The Pumpkin Patch

My sister recently asked me if I would take pictures of her boyfriend and his two sons. Ummm...Of Course!! It was a little tricky getting a time when all five of us could get together to take these, but you know what they say: "Good things come to those who wait." Or maybe it's "Anything good is worth the wait." Or perhaps "Anything worth doing is worth doing right." Whatever the saying, I am so glad we were finally able to get to the pumpkin patch/fall festival thing near our house. This wasn't a standard shoot: I basically just followed them around as they played on all the playgrounds, slid on the slides, ate the carni-food, and totally goofed off. It was relaxing-as relaxing as it can be with a five year old and a 18-month old! Still, I think we got some fun shots.

Zolezzi Family Photos

At my "full time job," I work with a lot of fun ladies. They have these amazing, exuberant personalities. Sowhen one of those ladies asked if I would take some Fall pics of her family, I jumped at the opportunity. We went to the Morton Arboretum (which is one of the most gorgeous places I've been to in the states, honestly). The day started off looking yucky with gray clouds and rain in the forecast. But we kept our fingers crossed and got really lucky: it turned into one of the sunniest, warmest days we've had up here in months!

September 11th: Wheatland Dental Open House

I absolutely *LOVE* taking pictures. No matter what's going on, or what the event may be; I love the idea of capturing those moments. Wheatland Dental Care, Ltd. asked me to take pictures of their 1st Annual Fall Open House/Back-to-School Bash on Saturday, September 11th. It was such a blast to hang out with them. They are a group that loves to hang out and have fun and it showed throughout the event. Here are a few of the pictures from the event. If you want to see more, check us out on Facebook!

My CRAZY September

So...September is shaping up to be a pretty *Amazing* Month! I wish I knew how to import a calendar onto this blog so you could see just how crazy this month will be for me. Lots of fun and cool projects are either underway or about to be. Each weekend holds a new adventure for Simply Gifted:
The first weekend in September was devoted to three different areas within the company. I was hard at work on a commemorative DVD for a 50th Anniversary; a gift basket for a baby girl; and taking pictures of the Wheatland Dental company before, during, and after the Labor Day Parade. You can see some examples from the parade below!

The 2nd weekend in September is going to be interesting. I was asked to be a "vendor" at Wheatland Dental Care, Ltd.'s Fall Open House. I am going to be taking family pictures and putting WDC information on it--printing them out at the event so the families can take the pics home with them. They want something like those pictures you get when you ride , say, rollercoasters. You know? Immediate print-outs of the group and the ride's name clearly on the picture itself.

The third weekend in September is dedicated to hosting my 1st ever Simply Gifted Party!! It'll be kind of like those "Pampered Chef" parties they host. People will come in and order things from me (blankets, photo sessions, gift baskets, etc.). Once I have all their information and half the money for the order, I'll get right to work completing their orders. My cousin, Heather, is going to be coming up here and sorta co-hosting the party with me. She does Premier Jewelry Design and will be selling from her catalog. That should really help get my name out there. A lot of the people coming are girls I work with in the office...I already have 2 moms promising to let me take pictures of their kids when the leaves start to change. Come on cooler weather! haha

And finally the 4th (and last) weekend in September. I will be heading back to my hometown to visit with some family and friends who still live there. I'm going to be taking a baby basket I made for my friend who is expecting her first child, a daughter, in November! I really hope they like the basket!

And that's it...my whole month of September is gone in a few (four) short weeks. So much to do and so little time!! Please give me a call, email, or facebook message if you would like me to help you make a *Simply Gifted Creation!*

Pictures of Brady

I love taking pictures of babies. I think they are natural models. They are always having fun and to capture that is a challenge I try to face each time I get a chance to take pictures of them. My friend Jenna has one of the most adorable little guys and I really wanted to see if I could capture how amazing he is in photos. Thankfully Jenna let me take some in her backyard. It was a blast to be out there with him--capturing all his varied emotions: from just waking up from his nap, to really getting into things, to showing off his John Deere, to cuddling with his momma. Here are a few of my faves from the shoot.

For The Soldiers

I don't know how many of you have heard about the recent loss a friend of mine experienced. On July 10th, 2010 at 10:03am, Spc. Joey Dimock was killed overseas while serving his country. I've been trying to figure out why this is effecting me so much and I just realized what it is: I feel completely useless. There's nothing I can say to bring back the son, brother, and friend Joey was. There's really nothing I can do to bring him back either. BUT there is something I can do so he will live on. As of today I am offering the "Joey Dimock Package."

Whenever you purchase a gift basket to be sent to a soldier serving overseas, you will receive $35 off the fees associated with that gift package. If you are sending a gift package to a soldier serving stateside, you will receive $25 off the fees. If you are sending any "military-themed" basket of any kind, you will receive $15 off the fees. (EX: sending to veterans (with verification of service) and/or sending a military-themed basket for a child's party, etc.)

If you have forgotten what the Gift Basket levels are, let me remind you:

Small: $25-49.99 +tax plus $35 fee
Medium: $50-124.99 +tax plus $50 fee
Large: $125-249.99 +tax plus $65 fee
XLarge: $250 & up plus $75 fee

So, if you think about it, you are basically getting the Small package for free!* (You have to pay the cost of the products to be placed in the gift basket, but there's no service fee.) Also, if you purchase any of the Simply Gifted products for a serviceman or woman killed in active duty, you will receive the $25 discount.

In honor of Spc. Joseph, "Joey" Dimock, those soldiers serving today, and those having already given their lives for me and for us--this is my Thank You. You are loved and missed every second of every day.

Blankets & Specials

Lately I've been on a real kick to do some blankets. I've finished three of them! One was a simple "No Sew" fleece blanket for my friend. The second was a gift for my sister's 22nd birthday; it had teal fleece on one side and white satin on the other. The latest blanket I call the "Princess Patchwork." It has white satin on one side; the other side is a patchwork of pale yellow fleece, pale pink fleece, and fleece with Disney Princesses. Making a blanket is a lot like taking pictures: You start off with a general idea of how you want things to look; but in the end, you have a beautiful creation you were quite expecting.

Speaking of pictures, we are now offering 3 new packages!! The "Wedding Package," the "Senior Year Package," and the "Business Package." With the Wedding Package, you get: 2 hours of service at the rehearsal dinner and 4-5 hours of service at the wedding and reception; a photo CD with 175-200 pictures, two 5x7's and an 8x10 for only $450! The Senior Year Package is $150 for a 1-2 hour session; a photo CD with 75 pictures, and two 5x7's! The Business package includes 3-7 hours of photography and 1 commemorative DVD (approximately 5 minutes long) for $300!

In addition to the new photo packages, Simply Gifted is offering a deal on school=themed gift baskets. Anyone ordering a gift basket for a loved one going to school-or any gift basket with a school theme-gets 50% off the standard fee. This deal only goes until Labor Day (Sept 6th) so hurry up and contact me!

Let's get started on your Simply Gifted Creation!

Pictures of the Princess Patchwork Blanket!

Back with Front corner flipped up

One of the Disney Princesses

Front with the back corner flipped up

Back

Front