{Designer Spotlight: ZoZoBugBaby Pattern}

Oh my, look what ZoZoBugBaby has been up to now!  For you crafty people out there who can follow a pattern (unlike me), Julie, owner of ZoZoBugBaby, has teamed up with P&B Textiles to create some gorgeous pattern designs.  This is just one of three that she's releasing in late November or early December.  The fabric is by Pat Sloan and I think they work so well with Julie's designs.   Julie is truly talented and amazes me with each of her designs!  I don't know how she does it all, she's a very in-demand lady with her work and stays up late into the night working on customers' orders and new designs. 

Brielle, was a hoot during our session here.  She kept offering ideas and insisted on laying down for that first shot.  I just let her go with it even though some of her poses I didn't process since she looked like a flamingo with one leg tucked behind her - she kept insisting on that pose.  So funny.  She's makes me laugh.   

{Seattle Session: Michelle & Cliff + 3}

Okay, so the title....what can I say.  I don't watch Jon & Kate + 8 but I'm seeing them all over the media these days so I couldn't resist this title.  LOL.  Yep, another Seattle session :)  Look at this beautiful family!  I've known Michelle for 7 years now.  We met at our birthing class when we were both ready to pop.  Now her family has expanded to three adorable  children. This session was taken in her huge backyard - it's pure exploration and fun with the pond, a playground, trees, arbors, and cozy places to sit.  Michelle really wanted pictures of her youngest since we'd previously had sessions with her two girls.  We packed a lot into our 20 minute session :)

{Designer Spotlight: Miss Priss Tutu's!}

This blog post is a bit overdue.  I photographed some gorgeous tutu's for Miss Priss Tutu's a little over a month ago and alas, I'm just now posting them on my blog.  When these were delivered and we opened the box, Briella's eyes got so big and as she squealed, "It's a princess in a box!  It's three princesses in a box!"  She loved dancing around in these beautiful tutu's during our session. We found an abandoned home up high on a hill - I loved the stone steps and the rock around the place.  Oh and we also found a cool abandoned light green school bus to photograph the second tutu - it was 114 when we took these so we were quick, kept the car on with the air conditioner blasting.  :)

  The first tutu is called the 'Long Tutu' - I love it, you can choose any color combination you want with these!  The second is called the  'Double Tutu', so fluffy and girly.  And the third is called the 'Halloween Tutu' - very fitting with the black, orange and purple.  Check out  her many other designs at www.missprisstutus.com.

{Still Alive - just surrounded by moving boxes}

Okay so it's not that bad...the boxes are starting to get unpacked and our house is starting to look more like a house.  For those who don't know, we just moved from Gold Canyon, AZ  (where we were temporarily while our house was being built) to Mesa!  I feel like this last 6 months have been so crazy with all of our moves.  I'm hoping for some normalcy now ;-)  And time for editing, posting and clients.  I haven't officially opened for business yet due to our moves, but I'm hoping by late fall or winter to start.  Thanks for your inquires - I'll post more soon.

Below are a couple pictures of Tyler and Brielle in front of our house in their  Pajamas  getting ready to head to an evening at Tyler's school of Bedtime Stories.  It's the coolest thing - the principal comes in his pj's and reads a story to the kids, then we can head to several classrooms throughout the school and listen to more bedtime stories.  At the end they serve milk and cookies and have a drawing where kids can win books.  Tyler won a book!!  It was such a fun night!!

{Sisters: Seattle Session}

This session was so much fun!!  Jennifer and Amber wanted to do something special for their fathers birthday this year and since they are rarely photographed together, this was the perfect gift.   I loved working with them - they excited and up for anything.  Aren't they stunning?!!   I want Ambers eyes - they are so light and mesmerizing, a perfect compliment against her long dark hair and flawless fair skin.  And Jennifer, she's been a friend of mine for over 6 years now and I have to say she always has the cutest haircuts and most gorgeous, perfect skin {yes Jen, it's true}.   I had a blast with you both!!  Anyway, here's a peak into their session.

