Paradise for Little Girls

Tuesday was H's birthday. It was also the day that we were scheduled to be in the Dallas metro area. Lucky her: she got to spend part of her special day at a special place called The American Girl Boutique & Bistro.

Maybe you've never heard of American Girls. The company boasts that its goal is to celebrate girls of strong character. They have a line of historical character dolls--each with their own line of storybooks--that follow the life of girls throughout different periods of American History. I love 'em! It's a great way for kids to connect with the past. They also have Just Like You® Dolls that are designed to look like the child and a line of baby dolls ( Bitty Baby® ) for little girls. Before I ever heard of American Girl dolls, I first heard about the magazine whose motto is "You're great--just the way you are!" Who wouldn't like that?

There are only a few American Girl stores; we were fortunate that one is located in Dallas (the others are in far-off exotic lands like L.A. or Chicago). As we sat outside the two-story building waiting for the doors to open, I must admit, even I was pretty excited.

See? We were all giddy waiting for those doors to open!

H's doll is Nellie, an orphan from the Victorian era whose well-off best friend Samantha helps her secure a better life for herself and her sisters.

This is Bobo's Bitty Baby® named Chrissy (because she got her for Christmas).

Really...Where do you start in a place like this?

Maybe the doll hair salon?

Yep, you heard me right: the doll hair salon!

Nah...just head straight to the dolls!

Or the doll accessories....

These are no ordinary dolls, my friends. They are TALENTED dolls. They can play piano, ride horseback, rollerblade, do ballet, read...you name it! We were particularly fond of this gal as H is the resident fiddler in our family.

Pure, unadulterated joy! (You don't see that very often--lol!).

At the end of our day, H gave me a hug and said, "This was the best birthday ever." All we did was take them shopping and let them spend some of the money they had been saving...but I'll take credit for it anyway! :)

If you have little girls and are in the Dallas area (Galleria Mall), I highly recommend checking this place out. Be forewarned: the dolls are expensive, but there are accessories and books for any budget. Even if you don't buy a thing, it makes a great mommy-daughter outing that is sure to be remembered!

Beauty In Everyday Life

Sometimes I get so bogged down in work that I forget to revisit files of photos that I have taken for personal pleasure or projects. This semester, I have been working on a project with the Metcalfe Museum in Durham, Oklahoma. The museum pays tribute to Augusta Metcalfe, a pioneer woman who cared for a farm and a family as a single mother and still managed to find time and energy to teach herself fine arts such as painting. She became well-known for her art, being inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and even being featured in an issue of Life Magazine. Her paintings depict scenes of everyday life for the pioneers of western Oklahoma: feeding cattle, hunting, landscapes, etc. Our society has placed a heavy emphasis on the unusual in life (celebrity and such). It seems like we get so caught up in the unusual that we forget to see the beauty in everyday life around us.

So, without further ado, here is a little piece of MY everyday life. A simple windmill (probably a working windmill used to water cattle) and a big, blue, open sky that stretches for miles in the prairies of Oklahoma.

And, for the record, there have been almost no adjustments to this image in Photoshop. This is my world in real life!

Graduation Announcements

Class of 2008: There's still time to order custom graduation announcements before "Pomp & Circumstance" starts to play. Here's a few examples of this year's annoucement designs:

Remember, these designs can be customized to reflect your school colors. They are also printed on both front and back so we can add more photos (I've done some with both baby & senior photos before) or special invites to post-graduation dinners, etc. Really, we can do most anything!

In order to get your announcements and get them in the mail before graduation ceremonies, you need to order by the end of April, so don't wait (especially if you'd like me to do any custom designs).

{By the way, I removed the client's last name on the example cards above, just in case you are wondering what's going on with the blurry areas!}

Blessings From Above

Meet Kash.

When Kash was born, he had to overcome several difficulties. He did.

Then later, he was hospitalized with a very serious infection. While there, a medical mistake was made that could have cost him his life. But he made it!

Many people talk about their blessings each day, but little Kash and his family have truly experienced blessing from above. They attribute it to the power of prayer. Hundreds of people were praying for Kash throughout his ordeal. They are all pleased to report....

