Mr. Baby Man

One of my favorite things about my friends is that they let me use their lives to practice my photography :). Yes, I realize it's a good deal for them as well, since they certainly aren't paying what they would with other established photographers, but there is really only one way to improve and get experience...


... and that's by doing it!

Below meet little Connor. Connor was just 5 lbs. 12 oz. when he was born - a little stinker bug. Let's just say the little guy is NOT a fan of having a camera in his face or even around. We had to break it up into two sessions to try to get enough shots, and both times he was happy as a clam before the session and after the session. But during? No way, Jose.

So without the sleeping baby photos that everyone wishes they have, I present a Connor preview.









Catch-Ups & Pupperonis





There's been more photography in my life lately than there has been time - or want, to be honest - for design and home decor. That's neither good nor bad, but just kind of where my priorities are right now I suppose.

I've hired a designer to start helping me with a photography website and once that's done I'll have to decide how and if I transition to the blog to full-time photography or if I keep this personal one and have one for the pictures. Decisions, decisions!

Right now, a little bit of what I've been doing with a camera in a few posts!

See these little lovelies? They are Napoleon & Josephine (har har har, and yes, Napoleon is the shorter one), and are some of the cutest puppers around - just take a look and see for yourself!












A Ham & A Half

How about this little lady who's obsessed with her Jackie O sunglasses? No, this was not a session, just a friend visiting during the afternoon one day.






Is this girl cute or what? (Oh, and you can see my new area rug behind her in the first shot ;) ).


Another Day, Another Decor Decision

I know, life is tough. Decisions, decisions.


In a recent fit of deciding I hate the piece that my television is on, there have been some changes a' brewin'. The best way to describe the TV's current home is to just say it like it is: it's ugly, and doesn't work with the overall theme of the house. Yes of course it was a loved piece three years ago when purchased but for some reason it's not grown on me, and frankly I'm just tired of it.

While I can see the original attraction - it's teal (lovely), petite, and has a bunch of little drawers and storage areas - it just doesn't work anymore. So like an old boyfriend you've just got to kick to the curb for good, even though they are sweet when they call every 6 months after a few too many beers to remind you why you dated them.... there's a time to go, for good.

So here's the dilemma - what now for the television? I've never wanted a TV to be the center of any room and in fact there are no TV's upstairs or in the bedrooms in my house, and I hope there won't ever be. Since I end up breaking most of my self imposed rules (except flip flops in the office - that I'll never break), maybe a TV will end in my bedroom in like a month. Who knows.

In looking for new pieces for the TV I'm all over the map. I don't want a conventional television or "media stand," as they say, so working through options has been interesting. I suppose I'll visit some of them this weekend to see them in person.

Some of the contenders are below.

An option is something like this. I saw it in person a few weeks ago and can personally confirm it's not Ikea-ish. Now having Ikea furniture in my living room, that's not something I imagined, but this was actually rather nice. One challenge with this little guy is that the other "white" furniture in that space is somewhat distressed and not bright white - which this is.


And for giggles let's just throw in the completely unrealistic idea that I won't end up doing, but would like to dream about. Sigh, Wisteria.







Then there is a more traditional idea, something like this. This poses a problem on one front, however. One of the challenges is that because of the size of the space, whatever the TV is on is rather close to the coffee table, so these two pieces need to be different heights - and this one is approximately the same height as the coffee table. Blerg.









See what I mean!?! All over the map. Can you guess which one I'm leaning toward?
























A Little Spring for the Sofa

A little note of an update for now before I hit the feathers, as an old friend used to say.


I've had such a hard time with throw pillows the last three years (when I purchased my furniture for the new house) - switching them out, leaving them mismatched, then trying matching, then hating matched pillows. You get what I'm saying.

A few months ago I found the most adorable Etsy shop and finally ordered custom pillows for my couch - yes, that is them below. And I adore them. They are a bit smaller than I thought they would be, but had I actually read the measurements in the description I would have known that. No matter, I still would have gotten them! It's hard to tell in my photo but they are a very light linen base with the flower petals all hand-sewn onto the linen.

They are my new throw pillows, they will be perfect for spring and summer, and now some of my mismatched options (which I still do adore) can take little nap in a tupperware bin and come out in the fall.

Do you like?









Fixer Upper

Friends, sorry about all the issues with the photos lately that I pull from the web. I've heard from quite a few of you that you are seeing only error messages.


I think I've got it fixed, but let me know if you aren't seeing the pics! (Wow, that almost rhymed. Almost.)

I've Got the Fever

No... not BEIBER FEVER! Please, have a little respect, people.


The fever to redecorate... everything. I love my house, love the decor style and the pieces I've brought in but something is giving me the the itch to change things up a bit.

Is it the longish winter and now that spring is sort of here I want to change things up? Could it be the Very Big Surprise (FR, you know, announcement soon) coming and maybe I'm doing like a non-pregnant version of nesting? Okay maybe that actually makes the most sense.

As you saw a few days ago I'm changing around tons of prints and wall decorations in the main areas of my home. (Love how I say "main areas" as though there are also non-main areas!) I've brought in three - THREE - new area rugs, and a new set of throw pillows are being made by one of my favorite little shops on Etsy. Unfortunately it has taken SO long to get them, but more on those little gems later.

Anyway, though I have that bug, first I must get to the organizing part of it and be diligent about it. Most people think I'm fairly organized but what I know is that it's all only organized on the surface, and that drives my Batty McBatterson. When I know that every drawer or cabinet looks like there's been a tornado, it drives me just as crazy as if it were just sitting on the floor. And it's been like this - unorganized - for almost a year.

Crazy town.

To get my motivation on and force a first attempt at a whole-house-re-org, I got a few supplies that came today from Mr. Container Store. I'll report back on how well each ended up working out after the long weekend:

Yeah. Confession. The project I did where I turned some frames into cork boards and starting using them for bracelet and necklace storage.... they're adorable, but they kind of suck as holding heavy jewelry. So now it can be hidden in the closet!




Um, fridge-organizing GENIUS!!!!....


Who doesn't need deep sweater bins? I've only ever found one moth in a closet here, but still - for protection and also to keep those crazy sweaters from having a life of their own on my shelves: