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.
I was chatting with a friend about her coconut oil brownie disaster. I love coconut oil, but to be honest with you I haven’t cooked or baked with it yet. I currently love it as a moisturizer! Mix equal parts brown sugar and coconut oil, with a squeeze of fresh lemon and you’ve got an amazing body scrub. I’ve read that essential oils can be added, but to be honest with you, I think this concoction smells pretty delicious, so I’m leaving it alone. I keep this little jar in the shower with a teaspoon and scrub scrub scrub away. You won’t need lotion…the coconut oil soaks into your skin and leaves it baby-soft.
I’ve been photographing them both pretty much since they came out of their mama’s tummy. And it just keeps getting better! I love seeing these brothers grow. Life is sweet, my friends!
Cloth napkins are such an easy thing to make. I’m not sure why I haven’t done it before, but Easter was the perfect excuse to whip some up! All you need is a light-weight fabric. Cut the fabric into 21″ squares. You can either pin all 4 sides into a hem, or you can pin a side, then sew it and repeat. Either way, you’ll end up with a hem around all 4 sides of the square. Iron that square and you’re done! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
//photography by Kristin Eldridge at my home in Long Beach
Photographing babies is always special, but photographing the baby of someone you know is the icing on the cake. And, when that baby is over-the-top cute and so cooperative you have to keep checking that she’s a real baby, you just pinch yourself!
Here’s Baby Kendall and all the hats, baskets and blankets she modeled for me!
No-Knead Bread? That tastes amazing? Sign me up! My mom taught me this recipe a few summers ago and I’ve seen the No-Knead pizza dough floating around online and pretty much every where! I made it here, so check it out if you want to see how this translates to pizza.
No Knead Bread
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl (covered with a towel) to sit for 12-18 hours. This is where the magic happens! Pour the mixture into an oiled cast iron skillet and bake it (at 450) covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 minutes more.
One of my recent photo sessions was triplet head shots for their agency, Zuri Model and Talent.
Here are the boys…
When identical boys like this are booked, the agency will want them to look as similar as possible in the photos. They will typically get cast for one role, so they want to be able to double for each other!
Cuteness runs in this family, because the boys’ sister is a stunner and she’s also modeling with Zuri!
Have you tried making a zippered pillow yet? Here’s the tutorial. If you can master the pillow, then you can make a zippered clutch! All you need is a 24″x14″ piece of fabric and a zipper. I got this fabric at Dorell in Fountain Valley. They have an amazing selection of woven fabrics and the prices are decent.
Start by sewing your zipper to short end of the fabric (right sides together). Pull up the other short side and sew the zipper to the other side (right sides together). Now you have a loop of fabric, connected by a zipper. The trick to sewing a zipper is using a light weight zipper and pulling up the needle to let the zipper head move to the other side, so you can keep sewing (and not run over it). Trim the end of your zipper after you’ve attached it.
Now sew the other two sides of the fabric (right sides together). Don’t forget to open the zipper a little so you can turn it right side out.
Iron the corners and top stitch the sides of the zipper. Done!
‘Making the decision to have a child- it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go outside your body.’
-Elizabeth Stone
Oh how I love to see first time parents. These tiny little bundles change them. Life will never be the same and you never knew you could love someone so much!
//newborn photography at my studio in Long Beach, CA
We started off this week with a full table and ended up with an even fuller table! Monday night was a big pot of white bean chili with some family and friends…
Later in the week, I was working on a dip-dyed project for the blog. So, my sink was filled with pink dye! It turned out really cute, I can’t wait to share with you guys.
I did some location scouting last week and found this little gem. If I like the iPhone capture, I know it’s going to be off-the-hook-awesome with my real camera!
Brent had Friday morning off, so we started off the morning at Starling (LOVE this Long Beach breakfast spot), and then looked for an outfit for him to wear Easter morning. Of course I have no photos of what he actually wore, but he told me he liked this mannequin look, so I snapped it for future reference. Mixed prints for the win!
Speaking of Brent, have you notice how many skating pictures we’ve been posting!? Our friends put a ramp in their backyard and Brent has been teaching the boys to skate. It’s been fun and I’m secretly hoping this new hobby doesn’t end with any broken bones!
Saturday. I was a little stressed to start the day. I had a LOT to do. Then, my friend asked me to go to boot camp on the beach. I decided the to-do list could wait and I got my work out on instead. Everything got accomplished and my legs felt like jello the next day!
We open Easter baskets on Saturday, because Sundays tend to be crazy busy around here. My kids still get excited and the contents are super simple! Usually everyone gets shoes, a new Easter outfit, a bathing suit, a movie and a TINY bit of candy. This year I could find the big sand buckets, so everything got scrunched inside the small ones.
Saturday also involved making cinnamon rolls for the morning and arranging flowers for the tables. So, here’s my dough hanging out with all those flowers.
Brent had to leave at 7:30am on Sunday and doesn’t get home until almost 1:00, so I had to enlist these three helpers to get me set up for all 21 (!!!) of us for lunch. They were awesome and did everything from set the table to making lemonade for our guests. And they’re exceptionally cute!!
I ended the week with a full heart. I love my family and friends and it means a lot when we can all celebrate our risen Savior together! Oh and if you want to hear Brent’s message from Sunday, it’s on the church website- click here.
