Aperture 1.4 {focused blur}

Day 7

Okay, remember my sister and her amazing party skills?  Here is how her Witches Brew party turned out.  Very cool.

http://simplyradiant.blogspot.com/2007/10/bewitching.html

Fall dinner 8 days...

So I will very willingly admit that I have been blessed since moving here with good, good friends.  I think Heavenly Father knew that I would need that right now.  And even though I've only known them for a few months ( Sarah a little more through the Internet and various lunch get together's) I feel like I can turn to them for help, friendship, venting, worries, laughter,  and great movie and TV watching and through it all I can be myself and trust that they take me for who I am.  And being able to be me without worrying that the people around me think I am crazy is priceless. So thank you Sarah, Chloe, Kelly and Emily.

Okay, moving on from the deep thoughts.  This past Sunday Chloe hosted a Fall dinner and we made ton's of fun food.  We had two different soups in bread bowls, salad, and for dessert Pumpkin Cheesecake with cinnamon crust.  Chloe is a fabulous cook and a bit of a foodie.  The cheesecake was amazing.

Here she is adding a sugar coated crust.  The boys were amazed by her! Well, and the flame.

One of my favorite things about the weather getting cooler is all the comfort food it brings with it. And in my mind October definitely calls for good soups and yummy warm food.

So here are a few recipes that I love, they come out every fall at our house.

These are super easy and really great to bring to parties. People ask me for the recipe every time I bring these anywhere.

Cheesy Bacon Pinwheels

One package 8 oz cream cheese

1/8th black pepper

Half cup cooked bacon

Two tablespoons finely chopped green onion

One package crescent rolls

1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat 350. Combine all ingredients.  Separate crescent roles into four rectangles. Spread cream cheese mixture on each.  Roll up like cinnamon rolls and cut up into 16 pieces. Back 15 minuets or until golden brown

Tuscan bean soup ( I got this recipe from two peas a few years ago and I'm not sure who it came from but it's pretty good!)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 red bell pepper

3 cups low fat low sodium chicken broth

1 cup canned tomatoes

1 1/2 cup Kidney beans

2 teaspoons chopped thyme

1/2 cup chopped spinach

1 cup seashell pasta

black pepper

Combine oil, onion, garlic saute for five min's. Add bell pepper and saute. Add broth, tomatoes and beans.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 min's. Add thyme spinach and Pasta cook until pasta is soft. Serve

If you are in a really big hurry here is a super easy dinner that seems to be a big hit with the family.

Sausage and rice

Three cups of rice ( I use brown rice and if I'm in a hurry instant brown rice)

Smoked sausage ( I use healthy choice turkey sausage because it's a lot leaner)

1 can Cream of chicken 1 can cream of mushroom

1 can of milk ( I use skim)

A few tablespoons of lowfat sour cream

You cook the rice, while cutting the sausage into little pieces and browning it.  After the rice is cooked I add all the other ingredients and that's it.  Super easy and my boys love it.

  Hope these help you a cool fall night!

Days 10 and 9

I'm a day behind, but here is one of my favorite projects. It didn't photograph very well because the room it's in is pretty dark but you get the idea.

We( my Mom and I ) wanted to make a garland and this is how it turned out.  It has a lot of steps but it's pretty easy.  First we downloaded a bunch of different Halloweenish font's mostly gothic from Dafont.com.  Then we printed them and hand cut them out.  Next we coated them with Making Memories Black Glitter.  It is the perfect glitter for this.  Not so fine that it is annoying and not as thick as glass glitter.  I love how it looks on this garland.

Then we cut out different squares of pattern paper at odd angles.  No straight measured lines! We used Making Memories new line, Rusty Pickles Halloween line from last year and some black and white crate paper.

Then we mounted the glitter letters onto the the pattern paper and the pattern paper onto black card stock.

We punched two holes in each letter and added black eyelets from Making Memories and strung it all together using some bakers string from Martha Stewart.

We also added some vintage looking...I don't actually know what they are called.  Here is a picture:

  They are really simple to make and really cute!  I'll post a tutorial on how to make them later this week.

