Camera Decor

I've been longing for a camera for so long I can't even think about it anymore. I've been blessed and fortunate to have the use of the best cameras around thanks to Garrett and Matt but, they're not my own. I haven't really been longing, I guess, if I was to be totally honest. Thinking about is more accurate. Thinking about how nice it would be.

It really is fine for the time being though, to not own my own camera, but I saw something today that made me want one right now! I guess their doing their job as a company if out of my seeing their product I actually considered buying one even though I don't own a camera to put it on.

Take a look and tell me you don't want one too!

(click on the photo to see more)

Cathy's Sassy Sauce

I met Cathy a while back through my Ladies Who Launch group here in Marin, CA. She can often be seen in bright bold colors, hot pink is an absolute. She looks you right in the eye when she's talking to you and listens right back. But best of all she IS sassy. No doubt about it.

Her goal from joining Ladies Who Launch was to start a business she had been thinking about for some time. The making and distributing of "Cathy's Sassy Sauce". It's a grilling sauce that you use on ribs and she's been serving it up at the tail gate parties of the 49'r football games for years. This is one of those stories where people have been telling her forever that she should market the sauce. She took their prodding to heart and is on her way.

When I met her, she was in need of a logo/brand and after talking for a bit she hired me to be the designer for the job. One of the first things I told her I had to do, was taste the sauce. I didn't want to start designing for a food product I hadn't sampled. I mean, what did "sassy" really taste like? I had to know.

She dropped off a jar of the sauce which is chunky and a deep rich orange in color filled with spices and butter and yummy things. Matt and I promptly grilled some ribs that night and tasted for ourselves. I wasn't sure how the boys were going to react. They can be picky about "sauce", especially Mason. Miles has a deeper taste range and can eat things on the spicy side but not Mason. So, we grilled and served and this is what I wrote to Cathy that very night:

"We just got done licking every last drop of sauce from our fingers after swirling them around on our plates to make sure that we didn't leave any to be carelessly washed down the drain!
It's delicious. Even the boys, who are about as picky as you can get loved it."

There you have it, the sauce is AMAZING! She's in the throws of production right now. Trying to have a kitchen batch process a sauce is a delicate and difficult process. I was hoping to wait to blog when the jars were labeled and available but I couldn't wait any longer to share the logo design. I just love how it turned out and she's absolutely thrilled.

When developing the logo we started with an apron and grilling tools and over time and conversations to get a feel for who Cathy truly is, we landed in a completely different place. I found out that there was the possibility of other food products to be offered which changed my thoughts on the logo. I wanted to allow the logo to be versatile so that we could change the word "sauce" to something else that she might offer. I think it turned out successful. Here's the logo for "Cathy's Sassy Sauce".

37 Years Young

37 years ago a baby was born. New and fresh and a wonder to the hands that held him so tightly. He grew and changed, became a person in the world with desires and tastes and opinions. That boy grew into a young man who happened to cross my path. As we walked along that path it meandered side by side, sometimes close together and sometimes farther apart but always parallel. Now that path has become a helix strand of it's own unique DNA. It intertwines and follows itself around and around and around.

Matt, I am fascinated by you. By watching you just be, who you are. You are kind and loving, respectful and humorous. YOU, are the whole package. I know it, my family knows it, my friends know it. It's almost as if you twinkle. That there is a light inside of you so special and unique that you sparkle. To be the lucky woman who is allowed to experience you each day, to have had two amazing boys with you, to experience this life with you, leaves me awe struck.

When I think about the time we've been together it seems like so much and so little all at the same time. Maybe that's part of the whole Einstein theory about relativity and how time is folded on top of itself. It feels folded when I think about things like my children, my childhood, being with you.

Recently I was inspired by the documentary on Sally Mann. The way she captured the spirit of her children on film. How artistic the images were. Not just photographs but stories that bring you so deep into each one. I wanted to capture our children in that way for you for your birthday. I envisioned taking their pictures individually, without you there, but I should have known. I should have known that of course you would be there. You and I create such beautiful things together that of course you would need to be a part of those photographs. I absolutely love what spontaneously happened last weekend and am grateful to have captured it on film. The love between you and our boys. The love they feel for you and me behind the lens taking the picture. We are all there, together.

