

2011-09-22T10:02:00.002-06:00

So on one of the busiest weeks of my life, Photoshop decided to have a glitch and I lost all of my actions (for those non-photoshop users out there, an action is a pre-recorded string of commands that make editing much faster and easier...you can make your own, buy them, etc, and I had a both). I had a cd with my actions from a few years ago, but beyond that, I did not have them backed up into one file.

(enter long-suffering moan here)

After going around to the various computers that I have used over the years and scoured through business emails (which took an hour because I delete nothing) where a download link was given upon purchase, I now have all of my actions backed up on a flashdrive and have a separate file copied into my documents. I should be good now.

If you are a photographer, back up now please. :)

Happy favorite day

2011-09-20T08:58:00.000-06:00

I love Tuesdays. Today I'm plugging along with my soy latte, banana, and my computer. Our dog is snoring on the chair in my office and I'm listening to Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's Compassionate Cook podcasts. Sounds like a pretty incredible day.

Happy Monday!

2011-09-19T13:36:00.000-06:00

I'm jumping into this week with abandon. TONS to do and I'm not going to let that freak me out. Just gonna take one small thing at a time (and try my best to avoid time sucks like Solitaire on my phone and Pinterest and blogs)

Off to look at Christmas trees (I'll explain next week)...for now, enjoy this awesome smile! :)

Early birds

2011-09-16T06:00:00.001-06:00

I usually do photography session around 8 or 9am...because most people don't like getting their pictures taken (including me!) and asking them to get up early can sometimes push people over the edge. :)

But seriously, if you want some yummy light like in the one below, you gotta start shooting earlier.

Isn't the light just the dreamiest?

chicken fancy

2011-09-15T06:00:00.001-06:00

Does everyone know that I love chickens and roosters? Love I tell you. Which is one of the reason I no longer eat them, but that's a story for another day.

Stairway to heaven

2011-09-14T07:52:00.000-06:00

Household tip for the day: Spot Shot

Seriously.

4 years ago our kids had the worst stomach flu of all time.

And I was the idiot who gave them red icees. RED.

Red icees plus light butter-colored berber carpet do not mix.

Especially on the stairs.

Where it had a cascading effect.

(Are you thoroughly grossed out yet?)

And as much as I cleaned it, the stain got darker and grungier as the years went on.

We thought we would need to just replace the carpet.

Well, I thought I would make one more effort to make the stairs a tad bit less embarrassing.

Enter Spot Shot.

It's a miracle worker. If I could, I would marry this thing. I cannot believe how great it worked. I thought about doing a before and after (just in case it worked), but I was too horrified by how bad it looked. Really, it was that bad.

Warning: 3 out of 4 of us got massive headaches the day I used this cleaner. I'm sure it's full of really bad stuff that is eating away a few of our brain cells. But who can care when there's clean carpet to be admired?!

And on that note...some pretty pretty pictures! :)

Missoni!

2011-09-13T06:00:00.005-06:00

Missoni is at Target!!! Starting today!!! Probably my only opportunity to buy anything Missoni, but who cares! It's zig-zag goodness!!! Hurray! I read all the hoopla via Twitter about the Missoni opening event in New York and it sounded FAB.

Hey, and while I'm here, how about some images?! :)

So...

2011-09-12T07:49:00.001-06:00

My husband reminded me last night that I haven't posted any pictures in a while. yup. he's right. woops. :) oh, that husband. He's so on top of it. thank God. Because I live in this delightful world called "Cathyland" where time does not exist and a 10 minute project becomes a 3 day obsession. Or a 3 week "break" from posting images.

Today: I have a migraine that started yesterday (which I tried to ignore, but that NEVER works darn it!), so I'm typing while under the influence of migraine meds (pretty good so far...I've only had to retype this sentence 9 times). I have some magazine shoots to book and then continue to storyboard the styling for them. I have a session to proof. A session to upload. Financial stuff to input (blech). And the ever looming question...what's for dinner?

