Five Things.

It's been an interesting week. Completely exhausted but i think i've finally been catching up on sleep so i'm feeling motivated to clean and get off the couch and do something. whoo hoo! 

At WPPI this year, i found some amazing vendors i fell in love with. One is the Rice Studio Supply. Finding the right packaging can be difficult, and expensive! You can get your own logo imprinted too. i think these are adorable and yes, i'm slightly obsessed. The prices are pretty good, and i'd say quite a few choices, check it out if you're looking for new packaging! 

Last week, i mentioned doing a smaller album for a guest book at a wedding, and got asked "what about wedding albums." The wedding albums are gorgeous, and again another product i'm sure your photographer can create. They're such an amazing keepsake, and right next to your guest book, you can have your engagement photos, and then your wedding photos! The difference i would do between the two, is your wedding album would have the thicker pages, and be more of an upgraded version. It's definitely something to check out, since a lot of brides now just get the photos on a DVD, and some never end up printing, but it's a great way to display all of those photographs and tell the story of your big day.

So I had this amazing bride the other day for an offsite shoot, and she brought her camera along. She had a cute silver glitter strap on it. I asked her where she got it, and here we go! Sizzelestrapz on Etsy sell some fantastic bling straps, so if you're looking for one that is comfortable but ultra cute, check these out. 

I purchased a cute blue mason jar a few months ago to be in my beautiful newly re-done office.. guess i'll have to showcase that soon. Anyway, i noticed it's a trend to have mason jars as part of a center piece at weddings, which i admit i love. Today i found some cute purple ones too! (and all kinds of colors!) An Affordable way to have beautiful centerpieces, and after you could resell, and even keep some! Heck if you want to send a few my way, i'd be okay with that too. Again find all sorts of colors, prices, sizes on etsy.

OH, or just ask for what color you'd like, they can customize the order! cute.

Want to mix it up a bit! Once in a while i'll drink coffee, and when i do it's either not really coffee (like chai tea, or vanilla bean frap.) or it's this delicious organic coffee i found. I've only tried the vanilla fusion, but if you know me, you know that i'm slightly obsessed with all things organic or at least i'm trying to go the route! I found this perfection at smith's (similar to a cub foods for you back in mn) also can be found at whole foods. I figure if i'm going to drink coffee once in a while, i better make something about it good. 120 calories. 

 

yum. i think i'm going to need one today. 

What did you do for centerpieces at your wedding? Did you just rent any vases needed? any cute stuff you think i'd like send me a link, i'd love to check it out!

Five Things.

Happy (Tebow) Sunday!

This has been an exciting day already! This morning i woke up early, not completely by choice thanks to my puppies... 5:30. However i was really anxious to go see Tim Tebow speak at Canyon Ridge Christian Church! i was ready for a great experience! It was set up like an interview and was so motivating to hear him speak, and completely give God the glory, and crack some jokes too.  However i will say, i'm so thankful for my home church, Central Christian, so if you're in the Las Vegas area and are interested, let's go to Central together, i'll drive, and even buy some coffee if you'd like! I initially was pretty far away from the stage, but since i was alone, they found me a spot only 12 rows up, which was fantastic! Tebow just confirmed exactly what my perception had been. A genuine man who loves the Lord and wants to serve him with the abilities that have been given to him. Next, to read his book! Which i heard is motivating. 

If you've been searching/stalking the blog you might have noticed a few big changes already, and a few smaller ones. There will be more changes soon too. Part of the change is one my favorite things today! I've been trying to do a brand for Davista since college. It took me a year to really get it where i was happy with it, and now I've changed it a little more. A couple years ago, i fell in love with the font that Angels and Airwaves used for their band. This might be partially because i love them so much, but it finally hit me, that if i love them, and the font, i need to just use it! (a little side story, our first dance at the wedding was AVA so it's close to my heart)  so i changed the photography font to Trajan. I got rid of all the lines, because it wasn't working for all of the design i needed it for; traded it out for a lens flare, if you know me, and me work you'll know how much i love to have some flares in my photography, so i thought it was fitting. It works much better for everything i need it for, and am so happy with it! 

Along with the logo change, i saw a few bloggers who changed the twitter, facebook and pinterest logo to fit their design, so i worked the other day on making some that fit into my design! If you're looking for small ways to change your blog to fit together, this is a small way to do that. 

Alright past some design, i found this snack when i forgot a lunch, went over to 7 Eleven, and stumbled on this gem. It isn't super filling, but it tastes sweet, and is a great snack for 100 calories! one box, and i'm addicted. 

