{pretty cheep}!

i discovered these project bags at a the yarn basket in portsmouth, nh. fabulous little drawstring muslin bags to store your "projects" in. thanks to sally and liz who always turn me on to the hip and cool stuff! they are so adorable with silkscreened birds and a big red tag for recording what project is hiding inside. there are three designs to choose from. i have all three because i couldn't decide! they can be used for many things not just your knitting projects. i have stored annie's puzzles or books for car travel. or quick storage of her "little" things, you know it's amazing how many "little" things a 3 year old can collect. i have also been known to {carefully} throw a lens or two in my cheep bags - since i despise my camera bag {that's a story for another day!}so if you are looking for something different that is under $10 check out the pretty cheep project bag - i think anything with silkscreened birds has got to be worth a second look!! love it!!

{first haircut}

{on the phone with her daddy, talking about her new "do"}



my husband and i just couldn't bring ourselves to get annie's hair cut. our excuse....it's the hair she was born with, it's been on her head since day one how can we cut it? both holding on to that little baby who was born with a mohawk. fabulous indeed. so her second birthday came and went and now her third birthday has come and gone and still no hair cut. the signs were there, the tears after we wash her hair when we comb it out, the tangles in the morning, the frustration of her hair getting in her way of tumbling on the bed, of reading her books, always wearing pony tails. well......today was the day. i had been talking to annie about how much fun it is to get your hair cut. the special chair, getting your hair washed, the big mirrors, etc.... i picked her up at school and told her i had a surprise for her.....we were going to get her hair cut. so excited was this child. so gleeful, so full of joy. over a haircut. such a precious little girl i have. am i a total nerd that i brought not only my camera but my video camera as well? the doting stage mom documenting every moment of this childs life. the 7 inches of locks tucked in an envelope, dated and tagged "first haircut" . the tale is told in pictures. the perfect patient sitting in the chair. and to top it all off, stephanie the owner of stillwaters painted her nails. she grabbed my sunglasses and my little girl twirled. she fills my heart.

{got KI?}

this has to be one of my favorite buildings of all time. so many years i have driven right by this building thinking i have to shoot there, i just have to. the message is clear based on the fact that we live close to a nuclear power plant. i'm not afraid. never was, never will be. i was down on plum island on friday running an errand and even though i have been fighting the flu like the rest of the world, i had to get out of the car, get on my knees and take a quick pic. i needed the reminder of how this little piece of property always inspires me. so i left a message for my friend saying we have to go shoot here pronto. the light was beautiful, the sky, the peeling paint, the air, everything about it is perfect. i want to do a trash the dress session here. i just have to. i guess it's important to remember the things that inspire you the most. for me the list goes on and on, but when my heart skips a beat i just know that it's right.
so stay tuned.

{photographer extraordinaire} shannon hollman - thousand words photography

my dear friend shannon hollman of thousand words photography obliged me by letting me interview her. there are so many photographers out there that have become friends. i am so lucky to be inspired on a daily basis by these amazing people.

shannon and i met about a year and a half ago on cafemom. what a wonderful community cafemom is. through the photography groups that we joined, we got to know each other. shannon hails from montana and i from boston. we have yet to meet face to face, but through the power of the internet we are in each others lives on a daily basis.

i believe our photography as grown together. we've supported each others business launching, websites, blogs. shannon is an incredibly talented woman. she is the wife to another amazing photographer (jeremie hollman - they keep it all in the family!) and mom to two adorable little boys. i find such beauty in what shannon can capture with her lens. she never ceases to amaze me. i am always left wanting more.

please check her out and if you happen to be in montana, well then you must must hire shannon!

you really are wonderful shannon, and it's my honor to call you my friend! xo

{the interview}

1. what inspired you to become a photographer?
Actually, my love of children is was made me want to be a photographer. I
have a background in early development and once my children were born, I
realized how much I enjoyed photographing their "life moments" and knew
instantly that it was something I wanted to do. Now I get the chance to
interact with children and adults of all ages and I love that!

2. if you could spend one day anywhere in the world where would it be?
Ireland. I've never been there, but it is one of those places that I have
always, always wanted to go to. Camera in hand, of course! Oh, but can I
please have more than one day? :)

3. what equipment do you use?
I currently use a canon 5D and a canon 40D...hopefully, with a lot of
answered prayers I will soon be using a canon 5D mark II. Favorite lens of
choice...50mm. Hands down.

