Cheesy Christmas photos

hey again all! well this year again, my Christmas photos were late. and so we resorted to something a bit more cheesy than expected. so hopefully next year we'll use our awesome idea! if you remember last years' pic it was one taken by Danette Chappell. but we quickly decided yesterday we needed to get some Christmas photos, even if the cards were going to be late. so if you don't want to ruin your Christmas card surprise. stop reading. 

here's last years! 

this year we took them ourselves, thank you for timers that go off every second, setting off the flashes. yikes. quite the distracting set up! but it worked. and we were going for the what's in the boxes that we are so surprised about!? eh eh!? 

after a few takes.. and WAY too many photos.. over 500.. i liked 3. but it worked! so here comes the card.. shield your eyes if you want to be surprised! 

i decided they weren't quite the WOW factor last year's had. but.. they're fun. and show off our family! (and my office) not to mention a new font i'm enjoying... If you've been searching on facebook.. and remember the DVD cover for Nicole's wedding in September, found this font called AlicoScriptSSK. to be honest, not even sure how it got on my computer! i'm thanking Brandon of course. 

so send me a link to YOUR fun Christmas photos and inspiration, and next year.. well they're gonna be great! 

Mates of State!

it's already been two days since i posted. i guess this weekend is just busy! but i was excited to share these photos. you might have seen them on my facebook page already, but i wanted to explain even more! Mates of State were in Las Vegas for three days, playing at the Cosmopolitan each night. i went twice, wanted to go all three nights, but it landed on 11-11-11 and any photographers or wedding venues know that day is a bit crazy especially in this town, and my 15 hour day at work didn't allow for it. 

but i had been waiting to see mates of state, i hadn't seen them play since i lived in mn, and i wasn't going to miss them again! 

they're amazing musicians, and their new album "mountaintops" is my favorite album on the planet right now. so check it out! 

i have one thing to boast about. They're my cousins. so not only are they inspiring musicians, i get to look up to them as family. 

Brandon met Jason at our wedding but that's always a crazy day, so we got to spend a little time with the two of them. and, it was great! Finally seeing some family, who i missed so much! and a couple who i really look up to. being around them just made me admire them more. this wonderful couple who are absolutely crazy about eachother and are the most down to earth people. yup i'm proud. i took a few photos during the concert and wanted to share a few. seriously.. check them out! 

i got plenty more, but just wanted to share a few! so check out their music! and any photos you want to see posted? remember any that i've done in the past and need to share?! 

Featured in Las Vegas Food and Beverage mag!

 

Recently i had the opportunity to follow the amazing Danette of Amberlight Collective to photograph some of the top chefs here in Las Vegas, actually world known, in the Ventian Hotel.  i was so honored she asked me to come along (it's a good thing i got the hook ups being friends and all!) This was a great new adventure for us, she had been studying how to photograph food, while i was there to learn! I definitely learned a few things, and would love to be able to do this again! thanks for the creative director of the magazine! 

after photographing the food, we got to... taste it all! and more, the chef's were whipping up some of their favorite dishes, and it's absolutely the best food i've ever tasted! and i was a bit intimidated to meet these chef's but they were so down to earth, and willing to do whatever we needed to photograph. it was a wonderful experience, and i'm so thankful i got to shoot! so i might have stuffed myself with well mostly chinese and dessert, but OH MY GOODNESS. it was too yummy! 

so check out Las Vegas Food and Beverage Professional. the people that work this magazine work so hard and put their hearts into it all! so check it out! ro see full magazine click on the image below to go straight to December's issue!

and why not.. the photos of us! ;) and one i took of another staff member. and by the way!- check out the ad for Amberlight Collective. i feel pretty good about it.. then again.. it's a photo of my husband and me! be ready for new photos on the blog! working on the galleries! so close!! 

Gaskins Christmas Photos!

i'm just too excited! first of all there are so amazing new photos going to be added to the blog soon so stay tuned! A photography group here in las vegas had a wonderful bride trash the dress shoot and they're all edited! just waiting for the okay to post them all! so get excited! (sneak peek on my davista page on fb!)

ANYWAY today you get to see some photos of Mike and Tonya's family. i'm especially thrilled about these because they're some close friends of mine and my husbands, and what was great was brandon actually got to go with us and be my assistant, i think it's the first time we all got to hang out.. outside of the house! so we took an adventure to mt. charleston, we were hoping for lots of snow! but slightly disappointed when we got there.. ice.. ha but we made the best of it... especially brandon recording people as they fell down, though he missed mike's fall.. bummer! the kids weren't too pumped about being out there.. cold, early, but they did great! and here are some of my favorites! and don't let the kids' sweet faces fool you. they didn't want to smile. but MAN i'm happy with how it all turned out. 

and before i forget! check out my etsy page! i uploaded some paintings! as well as one photograph too! so check it out and let me know what you think! 

so do you have any ideas for your Christmas pictures!?

I see red!

Don't worry, i'm not angry! just is the vision i had for a little redecorating! 

this project is one that has been done for a little while now, finally finished! but i wanted to share how far it had come. 

 redecorating has been so much fun to do in my first house! and to be honest, this room wasn’t difficult at all. 

 THIS is the guest bedroom, and it was terrible to say the least. Really it was all the thrown together, extra bedroom things around the house. Mostly, my stuff from college. 

 

 Since redecorating an entire room was still pretty new, i decided to stay on the cheaper side of things, and i think i did good! so i shopped mostly at Anna’s Linens and Target. 

 I really was feeling motivated one day, and got most of the room done in one shopping trip, spending only about $50, which included the comforter. 

 It ended up being a little more than fifty after the final touches or lamps (target $17) and the amazing pillow cases from Urban outfitters i wanted! ($34) but i’m so happy with how the room turned out! 

 And the absolute best part.. art on the walls? i painted them! Brandon actually thought of it, thinking if we’re going to hang art let’s make it something that we’re connected to, it was my second painting project fot the house (the master bedroom project to follow.) 

 so if you’re in need of some paintings... let me know! i love to do it. and im so pleased with how it turned out. 

 and the finished room! 

so how do you like the finished project!?