Trading is Fun!

On Etsy, lots of sellers like to trade. I have done two trades now, and both have been wonderful experiences! Story:

Last week (Wednesday) I was having the most horrendously (actually a word) awful day. 1. Miranda had fallen through the attic floor, luckily not breaking any bones or...you know...dying. 2. The garage door broke, yes BROKE. The silly thing falls apart all the time. 3. I went to a funeral that night (friend's grandmother) and left my purse at a Chickfila in MEMPHIS!...well Collierville, but still not where I live. They got my number and called me to come get it, but OF COURSE my $60 in cash was gone. (As a side note, thank you MOMMY for driving me all the way back to get my purse...you're the best mommy ever!)

*sigh* so anyway I was just ready for my life...eh I mean that day...to end. When I got home I dragged into my bedroom to find a big white box on my desk. "What can this be?!" I thought...Well, low and behold, it was my package of goodies from lovenestdesign, my fellow trader. It definitely lifted my spirits and brought me back down to Earth. There's something about opening a package that just erases all the bad things that are going on.

Amber packed all kinds of goodies up for me, including some awesome miniature cows that she's letting me borrow to do a custom photograph for her! I'm hoping I'll be able to get around to that very soon, and I'll be sure to post it here for everyone to see. But I'll stop rambling and show you some of the stuff I got:

I was definitely feeling Western when I picked out the tumblers and the tea cup. I LOVE them! She sent the cool little slushie earrings as an extra. How neat are they?! I haven't gotten to wear them yet, but I know I will soon.

Thanks for enduring my story, and I hope you're all having a stellar weekend!

Couples Retreat

I got to take photos at a place that hosts a couples retreat. It's in Pickwick Pines (GORGEOUS). The decor in the homes doesn't really match what I would do in my home, but it definitely makes for a nice weekend getaway!

The people who run the couples retreat found me through another organization that we mutually worked for. I wanted to stay with them forever! They were so warm and inviting, and they had the most adorable family EVER!

I hope you all have a nice RELAXING weekend!

GUSTA JAVA

Jackson has this new place...

It's a drive thru cafe called Gusta Java

Natalie enjoys the "mangotastic" smoothie with whipped cream...

While I enjoy the Forbidden Fruit...

Despite being in pretty much the worst retail location in Jackson, it's wonderful. Lots of great people work there, and everything I've tried has been delicious!

You may notice that we're not "driving thru" the drive thru cafe...we were in separate cars, so we had to improvise.

Jacksonians, have you been here yet?!
UPDATE: Gusta is closed at of September '11. So sad...Jackson kills yet another great local place

Spin

This week I've been going to the gym with a free pass (given to me by my cousin, a member of said gym) Mostly we've been working out on the elliptical but today we decided to try spin class! I wanted to do it mainly because my good friend Kim was teaching, but I also knew it would be a challenge. I definitely wasn't able to do everything, but hopefully next time I will! My legs felt like jelly after the first 10 minutes...really sad.

Here are some bicycle themed Etsy finds to go with my morning workout

1. Bike Ride Ring by itsastitch

2. Vital bicycle glassware by vital

3. Kokka Bicycle Long Wallet by hotbutter 

4. Polaroid transfer of Beach Bicycle by shehitpausestudios

Check out more items in the treasury I made this morning- Spinning

Paislee

This is one of the only portrait sessions I've gotten to do this summer (it's been a really slow summer unfortunately). Paislee, along with her mom Jennifer, came out to my grandparents' house and we had a great time! Paislee wasn't necessarily happy the whole time, but we still managed to get some smiles out of her. 

Paislee turned 1 in June, so these were her 1 year portraits...how cute is she?! She had the most adorable little personality, too.

Saturday with Miranda

Saturday proved to be a very relaxing and enjoyable day! I decided to wear some new things today, and I felt great in what is now one of my favorite outfits.
Shirt: vintage from MouseTrapVintage
Watch: Target
Shorts: Express
Shoes: Bass

The watch and shoes can now be marked off my wish list!

