Who here remembers that I sometimes take photos as a profession? Anyone? 

It's been a strange year for it, to be sure... From January to March, it was a relatively slow season for bookings, so even though I was working, it wasn't a TON. Then in April, I took maternity leave to focus on having Lucy and getting used to having two kids. I did my first session back at the end of May, and have slowly been picking up more and more work since then. The summer stayed slow, thank goodness.. Lucy's colic was about all I could take, so working too much on top of that might have killed me... But here we are in the fall, and I am right about where I want to be: working at about 75% capacity from before I had Lucy.

I feel like I can manage it most days, but one thing that has had to fall by the wayside is the work I was putting into GROWING my business and refining my ideas, products, and marketing. I simply have NOT been able to work on BUSINESS very much this year, opting instead to maintain what I am already doing and trust that progress and FRESH IDEAS will come in their season. I have some things I would love to change, but I have to tell myself that sanity comes first, and all new things can wait a while longer.

Meanwhile, I am MOSTLY a mama.... But I DO still take photographs as my profession. And even with the slowing of work, I AM trying to give my clients the best I have in me. I hope I bring joy to them with the images I create for them.

And with that, I think I actually might be ready to share some sessions from 2011. (Can you BELIEVE that it is OCTOBER and I am just now sharing my first 2011 session? Just another thing I've been letting go of in order to stay sane. But I'm fixing that RIGHT NOW.)

So.... how about a teeny baby?

Here's Henry. Henry was actually SEVEN WEEKS OLD for his photos, if you can believe it. But he was still only 7 pounds, and we took his photos only a day before (after?) his actual due date.

Yep-- Henry was a 7-week early Christmas surprise for his family. They were on Christmas vacation out-of-state and this little guy decided he couldn't wait any longer. He was born in Park City, UT, and almost immediately air flighted to Salt Lake City where the big hospitals could give him the best care. What a crazy, scary, wild experience for his poor mama!

But by the time I met him, only 7 weeks later, he was PERFECT. Healthy and growing, nursing like a champ, and gave me a completely ideal newborn session, even at 7 weeks old.

Big brother was getting used to having him around, too.

Speaking of big brother, can you believe his eyes? He is the most handsome kid ever.

 

All in all, photographing Henry and his family was a delight-- and shooting them in February when I was due only 2 months later really got me excited for my own baby-to-be. 

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And that is that, folks--- now I can say I have finally blogged a session from 2011. And there's more where that came from. I think I'll post two more tomorrow. 

Til then, I am fighting a BAD case of  PMS right now, and it is coloring my entire day. I am finding it hard to be perky and cheerful, and motivation is at an all-time low, which feeds the irritation, which kills the motivation, etc. etc. til the whole cycle gets vicious and yucky. 

Ah well. 

I think I will go sew. It's not the BEST use of my time right now, but it might cheer me up.

How About a Tutorial? Make a Mini Crackle Taggie

Lucy is at the stage now where she LOVES grabbing everything in sight and bringing it to her mouth. She seems AMAZED every time she gets her hands to do what her brain wants, and getting something in her mouth is like the final reward for her hard work. Even better if the thing in her hands is full of texture and sound! So the other week, I decided it was time to make Lucy a mini crackle taggie.

Many of you have already seen taggie blankets. They're typically soft, sometimes fuzzy on one side, often using minky fabric on the main side... and have several small ribbon loops around the perimeter. Lots of kiddos adopt their taggies as their lovey blankets. My good friend Jess actually maintains a business making such things. (Bubba Doodle Baby Gear)(Jess, are you still making these things?? Ha!)

Lucy got one as a gift from a sweet friend, and it is one of her favorite comfort items... But the one I wanted to make would not be for soft, sweet cuddling... it would make some NOISE, baby. This would be a plaything!!

It stinks that photos can't convey NOISE to you--- so as you're looking at this cute little square of fabric and ribbon, pretend you can hear it crackle like cellophane:

 

And then settle in, because I'm going to give you a little quick tutorial on how to make a few of these yourselves. Because they are RIDICULOUSLY easy. And REALLY satisfying. And you'll end up wondering why you didn't cut out supplies for three or four of them instead of just one. In fact, why don't you just start out making three or four? You'll be glad you did--- they are THAT easy. And VOILA-- extras to give as gifties!

The Mini Crackle Taggie Tutorial

Materials Needed:

* a bit of fun cotton fabric

* a bit of soft fabric (flannel/minky/fleece/velour/ whatever) in coordinating color (or contrasting, if you want to be funky)

* matching thread

* a big piece of crackly plastic (I use the bags that come in cereal boxes, or in this tutorial, a bag from a pre-fab pasta dinner kit)

* scraps of ribbon, as many as you want  (no shorter than 2-3 inches each)

How To:

1.  Step one--- take your fun fabrics and cut a 7" square of each. (This project is GREAT for larger pieces of scrap fabric.)

2. Take your recycled plastic and make sure  any and all foodstuffs are rinsed off and the plastic is dry. Cut a 8 or 9" square out of it.

3. Take your ribbon scraps and cut them into 2-3" lengths.

4. Fold your ribbons in half, right sides out, and pin like this--- the fold facing into the center of your fabric. (Avoid putting ribbons near corners. You'll hate yourself when you're turning your taggie right side-out.)

5. to get the ribbons secured, I stitch them in place using a scant 1/4 - 1/8" seam allowance, just on the one piece of fabric. This is an extra step-- you could skip it and move to the next one--- but I find it easier to work with sewed-on ribbon rather than pinned-on ribbon.

6. Time to make your inside-out sandwich. PAY ATTENTION HERE!:

    a. On the bottom, place your ribboned fabric square, ribbons facing up.

    b. in the middle, place your fun cotton square, right side facing down.

    c. on the top, place your crackle plastic. Pin the whole sandwich together.

 

7. Machine-stitch all around your sandwich with a 1/4" or 1/2" seam allowance, leaving a 2" gap in the middle of one side for turning it right side out later.

8. Trim all around, cutting the excess plastic off. Clip your corners, making sure not to cut the seam.

9. Using a chopstick (well, that's what *I* use! Ha!) carefully turn your whole sandwich right side out, getting your chopstick into the corners to get a defined point.

10. Fold your "entry point" nicely into itself and press so that you can't tell where the gap is. (be careful with irons with these! You don't want to iron the whole thing and melt the plastic!!)

11. Top-stitch around the whole thing as close to the edge as you feel comfortable sewing, making sure to get that gap stitched closed.

And..... Ta-da!!

A cute little crackle taggie toy for the babies in your life that are CRAVING sound and texture all wrapped up in one sweet little toy. 

And now, if you made only one, aren't you wishing you'd made three instead?? Admit it. That was EASY. 

(Reminder: NO irons, and when you wash it, make sure to AIR DRY it, instead of throwing it into a hot dryer. I cannot vouch for the durability of that plastic in hot environments!)

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All right---happy Tuesday to y'all! I have an almost-4-year old who needs me to get off the computer and give him some face time. I am all too happy to oblige. :)