Happy Birthday Liam

It's hard to believe that a year has already come and gone!! Where does the time go....guess it's true that time does fly when you are having a good time. I must have been having a great time....it feels like it was just yesterday!! We decided on Owls for his theme....look whoos turning one. We started out with Owl sandwhiches...super cute and super easy.

Liam's Birthday Cake

It's hard to beleive that my baby boy is going to be one is just a few days. Where has the time gone?! We've decided the theme for his party will be Owls....."Look whooos one". I searched high and low for a cake and after getting a few estimates...decided...how hard can it be (famous last words) to make my own?!? For my very first time using fondant...I think it came out pretty cute!! I used an image from pintrest and just slightly modified.....

Custom Photography is an Investment; You get what you pay for.

Let me preface this by stating that Professional Photograhers use Professional Printers to print their products. Shutterfly, Snapfish, Blurb and your local chain stores (Wal-Mart, Target etc...) are NOT...I repeat are NOT professional printers!! With each and every full photo session I shoot, I include in the proofs many different custom designs that include coffee table books, collages and cards. These custom designs are not included on the disc when the digital images are purchased. Over the past few months, I've had many clients question why I don't include them - the simple fact is that I'd rather you print custom products (books, albums, canvas) through me. Yes I do charge more then the aforementioned companies above; which is why I don't list prices under prices, I list them under investments. You are investing with me that I will take great pictures that will be timeless, investing that the products I deliver to you are not only top notch, but they are top quality and made to last - they come from PROFESSIONAL PHOTO PROCESSING LAB. When I print an album, it cost me a bare minimum of $175. That does not include any shooting, editing or design time - that is only me uploading the completed files to my lab for the creation of your album or book. Times change and companies usually work on creating better products. While working on my 2013 pricing, I thought to include the *extras* on the disc, but first...I needed to try out a few of these consumer printers (remember, they are NOT professional printers) myself. What I got back was horrendous!! I was embarrassed for THE COMPANY that I ordered from....that they would even THINK that what they sent me was a well made quality product. So I tried another one....NOPE...would never give something like that to a client (not even as a complimentary gift)!!! So....I'm back to square one...I will not be providing any special designs on the disc. Just remember....you get what you pay for!!

SO my pallet planter project is 50% completed....we had a few mishaps (that I didn't photograph). For starters....you need to staple down the middle of the BACK side of the pallet. I didn't (as you can see on the earlier post) and as soon as I had all my plants and dirt in the pallet....the minute I went to move it - the weight of the back of it was so heavy that it just ripped off. My pallet was up...my potting soil, plants and yard fabric...on the sidewalk. It was not pretty, and I was NOT a happy girl!! I went back and re-stappled NEW yard fabric to the back and added extra layers and stapled down the center. I also planted a little bit differently. I stood my pallet up, dropped dirt down from the top and added my flowers as I got to that row. I only planted one side though (just in case my $70 worth of flowers A. Die or B. the back falls off again resulting in A).

So the pallet project has begun. I thought it best to break myself in gently with an easy project and the pallet planter is as easy as it gets!! We start off with the plain ole' ugly pallet that I picked up from behind one of the local grocery stores (they said I could have it).

After I sanded it down a bit so *I* wouldn't get splinters handleing it, I stapled some yard fabric ($10 at Lowes in the garden section) with my handy dandy stapler.

This is just an image of the backside....staple happy anyone?!

As to not have the appearance of stashing trash in my front flower bed...I painted it silver with some left over spray paint that I had to give the appearance that I actually TRIED to make it look pretty and it DOES have a purpose in my flower bed =) We will begin to worry when I store a broken washing machine in the yard!!

And finally...a picture of my supervisor...when he says we are done working outside in the elements....we are done!!

Tomorrow I will head back to lowes to pick up my flowers for planting.....

My poor, poor blog...how I have abandoned thee....well not any longer!! I'm going to switch things up a bit around her...photography will still be involved...but not so much in the way of this being about my photography buisness or clients. I promise to still include photographs though. I've found another (new) passion....now I use the word passion lightly because well...even though I've found something I really enjoy - doesn't necessarily mean I'm any good at it. It will be fun though to go back and revisit the orginal posts and pictures down the road if I do eventually get good at my new hobby. What is it? Why it's working with wood. I've already build one project - but that WILL not be shown here...it only looks 1/2 way decent when viewed from approx 20 feet away...any closer and you would mistake it for a piece of garbage (hey...we all gotta start somewhere)!! I have 3 projects in the making...a nightstand that I'm going to refinish for my daughter, a cube storage organizer (again for my daughter because she just NEEDS to have one) and then a pallet project that I saw on Pintrest. My pallet project will come first. I've already got the pallets...more to come on that. When I actually start the project (next week my 3 older kids start back to school full time) - I'll start with the before and progress pictures. I'll show you my insiration...how is this for a start?? I went on the grand wood pallet search to find a pallet just like the one in the picture (unfinished of course) and I've come to the conclusion...that a pallet just like that one pictured...Does Not Exist!! I went on many different pallet excursions and looked through 100's (ok...maybe 10) of pallets and couldn't find anything similar...so what is a girl to do? I have on my garage floor right now - 4 pallets...when in doubt...get extras and improvise. My orginal plan of making a "shelf" like the one pictured....out the window....not to mention...all of these pallets weigh a good 45lbs (and that is being modest) and I just don't think the walls in this house are strong enought to hold it up. Just find a stud you say....well I live in what's call "military family housing" and these walls are not build with studs...they are build with twigs (only 1/2 kidding here). I'm going to use my orginal inspiration and I'm going to come up with something equally fabulous by the time I'm done....which if I'm going to get anything done...I must stop typing and get back to work!! More to come on the projects!!