{Rangefinder Interview}

I know, I know...I'm super late in posting this.  My excuse - I'm trying to edit, edit, edit my sessions from Seattle and school just started for the kids so I'm a slave to my car right now with the temporary commuting I have between our temp house and their schools.  Anyway, I've had so many kind e-mails from other photographers who've read my feature in Rangefinder Magazine.  And the latest one was razzing me for not posting anything about it on my blog, so that prompted me to bump it up on my to-do list and post this evening. ;-)  The article was shown in the Special Edition -Portrait and Senior Photographer's August Issue of Rangefinder - it can be found on line at www.rangefindermag.com or click here to go directly to the article.  I don't know much about the magazines archiving system but at the end of this month the September issue will be shown so my article will be in their archives on-line (I believe). Anyway, I'm so excited and honored to be featured in this great magazine.  The interview took place just before we moved so it sounds as if I'm still in South Carolina - but I'm not....I'm here in the metropolis valley of the Sun!   So different and so fun.  I do miss my favorite old locations in the South but thankfully I'm finding a lot of variety here in the desert.  It's amazing what's out here.  Anyway, thanks so much  for checking the article out :)

{Designer Spotlight: Eliza Kate Designs}

I'm home!  Yes, but I've been running around like a crazy woman since I've been home and haven't had a moment to edit and post all the fun sessions I had during my time in Seattle. Tyler started the first grade yesterday (weep, weep).  I can't believe he's growing up.  It's all so much harder on me it seems.  Thankfully he's a pretty happy-go-lucky kid, but I'm the one stressing, overwhelmed and intimidated by the size of his new school.  The school is fantastic and the kids there seems happy, well-balanced, etc. but I'm completely overwhelmed by how big it is.  He came from a school in South Carolina where there was only one teacher per grade and it was very small.  This is all so new.  It reminds me of my first day at college - trying to find where things are, locating my classrooms in advance so I'm not late the first day, learning a whole new routine, etc.   So those anxious memories along with my baby growing up make me a bit of a mess ;-)  I'll get over it soon....I hope.

 Okay, onto my Designer Spotlight!  I thrilled to be asked by Krystin, designer of Eliza Kate clothing line, to photograph more of her clothing.  These pieces are from her new fall line.  Aren't they adorable!!  The pants - I fell in love with (well, the skirt, tops and dress too but if I had to choose one it would be the pants) - they are so cute, fit great and I love the detail on the bottom.  Brielle wore them to school this week under a dress, it's still in the low 100's here,  I tried to explain that she'll get hot but she insisted.  And she accessorized with 2 necklaces, 5 bracelets and a neck piece/chocker thing that 'was' here head-band as a baby but looks more like a garter now.  I just let her go with it after trying to convince her that we should leave pretty jewelry at home.  I was shaking my head and giggling at the same time.   Anyway, I love the colors and fabrics she used and Brielle felt comfy in them even in the 114 degree heat we had the day of this shoot.  I was shocked she lasted as long as she did.  Cold water and lots of it was key for both of us :)  Check out more of her work at www.elizakatedesigns.com 

{Designer Spotlight: Zozobug Baby}

So...I'm still in Seattle doing sessions, visiting with friends and family and just enjoying some time back in this amazing city.  Summer time here is amazing and works perfectly for sessions - except for record breaking heat...more on that later {wink}.   Anyway, we head home in just two short days and I already miss my friends, family and clients up here.  The good thing is, my flight from AZ to Sea-town is so much quicker than it was from South Carolina so hopefully that equates to more frequent vists.  ;-)  Anyway, I'll post more about my time in Seattle shortly. 