This is Kash in the middle of just a portion of the many cards and notes that were sent from friends, neighbors and churches throughout the first couple of months of his life. Isn't it wonderful?

She's Hitched!

Congratulations to Elizabeth who officially joined the "Mrs. Club" last night. She was a gorgeous bride (as you can clearly see) and her wedding was equally beautiful with many touching moments. But more on that later. For now, enjoy her bridal session:

You may remember the old house I was raving about. Here it is in all it's antique glory!

I can't tell you how important it is to have a friend come along for a session (bridal or otherwise)! Not only do they help out in practical ways, but they serve as comic relief and they also help keep you relaxed in front of the camera. Kelbie definitely did a great job of this for Elizabeth.

Gunnar

The weather is always crazy this time of year. The day before Gunnar's session in north Texas, it was sunny and 90 degrees (yes, 90 degrees in March!). The day OF Gunnar's session was around 40 or 50 degrees and oh-so-windy. Gunnar was actually freezing in most of these pictures, but he was a good sport! :)

Things You Can Learn From a Blog

Hello, I'm Megan and I'm a blogaholic!

Seriously, I have over 150 blogs in my Bloglines account that I check semi-regularly. They range from blogs of friends, photographer blogs, small business advice blogs to blogs on writing to just-plain-fun blogs. There are probably about 20 blogs that I am regularly check and could accurately be called a "blog stalker."


Blogs are such a great source of information. I've learned so much from other people's experiences and advice. Wanna hear my most useful piece of blog wisdom?


ORANGES. (Yes, the fruit.) Ever wonder how to figure out how to select the sweetest orange? Check out its "belly button"--not the top part where the orange meets the tree but the bottom. The larger the "belly button," the sweeter the orange! It's true! I've implemented this tip into my grocery shopping and it hasn't failed me yet. Where did I get this "juicy" (pun intended) piece of info? A blog that specializes in the photography business! You never know what you might learn from a blog.


Happy orange shopping!

Fresh From the Oven

Who can resist a freshly baked baby? Little Eli was so precious, I just wanted to take him home with me!

Well, almost....I still remember those sleepless nights!! {lol}

All wrapped up in Grandma's hand-knit blankie...

...in Daddy's strong hands...

...equally-precious big bro (Have you ever seen such beautiful eyes?)...


...and the parents that love them both very much!

Playing Tag

My friend Harrison tagged me today. That means, I get to share 10 little known facts about me (I know...you're thrilled, right?). So, in case you missed the first installment of blog tag, here goes round two :

1. When I was a kid, I decided that I wanted to be an astronaut despite watching the Challenger spaceship burst into flames the very same year. I was inspired by my third grade teacher, Mrs. Oliver, who applied for the teacher in space position that Christa McAuliffe won. Sadly, I grew up and realized actually becoming an astronaut meant excelling in math and science. Let's just say my algebra teachers never nominated me for an outstanding student awards (that's for sure). ;)

2. One of my OCD tendencies is that I firmly believe all bathrooms should have the toilet paper accessible from the top of the roll, not underneath. I would even be willing to change it in someone else's home if I was there very long!

3. Since Tim & I married, we have carried on a NCAA tournament tradition of selecting teams from the bracket and giving points for each win (final four wins get more points) to see who will dominate. Actually, we started doing this before we were married with our friends, the McElroy family. This year, our eldest daughter joined the fun...much to our dismay. She's been creaming us!

4. I am a minimalist. I like clean lines (in clothing and furniture), solid color clothing, simple shoes & just enough make-up to get the job done. I guess it's my way of trying to keep life as simple as possible.

5. I check e-mail WAY too much...probably 15 times or more a day (but I'm trying to wean myself). And, okay...it's more than 15 times a day.

6. Tim & I have been trying to become more healthy this year. We've given up all unnatural sweeteners (aspartame) and reduced (almost eliminated) white sugars/white flours from our diet. We've added more protein, veggies and whole foods. We allow ourselves one day off a week to eat a typical American diet but we've found that when we do eat junk on our day off, we feel terrible and miss our fresh veggies! Who knew?

