getting started

i've made a family book every year, since starting photography, in 2006.  and today, i began designing our annual family book and wanted to include a couple of the kids' drawings this year. when kiele saw what i was doing, she asked if she could write a poem about our family, for the book. of course!

she said it like it is.  i love that.  and it so cracks me up...

blue eyes, blonde hair, sweet little giggles and pink dresses...that's our sky. acts tough + goofy + funny smiles + dirty blonde hair + deep blue eyes is the math equation for ryder. horse rider, light blonde hair, deaf, blue eyes and a good friend is a child named kiele. both step and father, brown hair, tri-colored eyes, an engineer and in the military...a wonderful guy named steve. mother to three, rings everywhere, changing temperment, blonde hair, thinking blue eyes is a photographer named deb. cheerful barks, a wagging stumpy tail, sly and black all over is the furry charley bear! kiele, age 12

and here's a snapshot of the layout of the book. it will greatly evolve over the next few weeks, but at least i'm now off to a good start.  i'll share the book layout once it's done.

oh. my. gosh.

have you heard of this movie?seen the trailer?

i hadn't, until my friend steph just told me about it (thanks steph!).

oh my gosh! oh my gosh! oh my gosh! [chills]

i so can't wait till this movie comes out!

oh man! i just realized that this movie was released 15 october 2009. the closest place it's playing to me, is 240 miles away. it's now already saved in my netflix queue.

and...it's based on a true story. sigh!

be still, my heart

as if... as if i needed any more reason to love anthropolgie. i mean, seriously! i can't get enough of simply walking into the store for nothing more than being inspired. however, once i'm in, it's hard to walk out without purchasing anything.

and now anthropolgie has launched the anthropologist.

and they had me at the opening page -- what is inspiration?

The Anthropologist is an online space for inspiring works and inspiring individuals.

It is a testament to the idea that revealing the passions of one person can result in the progress of many. - the anthropologist about page

sigh! i love it so!!

i do find the website a bit confusing, yet rather enticing at the same time. just when i think i've figured things out, i'm back to being a bit confused on where to go next and how to get there. but i've only just begun...i'm sure soon enough, i will have every click well figured out, if not memorized.

so, so very excited!

closing with a pic of ryder today, taken with my vintage polaroid.  this is how i often find ryder, when watching TV.  and man, i love the way the polaroid captured the light coming in the windows.

this might just be for you

what if this is itright here right now your defining moment

what if every event, heartache, and mistake was perfectly planned to lead you into the situation you presently find yourself in

what if mystic voices whispered answers to you while you sleep and people are carefully thrown in your path all for the evolution of your greatest good whether you like them or not

what if it did not matter what you did or said or felt in the past

what if it was not an accurate prediction of what your future will look like

what if you were not the only one feeling this way tired and lost joyful and free all at the same time

what if others were also thirsty for the same soul balm you were craving

what if you could meet them simply by following your own truth

what if the reason you don’t fit in feel outside the box outside the norm is because you were not built to fit but to create your own molds and make your own set of rules

what if they were wrong the mean voices that live in your head that say things like “no you can’t” and “that is not possible” and “what a stupid idea”

what if those voices do not belong to you but some hurt angry child you never met that needs love and care

what if your faults were also your assets disguised as flaws

what if nothing was random not even a spilled cup of coffee or a broken heel on the way to work

what if there is no one left to impress

what if there is nothing wrong with you and nothing wrong with them

what if it was all stripped away

your comforts distractions addictions and praise

so you could finally meet the raw, naked version of yourself

who is much stronger and bad ass than you expected

what if this helps you see what you are really made of

and you realize that is it not only more than enough but that you

yes you dear soul are nothing short of extraordinary! - the words of the gifted, magical soul, mccabe russell (shared with permission) ...and just think about it.

editing, editing & more editing...

