American Girl and Me Sessions!

I've been thinking here lately how cool it is that my 5th grader has been so into these dolls for the last 4 years and love how special they are to them. So in honor of my Madi and Lil, Miss. Brierly and her recent session, I am going to do a weekend special in January.

I will have special deals, such as 1/2 off session fees prepaid) with the packages starting at $50. There will be a minimum order on these sessions of the base package.
You can even get a gift card for Christmas for their very own American Girl and Me photo session!

Dates for the special are January 4th and 5th, times will start at 9:00, you can bring them dressed the same, in pj's just alike, if I know you are wanting an outdoor session with the coats and feel of Chicago we might go up by Touch and Bath Junkie, it has an awesome feel.

Remember I'll only have so many spots for this, if the response is great enough I might open another day.

Talk to you soon!

New family session...

This session made me miss my kids at that age, talk about a heart melter...who knew a 2 yr old could talk that "ARTICULATE"! I promise Kathryn and Craig I'll upload your session as soon as I can!

Oh Man....Has it been 2 months!!!!

Ok...new goal...try to at least type on here once a week. I've been so busy with sessions I haven't had time to update. I promise I'll "TRY" to do better!!!

1st note....NEW WEBSITE!

Hope you are enjoying it, I've got a lot more to do to it but wanted to at least get it up and going. I will be posting specials and letting everyone know about upcoming things.

2nd note....Discovery Center's Fundraiser is next week. I will be having a $600 gift certificate in the auction if anyone is interested. It goes to a great cause, and if you're there find me and say hi!

3rd thingy...I know I type just as screwy as I talk! LOL! That way at least you can hear my voice when you read. I will be having a buy one get one gift certificates during the 2nd week in December so be watching for all the details. It's a great stocking stuffer for your friends and family, in fact put a bug in my ear and I can let your loved ones know you want one!

Ok now back to trying to post some of these new sessions from lately. They are all awesome, it's going to be hard to not post all of them!

Gretch

Oh...if you can let me know how you like the layout and feel of the new space!

1 week Christmas Card SALE!!!!!!

How many of you are like me and put off planning ahead for your cards? I know I am usually doing mine at the very last minute. As a way to say thanks for all of those that plan ahead I will be doing a 1/2 off creation design fee for the cards. It's normally $25-$50 for the fee but you all deserve a little help for me this year, that is if your a planner!!!!!!! Date for this sale will be Oct 7-13, just call or email me during that time and tell me what your plans are and we'll get that discount logged in for you. You will have to go ahead and prepay at that time for the balance of the creation design fee but that leaves more $$$$$ later for those cards!!!!

This year they are sooooo neat, you name it flat, double sided, something on all 4 sides, fancy paper, linen paper, water color paper.......soooooooo many choices!

Just call me "GRACE"! Ooops....

Well I just got back from convention where I placed 3rd on my senior girl and merited on 2 others!!! Yeah me! Only 19 prints out of 96 got a merit and yours truly walked away with 2 of those. Oh that's not the only thing I brought back! How about a foot that they can't tell if it's broke or not! Kind of like the show must go on, I asked for a shoe or something I can work in, Horrible timing but I will NOT stop working. People to see, Things to do! Ok you all know me to well, it's really my personality, I'D DIE IF I SET STILL TO LONG!!!!! Wish I had a good story to tell of how it happened but in truth I just fell off a curb, asked for a bandage for the toenail that I took off part of and kept going. Until the next day when I couldn't walk. My shoe is at least black so it'll match almost ANYTHING! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh my....who knew that going back to school would open the flood gates! I've got plenty of openings for fall family pics but get scheduled soon, that phone is ringing NON-STOP this year!!! Thanks for all the referrals guys. I know that you're giving them since I don't advertise, your word of mouth about me is soooooo exciting. I'm keeping track.

Ideas for fall and winter...I have decided to offer a special the first part of October for pre-purchase Christmas Cards and a Buy One Get One of Gift Certificates (Great Gifts....hint hint!! LOL!) These will be for a couple of days only when they go up. I had quite a few takers on the 1/2 off sessions so don't miss out on this special, it adds up.

I'll talk to you all soon, back to order your prints, and get those sessions ready to view!

Fall Family Session Sale

OK........drum roll!!!!! We are running a 1 week only sale good thru September 1st!
If you book your fall session this week you will get 1/2 off the session fee. Kicker...you must mention where you saw this. You can tell anyone you want about it, just remember to have them tell me they saw it here! Ready set BOOK!

