by Amy | Dec 4, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
The day has finally arrived…Christmas photo day! Today I’ll be sharing my favorite shot {or in some cases shots} from each mini session I did over the last several weeks. I don’t like to be a photo spoiler…so when it comes to Christmas photos I send them to the clients first. Then I only share one {or two} here on the site…in case they are surprising family and friends with images for Christmas.
Anyway, today is the big day. I’m showing off my favorites. So grab some cocoa. Turn up the Bing Crosby, and enjoy!
If you follow the Facebook page, you will recognize these two cuties from the preview I posted last night. I love that Momma brought cookies, milk and Christmas jammies!
This little elf is on the sassy side. At first all she did was roll her eyes at me. Really, she rolled them! But after a bit she cracked a smile–and I’m so glad she did! Adorbes! {You can see more of this sassy pant here with her cousins.}
Can I just say that I’m in love with this sister shot?? I love everything about it.
Have you ever seen a baby with cooler hair than this? I haven’t.
This dog’s name is Wrinkles. She is adorable and had no problem wearing antlers and a sweater. Seriously! What a hunnie! {See more of Kate and Jake…sans pup, here.}
If you are wondering why this precious ginger baby is grinning so brightly….it’s because this guy was behind me cracking her up!
I loved working with this couple. And my heart fluttered when she texted me to say that she’s getting canvas prints of her images!! Love that.
On my first day of shooting a plastic snowflake hanging from the ceiling got tangled in my messy bun and I ripped it off it’s fishing line. Little did I know that was a God-send. Give an anti-smiler a snowflake to hold…make a reference to Frozen…and they are putty in your hands.
This pistol hated the idea of having a photo taken by himself. But he loves his momma…and playing hide and seek with snowflakes.
You’ve seen these two before. They get real giggly when they have to kiss under pressure. Which cracks me up. They also claim that they aren’t photogenic…but I don’t buy it.
This is a great photo. It’s snuggly and Christmasy and warm.
This is an even better photo because these two adults appear to be afraid of the faux snow I gave them to throw. I warned them it was just glitter.
Remember Wrinkles and how well behaved she was? This is Max. He is about the size of a bear. And he was terrified of my kitchen floor, basement stairs, and sitting still. This is his best shot {sorry his face has a flake in it!}. The poor guy was so scared his daddy had to carry him up the stairs and out to the car like a baby. A very big, fury, intimidating baby. Pretty much one of my favorite moments of mini sessions.
This guy insisted on giving me “the look.” The look that says, “Lady, I don’t know who you are…and you haven’t earned a smile from me…and I don’t find you funny.” Lucky for us, he is ticklish. And his parents know the sweet spot. I adore this image.
And speaking of ticklish, laughable moments, how about this one? Presh.
Or this one? I love catching the antics of grown ups trying to get kiddos to smile.
Look at this blue eyed beauty! She was a gem. It took a little work, but those giggles were worth it! And although she tried to eat the Christmas lights, I’ll forgive her–because…just look at her. How can you not?
This tiny man wins my fictitious award for best dressed toddler. So stylish. And that look on his face. So sweet.
Oh, are we talking about sweet things? What about Santa Baby? Love that face!
Someday this photo might be seen as embarrassing for her. But right now, in this moment, she loves that purple-bear-snow suit and she isn’t afraid to show it. Ridiculously adorable.
I have no words to describe how much a adore these facial expressions. What a moment. What a trio. What a smoulder…
You’ve seen this gang before! Every time we work together it’s a hoot! With four kiddos the room is bursting with personality, and I love every second of it.
I love that this super special group of girl friends got together for photos. This is my absolute favorite of the bunch. Doesn’t this photo just remind you how precious friends are?
There is something special about sibling photos. And I love this one. It’s fully of personality…and a little mischief!
And last, but not least…as Thanksgiving tradition holds, it’s the Allender family Christmas portrait. These are my adorable parents, and their very spoiled, very lovey dog, Lady. Yes, she is wearing a scarf and a wreath. No she doesn’t mind. All she wants is to kiss my mom’s face.