...and a few breaks in between. yep, editing is about all i seem to be doing these days...but whose complaining.  i'm seriously lucky and grateful to be busy editing. but every now and then, i need a break...and when i break, i often go visit some of my favorite blogs (i have lots of them).  well, color me katie (i've mentioned her blog before)...always brings a smile to my face.  she is incredibly creative.  seriously, amazingly, fabulously creative.  today, i watched her latest improv everywhere grocery store musical.  hilarious!

if you haven't seen katie's color me katie blog...you must check it out.  the world needs more katies!

and a few photos from my recent san diego sessions...

i love this idea

how cool is this?!!

a perpetual photo wall calendar (photo courtesy of photojojo).

so love!! saw the idea on a couple blogs and then one of them led me to photojojo's DIY tutorial.

i'm so doin' myself!!

i thought it would be a cool idea to do a number finding adventure in downtown leavenworth or kansas city, together as a family.  what a great way for everyone to play a part in the design and to always have a part of kansas with us (our time here has been amazing!).  can't wait to get started.  and i'll definitely share the results, when i'm done.

and if you don't feel like taking on the project yourself, little brown pen offers an awesome perpetual calendar for sale here.

note: if you're family, please don't buy one because you just might be getting a kansas-inspired calendar for christmas.

this is me.

there comes a time when you have to stand up and shout:this is me damn it! i look the way i look, think the way i think, feel the way i feel, love the way i love! i am a whole, complex package. take me...or leave me. accept me...or walk away! do not try and make me feel like less of a person, just because i don't fit your idea of who i should be. and don't try to change me to fit your mold. if i need to change, i alone will make that decision. when you are strong enough to love yourself !00%, good and bad--you will be amazed by the opportunities that life presents you. - stacey charter

the other day, i so longed to shoot for me--to create images that emerge from my soul. with the goal of pleasing no one else but me.  selfish? i guess. needed? absolutely. as a portrait photographer, i'm commissioned by families, to shoot for them. while i always stay true to my style and a part of me is infused into each and every photograph, in the end, i'm still shooting for them.

so on monday, while the little ones were at gymnastics, kiele and i went to go find a location to shoot. thankfully she was game to shoot too. having a specific shot in mind, as i usually do when shooting for me, i desired a forest-looking location. we found one cool woodsy area, but not the right light. then behind a building, i noticed the perfect little spot--weeds, trees and great light. there even seemed to be a bit of a matted path, which made it easy to walk further into the woods. so i parked behind the building and began shooting kiele in the weeds. soon thereafter, i noticed these men smoking on the side of the building. clearly, they were employees. kiele and i followed the path a bit further into the woods when all of a sudden i hear,

hello. helllllooo. (whistle. whistle.)

hellooooo. (whistle. whistle.)

i'm not sure why, but my initial thought was that it was some kids and we needed to go. the keys were in the car, along with my purse...and everything else.

kiele. come on. hurry. come on.

of course, she couldn't hear me because i had put her implant in my pocket, while shooting. so pulling her along...camera in my hand and kiele with raven mask on, we appear from the woods and two men (aka DHL employees) are looking in my car (they had opened my passenger door). they told me that i'm not allowed to park on their property and i have to leave immediately. i had parked in the very back, right next to the woods, where there was nothing...no parking spots, nothing.

i shared a few words with them and left, hoping that i had gotten what i longed for.

and i did. these make my heart happy.

p.s. my fav image of the three is the last one.  i'm planning to go out again to do different shots, focusing on the nest (no mask).  we found the nest at the apple orchard, while apple picking.  it had fallen out of one of the apple trees and was sitting empty next to a tree.  i love it so.

number 30

they're gross.they're nasty. they're dirty. they stink. you'll look terrible. i'll support you but when you hate them, i'll say i told you so.

i've heard it all. and i've done my research.

on november 18th, i'll be crossing number 30 off my bucket list...i'm getting dreadlocks.  i'm so excited and a tad bit nervous.  i've always been one of those people, who would stare at those people--those people, with dreadlocks--in awe.  but it wasn't out of disgust; it was out of admiration and longing.  for as long as i can remember, i've loved dreadlocks.  i can't even explain why.  i just always have!

i've been talking to steve about getting dreadlocks for quite a while now.  at times he was okay with it.  other times, he was like, why?  why do you need to do that? whatever...

it went back and forth like that for quite a while....until recently, when i shared with him that i'm really ready.  i'm at that place in my life that i really want dreads.

i. am. ready.

and he got it.

steve had no clue what to get me for my birthday and so he got me the most magical gift...a southwest gift card, to go get dreads.  his way of supporting me and letting me know it's okay to move forward.

so on november 17th, i'm flying from here to OR, for one day.  my dread appointment is on nov 18th and then that evening, i fly to san diego for 3 1/2 days of shooting.  and then back to KS.