Happy birthday my love.

Love Heart One and Love Heart Two

Recently, our close friends Erik and Ericka, asked us if we would have their daughter Amelia over for a couple of days while Ericka had some minor surgery. We absolutely LOVE Amelia so it was an immediate yes to the question. Mason and Miles just about touched the ceiling from jumping up and down for joy. This was to be officially our very first sleep over.

The afternoon and evening were perfect. Everyone got along, played well together and marched up the stairs for bedtime without a hitch. Thank goodness!

In the morning, Mason requested that they have a special treat and asked if they could have breakfast in the boys room. They have a great table set up in there so I thought, why not?! Let's keep them happy! was my main focus, and if eating in a new spot was going to do that, fine by me.

As the day was progressing I had a thought that it would be cool if they made something to remember this time. Something that they could each have and play with that would bring back great memories of a fun time together. I thought about what type of supplies I had to use and then it hit me. I have a whole tub of felt! Tons of it in all sorts of colors and bags of pillow stuffing. The felt was from making letters for names and the stuffing was from the days of clouds hanging in Mason's room when he was a baby. It was perfect.

My mom and I sat down with the three of them and started designing their monsters. They picked out their colors and shape of the body. I pulled out the sewing machine and got to work. Now, mind you, these aren't anything spectacular, and I have friends that make WAY cooler stuffed animals than these, but for a morning with not much to do and the need for a project, it worked out great.

Miles unfortunately wouldn't let me photograph him or his monster. But it looks like a cloud monster with dangling legs. It's name is "Bad Guy" said in a gruff lowered tone of voice really fast. It's hysterical to see him say it. He lowers his chin and gets a scowled look on his face and kind of purses his lips together. Priceless really.

Mason, when asked what the name of his monster was, without hesitation answered Love Heart. There we are with Mason's big heart and huge chunk of goodness just oozing out from his very being. Even his monster has a name filled with love. Amelia followed suit and said her monsters name was "Love Heart Two". That right there pretty much sums up the relationship between Mason and Amelia.

Here are some photo's of the little monsters.......alive and stuffed.

And for those of you who would rather buy a cool stuffed animal/monster instead of make one, here's a link to a friends site filled with creatures just waiting for a new home. Urchin Circus

A Walk On The Beach

Walking on the beach calms me. It always makes me think and reflect on life and the world around me. The ocean, so big, deep mysterious, calling me to walk right to the edge and feel the water brush against my toes. Sometimes it gets me to just run right in and dive through the waves.

I could stay at the beach for hours, and sometimes I do. Just feeling the sand, hopefully warm, beneath my feet, between my toes, pouring through my fingers as I scoop a bunch and watch it fall. There is something so peaceful about being near the ocean and hearing the waves crash against the sand. It's like deep, loud soothing breaths. inhaling as the water is pulled back into the ocean and exhaling as the waves come crashing on the shore.

Peaceful, is the perfect way to describe the images of a new client, Ellen LeRoy Photography. Ellen contacted me a while back about my design services and when I checked out her sight I couldn't wait for her to contact me to design an album. When she did just that a couple of weeks ago, I was eager to get started. I opened her folder of images and the photographs were beautiful. They were of a family of 6 plus 1, the families cocker spanial and all of them were adorable.

She asked me to design the album with most but not all of the photographs she provided and to scatter some quotes that the family had selected throughout the book. I love incorporating text with images! I felt so trusted to be given a document with about a dozen quotes and to have the freedom to select the ones I liked or thought went the best with the photographs.

As it happens most of the time, the book just began designing itself. Highlighting each of the four beautiful daughters on pages of their own, honoring the parents with a spread and a beautiful quote, ending with the family walking away down the coastline. I even gave their sweet dog it's own spread and added a quote that I found that just seemed to fit perfectly.

There was only one round of edits and minor ones at that. Simple, beautiful and yes, peaceful. A day at the beach, beautifully captured by a wonderful photographer. Here are a few of the spreads:

Click the following link if you would like to see the complete layout. Ellen LeRoy Album

He Loves Me

It was an ordinary day. An ordinary Thursday. We woke up and ate breakfast. Got dressed and did morning chores. It was a soccer day for Mason so we headed out to the field in Novato where he learned about defense. Everything seemed just as it always does. Miles and I rooted Mason on from the sidelines and then when it was over, headed home to figure out the rest of the day.