Thank you to ever single family that chose me for their Christmas portraits. I had a absolute blast and I hope you did too. Thank you for coming to my house, laughing at my jokes…and not being too creeped out by my very un-legit set up. I love you all and I will personally recommend you all for the Nice List, if Santa asks.
Merriest, jolliest, happiest of Christmases to all of you.
XO
Amy
by Amy | Dec 1, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Gathering, The Art of Living
I really hope you had a happy Thanksgiving. I know I did. This year I have so much to be thankful for…which, I guess, is true every year, but this time around I’ve been acutely aware of all I have and just how blessed I am. I’m walking {mostly pain free}, I just got the o-k to start jogging, work is good, I’m crazy about Derek {nothing has changed in that department}, the family is healthy, and Mom and Dad were able to make the trip up to Practically Canada for the third time to celebrate with us.
That’s just a few. My list could go for ages. I’m sure yours could too. And that’s a good thing.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Maybe because it happens on my own turf. We don’t travel, usually Mom and Dad come up to us. There’s much less stress, I get to make lots of food, I sleep in my own bed, and it’s an occasion that calls for board gaming while the food coma is wearing off. I love it. I also love that my Minot bestie, Katie and her husband Sean usually join us too.
This year, I went a totally different route with lots of things. Different brine, different turkey, different pie, different stuffing. I was nervous. But let me tell you…this is the best turkey {and pie} I’ve ever made. Here’s the secret. Start by reading this article from Alton Brown {my culinary hero.} I used his brine recipe, and lots of his handy tips. And–I learned the science behind cooking a turkey.
Next, while shooting a newborn session for the Rockwells {remember the maternity session}, Sarah’s father asked if I’d ever heard of “spatchcocking” a turkey. Nope. And, no, I’m not making that word up. It’s kind of weird…but it makes lots of sense. You cut the back bone out, then roast the turkey on a cookie sheet. Laying it out flat let’s all the meat cook faster and more evenly. To let you know just how fast…I cooked up a 14lb bird in about 80 minutes! Martha explains the technique really well. Just be sure to put some water in the pan and set the bird up on a bed of onions so the juices don’t burn up!
I rubbed the turkey down with compound butter. What’s that? It’s a treasure in butter form. Try this recipe from Alton Brown. Or this one from Miss Information Blog.
Now, pie. I make a killer apple pie. Someday I’ll give you the recipe for that. But in the mean time–let me show you this gorgeous recipe I used from Southern Living. A little time consuming, but entirely worth the effort.
I should have taken better food photos. But alas–I was too eager to eat. So, I only have these crummy Instagram shots. My bad.
Perhaps one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is whipping out the big, fancy camera {which we usually have set upon the tripod for the timered shot of everyone at the table} for some after-dinner photos. I’ve told you all the details and all the foody stuff. Now, I’ll force some random photos on you, that {hopefully} invite you right into my living room, into our holiday.
{I’ve just got to say…I’m the absolute weirdest in photos. Why am I holding my cup like that? Why??}
by Amy | Nov 28, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Art, The Art of Design
Happy Black Friday everyone!
I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving with lots of amazing food…and of course, pie. Now, it’s still on the early side here in Practically Canada. Not quite 9am. And I realize some of you might be out shopping already. But I thought I’d post early with a special holiday treat from me to you.
Four sets of hand drawn printable Christmas gift tags. They are now for sale on my Etsy shop, or by visiting my shop page here on the site.
They are printable, formatted to an 8.5x 11″ sheet. Six tags print to a page and since they are square, they’re easy to break apart. I recommend printing them on white or cream colored card stock. Once you purchase and download the file you’ll be able to print as many as you’d like.
And–best of all…I’ve got a coupon code on the Facebook page. It makes these suckers super cheap. {And all the other items I have cheap too.} Because I like you, and I want you to have awesome gift tags for all your awesome gifts. So be sure to check the page and like it while you’re there.
Happy shopping, today!
Amy
by Amy | Nov 20, 2014 | Blog, Crafts, The Art of Projects
Last Christmas, I made a few infinity scarves. They went over really well with the friends and fam. I found a few tutorials online, I combined a few steps. I’m sure you could find other tutorials out there too. But this is my version, and I’m glad you’re taking a look.
