4th of July Nails

The finishing touch to any look

is well-manicured nails

especially if u use your hands a lot for things like 

shaking hands

exchanging money

holding things with your hands when 

taking pics for your Instagram account

or holding a camera in someone's face

for over an hour

click!

Anyway, I recently stopped going to the nail salon

to get my hands done. Acrylic and lacquer

have been part of my routine for more than 10 years. 

Do u know how much money that is?!

Then I realized about 7 weeks ago that I can 

do my nails myself. I used to have a bad 

nail-biting habit, but suddenly noticed

I don't have that habit anymore!!!

I love that my nails are long and strong and mine!

No more acrylic!

This is kind of thrilling because now I don't

have to rely on the colors that the nail salon carries

and whatever color I DO choose will become

part of a personal inventory that I can use again and again

:)

 Do-it-myself nails has become my newest obsession

Exhibit A: 

I did my own 4th of July nails! 

I never got patriotic with my hands at the salon

so I'm not sure why I'm doing this now - 

I might be high off of nail polish!

Here's my first attempt as well as

a few other good Independence Day designs

from around the web

1. My 1st attempt doing stripes using this technique
It worked okay but the tape started peeling a little

2. My 2nd attempt went much better 
using this technique - so much easier and fun doing it this way!

3. No stripes here but super easy design from Fab Fatale

4. Another really easy design from Gotham Polish
Lots of easy options for beginners like me!

5. A more complicated design but so fun!
See more from Nailside

6. For longer nails - red white and blue striped tips!
I found this style here

7. Stars and stripes
using a stamping technique that I have not yet tried
but perhaps I will soon!
See the how-to for this design on Daily Something

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Family Photography Session - Tempe

Mariah is gonna be a big sister!

And I think she's pretty happy about it :)

Adorable!!!

Photos printed on wood, from Woodsnap!

OMG! I love these!

Photographs printed on wood -

I want one. 

I need one!

They're made by Woodsnap

I love how the wood grain looks

with these images - so fun!

You can even do your own art work - neat!

The only question I have now is...

which image will I be printing?!

:) 

Under the stars - Unique Bride and Groom - Photography

Check out this amazing

(and hardly edited!) shot by 

Australian photographer Andrew Tallon.

This dreamy pic was featured on Huffington Post, originally posted on Reddit  

How to edit a natural light photograph

Shooting in natural light can bring out 

some amazing photos, but it can also be tricky

I love this backlighting tutorial from Lidia Boicu

(Oh So Posh Photography)

Originally posted on Rock the Shot - find the full tutorial here. 

How to become a photographer

So you have decided that you want to become a photographer. 
Now what? How do you get to a place where 
you can do what you love and get paid to do it?
Everyone has a different path
and I learned a lot while finding mine. 
I didn't go to school for this and hit some
bumps here and there but I am finally
doing what I love full-time and earning a living doing it.
Here are some tips that I learned along the way...

Father's Day Cake Ideas

1. Ok, this is not a cake but mustache cupcakes

are just too cute.. add sprinkles if he's an extra sweet dad!

See this idea on Punchbowl

2. A hamburger cake for your beef lover - 

I'll definitely be trying this one!

Find the how-to at Cupcakes for party

3. The no-bake cake every beer drinker will appreciate!

Use a special brew to make it fancy schmancy

This idea spotted on Pinterest

4. For the grill master who loves his steak!

This fun idea was also found on Pinterest 

You can even wrap it in saran wrap like a real steak 

as seen on Jan Norris: Food and Florida

5. Zombie cake! Need I say more? 

Get a closer look at Cake Central

6. For the pool shark! 

See more at Cakes by Melinda Joy

I know I will be trying a few of these, 
now to decide just which ones!

Family Session - La Vida Bonita

It seemed like just the other day

I was posting maternity pics of Vida's mama

and daddy... they were still awaiting her arrival.

Now she's a plump and precious 9 month old -

time flies! But here she is, one lucky little girl 

to have so much love around her

 

Little sister, big sister

Daddy's girl

little sunshine

Gorgeous!

Thank you Lori and Roman

:)

Photo Creative - Photographer Sarah K. Byrnes

a little wild & a little woodsy

I love these double exposures by polish 

photographer Sarah Byrnes

See more: http://sarakbyrne.tumblr.com/

Family Session - Back at the ranch, Aravaipa

The San Pedro river keeps things much cooler 

at the Arbizo ranch than here in the pavement covered city

They also have chickens and horses and I bet 

a night sky filled with a million stars 

I think I need a ranch.

Until I get one of my own though, I'll have to settle for 

glimpses of country life when doing pictures for this posse - 

and I don't mind at all :) 

Handsome brothers

Tough little cookie of a cowgirl

Beautiful!

The kids must have so much fun growing up here

:)

Thank you Regina & J.R. for inviting me out

again for your family pictures!

Five Do-it-yourself Father's Day Photo Gift Ideas

1. Balloons with pics - he can wake up to this! Fun!

See more on The Old Fashioned Blog

2. Bottle cap photo charms - 

perfect for his key chain!

You can do-it-yourself or buy 

custom-made bottle caps and 

other jewelry at Betsy's Drawers on Etsy

3. Letter photo blocks - I love how old pictures are 

used on this one 

What a great way to honor generations!

Find the how-to at Stories by me

4. Deliver a new picture with a special message on the 

frame using Scrabble pieces

This project can be found at Just another day in paradise 

5. Camera frame - for dads who love taking pictures. 
I might need to make this for myself, ha!

Find the tutorial on Alpha Mom

I'm excited to try one of these

Good luck DIYers!