bokeh.

showers.

2010-12-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Baby Showers!

ABC.

2010-09-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

a treasure trove.

2010-09-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

My grandma is very thrifty and good at saving important things. Recently she came up with a stack of these, including this one of my great grandfather (her dad). These are very handy for double checking genealogy and adding pictures to my entries! It's been so fun to match up all of the cards to my ancestors. This guy lived on the farm from my post a few days ago.

accesorizing.

2010-09-07T06:19:00.000-07:00

This just came in the mail...I can't wait to try it out!image from amazon.com

humble roots.

2010-09-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

I come from farming people, and in July we went to visit one of those old farms. This is the homestead built by my great-great grandfather Herman. He came to America from Germany and started a brick making business that became a foundational (literally) industry for the town. My great-grandfather-his son (Joseph) and his wife (Fredericka) later lived here, where they raised their 10 children. It was so much fun to spend time in this peaceful place!

I love the mis-matched collage look of this layout. I'm still thinking about how I want to print it...

enigma.

2010-09-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

This time of year I miss playing in the symphony. Good thing I have my FORTE membership! I need to pick out a few concerts to attend this year.

One of my favorite orchestral pieces features this...

What's on your iTunes?

image from musicroom.com

a new friend squared.

2010-09-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

I made not one, but two new friends last week while skating on the Monon. We went past an adorable Schnoodle puppy twice, and the second time around I just had to formally meet it (pets and all). After talking to the dog's owner for a moment, we realized we both had John Mayer shirts on-it was meant to be!

image from dogbreedinfo.com

graveyards.

2010-09-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

My friend E and I have this fascination with graveyards. I especially like wandering around graveyards where my ancestors are buried, but really, I'd explore any graveyard. But only in the daylight.

Check out these amazing pictures I found wandering a graveyard in rural MN! These photos are of my great-great grandparents Herman & Agnes and they are actually permanently fixed to their headstones. You just never know what you'll find.

zak!

2010-08-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

On my trip to Minneapolis I visited my most FAVORITE boutique, Patina. They always have the greatest finds, including this lovely red strainer which is perfect for fruits & veggies that are fresh from the garden.
image from Zak!Designs

brand new babe.

2010-08-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

Baby G is already a few months old (these were taken just before 2 weeks). The time has flown! She was so teeny tiny.

bulldog.

2010-08-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day as Bulldog! I'm not sure yet whether I'm more crazy or excited!

handels.

2010-08-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Is delicious! We're a little addicted. So far I've tried peppermint stick, chocolate raspberry truffle, and turtle. Ice cream goes really well with convertable rides on warm summer evenings!

the generations.

2010-08-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

And here are the folks who started it all...with the next generation! I adore my grandparents and LOVE that they were so excited to help plan this reunion weekend with us all. We had a great time participating in a murder mystery dinner, 4th of July parade, St. Joe Bazzaar, and lots and lots of laughing & games. (Click image for larger view)

the youngest.

2010-08-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Remember that stellar photography from the last post? Credit is due to the fatherly figure in this next post! In this family shoot we even snuck in a few senior portraits for my cousin.

mi familia.

2010-08-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

It's rare that my family actually gets a picture together since I'm always the one behind the lens. I can't take credit for these since I'm obviously NOT behind the lens...thanks Uncle Mark!

number 2.

2010-08-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

You can tell these guys took a LOT of family pictures over the years. Check out the symmetrical arm positions, the tilted heads, and I didn't even TELL them to do that! Even baby E knew the drill!

the eldest.

2010-08-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

The next batch of posts is a peek into my own family. I was able to capture some quick family portraits during our reunion over July 4th. This is just part one of many...so here comes the marathon of posts!

It's a MIRACLE we got this shot with such an active little guy, and let's be honest, a bunch of goofy grown ups!

the rest of SF.

2010-08-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Besides the food, we had a great time exploring SF as temporary residents. Our friends J & C came down for the weekend and we explored the wharf and enjoyed the Saturday day morning Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building. We also got together for dinner with N & L!

Some of the highlights include SURPRISE tickets to Wicked and an impromptu trolley ride back from church on Sunday.

Check out this great skyline shot I got on the way home when I flew over LA. The sun was just starting to set, but it was a little smoggy.

foodie.

