I like to be good at stuff.  Well, I don’t think you’ll meet many people who like to be bad at stuff.  But I like to be really good at anything I do.  Anything.  I have a hard time doing something halfway or taking the shortcuts.  The last few years I’ve put all of my creative juices in to photography though.  My free time, my creative energy, it all went towards photography.  So, with the "slow season" this past month or so I’ve been branching out a little bit.  Sending those creative juices in a few other directions.  Allowing myself to stretch and use some different muscles.  It’s been so much fun and I’m so happy to be getting better in some creative arenas.

A friend of mine was taking a sewing class at The Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica and I was so excited to join her.  It was so.much.fun and I’m so happy that I attended.  My mother is an amazing seamstress, and her mother was too.  Yet, somehow I never picked up the skill. 

This class piqued my interest and I’ve most definitely jumped on the sewing bandwagon.  I bought a sewing machine just today and am so excited for it to arrive. I have big plans for pillow cases and tote bags and drapes and hemming my own pants.  I’m going to save so much money!  Well, either that, or I’m going to spend a bajillion dollars on zippers that I tear, pants that I shorten too much and fabric that is bloodstained from too many finger pricks. 

My very first project!  A pillow, made all by myself

There’s something incredibly adorable about a new family.  So many changes and milestones.  So much love and laughter.  It makes me grin from ear to ear!

Craig, Kelly & Mia are one of those insanely adorable families.  Mia just hit the nine month mark.  She’s standing and laughing and learning so much everyday.  Her four tiny teeth are super cute and the grin she gives makes you melt.  I am obsessed with her chubby cheeks and her puffy feet.  You can feel that she was just the most perfect addition to this family.

Craig, Kelly & Mia - Thank you so much for inviting me in to your new home and allowing me to document your growing family!  It was incredibly special and I hope that you enjoy the images we created!

I never pick locations for my shoots.  I’m more than willing to bounce ideas and brainstorm, but I never want to choose.  I feel that it is so incredibly important for the location to be representative of the couple, to be comfortable for them, to be a part of them.  So, when Hilary & Brian mentioned shooting in the snow, I was insanely excited.  They spent their college days snowboarding at Big Bear and Brian proposed at the top of the mountain last year.   The snow and the mountains are absolutely representative of who they are and I was so happy to capture them in that environment. 

There was SO.MUCH.SNOW.  Since we live in Los Angeles, the desert, I assumed that heading only an hour away would give us about 6 inches of snow, maybe a foot if we were lucky.  Clearly, I did not do my research.  There was so much that, if I didn’t step in the right place, I’d have snow up to my knees.  It was crisp & clean & crazy cold.  And it was perfect.

Hilary & Brian were absolutely perfect models in the crazy hard shooting conditions.  Moving was, um, less than easy.  But they laughed & played.  Brian was most definitely in his element, not so much loving the photography part of the trip, but the rest of it :-)  The fire, the sledding and the snowballs… I’m pretty sure he loved that.  Hilary had sparkly eyes and was so happy to be there with him.  So happy.  It was incredibly perfect.

Hilary & Brian - Thank you so much for introducing me to LA snow!  And to hot chocolate on the back of a pickup.  And propane tank heaters.  It was a fabulous trip and I had so much fun with the two of you!  I couldn’t be more excited for your wedding!

When we arrived there was a heavy fog and we were starving.  So Brian set up camp on the truck bed; lawn chairs, hot chocolate, sandwiches & the most amazing heater EVER.  By the time we’d finished eating the fog was gone and we were left with an amazing location.

Candice has one of those laugh.  Contagious.  You can’t help but double over laughing when she throws her head back.  And when Jared is the instigator, she laughs bigger.  You can see that they just get each other.  They play together, and then, in an instant, are cuddly & kissing.  Super adorable.  They took the time to relax with each other and I could see them connecting.  A little pit stop in the craziness of wedding planning.

They chose two locations that were perfect for them.  The Lab & the park where they had their first date. Six years later, Jared proposed in the same park.  I love that the location held so much significance for them.  That it meant so much to them.  I think the images will mean that much more!

Candice & Jared - I had such an amazing time with the two of you.  You were perfect models and made my job super easy!  I couldn’t possibly be more excited for the wedding!  Thank you so much for choosing me to document such an important time in your lives.

I love vineyards.  There is something so intriguing about the vines.  Rows & rows of vines.  Thinking about the grapes that they grow and the wine those grapes will produce.   And in the winter they were incredible.  Bare.  Such nice symmetrical rows where each piece is a knotty mess. 

