NEW Website!

Last night our new website launched! I am quite excited as this has been a long project in the making. All new look and all new work in one fabulous site! Special thanks to my web designer Deb of dstripe web designs - she's awesome!

Christy + Rob | Harmony

Our last wedding of the year was on the 29th - smack between the holidays. But I could not have been more blessed to have the opportunity to work with one of the sweetest couples. Their whole wedding was planned around the theme of Harmony.....so much that they even got married in the town of Harmony - population like 10 - between Cayucos & Cambria. It's a little art town, which I've always been fond of. We had a great time with these two in their intimate wedding. They wrapped up with a reception at Villa Creek in Paso. Congratulations you guys!

Special thanks to my awesome assistant Jill - many of her photos are featured in this slideshow!







Flowers by Denise
Music by Benise

kyrie + valentina | babies

You might remember Kyrie from back in November - I posted photos from her first day here on this beautiful earth. She's growing quick and is the sweetest little thing! She's about to embark on a big adventure - as she and her family are moving to the Grenadine Islands - Union Island on Wednesday! We hope to get to visit over the next few years!






Valentina - such a little cutie pie...and such fair skin - just like a real live doll!

new logo!

So here it is - or this is just about the final version of my new logo. I'm loving it!

the gut buster

As part of the bon appetit series I've been lagging on....

I pretty much love to cook and bake when we have company and lots of people to feed. My cousin, Erin, and her boyfriend came to visit this weekend and I made the famous sticky bun, also known as the "Gut Buster." Here it is, along with the recipe for those of you who have a sweet tooth.

The great thing about the gut buster is that you make it the night before, so in the morning you just pop it in the oven and 40 minutes later you have a delicious and beautiful breakfast!

Recipe...
I'm going to write the recipe how I make it - the user friendly and quick way!

1.5 loaves semi thawed bridgeford frozen loaves (frozen section of the grocery store) chopped into 1/2 inch thick pieces - or you can use frozen rolls (24 of them)
1 cup of walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup of brown sugar

Using a bundt pan, spray it GOOD with pam or olive oil spray
Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of brown sugar into the bottom of the pan
Add the nuts

mix in another bowl....
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 package of NON instant pudding (vanilla or butterscotch)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

cut...
one stick of butter - into 1/2 inch chunks

layer the rolls or loaf chunks, sprinkle some mix, add some butter chunks and repeat until it's full and you're out of ingredients. Cover lightly with a piece of wax paper and set it aside on the counter until the morning - you must let it rise overnight.

In the morning, bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until the bottom looks brown like my photo above. Enjoy with a big glass of cold milk!

Bon Appetit!

this was just a cool photo of the fountain outside my studio window - isn't it beautiful?

I confess

Many days I do feel like the little white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. And I wonder, how can I simplify, streamline....not get so distracted all the time?! Some would say - Bag it, Better it or Barter it - which I do apply whenever possible.

But on another topic, I used to be an avid goal writer. Over the years my goal writing dwindled as I was consumed with running multiple businesses and being a wife. BUT the good news is my goal writing has returned! Do you know that I found an old goal sheet from about 7 years ago and everything on the list had been accomplished?! Keep in mind, this was a goal sheet I LOST! I wasn't exactly keeping tabs on if I was working towards my list. My goals lists can be as far out and girly as you can imagine to pretty serious future goals, but it's amazing what happens when you write it down.

So this year I've taken my long lists (1yr, 2yr, 5yr, 10yr lists) and planned them with Dan - who had stuff to add....and wouldn't you know it, they've already started to materialize - opportunities etc. Another thing I've done with the lists is to break them down and put deadlines on them....and then write the tasks on a special calendar with the tasks. Each week I have a couple of actions I need to take to get things moving and accomplished....and it's working! Putting this studio together in time for the grand opening is a lot of work - so basically I had no choice but be organized, but on the upside, I'm getting a lot done and being very focused.

Just thought I'd share. Here are a few quotes from famous people, mostly I don't know who they are from, but they are worth reading:

"A goal written down, is a goal half met" - I think this was Good Ole' Abe Lincoln

"Goals are dreams with deadlines" - I've been applying this one!

"Fail to plan, plan to fail" - so true!

Hopefully this was a bit inspirational to you and maybe you'll try it. Don't forget - "If you don't know where you're going, you'll never get there!" - another famous quote by someone important.

I'll be back soon with my last wedding of the year, engagement photos, new website (!), new logo and yes, more baby photos - where do all these babes come from?!

The lovely Dawn Lambeth |

Last spring I shot the delightful Dawn Lambeth's headshots for her new CD!   If you love old school jazz you'll love this CD. Check out their website and enjoy!

faux florals published!

If you're a long time reader, you might remember back to earlier in 2007 and the book project I shot with my friend Camilla Burns - Faux Florals.  Well we finally got copies of it in December.  It's so rewarding to see a project come full circle.  It is distributed in lots of countries - US, England, China, Europe, Australia and Japan!!!  Well Europe isn't exactly a country.  

I've been a little behind on my blogging for 2008.  Working on catching up and finishing a big o list from 2007 for a fresh start on new projects.  It's been a joy to work from the new studio, I'll post photos of it when I get some furniture.  For now I feel kind of like I'm camping here!

Happy 2008!

Mama Mia! | Santa Rosa

Our good friend from high school, Aaron, and his wife had baby Mia this summer.  She's a complete sweetheart and a happy little gal, we got to hang out on a trip up north just before Christmas...here are her 5 month portraits:

San Luis Obispo Portrait Photographer

San Luis Obispo Wedding Photography