girl loves friday.

So my "week in the life" was mostly taken by my IPhone. A lot of times I would forget I was documenting my week so I really don't have much to show. Plus my life, right now revolves around the office, food and sleeping. There's really not much else going on in our household.
 

A typical weekday goes something like this:

4:40 alarm goes off, hit snooze.
4:50 alarm goes off, hit snooze again.
5:00 alarm goes off. Slowly get up out of bed while moaning and groaning.
Turn on the news.
Go downstairs and make and Eggo waffle. I got tired of saltines and dry cereal.
Morning cup of coffee is now a morning cup of juice, preferably apple.
Make up, run a brush through my hair, wet down my bangs and blow dry.
Try to find something decent to wear to work.
Kiss the pup and J goodbye.
5:35 out the door, sometimes I stop by the grocery store to pick up more food to eat throughout the day.
6:00 arrive at the office, get settled, check emails and in box for tasks.
7-10 boring work stuff.
10:00 lunch. I either go out and run errands or close my office door and take a nap.
11-3 more boring work stuff
3:00 I'm peeling out of the parking lot and headed home.
3:15 home. finally. let the pup out and love on him for a bit.
3:30 eat again.
4:00 sometimes I nap, sometimes I'm rubbing my belly wishing for the nausea to go away, sometimes I'm feeling well enough to do a load of laundry or make dinner but that's very rare these days.
4:45 J comes home from work, pup goes nuts.
5:00 dinner, chill, talk.
6:00 editing photos, working on backing up older photos to disks. this has been a very time consuming task.
7:00 eat a little something. shower.
8:00 I'm usually in bed forcing myself to stay up a little longer because it feels really lame to be in bed at 8.
8:30 I'm in dreamtown.

Told you. Not much excitement here. Weekends are better though.
I've got my niece staying over tonight. I'm thinking I may have her do a little scrapbooking with me. I plan on printing some pictures of her mom and dad and baby brother and have her make something for them. We'll see how the pans out. Things never really go as planned when she's staying over. :)

Girl Loves.....

Highly anticipating the return of True Blood. Highly. And I'm anxious for the new mini episodes they've been talking about.

And the new Charlaine Harris book coming out May 4th. Yay!
  
Japanese tape DIY. Some really awesome ideas.

Not much else for me other than a reminder about all the NSD challenges due tomorrow night. See my post below for the deets.

Thank you for all the well wishes and congrats on us finally getting pregnant. I haven't had the chance to respond or blog hop but hopefully soon. For now....I. must. nap.

Happy Friday folks!

scrappies.

May's revealwas a stunner. I always want to scrap immediately when I check out the SC DT gallery. Those girls amaze me each and every month.
Here are my layouts for May:

 
 
Last week I had the pleasure of being a GDT for the Crate blog. Crate is on my all time favorite companies and I was hugely honored to be asked to create for them.

 
 
I'm so excited for Saturday. What's going Saturday you ask? It's National Scrapbook Day silly. I'm in the process of clearing of my desk and gathering supplies. I've got a list of projects I'd like to accomplish as well as partake in the NSD fun over at Studio Calico. 

Each dt gal has a challenge planned and giving away a $10 SC gift card. You can go here to see the master challenge list. 
My challenge? Scrap your avatar. No, not the blue people. Your profile photo from Studio Calico. So get your photo printed and get ready to scrap Saturday!
There's also another sweet give away. April is offering 2 6 month memberships. Simply refer a friend to Studio Calico. Have her or him create an account. Then add yourself to the monster thread that will be posted on Saturday. Easy peasy. More time for scrapbooking. :)

girl needed a break. (friday's post turns into monday's.)

Haven't been around much.
Really just needed a break from certain things. Seems to be a theme amongst other bloggers.
It's necessary.

Let's see if I can round up some loves for this Friday Monday.

First, I wasn't going to partake in the a week in the life fun because 1) my house is a mess and I'm not about to post photos of me in it doing random things. 2) i've been extremely tired and lazy and unmotivated.
There is a reason for my complete laziness.

