Treats from a sweet friend, a nice evening outside, and a couple of cute, lucky kids....

 

Monster Shirt... Done! (I'm in LOVE.)

My project for the day yesterday was to recycle a t shirt I had for Noah into a Monster T Shirt, freestyle... 

I am SO pleased with the result!

I fully give credit for my inspiration to THIS Etsy seller: Aidelle, and her "Ricky the Raindrop" shirt. I totally borrowed the idea of using the terrycloth as the head, and the pirate patch, layered eyeball... ooops, and I also just now see my feet idea was actually more like hers than I realized. I did try to branch out and make it my own... But I gotta confess- I'm RARELY an original. I just don't have very many ideas of my own! Blah. But that fur mohawk and mustache? ALL me. 

(Gen, I used fabric from your Wizard of Oz duvet giftie project! Can you see?)

But I am STELLAR at implementing ideas I have been inspired by. And I LOVE applique as a sewing technique. LOVE it. Kinda really really love it, actually. And am I tho only one fascinated by the BACKSIDE of the applique project??

 I love the messy lines, love seeing the little patches where I clearly ceased my rhythm and had to think on the spot... Love the textures and such...

So is that just interesting to me? :)

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And Noah wanted to say hi while I was snapping Monster Shirt pics:

(He's posing with Hector, the yellow sports car that Daddy rescued yesterday from beneath the oven. Boy was THAT a momentous rescue operation. Joy abounded all around.)

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So yeah. Monsters, imitating, applique, and cute toddlers.
And ... That's all I have to say about that today. 

Checking Back In: To Do List Conquered!

I promised I'd check back in after Monday's to-do list post, HERE. I did the stuff, even took the pics... but life barreled into craziness, and I never got time to get this stuff posted. We had all the crazy preparations for our family photos, then the actual three hour trip to Sedalia, MO for the photos, and the fun, madness, sweating, stress, mayhem, and crossed fingers of the actual production of getting our family photos taken (by the uber-talented, mama-of-SIX-kids(!!) and too-gorgeous-to-be-fair Kari Wright of Kari Wright Photography.) Needless to say, we needed all day today to recover from the adventure, so I am just now finally getting online to get my To-Do List Repost done. Okay. here we go.

On Monday, I wanted to make a batch of my Carrot Zucchini Pineapple muffins (recipe originally posted HERE--- my own tweaked version of a bread recipe I found.) I had FRESH pineapple to use instead of canned, and coming off of my 28-day Raw Food Challenge, I tried to make these healthier than usual by using all whole wheat flour, half the sugar, and using 1/3 less oil. Seriously--- they are so yummy, you can't even tell:

Second on the list---- finally putting away the piles of folded clothes I've had scattered around my room from various laundry days. Here, they are all compiled into final piles and they DID make it to their dressers/closets/destinations. CLEAN ROOM! :) (In unrelated thoughts, this is our "not our real home" bedroom... and it is BORING me when I look at this photo. Maybe I need to invest in some fun big prints to post above our frameless bed... and some big, colorful throw pillows.. SOMETHING. I mean, we'll be in here for another 9 months. Why not?!)

Number 3 and 4 on the list, packaging up client prints/books and mailing them:

Items 5, 6, 7 on my list--- get a hair trim, get clothes for Noah, get a shirt for Joe--- done, done, done, but not photographed. Guess you'll have to wait for the family photos to be done. :) I WILL say that I ended up not finding any shorts for Noah, so I had to buy PANTS, nearly two sizes too big, and ALTER THEM. Crazy. Like I wasn't busy enough!?

Item 8:

Item 9-- I was on a roll with the practice flower, so I got the actual flower headpiece done the same night. It is LOVELY, if I do say so myself. Totally inspired from an Etsy seller, so not my original idea, but hand cut, hand sewn, hand made, and I am in love with what I came up with. But again, you'll just have to wait for our photos to see the full piece. Here's a peek:

And Item 10- We managed to get LOTS of playtime in with Noah... Including these:

Noah spotted my "mustache-on-a-stick" I had made in my photo stuff and wanted to play... and then he even deigned to let me snap a few of him playing with it. Keeping the fun going, he wanted Mai to sport the mustache a bit (so cute!) and he helped me snap a few of Joe and myself as well. He LOVES taking photos! Cute kid. 

Anyhoo.... a good week so far. Crazy, busy, fulfilling, with a million ups and a very lovely long nap today to recover... 

Think I'll take tomorrow easy, too. Yeah. Sounds perfect.

♥

The Young Family | St. Louis Family Photographer

Oh my, where do I start with this session?? It was, in a word, EPIC. In the most magnificent way.

This is Megan, a beloved mama friend of mine who I had never met in person. It was on my wishlist to get to spend time with her in person, so when my Oregon trip came to fruition, it was a GIVEN that we'd get together, too. And when she asked about family photos, I was beyond thrilled. I have been enamoured with her blog and her own images of her two beautiful boys for ages, so it made me giddy to think I'd get to have the honor of adding to their family history by taking photographs of my own.

I think she was excited, too, because she was filled with incredible ideas. Just see for yourself-- this beautiful, deep, lively, gloriously genuine, delightful family:

The pirates? **SWOON**

and Powell's Bookstore in Portland-- a LEGEND, and a perfect spot for a book-loving family... and two imagination-filled kiddos!

LOVE. In one word. LOVE.

Thank you, Megan. Thank you for all of it. 

♥

Amy's Family Portraits {St. Louis Family Photographer}

Sometimes, your path just crosses with the right person, ya know? Like it is meant to be, where everyone walks away having gained something marvelous. Meeting Amy was like that.
An incredibly positive, joyful, energetic person, Amy, a designer and wildly creative person herself, came to me months before her session full of light and ideas and excitement for collaborating on making something really special together. It was thrilling!

By the time our session rolled around, I was so ready to meet this girl in person (And her cute little family, who, rumor had it, was as fun and happy as she was). Oh, cute little trio-- you did not disappoint!

The outfits were fantastic-- the ideas were flowing, and the locations made my little art-heart so happy:

And this sweet girl of theirs-- she was ADORABLE. Those doe eyes kept me coming back for more!

This was a session that reminded me that I can combine very personal ideas of what I love into the work I create, and come out the other side having defined my "style" just a bit more. These are the kind of clients that make me feel like I have something lasting to offer by capturing a piece of life for them.

Thank you Amy, for your passion and energy. I was utterly delighted to be invited to THIS party!

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