Master Bedroom Part 1 – DIY Tufted Headboard
Ok, so I’ve made a goal this year to blog a few more personal posts and this is my first for 2012! I tackled this DIY Tufted Headboard project just after we moved and started setting up our new master bedroom. I am a huge fan of Pinterest and that’s where I got the idea. If you don’t know what Pinterest is than you haven’t lived. 
I love to make things and I had fun with this project even though I probably did make a few too many trips to Home Depot and JoAnn’s from not being prepared.
This project was a little bit more difficult than I though it would be but still was a fun project I love how it turned out. I read many blog posts before, during and even after my project. Below is a list of the most helpful ones.
- Jenny Komenda Interiors/Little Green Notebook
- Dream Book Design
- Centsational Girl
- Project Pretty
- Jillian Harris
A wedding photography disaster & how to avoid one.
I have been contemplating this post for the past couple weeks as recently I’ve heard some very sad stories from brides about their wedding photographs. It hearts my gut every time I listen to someone tell me about the regret they have for not choosing their top choice wedding photographer or at least close to their top choice.
I wish for every bride to have a photographer that captures their day just the way they dreamed. I know that budgets, dates, times and so many other details factor into the matter but choosing the photographer you really love for your wedding will never be a regret.
I recently had a bride tell me about how she spent a considerable amount on her her dress, the decorations, flowers, cake and 2 receptions but decided to skimp by with a cheap photographer with not much experience. As she “confessed” to me she said that it’s been a year since her wedding and she’s only seen 2-3 pictures from her wedding that the “photographer” emailed to her. She’s so scared of what the rest of her pictures are going to look like that it makes her sick to think about it. She’s knows she’s not going to have detail shots of her decorations and some of the meaningful pieces of her wedding. Yikes!!
So after I said “Shame on you!” I started racking my brain on how to help brides make the best choice in hiring their wedding photographer. I know where so many brides are coming from and I myself had to learn the hard way with my own wedding as I didn’t know much about photography when my husband and I got married. My thinking was “Oh, she won an award in the fair. She must know how to photograph a wedding.” NOT TRUE! There is so much more to wedding photography than just knowing how to take a good picture. A good wedding photographer is in touch with their clients emotions and can catch that look a bride gives her groom when no one else is looking. They make you fee comfortable and at ease so they can capture the best you possible. They know that every little detail took time and money to create and is a special part of what makes up a beautiful wedding day. Those traits don’t just come with someone who knows how to use a camera.
So here’s my top 5 questions to ask to help you choose your photographer:
- Are you in love with their style of photographs and does their style reflect you best? (The nice albums, prints and number of hours in a package won’t matter if you’re not in love with the photographs that will go in those albums. The photographs are the most important!)
- Do you feel comfortable with your photographer?
- Do they have a good reputation with their past clients? Have you heard anyone rave about them?
- Are they well organized and give you confidence that your wedding is top priority? (Can’t have your photographer forgetting to include your mom in the photos or a special relative that traveled a far distance for your wedding!)
- Are they a professional? A professional spends time and money gaining the understanding necessary to properly and creatively photograph a wedding. You don’t want a “weekend warrior” winging it on one of the most important days of your life.
I’d suggest making a list of your priorities for your wedding and budget for the most important accordingly. (Note: Your photographer should never be one of cheapest parts of your wedding so you may need to rethink your budget if that’s the case. Just remember you get what you pay for.)
In my opinion one of the most important choices you’ll make for your wedding day besides your man of course is the photographer you choose. Not just because I am a wedding photographer but because after the vows have been said, the cake has been eaten and the guests have gone home, all you have to remember your day is the photographs. Your wedding day isn’t something you can do over so make sure you hire the best.
And because all posts are better with a picture here’s a pretty one for you. It’s a little sneak peek up an upcoming post.
Photoshoot with Cherry Blossoms
Eric and I went way out in the middle of nowhere and found a sweet spot that used to be a cherry tree farm to shoot some photographs for my new blog and website. It was so peaceful and quite! Since I grew up out in the sticks of Coquille, Oregon I loved being in the middle of nature. Next time I’ll bring a chair to relax and read for a while or something. Thanks to my wonderful husband Eric Hayes for the awesome photographs, logo, website and blog! He’s amazing!
The car not to buy your wife for Christmas.
A short promo video we did for the couples retreat at our church. A bit of a spoof on the Lexus commercials, hope you get a kick out of it!!
Couples Retreat Promo from Larry Chappell on Vimeo.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….
Celebrating Christ’s birth is quite miraculous and I absolutely love the Christmas season!! There’s something about the lights, music, manger scenes, busy stores, hot cocoa and cool air that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
While we did get off to a bit of a late start on the decorating we managed to get it done this last week. We put the tree up on Wednesday night while watching little women and drinking some hot cocoa. Little Women was my pick of course. My mom has probably watched little women 100 times, it’s quite the family favorite. We’re all decked out for Christmas now and feeling pretty jolly! Here are a few pictures of our tree and the pictures we took today for our Christmas card. Merry Christmas!!
I love this guy.
And because we like to make silly faces…
Our tree and one of my favorite glass ornaments.
Happy Springtime – Wedding Photographer, Los Angeles CA
What a lovely day it is outside today! I’m loving that it is still light outside and for some reason it’s getting me excited about shooting some fabulous weddings this summer. Springtime is one of my favorite times of the year and I can’t wait to start sprucing up our yard with some color.
Earlier today my husband laid on the couch to take a nap while I labored over making him a PB&J. I decided to join him instead of making lunch and this is what he said: “Get off the couch, there is no room and I was here first.” As soon as that came out of his mouth we both busted up laughing because what he just said sounded like it came from a 2 year old. So a few times today I randomly said “I was here first” to make him laugh. I am so thankful to God for the little things in life and wanted to share just a few of my favorite little things with you on this lovely spring day (despite missing a precious hour of sleep last night). Who knows maybe this will turn into a series of posts. Happy Sunday!!
Click photos to enlarge.
Tulips are my favorite flower ever!! So elegant and simple! If I could I would fill my house with them year round.
I like old fashioned looking jars for some reason. I think my mom passed this love on to me.
This little favorite thing means the most to me. When I was a little girl my Grandmother would keep one just like this on her wood stove and I loved to play with it. We spotted this one at a Cracker Barrel some time ago and as soon as I saw it I have to have it. At that time Eric and I were dating and he bought it for me.
I would cook little pieces of hot dogs in the frying pan. What a good little cook I was. Let me tell you, my hot dog pieces were to die for.
It’s Mater from Cars!!
Check it out, it’s Mater from the movie Cars!! I went over to get some shots of Mater early this morning and I couldn’t pass up a post on this tasty masterpiece. Nadia Cakes did an awesome job! If you get the chance swing by her store in Palmdale, CA and grab some of her delicious cupcakes. http://www.nadiacakes.com/
Click photos to enlarge.
