plate wall

Back when I was first introduced to Pinterest I came across the idea of a plate wall. However, I never understood how to hang plates on the wall, so I didn't pursue the idea. How silly of me! Ever heard of a plate hanger? Super novel idea. They exist and they are less than $2 from any craft store. I found mine at both Hobby Lobby and Michaels. 

I started my collection over the summer, my first few plates came from the thrift store. You can see those here. Over time I went into West Elm, World Market, and Anthropologie looking for discount plates, and I was really surprised to find some of these super cute plates for less than $6! I'll give you my source list below. 

The best part of this wall is that it's always changing. This is my current setup, and the one I've liked most. I've had plates rotating in and out with the seasons though, and it's a lot of fun to change it up..yet maintain a similar design scheme. 

yes, that IS boy meets world on my tv :) and yes I know my plate wall isn't currently centered...but it's a work in progress, I left room for new additions.



source list : 



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Have you checked out my succulent DIY yet? I just love the color here so I had to share it again :)





if we had coffee today..


You might laugh because I like my coffee sweet, and creamy...so basically I don't like coffee. I'd tell you about the recent prayers that God has answered, how cool and shocking it is to me that He cares about the littlest things in my life.

I'd probably tell you a story, or 5 about my sweet pup. We may touch on weather.. because it's stinking 67 degrees in January. Thank you California and praise be to the unicorns for arriving with your sunny skies and perfect January days. It's because of this  great weather I never have to defend my year-round, Starbucks, cold beverage drinking.

The inevitable topic of photography would surface, but I'd try not to bore you too long. After all I'd be much more interested in what you have to say..and what's going on in your life.

I'd want to know all the little updates on your life. What your favorite day this past week was, how that fight with your boyfriend or husband turned out..and the happiness that has replaced all your resolved anger. I would hope you'd share pictures of your latest DIY or home decor arrangement. I'd be curious to know where you felt God speaking to you, and where you think He's leading you. Any new recipes to share? Please, indulge me :) You had a weird conversation with someone? Let's laugh about it together.

We'd most likely end our coffee date feeling happy and content, because good conversation is just what the doctor ordered. Mixed of course, with a cup of coffee.

What would you tell me if we went to coffee today?

my favorite free fonts


i always love finding free fonts online because it allows you to personalize your blog/website SO much more. i love it even more when people make lists of the awesome fonts they have found around the internets so that's what i did here today. i hope this introduces you to some fun, new, FREE fonts found around the web :) just type in any of the names to dafont | fontsquirrel | pinterest or google and it should take you to the download screen.



happy type designing!



To say I feel blessed today would be an understatement.

Over the last few weeks I've been in a serious rut [I won't say I've made a complete turn around but we're getting there]. Admitting this rut feels somewhat weak, but I feel like it's part of the process and it's worth sharing.

I won't go into too much detail because it may bore you dead...but photography is slow this time of year, and discouragement leaked in at one point or another.

Rewind a few years.

I have been photographing friends and family since the Spring of 2010. It started out as a small hobby charging $25 for a session and editing with iPhoto. After some time I realized I might be able to go somewhere with this new found hobby of mine. I slowly started purchasing software, upgrading my equipment, creating business cards, buying hard drives and charging a bit more for sessions. It wasn't until I met our wedding photographers that I thought maybe I could actually take this hobby of mine to the next level. They saw something in me and invested their hearts, knowledge, and time into me..I am forever grateful to them because of this. They believed in me, more than I believed in myself.  I hope someday to take a newbie with mountain top dreams, and bring her under my wing...just the way they did for me. So, little by little I gained more confidence in this expensive hobby, and decided to make all things official.

I have come a long way since 2010, through trial and error...a LOT of practice, constant research, some self doubt, and major financial investment. I went to college for a degree in Communication Studies and struggled to find purpose through that major, all the while knowing I had this blossoming career as a photographer just waiting to explode.

You see, I had this grand plan that I would be graduating from college in the Spring of 2012, apply for my photography business license, create a website, order newly branded business cards, shoot copious amounts of sessions, establish myself in the photography industry, and finally quit my job at Starbucks come December.  I figured 6 months post graduation was enough time to establish myself in the surrounding areas, and bid farewell to the green apron.

