Baby Cullen

Baby Cullen’s arrival date was said to be August 4, 2012. Friends and family of the expecting parents were invited to baby shower…

We met up at the community center in Buena Vista, GA. The venue was decorated super cute! It was a cute jungle theme. They served lasagna for the meal and I must admit it probably was the tastiest lasagna that I have eaten in a good while. The guest played many games and then gifts were presented and opened. I bet that is gonna be one of the best dressed babes around. Those little outfits were simply adorable.

Welcome to the world Baby Cullen and Congratulations to Timothy and Elizabeth!!!!

Janice & Tony

Janice called me one day after someone referred me to her. We hit it off right off the bat! We friended each other on Facebook were she listed her workplace. One day, I was at the local thrift store and I seen this lady that had a shirt on that had the logo of Janice’s workplace on it and also her name was on it. I introduced myself to her and sure enough it was my client. I still hadn’t met her fiancé at that point either. On another day I was putting gas in my truck and I heard someone holler and it was her.  She hollered at me and also introduced me to her fiancé.

The day of the wedding I got there early to photograph her and the rest of her crew getting the ball rolling for the awesome wedding that was fixin’ to take place. The church was beautiful …REALLY! Simple but elegant.

I photographed Janice getting ready…she is gorgeous to begin with BUT once she got her makeup on and her dress…OMG she was a princess! STUNNING!!!!!!!!!

The wedding went great…the church was packed…so packed that people were actually standing in the back due to all the seats being taken.

After the wedding we took a BIG group photo and then headed to the Josh Gibson Center for the reception. I have photographed quite a few events at this venue. I can honestly say I have never seen this room look as spectacular as it did this day. The colors were gorgeous…chocolate browns and green. 

The food was yummy…the guests ate…they danced and had a good ol’ time.

Janice started out as client but I can say now she is a friend…I am glad that I met her! She has been in my prayers A LOT here lately. About a week after this gorgeous bride and her husband were married, she had a stroke. She spent a good minute in the hospital and went through physical therapy! She lost function of her left side BUT she was able to still talk. I know that she has a long road of recovery in her future…I know she is a strong lady and she will overcome this. Janice I love ya!

Congratulations Janice and Tony…I wish you a long and happy marriage!!!!!!!

Megan

My daughter Megan, lives in New Jersey during the school year. I do not get that many photos of her. I see her cell phone photos she posts on Facebook which is cool BUT I do like my own photos of her.

While she was here for the summer I took her to the Coca Cola Science Center in Columbus Ga. We had a good time. Afterwards, she and I walked over to the railroad tracks not far from there. I needed to take photos of her and this was a cool place. There was gazebo there too, I got a few shots there. I didn’t feel these were really what I was wanting.

I am so not familiar with downtown Columbus…so on the way out from the science center we came upon a cobblestone road in the historic district. I told Megan that we would drive down it and I thought that would be a cool spot to do photos. There was very little traffic (none) on the road, so we go out and I had her sit down in the middle of the road.  the road had islands that divide up each direction of traffic flow. I had my back to where I couldn’t see cars coming up toward us. I told Megan to jump up and let me know if she saw a car approaching. That little brat didn’t and next thing I knew there was a police car right there. The officer politely tells me “you  know you can’t take pictures here!”  I start apologizing and explaining I had no clue since I didn’t live in that town and had never been in that area before….He then got a big grin on his face and started laughing…he told me he was just kidding and he was just trying to have some fun while he worked. I thought I was gonna die…Megan thought it was so flippin’ funny!!!! We got a good laugh about it…our day was full of laughs…her fave was when she was a tow truck that said “Happy Hookers Towing”! I got some cool shots of my beautiful daughter that day!

Megan…I love you to the moon and back! You are an awesome young lady and remind me of me at your age. We may not look a lot alike but you got a lot of my demeanor, artistic ability, and personality! Do not ever let anyone push you into being something you don’t want…if they can’t accept you and your individuality then you don’t need them in your life!

Voice Mail...

To my family, friends, clients, and potential clients…Yes, I know that my mailbox is full…there is a perfectly good reason for that in my head…and it’s the reason I don’t have my number changed to a local Georgia number, too.