The beach, a walk, stay home..what to do. It was far too beautiful to be indoors so we had a pow-wow to figure it out. Miles voted for the beach and Mason voted to stay home, even though that wasn't an option. So, I did the only thing I could think of and suggested the pool. Two thumbs up and a packed picnic later and we were out the door.

We arrived and sat down on some lawn chairs. Being Thursday in the middle of the day it was pretty empty. We ate and talked and then submerged into the 1 1/2' deep kiddy pool. After spending a good chunk of time in the water, enough for their lips to start turning blue from the wind chill that came every now and again, I decided it was time to take a break and sit in the warm sun for a bit.

We bundled in our towels and sat on our lounges and relaxed. And then, it happened. At first I didn't realize what he said. Miles looked at me and said something with his mouth full of goldfish. I asked him to please wait until he was finished chewing and when he did, he said it. All by himself. Not in response to me for the first time, ever.

He said, "I love you".

Three simple words that melted me into a puddle of water that could have run right into that little 1 1/2' deep kiddy pool. Sigh. My heart was happy.

I wish I had a photo from our day that showed him in his swimsuit with his hair blown from the wind so blonde that I wonder if anyone even thinks he belongs to me. But, I have this one. A little snapshot of the two of us. Happy and in love.

Planning Your Wedding

It seems like just yesterday that I was planning my wedding. Invitations, the location, the all consuming guest list and of course, the dress! So many details to think about and finally decide upon, only to change because I found something better during my late night hours of flipping through magazines and websites.

Organizing all of that information was a task in itself and Yes, I had the BINDER. The big fat binder of tear sheets and print outs and samples. If you had asked me if I was the type of person to have a binder I would have vehemently and adamantly told you N.O.! No way, not me! And yet, there I was with a nice thick binder that I made pretty with ribbons down the spine. Of course.

But, now, the internet is so much bigger than it used to be and people are so much more "green". The internet houses so much more. More websites, more photographs, more information! And the great thing about it is that it isn't wasting a single piece of paper. How nice is that?! You can do everything online from ordering your shoes to your menu to selecting your location and of course choosing your photographer. Not a single scrap of wasted paper. And, in this environmentally conscious world we're living in, not wasting paper can help you sleep just a little bit better at night and when you're wedding planning, every extra wink counts. ;-)

If I were getting married now, today, as opposed to the almost 7 years ago I will have been married this coming August, I'm sure I would be doing things differently. Greener to be exact. But how, how do you find all of those vendors that want to help you plan your wedding in the most earth conscious way? By finding websites like this one:

http://www.thegreenbrideguide.com/






Matt stumbled upon a video of an interview with the founder, Kate Harrison, and thought I should investigate. This could be a way to market the new eco-friendly album I'm producing. An email led to a phone call and now I'm listed on their site!

Check it out. I'm listed in both the "Books" and "Invitations and Stationary" sections of the site along with a ton of other amazing vendors ready with tips and products to help you create the wedding of your dreams while gently impacting the planet.

And just as a little "tid bit" of information, this is from their FAQ's section of their site that I found interesting:

Are conventional weddings really that bad for the environment?

There are 2.5 million weddings a year in the United States, with an average of more than 150 guests each. When you add up all of the stuff that goes into weddings (single-use bleached white dresses, chemically treated imported flowers, toxic makeup and skin care products, mined gem-based jewelry, individual packets of rice, etc.) you see that the environmental impact from these events is enormous.

For example, if every wedding this year used a disposable aisle runner and they were laid end to end, they would circle the globe twice! Similarly, the amount of paper used to make invitations could cover the island of Manhattan. The bottom line is that every green choice makes a difference - no matter how small.

Mother's Day Toast

Yesterday, I toasted to life.

L.I.F.E. with about a thousand exclamation points after it!

It was Mother's Day and I was with my mom and my sister Diana and we indulged in a wonderful brunch at One Pico, a lovely restaurant/hotel right on the beach of Santa Monica.