OH!...AND ANDERSON COOPER'S NEW SHOW STARTS TODAY!!! Totally dvr-ing it. I say we skip dinner and just eat grapes and granola while watching Anderson. Hey, that always works in Cathyland. :)

bring it

2011-09-01T18:41:00.000-06:00

Our stoic daughter has spent most of the afternoon throwing up. She threw up one time before softball practice earlier and said, "ya, I can play, I'm fine". Such a sweetie. But no, not fine, and it's really good we brought her home.
So after holding her hair back, canceling my plans tonight, buying gatorade and saltine crackers (but first running back home because I forgot my wallet for the first trip to the store), lighting a candle, disinfecting everything, spraying some air freshener (that I'm sure has stuff in it that will kill you, buy oh, doesn't it smell good), eating some saltines (because I am just that psycho and start to have "symptoms" when other people are sick), and having a glass of wine, I feel almost normal again. Now, it's almost time for Project Runway. Bring it.

hot air balloon

2011-08-26T15:28:00.000-06:00

I am so behind in sneak peeks! Over the next few weeks, I will start posting. :)

In other news, I have decided that there should always be hot air balloons in the air. I was working out yesterday at the gym, running (and by that I mean fast walking with a hop), I saw out the giant window a wonderful red hot air balloon and it got closer and closer until it actually landed about a half mile from the gym. It was so pretty! I love the sky here in Colorado...it's amazing and always changing. But seriously? You add a hot air balloon and your life feels practically magical. I kept looking at it because it was so pretty and made me feel dreamy and happy...which led to the woman on the treadmill next to me (in the direction of the window) think I was hitting on her...but that's a whole other story.

today

2011-08-19T08:09:00.000-06:00

Right now:
*about to leave for a shoot
*looking forward to sleeping in until 7am tomorrow
*loving everything Mark Bittman creates...his Vegetarian cookbook is fab!
*figuring out when I can get in a workout today
*making lists of people I need to call this afternoon
*longing for cooler weather so I can bake stuff in my oven, like homemade granola and roasted vegetables
*thinking a nap sounds really swell...in a hammock...with an iced tea...and our dog curled up beside me. (can someone please get me a hammock?...I have everything else. :) )

Train :)

2011-08-17T13:31:00.001-06:00

In the middle of a shoot yesterday, during a clothing change, I had a few minutes to take some images of the train that was taking a break near where we were shooting.

The kids are in school (holy cow!...our oldest is in high school! How in the world did that happen?!) and I am getting my butt in gear, catching up, and looking forward to having a routine again. I have a list of things to do a mile long and all I want to do is curl up in a little ball and take a nap/escape from my list. I tend to get overwhelmed with long lists and the fear of failure rears it's ugly head, so I have to remind myself to just do one thing at a time. And today I'm going to turn off the extra noise around me (I had "Eat, Pray, Love" on in the background). I do well with background noise...sometimes it helps me keep a nice pace, but every now and then I need to have less stimulus.

Okay, slowing down. Breathing. Drinking water. It will all get done. :)

***EDIT: my hubby just delivered an iced soy chai to my desk...how friggin awesome is he?!!!!***

If you have an iPhone...

2011-08-09T08:31:00.001-06:00

Get this app.

Nike Training Club App

Seriously. It rocks. I have a ton of apps and this is one of them that I use all the time. Today, I was in desperate need of a shower...like I was too dirty to be out in public, even at the gym. So, I enjoyed the 5 foot by 5 foot open space in my office and sweated up a storm while watching the Today Show.

Warning...I work out all the time. But I can only do 45 min on beginner. It's tough. But fantastic. All you need is your phone, hand weights and a medicine ball.

(I think it might be free too!)

National Mill Dog Rescue

2011-08-08T12:16:00.000-06:00

I was at a shoot on the Air Force Academy this morning, shooting part of next year's National Mill Dog Rescue calendar. This is Maggie. Whe was a breading dog who was about to be put down because she couldn't have any more litters when NMDR saved her. And then life got even better when she got adopted into her new forever home. She is the sweetest thing who nuzzles into your legs when she needs some comfort and love. I am in love with every single bit of wrinkly skin. :)

If you have a dog that you'd like photographed by me, half of the animal session fee is donated straight to National Mill Dog Rescue so that more dogs like Maggie can find their forever homes. Let me know if you'd like to book a session. :)

Things that I have been doing that I have not been blogging

2011-08-05T08:59:00.004-06:00

1. I've been on a journey. A food journey. I've always been bent toward a non-meat eating existance, but last week I turned a corner. I have been eating chicken every now and then, but I tried to eat a chicken sandwich and just couldn't do it. I threw it away. Blech. So, I've been doing some vegetarian research...I want to make sure I am getting everything I need. I got a good multi-vitamin yesterday that did not make my stomach hurt (the jury's still out on whether it makes me "stopped up"...sorry if that is too much info for you sensitive types). :)

2. Learning to trust my instincts. To use my voice. And be brave enough to say "huh?" To be comfortable in my own skin and know my voice. To risk exposing myself by asking questions. To know enough to say "this isn't working" or "that isn't going to work". I was at a magazine shoot last week and I just knew things weren't going well. I'd had a really bad day and I just couldn't wrap my head around what the art director wanted. And I blew it. Big time. Lucky for me, they are giving me another chance. Which brings me to number 3...