once i got steve's support, i worried about two people giving me hell: kiele's dad and my in-laws (i guess that actually makes three). well i also knew that kiele would have a hard time with the whole thing, but she's too young to really give me hell (more on my kids' reactions in a later post).

when i broke it to kiele's dad via email, his reply was: as for the dreadlocks, no surprise. you were meant to be one of those artists who congregates in eclectic locations around the US. but you have other obligations (husband and family) that keep you from that lifestyle. the 60s was your era, but unfortunately you were born too late for that scene.

and then i broke it to my MIL a few days ago, when my in-laws were visiting. and for some reason, she wasn't very surprised. she kind of just nodded her head and asked a few questions, as i talked about things and showed her pics on the internet...like it was no big deal. either she had already been forewarned on facebook (yes, she's on FB and so are steve's siblings) or...she just wasn't surprised because there always seems to be something new with me (nose piercing, eyebrow piercing, etc.). i still don't know what my FIL's reaction will be, but i can't imagine it a very encouraging one. we will see.

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so... my appointment is made. my plane ticket is purchased. my care products are on their way. i'm getting dreads!

i do have a few concerns. i'm super tender headed. and the dreading process can hurt. i also have fine hair (curly and a lot, but fine)...breakage worries me. of course, i've already talked to my dread stylist about this and she has assured me that it'll be okay.

during the hours when i can't sleep at night, i think and worry about...what my dreads will look like, if my hair is going to fall out, how itchy my scalp is going to be (i actually itch my scalp throughout the night).  but in my waking moments, i dream and wish my dreads to one day look like this (see below), except i'm going to leave some loose hair in the front.  one of my friends had described it as...it's kind of like business in front and a party in the back.  sigh...i love that.

photo courtesy of delight's flickr stream

i'll definitely keep you posted throughout this dread journey. of course, there will be no BS either. if it hurts like hell, itches like crazy or stinks...you'll know. if i hate them...you'll know. and if i love them...you'll know!

welcoming 40

yep today is the day...fabulously forty!  and i hope it's ready for me because here i am.  it's been an amazing 39 years and i'm thankful to be alive and healthy (i've certainly had my fair share of moments that i'm surprised i lived through). in my 20s and early 30s, i was afraid of getting older. dreading it actually. but not anymore...i look forward to each and every year, grateful for the previous, as each year we are blessed with, is truly a gift. i woke up this birthday morning to a breakfast of eggs and bacon and a fabulous forty fritter (see pic below).  i also had a number of cards waiting for me, a birthday message drawn by the kids on the kitchen window, 40 roses (see other pic) and a second bouquet of beautiful flowers at my desk (the place where i spend most of my day).  yep...absolutely fabulous! not sure what is in store for the evening; however, i do know we're "going out".  steve's parents are in town from NV, for a couple days, and i'm thankful to spend this time with them.

in anticipation and celebration of 40, i began working on a bucket list a few weeks ago--40 things that i hope/wish/want/long/desire to accomplish.

so, in no specific order, here we go. my bucket list... 1. teach my children what is really important in life 2. sponsor a student 3. sail the Americas 4. backpack through Europe 5. have a solo exhibition 6. ride a train 7. go on a roadtrip with no predetermined destination 8. take a cooking course 9. run a half marathon 10. learn to play the guitar 11. go white water rafting 12. go to oktoberfest in germany 13. study a foreign language 14. visit all 50 states 15. attend and graduate of fine arts program 16. volunteer, together as a family 17. build a habitat for humanity home 18. give back at every stop as we sail the Americas 19. don’t ever forget to say thank you and I love you 20. visit and help maggie doyne in Nepal 21. photograph an orphanage or children in need 22. watch my children grow up and fully support their doing what they love (no mater what that might be) 23. own an mid-century modern home 24. keep in touch with my kids (at least once a week), after they leave our house 25. start a parent support group 26. present at a national DHH convention 27. make a difference in someone’s life (i mean really make a difference) 28. celebrate each and every day 29. heal my past 30. get dreadlocks 31. embrace aging 32. make a video for my children 33. read for 30 minutes every day 34. learn about all the different religions 35. tell my husband how much I love and appreciate him each and every day 36. never go to bed angry 37. send a handwritten note to each person that has inspired or supported me 38. take sign language courses with kiele 39. remember and recognize birthdays 40. truly and deeply appreciate

and i leave you with this beautiful message written by erma bombeck...