If you happen to have a coupon for a free session, you can opt out for a free 5x7 of your choice from your next session with purchase.

Talk to you all soon! Remember appointments go fast, especially those Saturdays!

Thinking of a back-to-school sale...hmmmm!

Not sure what I'm going to sell yet just feel like getting creative, watch next week to be sure you get the discount!!!!! Hmmmmmm.....wonder what I'll come up with!

Dowdy Girls

Oh my night and day difference....each as beautiful in their own way. Talk about the personalities...They split their buddy session over 2 days and we had a ball! Loved that they did different hairstyles over the 2 days. I hope these images give you an idea of the diversity between these sisters. Enjoy Girls! I can't wait for you to see the other images, all 175+ of them!!!!!

Three of my favorite senior sisters!

Meet Erin, Taryn, and Sara. I am so fortunate to have taken Sara's senior session and now I get to take Erin and Taryn's this year also! Things are a little crazy at their house, college, senior year, boyfriends, moving....you name it it's going on. So today we did a session with the three girls to celebrate being sisters. You can tell their relationship with each other is a bond that can't be messed with. Thank you girls for allowing me the chance to celebrate your friendship/relationship today! Sara safe trip to Colorado!!!! Girls I'll see you at the dances!!!!

Oh and sorry girls I called Cingular and they don't need anyone for the new "Raising the Bar" commercial! LOL!!!!!

The Lacey Gang

I recently spent an early morning at the park with these 3 adorable toe~heads. It was perfect, the sun was out, they were wide awake, their parents and I were wide awake. LOL! They were troopers, and we just ran all over Phelps Grove Park. Their daddy even made it out for a couple of shots that day. Here are a couple from the session that just grabbed me.

Never imagined I'd be doing so many 7-7:30 a.m. sessions this summer, but this heat!

People who make a difference in my life!

We all have one, maybe two people who make a difference in our lives or someone who has helped make you who you are today. Let me introduce 4 of the 7 people that I could not have made my business without. They are my peers, mentors, best friends, confidants, some would say competition, but I truly feel blessed to have them in my life. Back row is myself, Pat Owens, Elise Ellis, front row is Martha Dameron and Christy Blehm. We are missing at least 3 others that are usually with us, Kenna Bartz, Brandon Hedgpeth, and Kirsten Twigg. We have been friends for years and continue to learn and grow from one another. Thanks for always being my towers of strength in my family life and business life. I'd also like to thank Gwen Prichard and Angela Deville whom I've only known for a year but it feels like a lifetime!!!

Josie

Josie, you had the best attitude! I had the pleasure of being in on a Mothers Day surprise with her a couple of months ago and then got to do her Sr. Creation Session this past week. She was so comfortable to work with and had and easy going attitude the whole session. We even got to play with her friends during her session. Here's a couple of my favorites, they reflect her personality so well!

Alana, Ashley, and Troy

Oh my these 3 little cuties were great from the get go, and when they left I even got hugs and kisses!!!!!! Their mom had come to me wanting to capture who they are right now, the tutu's and toe shot was something that just happened when the girls saw them. I had to just turn them loose and this is one of those moments of them in the act. Troy and his toes, I just loved this abstract shot, his eyes are on nothing but those little piggies!

My first "REAL" client ever!

I've learned that there are some people who just trust you unconditionally in your talent. Lorna was probably my very first client who had not met me previously, flash forward 7 years and here we are with an addition of 2 little sisters! Lorna you have no idea how much I appreciate you and your belief in me when I started. Your family is still just as beautiful as it was then, only more people. Thank you!!!!!!!

NEW BLOG SPECIAL

In celebration and in honor of me being so pumped up about custom in home sessions I'm offering a limited amount of these at half off. Special will only be for sessions in the month of September. Book now as these will go fast. Call us at 417-889-0994.

Sturtevant Family

Let me paint this picture, 3 girls in home, all are very strong individual girls, each beautiful in their own way. Can you imagine the fear that must go thru Daddy at the thought of them each eventually dating! LOL! Good thing the baby is going to be a boy! This family has become some of my closest friends, I am so fortunate to have had them come into my life. I might also add they are all so easy to photograph! Sherri, I miss you girl. Time for us to catch up soon, very soon!