I've been meaning to post these beautiful designs for a couple of weeks, but computer glitches and being away from my main computer have delayed this.  Well talented Julie, from Zozobug Baby, sent me some great new fall designs she's incorporating into her line before I left.   Aren't these adorable!?  My favorite is the orange and purple skirt, Briella calls it her twirling skirt.  I love it!! Anyway, we  had fun photographing these despite the Arizona heat just days before we left for our trip.  Thankfully Briella has made it easy - we're done within minutes which is key in the heat.  On this day it was 114 degrees but we shot these when it cooled to 107, hence the flush cheeks.  But she's a trooper and started to cry when I told her it was time to go.  She wanted to find the grasshopper she spotted before our session, so we looked, and looked and looked.  Sadly, we couldn't find him again so Briella was finally ready to go.  Always an adventure with my little girl :) .

{Rock & Roll - Phoenix desert}

That's what this session was all about!  Jack, 9 and Riley, 11 were so hip, fun and cool to work with.  Not to mention their mom, Christy, who I adore.  Anyway, Jack is completely in Rock & Roll - yes, really.  I know, he's only 9 but he know so many of the classics rock and roll bands, he blew me away.  And Riley, geez - she's 11 and has such poise and grace but also knows how to still be a kid.  She's gorgeous to boot!  Anyway, I promised them a sneak peak before I left for Seattle for 2 1/2 weeks.  I wanted to include so many others but there wasn't time to edit them all before heading out of town and I want some to be a surprise in their gallery ;-)

Had to start with some images that sum up our session.  These first two were taken at the end of our session.  Jack cooled off in the fountain in the 114 degree desert heat and begged for the water to hit him in the face, success.  Both were Rock Stars are for putting up with the heat with smiles on their faces. 

Edited with my faded vintage wash for a fun look (below)

Jump?  You bet they can jump - I was pretty impressed.  Love Riley's expression!

The true rocker coming out in Jack.  :)

{4th of July - late post}

Oh my, with all of the designer shoots I've been doing,  the kids being home with summer break and getting ready for my trip to Seattle - I've been late in posting our July Festivities.  I promised several people they would be able to find the pictures on my blog since they weren't on Facebook.   Anyway, what a fun weekend!!  First, I never really believed that Arizona had forests and 'real' mountains.  I was in heaven!  The nights were cool and crisp and the days were warm and sunny.  The kids had a blast playing with all the kids that were there.  Here's just a taste of our weekend :)

 Tyler and Briella, love how they hug all the time.  Hope that never changes.

The Gang - all of the kids who shared in the festive 4th of July celebration.

Friends

Sweet Madison

Tyler flying high as he jumps off the swing  {shot in low-light so excuse the grain}.

Chloe laughing so hard at her brother's face-plant on the swing.  Madison, to the rescue :)

Thankfully, Dylan was fine - no scratches at all ;-)

Larry going for a ride!

Disclaimer needed for this photo.  This was our hayride from Charlie's cabin to Larry's cabin and I'm not completely clear on what this get-up was all about, I think it may have been a dare and Rhonda drew the short straw.  Anyway, the adults were in hysterics and the kids were just confused.  The costume came off after 2 minutes and all was 'normal' again. LOL. 

The real hayride.

Simply content on the hayride.

Starving after the hayride, it was time to roast hotdogs and have a picnic.  :)

Sweet moment - Jason and Jean.

This was the craziest homemade entertainment I'd ever seen.  This was a potato launcher and it had amazing power-  kids and adults were in aw.  LOL

Jean's parents, in from China, got in on the action too.  Love Lilly's expression - priceless!

Tender kisses for Grandpa. 

Tyler and Briella after the hoola-hoop and horse-shoe contest. 

At the end of our weekend Briella agreed to let the grasshopper go that she caught on the first day.  She was heart-broken but agreed.  This jar went with her everywhere (the parade, breakfast, smorse roast, everywhere).  This was one of 7 she caught during our time in the mountains.  After opening the jar the grasshopper didn't  want to jump out right away, so she said excitedly 'See, he loves me, he wants to stay with me'.  Tugged at my heart but we explained how much the grasshopper needed to be with it's family.  She mournfully place the jar under the tree and waved good-bye as we drove off.