Another year gone. It’s crazy how they fly by so fast now.  I remember when I was little a year seemed like FOREVER, now it’s just a few short months.  I can totally see how people wake up one day and they’re…….old! haha!

This has been a pretty exciting year for me and this business.  I finally quit my full time job, and made THIS my full time job - something I never thought would happen (yes mom, you were right- haha!).   So that was a pretty valuable lesson - Now I don’t think that something CAN’T happen, it’s just about WHEN and HOW it will happen…  I have to say I have loved every minute of this job.  I still can’t quite believe that this is my life now.  That instead of sitting behind a desk everyday, I get to travel to the beach for a day for a  bridal session, or hang out at the house with my dog and work on my laptop in front of the TV (when I’m feeling lazy!).  Every day is something different and I love that!  I still wish I could figure out a way to rig the laptop to my treadmill…….but hasn’t worked too great so far.

Of course none of this would have happened without all of YOU -  All of the brides and grooms and families and kids- thank you so much for choosing me to be your photographer.   Thank you so much to those of you who are constantly passing my name along to your friends and family - word of mouth advertisement is the greatest  compliment that you could ever give me.  Seriously.    Thank you to all of the families that keep coming back for updated portraits of yourselves and your children - I have so many little ones right now that I have been photographing since they were born (some even before, in pregnancy sessions!) and it is so fun to watch them grown and change every time I photograph them.   One session they’ll be laying there as newborns, then the next time they are crawling or running all over the place - and then I get my exercise chasing after them- haha!!

Thank you to everyone that follows this blog  - I still think it’s crazy that anyone actually reads this- but everywhere I go,  someone talks to me about something they read on the blog…..I think it’s pretty cool  and pretty flattering to be honest with you!  : )  So keep reading and keep leaving comments -  I love comments!!! 

Thank you for such a wonderful 2009!  I hope 2010 will be even better!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Now if you are like me, there is always one wall or one space in your home that always just bugs you…..no matter what picture you hang on it, it just doesn’t look right.   Perhaps you have one very large wall, and you can’t find a picture big enough to fill the space without looking lost?   So then you try to group several pictures together on that one wall, but  no matter how many times you try to arrange them, they never seem to fit together perfectly?  I know I have always wanted to be able to come up with those really cool print collages on my walls, like I see in magazines all the time - and I’m like ” well what size prints do I need so that they all fit together and how far apart should I space them so they will look right?”       Problem SOLVED.

Check these out - Complete canvas collections already designed for you- to work perfectly together in any space!   Wooohoo!!!

There are 10 collections in all, each made up of  several canvases that have been specifically designed to work together in your space.  These collections are designed to fill wall spaces ranging in size from 20 inches all the way to  66 inches  and all areas in between!    So if you have that one (or maybe more) bare, boring wall in your home that nothing looks right on- try one of these canvas collections out!   And of course I’ll be glad to help you figure out which collection and images to choose as well!   (Which is my second favorite hobby- DECORATING! haha!)

Please contact me for further details on these collections……

all images copyright Simply Canvas

Due to the great response I had last year, I’ve decided to bring back the  Winter “mini sessions”  again this year!!   Mini sessions are 30 minute photo sessions in the studio, for a reduced price.  These are great for you and your spouse or significant other, or just YOU, the children, your pets- anything  you want! 

I will post the details  and available session dates in the next  week or so, so be sure to check the blog regularly for updates, because these session dates filled up very quickly last year!

Here are some images from last year’s mini sessions……..

I just had to show everyone what my sister painted me for Christmas- a portrait of Sam.   I was just speechless when I opened it…it was just so amazing…. and so…Him!!   She just captured him perfectly, and his eyes were so full of expression.   I mean I always knew my sister was super talented with her drawing and painting, but she really just shocked me with this one! I tell her all the time she should really do something with her talent- she is amazing! So here it is- my portrait.

And of course, I had to get one of Sam beside his picture- I tried to get him to do the same “head tilt”- haha!!!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!! I hope everyone enjoys spending time with their families and eating lots of yummy food (because we all know we are starting THE diet on Monday, right!).  And on a more greedy note- I hope everyone gets everything they wanted! haha!

Since posts without pictures are boring- Here are some of this year’s “santa babies”…..

Little Harper visited me in the studio tonight for her very first modeling session! She was a total angel! Thankfully, Harper’s mommy and daddy knew how important it was to bring her in within the first few weeks - so we could get these precious “sleepy baby” images!  After the first couple weeks, it’s pretty much impossible to get them to sleep this soundly and for this long (hint, hint to anyone else with new babies, considering a photo session- haha!)

Harper got to test out all of my new props for me.  I went on a “prop” shopping spree last week, and found all kinds of new baskets and pots and the cutest little hats ever!!!  So of course i wanted to use like every one on her!  I am sure she got tired of me changing hats every couple of shots….but she just kept snoozing away!

Here are some of my favs:

Brooke and Andrew wanted a country setting with an old barn or building - so we headed out to the only one I knew of!  I guess the owners don’t mind me using it because no one has yelled at me….yet!  It was pretty chilly out, but Brooke brought the cutest old quilt for a prop, so they got to bundle  up in that for a bit.  Then we headed into a field…..full of stickers! Of course we didn’t figure that out until we were out in the middle of it!  Needless to say, we didn’t move too much from that one spot once we got there - those things hurt! They were all on our jeans and in our shoes- ouch!  It was oh so fun picking them all off when we were done! Oh well- what we won’t do for a picture, huh? haha!!!! 

And here is Brooke and Andrew picking all the stickers off their pants- haha- sorry i couldn’t resist the picture! Thanks for being such troopers!

Little Addison is growing like a weed!! Every time I see her she just gets bigger and sweeter! Even though she was sick and had not had a nap- she was still a perfect angel!

I photographed the Watcher Family yesterday afternoon - they are into music and sports, so we incorporated a little of both into some of the shots.

My last order before Christmas is going out tomorrow, so if anyone out there is planning on ordering any pictures for presents- I must have your order by no later than 1pm on Friday, Dec 11. Thank you and Merry Christmas!