Day 1: Boston

1. fire-cooked, gluten-free pizza.

2. a photo booth and a retro bike as cafe props!? i love it.

3. my shopping addiction creates the illusion that i really have a cutting addiction.

4. sometimes i love eating alone, especially in a city where i don't know a soul.

5. a glass garage door as the cafe wall!? i love it.

6. i started the final book in the Hunger Games series.

i will read it ever-so-slowly because i don't want it to be over....

the beautiful Halley

Today marks the first day of my 3 week adventure!

First stop is Boston and Cape Cod,

then next week, I will shoot my first wedding of the year in Phoenix!!!

I'm not sure how much you will hear from me....

but i'll leave you with something extra pretty today:)

the beautiful Halley:

Ruby and her dad

Dad gives Ruby a kiss for the camera:

 then she gets bashful..

 and whispers to her Dad: "that's awkward."

it was one of the sweetest moments:)

Emilly

This was Emilly's first time modeling
and I love how you can literally watch her progression
through these photos!
By the end she's a pro!!!
It takes everyone some time to acclamate in front of the camera,
that's why I believe engagement photos are so important before the wedding day!
It's a great practice run for the bride and groom!

What's funny is I had another photo shoot lined up

but it fell through,

so I asked Claire if she knew anyone willing and able to model

and she suggested her cousin Emilly.

It wasn't until after the session that I realized Emilly

was one of my dream people to work with

because of this photo in my old scrapbook:

In high school, I tore out this photo from a magazine and wrote "My Favorite Photo"

on the previous page.

I don't exactly know why

besides it's black and white and the freckles are gorgeous.

So after the session with Emilly, 

I realized she is the most identical looking to this model as I will ever get!

And this photo shoot was completely unplanned,

yet it seems things aligned themselves in the most perfect way possible.

I experimented with a reflector for part of this session

and Claire was there to help!

I took photos of Claire a few months ago for fun,

and soon after she randomly won the Giveaway for a free photo shoot or lesson!!

So we decided she will observe me shoot a few sessions,

then we will meet up and talk details like editing, lenses, etc.

5th Street

Cafe Rosetta is about to issue a restraining order against me

because I went there four times in the past week.
It's so unlike me, as we cook our own food 99% of the time,
but last week was our anniversary and I had friends in town,
so of course we scurried to the only restaurant
that serves organic and gluten-free items in this town!

After a coffee date with friends,
we went shopping at the thrift/antique shops on 5th Street in Calumet.
I can't believe it was my first time!
It's prop heaven!!!!!!!
For anyone obsessed with all things vintage,
it's the place to shop!!
From now on, I will be suggesting 5th Street to all of my Michigan brides
for their wedding decor!

....that's not my cigarette.

I know you know that,

but I had to be sure haha!!

recipe for beauty.

Sunset, Blonde hair, and Freckles.

Follow that recipe to see true beauty.

i love this softness...

thrifty thursday (with my new glasses)

I started begging God in 2nd grade for glasses.

By 3rd grade, I began squinting at the chalkboard

and by 4th grade I had a pair of round, cheetah, prescription glasses.

I remember occasionally taking the glasses off,

shining them with the solution and towel the doctor gave me,

then setting them on my school desk to admire them.

Less than 3 years later I was already wearing contacts 

obviously because glasses weren't cool anymore.

Fast forward to 2012:

I bought my last pair of glasses

8 years ago,

precisely because nothing fits my face.

I swear everyone says that,

but you really don't understand.

My glasses look big on my head,

but in real life they look like little kids glasses.

So for the past 8 years,

I have been searching for adult glasses that are in a kid/teenager size,

obviously not a easy task if it took 8 years.

And I'm not even admitting my new pair of glasses fits my face,

I just finally found a pair that i'm okay wearing in public!!

I was so close to throwing in the towel and surrendering to Thrifty Thursday this week.

I was adamant about showing off my new (real) glasses and blouse,

but after 30 minutes nothing was gelling... until........

I tied the blouse into a knot.

The blouse is an odd length, not long enough to wear with leggings,

but not short enough to look right with jeans,

so I tried belting it at the waist,

but it restricted the outfit, when it should look flowy and feminine.

That's how the knot saved the day:

I was able to show off my glasses, wear the blouse,

and keep the flowy, feminine feel to the outfit.

Blouse: thrifted

Skirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Target