from the girl who hates cats: a giveaway
February 10th, 2012 by sharaleep | 15 Comments »
the winner of the two tickets to see “the cat came back” is laura vanderwel!! i’ll be in touch to get you your prize.
i don’t like cats. anyone who knows me well can attest to that. i’m sorry, cat people, i’ve tried. i really have. my little sister had a cat named cracky (don’t ask) for years and it just never grew on me. i’ve even taken cute pictures of people and their cats. i think their unpredictability scares me.
all that said, my dislike/fear of cats has never stopped me from loving fred penner and the song he made famous, “the cat came back”. and let me tell you, the cat. is back. fred penner himself has written and stars in a musical being presented by the vancouver playhouse theatre this spring. they contacted me this week and offered to give away a pair of tickets on my blog! the tickets are for the performance of “the cat came back” on march 31st at 7pm. doesn’t this look like a fun show? let’s introduce the next generation to the wonder that is fred penner!
here’s how you win:
1. make sure you’re a fan of sharalee prang photography on facebook.
2. visit the vancouver playhouse website and find one of the puppeteers’ names (yes – there are puppets, people!!).
3. come back here and comment on the blog for your chance to win!
also. if you want to try and win me over to cat loving, you can send me a picture of your cat for an extra entry. no guarantees, but i promise i will keep my heart soft.
the virgins.
February 6th, 2012 by sharaleep | 3 Comments »
have your attention? good, because i think that’s the last time i’m going to use that word to describe these girls. after having met them, i prefer to use words like strong, confident, beautiful, dynamic, funny, caring…women. they are friends who had a dream. they chose to share their lives and their story in hopes that they would encourage, enlighten and love those who are on a journey that might be similar or completely different from their own.
and at the risk of sounding crass, can i just say these ladies have serious…ok i just couldn’t bring myself to say it so i’ll say…guts?? you could not pay me enough to talk about my sex life to the world. oh and did i mention they’re not getting paid? yeah. all i have for them is a healthy dose of respect. of the aretha variety.
you may know them from this show or this blog. i just know them as amy, tamara, lisa & danielle.
aunties have the best job
February 1st, 2012 by sharaleep | 11 Comments »
i have a new baby in my life.
she came into the world with a little pomp and circumstance (as all babies should) weighing a whopping 6 pounds, 11 ounces. she fits perfectly into the crook of her mom’s arm and with three big brothers is never without attention for long.
they graciously let us come and stay for a few days (can you say 7 kids under the age of 7) and while i spent a lot of my time trying to maintain some sense of order and prevent the littles from destroying each other, i also got in plenty of cuddle time and was able to take a few pictures. my sister has lots of amazing photographer friends (and is a gifted one herself) and i knew she would have tons of people taking pictures of this sweet girl. so while i was doing my best not to be the annoying “camera around the neck/take a picture of every twitch” auntie, when melissa mentioned she might make her bed and swaddle little miss up so i could get a few snaps before i left, i put my game face on.
and finally, (almost) completely by chance (so maybe there was a little prodding) as i was literally walking out the door and waving good-bye, i turned to see this:
love you all.
the goods
January 28th, 2012 by sharaleep | No Comments »
i’m doing this super fun giveaway for my clients and in the meantime decided i wanted to share the love with EVERYONE, so i got some amazing people on board who are excited to get some of their wares into your hands!
here are the specifics:
the orange circle (facebook): Bethany makes incredibly fun magnets and necklaces. Everytime I see her at a fair, I can’t help but buy something. She is also almost always smiling. It’s true. Check out her etsy shop! She’s giving two of her interchangeable magnet necklace sets.
the pink spatula (facebook): Tina is a culinary wizard. Her blog has amazing tips and information on cooking classes! I have two packages of each spring flavor to give.
vintage home (facebook): Colleen is amazing – she has a great eye for design and knows how to make something beautiful out of things other people get rid of. She’s donated a beautifully refinished solid wood coffee table.
champion jack’s emporium (facebook): This is such a sweet store and a great addition to Abbotsford’s downtown core. If you haven’t been in to check out their huge collection of vintage clothing, you should go today! And if you’re not in abbotsford, find them on etsy. Amelia gave me two $20 gift certificates to pass on to you!