4. what is your favorite music?
I admit I am a totally top 40 junkie. I love to rock out, bust a move and
sing my little heart out.
5. being a busy mother, how do you manage your schedule?
It's not always easy. I just have to find a balance. Work when kids are in
school, play with kids when they are here, spend time with hubby when he's
here, work when kids are in bed....and fit every thing else in somewhere in
between. Some days I'm better at it than others, but I think I'm doing okay.

6. what is on your wish list?
Oh, oh, oh!!!! Canon 5D mark II!!!!!!
7. your favorite photograph to date and why?
Of mine, wow....so hard to say. I think I change my mind every day...or
every shoot. When I do engagements/weddings I always say those are my
favorite b/c I just can't get enough of new love. When I do children, I get
so connected to them and I am drawn in by their smile. But I guess I have to
say that currently I am loving all these newborns! So sweet! So, I guess it
would have to be one of my recent newborn shots....don't know if I can
narrow it down, though.
8. how do you handle your photoshoots? ie; making clients comfortable and at ease, setting up, locations? how long are your sessions?
I just go to have fun. I am very laid back, easy going and love to be around
people. I hope that comes off. I don't care where I am photographing, I just
love doing it. I love meeting new people. I love taking pictures. I love to
just be. My sessions times vary. I basically, leave it up to my client. More
or less, they are about an hour to an hour and a half.....but, if were
having fun and they are up for more, we'll keep on going. I could go all day
..haha! I don't worry about the time. It all falls into place. However long
it takes is however long it takes.
9. any advice on getting started in business?
hmmmm....being so new to the game my self (started my business a year ago) I
m learning new things everyday. So maybe that's my advice. Never stop
learning. There is so much out there. And one thing I have really realized
is how powerful word of mouth is. It's quite amazing how many people will
come and say "a friend of mine" or "a friend of a co-worker". Knowing that
someone liked what I did so much that they are spreading my name around
means so so much to me.
10. who are your 3 favorite artists and why?
I adore Audrey Woulard. She is amazing at what she does. The queen of
natural light.
I am in awe of Carrie Sandoval's newborn work. I want to be like her when I
grow up!
I have a 10 way tie for 3rd, so I will just say these 2.

11. what is your workflow like when your camera card comes out of your camera!
I'm not a big editor. Just basic adjustments, mostly. I do most of my
editing in RAW programs and then minor tweaks in Photoshop. I'm a pretty
speedy editor and I enjoy getting the pictures back to my clients quickly.

{PLEASE} vote for me.

my photo of annie was chosen as a finalist for this months greeblepix contest. the theme was love. you all know how much miss annie is love to me!! the prize is a $250 camera rental which would be so great for me as my cam has been on the fritz. so if you feel i am worthy please cast your vote for moi!! merci.
click here for the link!

{the blue of blue}

missing my mom today. some days it just hits me like a freight train and i can't breathe. a song, a smell, a thought will trigger me. today is one of those days. she was very special it's hard not to miss her no matter how much time has passed. it'll get better. it always does.

The blue of blue
Is mostly grey
Ain't no silver line
No brighter day
Last of the coming up
Didn't come my way
Looks like I'm down here to stay
Down to stay

So kick me, I won't feel a thing
My senses have all been run
And there's nothing left of the used to be
But the weeping that's just begun
That sour taste too late
But now I duck my head
And no cradle rocks this empty bed
If crying's not good for me
Then I guess I'm doing wrong
So I sing this crying song
Cry along

You packed it in too soon
You lose me but not your nerve
Well I guess I know it's what I deserve
Crazy to think that I could keep you on reserve
And so the curtain falls
Curtain calls

Nicolas Holmes

love.........

greeblepix entry










my funny little valentines............xo

{go to bed}........um you're own bed!

