The first step is to admit it....

Ok, ok, I admit it, I'm an official Blog slacker! I have severly neglected this blog but will try my hardest to get better!

We have been so super busy, with the usual Fall activities, school, work, photography and of course ebay! I've been busy with jewelry orders and spending extra time practicing my photography skills! So here are some pics from what I've been up to!

A few pics from Halloween:

And the pumpkins the kids carved (with my help of course)!


And some of my recent jewelry designs:

Let's shut these Scum bags down....

Please sign this petition to help stop Orkut, they knowingly allow many users to create fake profiles using copyrighted photos of young girls. It seems to be a game for the unsupervised children of Brazil...they steal photos from the internet of young girls (ebay & boutique clothing models seem to be a fave) then create profiles on this site. When they are confronted and asked to remove them they refuse and Orkut is no help.

Please take a minute to sign the petition here: Shut Orkut Down!

We've been GRINCHED!!!

Come check out our GRINCHY listings!!!

Help the TROOPS!!!

A sweet friend of mine just informed me about a wonderful auction that she just listed for her son. He's smart, funny, a Boy Scout and best of all has a heart of GOLD and he needs your help!

He would love to raise some $$$$$ so that he can make a donation to our overseas troops and support his Boy Scout Troop, you can see the listing here-----> BOY SCOUT POPCORN SALE!!!!

Things are looking up....and a $ALE!

Well, things are starting to get back to normal around here! I finally found a car I can live with (for a while anyway) and Gary's car should be finished gettting repaired in the next few days! So it's time to get my house and affairs in order...and boy do I have some catching up to do!!

I have not listed any new jewels in a while (on Ebay), but will very soon. Until then I decided it is time to clear out the samples and start fresh with some holiday designs! So if you are looking for a good deal on some fabulous jewels just click here! A few of the samples that can be found in my ebay store are pictured here. My jewels are perfect for stocking stuffers...and it's never too early to start holiday shoping!!:)

Oh and if you mention that you saw this here on the blog, I'll even throw in FREE shipping, just remember to let me know!

We're officially JINXED!

Yep, I said it...we are jinxed! I dont know why but our bad luck never seems to end around our house! This week it's all about the cars...Gary's car, the lovely chameleon beauty:) that is pictured below, has been having some issues and after a bunch of expensive repairs we ended up finding out the engine is ruined, so we need a new one!!




So, as if that news is not bad enough there was still more to come! Gary used my car and parked it where his car is normally parked in our yard, and a tree fell and smashed it!! Seriously! It figures that during that last year and half that we've lived here, not a scratch on his car but as soon as my car is in that spot this happens! Too bad it wasnt his car, then we would have no problems!!:) So now we are carless at the moment, well I did get a rental, but I'm hoping for good news from the insurance company!

**!!**If you are a Toyota lover plase be cautioned, the following images may be disturbing or hazardous to your health!**!!**

LOL!!! Just kidding, here's my Toyota!

Back to School 2007!

Man, I am such a blog slacker!! I am going to have to commit to making at least one post a week!

Anyway, the kids went back to school last week! Yippee!! This is an exciting year for us, this is the ONLY yr my kids will ever be in the same school together, plus with her in Kindergarten and this his last yr of Elem. in 5th, I know it is going to be a year full of exciting things!! Jaden really enjoyed her first week and is excited each morning to go. And Tristan is happy he got the teacher he wanted, was chosen as a patrol, and was will get to play the xylophone in the chorus!

So seems they are off to a great start! Here's a few pics!

Wisteria Lanes Imagination launch!!

I had the honor to photograph some amazing sets for Wisteria Lane's latest launch..."A Child's Imagination"! If you are looking for a unique fun set, or want to see any of the ones pictured look here! The gorgeous pink Fairy Princess over there <---- was designed by Linda of Lily and Ebony...the perfect costume for a princess!! Anyway, I'm having a great time learning and using our high key set up...and had I been told years ago how simple it makes modeling I would have done it then! Where we live is beyond HOT and the humidity is killer...so not having to worry about weather or having to race the clock for the right lighting is a godsend!! Although I really am glad I have spent so much time learning to use natural light, as I think it is always best to learn the basics first! And if I'm ever lucky enough to be able to quit my day job and call myself a full time pro photographer, I am confident I will be able to work well in either environment (outdoor/studio) even though I still have many aspects to master;)! OK on to some pictures....check out these amazing sets we modeled....this first set is by Timi of My Beach Cottage Designs...gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous with matching tote by Kathy of Pixie Dust Studio and clippies from Wendys World Art that are TDF as well!!! Oh and a matching necklace form yours truly!!