The first thing you need to know is that this is easy. It’s quick. And you don’t have to be a pro with a sewing machine to make it happen. Just a couple straight lines. Really, it’s easy.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1.5 or 1.75 yards of fabric–Flannel works great, but I’ve also used some thick, slightly stretchy knits that have worked nicely too
Pinking shears
Pins
Sewing machine
Thread
The length of fabric really depends on how you like your scarf. I like them tight to my neck, so I tend to favor a 1.5 yard cut. If you like it looser, go with a little more length. That cut of fabric will yield two complete scarves, so this is a perfect crafternoon project. You and a friend can each buy a cut of fabric and swap patterns. Or–since it is the gifting season–you can make one and gift one. Anyway…
Step One:
Lay your fabric out on a flat surface. Unfold it and cut down the middle length-wise {so you have two pieces about 27″ across} Use the pinking shears to prevent it from fraying loose from the seams you’ll be putting in in a minute.
Step Two:
Fold the “right sides” of the fabric together, and pin the open edge. {Side note…the tutorial is a demo of a different scarf than the one in the intro image}
Step Three:
Leave a 2″ gap at the end of the fabric, then sew all along the open edge. Remove the pins as you go, stop about 2″ from the other end. Back stitch at both ends.
Step Four:
Turn it, so the right sides are out again and you have a tube of fabric. Fold that tube in half and line up the open ends. Follow me here…You’ll have four layers of fabric stacked on top of one another. Take the middle two and pin them together.
Step Five:
This is where it gets a little tricky. But not too tricky. Get the outer two layers out of the way and start to sew the layers you’ve pinned together. Start at the very end. Back stitch. Keep going all the way around. Just try it. It makes more sense once you’ve done it.
Step Six:
When you are done, you’ll have a circular tube of fabric with just a little hole. {That’s the 2″ gap we left earlier.} Tuck the fabric that is sticking out back inside. Now, you can hand sew the gap…or, if you are lazy like me, fold the seam together and use the machine to sew really close to the edge.
After that you are done! It really is super easy. I wear the ones I’ve made all the time. Here’s me at Eddie Bauer last Christmas. They were making balloon hats for some reason…but who am I to say no to that?
Happy crafting!
by Amy | Nov 18, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Living
This morning I was out of gas. The kind of out of gas that makes me happy I live on a hill and the meat of the city of Minot, ND is in a valley. I pretty much coasted down the hill to the physical therapy office. Because when it’s 0 degrees outside and dark and you’ve got an appointment at 7:30am, there is very little motivation to leave the house early to get gas. So I ran the risk and coasted the hill.
After said appointment, I high tailed it to the gas station. There’s one in town I really like. They give you a discount for paying in cash and they pump the gas for you. Very nice in the winter.
Today, I didn’t see anyone around, so instead of being high maintenance, I hopped out of the car and went in to pay, then pump myself. As I walked up to the door an employee stopped and said he’d pump for me, but told me I could wait inside until he was done to pay. So I did.
Also waiting at the counter was an older man. Mid 60’s-ish, short {just barely taller than me}, African American, gray hair and mustache. He was wearing a worn leather jacket, a newsboy cap and a scarf. I don’t know why, but I also noticed his wedding ring. Just a plain gold band, obviously worn, it’s sheen pretty dull dressed with years and years worth of scratches. The kind of ring that’s worn by a man who’s loved the same woman for a very long time. Sometimes I notice those things. Probably because I love people. And I love stories. And sometimes I like to imagine who people are and what their story is.
As I was pondering this ring, a gas station attendant walked in. “I think it’s going to be a nice day,” she told us. “Not too windy. Looks like it’ll even be sunny in a while.”
“It’s already too cold for me. I’ve had enough of this winter and it’s only just started. What do we have? Another seven, eight months left? Nah, nah–it’s already getting old.” The man chuckled at himself. I was on the verge of asking him if he was new to Minot, but then he went on. “It’s not the cold that’s so bad…but the wind. I’ll tell you, I don’t think I’ll live to see another winter as bad as 1982.”
