A New Love Of Showering

This will be the first post of a few on Miles. He's turning 3 in less than a week and I can hardly believe it. He's growing up and changing so quickly. It's like his growth spurt isn't limited to his height but to his understanding and expressions. He makes us laugh ALL the time. He's a really funny boy and we're all grateful to be surrounded by his love and good humor.

In his growing up and changing and liking things that he didn't like, or for that matter liking things that he hasn't yet experienced, he's found a new love.

Showering.

It started with wanting to get in the shower with Matt one morning. That one morning has turned into almost every morning. It doesn't even matter if he's taken a bath the night before. In fact, he used to love walking Mason to school in the morning, and still does, to an extent. But, there have been many mornings as of late that he has chosen to take a shower instead of walking to school.

What's been fun is that I've found a new love as well. Photographing these moments. There's something about the color and the water dripping on the glass. The foggy view of Miles. It's a way for me to capture how I feel about him. That he's kind of hard to read, to see. That he's changing before my eyes. That he's happy and at peace in that place.

I'm sure there will be more, but for now, here are a few....

Friday Inspiration - Sand Art

It's been a while since I've shared some Friday inspiration. I thought that since the temperatures are dropping around here, I would have a bit of warm weather inspiration. I came across this blog post from my friend Spoon who always finds the most amazing art and performances to share.

Now, hold your comments about summertime inspiration in the winter, although I'm the first to balk at the swimsuit displays in January. Especially since when summertime actually does arrive I can't find a bathing suit in a store to save my life! But, this post is just to brighten your day and send some warm weather thoughts of being at the beach with the surf and sand at your feet.

Enjoy!

netastica

A Stripe Of Color

Sometimes I feel like it takes FOREVER for me to finish something. Literally months or even years go by that I've had an idea, one that I really believe in before it becomes a reality. I try to remember that all good things take time and that sometimes, the world or even just little ol' me, aren't ready for them to be real.

One of these thoughts that become things has to do with my albums. I've had this idea to add to the cover of a book somehow, someway that would make it unique and beautiful for my clients. I've come up with what I want to do but, in true "Laura" fashion, it's proving to be a bit more difficult to make a reality than originally planned. There's a ton of planning and research and finding just the right partner to work with on this. But, in the meantime, I shared my idea with Ira from Leather Craftsmen to get some feedback and help with production. I'm so glad that I did because from our conversation and exploration of my original idea, he spun it a bit and came up with something that I just LOVE.

He showed me a sample he had made for another client and I loved it. It was a more simple take on my idea and everyone who knows me knows I love simple! When I needed to create an updated sample album for GB Photographers I had to use this new cover. And, just to push it a bit, I used a beautiful blue leather. I wouldn't have thought blue for a wedding album but it just worked and is this buttery and soft leather and the blue is deep in color and everyone who's seen it just loves it.

The added flare that I mentioned above is a stripe of color that is a thick ribbon pressed into the leather from front to back. I chose an ivory/sand color for the ribbon to accent the blue. A color that matched the gown almost perfectly. I am absolutely in love with this new option. And, what a great way to incorporate your accent color from your wedding! You could bind the book in black to be classic and then have the ribbon be your "wedding color". How chic would that be?!

When I designed the album, since it was a sample, I had free reign of the design. I was able to make it as bold and simple as I wanted. (Thanks Matt and Garrett for trusting me once again!) I love the simplicity of this book. How I was able to leave tons of white space around some of the images so that they just float on the page. This is a true simple and bold design. I have to thank Leather Craftsmen for their, well, craftsmanship. They are truly brilliant at what they do. Their books are just...amazing.

Take a look at a few shots of the album and let me know what you think!

If you're curious to see the slideshow of the album layout, CLICK HERE.

Remembering 2009

The last few weeks/months around here were beyond busy and for that I'm immensely grateful. There were a bunch of orders for albums, some trying to hit the Christmas deadline and others just trying perhaps to check "wedding album" off of their list before the new year. Either way, it was a fun filled and busy time.

I have a ton of posts to blog with images of some of my favorite albums that I worked on last year that hopefully will make it from my brain through my fingers and on to the internet in a somewhat timely fashion. I realized that sometimes my posts feel too overwhelming. I have so much to say and not enough time to sit and type it all out, sort through the photo's to accompany the post and upload them all, that they never make it live. I've always been a bit envious of those bloggers who are so good at the "short" post. The one that is an update with a photo that makes you smile for a moment. We'll see if perhaps I can pull that off and communicate what I want without pouring on and on and on. I guess it's kind of like when I tell Matt a story and he gives me the look of "how long is this going to take?" because I insist on telling with every detail that I think is important which pretty much encompasses everything from what color the paint was on the wall to what whomever it is that I'm talking about was wearing. Do I really need to include all of that??!! YES! It always makes for a better story! But, I'll try my best to keep some of the posts short and sweet. It's not a New Years resolution, really it isn't. I don't necessarily believe in those, but, I guess it sort of seems like it's a resolution. Hmmm....we'll just have to wait and see what happens. But, I digress.