Miranda and I went to Goodwill after lunch (morning was filled with rug shopping, visiting with friends...more on that later...and farmers market)
She's teaching Kindergarten starting this year, so she's always looking for good books. We found it interesting that the kid books were right under the romance novels.
The top picture is the bruise on her leg...she tripped in the attic this week and her leg went through the floor. We now have a hole in our garage ceiling. Luckily we don't have a Miranda shaped dent in the garage floor!

Next we went to an antique store! I've never been to this one but I'm definitely going back. They had so much to choose from, and at very reasonable prices! I shopped around for a buffet or server to put in the dining room. I loved a lot of them, but I decided on this one:

It's the oak piece in the foreground. I'm going to refinish it in a little darker shade, and maybe switch out the hardware. I am going back next weekend with a truck to pick it up! Hooray!!!

We hope you've had a good Saturday as well!!!

I should also note that I'm starting a new diet tomorrow...Miranda is doing it too (and letting me have a guest pass to her gym for the week!) Wish me luck! :)

Coffee + Scones

One of the perks of working at a University is the coffee house. The one here is called Barefoots Joe (named after a former Union president and without an apostrophe because it "messed up the logo design")

The baked goods, like the chocolate chip scone that I devoured this morning, are made locally, which makes me pretty happy. I love knowing where my food is coming from.

They are also selling travel cups now. I think they are ceramic, double walled (correct me if I'm wrong). They don't get too hot, and I get 25 cents off for using a reusable cup! SCORE!

Mixxxxin it up!

I've mentioned my Grandmama before...she is super in so many ways. She likes to pick things up for our house at yard sales (well...little sales that the women in her apartment building like to have). Anyway, I had the orange curtains at the top up for a while, and she bought me some purple ones just like them! She thought I might like to mix it up sometimes.

Please excuse the crooked picture and pile of boxes. The picture is one my Granddaddy took of the First National Bank demolition back in 1995. It made the front page of the paper! I credit him for getting me interested in photography. The cowboy hat was my Papaw's.  Inside is a card that says "Like hell it's yours! Return to Bud McMurry."

So now I have 3 of my 4 grandparents represented on one wall!

When it Rains, it Pours

This is how my day has been going. At least I have great pictures to make me feel better...

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Discoveries

As some of you may know, I offer a photography service to Etsy sellers and/or small business owners. I do it mostly just to help people starting out, but also because I want to keep busy! Along the way, I've discovered some amazing sellers! Lately I've had the pleasure of working with the sweet and wonderful owner of TheCrochetBarn

These cute little hats are great quality, and of course the girls wanted to keep them all! These images should be showing up in her shop pretty soon.

I also have been working with Kristen of shop3littlebirds. She doesn't have the items in her shop yet, but they'll be there soon, so make sure and check back! I've only photographed about half of her work so far, so what you see is only part of the good stuff!

I'm so glad I've been able to work with these great gals...I hope they have much success in their Etsy adventures!

"Grunge" Inspired

My shoot with Natalie. This was a personal project, that was sort of "grunge" inspired...less the 90s Nirvana grunge, and more the messy hair scene kid grunge. I wanted gritty, raw, black and white...and I'm pleased. I couldn't bring myself to take the color out of the last one though.

Also, a side note: these were taken at my Papaw's old house. It's been abandoned for years, and I hate that it is just sitting there rotting. I wish I could fix it up, but I think it's beyond help at this point.

Making Lists

My first ever blog post was a list of things I wanted...then a year and a half and 100 posts later I went back to see if I'd gotten everything I wanted to. THAT WAS FUN! So I want to do it again...here are some things I plan to buy (hopefully soon)

you all know I want a watch...I just have to find the perfect one.

a hat...but I have to look decent in it. There's got to be one out there somewhere

These are perfect...I have to find these in my size

A buffet table for my dining room. I love both of these! Not sure what color I should look for yet.

Love this show...I want to get more volumes. Right now I just have 1&2.

More cameras to play with.

2.8 lens...instead of stupid 3.5-5.6

Well, that's all I can think of right now! I might come back and add things over the next few days.

What have you been wanting/needing lately?