Cold Woods, Warm Furs...

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends out there if you celebrate the holidays! I quite enjoyed mine. We had a white Christmas and it's snowing as we speak! It could be a snowy winter here in Maine and that's just fine with me. (If it has to be cold, it might as well be pretty, right?) Here are some of the hi-lights from my holidays:

Because what are the holidays without sugar cookies?!

Oh, Bing. One of my favorite holiday albums.

And then someone lost a tooth for Christmas!

Some lights in Portland. So pretty.

Wee hand, sticky candy cane!

She'll have a blue (tongued) Christmas without you!

But don't think the holidays kept me away from the studio! No sir, they didn't. I mentioned a couple of posts back about a new product I would be offering soon: The Portrait Family Tree Package. Well, I finally have an example to show you! Basically, this package includes professional portraits in uniform size and treatment for every member of your family, plus a wall layout suggestion that displays the genealogy and generations of your family in their correct order. No more messy snapshots taken years and years apart! Nope. Just one-of-a-kind, beautiful photographs to document your family and your life! Here is a sample wall with sample portraits. Neat, huh?

What else? Oh, this is fun. I was asked recently by one of my best (and favorite) makeup artists to collaborate with her on a shoot to show off some new makeup techniques she's playing with, and I agreed to help. Well, here is the result, and I call it: Marie Antoinette in Winter. This was an especially challenging project from a styling perspective. I wasn't that familiar with this period of clothing and my costumer was completely confused the entire time because of course, I put my own spin on things, so it wasn't by the book. BUT, I think we did a good job in the end, don't you?

But don't think all of this work has kept me from having a good time this season! Oh, no. It hasn't. And one of the most enjoyable things I've done in the past week is watch Hitchcock, the movie about Alfred Hitchcock's making of Psycho. Hm. What to say? Anthony Hopkins did a remarkable job and I learned a ton of things about one of my favorite movies that I didn't know. The movie was also uncomfortable to watch at times and Hitchcock as a person was a bit creepy. Or maybe they just played that up for effect. Regardless, it's worth a watch, even if you're not a fan!

And in this scene, ScarJo is thinking she was completely mis-cast in this role. 

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Soft Snow & Sweet Gingerbread...

Hello Lovelies~

I hope this week finds you all doing well out there! We've gotten a break up here in Maine from the cold and the snow for long enough, and it appears that winter is finally upon us. We've had some snow and it's snowing as we speak (or rather, as I type this). I love true winter in Maine. So pretty. And this time of year, it gets me in the holiday spirit!

Speaking of holiday spirit, one of my favorite little ones asked me to help her make a gingerbread village this past weekend. I couldn't say anything but yes (and I'm glad I did!) we had laughs, got icing all over the place and then... she spilled the sprinkles. Ha! So fun... I made this little collage with the photos from that day. (And that's her in her tights... she said they "help her decorate better..." I'll take her word for it.) :)

What else? Oh! I mentioned a couple of posts back that I'm creating a portrait family tree for a holiday gift this year. I will post those final shots next week, but until then, here are more candids from the most recent session for that project because I can't resist! Those faces... goodness, so cute. (This is what happens when you eat crackers at a portrait session and/or are really, really shy. Brilliant, no?)

I have also recently added a ton of new items to Stag with gift-giving in mind! Some vintage holiday decor, special small gifts for the stocking, things for pampering and things for the hobby-loving man in your life! Oh, and immediately below is just a small selection of some of the wonderful new ties going in the shop very soon! Wintery, warm, wooly (and in some cases, wide) ties!

In one of my recent junking trips to find items for Stag, I happened upon an entire unopened package of ribbon from the 70's. You know the stuff; shiny, plastic, bright colors, perfect for tying. I had to have it for my own gift-giving! Not a day later, I came across this amazing post from one of my favorite blogs: And Everything Else Too that gave a ton of creative and beautiful vintage gift-wrapping ideas! (Kind of perfect timing, don't you think?)

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Mint Green Suits & Coral Lipstick...

Hello Lovelies!

I hope this week finds you all doing well out there. Things here are busy, busy as usual! So many new things to share. To start, I just wrapped up a project that I'm very excited to share with you. I was approached to shoot an Audrey Hepburn inspired shoot for a client. She wanted to really channel some of the Breakfast at Tiffany's vibe, as well as just the playful, coy feel for Ms. Hepburn herself. So, I set to work, and created the following! (I think the mint green suit was a good choice, don't you?) You may view the rest of the shots from that series over at my Behance site! (A huge thank you to my model Caroline and my makeup artist Brenda for making it so beautiful!)

I have several other projects in various states of readiness and I can't wait to share those too! But until then, here are some candids from a recent portrait session I did. (No, they did not wear those masks in the portraits themselves, but I've found that nothing loosens kids up in front of the camera like playing beforehand! Those cameras aren't so scary then...) I should have that project ready to show in the coming weeks!

Oh! And some exciting news for my STAG shop! I have just reached 100+ sales! I can't believe I reached that goal so quickly. Thank you to all of my customers and followers. Many great things yet to come. I am always hunting up neat things, just for you!

On a totally unrelated note, I have been looking for a good watch for years now. I always used to wear one, and then the one I loved broke and with that, I stopped wearing one. I searched all over place, because I knew I wanted something vintage and high quality. Well, I finally found a watch from Russia that I am absolutely in love with and it just came in the mail this past weekend! (I am a bit embarrassed to admit how excited I was to receive it.) But you know how it is, finding the perfect thing, right? Take a look. The red face and those numerals are amazing...

I am going to wrap up by sharing promos from two of my favorite design studios. They have prints perfect for stuffing stockings or serving yourself some san serifed spoils! Ha!

The first is from Lab Partners. Visit their site HERE.

And Invisible Creature is having a giveaway with purchase HERE.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...