Here's a shot of one of the shipments that went out a couple of days before we left for the first leg of our vacation.

I can tell you what packing all of these albums did, it made me want beautiful boxes and shipping supplies. I've decided that I want my clients to receive a beautiful package in the mail that they can't wait to open. I've said it before that I'm a fan of the brown paper wrapping and I do like the thought of using the boxes I have from a recycling standpoint so, maybe I'll come up with a way to incorporate both ideas. The recycled aspect of using what you have and the beauty aspect of creating art and shipping a gift that my clients can't help but smile at when it arrives.

Now, to wrap up the rest of 2009. I love the idea of looking back a bit to see where the year started and where it brought me. Definitely on a bumpy ride in the finance department. I do have to give thanks that we are a family that was able to pay for the roof over our heads, the food on our plates, the cars that we drive and the "extras" that made their way into our home. I feel terribly blessed about the growth of FMN Design as well.

On NYE we were with two other couples, good friends, and one person asked us each to say something we were proud of. This was a great way to end one year and start another with the thought and verbalization of an accomplishment.

What I shared was how proud I was of the growth of this little business. That while it felt like the fruit was dying on the trees around me, there was this small seedling that was sprouting from the earth. It was growing strong and standing tall in the midst of everything going on around it.

Here are some of the things that have happened over the last 12 months. This list is a great reminder of all that I have to be grateful for.

1. FMN was featured on multiple blogs including Green Wedding Shoes, Emerald Weddings, Images For A Cure, Save The Date Magnet.com

2. FMN was featured in two national magazines. Inside Weddings and Brides Local Editions

3. FMN was featured in an article on the uber cool e-zine Utterly Engaged.

4. My mother lived with us for 4 1/2 months and while here was given a golden ticket of health in that the cancer seems to be under control and manageable. That her life expectancy is not the limited amount that we had been told at the end of 2008.

5. Spent some wonderful time with Matt's family at the wedding of his youngest brother Paul's wedding. Such a great time!

6. We walked our oldest little boy Mason to his first day of Kindergarten. What a huge transition for us all.

7. We added a new addition to the family.

8. We added another new addition to the family.

9. Climbed to the top of a cider cone volcano with my family.

10. I snowboarded for the first time in over 15 years. I was able to get right back up, almost like riding a bike and the best part was I went with Matt. It was a blast to see him jump around on his board and share that time with him.

These are just a few of the highlights of the year. There are so many more but I'll keep them to myself. At least for now. But, before I go I want to express my gratitude for life and for God and the love that he pours on me each day. I am grateful to my husband and his continued support of me and Forget Me Not Design. It can be challenging and a little rough on the pocket book but he's always there with his love and support. I have to thank Leila from Be Inspired PR as well as her team for all of their hard work and faith in my business and I definitely am grateful to my children who have given up having mommy around all of the time because I have had to "work". I am grateful for my friends new and old, for Martyna who watches my children with such love and joy. I am grateful for this life and the ability to create whatever it is that I can imagine. It truly is a gift to be walking on this planet.

Happy New Year Everyone!
(so much for that short and sweet post I mentioned earlier!Maybe next time. ;-)

Brides Magazine Local Edition - Chicago

Christmas is upon us and I can feel the excitement building each day when Mason and Miles come down the stairs to see our tree. Matt and I have been adding presents each night as they're wrapped. Not the ones from us but the gifts from Nana and Papa, the cousin draw names and for Matt and myself. There aren't that many gifts but I can tell you that Mason knows each and every one. This is the first year that he's taken to shaking the presents. He's already convinced that there's at least one LEGO set and a Bionicle under the tree with his name on it. He knows the books but he's stumped by the two pack dvd. Ha!

This year Christmas has felt a bit magical. I think it has to do with the boys getting older but not too old. Santa is as real as he can be, in fact we mailed their letters to the North Pole today. Mason and Miles put them in the mailbox themselves. They're getting to be such big boys!

There's something else this year that I haven't been able to put my finger on until now. I think what I'm feeling is an underlying glimmer of hope. Hope for a better future, a better tomorrow. Hope that things will actually turn around with our economy and that people will find value in conversation and spending time with friends and family over spending money on unneeded things.

I also have hope that all of the time and energy I've been putting into this business will produce great things, and, in light of that hope, I have some fantastic news that I'm eager to share. Forget Me Not Design has been included in a list of 11 album companies featured in an article in Bride's Magazines 16 local editions. Chicago was the first to hit stands and I'm giddy with excitement. The rest will filter out across the country at different times of the year. This is a crazy wonderful Christmas present for sure!

What's really crazy is that out of the 11 companies listed, 6 don't work with the general public and 2 are DIY companies. That leaves 3 companies that are listed who work with the general public to create albums. THREE! and FMN Design is one of them. I think I'm doing a happy dance pretty much everywhere I go these days. What a way to end 2009 and begin 2010. I can't thank Be Inspired PR enough for all of their hard work and faith in my business. Those girls ROCK!