birch + bird vintage home interiors (facebook) Rachel and Lily are the organizers of the Fieldstone Vintage Market. I’ve gotten to know them over the past year and they not only have great taste, but they are lovely people! Check out their blog…they have me imagining my dream home several times a week. Take a look at these adorable sets of salt and pepper shakers you could win!
opechee handmade jewelry (facebook): Monica sells amazing upcycled jewelry. I recently bought an owl necklace from her and I get so many comments every time I wear it! She also sells on-line through etsy. She’s giving a necklace to you too!
dolcetto designs (facebook): Shari makes beautiful custom cards! From birth announcements to wedding thank-yous…she’s the one you should call. She is offering someone 25 4×6 customized photo orders (or a digital image).
in order to win, go like all the vendor facebook pages (feel free to give them some love while you’re there)as well as mine and go comment on my PREVIOUS post (do not comment on this post). i’ll pick winners randomly. have fun and good luck!!
m&s: engaged
January 25th, 2012 by sharaleep | 7 Comments »
after grabbing a traditional “pre-engagement photo” meal of perogies and sausage from the yellow barn, we braved slightly treacherous roads and set off into the wilderness. this b-e-a-utiful couple froze their toes and braved the arctic front all for the sake of documenting their love…do i hear a collective sigh?
happy anniversary…to me!!
January 24th, 2012 by sharaleep | 156 Comments »
last year around this time, i was waiting with bated breath for my website to be finished so that i could share it with all of you. i was so happy with how it turned out (which has a little to do with me and A LOT to do with my friends joe malleck: web designer extraordinaire and beth mans: illustrator to the stars…or just to me :).
and what an amazing year it has been! my business has grown by leaps and bounds, i’ve met tons of amazing people and made new friends that i wouldn’t have otherwise and i’ve had so much fun creating.
so because you have spent the last year gifting me, it’s time for me to return the favor. i asked all of my 2011 clients to submit a picture that they loved. one that they wanted to grace the walls of their home. and now you get to choose who will win a 16X20 canvas from me.
all you have to do is:
1. go to facebook. like my page.
2. comment here after you’ve done so and vote on the picture that’s your favorite.
the person with the most votes….wins!!
now to make it a little more fun for all of you voters, i’ve called some of my amazingly talented, local vendor/creator friends and asked them to contribute a prize for YOU!! i will be doing three separate draws for gift baskets and a piece of refinished vintage furniture, so you have lots of opportunity to win.
in order to win the baskets, i’m going to ask you to visit each of the vendors’ facebook pages and like them. this is a must for you to win these amazing goodies.
let me tell you more about them (and follow the links to their pages)…
the orange circle (facebook): Bethany makes incredibly fun magnets and necklaces. Everytime I see her at a fair, I can’t help but buy something. She is also almost always smiling. It’s true. Check out her etsy shop!
the pink spatula (facebook): Tina is a culinary wizard. Her blog has amazing tips and information on cooking classes!
vintage home (facebook): Colleen is amazing – she has a great eye for design and knows how to make something beautiful out of things other people get rid of.
champion jack’s emporium (facebook): This is such a sweet store and a great addition to Abbotsford’s downtown core. If you haven’t been in to check out their huge collection of vintage clothing, you should go today! And if you’re not in abbotsford, find them on etsy.
birch + bird vintage home interiors (facebook) Rachel and Lily are the organizers of the Fieldstone Vintage Market. I’ve gotten to know them over the past year and they not only have great taste, but they are lovely people! Check out their blog…they have me imagining my dream home several times a week.
opechee handmade jewelry (facebook): Monica sells amazing upcycled jewelry. I recently bought an owl necklace from her and I get so many comments every time I wear it! She also sells on-line through etsy.
dolcetto designs (facebook): Shari makes beautiful custom cards! From birth announcements to wedding thank-yous…she’s the on you should call.
i will be posting pictures of all the amazing gifts you could win soon!
and now here are the 2011 client favorites in no particular order (number corresponds to the picture below it):
#1 (bride in pew)
#2 (family under tree)
#3 (kids on fence)
#4 (bride)
#5 (holding hands)
#6 (bride & groom with books)
#7 (three girls)
#8 (couple with tree and car)
#9 (family on couch)
#10 (legs. lots of them)
#11 (sisters)
#12 (the dress)
#13 (girls in shopping cart)
#14 (curls)
#15 (couple under tree)
#16 (holding hands)
#17 (baby girl)
#18 (couple by the river)
so remember:
1. like the sharalee prang photography facebook page
2. like the vendor pages
3. comment here on which picture is your favorite. good luck everyone!
