Say Cheese!

Did you know that today, yes today, is National Camera Day?! How exciting! It is a bright and sunny day outside and sure to be a scorcher yet again, so perfect day to hide inside..I mean, go out and play with my camera:) Duh!

Along with being a fantastic national holiday, we are also in a high pollen warning area and I look like I might either cry or sneeze on you at any moment. Another great reason why I should spend the day outside, eh? No really, it will be a gorgeous day out even though it may be a tad on the "hot" side, but it's bright and sunny, a great day to practice taking photos in bright sun! Wish me luck!

For now I thought I would pay tribute to National Camera Day and post a few of my favorite photos from this week:

'Date night' last night consisted of us taking Navi swimming at the lake:)

The Mile Long Bridge.

Chris doesn't like to pose for me so Navi picks up the slack:)

An old Coke machine found on a photo walk downtown.

Feather flowers, just love them!

And of course, my sale this week!

Take your best shot All, and get out there and enjoy National Camera Day!

A little pick me up

Hello All,

So, I had a pleasant little pick me up in my inbox yesterday from....ETSY!

I made a sale! 

Yeah!

This was my first etsy sale since, umm...well...May of last year, yikes! So after that explanation I think you can understand my little happy dance, jump up and down, excitement. Now saying that I haven't sold anything in a year isn't exactly the truth. I took a bit of a break from my etsy shop and focused on custom orders and craft shows which fared pretty well for me. I got a chance to meet some extremely talented artists and network quite a bit as well as make some fun new products just for the sake of making them.

*Breakthrough here*

If you haven't noticed this about me yet, I tend to get a little ADD when it comes to creative freedom. I make something and get really excited about it and then I make something else and get really excited about it, I am one of those people that tends to move on kinda quickly. I would like to be able to say that "yeah, I've got it together, I know what I want!" and, umm, I'm not quite there yet. Although, extremely frustrating, for not only myself but also my poor family to keep up with, I am a firm believer that it is a journey that I must take in order to feel like I will finally reach that stage of "happiness" that comes from gaining a sense of fulfillment from my "job". And it is my hope that once I reach that point that all of the doubt, the back and forth, the trial and error, will. all. be. worth. it!

 Well, enough rambling and back to plugging away. Photography lesson this morning, mowing the yard this afternoon~in the 100 degree blazing heat I might add!!:( and then a date night with my hubby and my dog, not too shabby Thursday!

Hope you all enjoy your Thursday!

Wednesday! Already?

Hello All,

Wow, yesterday just completely got away from me! My apologies for not updating the blog yesterday, I spent the morning cleaning my house, ugh!, but it sooo needed it, and then the rest of the day was spent working on my photography lesson (see below) and then wasting away my afternoon researching photographers! Yikes, I rarely seem to stay on task recently.

I did come across a little bit of wedding wonder that I decided that I just have to share with you all. Of course, RockN'Roll Bride posted an *amazing* steampunk wedding shoot by Chemistry Photography. I do have to say that I am in LOVE with the fascinator  and necklace worn by their model, check it out!

Way cool, right?! Head on over to RockN'Roll Bride to check out the full shoot! Just gorg!

And since I have been so excited about feather bouquets lately, check out this stellar steampunk bouquet also featured in the shoot. I want one!!

Monday Mania

Hello All,

Hope everyone had a great weekend! It rained here on Saturday which kind of ruined our plans for going out on the boat, booo! My hubby had a company golf tournament Saturday morning so I packed up my umbrella and my camera and headed down to the Farmer's Market and the Des Moines Arts Festival. I got to take a few fun shots of the downtown area with my camera before the rain poured in and then just enjoyed the rain and looked at art, pretty good morning if you ask me:)

This week's main focus is going to be finalizing hairpieces so that I may begin taking some *pretty* marketing pictures to compile a lookbook with. Along those lines I am also going to spend quite a chunk of time playing with my camera for my Bella Pop class. Check out this awesome "Intro to Manual Cheat Sheet" she posted:

Enjoy your Monday All!