1. <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/68522937@N00/2969858450/">Don'tworry, be happy!, 2. <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/68992997@N00/1780791583/">BigBrother, 3. <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/68992997@N00/2071049577/">OopsI did it again :), 4. <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/12142259@N00/3538384651/">...decisions...>

(so lazy, I couldn't even put up my own positive pregnancy test photo. these are all from flickr)
 
Yep, finally.
After 4 years of off again, on again trying, a lot of hope, prayers and tears, we are finally pregnant.
My last St Patty's day IUI was a success!
I know, can you believe it?! At first it didn't seem real. How many pregnancy tests have I taken and seen the negative sign? How was I to believe this test now? But the signs were there. I was tired, nauseas, missed period. After 2 blood tests and having my numbers jump over the weekend, it was confirmed.
I found out on Good Friday. I told my parents on Easter Sunday. It was a joyous occasion.
Today I am exactly 7w3d. We had our first ultrasound this past Wednesday and saw the flicker of a heartbeat.
Sweet.
Our little bean.
Due December 7th.

Other than that little diddy I've been holding in, not much else to report other than me constantly eating to curb the nausea, coming to terms with the loss of our pet and finally getting some of my energy back. That means clean house! I have an overwhelming urge to clean and to scrapbook.

And I will be doing my "a week in a life" starting today because I'm extremely inspired by this sweet life.

Other loves?
This family photo session by Ryan Ray. absolutly stunning and original.

This delicious beverage from The Kitchn.

 
The idea of creating a writing space for a child to learn that letter writing is not a lost artfrom. Ohdeedoh blog.

hhmm...hard to think of loves on a grey Monday but here's some things I'm enjoying this morning...
*peach italian sodas. I have completely given up on coffee. I can't stand the taste. 
*a huge ass peanut butter cookie for breakfast. half a bagel before that.
*my big sweatshirt which I actually wore to work. i dressed it up a little but whatevs. it's a casual office.
*this holiday

 
 
more to come tomorrow. 
happy monday!
t

girls heart is mending.

I have the best blog readers. You all are so sweet. Reading each comment and receiving dozens of virtual hugs has certainly helped this broken heart. Especially those who have had to do the hard task of letting a beloved pet go.
I went through all of our photos and slowly regained my smile remembering each and every moment captured with her. I'll probably start her very own scrapbook this weekend. I know that will help even more.

Although I feel better and it is Friday, I don't really care to do a "girl loves friday" post today. I'll post some Studio Calico sneaks instead. : )

The first is the main, Granny's Cupboard.
The second is from the Trinkets add on.
The third is from Knick Knacks.  

Happy Friday,
Tina 

how do you a heal a broken heart,

Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life to date.
I put my best friend to sleep.
My heart aches and I'm having a really hard time dealing with this sadness.
I know time heals. I know she's in a better place. I know this was the right thing to do.
This doesn't help the emptiness I feel inside.
She will be missed greatly and I can only hope that she's running through a sunny field, grinning from ear to ear surrounded by an endless supply of tennis balls and milkbones.
Crystal aka Tootie aka Mama Bear. July 1996-April 2010.
Goodbye friend. 

loving.....
the cutest wedding invites and buttons. (once wed blog)

 this post which is so true for me. (sfgirlbybay)

This cartoon. (what the duck)

  
This book. (amazon)

These tulips. 

  and a weekend of polaroids.

happy friday,
girl
 

nina shoot

 
Besides my nagging cough, Saturday's shoot with Nina went well.
She's got this Marylin Monroe quality about her and was quite fun to shoot since she was open and constantly giving me different poses.

I love this last shot with her braces.

So, my 2 cents on BorrowLenses.com.
I loved it.
Shipping was fast and accurate.
Customer service is superb.
And now I know what lens I want now and which one can wait.
All of the above shots were done with the 35mm 1.4. Great lens. Definitely on my wish list.
I didn't do much with the tilt shift lens. That baby will need more than 3 days to practice with. I'm not afraid to admit that the only reason I rented it was because it seems to be hot right now amongst the cool photographers. I don't think I'll be needing it myself anytime soon. 
I do love the 24-70 although I didn't think it was as sharp as any of the prime lens I've used.

So yeah, now all I need is some money to purchase above lens. :) I'll most likely rent a few again for the upcoming wedding shoots. I'm anxious to use the 70-200. I just hope I can handle it.

Happy Wednesday,
Tina

girl loves a good friday.

