Fun mini-session

Aren't these outfits so cute together? Notice both the little girl and the dog (their first daughter) have black bows to accent mom and dad's clothes. Love it!!



And we've decided dad's Chucks should be a theme, which actually started with our first session last year.

I'm a day late...

...ok, technically two days since it's after midnight, to announce the winner of the drawing for a free photo session. Sorry about that, things are a little tiny bit crazy right now (as you can see by the frequency of posts). Anyway, here it is - the winner of a photo session is...

Tina Smith!!

I will be contacting you shortly to discuss details!!

Florida Style Christmas

Living in a southern state definitely has it's advantages. Of course it would be nice to have some kind of seasonal change, but I love that it's November and we're still heading out to the beach for sessions!

Adorable Little Blondies

Why are little girls in dresses on the beach so darn cute??? Mmmm, one of my favorite subjects. These parents thought to bring the favorite stuffed bunnies...what a great idea. I love to incorporate sentimental items and capture moments that will tug at the family's heartstrings for years to come.

I LOVE the holidays!!

Everything about them - the food, decorations, music, the good cheer. I love the gift-giving, and I even love the gift shopping and buying. However, what I hate is feeling like all of my gift options are foreign-made. Times are tough, everyone is struggling, trying to budget, cut expenses, etc. And even though you may not be spending a lot on Christmas, you'll still be spending something. There are many reasons the economy is in crisis right now, and one of those reasons is the loss of domestic jobs to foreign competition. Well, here's my "good-will" thought for the season -- if you spend your dollars on goods made here, you're helping out your fellow Americans by helping them keep their job and put food on their table...and maybe even a few presents under the tree. On another note, the safety issues with products from China have not been resolved, there are just bigger stories in the news right now. With that in mind, we really need to make the extra effort to buy domestic when possible. I know it seems like a daunting task, so I'm making it easier. There are many resources out there that I've listed below. There is also this wonderful man, Roger Simmermaker, who wrote a wonderful book, "How Americans can Buy American", and takes the time to write email newsletters on the subject. You can view his website for a long list of domestic links, and while you're there, go ahead and purchase a copy of his book for yourself. You'll be amazed at how educational it is.

Here are some links:

One stop shopping:

http://www.madeinusaforever.com/
http://www.buyamerican.com/

http://www.zebulonusa.com/index.asp

http://www.shopforamerica.com/home.php

Toys/items for kids:

http://www.lainaline.com/ - adorable kids clothing

http://www.greatstuffforkids.com/

http://www.toysamerican.com/

http://www.fractiles.com/

http://www.cubbyholetoys.com/

http://www.lindenwoodinc.com/

http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/content/ba-toys.shtml - toy list from Roger

Clothes:

http://www.bamboosa.com/ - Natural bamboo clothing for children and adults

http://www.alore.net/ - sportswear
http://www.islandslipper.com/ - sandals made in Hawaii

http://www.venus.com/ - bathing suits are made in Jacksonville, FL, but the clothing is made in various places around the world.

http://www.whitedressshirts.com/

http://www.wickers.com/ - great products

Gifts/Misc:

http://www.femailcreations.com/ - interesting gifts made by women
http://www.tinwoodsman.com/

http://www.prairierose.com/ - wooden laser-cut frames, can be personalized

http://www.obrienschridde.com/ - gorgeous frames, perfect for those PHOTO gifts. ;)

http://www.radacutlery.com/

http://www.rowepottery.com/ishop/
http://www.recycline.com/
http://www.vitamix.com/

http://www.cooltote.com/

http://www.drifterbag.com/

http://www.spireusa.com/ - Love their laptop bags
http://www.sfbags.com/

http://www.toughtraveler.com/
http://www.faribaultmills.com/ - woven blankets

http://www.counciltool.com/

http://www.metrovacworld.com/
http://www.longaberger.com/
http://www.peterborobasket.com/

Arthur Murray's Newest Dancer

Well, she can't dance yet, but she already loves the music! She's such a cute baby, and you should see how these two bounce and dance around the studio with her in tow. Her first steps will probably be the tango. ;)

I love candid beach images...

...and it's a good thing, because sometimes the weather makes it nearly impossible to get posed family portraits. The wind was a big problem on this shoot. It's a dual-edged sword - for candid photographs it can be powerful, making the viewers almost able to feel the breeze themselves, but the annoying side is when you've posed a family and finally gotten everyone to look at the camera and smile, and at the very moment the shutter clicks, a gust of wind blows hair in someone's face. Quite frustrating, and it seems to be a theme lately. The "bright" side (my mom always finds this side of life) is that the images below are why I love photography...

Before and After

Two sessions in one post! We barely got the pregnancy session in before baby "C" made her debut, but I'm so glad we did. Enjoy your sneak peek!






Look at those precious lips!

Beach Beauties

This family spends a ton of time on the beach, so for the photo shoot, they took Darin and I on their boat out to an island. The light was gorgeous, and the subjects...even better. It was a great idea because the spot is perfect for photography, especially since it is free of those hideous high-rise condos. And it was so peaceful and pretty. We'd love to go back sans the cameras and just relax! So B and C, you've got our number, and we've got the beach towels ready!

The wait is over!

I'm so excited to post these photos! These two fantastic people are the owners of the new Arthur Murray Studio in Clearwater. They're young, they're hip, and they're amazing dancers! I've wanted to take ballroom/Latin dance lessons for many years, and when their studio opened so close to me, I couldn't resist...and I'm loving it!! If any of you have considered taking lessons, do it NOW! It's a great workout, it's great for your posture and self-esteem, and it's wonderful for couples who want to spend time together and strengthen their relationship. They are also starting a kids program, and I can say from experience (my mom put me in ballet and jazz classes when I was young) that dancing is wonderful for children. Not only for their self-esteem, but also for coordination and social skills. I can't tell you how thankful I am that my parents stayed committed to sending me to dance class...even when I *claimed* to hate it. ;) Ok, I'm finished with my speech now. If you'd like more information, or want to sign up for your complimentary fist lesson, their phone number is 727-489-9919.

P.S. You'll be seeing the newborn session soon!