The door dinged as the attendant walked out. There was silence, but not much. I love talking to strangers. I guess it’s a lesson I never grasped as a child.
“What happened in 1982?”
He told me this tale. It’s so unbelievable, unfathomable, my mind can’t even grasp it. I wouldn’t have believed it, had he not had the scars to back up his story.
Winter. 1982. The winter is fierce. The wind is wicked and wild. Snow has fallen, but it’s much too cold to stick to the ground, so it blows incessantly with the wind. The windchill drops below -90. He recalled a news report stating that the wind chill was -93. Who knows what the ambient temperature was. Cold, no doubt. Arctic.
Because it was so bitter cold, buildings were in danger. Pipes were freezing, furnaces going out. One night, in the winter of 1982, while the wind whipped at -93 degrees F, this man and a friend went to their church to check on the furnace. He said as they were walking in, he reached out to his friend, to steady his arm. His coat sleeve rode up, just a few inches, exposing a thin slice of flesh between glove and jacket.
At this point in his story, he reached his arm out, reenacting the moment. He exposed that piece of arm for me and ran his finger across it.
“That’s where it got me first. It only took a second.”
“What, frostbite?”
“Sure, you can call it that. Happened so fast. It burned like nothing I’ve ever felt.”
In that split second, the wind and fridgid air burned his skin. To this day, on the dark skin of his arm, you can still see the mark. It looks like a rope burn, subtle, faded…but there.
“My biggest mistake was wearing my watch that night. I just didn’t think to take it off.”
“Oh, was it on your arm when it was exposed?”
“Nah. It was on the other arm.”
I gave him a confused look. Not understanding why a watch on a fully covered arm made any difference. But he went on:
“All of a sudden, I felt pain on my wrist. Like a bee sting. That’s the only way I can describe it. I flinched and rubbed at it, just instinct, I guess. But what had happened, was–the metal backing of my watch had frozen to my arm! When I ripped at it, it tore the skin clean off.”
I’m telling you–I couldn’t fabricate this story if I tried. I would never in my wildest imaginings think that these things could occur. Much less in a matter of seconds! He reached out his other arm–where he still wears his watch–scooted the watch up, and there it was: another scar. He reached up to his face and pointed to the fleshy spot where nose and cheek meet. The air burned him there too, but it didn’t leave a mark.
At that point, the door dinged again and the girl came back in. He paid. I paid. We left.
I’ve been fascinated all day by that crazy tale and I just couldn’t wait to get home and have a second to write it out for you. Lucky for me, and Practically Canadians everywhere, in his lifetime he only remembers that happening once. But the fact that it happened at all is just wild. I’ll probably never see him again, but in my mind that man is now kind of a legend. I won’t forget the winter of 1982 any time soon…and I wasn’t even born to witness it.
The moral of the story is, be safe. Don’t expose your skin if the wind is -93˚F. Don’t wear a watch.
I’m just crossing my fingers Derek and I have moved away before Minot gets another winter like that.
Amy
***Disclaimer. I wasn’t alive in 1982. There are no records kept of historic wind chills. I’m not sure if this happened in Minot, or another Practically Canadian location…or the actual Canada for that matter. But. This is a true account of what he told me today. And if nothing else, boy is it entertaining.***
by Amy | Nov 17, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
I’ve been sitting at my computer for 20 minutes now. I’ve typed up nearly a dozen intro paragraphs for this post and all of them seem to fall flat. They’ve been deleted and retyped over and over and over. Why so many rewrites? Well, the thing is, the family you see before your eyes was such a pleasure to work with, their children so darling, so witty, the photos so pretty…I just can’t come up with a hook for this post that describes that to you sufficiently.
So I’ll say this: This is the Sorensen family. I was nervous when mom, Nichelle {yes, I love that name too!} told me they had five kids ranging in age from 12 to only a few months old. But as soon as the crew unloaded from the car for their family portrait session, my worries melted away at seeing these lovely strawberry-blonde kiddos. I love the personality in this family. It’s diverse and intoxicating. Everyone had great attitudes {even the littlest of the bunch} despite the chilly air–there was a mad dash for jackets between shots–and the notorious North Dakota wind. I had such a great time with this gang and I am just so very pleased that they picked me to capture the art of this moment together.