Contest closes January 29th at 12 noon (PST). This promotion is in NO WAY sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You will NOT be notified publicly via Facebook if you are a winner. You MUST be 18 to participate. Prizes do not have cash value. There will be no returns/exchanges on any of the items.
jeff & amy: engaged
January 19th, 2012 by sharaleep | 3 Comments »
so it snowed. kinda wasn’t expecting that. i think a lot of people around these parts had figured winter might be over. but i suppose that’s what we get for being all cocky about our mild weather.
i got a new lens recently and have been challenging myself to use it to its full potential, which often means taking a step back. i love the dynamic of being up in someone’s face, just because i produces the look and feel and opportunity to interact that i adore. i must say, though, that i’m also loving the idea of capturing the big picture, literally and figuratively. there’s something about taking in all of the surroundings that can actually make a picture more personal. so keep your eyes open for more of that. to come.
it was pretty blowy and not knowing jeff & amy super well, i wasn’t sure what they would be up for. thankfully, they are super troopers. they hopped out of the car and were ready for pretty much anything i asked of them. there was a lot of cuddling and hand holding and a horse and a little snowball fight thrown in for good measure.
how gorgeous is amy in this picture below? seriously…i had to keep it full size. so looking forward to your harrison wedding in a couple of months!
bethany & jason: engaged
January 16th, 2012 by sharaleep | 10 Comments »
when i heard these two were getting married, i was silently praying “please pick me. please pick me.” and they did!! what a sweet sweet love story theirs is…i’m pumped to be able to document even a small portion of it.
i had been eyeing up this property for awhile and when bethany and jason showed up in their western attire, i knew it would be perfect.
if you know anything about their story, you will know that it begins with pie. to continue the legacy, they stopped off at the chilliwack airport coffee shop which is reported to have the best pie in the world and got one for the road.
we were approaching the end of our time together and i asked them if there was anything else they would like to do/try and bethany was like, “jason can do a backflip.” and you know what a sucker i am for theatrics…
you two are so delightful and i am tickled pink that i get to hang out with you again on what will be a beautiful summer day on harrison lake. can’t wait!
shawn & hannah: married
January 12th, 2012 by sharaleep | 4 Comments »
miraculously, it was a mild winter afternoon with a slight breeze and even a bit of sun as the clouds parted to reveal it setting. shawn & hannah were so laid back and clearly excited that they were finally going to be married. we got to start the day out by doing pictures, which can i just say i love? when you see the pure giddiness and anticipation of the bride and the way she grabbed her groom like she was never going to let him go…it’s so so worth it. at one point, shawn (who is notorious for not liking his picture taken) said, “this is actually fun. i thought this part was supposed to suck”. which from a groom, i will take as a huge compliment. i may also consider making it my new tagline. “the sharalee prang photography experience. it doesn’t suck”.
it was so encouraging to see some of the men in the family in reflection and prayer before the ceremony…
…um, or not.
thank you shawn and hannah for inviting me into your wedding day. it was so sweet and romantic – you two are a great match!
the dewaals: family
January 3rd, 2012 by sharaleep | 2 Comments »
at some point mid-november, i realized i had to slow down. the rush continued from spring portraits into summer weddings into fall family pictures. all of which i was incredibly grateful for! problem was, it was starting to take a toll on me and my family and i knew if i didn’t choose to stop, i might just be forced to. so i only took on a few sessions in december and this was one. i’m so glad i did! i didn’t find out until i was on-site that this is the first time in three years they have all been together and to top it off, it’s their parents’ 25th anniversary. such a worthy occasion. their daughter, heidi, organized it all and was soooo excited. i couldn’t help but get excited too!
25 years, six children and still a super cute couple? it can be done, folks. it can be done.
aren’t they the friendliest looking gang you’ve ever seen? thanks for making me a part of your holiday/reunion/anniversary plans!
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