3. I am studying the art of STYLING. I know my camera backwards and forwards. But styling a shoot is new to me. What looks good in person doesn't always photograph the way you think it will. And being conscious of proportion and textures and little details is a challenge. So every chance I get I am studying. Thank God for the web, cuz there is more goodness than I can count. Sometimes that is overwhelming, but right now, it is more awesome than I can say. Like this beauty which is my inspiration for the re-do shoot:

Photo by Erin and Courtney De Jauregui
Styling by La Partie Events

4. I did something to my neck. It froze up on my over a week ago on the way to a shoot and I haven't been the same sense. Went to the chiropractor yesterday and am on my to feeling like myself again. I already do nightly yoga, so I'm adding in some Advil and careful sleeping positions.

In less than 2 weeks, the kids will be back in school. Boooooo! But the good that comes from that is a daily schedule and more uninterupted time, so until then, it's hit and miss. Happy Friday Y'all!

Sneak peek!

2011-07-26T14:52:00.000-06:00

I'm on a roll with all the stuff I need to get done today, so no super word-y post.

More posts later this week...all kinds of cool stuff is happening. :)

Happy Tuesday!

Routines

2011-07-16T15:24:00.000-06:00

Routines are good. Today, I've eaten the food I normally eat (beans and veggies). I'm drinking my water. And coffee made at home. I'm going to the gym this afternoon after a little more work. Then doing some BBQ-ing. Still putting the house back together, but feeling like my soul can rest again. I hate it that I'm like that. I don't like schedules. I know there's a part of me that longs for the absence of having to make decisions all day. Routines help with that.

Anywho, just something I'm thinking about today. :)

Sneak peek from last week...

2011-07-14T09:53:00.000-06:00

I feel like I've been on vacation, but not in a good way. You know that feeling on vacation, where your body is sluggish because you aren't eating the stuff you usually do? Almost all the food I've been eating lately has a shelf life of like 2 years. On a normal day, at least 50% of the foods I eat are fresh fruits and veggies, so I just feel weird. But you do what you have to do when you don't have access to your fridge. :) One more day to go and I will have access to my kitchen AND beautiful chocolate brown hardwood floors. I promise, as of tomorrow, no more whining.

Today I'm proofing like crazy, thanks to an awesome cup of Starbucks-Latte-goodness. I'm going to get everything done today so that I can take a few hours tomorrow to see HARRY POTTER! EEK! CAN'T WAIT!!!! We already have tickets, but will be waiting in line FIRST thing tomorrow morning for great seats. With more Starbucks. Is anyone else feeling a little sad that the series is almost wrapped up? I don't want the Harry Potter awesomeness to end. :(

On a happier note, a Sneak peek!...

It's almost done...

2011-07-13T17:35:00.001-06:00

This week we are getting our hardwood floors re-finished on the main level of our house and it has totally thrown me off. First, our house is covered in a light layer of dust. Second, the kitchen counters and cabinets are covered in plastic and taped off. I'm never one to complain about going out to eat and I am daily amazed at how often the kids and hubby want meals (really? 3?!), but I cannot wait to use the kitchen again! Third, though we are allowed to walk on the floors in socks, our DOG cannot, so anytime I move about the house, I have to CARRY her. So I have ended up being sequestered in my office because it's just easier.

So I'm backed up a little bit in work and sanity. You'd think that will all the time in my office that I'd get TONS done, but I seem to be going in slow motion. I will catch up soon enough. :) If you are waiting to hear back from me, I haven't forgotten on purpose, the fumes from the new stain have just eaten a few more of my brain cells...no big deal.

Oh, and a sneak peek from forever ago! :)

And for the comic book fan...

(maybe you can use this for your facebook page)

But maybe this is better...what do you think?...if you are going for a comic book look, what do you prefer?

Here kitty kitty

2011-07-09T07:54:00.000-06:00

Found here. (the image, not the "cat")

Senior sneak peek

2011-07-08T06:30:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite things about Colorado is the sky. :)

Carrots

2011-07-07T06:18:00.000-06:00

If you get a chance, go support your local farmers. Plus, they usually have free samples. :)

Wednesday sneak peek :)

2011-07-06T06:12:00.001-06:00

more wedding pics :)

2011-07-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

Father of the Bride :) - ready for his close-up

Wedding details

2011-07-04T10:52:00.000-06:00

(Wedding images from a few weeks ago.)