I've been needing new flats, or something not crazy high for work. First purchased some sparkly shoes that perfectly matches the heels i bought, see THOSE here. I almost left when i saw a deal for $9. I thought they really weren't cute at all but soon loved them when i tried them on. Super comfortable, and after wearing them to church, they can be dressy or casual with jeans, and they're not high at all, which is great for running around on cobblestone all day. 

I had a friend recently tell me she was going to steal the "five things" idea, and i thought it was a great idea, mostly because well.. i found it a wonderful way to share things too, and got this idea from another blog! One of the first blogs i started reading is Cupcakes and Cashmere, and her blog is a lot of fashion, recipes, how to, and all around cuteness! definitely should check it out. It's one of the places i go to for inspiration! click on either image below to go to her blog. 

The last is a great idea i found at WPPI. if you're getting married, and looking for a beautiful guest book, look into asking your photographer to design you one of these. What a fun idea to get a guest book made out of your engagement photos, and even have pages that can give more direction; like "give some advice to the couple" or "favorite memory." It's a great way to show off your photos, still keep them on a coffee table and have a keepsake. This is something i would go back and change about my wedding too! 

Do you have any fun ideas for your wedding, or things maybe you'd go back and change now that you are married? tell me about your experiences with your big day, and add in some blogs that are your go to for inspiration! Also, anyone read Tim Tebow's book? 

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday, full of relaxation, and family time! 

Five things.

Get ready for mostly Health products! One blog i love too!

WOW happy sunday once again! i have to start by saying what an interesting weekend it's been! Work of course, but My husband and i got to spend a little more time together, we went to the drive-in on friday. (little chilly but top down in the mustang of course!) The adventure getting there was really what made the evening. We decided 50 minutes before the movie started to go on this date. we ordered some Capriottis, stopped at the gas station, and then the ridiculousness began. First Brandon got pulled over; and this was my first time being pulled over with him. He got out of it of course which i had to laugh at. Then we went by at least 5 fire trucks all rushing to the same area we assumed, which made us late, but we MADE IT! However the ride home wasn't as fun. Conner threw up. We can't complain, we had a fun adventure and it's one of our favorite things to do! 

Today was our celebration of Valentines since i work on Tuesday, and he got me the etsy pink minnesota necklace i wanted! BAH!! i was too thrilled. If you don't remember, the post on it can be seen here. We headed out to the Eiffel Tower Restaurant on the strip and had such a fun time! we recently decided we need to eat at some of these places once in a while so if we have to move, we're taking advantage of Las Vegas before we leave! Let me tell you, so far we've seen one show, a little over a month ago. We're a little behind, but MAN it can be expensive. I've really enjoyed the mini adventures in our own town.  

This weekend i downloaded a few things i wanted to share! First is Skinny B*tch. I'm not a fan of the name, but it's a FANTASTIC book to motivate you. It's $10 on IBooks, and completely worth it if you want a new perspective on food. Actually it's really blunt, so get ready to laugh, sometimes be offended and then feel bad for what you're eating. It's my second time reading it, and i already am again going to change some habits. It's technically a book about being Vegan, but you definitely don't have to eat that way or go to that extreme, although the first time i read it i tried going vegan for about 2 weeks, i really liked it but it can be a challenge to do! only on chapter two and i forgot how extremely funny it is. here's some blunt truth... "Soda is liquid satan." something i like to think about.

"If you can't take one more day of self-loathing, you're ready to hear the truth: You cannot keep shoveling the same crap into your mouth every day and expect to lose weight"

I've heard people get a little hurt by the book but just read it knowing they're blunt about not just what YOU eat but what we all eat, and how unhealthy it is. Because of this book the first time, i stopped drinking milk, and switched a lot of the food to organic, still not completely there and i definitely cheat and eat junk sometimes, but i feel much better and have been losing weight! There are small changes you can make to get to a healthier you, you can decide what to cut out and how to change it!  Click on image to to go their site. 

So i said i no longer buy milk. There are a few reasons for this. It started quite a while ago, i think i was still in high school. Milk started to taste old to me, even if it was brand new, i couldn't drink it. Then after reading this book i realized that maybe i wasn't crazy! here's a little blurb from the book...

"When a woman gives birth, her body produces milk and she nurses her child. Breast milk can grow an 8-pound newborn into a 24-pound toddler. Sounds pretty fattening, huh? It is. By design, it is intended to allow for the biggest growth spurt of a person’s entire life. Breast milk alone can accommodate for a 300 percent weight gain in a 12 month period. When her child is anywhere from 12 to 24 months old, a mother stops breast feeding. Her milk dries up. The child will never drink breast milk ever again" 

Obviously it's saying milk can be great for that growth spurt needed at the beginning of our lives, but after that, it's just fattening, i know lots of people have said to be "but what about the calcium!", but there are TONS of other ways to get the daily value. I started buying Rice Dream as a substitute, i love it! it tastes great, lasts longer (since i could never finish the milk that tasted old and this has a couple week life in the fridge) and it cooks practically the same so nope i NEVER buy milk. I'm still looking for GOOD substitues for cheese and sour cream since we use a ton of it, i think eventually, but it's just not great for your system, and there are better less fattening ways to get those daily needs! 

