candice mclean

little brother - marshall

a quick sneak peek of little brother - marshall. 3 months old here. such a sweetie.

ryukyuan dance - taste of asia

traditional ryukyuan dance. february 12, 2011 taste of asia.

taste of asia - embrace the blur

embrace the blur. embrace imperfection. sometimes... it just works.

photo taken at taste of asia. february 12, 2011.

sakura + dreamy family

shannon and her family were amazing. it was freezing cold and all out windy but that didn't stop us. we did jumping jacks and played hula hoop to keep us warm. and ran in and out of her home between takes. so much fun!

 

1100 square feet

living without a studio. in every home we've lived, i've had some sort of studio - a space where i can create. this is the first time that i don't have my own creative space; and i have to say, it's been really challenging. i do have a little corner in our bedroom designated for my computer, printers and scanner. i've stashed a few bins full of paints, fabric and paper here and there under our bed and in closets. when i want to create, it's a chore. everything is dragged into the dining room area where i work on our dining table. i've always been one to straighten up while creating, but i like to leave things out especially if it's a work in progress. with a family of six, leaving my creativity on the dining table is not an option. our dining table is also our homework station, our gathering table for dinners and family time like family game night and family meetings. our dining table is an ever evolving working space in our home.

examining our space. lately, i have spent time in each room looking and examining and asking myself, how can i better use our space? we currently reside in 1100 sq ft. yes. two adults. 4 kiddos. and 2 dogs. it's a quaint and cozy home. smile. that sounds better than our home is small. though our home is small, it is efficient. it meets our needs and we are well organized.

organized home = happy home. i love to gather and organize. i find myself rearranging closets and drawers often. i'm a huge fan of baskets and unique containers to house various objects. it's fun to find different ways to repurpose stuff... for instance, i collect vintage suitcases. in this home, i'm using my suitcases to store my children's papers and artwork they bring home from school. my vintage cases are the perfect containers to store such things, and they look fab in my little hallway.

a space to create. the fact is, i need a space to create. so where? i've decided on our laundry room. at first i was totally against this idea... originally chip's idea; but after sitting in each room, i came to the conclusion that the laundry room it will be. i will have a very limited working space but none the less a space that i can designate for my creative play. one good thing... it has great light. bizarre but the laundry room has the best light in the house. and, i remind myself every day - we are here for the adventure, the experience, the journey... not the house. 

i look just like marni!

so recently we watched you again and it was truly a great movie. i loved it. funny and cute + i heart betty white, jamie lee curtis and kristen bell. i loved the message. my girls loved it too. fast forward to this afternoon. edit... yesterday afternoon. i'm a day late in posting.

i hear the front door madly swing open and pounding footsteps run through the hallway. SLAM. a door has shut with great vigor. little cries are being drowned by what sounds like someone screaming into a pillow. up from the computer i jump to investigate. behind the door, i can hear carys crying. i go in and try to peel her from the covers she's buried herself under. without looking at me, carys cries... i'm so stupid mom! and then i see little jags in her hair. yes, she cut herself some bangs. they're not too bad i think. another gasp for air and then comes out... she made me do it mom. i smile and ask oh really? and her reply... well she cut her hair and told me i should cut mine too. and now look! eyes wide and she's pointing at her new bangs. i hide the little frustration i feel and smother the smile too. finally i am able to wrap my arms around my little carys. she squeezes me so hard and her little face in now huddled into my neck. i can feel her wet tears. my poor girl. off to the bathroom i whisk her (where i hide the scissors for hair cutting). she looks into the mirror, grabs her face with both hands and blurts out... i look just like marni! with no more restraint, i chuckle a bit and instantly receive a little glare. i reassure her that all will be good. let mama fix it... i say. i snip a little here and there to even out the asymmetrical cuts and voila my girl has beautiful bangs. i don't have a before photo. no time and she would have had a fit so i didn't bother. however, here is my little carys sporting her new bangs.

anna + matty

here are a few more images from anna & matty's portrait session.

anna's brother... matty

little matty. mom wanted a two year portrait of her little guy, and i'm thrilled that she called upon me. i loved every moment of photographing matty and anna. sweet sweet family.

it was so funny. mom sat matty on the steps and he just lit up with his big smile. and i just love, love, love his little squinch. shoulders up, face smiling and hands together. adorable.

here's matty.

beautiful anna

a few reasons why i love photographing children... they remind me to keep it simple. to relax. to enjoy life just as it is. to relish the littlest things.

anna. i love her eyes. they are a deep gorgeous hazel color and they capture the light oh so well. she is the sweetest and most carefree little girl. i actually photographed her little brother too. she was so patient with him... little matty. more peeks to follow. but for now... here's anna.

color inspiration

i picked up a few magazines yesterday for some light reading and inspiration. the february editions are filled with color. spring is in the air!

color in your home. the february better homes & garden magazine is all about color - color made easy. bh&g has an online tool to help you choose color for a room - color a room. cool!

what are some of your favorite color combinations for your home? in my home, i tend to go with earth tones - warm golds, browns with hints of warm reds, terra cotta orange and sage & lettuce greens. here are a few current examples of great color and design for your home.

these are amazing printed accent pillows.

here's a more muted color palette, but i'm totally digging the wall treatment. sweet. can you say modge podge? photo from pottery barn catalog.

color in fashion. i'm mad about color combinations right now. like plums paired with golds, fresh pinks paired with lettuce greens, muted oranges with hints of turquoise. yum. check this out for fashion color trends for spring 2011. and... here are a few things i spotted online that caught my eye.

love this vintage 50s circle skirt paired with the pink top. delicious!

vintage resort dress. yes that's a lot of color but paired together well... it looks fab.

orange and turquoise collaboration. love marc jacobs.

from ruche... love love love this green sweater. from the holiday collection but perfect for a chilly spring evening.

paper products. i *heart* letterpress. wish i had the chance to attend a letterpress workshop. if you live in the los angeles area... here you go.

loving these notecards.