This next set we photographed is amazing!! The details are spectacular and the whole set is just too cute, it was designed by the talented Laurie of Blowin Bubbles Boutique! And the matching shoes by Lesli of Sweet Toes Boutique and tote by Kathy of PixieDustStudio are just STUNNING....these girls can paint like no other!! Their work is just fabulous!


and OMGosh...this set was just AMAZING!! We had such a fun time doing this set...Jaden had as much fun modeling it as I had photographing it!! Another STUNNING design by Timi of MyBeachCottageDesigns...isnt it gorgeous?

And this last pic I had to throw in because it was my fave of my beautiful little girl! She did so well modeling all these sets, I couldnt be more proud:)!

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY.....

Whew...we have had quite the hectic schedule this summer!! I'm so looking forward to Aug 20th, school resumes here and I will be quite happy to get back to a routine!

I've been super busy this past month getting all my high key gear set up, keeping the kids entertained and various other projects!! My son will celebrate his 10th birthday soon, so I've been shopping and planning for that! And this past weekend my kids had the chance to take part in a fun fashion show at a local Back to School bash! It was fun, but really hectic...I'll share pics soon!!

New lens...and a "studio"!!

Well as you can see, I have been a slacker in the bloggin department!! But I have good reason (besides my normal hectic schedule)...I bought a new lens and have been busy playing with my new toy!!

I bought the Tamron AF 28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) lens!! Yeah that's a mouthful...and if you want to know what all that stands for or read about this lens look here !! I got a great deal on it and so far am quite impressed with the results! It has even given me the motivation to FINALLY finish cleaning out my daughters "playroom" and get my makeshift "studio" setup (pictures of that to come later)!! I never thought a little ol' lens could do that!:)

I used it for some modeling photos last week and was very pleased with the results! Here are a few of my favorite shots from that session with this new lens! All of these gorgeous sets were designed by my good friend Rhonda of HIPCHICK boutique!

Independence Day 2007!!

If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.

If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house.

If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation.

If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

Chinese Proverb

"You're forgetting one very important thing, mate - I'm Captain Jack Sparrow"

A few of my WistaSista's and I are listing some fabulous Pirate designs in honor of Johnny Depp...my all time favorite Pirate!!

Come check it out on Ebay (all listings will be up later tonight!)!

Me and My Teddy Bear....

My daughter Jaden has a teddy bear that she has had for a few years now, it's official name is Jasmine (after her favorite Princess) but we all just call it teddy around here! The poor thing looks so sad and scraggly now...but Jaden doesn't seem to notice, she loves it unconditionally:)!

She has carried teddy around everywhere, wherever she goes, teddy goes! The bear goes shopping with us, to the park, to her Grandparents house, the movies, out to dinner and it even goes on vacation with us... you name it and teddy is right there!! LOL!

So as Jaden get's older I notice teddy has been slowly fading from our outings & sometimes sits untouched for a few days... and it is a sad reminder that my little girl is growing up:(! So my newest necklace is for my sweet daughter and her beloved teddy!



Come check out all the Teddy Bears on Wisteria Lane!!

Just got home from work a bit ago...and found Jaden in her litle wading pool!! Grandma bought her some new water toys, and she just had to try them out!!

So I grabbed the camera to snap a few shots to practice my manual camera skills...this shot was at ISO 100 F3.5 1/200!

Snakes, snails, and puppy dog tails, that's what MY little boy is made of...

My son Tristan, who spent the night at his grandparents house, brought home another "pet" today. I swear, this boy has a new bug or snake every week! He usually just keeps them for a day or so, plays with them a bit, then we snap some photos and he lets them go in our over grown jungle...uhh I mean yard! LOL! Boys will be boys! Here's a few pics of his itty bitty ring neck snake...

WHEW!!

Well, I have spent my whole day working on this blog, it seems fairly easy, just takes a lot of time deciding where to put things! I wanted to create a photography blog and a jewelry blog but decided I would just combine them to make it easier (on me)! So now I guess the trick will be trying to keep it updated!:) LOL!

So for my first post, a few pics from my friends daughter Miss K's birthday party last weekend! Jaden was excited to go to Build A Bear with her friend! All the girls had a wonderful time building their animals and choosing the clothes! Thanks Rachel for inviting us!

The lighting at the mall was very difficult (for me) to work with, I had to keep switching from manual to AV mode because I just couldnt get the exposure correct with all the weird lighting conditions! Anyway these were a few of my favorite shots!