merry christmas
December 25th, 2011 by sharaleep | 5 Comments »
things have been pretty sad in the christmas craft department at the prang house this year. aside for the 10 projects jojo and i completed in an hour in his kindergarten class (10 projects in an hour? really? doesn’t that seem a bit excessive?), there hasn’t been much more to show for over here. i’ve attempted some christmas baking, though with the kids being sick i haven’t really wanted them to help and josiah has sworn off of sugar so that he can get himself healthy (totally his idea).
so here we were on christmas eve. and i’m crafting. allie lasted for about 5 minutes. and she only stayed that long because there were guns involved.
all i had were a few dollar store wooden figures, some strips of fabric recycled from last year’s present and a glue gun.
i got this amazing crate from twig home at fieldstone market in spring and had been trying to figure out how to use it. here’s our christmas attempt:
and here’s us. maybe one day we’ll have hair. or faces. we’ll see what spring brings. but for now, we’ll just be the plaid prangs.
merry christmas!!
2011: engagement edition
December 23rd, 2011 by sharaleep | 1 Comment »
oh engagements. i have to tell you, they are my absolute favorite sessions to do. there’s something about engaged love that is totally unique…there’s that sense of anticipation mingled with a little tension and a lot of chemistry. it just can’t be replicated.
here are a few of my favorites (because i couldn’t possibly include them all) from this year:
engagement pictures can also really reflect the personality of the couple as they can dress comfortably and we can incorporate fun details of their relationship into the session. i’m so excited that the majority of my 2012 couples have chosen to do engagement pictures because it’s also a great chance for me to get to know them before the wedding and for them to get comfortable in front of the camera. can’t wait for the coming year!
our house: personal
December 21st, 2011 by sharaleep | 4 Comments »
i was looking around our house today and realized it’s not near as christma-fied as i would like it to be for december 21st, but such is life as a working mom. which is kind of weird to say, because i’ve always considered myself a stay at home mom until i recognized this fall that i was putting in 30-40 hours a week between shooting, editing, correspondence, blogging, etc, etc. when i finally realized i wasn’t wonder woman (hard to believe, i know), i did the best thing i felt i could do for our family while still maintaining that workload: ask for help. i ended up hiring an amazing woman to come and care for our kids one day a week so that i could actually sit down and have a concentrated amount of time to get things done. what a relief! it actually made me a better mom because i was able to give my kids more undivided attention during the week and they got a break from me every once in awhile (with a super fun babysitter who they all love). win. win. if there are other moms out there struggling with this kind of balance, i would highly recommend finding help – sanity is so worth the financial investment!
one little project i was proud to be a part of that i didn’t end up blogging about was a shoot for debbie at 4cats arts studio in abbotsford. my shots were featured in their winter magazine, along with a little ad to boot:
a favorite thing about this time of year is getting to see my work in print! i’ve gotten a few christmas cards from my clients and have had the privilege of printing up some books and canvases this year as well. it’s my goal to get pictures off those discs and into people’s hands and onto their walls, which is why i include prints with my sessions now.
another perk of taking some time off around christmas is working on a couple of projects in the continuing saga of getting “settled” into the house we moved into in summer. we were trying to figure out how to showcase the MANY arts and crafts that make their way home from kindergarten and preschool. we decided we would do our best to display them all for a month and then clear off the clipboard and shelf and start anew when the 30 days pass.
i also started to work on beautifying our bedroom. i’m struggling with what to do on the other side of the mirror…ideas please?
so this blog was all over the place…which gives you a little look inside my crazed mind. stay tuned for another 2011 wrap up installment!
2011: baby edition
December 20th, 2011 by sharaleep | 3 Comments »
i was thinking about this past year and how to possibly sum it up in a way that would do it any justice. i just didn’t feel like i could do it in one post, so i’m going to drag it out a little, just for fun.
this year held “firsts” and “beginnings” for our family. there were job changes, living space adjustments, first days of school and general life evaluation. this was also the first year in the past 6 where i wasn’t pregnant or toting around a newborn. which is one change that i am welcoming with open arms :).
one of the reasons i can be okay with not having more babies of my own is that i get to cuddle all of yours! here are some of my favorite baby shots from this year.
this little lady was only hours old when i happened upon her brothers meeting her for the first time:
there were a lot of girls, come to think of it:
and some handsome gents in the mix for good measure:
this year also held one of the hardest things i’ve ever had to do in my life, which was saying good-bye to sweet zoe who was not only a gift to her family but also to me.