A little positive encouragement

Hello All,

Happy Friday! Hope that you all had a great week and if you are in town scoot on over to the Des Moines Arts Festival this weekend for stellar art, street food, and live music and then back to our house to relax on the boat. Any takers?:)

I always feel that after a long week that I could have been a bit more productive and this week is no exception. I was super excited to debut Libby & Jean Feather Flower Bouquets and am already dreaming up plans for the next round of them. I spent a lot of time researching photography sites and compiling inspirational product marketing pics. I need to get my hind end in gear and get my promo pictures taken of all of my products and compile a lookbook. This is my main priority this next week! Gotta get going on this!

I am also entering week 2 of my Bella Pop Photography class and spent quite a bit of time this week traipsing through the yard and the garage trying to take funky pictures and play with my camera. This whole first week was really about learning how to create a correct manual exposure and I'm feeling pretty excited that I even know what that means now:)

I turned in the following three favorite practice shots from the week for review for the class.

 When all of our practice shots have been submitted then the instructor, Brandy, goes through and provides feedback on our images. I received my feedback last night and I have to say...it made my week!!

Im going to back up a little ways here and just state that as a Creative Apparel Design graduate, criticism is no new thing. Criticism, and truthfully tough criticism, was what we were conditioned to expect while completing my studies in the apparel design world. Now, constructive criticism and just plain criticizing are two completely different vehicles. One can inspire additional creative drive and a desire to succeed. The other can inspire fear and permanent self doubt. I will say that much of the criticism that I received while in school was much of the latter. Now, I will also state that I know that my blog can be read by anyone and yet I will stand by the fact that I think that much of my own self doubt and personal loathe of sewing is due to the fact that rather than inspire personal creativity and a drive for success I was conditioned to be constantly critical of my work and although not a bad method, I do believe it was poor delivery. That being said, when I received Brandy's feedback of my photos I was surprised, yes there was criticism there, but it was constructive! She commented on improving my technique but also recognized what I did have a good handle on which was creativity and composition. I re-read my feedback about 3 times with the biggest grin on my face. No the pictures are not perfect and yes I am still learning but the difference here was that Brandy gave feedback in a way that inspired me to want to impress her. And most importantly, instilled confidence in my own creative view. Like I said, made my whole week right there!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and get out and do something you enjoy! 

Feather Flower Bouquets

Hello All,

Happy Thursday! It's time to debut the first line of Libby and Jean Feather Bouquets! The feather flowers are hand shaped from layers of dyed goose feathers and then combined with dried floral elements to create a lasting memento. Bouquets can be made in a mix of colors and the next line will feature vintage jewelry and button elements in the mix. These are just the first few so let me know what you think and any feedback would be great!


The first bouquet is a mix of Gold, Deep Plum, and Burgundy.

The second bouquet is Diamond White, Dusty Rose, and Natural Honey.

What do you think? 

Happy Thursday All!

*EXPOSED*

Hello All!

I have had some pretty stellar mail days recently, feathers, books, Birchbox, and now.....'EXPOSED'!!!!!

I am  a HUGE fan of Jasmine Star's, her wedding photography is seriously epic and she is so down to earth and just, well, real. I love peeking at her blog for advice, new content, and major inspiration! I first came across her name from..yup, you guessed it, RockN'Roll Bride:) Kat from RockN'Roll Bride had posted a webinar that Jasmine had done about her background, her focus, how she built her brand and how she came to be where she is. It is the most amazing piece of motivation I have ever seen!!!!! She lays out all of her thoughts and feelings about how she thought she was going to be a big wig in corporate America and is well on her way when she realizes that she HATES it! She shares her story about how she works through all of the doubt, the ups and downs, and everything along the way of starting with no photography knowledge whatsoever to becoming one of the top wedding photographers IN THE WORLD! Like I said, best motivation ever, check out the original post here.

