Footprints and Laughter

"For a long time there were only your footprints and laughter in our dreams

and even from such small things, we knew we could not wait to love you forever."

-Story People

Happy 1st Birthday, Alli Grace

The Angels

May angels rest beside your door,

May you hear their voices sing.

May you feel their loving care for you,

May you hear their peace bells ring.

May angels always care for you,

And not let you trip and fall,

May they bear you up on angel’s wings,

May they keep you standing tall.

May they whisper wisdom in your ear,

May they touch you when you need,

May they remove from you each trace of fear,

May they keep you from feeling greed.

May they fill you with their presence,

May they show you love untold,

May they always stand beside you

And make you ever bold.

May they teach you what you need to know

About life here and here-after.

May they fill you always with their love

And give you the gift of laughter.
-author unknown

Spiced Flower Collection

Here is a little bit of bloomin' goodness for all you digi fans. This is a sample of my Spiced Flower Collection. Be sure and post a link to your layouts. I can't wait to see what you create! Just click on the title of the post (Spiced Flower Collection) to download. Happy scrappin'!

Oh, Baby!

My heart has been ga ga over all of the adorable baby pics on my favorite blogs. I had to play around with some of Alli Grace's first photos. I love this one...

I found a few quotes regarding photography that I thought I would share.

I'm a sucker for meaningful quotes.

"Try to imagine what other people are doing and focus on your own desires and wishes.

It's much more interesting!" -Ellen Silverman, NYC Photographer

"To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It's the way of life."

-Henri Cartier-Bresson

"There are lives I can imagine without children but none of them have

the same laughter and noise." -Brian Andreas, Storypeople

And in the words of the late Paul Harvey..."Good Day."

I've decided to create an album of my favorite pictures from 2009.

This one from Cocoa Beach, Florida kind of got lost in the shuffle. I love how they

have their arms around eachother. I wonder how long this adorable phase will last.

I know...I need to move on. I just love these photos of Allison. I just can't get enough.

Would you believe this highly edited collage took two hours?

But, I do believe it's worth it. I can't wait to see it in print.

Today, I experimented with "storyboards". It's simple and yet makes a big statement.

Alli Grace, I can't get enough of those big, blue eyes!

Today, I experimented with burning the edges of a photograph.

I think I really like it. This could be addictive.

I think this one is my favorite. The process is called "through the viewfinder" (TTV).

Apparently, it's all the rage in the photography industry. The process is where you take photographs through the viewfinder of an old camera. Check out flickr's group, Through the Viewfinder at www.flickr.com/groups/throughtheviewfinder/. How totally awesome is that?! Who came up with this stuff? I love it!

Today, I experimented with texture. Pretty cool stuff.
However, the vintage look isn't really my style. But it was fun experimenting.
What do you think?

Andrew, you make my heart smile with those goggles.

Thanks for wearing them everywhere. You are definitely an original!

Summer 2009

Ahhh, wet summer smiles! Does life get any better? And yes, that is a tooth missing in Andrew's smile. Congratulations. You worked so hard at pulling it out yourself. Uhggg.

Yesterday, I found a great quote about summer.

"A perfect summer day is when

the sun is shining,

the breeze is blowing,

the birds are singing,

and the lawn mower is broken."

-James Dent

"I woke up this morning with my usual smile,

But I have something new and it took a while.

For no one noticed this change right away,

But there was a tooth in my grin today!"

Allison, congratulations on your new front tooth that came through yesterday!

That makes three! You are a beauty!

Anna, I hope you always know how beautiful you are to the world, inside and out.

Love, Mommy

I wanted to get the word out that I have decided to take the plunge and advertise my photo session rates. Family sessions for up to six people will be 800 dollars. This includes a two hour session at a location of your choice, a full resolution CD of 30-35 edited images, along with a written letter with my approval to have them printed wherever you choose. I'd rather have you own all your photographs so that you can print them how you would like. Couple and Engagement sessions will only be 350 dollars.

Email me as soon as possible if you would like to book a session for July. You can contact me at ddfordok@aol.com.