So that's it! Hope you like it!

p.s. I'm good at making things but not so good at displaying things.  So all the styling in this last photograph was by my Mother.  She also made the quilt.

11 days

Okay, a few more links for you.  I'll have to post some cool project pictures tomorrow.  Today I wanted to link to my two Picture Perfect articles on CK's website.  One is on photographing costumes and one is on photographing Halloween night.

Costumes:

http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/mag/article.ihtml?index_field=2039

Night:

http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/mag/article.ihtml?index_field=2042

Hope these help you out this year!

12 days...

Okay, so I'm due two post's today.  12 and 11.  I'll post 11 later but here is number 12.  Halloween Parties.  I thought that I'd post this early on so that if you need Halloween party idea's you could get some good ones here with enough time to actually plan one.

  Although I would love to be the kind of hostess that planned grand events with all the perfect details. I have not yet reached that point.  My sister has however.  She is one of the best party planners ever.  Here are links about two of the Halloween parties she has thrown over the last two years.

This is a link to her party with a Hitchcock theme.

http://simplyradiant.blogspot.com/2006/10/hitchcocks-been-kidnapped.html

Here is a link to her party the year before with invite ideas:

http://simplyradiant.blogspot.com/2006/10/halloween-party-idea.html

And here is a link to party that she is throwing this year: ( Instead if a tea party she is having a witches brew party for all her girlfriends this Halloween and everyone has to wear a decorated witches hat)

http://simplyradiant.blogspot.com/2007/10/witches-brew-party.html

And yes, she is brilliant and yes it is hard being related to such a talented girl!  But I love her!  Someday I'll be near enough to go to one of these fantastic parties! 

Hope these help you spark party idea's of you own!

13 days until...

Halloween. So I thought it would be fun to do a little creative count down on the good old blog.  A creative project a day.  Think I can pull it off?  On my own...no.  But I have a super creative Mom and Sister who are just as obsessive about holiday's as I am.  Hopefully you'll get some good idea's but if not you'll at least get to see some fun Halloween stuff and hopefully some good photography.

  So project number one.  Aprons.

We thought it would be fun to have a cute apron to wear for all the holiday baking we do around here.  And I have to say by we I mean, I picked out the fabric and my Mom made them, because, well I can't sew.  But if I could I would have made one of these.

  Actually, as far as sewing goes these are really very simple.  Choose three fabric ( I think we bought a 1/4 of a yard of each)and three trims.  I picked black and white so I could use it for other occasions and my Mom bought some cute vintage inspired Halloween fabric.

  She sewed around the edges and gathered the top of each.  Then sewed them all onto a piece of white cotton.  She added grosgrain ribbon on the top to be able to tie it on!  Simple and really cute.

 

   

A note from Julie Andrews

Ummm...it's been a while....sorry. So, I am back from CKU and it was great.  I love teaching photography.  I really do.  I love the students, the staff and the teachers. I'm so glad that I have gotten to know them all better this year.  We have really bonded and that has been super fun!  I'm really grateful to have the opportunity to teach the students at CKU how to better document their lives and loved ones in camera. I had really great students!

  As for the rest of the week...well, I've been really down.  I'm not sure what it is.  I know a part of it is missing Mark ( are you sick of hearing that yet?  sorry!) A part of it is the whole working single parent thing, I don't know how anyone does this without help from family. My parents and sister-in-law have been great and I still struggle. I have gained so much respect for all of you Mom's out there who are doing this on your own!  You are amazing.

  Anyway, as I was saying for whatever reason I have been really sad this week so today instead of wallowing in it I've decided to take a note from Maria aka Julie Andrews ala The Sound Of Music. Remember this line from the movie?

"When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad"

Totally cheesy I know but I'm going to try that today.  So here are a few of my recent favorites.  If you are in a funk maybe this will help you too!

1. It's been rainy and stormy lately which I love.  Especially because I get to wear these:

  Oh yes, they are black and white polka dot wellies. I'm quite sure I look like a total dork in them but they make me smile so it's okay.