Meet Chandler, Olivia, and Tyler

I have to admit that this family are some of my favorite people to photograph. Their mom has always allowed me total artistic control and we have captured some of the most awesome natural moments in my history in the business. These 3 little ones personalities are as different as night and day. Not to mention the looks Olivia can give me, love her dimple! Chandler, you always look like so grown up. Tyler you are still my buddy, seriously he can give some of the best hugs! Their custom in home session was the perfect backdrop for each of their personalities, not to mention the amazing layout we got for the coffee table book for their mom!

Meet more of my Seniors!

This is Kiersten, talk about a girl whose inner soul will just reach out and grab you. She had the most amazing eyes! I expect to see great things out of her, things that will change the world!

The Photographer's Kids!

You know those moments as parents where you freak out right before your creation session, everything flashes through your brain from...
Do your socks match, don't drop anything on that shirt, you are going to smile if it kills you, don't touch your sister....LOL!!! Ok, seriously not all that but if we are taking the time to capture our families moments we "WANT" them perfect. I can handle any child but my own without stress, flash forward to my recent family pictures...
We are on the beach, the wind is 15+ mph, the last session of the trip is my own, West has his resort band on his arm and says..."don't worry mom I took care of my arm in the picture". I should have known to be worried, but NOOOOO, I wait until home to look close at the images of our family. He has tucked his arm into his shirt, it's completely MISSING from his body. I laughed so hard I cried, needless to say that will be getting enlarged just so I can enjoy that moment of innocence when they think they did something big. Just had to share that even us photographers have impaired "posed" family photos in our albums.

Meet Lucy!

Lucy is one of my reps for 2008 Seniors. She was incredible to work with and would do anything I wanted to try. It was so much fun to just cut loose and see what we ended up with. Here are a couple from her session. Lucy I can't wait to see if you qualify for that album!!!

Destination Family Sessions!

Life has never been sweeter! I've had the pleasure of photographing some amazing families on Santa Rosa Island, Pensacola Beach, FL. The Portofino Island Resort was the perfect backdrop for some amazing photo ops! No matter whether we took candids or the posed images you just couldn't go wrong!!!!!

There were a total of 10 families in all and they all had sessions right there where we were staying at the resort. The beach was perfect, it was private and the dunes were built back up even better...there were hardly any people around, PERFECT!!!!!

I am seriously thinking that I might just have to offer this annually, this was the 2nd year for doing something like this. What is really neat is some of the families have been on both so it is really neat to look back and see how the kids have really grown!

Here are a couple of my favorites!







Brynn and Katie are a couple of sisters I met for the first time while on the trip, both their mom and Isabelle's mom let me have the pleasure of capturing moments while on the beach. They are going to be breathtaking young women before you know it! Look out momma's!

Isabelle, what a vibrant 2 year old! Those eyes and that grin had me the minute I saw her. I had the pleasure of working with her the day before I left at her home and on the trip. I'd have to say that little one was so much fun to watch on the beach!

Last but not least are a few shots of some of the kids from the group we traveled with. Wow, we had 18 kids just in the one group alone. The kicker is that, only 4 of them were GIRLS!!!! Sydney is the blond with the blue eyes that just shine. The brother and sister are Reid and Rachael, they live in Clinton and are one of my closest friends children. It's so neat to see them growing up.

August Senior Special

Bring a Buddy for Free!!!!!

If you schedule a session with you friend during the month of August you will get your session for 1/2 price. The fee is normally $100 per person, for this month only you will both only pay $50. They will need to be done at the same time, however you will receive unique sessions that will reflect who you are at the same time.

For more information just give the studio a call.
417-889-0994

What's Happening!

Hi there all! Things are going crazy here...been traveling the country, attending schools, get togethers with other photographers for mini training weekends. It's absolutely amazing what I can cram into this little brain of mine!!!!!

I have currently been working on my Senior Rep images for the 07-08 year. They are amazing!
I think we have Central, Greenwood, Ozark, Kicakpoo, Marshfield, and Nixa all represented this year. These kids have been so good to work with. I'm anxious to see who'll get that custom album at the end of the year. I'd love to see them all qualify.

I recently just got back from Florida where I was busy on family vacation as well as a working trip. The scenery was so gorgeous, the families were great to work with. All the images captured little moments here and there. It went so great I think I will start a destination plan every year. If you are interested let me know! This year was Santa Rosa Island, FL, in the past I've done Savannah, GA as well as Destin, FL.

More to come later, just trying to catch up on breathing and sleep!

Bye All!