Today:

*A bit of work.

*Walking the dog

*Lots of water

*Getting myself organized for the coming week

*BBQ-ing

*Fireworks and Smores cookies

*Remembering how fortunate we are to be in this country...even though we don't have any kind of healthcare system...but that's for another day.

I'm still alive

2011-07-01T09:24:00.000-06:00

I have been the worst blogger lately! Summer always kind of trips me up. I wrestle between working and spending time with the kids and taking care of myself and enjoying LIFE. It's a balancing act that is never quite right. I think that's just the way it is. And as soon as I get a good rhythm going, the kids will be back in school. :) Oh well.

And I have SO many photos to share!!! But today, instead of editing and sitting infront of the computer, I'm going to get in a really good workout and then spend the day with my family having a picnic at a lake. And hike. And explore. And breathe. And 4 wheel it in the Jeep. And enjoy these fab people in my life.

Pictures coming...

Love!

2011-06-09T10:16:00.000-06:00

Get it here

Dog love

2011-06-07T08:45:00.001-06:00

Can you believe this little prince is a rescue dog? So sweet and soft and wonderful. It's amazing what a little love will do.

family love

2011-06-06T16:17:00.000-06:00

I could've hung out with this family all day. They are so easy to be with. So sweet and loving and real and amazing. I truly can't believe I get to do this for a living.

I'm shooting a fun project tonight...off to chill and visualize and get in that "super-fantastic-making-magic-happen-artistic" space.

Crawfish Sunday

2011-05-29T16:16:00.000-06:00

My delightful hubby was kind enough to bring these home tonight. Aren't they lovely? I can't decide if I like them in the collander or on the baking sheet. Which one do you like?

Working with food

2011-05-28T22:03:00.000-06:00

I was making an orange and blueberry salad with a mint & honey dressing tonight to go with dinner and couldn't resist taking some images. It's too bad that you can't smell through the computer...yum. I need to work on photographing wet blueberries...they ended up looking more black than purple/blue. I also made an artichoke fritatta...but I was too hungry to photograph it. :)

Happy Weekend everyone!

current obsessions

2011-05-27T08:25:00.001-06:00

(Reveling In The Enjoyment Of Her Material Pleasures)

1. Matt Adrian - his paintings are awesome, but the titles are genius. Seriously. I actually get a little sad whenever I read the titles to his paintings because I know I will never be as clever as this amazing artist. He is lucky we no longer live in la-la-land, because I would be stalking him for sure.

2. genius journal thingy love this! love this! love this!

3. Be Awesome Today nuf said

4. Damn you auto correct love this! I texted my honey, Chris, the other day and instead of sending "Hi hon" stupid iphone sent "Hi Jon"...just another day on paranoid island.

Today is the last day of school for the kids. Looking forward to sleeping in a bit, not forcing breakfast on my never-hungry-in-the-morning teens, and having time and space to think and breathe and learn and hike and love. I get busy in my business in the summer, but that doesn't mean that I am going to miss this part of life. It's going to be a good summer. New things are happening. My challenge...don't get in the way of the new things.

Brought to you by the letter "D"

2011-05-19T08:18:00.000-06:00

"D" is for Draw...which is what I'm going to do, cuz I am completely inspired by this list that the amazing Amy from http://pikaland.com/ made and is generous enough to share today. This is perfect for summer...you know, when your kids say "I'm bored, there's nothing to do". :) love love love this! Feel free to right click save the list for yourself. Let's spread some drawing love!

Today I was listening to an interview with My Chemical Romance's lead singer Gerard Way and he was talking about how he went to art school & wanted to be a comic book writer and artist, but the band took off, so he draws when he can, including right now a comic that is connected to their latest album, Danger Days, The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. First, I love this band. Second, I love that he is a comic-con geek. Third, I LOVE that he is an artist. He's a singer and writer and musician and comic book artist. I love that. I think it really resonated with me because so many times in my own life, I feel like I should only do ONE thing, photography. And I love photography, but it's not WHO I am. If I limit myself to that, there is something missing. I don't feel complete. I want to constantly be learning new things and taking on new and scary projects and not be put into the "photographer" box. I am an artist. And for me that includes jewelry making, painting, drawing, sketching, photo taking, cooking, & a thousand other things that I haven't tried yet. Isn't it freeing to be out of that box and just be?