I honestly think that having voice mail on my phone is pointless…

I am one of those that really dislike having to leave a voice message on anyone’s phone…so I don’t expect others to leave me a voice message.

My dad passed away a little over 4 years ago…I still have messages in my inbox from him. It’s really nice hearing his voice from time to time.  I only listen to my messages once in a while because I am afraid of accidentally erasing his voice…I listen when I need that pick me up, when I don’t feel loved or I am really missing him!

My favorite message my dad left is "Hey Babydoll...I love you!"

I do know that kinda sounds nutty…but how many people can say they get to listen to an angel in heaven’s voice?? I can…and his voice is a reminder of the good and bad that we shared…his voice is a reminder that through all I have been through...I am still here on Earth accomplishing all that my God has and is throwing my way.

Oh and if I change my number to a local Georgia number I lose my existing voicemail box and I lose my dad’s voice. I am not ready for that …

I know it’s quirky BUT it’s one of my quirks and that makes me who I am.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

Dr. Seuss US author & illustrator (1904 - 1991)

Another Cake by Lisa Marie

My good friend Lisa called me and asked me to photograph another cake. She had made this one for a little girl, named Sophia. Sophia was turning a year old. The theme of this cake was based on the little girl’s room…the same color there was even a window with curtains that had the same print as the little girls curtains<- ---these little curtains had cute little flowers  handpainted on fondont. There was an owl on top, trees and cherry blossoms! It was astonishing!!!!

Lisa works a full time job and has a family too…she finds time in her busy schedule to do these amazing cakes…she is pretty much self taught but the one thing that no one can ever teach is how to put love into the art of it. Seeing Lisa’s cakes you can tell there is A LOT of love in each and every one of them.

Happy First Birthday Sophia!!!

{*Janice and Tony*}

Janice called me one day after someone referred me to her. We hit it off right off the bat! We friended each other on Facebook were she listed her workplace. One day, I was at the local thrift store and I seen this lady that had a shirt on that had the logo of Janice’s workplace on it and also her name was on it. I introduced myself to her and sure enough it was my client. I still hadn’t met her fiancé at that point either. On another day I was putting gas in my truck and I heard someone holler and it was her.  She hollered at me and also introduced me to her fiancé.

The day of the wedding I got there early to photograph her and the rest of her crew getting the ball rolling for the awesome wedding that was fixin’ to take place. The church was beautiful …REALLY! Simple but elegant.

I photographed Janice getting ready…she is gorgeous to begin with BUT once she got her makeup on and her dress…OMG she was a princess! STUNNING!!!!!!!!!

The wedding went great…the church was packed…so packed that people were actually standing in the back due to all the seats being taken.

After the wedding we took a BIG group photo and then headed to the Josh Gibson Center for the reception. I have photographed quite a few events at this venue. I can honestly say I have never seen this room look as spectacular as it did this day. The colors were gorgeous…chocolate browns and green. 

The food was yummy…the guests ate…they danced and had a good ol’ time.

Janice started out as client but I can say now she is a friend…I am glad that I met her! She has been in my prayers A LOT here lately. About a week after this gorgeous bride and her husband were married, she had a stroke. She spent a good minute in the hospital and went through physical therapy! She lost function of her left side BUT she was able to still talk. I know that she has a long road of recovery in her future…I know she is a strong lady and she will overcome this. Janice I love ya!

Congratulations Janice and Tony…I wish you a long and happy marriage!!!!!!!

{{Andria & Corris}}

I met this awesome bride-to-be a few months back…she is such an amazing young woman! I could tell when I met her that she is going places in life. She is such a strong black woman and you don’t see that much in people her age anymore. Besides being strong, intelligent, and gorgeous she exudes love to her friends and family…and you can totally tell that her friends and family absolutely adore her too.

I was asked to photograph a bridal shower that was thrown in her and her fiancé’s honor at a local church in Phenix City, Alabama. Ya’ll know that I am super simple and very country and here in my area I have been to the little country churches…the church this shower was held at was OH-MY-GOSH gorgeous. I have never been in a church as big a beautiful as this one. 

Her family had decorated the fellowship hall with handmade decorations and the simplicity of those decorations made them even more pretty…lots of love went into those decorations.  Her mother made her this stacked cake with fresh strawberries and lots of whipped cream. All the food was delicious.