7. I will graduate with my bachelor degree next May...fourteen years after I first started it!!

8. I hate flannel sheets.

9. I have suffered from migraine headaches since I was an elementary-aged kid, but since the birth of my second child, they have subsided significantly.

10. I love the sound of whippoorwills. They are a type of nocturnal bird that I often heard growing up in the forests of Arkansas. They make a very soothing sound...it's a great lullaby.

The Many Faces of Bobo

I know: Bobo is a weird nickname for a kid. Surprisingly, there is no backstory to it either. It's just something that came out of her daddy's mouth one day & it kinda stuck.

She is a quirky little creature. Unlike our oldest who has always been soft-spoken and a little shy (she once told her Sunday school teacher, "I only talk to kids."), Bobo has pretty much been her exact opposite: loud, boisterous, goofy.

Last week, she was in a indulgent mood and allowed me to take her picture. After one or two, she suddenly began striking poses of all variations. Crazy kid.

Attention Seniors

Senior package pricing will increase as of May 1, so if you're interested in booking a last-minute senior session, do it soon!

Egg-cellent Easter?

Ours was. We (and by "we" I do mean "the kids") colored over 90 eggs Saturday night!

Happy Easter!

I hope you and yours had a very blessed Easter! One final reminder about the reason for the season:

Happy Good Friday, Everyone!

The reason I am thankful for Good Friday:

Book Recommendation

Maybe you're like me...you hate disorganization but constantly find yourself in the midst of it because your life is so crazy busy. Or maybe your brain doesn't seem to work most days b/c it's on information overload.

You need to read this book.

I haven't even finished reading all of Getting Things Done by David Allen, but let me tell you...it's VERY helpful especially if you are a compulsive multi-tasker!

The best part of the book to me (so far!) was his explanation of how our brains are basically too full all of the time. He compared it to RAM on a computer. Have you ever had a bunch of different computer applications open and running at the same time (of course you have, if you are a compulsive multi-tasker)? Has your computer ever started running slowly or even frozen up? Usually that's because the RAM is almost maxed out. Allen says we are like computers with maxed out RAM--we carry around SO much information that we are constantly "processing" (aka--trying not to forget!) that our brains are working overtime & are never allowed to just have any clear thoughts. Okay, that's the Megan paraphrase--he did a much better job explaining...

Allen spends the rest of the book giving ways of getting the information out of your head and into a functional system. I've implemented some parts of it already and I feel better!

This is the kind of book that is popular in the business world for its systematic organization but it can apply to ANYone from student to housewife to CEO of a corporation. So, if you're looking to do some serious spring cleaning in your brain, give this one a try! :)

P.S. You can check out Allen's Getting Things Done website HERE

This Old House

Every Tuesday & Thursday on my way to the university, I pass this old house:

Ever since I first noticed it, I fell in love with it. There are plenty of old homes and barns on my driving route, but this one has always captivated my attention though I don't know why (maybe it's the unique skinny rectangular window shapes or the wooden shingles). I have always wanted to do a photo shoot at this location.

Good news--I finally got to! :)

Bad news--I can't show you any sneak peeks because it was for a bridal session! : (

Well, I can't show you for now... but picture this: three gals (one wearing a beautiful brand new wedding dress) tromping through a field, bypassing cow manure then braving the half-rotten floor boards of a really old house to sit in one of those intriguing windows. I gotta say...after doing a session there, I love this place even more!

Oh, and guess what? We didn't get a speck of dust on that beautiful white dress! We're good!

Call Me!

I thought I would be traveling next week, but turns out, I won't be. So, I have sessions available for several time slots on Monday-Thursday next week, March 17-20. If you are interested, give me a ring or shoot me an e-mail! (580) 705-0054

Fun!

Here's your friendly reminder to go out and do something fun today!

Hope you are enjoying the beautiful almost-spring weather!

This is Lauryn (my youngest) and Scooter (my youngest non-human) enjoying some of the wonderful sunshine yesterday afternoon. And for the record, he was licking not biting (I guess that tongue is quicker than my camera trigger finger!).

Lathan & Kate

You've already met Lily & Zach...now meet Lathan and Kate!