{photo courtesy of domino magazine}

{annie's "crib bed}



{a little musing}
annie has started to not like sleeping in her bed. she says her room has monsters in it. bil and i both know it's because she really likes crawling in between us in our big bed and disturbing our perfectly sound sleep!! my brothers son declan does this as well (or at least he used to) and he referred to it as a bed snake. so yes we have been invaded with a bed snake. there are times i wake up in the morning and annie is snoring away, the thing is i don't hear her get into bed. that's a little scary. perhaps if something was wrong my mommy instinct would kick in and my ears would be on red alert.
anyway.....what to do about this problem. annie says her bed is uncomfortable (who am i to judge). her crib converted into a toddler bed, so she is sleeping on a crib mattress. it's really a nice mattress. it's a sealy posturpedic. not bad for a little wee hocker, but apparently not so inviting anymore. the bed is normal height and the entire side rail of her crib is removed so it's actually rather cute. when i tell her that perhaps we will get her a new bed she immediately gets excited and refers to it as a big girl bed. aha! bingo...that's it. she doesn't like being in what was her "crib". kids. 3 year olds. girls.
so i'm on the hunt for a bed for her. i think i found one that is really cute at the land of nod. and since her room isn't that big i think it will fit nicely. the beauty of this bed is you don't need a box spring - i like that idea. annie wants a little canopy over her bed too. girls.
when did my child become big enough for a normal size bed?! actually i like the idea of her being in a "normal" bed. so at night when we are reading to her we don't have to sit on the floor - we can actually snuggle in with her and not worry that the whole "crib" will collapse with our weight! annie was jumping on her bed this morning and i thought one more jump and the whole thing is going to go!!
i figure with the normal bed....if she happened to become a bed snake, then i can hop in her bed and finally get a decent night sleep!!

{19}seventies

pioneer woman actions

i was reading one of my favorite blogs confessions of a pioneer woman - she was talking about the seventies....how different life was back then compared to now. i miss that time in my life and would go back if only for a little while. i guess most importantly is that in the 70's i was just a kid, making my way and i had the whole road ahead of me. i miss the 70's because i've been on that road for quite some time and perhaps the road is starting to bend a bit. the 70's were a time when my family was a complete unit, we were all together and now we are all apart, living in different states. but now there are some great places to visit! sundays were spent at church and then at home fighting over the jelly doughnuts and reading the comics and barbecuing and having family friends over, playing basketball with everyone in the neighborhood and laying on the green grass of my yard looking up at the clouds. i miss the 70's because the latter part of them i was in high school, and i loved high school. i am amazed at how long i've been out of high school!! facebook has helped get me back in touch with those folks. {that's a whole other post about facebook!} life was simple in the 70's, i danced ballet, took piano, discovered carly simon, obsessed over my clothes, my weight, my hair, my face. {ok so i still do many of these things now!} i started the 70's as a 7 year old and ended it as a 17 year old - lots of growing up in the 70's. i won't tell you what i'm starting 2009 as, i'm sure you can figure it out.
i guess most importantly is, i miss the simplicity of my life. rainy mornings mom would drive us to the bus stop and we'd sit in the car waiting for the bus to arrive, talking to the sound of the wipers going back and forth and the heat fogging up the windows. coming home from school and and hopping on your bike in your neighborhood for hours with your friends, coming home to the smell of dinner cooking or the 4:30 movie starting. does anyone remember the 4:30 moving or was that a southern ct. new york thing. - what could be better than that! it's not like that anymore. i could go on and on with the memories that have been sparked in my brain. the 70's was a special time.

{j+i+b}= gorgeous

i had the pleasure of shooting this lovely couple yesterday at the property of {I}'s uncle on plum island. j+i were great troopers indulging this photographer in snow up to their knees! later we were joined by their lovely daughter the beautiful miss b - it was quite obvious who the light of j + i's life is.............i wish this family nothing but happiness and i can't wait for labor day weekend - j you are going to be a stunning bride!!

here is your sneak peek as promised:

{my mom thinks i'm rad}

that's because she IS!!! the beautiful sweet clara noelle. i had the pleasure of shooting this beauty this morning. visiting from upper state new york, her mommy and daddy - amy & ryan brought their little bundle to new england for her debut. see it pays to know the right peeps! i miss the baby years, they sure go fast. but thanks to this job i get to be in the presence of these special little packages. lucky me!!!

{in honor of ava}

The Dragonfly

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads,
there lived a little water beetle in a community of water
beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond
with few disturbances and interruptions.

Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of
their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and
would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their
friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge
to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would
not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what
he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the
surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so
warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body
changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful
blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body
designed for flying.

So, fly he did! And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole
new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never
known existed.


Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking
by now he was dead. He wanted to go back to tell them, and
explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been
before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended.

But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could
not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he
understood that their time would come, when they, too, would
know what he now knew. So, he raised his wings and flew off
into his joyous new life!


~Author Unknown~


oh my heart is heavy. it has been two years since the beautiful ava flew away from her loving family. sheye never ceases to amaze me in all the ways she honors her little girl. i can't imagine how she manages to put one foot in front of the other and continues to be the wonderful mother that she is - adoring her children and in her words cherishing life. to sheye and her beautiful family. you are loved and thought of so very much.
please take a moment to visit ava's memorial site and light a candle.
http://www.avarosemeyer.memory-of.com/About.aspx