2.  Listening to the Becoming Jane Soundtrack.  I love it.  Such pretty music, perfect for fall.

3.  Going to Big Shot Karaoke.  It's at Comedy Sports in down town Provo on Thursday nights.  Karaoke isn't really my thing, it's more of a enjoyment for Mark.  But Sarah and Chloe convinced me to go last night and I'm so glad that I got out and did something.  And you know what?  It was actually really fun.  I recommend it if you need a good laugh. You don't have to sing you can just enjoy the craziness.

4. My families' dog.  His name is Hobbes and he is the most loyal, sweet thing in the world.  He is so great with my kids and he listens to all my complaints with his head cocked in the cutest manner. He makes me smile. How can you not when you look down at this face?

  5.  Cinnamon Bun Lotion from Bath and Body Works.

6. Love letters in the mail from my husband that begin with "Hey Beautiful" and end with "you are amazing, you know that?"  I think I'll keep him!

7.  Fall activities:

8.  These pictures of Disneyland with my fellow teachers and friends:

  The castle was purple for Halloween and I have to say if I ever go back to Disney with the boy's October is the perfect time.

9. Grant won a contest to guess how many kissed were in the jar at school.  He guessed 68 and it was the exact amount.  He was so excited when he came home!  It was really fun because we just read the book The candy corn contest. 

10.  There are only 13 days to Halloween which means that starting tonight I'm going to post a post everyday with a fun Halloween project. My Mom and I have been creating up a storm so stay tuned to get some fun ideas!

For my sister!

                                                                                     I know she is dying to see more of the photo's from my sweet nephew Creeds photoshoot.  I'm just getting to work on them now that there is a plugin for my new cameras raw files in photoshop. Isn't he adorable?  He has the biggest smile I have ever seen on a baby and I love it.

  Not much else is new.  I'm getting ready for CKU Orlando.  Our last CKU of the year. I can't believe it. They have gone by so quickly. 

I still have a few openings for photoshoots here in Utah so email me quickly if you would like one.  I may not be able to get back to you until after CKU but don't worry I will!

 

Photographer available

I haven't shot for clients in a really long time.  The magazine has taken over all of that, and so I really just write and teach for the most part, but lately I have been itching to photograph again, so if you are in Utah for the next three months and you would like to have photograph shot by me, I'm going to be taking a few clients. 

  How it works and What you get:

I will photograph on a location with you and whoever else you want to be in the pictures (up to 8 people) for one to two hours.  You get a c.d. of edited photographs.  Black and white and color.  25-30 images. And a signed form allowing you all rights to have them printed anyway you would like. I can give you recommendations if you would like.

  The price will be 350 dollars and small travel fee if we go somewhere outside of Utah county. Yes, I realize that this is really inexpensive.  I'm doing it on purpose.   I hate the fact that so often people just can't afford to get good family and individual photographs taken, so for these next few months and JUST for these next few months I'm only charging this fee. 

  I will happily admit that family photography isn't my forte.  I can do it.  I'm happy to take them, but my specialty is and always has been individual portraits.  I've been a headshot photographer for actors for the last several years so, that is what I love. So if you choose me for a family portrait, plan to get some group shots and some individuals of everyone in the family. I love shooting both.  I also love shooting babies and New born's so if you are interested in that send me an email and we will chat!

Like I said, I am really just doing this for the love of photography. I miss it.  I'm only going to be taking a few clients, so email me soon if you would like to schedule an appointment!  I'm excited to talk with you!

Candice

Review

I have a lot of catching up to do! So here is a basic recap of my Birthday and the weekend.

Mark and I had planed on going up to Sundance to have dinner at the Grill and then go on the "moonlight ride".  You can ride the ski lift at Sundance during the summer, and once each month on the full moon they run the lift at night.  It was so amazing and so romantic.  I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to be outdoors under the moonlight and stars.  My parents surprised us that morning with my Birthday present which was a stay in one of the little Sundance cabins that night and they watched the boys for us.  It was so fun! I have such great parents!