2010-08-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

My friend Bob is a foodie, and I just spent 2 weeks in "his" city (San Francisco) for work. The goal was to never eat at the same restaurant twice. I nearly succeeded, with a few exceptions during the noon hour. The most interesting cuisine featured an actual sea urchin stew served in the shell-it was purple! (Anchor & Hope)

Here's a list of the places we hit.

1. Anchor and Hope
2. The Daily Grill
3. Wipeout Bar & Grill
4. McCormick & Schmick's
5. The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
6. O-Zone Thai Restaurant
7. Don Ramon's
8. Maya Restaurant
9. Boudin Bakery
10. Nova Bar & Restaurant
11. Jillian's
12. Local Kitchen
13. My boss' house (does that count?!).

My one regret, I was steps away from the Giant's stadium and we didn't make it to a game. Next time!

pola.

2010-08-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

Need me one of these for my upcoming travels!

image from amazon.com

a perfect summer surprise.

2010-08-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

While in Minnesota visiting family, we had some extra time to kill so we hit the Como Zoo. Just moments after we entered the gates, we came across the butterfly tent. Normally I wouldn't splurge on something so frivolous (at the MN State Fair they charge at least $20 a head for those gimmicks) BUT...the wonderful thing about the Como Zoo is that it is FREE! I just had to walk through or I'd never live it down, so we waited in the short line. I was a little nervous because I'm not really a bug person, but my curiosity won out. Boy am I glad we did this! (And for the record, we DID leave a donation. I'm not that cheap!)

There were so many different varieties, and the colors were so vibrant! One landed on my hand, but flew away before I could snap a picture.

guiness book of world records.

2010-08-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

Found in the wilds of Indiana!

missing out.

2010-08-11T06:25:00.000-07:00

My family is having a mini-reunion this week in MN because my great uncle is in town from Chile (he's the little fella in the picture). I wish I was there!

st. elmo's.

2010-08-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Last night we enjoyed St Elmo's as part of Devour Downtown. We found out it's the oldest restaurant in the city, and with good reason-it was SO delish! We had:

shrimp cocktail with fire sauce (pictured below) & house salad with blue cheese dressing
fillet mignon (AMAZING!) & grilled salmon (so tender)
creme brulee & cheesecake

We are DEFINITELY going back. I'd venture to say it's the best restaurant we've been to in Indy!

image from wouldibuyitagain.com

back on the horse.

2010-08-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

So, you've noticed... I stopped blogging! There are many reasons for this. In a nutshell I had other priorities including training for a half marathon, applying to graduate school and studying for the GMAT, and some extra travel for work (and play).

Although I haven't been posting, I actually have been taking pictures. I just wrapped up some fabulous trips to LA, MN, MI, and SF that I am really looking forward to sharing. I also did some portraits of a brand new babe and of my very own extended family.

To get back into the swing of things, here are some lovely peonies that I purchased at the farmer's market for a whopping deal of $5.

happy anniversary...

2010-08-07T06:18:00.000-07:00

...dear husby! I'm a bit late-it was 3 years on the 27th of last month. For whatever reason, he loves this picture. I do not, but this post is for him, right?!

rain rain, go away.

2010-03-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

etsy shop updates.

2010-02-28T05:53:00.000-08:00

I've just posted some new cards to my Etsy shop.

Do you have an Etsy shop? What's your favorite Etsy shop?

flashes of hope.

2010-02-28T05:33:00.000-08:00

I ran across this organization on the CaringBridge site of one of my relatives, whose sweet child has cancer. Their mission is to change "the way children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses see themselves through the gift of photography and [raise] money for pediatric cancer research." I can attest, they create BEAUTIFUL images!

image from flashesofhope.org

look what i found.

2010-02-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

It's heavenly!

rumor has it.

2010-02-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

I'll be back in town (SLC) on business March 1-22. I should have some time to fit in a few photo shoots. Leave a comment or e-mail me at kaela@bokehphotos.com to book a sesson. As of right now I have a few openings on the 6th & the 13th of March.

john bragg.

2010-02-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's day!

While on my pre-valentine's date (we don't like the crowds) I came across a piece by John Bragg similar to the one below. Isn't it romantic looking? I am in love! The best part...he's based in Indy. I must meet him!

image from johnbragg.com

melt in your mouth.

