Crawford…

Here’s proof that I just can’t help myself…I ADORE BABIES!!!  Really, what’s not to love?  They have the most adorable faces and if you can ever slow them down long enough, they LOVE to snuggle.  I must admit that boys are especially fun…they NEVER EVER stop moving.  In his one minute (truly this all happened in less than 60 seconds) in front of the camera he twisted, he turned, he scooted, he made the cutest grunting noises and even squealed with excitement.

I do believe he’s destined to be an Auburn Tiger, and if he’s anything like his uncle he won’t be this itty bitty for very long.

ENJOY!!!

The Avenue of the Oaks…

May 13th couldn’t get here quick enough…it was THE magic release date for all of the pretty from Elizabeth Messina’s A Lovely Workshop in Sea Island, GA.  Unlike my typical “Type-A” self, I let the date come and go without getting my first blog post done.  Yes, I am usually so very punctual, which for me usually means early, and when I say early I mean so early that there’s no one even there yet to appreciate my punctuality but me; however, this time I think that I was so excited to finally get to share that I lost track of time and before I knew it…it’s already the 17th.

 Every time I visit these images, I am reminded that none of this would have been possible without Elizabeth’s vision and the powerhouse team of talented ladies (see this post to get to know each of them) that made her vision come to life.  Everything about this experience was romantic, beautiful and simply put, heavenly.  Without further ado, here is my very first installment of what is sure to be many, many more.

 Our first day began at The Avenue of the Oaks

 And as if that isn’t beautiful enough all by itself, the creative crew added in some stunning sets and models.

Jessica is showcasing the Secret Garden gown by Ivy and Aster

ENJOY!!!This last shot is proof that a complete group of strangers met, laughed, created and encouraged one another, and left knowing that we had experienced something, as a group, that we will never ever have the opportunity to experience again.  We were once strangers and now friends and colleagues bonded by this simple experience.  I admire each one of you and encourage those of you reading this post to visit their work…get to know them and appreciate their talents.  I know I do.

Marisa Holmes

Lindsay Madden

Greer Gattuso

Daniel Perez

Katherine Emery

Liz Roberts 

Julie Paisley

Rabiah Khwaja

Veronica Ramirez

Nicole Mason

Kelly Sauer

Jessica Morrisy

Serena Severtson

Tiffany Bender

Lauren Rosenau

Rebecca Stanley

Sarah Pirkryl

Gina Moore

Happy Friday, y’all!

Utterly Engaged…

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I spent a week in Sea Island, GA with one of the most amazing creative teams that I have ever worked with.  That journey is now, and I imagine always will be, one of the highlights of my career.  We all have been itching to share our experience with all of you and the time has finally come.

Yesterday, Utterly Engaged went live with the first release of our images from A Lovely Workshop.  The editors, Henny and Lucia, did a terrific job of sharing a glimpse into our dream week, and I have to admit that I’ve already looked at all of the pretty pictures at least 10 times and it’s only been out for a couple of hours.  These are some amazingly creative people, and I hope you will take the time to visit each of their websites.  My favorite part of any collaboration is how each one of us is photographing the exact same thing, but each sees it with such a different eye.  There’s just so much pretty from so many different view points…I just simply can’t get enough.

ENJOY!!!

Also, you don’t want to miss Elizabeths first ever resource guide…the team work that went into making this happen is inspiring all by itself.  Without each one of them the magic would not have come to life.

Location: Sea Island Resort

Design & Style: Ginny Branch

Floral Design: Amy Osaba

Vintage Rentals & Set Design: Krista Janos

Hair & Make-Up:

Erin Skipley

&

Claudia Mejerle

Calligraphy & Designs: Maybelle Calligraphy & Designs

Encaustic with Leah McDonald: Leah McDonald

Albums: Velvet Raptor & Artifact Uprising

Gown for this shot: Claire Pettibone

[…] have been possible without Elizabeth’s vision and the powerhouse team of talented ladies (see this post to get to know each of them) that made her vision come to life.  Everything about this experience […]

Homemade Granola…

If you are anything like me, you surely know that the quickest way to a southern heart is through the belly.  My granny used to say to us every time we came to visit “are y’all hungry…let me fix you something to eat”…it certainly didn’t matter what time of day or how we answered the question…WE HAD TO EAT!

 As an adult, I now realize that she was saying “I love you”, ” you are special” and this was my southern granny’s way of showing us how much.  And I must admit that there is nothing more sustaining and comforting than anything HOMEMADE.

If you are looking for that special gift for mom this weekend, please take the time to make her some of this delicious homemade granola.

My sweet friend Julia brought us some this past weekend and I am now addicted.  She was kind enough to share the recipe and claims that the baking aroma is better than the taste.

Tell mom you love her the old fashioned, southern way through her belly.

ENJOY!!!

Granola

Mix 1/4 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. honey
and 1/4 c. maple syrup in a small pot and heat till bubbly.

Add 1 tsp. vanilla and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix 4 cups old fashion or rolled oats, 1 cup sliced almonds, 1 cup of coconut flakes, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

Pour liquid mixture on top and toss.

Bake on a cookie sheet at 300 for 40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes.

After it’s cooled you can add extras…dried fruit, more nuts, choc. chips…whatever you like!