I ended up with some amazing photos…and the best compliment I received was when they asked me to photograph another shower. The next shower for her was at a salon in Columbus, GA. This was a luau theme and also a little more adult then the last. Everyone was asked to where white…all the ladies in attendance looked awesome. There was a vendor there called “Slumber Parties” which sells adult toys and enhancers. Those ladies had a blast!

I took many photos (portrait type) of these lovely ladies since they were all decked out in their white ensembles. Her and her family asked me to photograph the wedding rehearsal back in July. Again, you can see and feel the love in the room. I took many amazing photos that night. I didn’t get the job as wedding photographer since she had one booked way before she met me. I hated that I missed that wedding…I had another wedding to photograph on the same day as hers.

I chose to do her rehearsal photos a little different than all the others I took. I used a Photoshop filter that gives a little more dramatic feel to those photos. I felt that Andria would be getting photos of her wedding that were gorgeous from her photographer and I didn’t want the same type photos only with the people wearing different outfits. Plus after I looked at her rehearsal photos they seemed like snapshots and were kinda boring. I like telling a story when I photograph an event…those didn’t have that feel. Once I edited them with the filter those photos came to life. I think they came out awesome…Here are some of the photos from both showers and the rehearsal.

I would like to wish Andria June and her now husband Corris a long and happy marriage…CONGRATULATIONS!!

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes...

 This morning, my good friend Lisa (~Cakes by Lisa Marie~) posted to Facebook..."This morning i am making Lemon Cupcakes filled with raspberries and a raspberry cream cheese frosting with a lemon slice on top. House smells good!!" 

I liked the post...she then said that she would call me when they were done to try them! Of course, I am game for this...Lisa's cakes are awesome and pretty tasty!!! Sassy said she wanted to be the first to try them...Lisa posted that her hubby took that job (as always)...Sassy said he was mean and that wasn't fair!!! He then said the one Lisa had for Sassy he ate!!! Sassy looked at me when I said that and asked for my car keys!!! OMG my 9 year old was wanting to drive maybe a 1/4 of mile to their house and give him a piece of her mind!! I looked at her and said why not just ride your dirtbike up there and she said she couldn't cause her daddy wasn't here BUT she could ride her bicycle...I was laughing my hiney off cause I was picturing my kiddo in her PJ's riding her bike up the road on a mission!! Whats funnier is my kiddo wears the tops to her PJ's wrong side out and backwards...I have no clue as to why she does this...has since she could dress herself!!!!! And of course she is mismatched!!! On top of that, she looked like Medusa. Well, about the time she was gonna go get her bike out of the shop (she was determined), we heard a car horn!!! It was Lisa...she brought us 2 cupcakes!! OMG these things were simple cute!! They were light and refreshing...Sassy closed her eyes  and I heard "mmmmmm mmmmmm wow...mmmmmmmm these are amazing!!!"  Of course I had to take a photo of our treat...

THANK YOU LISA!!!!!!

~Ryleigh turns 1~

Little Miss Ryleigh turned one...

She is just the sweetest thing...

The whole room was decorated in Dora the Explorer...

From the table decor to the bouncy house...

There was even a person in a Dora costume...

Little Miss Ryleigh had on the cutest outfit...

she looked like a little princess!!!

Tyelor...Class of 2012

Today, I heard a knock on the door...

Standing there was my next door neighbor's kid in his cap and gown...

He asked if I could take a few photos of him for his mother...

We walked out to the front yard...

I snapped a few...

We were out there for like 2 minutes...

Here's what I got...

Tyelor...I am proud of you!!!

I would like to congratulate ALL that are in the graduating CLASS OF 2012...

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.”

~Dr. Suess~

Jessica's cake topper...

Last year, I entered a giveaway for a cake topper and I won. I had planned on using this for when me and my honey get married...I am not sure when that will be. So when Jessica posted a photos of her and her love on Facebook...I KNEW that is what I wanted for the cake topper. Jessica is like a niece to me...her mom and I are first cousin's but have always been as close as sisters. I won't get the joy of being an aunt because my sister has cerebral palsy. Jessica is the closest thing to a niece that I will ever get! This girl is a sweetheart and my youngest daughter wants to be like her so bad.

