Snaps :: Impromptu Baby shoot (thanks to Mr JL)

Last year, we used to meet at our house once a year with friends to just pray and read the word together. We had some amazing times, and among those times we got to know this guys, lets call him "Mr JL". My brother in law invited him along, and it soon became clear we had a lot of the same desires, and thoughts. The husband and I thought he was pretty cool. When i found out he loved photography and videography, it was just another thing to add to the pro list :)

I have been very fortunate to have him trust me to borrow his camera on a few occasions, and i had the chance again yesterday night and today. As soon as the camera arrived i couldn't help but take some photos of my baby boy, and i just fell in love with his camera all over again.

Thanks Mr JL, for being too cool for school and lending me your awesome camera! 

Here are a few sneak peeks from last nights impromptu 4 month baby shots.

 he loves his grandad. skype dates with him are noisy and smiley!

 he thought he was quite funny here... every time we would sit him up he would fall forward (on purpose) and then stick his bum in the air. this pic catches him in action trying to simultaneously lick the couch.

 i could kiss this face all day

 those little pursed lips... he can offer an array of looks at any given time

 this is his face most days.... happy as larry

 tummy time

this is his "im talking to you face, and you better be listening"

"Her bump, her lovely little bump... check it out"

I love when i get to photograph people at pivotal moments in their lives. I love weddings, expecially watching the father see his daughter in a white dress for the first time. Or the grooms face as he sees his bride walking down the aisle.


But the gift of life has to be the most precious of all. To know that we are capable of creating another life is amazing, to be responsible for raising that life is a little scary but still amazing, and i am on that journey myself with my 4 month old.


When my friend, Wellard (thats just what i call her) asked me to do her baby bump photos, i, of course agreed. Her and her now husband had me take their engagement pics right when is started to get crazy about photography.


Here is the shot they used for their wedding invites in 2008... man, how time flies!

Now as they are about to celebrate their 4 year anniversary on Feb 9th, they await the arrival of baby bolan... boy or girl? they won't tell. I can't wait to meet their little one.

Feb 9th 2008 :: their wedding day www.traceylheppner.com

"Wellard" and I have been friends since october 2007. We spent pretty much nearly every evening and day off she had hanging out with two other girls. 

christmas 2006/2007 single ladies once upon a time

She was the Pocahontas beauty that worked for a paving company, and now at the mines, you wouldn't know it to see her, but she can drive bigger machinery than any other man i know!


I got the privilege of being one of her bridesmaids, and she was one of mine too!

she hosted my hen night (bachelorette)

 so finally, after all my rambling, here is a sneek peek of baby bump.... hoping she will call me up to capture what will inevitably be their beautiful bundle of joy

blessings to you both and enjoy the most amazing ride of your life!

Bucket list dream come true

I have finally had the chance to tick off another bucket list dream. Yes, it may seems like a silly thing, but it represents me not worrying about what other people think, and to fulfil something that i have wanted to do for such a long time....


HAVE PINK HAIR!


I knew the longer and longer i left it, the more ridiculous i would seem as i got older. One of my rockstar friends who is the most talented hairdresser i know, agreed to make this dream come true.


After finally finding the colour that i loved on amazon.co.uk, having to have it delivered to my sister in england, who then brought it by plane (came for christmas, not just to deliver the hair dye, tee hee) and then into the hands of "ninja hairdresser".


I was nervous but excited, and also wondered in the back of my mind if Fin (my baby boy) would know who i was. As long as i smell like milk, its all good, thankfully


It only took three hours to complete this transformation, which by God's blessing was less time that we both had predicted.


I looked in the mirror, and i loved it. it couldnt have been more perfect.


My parents are somewhat confused as to why i did this, and lets just say its not their preference of hair colour on me. Others have used the words "interesting" and "oh, thats different", and my favourite one was "well, thats very...um... you!" I am going to choose to take that as a compliment, even if it wasnt meant as one :)


My little friend, Emma saw me when i went to pick her up from school with her mum, she yelled "I LOVE YOUR HAIR... ITS PINK". I love her! she gave me a good boost, as long she loves it, we are all good! She is quite the honest little one.


So here it is! 


Step by step a little dream came true. Now i need to publish a book before im thirty. That gives me 3 years and 2 weeks to get going... phew-ey!


ORIGINAL HAIR COLOUR (me with my boy)

BLEACHING MY HAIR OUT... PROBABLY THE SCARIEST LOOK FOR SURE

AND THE FINAL REVEAL! LOVE IT! THANK YOU NINJA ROCKSTAR HAIRDRESSER K"Y"M

Fin looks a little scared here, but i promise he loves to pull on it... i think it will be good for him developmentally with the bright colour, bahaha!

i love how we accomplished a two tone hair colour as it goes down to blonde at the bottom

im not a huge fan of self portraits but i was a tad excited to show my sister in england!

Sprinkled with love :: Cupcake Garland

Decorating for Valentines :: Cupcake Garland

Another simple and fun way to decorate you homeslice ready for the season of love.