My experience has shown me that among siblings {especially in large families} there is usually one that really likes to be photographed. This, is that child for the Sorensens. And if you look at the other photos, I think it shows. I’m a fan of all kids–but there is a special place in my heart for fellow posers like myself. {As a child I was the kid who loved getting photos taken, and I hated being told how to pose–I had plenty of ideas on that myself!}
They say pictures are worth a thousand words. I’m not sure about a full thousand. But I can attest to the fact that every photo has a story. I don’t share them all, but I will share this–because it is irresistibly cute. I snapped lots of photos of the family on this day. Lots and lots were taken in an attempt to try and get a “natural smile” on this little one’s face. She was the coldest of them all. So it took a little coaxing to get her to sit and smile with the rest of the family.
At one point she asked for a treat after they were done. She has awesome parents, who said, of course she could have a treat. Then they asked her what she’d like. What did she think they should get as a reward for smiling pretty?
A piece of gum. Just one. Adorable. Kids crack me up. Their minds are so candid. I think it’s very endearing. She smiled very pretty, and I hope she got that piece of gum she was so excited about.
This was a seriously fun group to work with. I hope you love your photos as much as I do. And I really hope there’s one worthy of the wall or a Christmas card in here. Your flash drive is on the way!
Amy
by Amy | Nov 14, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
A couple weeks ago I met the Rockwells. This is them. Sarah and I emailed and texted back and forth in the days leading up to the session…and I’m so glad she didn’t color me crazy when I asked her to bring a variety of onsies and an assortment of their favorite baby clothing along with them. I love the clothes line. I love these photos. I love this couple.
It was such a treat to spend time with them. There is something simply magical about a couple filled with joy about their upcoming arrival. This little one is so blessed to be entering into a family that is so anxious to love her with all their might. While these two didn’t go on and on about how excited they are to be becoming first time parents, they glow with an enthusiasm that makes my heart go pitter-patter. I think you’ll see what I mean.
Once we were all done with the clothesline maternity photos, this might have happened. Baby-clothes confetti seemed like a good idea at the time…
Rockwells, congratulations on this amazing milestone! I am so very happy to have met you and spent an afternoon {a chilly afternoon} getting to know you. I simply cannot wait to meet your little one in December!
PS–Thanks you guys for speaking to me in public later in the evening when you ran into me looking like this…I appreciate you acknowledging me, and not thinking I’m completely crazy.
by Amy | Nov 11, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
What To Wear In Christmas Photos | Ten Tips Just For You
With mini sessions fast approaching I’ve received lots of questions about what clothes look best in Christmas photos. Instead of responding one by one with a quick text message answer, I thought I’d thoughtfully put together some recommendations for you.
Now, keep in mind, these are beginners tips. If you are a seasoned pro at getting the family gussied up for picture day, feel free to go rogue. Wear what you like. Get bold, get goofy, be classy. If you are new at the whole pro-photo game…I hope some of these tips will give you some ideas and be a good starting place for you.
1. Dress for the same season.
{This beautiful portrait come from Sara Garcia Photo Art. Go over to see more from this precious session.}
This is my first an foremost tip when it comes to Christmas card portraits. I’ve gotten lots of {very nice} compliments on the clothing Derek and I wore in the sample mini session shots. But we went through a few options before we settled on the right thing. Okay–I went through a few options, then told him that he should “…really put on the flannel–it looks cozier.”
We started with him in a cotton button down and me in a sweater I picked up in Norway. Even if we threw on some gloves and hats it looked like we were dressed for different seasons {me for -10, him for 60’s.} You can go super cozy or super breezy–just be sure your family looks like they could all be put in the same setting comfortably.
{As a side note…also dress with the same level of class. One in a cocktail dress and one in a hoodie is bound to look awkward.}
2. Jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves.
I love this set and this photo from Kelly Klatt. Go to her website for more winter inspiration. It abounds over there!