2010-02-13T06:17:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, I've been horrible about documenting my cooking adventures even though I committed to doing so here. I've been cooking, I promise, but I'm lacking in the area of presentation. Perhaps I need to take some more food styling lessons from here. I tell myself I'll do better when I have a home of my own, when there are windows on more than one side of my abode. We face east, so unless I'm making a rockin' breakfast, there's not much light to photograph things later in the day. However, I did manage to make these over the weekend since BIL cam to visit. I got the recipe from here. They're delish and oh-so-easy.

extra extra...read all about it.

2010-02-12T05:56:00.000-08:00

I'm finally setting up google reader.

I'm tired of blog hopping to keep up on the latest posts! If you've got a blog, please leave a comment with the URL so I can add it to my google reader. Thanks!

image from here

phonography.

2010-02-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I spelled it right. P-H-O-N-O-G-R-A-P-H-Y. The random assortment of images on your camera phone that you took for whatever reason (the grocery, a concert, the thrift store, a restaurant). They're not always the best quality (blurry, low resolution) but they are an interesting assortment to look back on. I often pull out my camera phone when I'm saying "I wish I had brought my good camera!" What if the summary for the past year of our lives was expressed in a compilation of our phone pictures? Here are some of my favorites (click for a larger collage):

Bonus points if you can name the locations of some of these photos!

Submit your favorite phone picture(s) via e-mail to kaela@bokephotos.com. If you'd rather text them to me, that's fine too. If there's a story behind the image, please include the details. If you'd like to include a year compilation, you can submit a 3x3 square of photos to illustrate your year in review. Images must be submitted by the 28th of February. I will post the best images/compilations, and I may even have a prize up for grabs!

lonely bananas.

2010-02-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

Since there's only two of us (husby & I) we can't eat a whole bunch of bananas before they turn brown. Sometimes I break the bunch in half so we only have 3 or 4 bananas to take home. Lately, I've taken to picking out the 'lonely' bananas, or the bananas in the 'orphan' basket. Do you know which ones I'm talking about? The grocer goes through and periodically organizes the produce, and sorts out the lone bananas into a basket in the corner of the display. Since we can't eat a whole bunch anyway, I figure I can bring these misfit bananas home with me so they will feel loved one last time before I eat them. Is that weird?

Do you have any quirky grocery store habits?

image from nazret.com via google image search

the capital grille.

2010-02-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

Is delicious. A friend tipped us off to this great place, and we tried it out over the weekend as part of the Devour Downtown. Citrus salmon, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, lamb chop, creme brulee, and flourless chocolate cate. What's not to love!

image from tripadvisor.com

fever.

2010-02-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

I haven't quite caught the Colts 'fever' but it's hard to ignore when this is the first thing you see when you walk into the grocery store.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

dear chair.

2010-02-06T21:09:00.001-08:00

You are beautiful. I wish I would have bought you from the thrift store for the low, low price of $40. I hope you found a good home. I still think of you often.

books.

2010-02-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

One of my goals this year is to read 1 book a month. So far, I'm doing pretty well. I'm currently reading:

What are some of your favorite books?

images from amazon.com

for 1 night only.

2010-02-01T05:44:00.000-08:00

What a perfect date. I love NPR! For tickets at a theatre near you check here.

images from www.prairiehome.publicradio.org

fr. richard.

2010-01-31T07:34:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of family history research lately, and the best part is looking through all of these old photographs. I bet you didn't know that my Great Uncle (Fr. Richard) is a priest. He lives in Chile and has been serving there for around 50 years. Here he is (on the right) sitting with my Grandpa Roger (his brother). Pictures are truly worth a MILLION words, so if you have any oldies like this, SCAN them. Save them. Preserve them. They are SO NICE to have.

I also have a Great Aunt who's a nun...but I'll save that for another post!

what do you think?

2010-01-30T05:54:00.000-08:00

...of these colors? I promise they match. Remember this? It's inspired the entire decor for my office, and now I'm going to make some pillows to match.

guiltless pleasure.

2010-01-29T06:46:00.000-08:00

Look what I found! And I don't even like Chex Mix. But this is DARK CHOCOLATE Chex Mix. It's so delicious, and cures my sweet tooth with just one little handful!

image from chex.com

jantzen II.