if i had my life to live over i would have gone to bed when i was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. i would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. i would have talked less and listened more. i would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. i would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. i would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. i would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. i would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. i would have cried and laughed less while watching television, and more while watching life. i would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. when my kids kissed me impetuously, i would never have said, "later. now go get washed up for dinner." there would have been more "i love you's." more "i'm sorry's." but mostly, given another shot at life, i would seize every minute, look at it and really see it, live it, and never give it back. stop sweating the small stuff. Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who DO love us. let's think about what God has blessed us with. and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually. life is too short to let it pass you by. we only have one shot at this and then it's gone.

ETA:  look what i just opened.  the kids made me...a camera!!  such a treasure!  iphone pic of sky and my new camera.

i'm in love.

i'm so in love with this project--the true love project by photographer zack seckler.  it makes my heart swell! and watching the video and hearing a couple of the people talk about their experience had me in tears.  of course, i'm PMSing and turning 40 tomorrow.  i'm not sad about turning 40; i'm actually excited about it and welcome it with open arms.  but the PMS-40 combination has me an emotional (happy, grateful) mess.  but today is about celebrating...celebrating the past 39 years i've been so fortunate to live.  i. am. so. blessed.

and now to the video...

The True Love Project from Zack Seckler on Vimeo.

casting call

kansas has allowed me time to just be, think and dream. and i've been dreaming (and talking) about a few photography projects that i would love to start working on. and to work on projects, i need people willing to participate (beyond my own children, who aren't always the most willing). here's what i'm looking and hoping for: children, ages 5-12.

the casting calls will: - be free of charge - will require a model release - be focused on capturing one or two images

all participants will receive 5x7 prints of all edited images.

who knows where this project will go. for the moment, i just keep dreaming of what's possible...and dreaming big!

if interested, please email me with your child's photograph(s) and availability.

i'm looking to expand on this ongoing series.

friendship

i believe in choosing our family of intention - our friends, our tribe, our soul sisters. for me, this all started when i was 12 years old, when i met gina, when i began to understand that friendship had the ability to make us feel settled and at home in our spirits no matter what else was happening in our lives. and that our friendships - the people we choose to surround ourselves with - gracefully hold the divide between all the experiences we travel through in our lives.- kelly rae roberts

oh these words of kelly's... they resonate in my soul.  deep to the core. i can't even begin to share how important my friends are to me and how much i cherish my amazing friendships. as one of my best friend's steph says, my childhood was rather "unconventional"...i no longer talk to my sister or my dad. and i talk to my mom on rare occasion. it's not something i'm proud of; it actually makes me sad, but it's the way it has come to be. but i think that is the reason why my friendships mean even that much more...they truly are, as kelly describes it, my family of intention.  i hold them close. and tight. they are part of me. they are my family!

++++++

when we lived in san diego, we lived next to the hasson family, for about six months. during the time, kiele and nat, developed a friendship that was beyond special--deeper and more mature than most eight- and ten-year-old friendships.  the hasson family ended up moving to FL and then to HI...and through the distance and their time apart, kiele and nat continue as BFFs, stronger than ever. if you saw this post, you know that one of the things kiele wants for christmas is to see natalie (they haven't seen each other since mid-2007). it was in 2007 that i took these photos of kiele and nat--a storyboard which still graces kiele's book case, front and center.

if you haven't seen kelly rae's artwork, you must check it out. she offers the most incredible and inspiring products--necklaces, prints, stationery, books, and original artwork. you can find it all here. and you can read more about kelly's post on her BFF and friendship here.

to my friends, my tribe, my soul sisters... i love you. i adore you. and i will forever be grateful for you.

art, balance and beauty

in native american languages, there is no word for art. it is simply assumed that if you are going to make something, you will make it as beautiful as possible. in the navajo language, the word for balance and the word for beauty are the same.- leslie gray

found this quote quite a while ago, while reading a magazine in a doctor's office and...i love, love, love it.  what a concept... art. and balance.   and beauty. and always making something as beautiful as possible.

and speaking of beauty... remember this beautiful field?  

well sadly, almost all the glorious weeds are gone and it has turned into this--a construction mess!