We spent a leisurely morning at home eating bagels and strawberries and enjoying the fact that it was Mother's Day. I was sad not to be with my boys but had the chance to talk to them on the phone. Hearing the "Happy Mama's Day" from each of them pulled at my heart strings and made me long to be home. But, of all the years and of all the reasons why I wouldn't be with them, this was the year to be right where I was. With my mom.

She looked absolutely beautiful and loved every minute of the afternoon. We ate AMAZING food. Cream of corn soup with crab, shrimp on a bed of greens, fillet mignon, peach cobbler a la mode and blueberry sorbet topped with lemon zest. We drank sparkling water and of course, toasted to life and the years ahead with a glass of champagne.

I never would have thought 6 months ago that I would have been celebrating Mother's Day like that. To find that her cancer is under control and that she has years to live was the best present she could have asked for. It's strange now, at home, without her being her. Today was the first day without Grandma and she is definitely missed.

I am thankful for the time that she was here and for the time that she was able to spend with the boys.

I toast to mom. I toast to my sister, to my mother and sisters-in-law and to Rebecca. I toast to all of the amazing mothers that I am blessed to know and call a friend and I toast to all of the mothers in the world. Each and every one.

I toast to life.

Discovering More of Me

This past weekend was the Discovery Workshop held at the amazing location of Cavallo Point. The workshop was put together by Me Ra and Brian of Me Ra Koh Photography, Garrett Burdick and Rick Chapman. This was not your typical photography workshop but a weekend of discovery. Discovering the Artist Within. It pushed the exploration of the artist behind the camera. Expanding on the concept that "you" as the photographer are in each of your photographs. Understanding more of who you are, only helps to define your images and unique vision.

Matt and I were able to be a part of this wonderful experience in a few different ways. Matt helped out with the production of the workshop over the course of the weekend and we were both asked to teach break-out sessions that happened on Sunday. These were sessions on exploring lighting techniques, the world as your backdrop, post-production organization, branding and the creation of vision/mood boards. Then, later in the day on Sunday, we were one of the "couples" that were photographed by some of the women attending the workshop.

Each participant was asked to create a self portrait to bring as an introduction to themselves to be shared Friday morning. Photography was encouraged but it could have been anything that depicted who you are right at this moment in time. In Rick's words, " There are no parameters, no rules, not even a particular form or medium (though photographic is certainly a strong contender). As long as you can give us some background on why your self portrait represents who you were and where you were at when you made the self portrait, then you've done the assignment. To be specific about the "now" part is the most important detail. This is not a self portrait collage/overview of your life. Its supposed to be a representation of how you feel/see yourself right now, at this specific point in your life timeline, April 2009."

I felt that even though I wasn't attending the workshop I was still a participant and because of that, wanted to complete the assignment myself. Matt and I spent some time Saturday night in our backyard making our self portraits. I'll let mine speak for itself.

The vision/mood board session was the one that I led, and I had such an amazing time working with the women that attended. We had the chance to speak openly about our lives, to share with each other our visions or express the lack of vision for some, while gathering images and words from the magazines that I brought.

I was able to speak about how you can create a board specifically geared toward your business and your brand. How if you're planning on working with a designer, there is pre-work you can do that will help move the process along. By gathering colors you're drawn to, words that describe you and or your business and illustrations that you love, you're providing a road map for a designer to follow. As a designer it can be so difficult to create a logo from nothing so any help you as a client can provide is extremely appreciated. Although there wasn't quite enough time for anyone to complete their boards, the women gathered their images, their words and now just have to go home and put it all together. (I'm hoping that the women will email me photographs of their completed boards!) Here's the one I created. I love the energy that showed up. You can tell how I was feeling being a part of this workshop!

After the break-out sessions and lunch, it was time for some practical workshop time. Time for the women to once again pick up their cameras and photograph. Garrett arranged for a bunch of families and couples to come and be photographed. Matt and I were one of the lucky couples. It was such an incredible couple of hours for the two of us. We were alone, a couple, without the kids. We held hands, we snuggled, we laughed. We walked around allowing the women to do their thing while we got to do ours. It was fun to be on the other side of the camera, thinking about what it feels like to be photographed. To listen to the silence or to the direction and I hope, think, we were able to provide some good feedback to the women for future shoots. Matt and I walked away learning more about being a photographer and what would be helpful for our clients at the end of our lense. A special thanks goes out to the two women who were brave enough to ask if there was any picture we wanted taken of ourselves and didn't flinch when I said pictures of us making out. We found a great corner in front of a doorway and I CAN'T WAIT to see those photographs. Here is one that Rick took just after we had wrapped up the photo sessions.