2010-01-28T05:36:00.000-08:00

Their 100th birthday was yesterday, and I'll say, they're looking pretty good! I la la love their fresh logo & branding. It's so retro, yet hip. Which is your favorite!?

image from Jantzen.com

catching up.

2010-01-27T05:37:00.000-08:00

I haven't forgotten about my faithful readers! I'm realizing more people actually read my blog than I think.

I've got a couple great Wondering Wednesday posts in the works, but they require some screen shots and side by side comparisons, and I haven't quite whipped those up yet. I'll have a really, really good one next week, especially for all those delving into Photoshop. Promise!

*What are you wondering? Submit photography/design questions to kaela@bokephotos.com, or leave a comment!*

wondering wednesday: photoshop.

2010-01-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

Starting in 2010, I'm doing a series on Wednesdays answering photography/design questions submitted by readers. If you have a question you'd like to submit, leave a comment or e-mail me at kaela@bokehphotos.com. I will answer a new question each Wednesday!

Leanne asked:

"What is the best way to learn photoshop? I have tinkered around with it myself, and took a class at BYU that went way to fast and left me totally lost. DO you have a book or tutorial that you recommend?"

YES! Nicole Hill Gerulat, local UT photography celebrity, organizes classes on photography, Illustrator, AND Photoshop. I highly recommend these courses (I've taken all three). Mike Loveland (the instructor) works in the stock photography industry, and goes through the entire Photoshop toolbar in detail. He provides actual commercial images for hands on experience and classroom demonstrations of how the tools work. I've taken community courses as well, and learned a ton on my own, but this class was uber thorough and the interactive format of the class and homework assignments helped the lessons stick. People of all abilities take these classes, so no one gets left behind.

If you don't have time to take the class, or you're not in a location where the class is offered, they also came out with a fabulous textbook! It's a steal.

Another great *free* way to learn Photoshop is through Podcasts. I haven't watched any lately, but there are several series available on iTunes that you can subscribe to.

If anyone tries/has tried these suggestions, I'd love to get your feedback!

*What are you wondering? Submit questions to kaela@bokephotos.com or leave a comment.*

image from nicolesclasses.com

what have i been up to?

2010-01-18T19:45:00.000-08:00

So you've likely noticed the lack of fresh images on my blog. This is due to:

Cooking adventures, including 'Ribollita' from 101 Cookbooks and my new Simple Swaps book
Sewing creations, including the pillow making class I took at JoAnn Fabrics, and the purse I constructed with the help of my sissy
It's cold outside!

It's just too cold and blah outside for portraits right now, but I'm working on a few different projects that I hope to share soon. In the meantime, you'll have to put up with my dabbling.

image from Amazon.com

chances.

2010-01-16T07:12:00.000-08:00

Again, I'm behind the times, but I just saw The Blindside last week, and I loved it! If you haven't already seen it yet, GO. I'm especially stuck on the song 'Chances' by Five for Fighting. It makes me wonder, how did I get so lucky?

tango.

2010-01-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

We're going to Tango tonight.

I'll let you know what I think. Afterwards, we're going to the game.

this makes me smile.

2010-01-10T07:41:00.000-08:00

I need to take more pictures like this.

Borrowed from the FB page of my MPLS yoga instructor. If you do yoga and live in MPLS-she is fabulous.

What makes you smile?

jantzen.

2010-01-08T23:18:00.000-08:00

This inspires me to work out. What a fabulous little black number. Wish I was going somewhere warm where I could sport this! So classy & retro.

101 cookbooks.

2010-01-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

In the last month or so, I've attempted to do more cooking, both for economical reasons, and to find a new outlet for my creativity (photography, music, scrapbooking, card-making, sewing, and book-binding aren't enough). I'm a jack of all trades but I won't pretend to be a master of any of them. But I'm trying...does that count?

Historically, I actually hate cooking. I despise going to the grocery store. I hate paying for the ingredients. I dislike making a mess in my kitchen that has limited counter space. And I don't like cleaning up after myself (just ask husby). To make up for all of this, I've discovered this lovely inspiration, which marries photography AND food. Now there is more motivation besides eating to cook...I can take pretty pictures too!