Well God had other plans. Which by the way, His are always better than ours. It's January and I'm still tying up that apron Monday-Thursday. I've always prayed for my business, and specifically that God would direct me where to go, opening and closing doors as He saw fit. Seven months post-grad and my plans didn't go as I had hoped...but that's okay. The six month plan was a tad ambitious and I somewhat anticipated that.

Over the last few months I've been dedicating my time to online photo forums, endless blog reading, meeting with other local photogs, revamping my website, praying continually over my business, and just soaking in God's direction for me. I've learned a lot. Like, I've only brushed the surface on what I need to know. There's an entire world of photography that's unknown to me still...but I'm getting there. One of the biggest things I've learned these last few months is the importance of building relationships with other local photographers.

I've now entered this twisted, amazing world of creative artists who not only encourage one another, but enjoy working together. It's not like other career fields...yes, we are all essentially "competing" for local business. But at the same time not every person is fit for the same photographer. There are enough jobs and a diverse amount of people looking for different things when it comes to photography in general. I love that about this business. I have established some amazing friendships over the last few weeks with both local and out of state photographers. These people have encouraged me to no end...and that's awesome. It's really great to be accepted in this industry of creative, talented artists who have a heart for capturing lasting memories.

Well fast forward to today. Times are slow in the winter for obvious reasons, the weather, post Christmas expenses, bills are higher because of cold weather, and everybody wants to be summer tan in their pictures. So I've had to remind myself and pray over my business even more, that God will bless it the way He sees fit.

I never expected to be a wedding photographer. It always seemed so stressful by every angle of the industry. However, rewind back to my amazing mentors...they practically set a wedding in my lap back in September. Once again, they believed I could do it and set me out to fly on my own. I doubted myself a little...but knew God could hold me through it. After that experience I knew my heart was in wedding photography. Who wouldn't want to be part of the most special day in a couple's life?

By the grace of God I have received FOUR wedding inquiries for 2013. This may not sound like much in the land of wedding photography...if that's where you reside ;)...but for this small business of mine, it's HUGE. I can't begin to explain the amount of reassurance these 4 wedding inquiries have given me. I feel like it's God pushing me further, it's Him reminding me that my work is of value to Him and the people I know. All I have to do is trust Him and follow what He tells me.

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart"

I know that if I engage with my God daily, He'll continue to show me where He wants my business to go. He isn't a God of confusion...and I take such great comfort in knowing that to be true.

So there's that, a little bit behind the scenes of my blossoming photography business. I am so excited to see where God takes this journey of mine and forever grateful He has given me amazing friends and family to encourage me along the way.

Conversations with Jeff and Starbucks drinkers // v.1

Sometimes I have odd, hilarious, share-worthy conversations with people, and I think you should hear about them. Working at Starbucks has given me prime opportunity for said conversations, and being married to Jeff has it's bonuses as well. 

Starbucks
[setting the scene] i'm on bar at work making drinks, and small talk with customers who approach.

me: hi there! how's your day going?
lady slumped over on edge: meh, i'm okay
me: just okay?!
lady slumped over on edge: yeah, i just had my fourth colonoscopy
me: [begins to feel awkward and focus on drinks instead of conversation] yikes, sorry to hear that..i hope this coffee makes your day better!
lady slumped over on edge: yeah, i've had four now..if i didn't mention that already, and i have to have them every 6 months for the rest of my life, you really never know what they'll find up there. they make you drink these soap flushing drinks the night before and oh my goodness...
me: [cuts off lady by handing out her beverage] good luck with that, have a nice day! 