After a week of sneezing, coughing, sore throat misery, I am finally on the cusp of feeling better.
I don't have much of a voice but hey, my energy and spirit are reemerging.
Just in time for the weekend.
I'm excited about tomorrows photo shoot and the "borrowed" lens that should arrive on my doorstep today.
What do you do when you when you are on a super low budget and trying to start out as a photographer.
You rent expensive glass.
It's funny. After buying my 50 1.4, I thought I was done. But then I wanted a macro. After getting that, I thought I was done. But then I wanted an 80 1.8 and then I would be done.
Nope.
It so doesn't work that way.
By the way, in my opinion, you really don't need both 50 and 80mm lens. I'm not at all happy with my 80mm purchase and will probably throw it up on Ebay or something.
Which lens did I rent?
A 35mm 1.4, 24-70mm and the 45mm tilt shift.
I really really really want all 3 in my permanent kit but it's just not going to happen anytime soon.
If anything, I'll probably get 1 for now. Renting will help me decide which one I need now.
I'm thinking the 24-70 but oh do I love a prime.
I'll let you know my reviews next week after returning them.

Onto girl loves.

My 2 favorite things in the whole wide universe.
Polaroid & scarves. Whaaat?! (found: Oh Joy)

I'm alway intrigued with a photographers creative process.
I love Sharon Montrose's video interview. I watched it twice.
 
cool quilt. (found Hi + Low)
Carrot Cake. (found Pioneer Woman)
Cream cheese frosting and lot's of it.
  
The sparkle in her beautiful dark eyes. 
This little one is my niece in law. Is that right? Niece in law?
 
Happy Good Friday and Happy Easter. 
Tina

Polaroid Tuesday

Days like this give me the utmost hope for a beautiful summer garden. 
Winter tires came off over the weekend.
Patagonia down parka has been traded for my J Crew cargo jacket.
Uggs have been tucked away.
Flats are making an appearance.
Seeds and bulbs have been planted and tucked away in the small greenhouse my husband bought me for my birthday.
Fiercely embracing spring. 
xo
T 

girl loves friday!

Especially the friday that kicks off my birthday weekend! Hola!
Not to mention I will be taking Monday off as well.
I will not be kicking and screaming when midnight of the 28th hits and I officially become 32.
I'm actually welcoming it. Not that I don't miss some aspects of being in my 20's.
I just find I can handle certain things a whole lot better now.
Things roll off my back a easier.
I'm more confident in the decisions I make.
I'm accepting of who I am, what I look like (thighs and all) and more importantly, accepting of those around me.
I love and appreciate life and loved ones so much more.

I don't really have a long list of things I want to accomplish in my 32 year.
My list is simple and is constant.
Learn new things. Better my photography business. Streamline my mornings.
Become a quality person, inspired by this blog post. This quote will be stuck with me throughout the year.
"Life is to be lived well in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.  There should be no waiting period."

That said, onto to girl loves

+++lost camera. (this guy cracks me up)

because I did think I knew it all in my 20's. (via Design is Mine)
 
LOVING off the shoulder sweatshirts and tess. (via Garance)
 
Carved crayons. (found here.)
 
How to Make it in America. love the cast. love the show.
 
April's Studio Calico kit! Going live midnight of the 27th!
  
Iphone sunflare.
 
Happy Friday!
T
 

girl's risotto recipe

 

The only thing I actually measure is the Arborio rice. Everything else is sort of thrown in.

Pour a box of good chicken stock in a sauce pan and keep it to a simmer.
Finely chopping 1 large shallot. (you can also use an onion but I didn't have one)
Saute in a generous pat of butter and a little olive oil for about a minute.
Add 1 cup arborio rice. (I actually add a tiny bit more)
Saute for a couple of minutes on medium heat.
Add a few glugs of white wine. Maybe about 1/4 cup. Stir until the rice has absorbed the wine. (you can omit this but I always keep a bottle in my fridge for recipes that call for wine)
Add a pinch of salt, pepper and dried thyme.
Add 2 ladles of the simmering chicken stock to the rice.
Stir, stir, stir.
This is something you can't just walk away from. It needs your undivided attention.
Add another 2 ladles of stock when the rice has absorbed the previous 2 ladles.
Continue on stirring and adding until your stock is gone.
Your rice should be thick and creamy and slightly al dente.
Add a handful of frozen peas and some asparagus (which I blanched quickly beforehand), a generous handful of parmesan cheese and some more black pepper.