These two were cutie patooties. Lathan wanted to show me all of the tractors and trucks that he got for his birthday & Kate told me all of the names of her babies and bears (hint: they are all named after her). And the cutest thing ever: Lathan asked his mom if I could stay and play after we took pictures. Awwww!

I love these little hats!

You know how much I love the serious look!

Added a little texture to this one. I love how she is holding on to her big brother's arm and how he looks like he will always protect her. So sweet!

And for art/photography enthusiasts (because this means absolutely nothing to a regular person): check out the Rembrant lighting. (Rembrant lighting, produces a triangle of light no longer than the nose and no wider than the eye on a cheek).

Lathan was pretty proud of the fact that he helps harvest this wheat field, so I had to get a couple of him with his soon-to-be crop!

Kate had a tea party with three of her closest doll/bear friends (who just happen to share her name--lol!) Her kitchen was so cute~I want one!

One more of big bro...




...and one more of lil' sis.

Thanks Lily, Zach, Lathan & Kate! I had fun! :)

Lily & Zach

Last Friday the weather was beautiful...PLUS I got to meet four beautiful little kiddos at a beautiful farm location for a session. It doesn't get much better than that! So, without further ado, meet two of the little cuties: Lily & Zach.

I must say, one of the best parts of living in western Oklahoma is that, even in the winter time when everything is brown, there are huge fields of green (winter wheat). There's something about seeing a little bit of green when it's cold outside that makes you feel hopeful...like spring is not too far away! (Plus, it makes for some pretty good pre-spring pictures!)

As my grandmother would always say, "Isn't she a dandy?"

Awww...brothers & sisters DO love each other from time-to-time!

Zach is three and, like most three-year-olds, he likes to move fast! But I managed to get one shot before he hurried off to his next adventure!


Check out those gorgeous blue eyes!



What's a photo session without a round of silly faces?

Stop back by tomorrow to meet the next set of cuties: Lathan & Kate!

Why Not Host A Portrait Party?

{ Images from past portrait parties}

What is a "portrait party?"

Let's face it: with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, things like making an appointment to have your child's or family's yearly portraits can be easy to put off. Portrait parties are an easy way to make sure your family--and your friends' families--set aside a day to record your family history.

Portrait parties have a hostess who is in charge of finding a location and setting appointments within the allotted party date (sessions are approximately 30 minutes each). She is the liaison between the photographer and participating families. She can even provide snacks or drinks for the party, though this is not a requirement.

What are the benefits of a portrait party?

Each family/individual that books a session at the party receives:

*$15 off the regular sitting fee

*25% off of total print order

For the hostess's hard work, she will get:

*A free sitting fee

*A portion to total sales is credited to her account to be used to order prints or specialty items

*25% off total print order

*A complementary spiral-bound 5x5 proof book, with a custom designed cover like this one:

I don't advertise portrait parties on my website simply because I can only take a limited number of them. Also, portrait parties are not to be used for huge family reunion-type sittings; it's impossible to work with giant groups in such a small session time.

Portrait parties require quite a bit of advance planning. If you are interested in hosting one this spring or summer, call or e-mail me now to talk about dates!

Just. Plain. Scary.

You know how good things are only good when used in moderation (like chocolate)? Photoshop is a very good thing in my life, but I try to use it in moderation. It's not software used to "fix" bad photos or magically drop ten pounds off of a person digitally; it's just a tool used to help enhance photos. I've warned you about how magazines and ad agencies have gotten out-of-control with photo retouching in the past (remember "The Beauty Myth" ?), but maybe you didn't really believe me when I said that the celebrities who grace the cover of your favorite magazine are almost digital imitations of a real person. So, just as a friendly reminder, I'd like to introduce you to a new celebrity: Carlizina Jolectron.

Looks real, right? This is a digital composite made from the lips of Angelina Jolie, the nose of Charlene Theron and the eyes of Carmen Electra. Somebody was actually able to piece an entirely new and completely fake person together using photoshop.

So the lesson of the day is: quit wishing you had the thighs/waistline/arms/fill-in-the-blank-here of the person on the cover of your favorite magazine. Chances are, they wish that they look that good in real life, too.

Source: Photoshop News & The Daily Mall