I'll end this post with the intro paragraph of the magazine spread. (FMN is one of the "specialty custom artisans" mentioned.) Woohooooo!!!!

Brides Magazine Local Edition - Chicago

Christmas is upon us and I can feel the excitement building each day when Mason and Miles come down the stairs to see our tree. Matt and I have been adding presents each night as they're wrapped. Not the ones from us but the gifts from Nana and Papa, the cousin draw names and for Matt and myself. There aren't that many gifts but I can tell you that Mason knows each and every one. This is the first year that he's taken to shaking the presents. He's already convinced that there's at least one LEGO set and a Bionicle under the tree with his name on it. He knows the books but he's stumped by the two pack dvd. Ha!

This year Christmas has felt a bit magical. I think it has to do with the boys getting older but not too old. Santa is as real as he can be, in fact we mailed their letters to the North Pole today. Mason and Miles put them in the mailbox themselves. They're getting to be such big boys!

There's something else this year that I haven't been able to put my finger on until now. I think what I'm feeling is an underlying glimmer of hope. Hope for a better future, a better tomorrow. Hope that things will actually turn around with our economy and that people will find value in conversation and spending time with friends and family over spending money on unneeded things.

I also have hope that all of the time and energy I've been putting into this business will produce great things, and, in light of that hope, I have some fantastic news that I'm eager to share. Forget Me Not Design has been included in a list of 11 album companies featured in an article in Bride's Magazines 16 local editions. Chicago was the first to hit stands and I'm giddy with excitement. The rest will filter out across the country at different times of the year. This is a crazy wonderful Christmas present for sure!

What's really crazy is that out of the 11 companies listed, 6 don't work with the general public and 2 are DIY companies. That leaves 3 companies that are listed who work with the general public to create albums. THREE! and FMN Design is one of them. I think I'm doing a happy dance pretty much everywhere I go these days. What a way to end 2009 and begin 2010. I can't thank Be Inspired PR enough for all of their hard work and faith in my business. Those girls ROCK!

I'll end this post with the intro paragraph of the magazine spread. (FMN is one of the "specialty custom artisans" mentioned.) Woohooooo!!!!

A Little Update on the Reoch's

It's the middle of the day on Monday. Christmas has somehow once again snuck up on me. I told a friend recently that the end of January would be here before we knew it and I think I was right! Once Thanksgiving hits, it's kind of all over. There's Christmas or other holidays to celebrate depending on your belief, then New Years and before you know it we're getting into 2010.

It's interesting to think that another decade of time has gone by. My being born in 1970 makes those dates even more meaningful. Another decade of time and decade of life and crazy enough, 10 years of knowing my husband. When I was younger I had the experience of months and years taking a long time to pass. I remember being told by my parents and other people how quickly time goes when you're older and I guess, now, I'm older. No way to deny it. The years are flying by. I can remember being younger and dating someone. 3 months felt like an eternity at times, let alone a year or two. Now, I feel like these past 10 years with Matt are a drop in the bucket. Funny how that works.

It helps that there is much to do. A business to run, presents to make and buy, people to see, trees to trim. Oh, and fish tanks to take care of. ;-) Miles is laying at my feet sucking his thumb. Mason is in the great room with Martyna making Christmas projects. I'm going to blink and they'll both be different, older. I'm excited to see who they become as much as I'm sad that they won't be my little one's anymore. But, no need to go down that road yet.

So, for a brief update on what's been going on around here: Miles head is much better. The glue patch that's supposed to fall off like a scab is still stuck on his head from where they glued it back together. I'm hoping this means the scar won't be so bad. (He cracked his head open a couple of weeks ago. Split it open right where his third eye would be. Gross.) Mason has two loose teeth. The bottom front teeth. He's planning on saving ALL of his teeth as they fall out so that instead of dolling them out to the Tooth Fairy one at a time for a measley silver dollar each, he can give her the whole mouth full at once and get something REALLY BIG. We're still checking in to see if the Tooth Fairy is strong enough to carry all of those teeth at once. She is pretty tiny you know! Matt is good, still playing soccer and making music. Still as cute as ever and the best husband a girl could ask for.

And me?! I'm great. Taking time to breath and say my daily affirmations. Kissing my boys whenever I can and appreciating each moment for what it is...amazing. I'm also slowing down. I can feel that winter mindset creeping in. Getting ready to stay in doors on rainy days and sit by the fire whenever possible. I also have a feeling that change is coming. Change for the better. Change in a good way. I think this happens most years. It's the cycle. The end of something and the beginning of something else. I welcome it this year and can feel a tingle of excitement to see what this new decade will bring.

Oh, and before I forget again, Mason is now a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do. I haven't posted for a bit and he actually got the belt a few weeks ago. Since a post is better with pictures...here is Mr. Yellow Belt.