Scoop yourself a bowl, sit back, relax and enjoy.

***I don't always make big dinners every night. Sometimes it's just a bowl of cereal for what I like to call "survive on your own" night. I like making this dish on Sunday afternoons when I've finished cleaning the house and all my other "to dos". Turn on a movie or a show I've dvr'd and have a little me time. My husband actually likes this as well but it's more of an appetizer than a meal for him. :)

Happy Thursday!

kp sketch winner!

Comment:
This class sounds fun! Best wishes for you and your husband tomorrow... lots of luck to you!! P.S. Your niece is a cutie pie. =)
Commenter name: Susan C.

Congrats Susan!
Have fun with all the new sketches!

There's still time to register for the class. Featuring new sketches that are sure to jump start your spring scrapbooks. Registration ends March 26th, Class starts March 29th.

I also put up a quick tutorial on how I create petals out of punched circles. Check out the Studio Calico blog to see how I create them.

Happy Sunday!

girl loves friday.

oy.
what a week.
things can only go up from here.

onto to girl loves.

I know we're all over Edwards glittery body but I'm still excited about the dvd release of New Moon.
I'm seeing Saturday night on the couch with my sweetie, handful of popcorn, phone turned off watching what will hopefully be a better version of the book.

The relaxing scent of this oil perfuming our bedroom surely brings sweet dreams and washes away any negative thoughts from the day.  

This photo and the feeling it brings me. (found on Tumblr) 
The creativity put into this couple's save the dates blows me away. (via Green Wedding Shoes)
A future "to do". Creating my own font.

Layers, cool accessories, messy hair. Even though tomorrow is officially the first day of spring, it's still layering season in these parts. (via The Satorialist)

Anthropologie + wedding? woah. It might be time to renew our vows.

The return of Polaroid.
 
 

girl out yo.
happy weekend.

 
I feel like a ball of negative energy and worry this morning.
The usual suspects are to blame.
Money, or lack there of.
Wondering if there's a baby brewing.
Work. Work. Work.
It doesn't help that as soon as I step foot into my office at 5:55 am, I'm bombarded with inquiries and task even before booting up my computer.
This has been the overall mood all week.
This also explains why I've been posting lot's of photos of my niece and nephew.
They make me realize life is precious and meant to be lived to whole heartedly.
Writing that sentence and glancing at the photos of them I have pinned to my board eases my tension.
Just like that.
All I can do is breath, and go forward.

xo
Tina

TtVeeptych and giveaway.

haven't messed with ttv in awhile due to the awkwardness of taking such photos.
my neck is already tweaked. working with a contraption makes it worse.
but it's still fun to bust it out every so often.

Reagan the Explorer.

IUI will actually happen tomorrow.
st patty's day.
i'm taking it as a sign and I do hope the luck of the irish will shine down on me as I lay on that oh so comfortable paper lined table, knees up in the air, staring at the kitty poster with the slogan "hang in there".

ok, there's not actually that particular poster but it's something of the sort. 
thanks for the well wishes and prayers. i will tuck those away for tomorrow. :)

before i kick the rest of tuesday bootay, i have special give away for Kelly Purkey's upcoming sketch class.
 
Sketchbook is a 12 day class filled with fresh sketches, easy instructions, beautiful examples, and lots of fun.  Beginning on March 29th to April 9th, a PDF will be delivered to your inbox each morning so you can work at your own pace.  By the end of the class, you'll have a complete sketchbook of 12 sketches and over 30 example layouts.  For each of the sketches you'll be receiving an example layout from Kelly Purkey, along with one or more example from a member of the incredible Studio Calico design team.  All of the examples are brand new layouts, exclusive to this class... you won't see them anywhere else!  Sketchbook will also include a private message board for questions and sharing ideas, as well as two scheduled chats - all on the awesome Studio Calico website. 

register here
sneaks

I'll choose a random winner Sunday morning!

tina

pink flowers and puffy eyes.

right now:
will not be showing any kind of self portrait this morning.
my eyes are so puffy and tired.
damn you daylight savings.
coffee is strong and sssoooo good but not quite doing the trick.
later today:
possible 3rd IUI.
feeling kind of "eh" about it.
not that I'm not feeling hopeful. just not excited about it.
haven't spoken about this for awhile. maybe because I'm tired of writing the "i'm not pregnant again and need chocolate cake and retail therapy" post.
tonight:
will post sneaks for April's Studio Calico kit.
so good.
  

 
laters.
t

snow angel.

xo.
t
  

girl loves friday and backtracks on previous post.