Wednesday love

2011-05-18T06:00:00.001-06:00

loving this!!! great idea, right?! both the pillows and the nap!

and this!!! Oh for the love of the mixed tape!

and this one too! this summer, I only want to wear red and turquoise.

I say this, but all I will end up wearing are jeans and black tops. bleck.

It's time! :)

2011-05-17T08:37:00.002-06:00

My summer is booking up, and I have a limited number of senior sessions available, so if you'd like to get on my calendar, now's the time.

This year we (me and my camera) have two options for senior sessions:

1. $200 - Includes: *photographer's time and talent *1-2 hour session *yearbook photo emailed to school *30-40 images in private online viewing gallery *unlimited clothing changes

2. 2011 Senior Special $600 - Includes: *photographer's time and talent *1-2 hour session *yearbook photo emailed to school *30-40 images in private online viewing gallery *unlimited clothing changes *digital files of all images!!! Enjoy using the images for facebook, digital frames, and your own reprinting to your heart's content. :)

Also, if you book a session and then refer me to another person who books, you get a little treat. Yay! It's so fun I wish I could participate! But it's so fun to give stuff away that I'm not complaining.

Okay, off to walk with a friend. Yup, loving today. Tuesday really is the best day of the week, don't you think?!

Food photography & bacon jam

2011-05-16T15:42:00.000-06:00

So, this weekend was filled with a seminar by the amazing Penny de Los Santos teaching all about food photography at the Creative Live Studio in Seattle...not that I was there...I watching from my little iMac in my little office in my funky desk chair in Colorado Springs. Which was just fine, because when they took 10 minute breaks I could run upstairs to throw in a load of laundry and feed the kids something and get another vat of water and coffee and popcorn. Not together.

Anyway, today my mind is whirling with all the food that I want to shoot and places I want to go and just how the heck am I going to make it all happen?! Because gosh darn it, it's going to happen. One day, James Oseland from Saveur will know who I am and I will call him "Jim" and we will enjoy inside jokes and send each other holiday cards and he will call me a freakin photographic genius. Or I will just stand before him, not making eye contact, throw my portfolio in his general direction, and run for my life. Same thing.

Whatever. One of the greatest things about Creative Live courses is that they forced me to use Twitter. And truth be told, I was hesitant, cuz I didn't really get it. I didn't understand how to read it...I just didn't get it. And then I felt older than cheese just thinking that I didn't "get" twitter and it made me feel bad and lonely.
BUT, if you want to be part of the giveaways during a Creative Live seminar, you have to use twitter and that was the poke in the butt that I needed. And guess what? I actually won something!!!! Wait for it....

Bacon Jam from Skillet Street Food...a jammin (haha) food truck in Seattle. Usually Creative Live gives away software or camera straps or books. And the one time they give away food, it's bacon jam. And I win it. Me, who is sorta a vegetarian, who eats fruit and veggies and beans 80% of the time. Hysterical. But I trust my husband will enjoy it. Plus, getting anything sent to you in the mail is fun. I will try not to envision Wilber from Charlotte's Web when I pull the jam out of the box.

An invitation to hang

2011-05-12T11:52:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! I wanted to share something that is going to be FLYING through the photography world in the next month...An Invitation To Hang...a month long art project led by the AMAZING Chase Jarvis.
The cool thing is that it's not just for photogs, it's for everyone. It is a celebration and collection of the SNAPSHOT. Snapshots are the documentation of moments and stories and EVERYONE is welcome to participate.

What is it? On online collection of snapshots made by Chase and anyone with a camera (iphones are included!!!) Also, some photos will be chosen to be part of an art display at the Ace Hotel in New York.

Where? you can submit your photos at http://www.InvitationToHang.com/.

How long? it's a 30 day project starting now.

Why? to participate in a month long study of the snapshot...of life. :) Together. As a world-wide community.

Go here to Chase Jarvis's blog to find out more information on this fab project. It doesn't have to be "art"...it just has to be a snapshot.

I will be sharing here all the snapshots that I personally submit. I would love it if you could leave me a comment if you are going to participate as well. I think something really beautiful happens when you are part of a community project. The world gets a little smaller, a little closer, and our differences become beautiful and amazing to witness. I'm excited to be part of it.

the gasp heard around my tiny office

2011-05-04T13:37:00.000-06:00

hammock chair to die for

OMG. This hammock calls me to my very soul.

Alas, I would be more likely to buy a new lens, but maybe one day. :)

I am on and off the couch today...fighting the cold that has circulated through our home. I feel my body fighting and it's making me tired.

I think having a cold in that amazing hammock chair would be a lot more fun.