If you have not heard of her then you really are missing out! Check her  blog out here!

A little bit about 'Exposed' from Jasmine's site:

Sure, the concept of glossy pages and a magazine commercial is one thing, but--really--what is this? EXPOSED is a photography magazine showcasing the beginning, struggles, mistakes, lessons, and minor victories of noted wedding photographer, Jasmine Star. Photographing her first wedding in September 2006 without formal training, Jasmine started a business that led to her being named one of the Top Wedding Photographers in the World a few years later.

Detailing the first two years of her business--everything from learning to shoot manually and posing tips, to being betrayed by allies and accused of copying someone else's work--Jasmine reveals a personal side to becoming a photographer and following her dreams.



It took everything in me not to rip the magazine open at the mailbox. I decided that only after I get all of my 'to-do's' done for the day would I be allowed to sit and read through it. So, without further adieu I will be snug on the couch with a blanket and my copy of 'Exposed', yes!!


Happy Wednesday All!


Be sure to come back tomorrow for the debut of Libby & Jean Feather Flower Bouquets!
Ok, ok, heres a tiny sneak peek of the flowers themselves...

See you tomorrow!

Cooling Off

Hello All,

Today is Tuesday, that means Tips, Tricks, Tutorials, and the occasional Interview:) 

Today is going to be a bit of a lazy post, but definitely reflective of today's overall mood. Today's tips are directly related to the fact that it is 99 degrees outside! Literally, it feels like a heat wave when I walk outside. So...what better way to enjoy the heat than with POPSICLES! Homemade popsicles!

'Milk and Cookies' Popsicles

Ingredients (10 (2.5 oz.) Popsicles)

• 2½ c. milk
• ⅔ c. light brown sugar, packed
• couple pinches salt
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• ¼ c. + 1 tsp. mini chocolate chips

Instructions

• Place milk in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for ~1 minute, or until warm to the touch. Stir in brown sugar and salt until dissolved. Stir in vanilla.
• Place ½ tablespoon of chocolate chips in the bottom of your popsicle molds. Fill to the top with milk mixture. Insert sticks and freeze until solid.

Recipe courtesy of http://www.girlichef.com/p/recipes.html?recipe_id=6025830

Margarita Popsicles

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons tequila
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
• Kosher salt, for garnish
• 
  

Directions

Combine sugar, lime juice, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool transfer to a blender with tequila, orange liqueur, and lime wedge and process until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds. Freeze until hard, preferably overnight. Remove from freezer and run mold under warm water to loosen popsicle. Garnish with kosher salt and serve.

Recipe courtesy of http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/margarita-popsicles-recipe/index.html

Happy Tuesday! 

Enjoy your popsicles folks! 

*If your in town stop by, our freezer is now packed with yummy popsicle goodness:)*

Hello All!

It is Monday, again! That means it is time for our 'Monday Mania' post and to set the tone for this upcoming week. Hope everyone had a great Father's day yesterday! I spent the day at the part time job and stayed super busy all day, a full 12 1/2 hour day, boy was I tired when I got home!

News...

• New Products:

         It is my goal that this Thursday I will be able to debut a Libby & Jean feather bouquet!! Yay, bout    
         time:) I have been working on bouquets made of feather flowers and just the right amount of
         vintage jewelry as well as fabric flower bouquets made of re-worked fabrics and vintage ribbons.

• New Projects:

          In order to further a longtime passion of mine I decided to take a digital photography class
          dedicated to teaching me how to 'shoot in manual' with my fancy camera (in other words,
          bossing my camera around-love it!). I came across Bella Pop online photography classes and the
          talented Brandy Frank, who is not only an extremely talented photographer but also teaches her
          class in such an easy format to understand, ie lots of pictures, haha:). I decided to take the plunge
          and take the course for a couple of reasons,

                    1.) I have tried numerous times to read my camera's manual and am still lacking that "aha!"
                         moment where everything just comes together and makes sense.

 and

                    2.) I have an insane and often very time and focus consuming love for wedding
                         photography and would love to be able to create my own unique and personal take on
                         recreating some of those shots I love on behalf of my branding for Libby & Jean. And
                        who knows, maybe some creative expression of a budding wedding photographer. I can
                        dream, right?:)

          Basically, what this means for everyone here on the blog is that I will likely be sharing some of
          the pictures I take for shooting practice for the class. I am super pumped to really be able to
          control all of my camera's settings and play around with the cool effects. Why have a fancy
          camera if I can't really use it right?!