thank you for allowing me to share in one of the most exciting, exhausting, emotional and beautifully full times in your families’ lives. i am so thrilled that i got to be there just after they arrived and i look forward to seeing them grow!
the wirths: family
December 13th, 2011 by sharaleep | No Comments »
cold and crisp, yet SUNNY sunday morning! what a gift that was for me and for this gorgeous (and hilarious) family.
the pauls’: family
December 11th, 2011 by sharaleep | 2 Comments »
this lovely family won a session with me from a silent auction benefiting our friends, jon & bonnie, who are missionaries in thailand. little did i know when i was corresponding with jenilee her husband is a guy that i grew up with! i hadn’t seen him in about fifteen years, so it was a treat to meet his family and play with his kids. who are adorable, i might add. after being greeted by this little beauty when i walked though the door, i knew we were going to have a great time.
and if their kids all look young, it’s because they are. 3 in three years!! and this gorgeous mama doesn’t even looked tired. thanks for having me to your home!
jovi: new life
December 8th, 2011 by sharaleep | 6 Comments »
when i met adam & bethany to do their maternity pictures, we had no idea that it would have been our last opportunity to take them. right after our session, bethany messaged me saying “we really feel SO glad to have that done as we are definitely feeling more ready to welcome this baby into our lives”. the night i posted them, bethany’s water broke.
though i don’t do a lot of pictures with props, these two are world travelers and intend to set out on more adventures as a family of three, so the suitcases seemed fitting.
oh what a blessed gift you hold in your arms! talk about glowing parents – through the tired eyes, i see that light and know that your lives will never be the same. love you!
local grain
December 3rd, 2011 by sharaleep | 5 Comments »
i have this friend kim. she’s amazing. end of story.
ok, so it’s not the complete end, but it could be because i certainly don’t need to prove it to anyone. but i know how it’s hard to take a complete stranger’s word for it so i’ll give you a reason to believe.
she is good at nearly everything she puts her hand to. she recently graduated from emily carr and if i told you how long it took her to master these wood working tools, you might gag a little (because it was only about a month ago that she started). she just had an idea one day…and this is what emerged: local grain. beautifully handcrafted wood products; signs, family trees, teething necklaces, mobiles, christmas ornaments…you name it.
and introducing my most favorite piece/concept…
kim is only going to take a limited number of “commissioned” pieces. since i have an in, if you are interested in having your silhouette immortalized in a piece of maple, give me a shout and we can set up a mini-session to capture the perfect moment to be ingrained…like the pun?
this is my friend kim. i told you she’s amazing. local grain will be at fieldstone vintage market tomorrow (saturday the 3rd) from 12-5. it’s a MUST visit on your holiday shopping list!
jeff & stephanie: married
November 30th, 2011 by sharaleep | 1 Comment »
what do peacock feathers, moustaches, vintage pearls and a rolls royce have in common? i’m so glad you asked. why, jeff & stephanie’s wedding, of course. it was a blustery november day, but nothing was going to dampen the spirits of these two. they trudged through mud and rain in the frigid cold because they were going to get married and the weather was not going to have a say in when, where or how it happened. and it happened beautifully.
there were certainly bumps along the way (i.e. a bridesmaid dress fiasco days before the wedding which had the mother-of-the-bride stuck behind a sewing machine and did i mention the reception ended up with the couple making a trip to the emergency room…?), but i’m sure everyone would agree it turned out to be a great day.
the ceremony was held in a gorgeous catholic church in aldergrove and even though movember was in full force amongst the groomsmen, everyone looked quite dapper.
there were so many pretty details from the bird adorned branches to the lights to the personalized wine bottles. their family and friends were quite the team, coming together to make everything perfect.
jeff & stephanie: i know not everything went as planned, but i feel like the picture above kind of sums it up. the two of you, walking into life surrounded by friends and family, embracing your circumstances with smiles on your faces. you two have an amazing future ahead.
adam & bethany: expecting
November 23rd, 2011 by sharaleep | 10 Comments »
bethany is a midwife. she has delivered babies all over the world. this is a woman who knows birth. except from one perspective…giving it. so now it’s her turn and she is so ready. even as we were confirming the location that afternoon, she was drinking her raspberry leaf tea, trying to induce labor.
adam is a mountain man. he’s traveled the planet with a bag on his back, leading people in and out of the wilderness. he also looks like jesus. and keith green.
together, they are perfect. meant to be. as is this child.
thank you for sharing this part of your beautiful journey with me! i am so excited to see where the rest of your lives will take you. love you both. or shall i say three.
Find me on Facebook!