With a mojito.

recipe & awesome book

2011-05-03T13:06:00.000-06:00

As many of my friends know, my DREAM job would be working for Food and Wine magazine or Cooking Light magazine...maybe some kind of outdoor dinner party? Or an indoor baking session during the holidays? Or a mother's day tea? Maybe one day. :) In the mean time, I will be practicing my heart out with this book by Helene Dujardin. Her blog is amazing and the book is even better in person. She is really generous to share all of this info with people. Her blog is http://www.tarteletteblog.com/ and her book is Plate to Pixel (when you look for it in a store, it's in color...was just fooling around with my iphone with this black and white image). Thank you dear husband for getting me an early Mother's Day present!

And I got lots of requests for the smoothie recipe (2 to be exact...that's "lots," right?)

Here goes:

Frozen fruit - I use whatever I have on hand...this one had strawberries, pineapple, mango, papaya and 1 chunk of banana (whenever bananas start to get to that point when no one in my house will eat them and I know I'm not going to have time to make banana bread, I cut them up and put them in the freezer for smoothies)

Organic Soy Milk - I get a case at a time at Costco

Directions:

1. Put about 1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen fruit in the best blender you can get your hands on

2. Pour soy milk in to just about equal with the fruit.

3. Blend

4. Stir

5.Blend

6. Apologize to everyone in your house for making so much noise.

7. Blend more

8. Garnish with fresh basil that you are so proud of growing yourself

9. Drink, knowing that you have just had 4 servings of the recommended fruit & veggie servings

Sometimes I add ground flax seed or vegetarian protein powder, depending on what else I'm eating for the day.

Let me know how your smoothie making goes! :)

long weekend in my desk chair

2011-05-02T16:46:00.000-06:00

I watched a live seminar by Zack Arias on Creative Live all weekend. You would think it would be relaxing and wonderful, but I just felt antsy. So I took pictures of the food I was eating. And I made necklaces. And I biked 26 miles on my indoor bike (while tethered to my computer). And sketched cows. And learned how to use twitter. And bookmarked about a thousand references I heard during the seminar.

Today? I'm feeling a bit brain-dead and loopy (I can tell this by how many spelling mistakes I have had in all the emails I've sent out). I have a lot of ideas and inspiration floating around...I just can't seem to muster the energy to do much.

Will come back tomorrow with more pep in my step.

Brilliant Ikea-Inspired Social commentary and photography procrastination

2011-04-28T08:24:00.000-06:00

by Francesca Ramos...amazing work!!! Wow.

On another note, I am creating a new online cart...the one I did last year confused me and most of my clients. So, I'm in the trenches of details and prices and sub-catagories and options. Can you see my eyes glazing over?...ya, that's why I'm blogging and texting and watching Twilight and drinking high octane coffee and blog surfing and drooling over the latest JCrew catalog.

Maybe I'll go for a run or sketch something before really hunkering down to work. :)

summer dream

2011-04-27T18:53:00.000-06:00

Dreaming of summer skies and tank tops and swimming pools and popsicles. And bike rides. And open windows. And the smell of the day's heat cooling down...do you know that smell?...the air is a different weight and smell after it's been hot...it changes magically when the sun sets behind the mountains and all of a sudden the air is so sweet and nurturing and lovely.

God save the dress

2011-04-27T11:24:00.000-06:00

Despite everything in me, I am finding myself pretty excited about The Royal Wedding.
I think it has to do with the memories I have of getting up in the middle of the night with my mom to watch a shy young thang in the prettiest dress I had ever seen marry Prince Charles. I WANTED that dress. The poof. The layers. The color. Oh, and to be able to wear a crown or tiara without people laughing...how fun!
I cannot wait to see what dress Kate is wearing!!! I am hoping for something sleek and modern.
So, today I am:

loving this

and this

and these!!!!...could you die?! How cute are these!!!!

I'm watching a live webinar today, so while I'm doing that, I will be taking notes and maybe doing some soldering. I burned myself a few weeks ago and the places where the solder hit my hand are just starting to heal...it's definitely time to work on some more pendants.

Oh, and just because I'm in a British sort of mood, how about a few of these?!