Hit up the local dollar store or supermarket for your favourite cute cupcake liners and get some thread and needle or use a skewer and wool (this is what i choose).

i have seen these cupcake garlands all over Pinterest (addictive sharing website that you must join).

This was actually one of those crafts where i used whatever i had in the house already and didn't go and buy something new.

I raided my cake decorating box and found some pink and white liners as well as some beautiful aqua with flowers liner that i found at dollar store months back.

Grabbed some pink bakers tiwne from my attic craft room and a wooden skewer from my kitchen drawers. 

a little pastel valentines look this year

I decided on a pattern for every 5 liners. Then poked a hole through them and threaded the wool through. This would be much easier with a needle and thread  but this was what i had on hand.

Just keep doing this till you have your desired length, or in my case until i ran out of cupcake cases :)

Once i had threaded them i pulled them apart and then crinkled them so that they would sit on one another rather than slip inside each other.

Keep a look out for the final reveal of my valentines day mantel with all the decor tutes together

have a happy thursday!

Sprinkled with Love... valentines decor session 1

Welcome to the first tutorial for our Sprinkled with Love series!

This first one is an easy, cheap way to love up your nest ready for valentines.

All you need:

1.Foam wreath (or use a swimming noodle and duct tape, or foam pipe from the hardware store to save on the pennies)

2. Pink yarn

3. 2 red roses or embellishment of your choice

4. dollar store mirror letters

(and i used frosted spray paint to give my letters a blue frosted tint to it)

Start by wrapping your yarn all the way around your wreath form. i just use scotch tape to attached to yarn to wreath and cover it by wrapping the yarn over it

this is the longer sometimes a little tedious part but its well worth it!

Then with a hot glue gun just stick on the red roses where you like the best, and i spray painted my LOVE mirror "phrase" and rested it against the wreath. 

I have decided that i am using the top of my storage cube system as my valentines display for this year

And there it is. I really love the contrast of our blues walls and the pink wreath!

You could hang it on your door or on the fireplace...

Share your photos if you give it a go!

Coming up for the season of LOVE

With Valentines day on it way, i am going to do a few different things to celebrate this season of love.


I have to admit i am not really a lover of valentines day (ironic statement). I don't actually like the way people hate on it, or the expectation that thats the day of the year to show love. We all know it should be every day, but i have come to think, it can only be a good thing to at least be reminded once a year to set that day aside to make that someone, or some people in your life feel special.


So im not doing this to succumb to just one day, but i am going to embrace it this year. I love my God, i love my husband, i love my son, i love my family and i love my friends. Not only that i love those people i know but to commit to doing something IN LOVE for charity.


The next 2 series of posts will be:

DIY & Crafts to give to others, spouses, family, kiddies & friends, and even be a little charitable in this season of LOVE!

I'm gonna deck my home with some handmade things to fill the home with looooveeeee!!

Christmas Look back

Happy Belated Christmas blogger world!! Soon there will be a DIY post. With a new year beginning its time to venture to the thrift store, and search out the dollar store for some fresh new ideas! i have a list of craft to do list, and i cant wait to share them with you!

But here is a little look at our first christmas with our dear baby boy!

Christmas eve started with me getting a 24 hour flu bug, but we still managed to have a great christmas day, and a great new year that was spent in Banff, up in the rocky mountains... was amazing.

Finley is now a welcomed addition to our christmas ever tradition of my mum reading us "twas the night before christmas"

yes, its sad, but we are all wearing a onesie! :)

My mum and dad bought him a sledge (sled, for you canadians) and he had his first ride in it

he slept through the whole thing :)

My sister (one of my fave people in the world) came for christmas... Fin just loves his auntie lou

Christmas day family shoot... the in laws and great grandma's uncles and aunts... Fin was loved this christmas beyond measure

me, my sister & grandma goofing around in canmore

me with my parents and fin! The older i get the more i appreciate my parents. they are wonderful grandparents and i couldnt ask for better. Fin lights up when he sees them, even on skype each day!

Christmas, even with the flu, was a beautiful one that i will never forget. I am so blessed in this life to have what i have!

Merry belated christmas!

$4 Vintage blouse + english sister + Camera

This Christmas was a family affair... thanks to my awesome Dad. He flew my sister and grandma over for Finley (our three month old baby boy) first christmas. We spent it in the prairies at our home, so that both sides of the family could be part of Fin's first christmas.


I went and spent the week before christmas with my parents and sister and grandma, so they could have as much time with baby boy as possible.


While in Medicine Hat, i love to hit up the thrift stores. My favourite one in town is called "The Post". Tucked away in a car parking lot opposite the rail tracks there sits a kind of musty smelling, old rugged looking store, but with some real GEMS inside.


My sister and i found this awesome genuine vintage high neck blouses. In fact our grandma used to wear ones like this when she was younger, and my sister even mention they were selling in england in the fashion shops for so much money. We picked ours up for $4 a blouse! Bargain.


And of course why wouldn;t i make her do a photo shoot to showcase one of her faves! I love it her!
She is beautiful, the blouse is hot stuff, and at a steal, makes it so much sweeter!


We took a car ride with Fin in tow... he pretty much goes everywhere, easy baby, PTL!