I’m totally behind sporting outdoor winter wear to an indoor Christmas photo session. But–like most things, there are guidelines. A cute coat on the dressy side is good. Wearing your Colombia ski/sledding parka looks frumpy. A fashionable hat…or even something on the super warm and silly side is great. A ski mask is terrifying.
3. Don’t be over realistic.
Staged Christmas card photos are not meant to be a window into reality. They are created to be a little whimsical and fun. {At least mine are.} So, although you wouldn’t normally wear a jacket inside, or snow boots with cute jeans or hats and scarves without coats–it’s totally cool to do in your Christmas photo.
It’s also totally cool to go classy in your Christmas portraits. You might not want to go super dressy in a photo that will hang year-round in your home. So Christmas photos are a great time to get a little fancy, even if that’s not how you usually roll.
This classy example hails from the blog at DKW Styling.
4. Think about fabric and texture.
Cozy is the word I love to use when I think about winter portraits. With that in mind, try to incorporate something cozy into your outfits. Flannel is a classic choice. It never gets old. Textured sweaters or a scarf with an interesting knit is also a good way to cozy up an ensemble. Layers are also a good choice and they add variety to an outfit.
5. Uniforms.
Your photos are not work. They aren’t private school. They aren’t the military. So please, please…don’t put your family in a uniform. {Unless you are the VonTrapps. Then, by all means do whatever you like.} Your photos will be lovely if you use things from your closets that your family likes to wear–even if that means you aren’t all dressed identically. This is a short session, to be displayed for a short time. So be a little more relaxed.
That said–if you are being geeky, cheeky, or going for that “awkward” look, feel free to dress as identically as you like. Feel free to click over to Awkward Family Photos for more where that came from…
6. Going neutral.
This image via Photography By Jess. See the full session and other lovely work at her site.
Sticking with a dress code of neutrals is a very safe way to make sure your family looks awesome in your photos. Neutrals can mean a variety of things. Mix any of these colors {bonus points if they are cozy, as mentioned in #4} and you’ll look great: Cream, tan, brown, gray, navy blue, pale blue, black, muted yellows.
7. Adding color.
If you’d like to add color, but are nervous about it–this tip is for you. Whatever you do, don’t panic and put everyone in black pants and a blue top.
Instead, stick with a mostly neutral pallet {see #6}, then weave a color or two throughout your family. Use the color as boldly or as sparingly as you like, but make it consistent. You can go with one bright pop of color, or weave a color throughout to keep everyone consistent. These images do a great job of demonstrating how you can add pops of color to your outfits without looking cheesy or too uniformy.
Good colors to incorporate are red {classic Christmas choice}, green, yellow, blue.
This family does a good job of weaving red through an otherwise neutral pallet. From Rebekah Westover Photography.
This family used mustard as their accent. See the whole session at Erin Summerill Photography.
8. Going colorful.
This vibrant portrait comes from Chelsey Bell Photography.
Like we said earlier, Christmas photos don’t have to be super realistic. So, even though your family might not normally go overboard with color–if you are feeling vibrant this is a good time to make it happen. The key to going with lots of colors is to make sure they have similar intensity {how vibrant they are}, are from the same color family {cool colors like blue, green, aqua, etc or warm colors like orange, yellow, red, etc.}, or they compliment each other.
9. Don’t be bossy.
Your husband probably isn’t a catalog model. He probably never will be. Accept it and move on. Sure, we can all look at the Eddie Bauer ads and think how classy those guys look. But, that’s not ever going to be Derek. Not in a million years. I could go buy him an outfit straight from the catalog, and he’d probably humor me by putting it on. But he wouldn’t look like himself. And he’d probably feel pretty weird.
So don’t be bossy.
Your husband and your family will look much happier during the portrait session if they feel good about what they are wearing. Let them look normal. Let them wear things they will wear again. Don’t coerce your man into wearing a button down under a wool sweater with a scarf and colored jeans. He’ll thank you for it. And your photos will look like you–which is the point.
10. Get more inspiration here.
Kristen Duke Photography has a mega post on this topic. If you are looking for more specifics and inspiration, check out her site. It’s one of the best what-to-wear articles I’ve found.
Happy dressing! I’ll see you guys at the mini sessions.
