Are you starting to feel summer creep up on us? It’s around the corner! And so are the summer mini-sessions at Rascals To Rebels! I’ll be at the store June 1, from 10am to noon and June 2 from 1pm to 3pm. Spend $50 at the store to get a complimentary 15 minute session on either of those dates. The store is filled with cute summer clothes that will look perfect on this backdrop!
We recently completed a project in our bedroom (a diy wood plank wall) that has me dragging every stranger and friend into our house to show it off! The inspiration came from the walls that are inside the OC Mart Mix. We know our limits…so we knew we’d need some help on this project. We enlisted our contractor to help us with the final installation, but the leg work started with us.
First off, we headed to Lowes to purchase pine. Lots and lots of 1×4 pine boards. After hauling all that wood home, we started distressing. I’m talking everything from kitchen utensils to an ax. Brent set up a little work station for us in the backyard and we lined up all the wood for staining. This process took quite a bit of time and about 5 cans of stain. I mixed some of the colors and tried to apply them un-evenly so they would have a worn look.
Here’s where the contractor comes in…he and Brent cut the boards into various sizes and then he nailed them to the wall with a nail gun. He used some spacers so that some of the pieces would be lifted and create a less-than-perfect look, which is what we were going for.
We also decided to have him wire some sconces on each side. I went with this sconce from Lowe’s and left off the light shade for a more industrial look. Later, we installed wire baskets to the wall for night stands. I ended up changing out my pillows to these kilim ones and made the graphic black and white pillow for contrast. Oh and the black and white photos are a mix of old photos and instagram photos attached with washi tape.
//photography by Kristin Eldridge in Long Beach
Pssst. Can I let you in on a little secret? I love scouting for photo shoot locations/the best spots in Long Beach. I’ll be driving around pretty much anywhere in Los Angeles, see something awesome, and slam on the brakes (slash) quickly pull over to document the details.
This park in Long Beach (technically it’s Lakewood) has been a favorite for awhile. And in the past, I’ve been a little secretive about my locations because I work really hard to find some of them. But, honestly, I’m not the child photographer that keeps going back to the same spot over and over. I get bored. I like to switch things up! So, while I’ll still hold some locations as ‘new’ for my clients (because I believe that’s part of why you hire me), I wanted to start sharing a few spots that I think would be fun for those of you that are looking for new photo shoot locations.
A month or so ago, I got to go exploring with a friend. It’s these moments that help me stay refreshed and focused on what I love to do. Photographing children and babies in the same locations in Long Beach is great, but I love to change things up every now and then! That’s why it’s fun to scout new locations for my clients and come up with fun ideas for future photo sessions!
If you’re in Los Angeles or Orange County, consider booking a photo session this spring or summer. It’s my favorite time to shoot in Southern California…everything is green and the weather is perfect!
Today I’m over on Modern Parents Messy Kids talking about moms getting into the picture. This definitely isn’t a new topic, but it’s worth re-visiting. I share a few tips that have helped me get out from behind the camera. And trust me, as a photographer…that’s where I’m most comfortable! But, I want to enjoy life with my family and have some photos to prove it!
Here’s the link to the Modern Parents Messy Kids post. I hope you’ll check it out!
In other news…last week was eventful!! We have a new family member. Her name is Pippa. This was the kids’ reaction when she came. *camera blurrrrr*
The other night I got home from a photo session and Brent was leaving to hang out with friends. The kids and I decided to go out for a burger and shakes! We took a moment for a selfie with the CameraTimer app on my iPhone.
The other day we were at the dentist office and Cooper brought me a magazine and pointed out a recipe he thought we should try. It’s not often that my 10 year makes recipe suggestions, so we made it last weekend. It was delicious! I tweaked the recipe a little and of course photographed it before we devoured it, so I’ll be sharing it soon on the blog.
On Sunday we were at the Galaxy game and they were kind enough to let the kids be in the high-five line before the game!
Brent and I waiting to see them down on the field. Oh and I really like Brent in his glasses, so I made this my new FB profile pic.
Annnd I worked a lot too. I’m shooting a catalog for Little Skye right now. (yay!) My friend Laura took this behind the scenes shot for me.
I hope this week is off to a good start for everyone! Happy Hump Day!
One of the fun perks of my job is getting to do commercial photography. That means playing dress up with cute models at a fun location. This time we were in Long Beach, photographing against a stone wall with chalk art. The photos are for Oilily (a children’s clothing company)…go check out their website!
Loving this sweet little guy!
//child photos from a recent Long Beach photo session
I saw this tutorial for Dip Dyed Easter Totes on the Small Fry Blog. It’s such a cute idea, so I wanted to steal it for myself!
I got to thinking that leather straps would be so cute, so I picked up an old leather belt for $3 at the flea market. Just cut off the buckle and then cut the whole thing in half. Make sure you get a belt that is both long enough and wide enough. The whole for the belt buckle bothered me, so I trimmed it down a little so they wouldn’t show.
Next I picked up a $5 canvas bag at Joann’s Fabric in white. It was a little too stark white for my taste, so I soaked it in tea bags for an hour, so the color was slightly off white.
Next I filled the sink with hot water and some magenta RIT dye. I did a quick dunk about 3/4 of the way up, then I started dipping it for longer and longer as I got toward the bottom. The whole process takes about 5 minutes and there’s really no ‘right’ way to do it. After I was done, I gave the canvas a quick rinse and hung it to dry.
I cut off the top part of the bag and made a new hem to attach the leather handles.
The leather isn’t too thick, so I was able to sew it on to the bag with a denim needle. It’s attached by two seams and it’s holding up just fine!
I’m ready for spring with my new dip dyed tote!
I’ve attached a pom-pom for a little fun, but how cute would this be with a patterned silk scarf tied at the top?!
Hey there mamas! Mother’s Day is around the corner. It’s the perfect time to update some photos with your kids. This kind of present is much better than flowers or perfume! Or think ahead and gift these photos to your guy for father’s day.
Here are the details…$100 for a 20 minute photo session, plus special digital pricing (email for details)
Sunday May 5 // 5:40, 6:00, 6:20, 6:40pm
Monday May 6 // 9:00, 9:20, 9:40, 10:00am
Location: Sunday at a local park in Huntington Beach, Monday at El Dorado in Long Beach
A few weeks ago, I drove to Los Angeles to photograph a client and friend for her maternity session. We did some of the photos at home, which I highly recommend. Especially if you have good light! People are comfortable at home and it shows in the photos. We also went on a little adventure and drove to one of the only green patches near her house, which happened to be under a freeway. I totally appreciate trust when it comes to having an eye for locations. Good light and texture adds so much to photos and sometimes that happens in the most uncommon of places.
This is one of my favorite maternity photo sessions…I love the natural feel and the connection between the family.