Husband 

[setting the scene] i have extra bone growth on my left arm..it's weird, i know. you can't see it though..so let's move on :)

me: i think i slept on my arm wrong
jeff: is your wing bugging you?
me: my wing? oh, my extra bone growth?
jeff: yea, you're like an underdeveloped chicken


Starbucks
customer: hi, what milks do you offer?
me: hi there! we offer 2% as our standard, or your choice of non-fat, half and half, heavy cream, whole milk, or soy milk. 
customer: you guys really should offer more, what about almond milk and 1%milk?
me: there's no room in our fridges for more than the SIX types we already offer, ma'am [don't worry, i always approach these types in the sweetest form possible]


Husband
jeff: hey are you dressing up for halloween?
me: um probably not..are you?
jeff: yea i'll probably be like uh body builder because i wont have to buy anything...you know? :) 
me: good one..where'd you hear that?
jeff: i made it up earlier today, thought it would be pretty funny


Husband
jeff: Would it freak you out if i told you there was a spider nest up here?
me: YES
jeff: Okay, then i won't tell you there's two.


My Dad [just for fun]
dad: hey see the girl over there with the dual pony tails?
me: umm you mean pig tails?
dad: oh ya, is that what they call'm these days?


You can read other funny conversations floating around blog world like this one, this one and this one for more laughs :)



40dayfast



I'm twenty days in to our church-wide 40 day fast. Our church elders have been intensely praying over revival in our region and seeking ways that we can be ready when revival hits this place. In doing so, we've joined with other churches for the first 40 days in January of 2013 for a period of prayer and fasting.

I joined in a week late, because I had been praying about what and if I should fast. After a few days I felt God telling me that instagram took up too much of my personal time. Though a lot of people probably think that's crazy...it's more than true. Thus, I've been instagram-less ever since.

Any way, I'm really excited to see where God is leading our region and how He's going to use our church [and many others] in the coming years. We're reading through the powerful book of Isaiah, where Isaiah rips apart and warns His people of God's coming judgement [much like every other book in the Bible]. But it's SO powerful, there's a lot of prophecy of the latter days and Christ's second coming which is rad.

The second coming used to terrify me, and it hasn't been until the last year or two that I've been ready and excited to hear that trumpet and see our King take His throne in the new Jerusalem. I'm seriously stoked.

I just wanted to update on this silent journey of fasting because I've found that my days are much more productive and meaningful now that I've subconsciously made a point to replace insta time with prayer time. It's been a wonderful growing experience, and I'd like to fast from other things through out the year because of it. We shall see what will come of that.

DIY Anthro Succulent Mug


Succulents are seriously my new favorite thing you guys. You can put them anywhere and they're so easy to manage. I've seen creative succulent pots/mugs/cups all over Pinterest, West Elm, and Anthro lately and thought it would be fun to make my own..instead of buying the expensive kits they create for you. I mean West Elm is charging upwards of EIGHT DOLLARS for just your succulents...love you WE, but you can find these little guys from Lowes for $2. 

It's almost silly to give you guys a DIY for this because it's SO simple. But it's fun and I want you to make them too, so I'll give you the 411.

What you'll need

cute mugs [I got mine from anthropologie]
soil
succulents [from lowes or home depot]
OR
take clippings from mom/grandma/succulents you already have
stick them in water until they begin to root

Process

Fill cup almost full with soil, separate soil with your fingers and stick in succulent. 
THE END!
So easy, right? 

These would be cute on top of stacked books on your bookshelf, next to your kitchen sink, clustered on your bedroom dresser...or just about anywhere. I gave these pretties to my friend, {they made the cut for her mantle makeover!..which you can check out by clicking that link} so I'll be making another Anthro trip in the near future to make some for myself!


Photography Updates



Well guys, it's 2013. This is the year I plan to be a full-time photographer {Lord willing}. I have been praying that God would open doors for this business of mine, it's scary and exciting all at once. I'm pretty much over the whole barista thing, but I just don't have the means to lay that aside yet. But, I have a feeling that I'll just know when I'm supposed to make this full-time. You know? I feel like it's getting close, and praying with everything in me that it arrives SOON.

I need your help though, I need you to pray for me...I also need you to book sessions with me!

Come on... I had to throw a plug in there somewhere ;)

That bottom left location...super Twilight-esque, right? Which, by the way, I STILL need to see Breaking Dawn Pt. 2.

dresser top


here's a quick teaser of our home tour, which I plan to take pictures of and post now that Christmas decor has been tucked away until next year.

I also have a plate wall, and new chair from World Market...and I stare at them for a good majority of the day :)

something to remember in 2013