Before we even arrived, I knew I wanted to shoot in the vineyard.  And I was thrilled that all of the ladies (and maybe even the men, but maybe not really) wanted to shoot a bit.  So, we arrived home on Saturday from a day of wine tasting, a super quick wardrobe change and the fastest 40 minutes of shooting I’ve ever done.  We were racing the fading sun and there was so much I wanted to capture.  It was 40 minutes of pure ridiculousness, laughter & fun fueled by amazing people, a fabulous location, a little bit of rain & quite a bit of wine.

Jess, Josh, Paola, Eric, Natalie & Greg - You are all rockstars and I couldn’t be more blessed to have the six of you in my life.   You inspire me.  You make me laugh.  You’ve given me a home.  Thank you for being some of the best friends a girl could ask for!

Jessica & Josh were one of the very first couples to ever book me.  I didn’t even have a sample album when we met!   I thought they HATED me and nearly fell over when she called to set the date. They booked me for me and I am eternally grateful. 

I met Natalie in 2006.  Online.  Our first date in 2007 was magical.  If Chris ever leaves me, it will most definitely be for Greg.  

Paola is an absolute inspiration for me.  In business.  In the gym.  In the kitchen.  If it weren’t for her, I would be broke, fat & malnourished.

A few weeks ago my friends Chris & Allie of The Reason were in town and they introduced me to my newest obsession… The Instax.  I absolutely loved the camera and the images it created.  I NEEDED to have it for our trip to Sonoma.   So much so that when it didn’t arrive in time, I went out and bought a second one that I could take to Sonoma with me.  

While Chris shot with our "real" cameras, I played with the new toy camera.  Obsessed.

The drive up.

Lunch of Champions.

There was a FABULOUS grocery store around the corner from our house.  So beautiful that I photographed the cheese display & the veggie display.  The salads were in granite bowls and there were TWO cheese experts to help us with our selections.  Delicious.

A few months ago, while drinking a bottle of wine with some good friends, Sonoma came to mind.  And it became absolutely essential that we go to there.  Soon.  I have been looking forward to this trip for months.  I was so excited I couldn’t sleep.  Insane excited.  Four couples, an AHHHMazing house in Healdsburg and fabulous wineries with food pairings.

It surpassed every single expectation.  We had an amazing time and I’m thisclose to making plans for the next one.  We attended Wine Road, all of the wineries participate with lots of tasting and food pairings… paella & chili & cookies.  Yum.  We spent evenings drinking wine, eating food & playing Catchphrase.  It poured for the most part, but really, when you’ve got wine & food in your belly, it’s not so bad.

One of my goals for the year was to take lots of personal pictures.  And we took tons!  Well, while I was busy sampling every single red wine offered to me, Chris was very busy taking pictures.  Thank you babycakes.

 
This is the view from our house over the vineyard.  Chris & I woke up early early Saturday morning and watched the sun rise through the fog.  But, because of the fog, it didn’t really rise, but just got incrementally lighter.  Still pretty.

We went to eight wineries a day.  Picked mostly for the quality of food offered

Didn’t expect a details collage did you?  This is Bella Vineyard & Wine Cave.  Decorated IMPECCABLE.  I would like to have another wedding, right here, just like this.  The wood paneling on the tent, the fur throws & pillows, the AHHHMAZING chandelier… to.die.for.

Don’t I look sexy in my polarizing fish glasses?!

Today has been one of those days.  The days that we knew would happen, but vowed to love each other through.  For better or for worse.  One of those days where nothing happens the way it should, when systems fail & collapsing on the couch with a bucket of ice cream seems to be the most reasonable thing you could do.

On days like today, I feel so incredibly blessed to be married to my husband.  When my world is falling apart, he stops in for lunch and picks it all up, fixes it with a good hug & is back to the office.  For better or for worse.

Two years ago today I stood on the alter and vowed to love him more every single day.  While I may still be working on all the wifely stuff (cooking & I aren’t quite on the best terms) I’m pretty good at waking up more in love than I went to sleep. 

Chris - Thank you for loving me, for taking care of me & for always making sure that my wine glass is, at minimum, half full.  You make me a better person and I am beyond blessed that my life is happening with you.  To the next 42 years.

Photo Credit: Rob Holley

I’m on my way to Sonoma for the first time ever with seven of my very favorite people!  It’ll be one part anniversary celebration, one part ridiculous/crazy fun with my friends & one part utter relaxation!  I’m so insanely excited I haven’t slept in three days.

I’ll be back, relaxed & ready to work on Tuesday.  Enjoy the long weekend kids!

I am a very large proponent of goals.  Knowing where I want to go.  And when you get there, it’s such an amazing feeling!  So, the goal for 2010 was to get published.  And I was absolutely blown away to hear that it was going to happen in the very first few weeks of 2010.  Giddy thrilled ecstatic, etc.

WHEEEE!

Karri & Doug - Thank you for being so absolutely fabulous

So, I guess I’ll need to come up with a new goal… would be crazy to go an entire year goal-less!