As a challenge to myself, in the new year, I will be cooking more and documenting my endeavors. If only my kitchen had better lighting...

calling all questions.

2010-01-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I try to let my images speak for themselves. I'm not a writer so I keep the text to a minimum. Since this is a photo-themed blog (despite the occasional tangents) I'm asking for any questions you have on photography, design, equipment, Photoshop, etc. I'm not a self proclaimed expert, but I've learned plenty from experience (and classes) and I'd love to share the knowledge I've gleaned. Besides, the best way to learn something is to *teach* it, right?

The #1 question I am asked is...
"What kind of [digital SLR] camera should I get?"

Which of course I answer, depends on your preference. I like Nikon but that doesn't mean Canon is a bad brand. I just means I like the way Nikon cameras are set up. I like how they feel. I like the lenses. I have a Nikon D300 and it's fabulous for me. Is it the camera of my dreams? No. But it's a good portion of the way there, and for now, it meets my needs. If you are considering a certain camera, I'm glad to provide my opinion on the pros/cons and features, but ultimately you're the user and you need to decide what camera best meets your preferences.

Now that I'm done with my long winded scenario, what else do you people want to know? I'd love to do a series of posts to answer your questions (what a GREAT challenge this will be).

sassy sling.

2009-12-30T07:53:00.000-08:00

I picked up this pattern from Etsy before the holidays, in anticipation of my sister's week-long visit. You see, she's Martha Stewart when it comes to sewing (and cooking) and I needed some help with my new Brother.

mailbox.

2009-12-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

I LOVE the holidays because I get so many of these lovelies in my mailbox :) I check the mail like it's my JOB. Here's one I made for some sweet friends of ours.

(click for a larger version)

Check out their newborn shoot and their holiday card last year.

merry christmas.

2009-12-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Metamora, IN

the great hall.

2009-12-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

My dad went to this lovely Catholic private school in Central Minnesota. St. John's University (home of the "Johnnies") is renowned not only for it's football program, architecture, and 'Johnnie bread', but also for its deeply rooted traditions, especially at Christmastime.

One of my favorite holiday memories is a midnight walk on Christmas eve with my dad, on and around the frozen lake on campus (the campus is HUGE). Afterward, we caught up with those who had attended midnight mass in the Abbey church. Post-service, they service gingerbread cookies in the Great Hall, and we were just in time to catch the cookies. During the Christmas season, they have a big, beautiful tree that is classically decorated as the center piece of the space. It fits perfectly in the huge dome/archway that characterizes the Great Hall. While the Great Hall is a beautiful space, it is, like many old buildings, made up of narrow doorways and tight spaces. I never gave much thought to the logistics of the Christmas tree until I saw this video...

bobbi l.

2009-12-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Bobbi is a fabulous SLC artist (and friend) who just opened up her very own Etsy shop. You can visit her sweet felted creatures and richly textured collages here. She also has a fabulous blog that is both contemplative and refreshingly honest (check out Frosty's Trip to the Post Office for a laugh). It's so beautiful to have a window into the creative process of a real artist.

If you're looking for the perfect last minute gift, or need to dress up your holiday decor, check out her Etsy shop!

image from etsy.com

cs4.

2009-12-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

I'm considering an upgrade to CS4 now that I work here, I'm worried about all the pretty brushed I collected translating to the new version. Has anyone else tried it? What are the new features? I can't seem to find many Photoshop brushes out there for CS4.
I realize I can do some research at work, but sometimes it's more fun to ask the peanut gallery!

image from writtenbyallof.us

yes, i live in a cave.

2009-12-14T20:59:00.000-08:00

I finally upgraded. And scored 10 GB of hard drive space. Whooopie!

Yes, I realize that this is 'so last year.'

image from apple.com

signature scent.

2009-12-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

Meet my new signature scent.

What's yours?

image from laila.com

dear santa.

2009-12-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

What's on your wish list?

i need me one of these.

2009-12-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

What's a good brand?

image from auntscrappy.com

it's december 1st...

2009-12-01T18:16:00.001-08:00

Are your holiday cards ready? If you're looking for a fresh (read: not canned design from *you know where*), let me design a one-of-a-kind holiday card for you! Here's one I did last year. I've already finished some new ones this year...but I can't spoil the surprise for my clients!