There's my milk, and here's my cereal! I admit i still have to buy cereals like "Fruit Loops" and "Pops" because my husband still likes them, but i only eat these delish cereals. I've been really enjoying Kashi brand cereal so i stick with those my favorite being Warm Cinnamon.

Thanks to Alyssa who showed me a new app i've fallen in love with... since yesterday. it's called Fooducate and it's free, so yup try it. It's a scanner you can use at the grocery store to see what "grade" each food is. 

So i tried my favorite cereal.. not bad! It got a B+ i then tried fruit loops, D+ then the app tells you why it's good or bad, calories, and has an alternatives button to help you shop a little healthier. Thanks Alyssa i'm hooked! 

So are you sick of hearing only health things... fine i'll share something else! Tara Swain is a photographer in Texas, and i've been following her work for a couple of years, and get TONS of inspiration from her blog and photos. Her images are bright, sharp, and gorgeous. i love her new ideas! Just by her blog, and photos you can tell she has such a shining colorful personality and i'd love to learn from her someday! click on the image below to go to her blog!

After blogging five things last week, i was telling my husband about it, and he told me he should've been on it by now, and the puppies. i told him he was my absolute favorite thing, and so were puppies, so whoops! they're mentioned now ;) 

A little longer post about the five things, but i might have been slightly passionate about these. Have a wonderful week, and i'd love to hear about your valentines day surprises! Oh!- and any healthy snacks, foods, or substitutes you want to share! 

Five things.

Super Bowl sunday! In my opinion, not one of the most interesting games, BUT friends over, delicious food none-the-less so i guess no complaints here, but it's a new week, and five more things to share with you! 

I've been working on some new products to order from WHCC, trying out some great stuff from them, and while designing an image box, i discovered a new font i'm enjoying. I'm not usually script crazy, i like simple fonts but this is a little bit more cute, and i'm hoping couples will love it too! 

and with that new font, here's an unfinished product i've been working on using it. Really love it with this photo! To be honest, i have NO idea how it even got on my computer, i do know Brandon got some great fonts for me one day, and now i have this one!  

I might have to round out some of my favorite fonts together one week! Also, round up some fonts to just always stay away from. yikes. there are plenty of those. It might be a great thing to know if planning a wedding and you have to decide on some design aspects of the invites, save the dates, and even menu cards! 

I shared a blog i LOVE to read when i need motivation to workout and eat healthy! This blog is inspiration for new shoots, themed, GORGEOUS ideas, and the way she edits. The more i love her work, i start to read about her life, and she's got such a love for life, people and what she does. She seems passionate and kind, and heck i don't even know her! so if you're looking for photography inspiration check out Wildflowers Photography. However i am warning you, it's highly addicting. Click on the image below to go right to the blog! 

I'm not usually a huge fan of cowboy boots on myself, but last year i was looking so hard for some fabulous boots to go with dresses, and i somehow stumbled upon these beauties. i'm still absolutely in love with them, wanted them, and then my heart saddened as i read the price tag... $500. As much as i'd love to get these boots, i think camera gear is more important, although shooting in these would be fun! Mostly i'm sharing these as a guilty pleasure that i'd love to be wearing. If you decide you have an extra 500, go ahead, i'll let you buy me these. Also if you know of some cute boots similar and 1/5 of the price i might consider it.   

Whelp, now time for a bit more realistic shoe. It's brand new for me! Just purchased these on saturday after work, late night errand run with Brandon. This has been a difficult task, and although Brandon didn't think he needed to be along, i'm glad he was there. As a hater of running, but lover of being skinny, and eating a dessert i had been getting blisters from my running shoes and it made me less excited to run. My old pair weren't really for running I actually think they were just a weight room shoe and BOY they were loud, it sounded like i was slamming my shoes on the ground; and all i could concentrate on were my feet. I have extremely flat feet, but hate anything with an arch since it just feels unnatural for me. Luckily runner husband suggested something that also bends with my feet. (he actually suggested those ones that go between your toes, but i'm just not sure i could handle the between my toe thing..) i asked around and found these basically feel like your natural feet, completely flexible, light, inexpensive, and even though this may not seem important, i felt cute! We ran this morning, and they felt fantastic so far! 

