I read many blogs and I came across one the other day that gave me ideas on how to organize my 2010 gift buying list in a pretty way. Are you crazy? How many of us even have lists for the whole year of who  we are going to buy gifts for, what they are going to receive and when? Do these type of people exist and if so are you telling me that some of them really have time and motivation to make the list pretty?

I have a gift box to send out by the end of the week and on the floor of my room are a few things that are going in the box. By laying them where I could easily trip on them I am constantly reminded of the few things I have to finish up for the box. By Pretty, no. Effective, yes.

I eat up blogs on how to make things pretty, I once even had a subscription to Real Simple Magazine (I'm a sucker for nice clean design work,) until every time the magazine arrived I was hypnotized into thinking I had to go to the Container Store in order to have my life organized. (Dear Container Store, no offence meant, I am probably just bitter that you don't have a sore anywhere remotely close to where I live.)

My client and friend Emma Payton has started a blog with some cut-to-the-chase practical advice about being organized. Don't let how pretty her blog is throw you off, it will be full of easy to implement snippets of advice.
Emma runs a consulting business and we have hired her many times to come into the office  and help us smooth out our efficiency and implement some plans. She brings extensive knowledge and a real-life attitude to what she does. Basically, she is the read deal.

Check her out and keep an eye on her blog as she builds on it.

 

I fell asleep in the last ten minutes of Lost - three days ago. I have it taped and tonight is the night I should get on it (because these things are such high priority) and spend some time with Kate and Jack, but I had a much better idea.

This week has been full of sweetness and today is just got extra tasty. I had a Bella Session followed a tiny newborn baby. Throw in some parenting, prepping of the year-end books and emails and it was a busy day.

So when I finished up around seven, the plan was to cuddle children, pj and go into my room with my dinner and give myself over to the necessary Lost tube time. I only had to put in ten minutes, yet the computer was calling. I wanted, needed to go through my image four day-old Elliotte.

Charles and Caroline welcomed Elliotte into a world that was itching to meet her, she had so many fans before she came, I know because they called us, wanting to get Charles and Caroline photos for gifts. The people who called, went on and on about how special these two were.

Charles and my John worked together briefly and I always heard great things about him and Caroline, but you have to meet them to understand this peaceful nature they radiate - it's pretty special and a wonderful gift to their daughter Elliotte.
 

One more to share - D is just an absolute beauty. Her sister has been a client and friend so I had heard all about D for years. It was lovely that she was able to come into the studio while she was visiting from out of town.
I hope it added to your feeling of holiday!



sdjfa;

Yes, another Bella sessions coming at you and more to come. I can only show you a portrait image from this session as the rest is so hot it will melt your monitor (well, really we just have to keep it under wraps, but the first reason sounded way better.)

and yes, you guessed it my clients are amazing and yes, I will be blogging more Bella's tomorrow.

I just got back from holiday, well, not really, but it feels like it. I was feeling a little worn out so I took the seven year old and we headed to Victoria for a night. It was 30 hours away that left me feeling like I was gone for a week.
We ate sushi (twice), grabbed a nice hotel room with a fantastic price, swam, had room service and then both proceeded to sleep for 11 hours - it was heaven.
We managed a little shopping, I bought both a bathing suit and a dress (neither of which I love to shop for,)  - if you hit vic often check out Sarah Seeds sisters' shop Paradise Boutique on Johnson, it's a little store with a lot of what you want. They managed to make bathings suit and dress shopping very entertaining and not confidence crushing.
They set me up with a polka dot 1950's bathing suit (Thanks Laurel S. for the inspiration,) and a fancy little dress that I actually like.

My mind is going on how I can manage to go to Victoria for this little escapade monthly.

Part of my need to get away had to do with a relationship breakdown. Me and my computer were having trouble. It would work well, suck me in so I was trusting it and then treat me badly and leave me feeling frustrated and stressed. We repaired things before I went away, but I still felt like I needed some me time.

Today though, we are on a new bath and the blogging of more bella sessions can continue - such as this one of this lovely, and a little bit sassy J.



and with the hubby's guitar