i'm not sure what they're doing, but the land where this field is and all the surrounding open land, is for sale.   i'm sure...soon enough, it will all sadly be developed. coming from san diego, where pretty much every bit of land is developed, i really love the vast, beautiful open fields, where we live...here in kansas.

it serves as a great reminder... when i have a location i want to shoot at or an idea that i've been wanting to shoot...i need to get my butt out there and do it.  you never know what might happen.  thank goodness my girls and i got to this field before the tractor did, as these photos are some of my favorites ever!!

and darn it...i had so wanted to get some photographs in the corn fields and now they are brown and many of them have been cut down. i think we will be gone before the corn fields grow again. i shouldn't have waited. darn it! darn it!

this made me cry today...

that's what the subject of the email was, when she emailed me this.  leah is one of the greatest friends a girl could ask for--someone who is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.  beautiful to the core.

i hope that you will take a few minutes to read the women's stories in this article.  each is beautiful.  truly and deeply beautiful...and inspirational. i have no doubt that you will relate to at least one of the stories...or at a minimum, it will pull at your heart strings.

in closing, i leave you with this question... what honestly makes you feel beautiful?

i'll be sharing some of my thoughts on beauty, in a post next week.

p.s. the photographs in the article are by a woman and photographer i so admire--the amazing mary ellen mark.  i attended a mary ellen mark workshop the beginning of this year, which was awesome.  and i was so fortunate to have been able to have breakfast and dinner (and incredible conversations) with her each day.  she really is an incredible woman.  and as leah said, the photos in the article are absolutely lovely.

today's treasure

kiele emailed me this letter (below) this morning.  i know i talk a lot about being thankful, but when you get treasures like this (often), how can one not be thankful! The Schwedhelm and Marston Kids Letter to Santa

October 4, 2009 Dear Santa,

This year, Skyler, Ryder and I (Kiele) would like everything listed below for Christmas.

Skyler’s List- 1.More Jewelry (charms for my little charm neckless, more pink necklesses, light pink heart earings, dark pink circle earings, lots of nice looking necklaces) 2.Pink picture frame of Amaya and I from San Diego 3.Some Treehouse chapter books for me to read 4.To be able to do ballet lessons (if I do get to do it can I have some shoes and a suit?) 5.A salon day (to get my hair and nails done!!!) 6.How to make different hairdos book 7.A pink flower clip for my hair 8.A cute little pink, diamond purse and wallet

Ryder’s List- 1.Transformers 2. G.I. Joe toys 3.Squirt guns 4.Books (Star Wars, Snakes, Spider) 5.Some superhero movies (spiderman,superman,star wars,batman and transformer) 6.A black picture frame of me and morgan and maddox 7.Hot wheel cars with cool, different tracks

Kiele’s List- 1.Letter kit, so I can try to save some animals (a cute kit to make pretty cards and envelopes) 2. Cute clothes (little scarf like Sky’s pink one) 3. Some things out of the PB teen magazine 4. To be able to take care of horses 5. To see my BFF Natalie for Christmas 6. If I’m lucky a pet HORSE!!!!!!!

The Pet’s List- 1. A long leash so Charley can play in the front yard 2. Some yummy dog treats!!! 3. A plant in the fish bowl (for Pumpkin and Autumn) 4. Maybe new toys 5. Tasty toothpaste that Charley actually likes

Thank you for all the presents you provide us every year. Love you and we can’t wait for Christmas day. You will get plenty of milk and chocolate cookies on chistmas eve. Bye Santa.

From: Kiele Marston, Skyler and Ryder Schwedhelm and Charley, Autumn and Pumpkin Schwedmar (a combination of Schwedhelm and Marston)

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the original letter is much more fun and decorative--with drawings, fancy writing and all.  santa will for sure be getting this letter, even if it was written almost three months in advance.

and of course, a photo, to accompany the letter.  took this with my iphone today.  and when i did, kiele said,

why are you taking photos with your phone all the time now and not your camera?

well... that's because my camera and two lenses are getting cleaned, checked and repaired, if needed, at canon (irvine, CA).  i'm also working with steve's laptop because my computer is on the fritz...needs a new video card.  definitely grateful for steve's laptop as a backup, but i miss my mac pro!

hmmm...i guess i should have included charley and the fish in this pic but oh well.  and as kiele says, peace out!