Here is a photo of the lift during the day.

We ate at the Foundry Grill for dinner and breakfast and the food was so great!  I highly recommend it.

Here is Mark in the restaurant.  It had a perfect Fall cozy feel to it.

Mark left the night after we got back and I knew that it was going to be really hard on us.  So my amazing friends scheduled a little Birthday Party/ Grey's premiere/ American Princess Party.  Thus, the tiara's. The pictures are from Kelly!  Thanks!  It was so much fun.  I cannot even say how thankful I am to have these women in my life.  They have become such good friends and I know that I could not make it during this time of my life without them!

On a side note if you haven't seen the quality production that is American Princess on the WE network you are totally missing out.  It's one of the most awesomely bad shows I have ever seen.  I have been recording them all and then we get together and watch a few episodes at a time commenting almost the entire episode on the brilliance of the girls in this show, and by brilliance I mean the lack thereof.  It's actually a British show so we have determined that they chose the worst people they could in order to make fun of Americans.  It's sad.  It's really, really sad.  Anyway, they brought nine American girls to England to learn how to become a princess and then the winner get's 50,000 dollars and fake English title.  The British didn't stop with us either.  There is soon to be an Australian Princess and I'm guessing a future Indian Princess too,  Since they are going for all the colonies they once had, I guess.  Anyway, this is my secret reality TV fix.  If you want to watch bad TV you should try it!

Then the next morning I went on a hike with a few Mom's and Cole up to Bridal Veil Falls.  ( I've been trying to keep myself busy so I don't think about Mark being gone all the time.)

This picture is a little bit blurry but it fit's perfectly with how I have been feeling about Cole in the recent day's.  He is having such a hard time since Mark left again.  A lot of tantrums and yelling and running away when we are out and about.  He has always been his own little person but his stubbornness is over whelming at times.  I feel like I am often view him like this photograph, from a distance, a blur running away in chaos.  Please tell me that other four year olds go through this?!?

We did get to see this at the end which is one of my favorite places in this world.  My mom used to be a manager at a gift shop at Bridal Veil Falls so I spent a lot of time here when I was young.  Eventually an avalanche wiped the store, the tram, (which took you to the top of the falls) and the restaurant out.  So now it is just the waterfall.  But it's so beautiful.

 

On Saturday we had Grant's football game.  You must know that my Grant, loves football.  He has known all the teams from the time he was two. And at two he would sit and watch four hour games on TV...well, he would have if I would let him watch that much TV.  This was a surprise to Mark and I, you know...the artists.  But Mark has always loved college sports and he's trying to get into the NFL now that it is Grants love.  I'll be honest, I am not, nor have I ever been a sports fan.  Unless it's ice skating or something girly and pretty like that. lol.  But when I became a parent I promised myself whatever my children had a passion for as long as it wasn't harmful I would do whatever I could to help them. Even if I didn't like or understand it. And this is one of those things.  I used think that football for first graders was so silly.  But Grant loves football so much and he really, really wanted to play.  I agree to let him play flag football this year.  Can you believe in Utah they let first graders play tackle?  Huh?  What is that about? 

  Anyway, as I was saying Grant is playing flag football.  He is so competitive in everything in life, we worry about how competitive he is sometimes because rather than lose or try something that he knows he is not the best at he will quit.  Or he won't try at all because he want's to be the best without going through a learning phase. So this season has been a good growing experience for him because as he started he wasn't the best on his team and his team has lost every single game.  EVERY ONE.  But he has been such a good sport about it and is growing so much and practicing everyday and trying so hard because it is something that he really loves!  This Saturday was a super emotional game for me because something just clicked for him and he was pulling flags like a champion.  And then he ran almost the whole field to make a touch down.  I think I was clapping and screaming like crazy!  It literally brought tears to my eyes.  Not because I care if he plays well. But because he has been working so hard and it finally just all came together for him!  I was such a proud Momma.

And well, that was a pretty good review about what has been going on around here. If you made it this far good for you!  I'd love to know what you have been up to?