Anyhow I swiped a photo of Jessica and Heath...and submitted to the vendor that produces the cake toppers...Simply Silhouettes. She posted a photo of the finished product!!! Its gorgeous...simple but elegant! I think it suits her and her theme! 

this is the photo I swiped...

and the finished product!!!

I think its awesome!!!

Thank you Simply Silhouettes!!!

Bridal shower...

I was asked to photograph a bridal shower this past Saturday...I am gonna tell ya I was excited! Even more excited that I didn't feel so nervous that I was sick to my stomach...yes that happens about 97% of the time to me. You would think I would have been that bad nervous Saturday considering I had never met any of the people there and only had talked to one person on the phone and texted her a few times...my phone accidentally called her at 6:00am and I know that had to have freaked her out thinking I was cancelling!  

Anyhow, this bridal shower was for Miss Andria June…OMG she is gorgeous AND sweet! I loved the colors they decorated the church fellowship hall. They went with bold bright colors…handmade flowers in vases adorned the tables and confetti dotted the table clothes.  There were butterflies on the walls. Those round ball lantern things hung from the ceiling and balloons from the chairs. It was simple and refreshing! The bride–to-be’s mother made a strawberry tiered cake, there also was lemon cake and buttermilk pie for dessert. Dinner was served and it included chicken quarters cooked on the grill, slaw, baked beans, bread and lemonade. It was YUMMY!!!! I do not have photos of the food because I normally do not take photos when people are eating...I feel that is rude!

Miss Andria June is very blessed in the family and friends that attended her shower. 

Beautiful Complete...

Beautiful Complete…isn’t that an awesome name for business?  That’s the name of an event planning business here in the county I live in. I had the pleasure of working with this business a few weeks back.  Ms. Renee Glass (the owner) is one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met…I also met her mother and a few other family members. I had previously worked with her brother on a different event last year. I love this family…they got it going on. They make you feel like you are part of their family…that means a lot and makes photographing easier. I don’t know how to say my next few sentences politically correct but here it is in my good ol’ southern way  (so bear with me)….the way they made this white chick feel in a black environment was like we were all the same color. I can say that because I have photographed a few events where I was the minority…seriously! I don’t see color…God made us all the same inside and out! I try and treat people the same no matter what…this family does too!

Ms Renee asked me to come out to the Josh Gibson Center in Buena Vista, Georgia and photograph her gorgeous decorations. She was coordinating a 50^th birthday party. Everything was so simple but elegant at the same time…she had pink and lime green table cloths with white chair covers!! These are two of my favorite colors…I had never seen a money tree til that day and that is such a cool idea…who would have thought that to put something out for guest to pin money to if they didn’t bring a gift…that was way cool!!!

Here are some of my photos from before that party…

Private Property

I am not one that likes to roam through the woods...especially by myself.

One day, I headed over to Mawmaw's house to dry some laundry...my dryer caught on fire and financially I cannot afford another right this moment. I took my camera and decided to take some nature type photos...I just wasn't feeling it though. It was super hot and kinda muggy...and it was in the brightest part of the day. Too much sun in photos to me is icky! I headed out anyway and really wasn't sure where to go...I had no clue where Mawmaw's property went. I'd say about a hundred feet from her house is the property line...I kinda figured that since every 3-4 trees had a private property sign. I trespassed on her neighbors land. I figured that I would use the signs kinda like what Hansel and Gretel intended with the crumbs they left behind them. I got about 30 minutes (walking time) from Mawmaw's house...I was doing good with all the bugs everywhere...those that know me know I do not like bugs...PERIOD! I got used to the grasshoppers...at least you can feel them when they jump on ya. What you gotta watch out for are the butterflies...SERIOUSLY! They sneak up on ya. I have never had one land on me til that day...I had one land on my shoulder. I caught a glimpse out the corner of my eye and instantly my brain thought horror movie. I thought someone was fixin' to grab me. I ran like the wind...I got about half way back to Mawmaw's house when reality set in there was no one after me except my imagination...

I did take some photos that day…nothing really  interesting…just the private property signs in the trees…and a dogwood!