I also design baby announcements, graduation announcements, engagement collages, custom albums, logos, and business cards.

a project completed.

2009-11-30T07:28:00.000-08:00

I've been looking for a magnetic bulletin board, but just haven't found one that fit my lofty expectations. So I decided to make one.

Materials:

pre-cut frame that was 50% off (craft store)
magnetic metal sheet for $13.99 (hardware store)
magnets husby gave me last Christmas

The hardware store cut the metal sheet to fit in my frame (22x28), and the craft store kindly stapled the metal into the frame, and reinforced the backing with some foam board. They also added a wire so I could hang it.

oh how i have missed you.

2009-11-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

coupon

image from www.accathletics.org

my vice.

2009-11-28T05:02:00.000-08:00

image from oberweis.com

patina.

2009-11-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

I have all of these fabulous family photographs that needed framing.

punkin' pie.

2009-11-26T07:28:00.000-08:00

Something festive I made this week. Happy Turkey Day!

a fresh look.

2009-11-24T06:02:00.000-08:00

I've finally made some updates to my website. See if you can tell what's changed!

accessorizing.

2009-11-21T06:24:00.000-08:00

This finally arrived on Thursday!

Now I need to accessorize. What's your vote? Pick 2!

images from etsy.com shops: nestables, cottoncolors, thehomecentric, olive, swoonstudio

there's a first for everything.

2009-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

Finally! My first shoot in Indy. It was a quick one for some friends, and unfortunately we missed most of the fall foliage. They have a great yard anyway, and their pup wanted in on the action too. Here's a taste.

what's black and white and red/read all over.

2009-11-19T10:31:00.000-08:00

Check out this lovely that I found today for my office! I needed some inspiration...and I found it!

image from mywireempire on etsy.com

back in the saddle.

2009-11-14T06:01:00.000-08:00

I'm back in the saddle! Here's a post from the last session I did in Utah. This family is beautiful, in all of their color-coordinated glory! I love the sassiness from E-she has to put up with all those BIG BROTHERS. And let me tell you...she handles them like a champ!

d-troit.

2009-11-12T06:02:00.000-08:00

In October we traveled to Detroit to cheer on my bro in-laws at the Detroit Marathon. Their course was incredible, traveling across several bridges, into Canada, through a tunnel, and on an island. They started the race in the dark, and let me tell you, it was cold up there! We did a fair amount of jogging ourselves, bringing sustenance to our runners and cheering them on.

No way I'd do a full marathon, but we're doing the Indy Mini in May!

gameday.

2009-11-07T04:54:00.000-08:00

Guess what we're doing today...
My blogging sabbatical is over. Promise. I'll be back with images this week, as well as some shoots from the archives!

image from rootzoo.com

new locations!

2009-10-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

I love my farmer's market friends! Last Saturday was one of the last days for Harvest Moon Flower Farm, since the weather is getting cooler. Her fresh bouquets are gorgeous. She also does fall and holiday wreaths, and adorable arrangements inside a pumpkin vase. I picked up some real, dried pussy willows for my new bathroom!

so many places, so little time.

2009-10-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

In looking forward to the coming year, there are so many places we want to travel! Some we've never been to. Given the choice, which places would you travel to? Which ones would you skip? Which seasons are best to visit these places?

Atlanta
Texas
DC
New York city
Disney World
Seattle
Minnesota

image from www.epa.gov

the gateway to the west.

2009-10-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've been in Indy for almost 2 weeks now. It's gone by fast! I had every intention of documenting our trip, but of course, we were in such a hurry, I didn't have time to photograph everything.

Highlights include:

Driving through Nebraska. All 9 hours of it. JUST KIDDING.
Buffalo burgers at Cabela's.
Seeing the Plowman's in Kansas City
The St. Louis arch
Steak and Shake
Honking at every state line. (all 8 of them)

1,692 miles later, we are home.

the afghan girl.

2009-10-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

Last night my husband and I watched a program entitled 'The Afghan Girl.' If you're familiar with National Geographic, you may remember this image from one of the famous covers of all time:

I've always wanted to be a photographer for National Geographic, so the story fascinates me. The original image was photographed in 1985 by Steve McCurry. Decades later, he couldn't get her out of his mind, so he went back to find her. Check out the full story.

image from National Geographic

seeing the everyday.