Like for example, these two pictures I took in our garden while playing with the aperture speed and my light meter:

Completely over-exposed but cool effect nonetheless.

Just the right amount of light:)

• New 'Words to live by':

          I have recently fallen in love with another creative minded blogger, Lucy Ledger, of Lucy
          Ledger Designs. She is an illustrator and collage artist and uses her amazing skills to create
          stunning 'shabby chic-floral' and vintage inspired stationery. Just take a look at her blog, I am in
          love with the line of ribbon that runs the top of her blog page, it looks like I could just reach out
          and pluck it off the page! Besides being enamored by her talent I also love the fact that she shares
          what she thinks, what has worked for her, and some great solid advice about keeping your chin
          up while trying to accomplish your dreams. I decided to borrow a brilliant quote found on her
          blog for my 'words to live by' this week:

Image by Lucy Ledger Designs

Happy Monday All!

Hello Friday!

It's going to be a pretty busy day over here today. Spent the morning working on a bridesmaids dress for a friend, answered some emails, got a photography lesson in (stay tuned-news to share on this subject), have a friends birthday dinner to go to this evening, and then picking up another friend from the airport tonight, whew!!

And that's not even the biggest part of the day....

Our siberian husky, Navi, turns 2 today!!

This was the day we brought him home, he was pretty tuckered out from the whole experience.

His first walk, which is always the most hilarious since he had no idea what a leash was

and why it would be following him:)

All the toys that Chris and I spoiled him with and his two favorite things:

cardboard and pop bottles, sheesh!

It's a rough life being a spoiled pup!

His favorite toy from "Aunty Fluffy".

And my favorite picture...

Alright, I am done being a proud puppy mom, promise!

Enjoy your Friday and have a great weekend All!

Birchbox!

YAY!!! What a great mail day, I received a book I ordered in the mail as well as.....

my JUNE BIRCHBOX!!!!

I signed myself up for Birchbox after hearing rave reviews here and then I blogged about it here too. I couldn't wait to open it up, lets check it out shall we!!

Love the travel themed stamps inside the box, so cute!! I am in LOVE with 

unique branding techniques and packaging designs that are out of the norm!!

I catch myself saving empty boxes because the packaging was so cool...

drives my husband crazy:)

The anticipation created by a tissue paper wrapped package..... priceless!

 Look at all this cool stuff!

The June Birchbox held:

• Too-Cute Plastic Bags by tili ~ the pattern on these is super cute! Birchbox recommends using them for your toiletries when traveling, I think I am going to use them for packing snacks on the boat, how fun!
• Hand Sanitizing Wipes by CleanWell ~ perfect size to toss in your purse!
• 'Not a Perfume' by Juliette Has a Gun ~ LOVE this scent and I may just have to buy the full bottle just because I love the product and company names (see below, LOVE it!)
• 'One Step Bronze' by stila ~ bronzer, primer, and serum all in one, and I must say the clear bottle makes the product look cool and creepy all at the same time, haha!
• 'Staniac' in Beauty Queen by theBalm cosmetics ~ was a little worried about how bold of a red this would be but it's not at all, perfect amount of tint for healthy looking and pretty lips! Says you can also use as a cheek stain, hmmm, never tried cheek stain before so I will have to see about that.

See what I mean?! Freaking Awesome!

What a cool company name, very feminine and rocker chic all at the same time! 

Happy Thursday All!