These baubles are new and I'll try to list them later today in my etsy store. :)

Strawberry love

2011-04-25T13:49:00.000-06:00

So I was loopy from my migraine and the medicine I took for the migraine on Easter morning, laying in bed, surfing my iphone for whatever. I don't remember the path to Alejandra Ramos's blog, but I got there and couldn't get her recipe out of my throbbing head. As soon as my headache was at bay, I got the ingredients. I changed a few things...used regular cake flour by mistake...reduced fat buttermilk instead of whole...less rising agents (that's life at 7000 feet)...and it turned out so yummy! Very rustic and simple and everything I wanted for a rainy headachy Sunday. Next time I'm going to make it with blueberries and almond extract. And the right kind of flour. :)

You can find the recipe here:

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

Happy blue color

2011-04-14T09:49:00.000-06:00

Oh how I want my laundry room to look like this. ANYTHING to make the unending chore of laundry a bit more uplifting.

I cannot stop watching this

2011-04-13T17:08:00.000-06:00

Live Streaming by Ustream.TV">
Live Streaming by Ustream.TV
It's so cool that we get to see the eagles live. SO Sweet! And oddly relaxing to watch. Love!

Chris Jordan - Photographer

2011-04-12T16:26:00.000-06:00

Check out what this amazing photographer is doing. Now that I've stopped crying, I'm going to look up where the Midway Island is (oh, my mom is cringing at that for sure!).

Colorado Springs engagement session

2011-04-11T15:41:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I put up an engagement session, so I thought I'd bust it out this afternoon. :)

dirty laundry / blog-o-whining

2011-04-08T20:44:00.000-06:00

***please imagine nice image of wet laundry drying outside on the line (which is not allowed in our home owners community) in the country (where we do not live) in the nice warm sunshine (which went down a few hours ago). can you see it? ya, me too***

Our son is not getting along with his younger sister. This has been going on for over a year. It is not getting better, it's getting worse. And frankly, I'm exhausted with it. I miss them playing and enjoying each other. I miss hearing them crack each other up. I wanted that for them. I was an only child and would've sold my left arm for a sibling to hang out with. I know they have to walk their own path. I get it, I really do. And I don't want to put MY dreams on them. don't want to give them added pressure.

But the daily tension in our house from the rivalry and discord makes me want to have a good cry. and a glass of wine. and a trip to Barnes and Noble by myself for a new magazine...preferable a magazine full of recipes (that my family will never eat because I seem to be the only one that thinks that stir-fry tofu with asparagus and cabbage makes a nice lunch).

I had a good day today. And right this second there is no yelling. But I'm just tired and distressed and not my peppy self.

okay, off to fold laundry (clean) and put myself in bed.

completeness and a bit of photography philosophy

2011-04-04T10:14:00.001-06:00

This weekend's engagement session:

The black and white images are a slightly different look than I usually go for and I feel the need to explain my reasons. Here goes... I'm less concerned with having a consistent look in my images than I am with being honest in my images.

Let me explain...

In the photography world, there is lots of talk about having a style. Being recognizable. A certain way of showcasing your work in such a way that you have a fluid portfolio. And to some degree, I think this is all good.

But not when you are thinking more about yourself as a photographer than you are about your clients.

When I was playing around with a few of my favorites from this session, the word "history" kept coming up in my head. When this happens, you have to listen.

This sweet amazing couple...I dunno how to describe them, except when you see them together, you feel like they have been together forever. Effortless. Which I'm sure it's not, but you feel easy and breezy and lighter...you feel like they had a history together even before they became a "we". You feel their completeness. It was more beautiful than I can say.

So, with the black and white images (with a little bit of sepia added for warmth), I wanted that timeless, forever feel. This is what i came up with.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to your wedding day. :)

photoshoot goodness

2011-04-01T16:14:00.001-06:00

oh, I had such a good time on this shoot! The light was beautiful, there was an absence of wind (a miracle here in the Springs), and it always seemed like my client and I were on the same page...she'd point out a spot, the exact spot where I was headed toward. Love that. And thank you.

could you die?! Love the shoes!

This weekend includes an engagement session, fulfilling a large wholesale pendant order, a movie and some shopping, and oh and ya, breathing and sleeping. In that order. :)

I'll be back on Monday. Happy weekending!

Goals

2011-03-27T09:47:00.000-06:00

Spring is in the air (even though it snowed last night) and that means new goals...

*Wear ~~more dresses~~ a dress occasionally. In the 90's I wore denim overalls everyday. Now it's just jeans and whatever black top is clean. I'm in a rut.

*Surround myself with things that make me and my family happy.

*Get rid of everything that doesn't meet the above requirement.

*Avoid making my family crazy during the process.

*Paint every now and then. Even though I create images through a camera lens, in my mind, I am first and foremost a painter. Something my kids never see me do. There's a disconnect there that I want to mend.