The rest of the day was spent wrapping up the weekend. The women were asked to write a letter to themselves. One of compassion and understanding. One of encouragement. Me Ra read her letter to share with them part of herself and to help open their hearts and minds so that their letters could be powerful, moving words that they would read in the near future. Me Ra is so open and willing to share herself with the world. It is so inspirational. This is why I think this workshop was so powerful and different. All of the 9 instructors and or helpers put themselves out there on the line. Me Ra, Brian, Rick and Garrett shared themselves completely, from their self portraits to their closing comments. Matt and I, Genie and Jason all helped with the workshop and were photographed alone or as a couple, letting our guards down and letting others in to see more of who we are as people. Lesley, Rick's wife, taught for half on Friday. She transformed her statements from her introduction into an expressive dance, communicating who she is through movement. How amazing to have all of the instructors/helpers of the workshop put themselves so fully out there for everyone to see. It was moving to say the least.

I can't fail to mention how great it was to reconnect with the women that I met at Me Ra's workshop last year in Sonoma. I had been asked to speak a little bit on album design and how to photograph for an album and later that afternoon Matt and I and the boys were photographed by the women so they could practice shooting a family. That was so much fun and I've stayed in touch with a handful of the women that attended. All beautiful, all talented and all have huge hearts. Four of those women there this time and it was great to see them in person!

I have a hope from this weekend. A hope that I do more of this. That I continue to share myself in a way that is authentic and true. That more workshops are organized that I can not only help create but learn from as well.

I'm looking forward to what is in store and for the possibilities that lie ahead. Thank you again to Me Ra, Brian, Garrett and Rick!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A New Addition To The Family

No, we didn't get a dog, or a cat. But, some may actually mistake the newest member of the family for one of those domestic creatures. That is, if it isn't where it's supposed to be, on my mom's head. I only say this in fun and with the visions of this evening still vivid in my mind.

This isn't something to completely joke about or laugh about and I understand that but sometimes it's the best thing to do in a situation. Mom decided that with the hair loss from the cancer treatment something was to be done. First we tried some scarves. I had a few that were actually hers from way back when which was fun to rediscover. Then, we picked out a couple of hats. She looks good in hats which is a great thing. The hats make her look a bit sporty and hip. I like seeing her in them because she already doesn't look her age and with the hats on she looks even younger. Then, the other day, she said she wanted a wig. So that when she left the house, she didn't feel like she was wearing a hat to cover something up. Something to make her feel like a normal person, not a woman who was losing her hair.

Today we went to this great little shop on 4th street, just down the way from Matt's office. He needed to print a couple of things out at the office so he took Mason with him and Miles, my mom and I ventured into the wig store. It was a little shop with LOTS of wigs. Miles didn't quite know what to think. He went right up to one of the large glass cases with heads and hair and started touching them all. Before I could get to him the girl running the shop came and closed the case up tight. No little hands messing up the hair!

There were two barbers chairs in the back in front of mirrors so you could sit and try the wigs on. There was a funny sign that read, "Limit. 5 wigs per customer to try on. After that, $25 fee plus an hourly rate." Interesting. The even more interesting thing was that when I saw my mom trying on a wig, she had picked one out that was completely gray! It turns out she had convinced herself over the past few days that she should just buy a gray wig and be done with it. No more pretending to be a brunette any longer. It was shocking! It was just plain weird! My mother hasn't shown a gray hair in all of her 74 years and all of a sudden, there she was, a gray haired old lady. It just seemed wrong. So, I did the only thing I could think of, I found a wig that was a brunette with attractive highlights for her to try instead. It was crazy what happened next. She put it on with the assistance of the shop keeper and voilå, there was mom. In the hair cut she's been trying to achieve for the past I don't know how many years. It was PERFECT. Just her color and style. The hair is a bit more straight and less frizzy than her natural hair and looked fantastic.