I had been using Nikes so long, and thought maybe i should try a different shoe. Adidas climacool is what i have, and oddly enough they're not pink! it's weird i know, but i'm really happy with these. Although it's too late for my shins, i've been icing them and breaking up the tissue after running, my feet are MUCH better. WHEW. 

Now snack time. Most of the time if i crave ice cream, which isn't terribly often, i'd rather use those precious calories on a salty chip snack we get all natural Breyer's vanilla. Although since i started working out again, i don't allow them in my house except today when we bought for everyone.  MEH. i figure it's not too bad, BUT i tried Almond dream a couple months ago and think it's really great! It's a non-dairy frozen dessert and really tastes like ice cream. It's made from almonds, and of course you can taste those but i find it delicious! I actually started out buying the Rice Dream dessert since we use the Rice Dream drink, but yuck, didn't like it quite as well. 

If you're lactose intolerant, doing gluten free meals,  or just trying to cut down the high fat content in dairy products like I am, this is a great treat! It's about 140 calories for 1/2 cup, still not the best snack to have but it sure beats all of the dairy ice cream!  

So i hope you had a great relaxing sunday! If you have any snack or fonts that you like! let me know, always looking for new things to try! 

Something i found while reading captivating lately...

"Just like God, woman is not a problem to be solved but a vast wonder to be enjoyed." 

Five things.

Another week, and more favorites to share!

 

Mates of State's newest album Mountaintops is definitely something you need to check out! Not just because it's my cousins, but they're such talented artists and produce motivating and inspiring music. Lately it's on my workout list and keeps me running (and i'm not a fan of running.) I saw them live for the first time since i've moved this last November, and was in awe all over again! i even posted some photos here. Also to go to their main website click the image below! 

 

Tracklist:
1. Palomino
2. Maracas*
3. Sway* -probably my most favorite song on the album! start here! 
4. Unless I'm Led*
5. Total Serendipity
6. Basement Money*
7. At Least I Have You
8. Desire
9. Change

10. Mistakes

*my favorites.

-- SWAY VIDEO BELOW. 

This is my favorite album of 2011, so check it out! let me know what you think. And if you pay CLOSE attention, one of the burger king commercials feature track 1- Palomino.  

the next favorite is another blog that motivates me. I went to college with Laura, and she has a great drive to blog so often! i love that about her, and she is great at inspiring to eat healthier, workout, and just is enjoying life! check out her blog by clicking the image below! i have a few go to blogs, lots of them wedding, but this one motivates my home life, so thank you Laura! 

Below is a detail that brides should definitely have! If you're a bride and wondering what cute hanger you should get, go to etsy.com and order one of these adorable personalized ones! Not only do they add a perfect detail, but photographers love one more cute thing! These hangers also add some beauty to those dress photos, and then we don't have to hide the not-so-cute hangers dresses come on! ha You can decide the color, or even if you just want it to spell out "bride"! Maybe even a small gift for a bride. seriously love these. I wouldn't change much about my perfect wedding day, but i would add one of these! click on the image to go to etsy.com and the designer of these hangers and start ordering today! This one is only $22. SO CUTE

I shared these delicious energy chews on twitter the other day,  but wanted to share them on here! If you know me, you know i'm in love with my XS energy drinks, and who wouldn't be with no crashing, less than 16 calories, and yummy! But if you need something you can bring with you in a long hike and need an extra boost these organic chews are perfect. Brandon and i have been trying different ways to get energy when we workout, lots of trips and tries to REI and the natural food section, but some are just plain terrible. I have to admit i picked these up for the color, and the name. But they really work! the first time i tried them, it was a long hike, i felt like i was going to faint, i needed some energy and these helped out! Picked these up at REI, and looking into buying them by the box! what's great is a simple workout you don't need the whole package, you can split it up into two days if it's just a couple hours. yes i'm in love. I believe it's about 160 calories for the entire package. 

Last is INSANITY! even though i have a gym membership, i find more excuses not to go because it takes time to get there, traffic, so many excuses really. Lately i've been doing some Zumba on xbox, running with brandon and then THIS. such a great workout, only about 40 minutes, easy to do at home, which means no excuses. It's great for men AND women. Brandon introduced me to this when we started dating, i did it a few times but living on the second story apartment building, it was loud. ha. so now when i'm looking for an intense workout i can do this! still be home and sweat like crazy. I think one thing i really like about it, is it's like being in a class again, and man i still get tired every time. so if you're looking for a new workout, look into Insanity! 

This post wasn't quite as cute, pink (well besides the organic chews) and blingy as the previous but i wanted to motivate you with some great produts out there! What blogs do YOU get motivated by and go to the most often? What workouts do you enjoy? 

i hope you had a wonderful sunday! God bless!