creativity, inspiration & success

understand the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. use it. dwell on the possibilities.- oprah winfrey

black sheep pen recently interviewed artist, jan harrison on his new blog, which focuses on the successful channeling of creativity. her interview is the only post so far, but so worth visiting and reading everything she has to share.  so very inspiring. i will definitely be adding black sheep pen's blog to my reader, so i can easily follow all his future posts.

i think what jan harrison says here is so incredibly powerful:

A successful artist is a person who is able to create something that manifests their truth...a perception that they feel they need to bring to the world. A successful creative person is someone who continues to create no matter what happens. I respect many artists. They are not all extremely successful in the art market, or in the art status structure. Some are, and some aren't. Some of the ones I respect have been overlooked. But I still consider them to be successful, because they have succeeded to give the world their vision, even though the world does not always acknowledge their worth...In other words, I define a successful career as much more than just external validation.

I love to exhibit my work, because I love to share it with other people. I am delighted when someone purchases my art. But, even that is not a true measure of success for an artist.

What I do is meaningful to me because it helps me to live in the world. I am working for my character…and the work I do brings me closer to my true self, and to a universal self.

i also love how ms. harrison speaks of her art pieces evolving as she works.  i also feel this way as a photographer.  i have many people ask me about how i edit or what actions i use to edit...and while there are certain actions that i consistently love to play with, i can honestly say that no two photographs are edited the same.  i kind of equate my editing to painting (although i've never actually painted, it's what i imagine a painter would do and how one would feel as he painted).  i feel my work.  and i edit and work with the image, until it feels right...

for the image. for my mood.

and i close with these words from jan harrison, which also greatly speak to me.  i, too, have never been blessed with a great deal of self-confidence, but i do have the courage (love and passion) that she speaks of.

I have never been blessed with a great deal of self-confidence. I think that is partly because I have dyslexia, and right and left are confusing to me. Learning in school was difficult. But I do have courage, which makes up for the lack of self-confidence. Even when times have been difficult, I have continued working...because creating art, for me, is a form of meditation, a necessary part of my life.

thank you black sheep pen for sharing jan harrison with us.  thank you jan harrison, for your honesty and words of wisdom.

this path of creativity is the most challenging and most rewarding path i have ever walked.  having only recently embraced this path, i look forward to what this path has in store for me and where it will take me.

new friends

i'm honored.  and so excited.  recently, one of my photographs was selected for the center for fine art photography's 2009 international exhibition of fine art photography--an exhibition jurored by andy adams. the show, in ft collins, colorado, starts today and will run through october 31st.  i was hoping to attend today's opening reception but unfortunately i'm not able to...but still hoping to see the show sometime later this month.

you can see all the exhibition's selected photographs here.

i'm so blessed, i can't stand it!

it's funny because i must say "i can't stand it" a lot.  today, ryder said that his friend's dog was so cute, he couldn't stand it. now on to the real reason for this post...

i have an amazing, incredible friend, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.  she's having surgery in two weeks and i wanted to give her something special--a gift of strength, encouragement and hope.  i posted on facebook, looking for ideas, and got the most heartwarming responses.

this amazing soul offered to hand make a very special something for her.  and on her blog, i found this most fabulous print, from guest blogger leonie allen.  a print that you can download for free (although you should hurry b/c i'm not sure if it's supposed to still be downloadable).  i will soon have the print framed, hanging beautifully and proudly right next to my desk.  oh my...it feeds my soul!

so as we all dream to create our own magic, i encourage you to read the blogs of amazing people like this.

yes, my heart if full.  and i am so blessed.  so very, very blessed!

A is for awesome!

oh how i love the alphabet shop.  i'm going to get an S, for my living room.  although i secretly wish our last name was anderson or peterson. ;-)  how great is A and P!

learned of the alphabet shop, from here, which i found through here.  oh this world of blogging.  feeds my soul in so many ways.

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had an awesome shoot with sam's family this morning.  and two shoots tomorrow and sunday.  the san diego coast morning fog is amazing.

off to san diego

i'm off.  another trip, to shoot in san diego.  i absolutely love my clients and am so blessed! thought i'd shoot a quick pic of  how i travel--back pack (aka my purse) in front and camera bag in back.  while both are heavy, at least i'm balanced.

p.s. i absolutely love my new floor mirror.  just got it a couple days ago :-)