She tried on a couple more just to be sure and then that was that. Of course, I had to find out what it would be like to be a long blonde haired woman. Ah hem, not me. Fun, but not me. ;-)

After buying "the wig" we walked in the light rain the couple of blocks to Matt's office and when he came to open the door, I had to nudge him and ask him what he thought. Because it looked so natural, he didn't even NOTICE!! Woohooo. I think it's safe to say we found the perfect one.

Mason had a little harder time adjusting. He didn't quite understand the "wig" concept and he wasn't there to see her trying them on. So, she promised him that she would take it off to show him when we got home. Not 5 minutes after we walked in the door, I looked up from my desk and Mason was sporting the wig. Oh, my, goodness. THAT was awesome and what came next was even better. The wig became a member of the family and yes, we ALL tried it on.

It was the most fun we've had as a family in I don't know how long. The laughter was loud and the tears were rolling down our faces. I think I may just have to let the pictures speak for themselves. Words can't describe. So, here you go.

Enjoy!

Mom - Update no.3

Have you ever found something out and then just held onto it? Not told a soul. For fear of it really not being true or just to cherish it all by yourself for a bit? That's my mom.

She suffered from migraine head aches for most of her life. From the time she was 16, through her twenties, thirties, forties and into her fifties. They stopped one day after a dream. She had been in therapy looking at her past and present, and then one night had a dream. I can still vividly remember her telling me about it. She was on an escalator riding with her father and her grandfather. She was carrying her grandfathers jacket and her fathers coat. She told them that she couldn't carry them anymore. She had to give them back. So she did, in that dream. She handed each of them back their jacket and coat. When she woke up, for the first day in over 40 years, she didn't have a head ache. She didn't tell anyone, not even my father, for 5 days.

We've been waiting for what feels like forever for the results of her present treatment. The results that we've been waiting for came in. Finally a comparison has been assessed between her initial diagnosis in November and now. How her body is reacting to the treatment. How her stability is with her spine that was pocketed and broken from the cancer.

Those first conversations with the doctors in AZ gave her months to live. We stand her today with a new prognosis. A prognosis of years. The cancer is under control with the Arimidex, a hormone therapy pill that she takes daily. There is no sign of cancer in her lymph nodes and the other areas in her body are being controlled. The Zometa treatments she receives once a month are strengthening her bones and there seems to be no sign of instability with her spine.

I haven't popped the bottle of champagne yet because mom isn't the kind of person to rush out and celebrate once hearing the news. It's been sinking in, little by little. She's just now, a couple of weeks after finding out the news, starting to tell people.

There are a few things she has to deal with in order to have this new life of years in front of her. She suffers from nausea about a week after the bone treatment. It doesn't last for too long but she's pretty sick for a day or two. Maybe three or four on occasion and her hair is starting to fall out a bit. But, honestly, now she looks like most women her age. Her overly full head of hair is now thinning. Hopefully it will stay like that but we've pulled out the scarves and bought her a new hat. I told her bald and alive is better than a full head of hair and dead. She agreed.

Now we're figuring out what the road ahead looks like and making plans. She's longing to regain her independence. To wake up in her own home and have the freedom to do whatever she chooses. Isn't that something that we all crave? So, I'm driving her to my sisters next weekend, May 9th and my sister drives her to AZ on the 18th. Amazing. It's truly amazing.  I'm sure there is some larger force at work here because as it all worked itself out, I'm driving her to LA on Saturday and Sunday is Mother's Day. We get to celebrate, the three of us, my sister my mother and I. We get to pop that bottle of champagne and shout a big Wooohooo for the future.

It isn't mom's time yet. There is still more to do. There is so much of her to share. So much to give and now there is time to give it. It's pretty amazing that I can remember standing in the hospital in AZ and being told that this was it. We were looking at months and few of those. Here we stand in a completely new place. This shows me that we are each different unique human beings, and no one knows, really, when our time is up.

These are some photo's that we took on Sunday and Monday. The photo's of mom alone are by Mason. The shots of Miles and Grandma are of their almost daily routine of playing cars after we take Mason to school.