*Find a home for all the fabric I have...I used to quilt and make baby blankets for sale. I have so much fabric I will NEVER use. I'm tired of storing it all in my garage when someone else could use it. If you want free fabric, send me an email. :)

*Eat more fresh produce. This is something that I've been doing all week and I feel fabulous! Need to continue.

*Be intentional.

Okay, tired of making a list...it's time to start my day and live and breathe and hug and surround every moment with joy.

Happy Spring

2011-03-21T11:52:00.000-06:00

*I am planting some seedlings (flowers, yellow squash, herbs, lettuce) indoors to get ready for the growing season (which is short in Colorado)

*Watering my bulbs that are popping up everywhere

*Created a compost bin out of a 32oz Black trash bin...this is a major experiment here...will let you know how it goes.

*going "poo-free" as in SHAMPOO free. It's been a week of using baking soda and apple cider vinegar on my hair and so far so good. (I do miss getting a really good lather.)

*discovering that if you eat full bins of sour cream, you gain weight...organic or not, it's still a lot of calories. Oops.

*disregarding the weight and focusing on living and breathing and loving my beautiful family and being thankful for my healthy body and the blessings that we have.

*praying for our troops and their families as we enter another year of war.

Chicken

2011-03-17T10:05:00.000-06:00

And I ate some chicken yesterday...it was happy chicken (a chicken that was treated with love while living) and my mood swings disappeared. Weird. I have been on a food journey and I do not want to cling to being a "vegetarian" because of my pride. I need to do what feels right in my body and conscience. I'm wrestling.

Confession: I drank a Coke Zero and it was the best drink I've had in what feels like forever. Bubbly chemical goodness.

Yum.

Who came up with this time change thing?

2011-03-15T09:23:00.001-06:00

Happy Tuesday everyone. This is usually my favorite day of the week, but I am just struggling with this dang time change. It doesn't seem like one hour would make that big of a difference, but it's making me moody and irritable. I'll bet you all want to hang out with me now, huh?!.

I think today is a great day for a Venti Soy Latte with an extra shot of love.

And maybe an entire chocolate cake.

I think I better just stick with the latte.

Please adopt a dog

2011-03-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

My daughter is doing a speech about Mill Dog Rescue, so we were at the adoption fair today and took some pics and pet some sweet dogs. This fabulous organization rescues dogs from puppy mills. These mills are horrible, subjecting the dogs to abuses and neglect that will make your stomach turn.

Amazingly though, the dogs that are rescued are still capable of love and affection. They long to be trained.

They long to have a home of their own.

(This is Tank...he is so sweet!!!)

If you are thinking about adding a pet to your family, please think about adopting one of these amazing creatures.

(Baby and Mom)

They will love you forever for it.

whining

2011-03-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

I was going to come here today and whine about missing my Coffeemate Coconut creamer in my morning coffee and my Coke Zero in the afternoon during my journey through unprocessed foods...

and then I log into Yahoo and see the first images from the 8.9 earthquake in Japan. I'm so overwhelmed. I was in the Northridge quake in 94...it was only a 6.9 and I was scared for weeks. I cannot imagine.

change

2011-03-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

ok.

I've been dragging my feet for over a year.

a year.

and the economy was tricky.

and still is rough for many people.

I get it. I do.

but it's time.

to. (breathe)

raise.

my.

prices.

like a serious raise.

I know a lot of people are thinking of scheduling for senior pictures. I will be taking a limited number of senior sessions this summer, so if you'd like to get in, now's the time if your teenager is a junior. :) My prices will change on Monday. I would do it today, but I wanted to give people a chance to get in at my current rates. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Currently reading and watching...

2011-03-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

Fortytude

The introduction alone makes this book amazing, validating, and inviting. I can't wait to read more.

Green Mama

So many great ways to make simple changes. Sometimes trying to be environmentally responsible can feel totally overwhelming...Tracey makes it do-able with practical steps that you can choose from. I love this book. I checked it out from the library, but would love to own it as a great reference book. So far I have cancelled all yellow pages that are delivered to our door, cancelled all junk mail and catalogs, and have found an organic fair-trade coffee (from Target!) that is pretty yummy.

In Defense of Food

This is the first book I picked up from the library after watching "Food Inc" and I am still trudging my way through it. It's a bit dry. And I tend to read at night before bed. Which means I'm only getting like 2 pages in before my eyes start to roll back. But I'm not giving up on this one.

Fast Food Nation

Watched this film before bed the other night.

Mistake.

Don't watch this movie before bed.

Pretty much cemented me into never eating any kind of meat or poultry ever again.