2009-10-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

While unpacking boxes, I ran across this beautiful magazine. It's simple, but definitely speaks to me as one who appreciates the little things in life. Seeing the Everyday pays tribute to the uniqueness in daily life, with well composed photography, sweet stories, and lovely text & layout.

image from Seeing the Everyday

traders point creamery.

2009-10-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sweet husby is always on the lookout for originality. He knows I'd rather shop local than hit up the chain restaurants (although you'll catch me at Cheesecake Factory on occasion). Here's a wonderful new place we tried tonight! It's a 'farm to table' restaurant, so everything we ate was harvested and prepared on premise. On the menu were grass fed beef hamburgers (choice of 3 ways), fresh green beans, and home made mac 'n cheese. It was divine. We will be back!

Traders Point Creamery also does a Friday evening farmer's market, and a Saturday morning winter market. We picked up some honey sticks, fresh apples (for apple crisp!), and some peppers for fajitas later this week. Yum!

en route.

2009-10-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

Today we're en route to Indy...for good.

I'm documenting the road trip!

image from 50states.com

wallet envy.

2009-10-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

Nearly every time I'm at the store and I take my wallet out to pay, people ask me where I got my wallet. Secret's out, I got it from Etsy.

c & c.

2009-09-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad this couple was one of my last session in UT. We tried this new location, which I loved. What a fab looking couple! Check out their blog for more pictures.

anniversary.

2009-09-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

Love that this couple is still in love...a whole year later! What a great anniversary gift.

If anyone else is brave enough to do a 7 AM session, I highly recommend it!

omni golf.

2009-09-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

My company had a golf tourney on Saturday and I was the official photographer. It was so much fun!

less than a week.

2009-09-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

Less than a week left in UT and I'm feeling a little nostalgic. I AM looking forward to the midwestern fall. Booking sessions for October!

stella & hodge.

2009-09-26T19:29:00.000-07:00

I picked up this sweet pendant from stella&hodge. Stationary, jewelry, & paper goods. Stop by!

tee up.

2009-09-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

I spent my morning driving around in a golf cart. What a beautiful day for a golf tournament! More images to come.

golden gopher.

2009-09-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

My sissy called me early this morning to tell me she was accepted to the U of M PT program. I am exceedingly proud! She's still waiting on one more school to decide where she will attend.

For those who don't know my sister, this has been her dream for a long time...ever since she fell in love with football & sports. Go Erin!
image from Campus Explorer

what a character.

2009-09-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

You may recognize this photogenic fam from last year's 'bunny session.' A year older, and z is definitely a character. He loved the trains at this location...and couldn't wait to play on them! He sure knows how to work the camera.

h family.

2009-09-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

This family is so adorable! Usually I have to perform all sort of tricks to get babies to smile, but O made it easy for me. What a beautiful day! Check out her newborn pics here.

slacky blogger.

2009-09-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

I admit, I've been a slacky blogger. Between the full time job (being acquired by Adobe) and averaging 3 sessions a week while flying back and forth every two weeks to see husby, blogging has been at the bottom of the list. Instead, I've been working on...

editing pictures
studying my family tree (including pictures!). see some fun ones here.
updating my website
a wedding album (that is not yet finished)

discounts?

2009-09-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

So you think I'll get a discount on my CS upgrade? Click here for the full story.

light.

2009-09-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

The light is beautiful at 7 AM. Trust me.

brambles.

2009-09-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Last weekend while out and about with a friend we happened upon Brambles, a boutique in south Provo. We'd both driven by a million times, but never stopped. Last weekend we stopped.

The ambiance was so warm and welcoming, and they had everything from plans to frames, plaques, jewelry, antiques, fragrances, headbands, etc. My personal favorite was Voluspa in Goji Toracco and Orange. Don't ask me what that is, but it smells amazing. Plus, it's red. I like red.

harley-davidson family.

2009-09-11T07:16:00.000-07:00

LOVED this family photo shoot. They're truly a Harley family; bikes, boots, gear, the works. They were up for anything, and made my job easy by cracking themselves up the whole time. To make it even sweeter, I got to ride home on a Harley.

best.wedding.gift.ever.

2009-09-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

The next friend/family member to get married is getting one of these.

I kind of want one too...