Confederate Cemetery in GA

A while back, my neighbors went out for a motorcycle ride through the county we live in. They happened upon this quaint little cemetery out in the middle of nowhere...they posted a few cell phone photos! I fell in love with this place...I am sure there are more out there somewhere BUT this is the first time I had ever seen one dedicated to the Civil War...

Before I go any farther in this post...I want to say I am NOT a racist! I do NOT condone anything that is racist. This is history and my heritage. If certain events would not have taken in the past then I would not be here today...as well as many other fellow Americans. I am from the south...as is most of my family! My belief is that its heritage NOT hate! 

I, my daughter and my Honey took a ride out to see it...I made sure I took my camera...

This little piece of history was so cool to see...it made the things I learned in school real! 

It sits back off the road...we passed right by it! We turned around and seen a small section of the sign that tells that the Sons of Confederate Veteran's maintain this cemetery. This little plot of land is in desperate need of attention...it has been neglected but that neglect adds charm. The gate that is at the entrance of the cemetery is down and the fencing around the property is need of fixing. There was poison oak growing and those spiky ball thingies that fall from trees all over the place that make it hard to walk...it’s like walking on marbles if you where regular shoes...dummy me wore flip flops (the glass slipper of the south) and those things hurt. 

The headstones were made by hand out of the heart of pine...the person that made those headstones also carved initials and dates on each one. These graves are dated in the mid 1800's...and just think my kiddo (whom was born in 2002) thinks that people born in the 1900's are old...this is what she told me one day when she asked what year I was born in and my reply was 1972! 

I thought I would share the photos of this piece of history...

AMAZING cakes....

I have a really good friend that is a baker/cake decorator in her spare time (Cakes by Lisa Marie)...she is pretty much self-taught! OMG her cakes look amazing and taste great too! A few weeks ago, I took some photos of one of her cakes...the theme for it was YO GABBA GABBA...this cake was just too cute and I am sure the recipient of that cake was tickled! Today, she called me and asked if I can come over and photograph the newest creation...she said she feels this is her best work so far...I have to agree this cake was AMAZING!!!!

UGA Bulldog

 Yo Gabba Gabba

Aren't these AMAZING?????????????

Buzzards

I have this fascination with buzzards...kinda strange huh??
Prob even stranger that I know some useless facts about them too?
Georgia has a few nicknames and "The Buzzard State" is one...
They roost in large numbers<---there are usually hundreds in the trees behind my house!
A group of buzzards is called a "Venue". 
Buzzards circling in the air are a "Kettle". <-----just cause they are circling does not mean there is a dead animal close by...sometimes they are just looking for food or playing!
I am determined to save enough cash to buy a good zoom lens for my camera...so I can get some cool photos of them. 

So until then, I will enjoy the photos that I have recently taken...

If I were reincarnated, I'd want to come back a buzzard. Nothing hates him or envies him or wants him or needs him. He is never bothered or in danger, and he can eat anything.
William Faulkner

A day with the horses...

My friend, Lisa from "Cakes by Lisa Marie" called and wanted Sassy to come and get on the horses. Sassy was super excited!! We head out and go to the farm where Lisa keeps her horses...Sassy and Lisa's grandson had a blast until one horse still in the pen started jumping....which caused Lisa's grandson's ride to buck which made the horse Sassy was on buck too...
Sassy got bucked right off...she was fine! Cried for a couple minutes...it knocked the breath slap out of her. It scared the pee pee out of the grown-ups!! Sammi is ready to go again and Ms. Lisa told her soon as it's spring. Sassy has been asking "how much longer til Spring?" She is so ready to go and learn more about the horses!
I got some cute photos of Lisa's grandson and a couple of Sassy!!!

Sassy and her date...

So my girl, Sassy, went on her first "date" last month...the kiddos went to the Prince and Princess Ball! They looked so cute but in my head all I could see was my girl going to her senior prom...I was having that insurance commercial run through my head that has the teenagers in a car but they still looked like 5 yr olds in their parents eyes...and the dad is saying to not text and not this and that!!! I had the opposite reaction! I was seeing my kiddo grow up right in front of my eyes....any how here is the photos!!!