It's that time again.
Ah yes, friday.
Tonight i will have my hands full with both my niece and nephew and my mouth full of Moose's Tooth pizza. The best in my opinion. Jeff also wants to watch that movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs with the kids. I'm thinking they're still too young to sit through a whole movie but my husband thinks otherwise. We'll see.

On the subject of my previous post.
I thought about it afterwords and realized I sounded like the type of photographer I loathed. The one who is so stuck on the logistics of photography. What's proper, the perfect exposure. The person who has every gadget there's to be had in the world of photography. The one who poo poo's the onset of fresh new, everyday photography and looks down at the scrapbooker turned photographer.
That's not me and I think I could have stated my message in a more humble manor.
There are times where I'll post something I may regret saying. But that's the beauty of blogging your opinions.
 The comments and emails I received afterwords where all positive but there was one that stuck in my mind because it was spot on.
I'm surprised that it irritates you, because you clearly have different potential clients.  They will certainly not convince people looking for artistic work to come to them with that title.  In fact, I think it's good for you, because it sounds like what it is.
It's nice to hear this type of honesty and constructive criticism on my previous point of view.
Reason #97 on why I love blogging.  :)

Onto girl loves.

color on a cold parisian day. (found via The Satorialist)

 
a uber romantic city hall wedding. (found via A Cup Of Jo)

 My 25 Biggest Mistakespost on the Two Photogs blog.
 
My interview on the Little Red Suitcase blog.

 this little munchkin. always & forever.
 
simple, stunning layoutsvia Paislee Press.

words of wisdom worn around your wrist via Kate Spade. (inscription reads HAVE COURAGE) i do love a bangle.
 

don't forget.....Studio Calico sneaks go live tomorrow night!  I should have some sneaks posted by Monday.

Lastly, I've got some new TTV and Polaroid products in the works. Hopefully I'll have the shop updated in another week.

Enjoy the weekend!
Tina

girl gives opinion on cheap photography.

 

So.
Many of you know i'm trying to break through as a photographer.
There's still a lot to learn. I don't want to be just another gal who buys herself an expensive digital camera and calls herself a pro.
A pro i am not.
What i am is passionate, creative and driven when it comes to photography.
I'm taking on my first wedding next month and although i'm nervous, I'm that much more excited. I
know not every photo taken will be worthy of a bridal magazine although I secretly hope to at least publish some of my photos on a certain wedding blogs. I know that my natural ability to capture something creative and unique will shine through.
I've been spending a little time scoping out other Anchorage area photographers and there are a handful that are well known and very good at what they do.
What i'm having an issue with are those I find on Craigslist.
Those who use the title "cheap wedding photography". This bothers me to no end. It completely devalues the art of photography and what it stands for.
Out of curiosity, I also checked out the photos they linked to their "cheap photography" and it is just that,
cheap photography.
So don't be fooled. if you feel the need to not spend the money on a photographer or seeking out someone who is less expensive due to less experience, be cautious. There are a lot of newbies out there with emerging talent, like myself. :) but I would not classify my photography as "cheap". I hold a lot of value in my photographs and what they mean to not only myself but to the person I am photographing.

That said, I am currently accepting clients for the upcoming spring/summer season.
My first love is working with newborns and children. I am not taking on any more weddings as this point as I want to see how my first 2 will pan out. Weddings are experimental for my portfolio.
Any other requests such as family, engagements, and Senior portraits are welcome. I also love working with still life and photo styling so if you have shop/bakery/cafe/clothing store you would liked photographed for a website, I'm your woman. Or maybe not. I have a specific style of photography that may not appeal to you. That's ok.
Hopefully I'll have some kind of portfolio up soon. You can view my Flickr page for now.
Contact me at lifelovepaper@gmail.com for pricing.

girl has it locked down.

my desk. 12:58 p.m.
 
2 things.
first, I work better in chaos.
second, there's always time for a polaroid.

that's all.