it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ...

despite our crazy holiday schedule (oh - and packing to move!), we took some time off this past weekend to hang out w/ photographer alissa saylor. we are so blessed to have talented friends.

as excited as we are to have our very first home - i have to admit it's a little bittersweet packing up our apartment. we have so many memories of our first 2 years of marriage here - and we will definitely miss mornings in our little kitchen. not to mention i nearly cried telling our wonderful neighbor jerry (and his kitty lily) that we were moving out. *enter watery eyes again* ... we were so very thankful that alissa could capture pictures of us at both our brand new home & at our current apartment.

i especially love w/ the pictures of us decorating cookies --- a vickroy family tradition that we will someday pass along to our kiddos.

per wade's usual, he makes one, eats one. :) which yes - means all our of christmas cookies have already been consumed. an excuse to make more!?! (can i find time - and get this house packed!?!)

head on over to alissa saylor photography to see more of our pictures & more of her amazing work!

ps - here's my gfree sugar cookie recipe! definitely the yummiest gfree sugar cookies - and to be honest ... we like the better than the glutinous ones we ate before we realized my allergy. these are sooo delicious bc of the oat flour! and this time i substituted almond extract for vanilla. let's all say it together ... yum!

capturing holiday memories: shultz photo school

happy thanksgiving, sweet friends.

i am super thankful for you all and for this little blog outlet! we're home in illinois for the weekend. w+i are excited to celebrate thanksgiving w/ my dad, my oldest sister brooke and her family and my little brother ross and his new wife. we're also so so so thankful that my mom is in hawaii w/ my sister leigh & her family this year ... oh and brand new baby boy paxton! what a blessing.

i love the holidays. the smell of a fresh cut christmas tree. carols rockin' every radio station. hot chocolate. it's a wonderful life. mittens & scarves! touring the lights ... even that one house down the street w/ multiple yard blowups. reminiscing holidays past and capturing new memories during holiday present!

we're all aware that photos preserve our memories - that's why we all have a fancy schmancy dslr camera, right? but how many of us actually know how to use them? i absolutely love the photography of my friend kyle shultz. after spending 6 years as a full-time photographer (and just in time for christmas) - kyle has launched a new adventure - shultz photo school!

check out this awesome introduction:

kyle is on a mission to teach moms & dads (and even those of us that hope to someday become moms and dads) how to capture priceless images of their kids through web-based, self-paced classes!

there's definitely one holiday tradition i can live w/ out ... black friday! and that's why i'm super excited to introduce you all to a perfect gift this holiday season. one w/o the long lines and parking mayhem at the mall:

Black Friday – Cyber Monday (11/23-26)
Sign up for Shultz Photo School:
 Regularly $250   SALE: $99 

i'm super excited to be joining in for the next session launching january 1st and sharing about my experience here on the blog. check out the shultz photo school website now for all the details + sign up for 3 free trial lessons!

and that's not ALL ---> asking for a dslr this christmas? sign up now through 12/12 to win a brand new Canon Rebel T3 w/ 18-55IS Lens. CLICK HERE

taking a day off ...

... to catch up on things around the office + house. in the meantime, check out these amazing pictures of ethiopia photographed by photographer carly arnwine. amazing! 1 month and 4 days! 

click the photos to see the entire album.

my week: 3 random things

i dropped by the office just now and there's paint on the walls! :) hooray. i am pretty excited to see it finished. they've promised me that i'll be back in the office monday morning. until then - i leave you with another 3 random things for this week:

1 // the super bowl was almost a full week ago and i never shared my cookies! i found then modified the yummiest gfree sugar cookie recipe. i'll make valentine's cookies and share the recipe next week, promise! {i don't mean to be a tease, i just don't have the recipe on me at this time.} in my own opinion, the cookies turned out as adorable as they were yummy ...

{our failed attempt to put a helmet on chris}

2 // speaking of failed photography attempts ... how's everyone doing on the "31 days to a better photo" challenge? we're 10 days in (get it - it's february 10th) but you're not too late to catch up. link up your test shoots @ the bottom of this post! i've concluded 2 things: 1// i really want this 50mm lens. 2 // i need to find a model as my pics have been pretty lame thus far. of course, not too lame to share:

{larger aperture - f/3.5}

{smaller aperture - f/22}

3 // last but not least, remember that box my boots came in?

well ... it's no longer a box. a little chop chop here and there, a few jumbo paper clips and it's my fancy schmancy new fabric organizer:

though the rest of the closet needs a lot of prayer, one shelf down! here's the before and after:

before:

 after:

share your "31 days" progress! 

link to your aperture experiment post specifically (not your entire blog!).

my week: 3 random things

1 // it's officially office makeover day! and it's been a heck of a week preparing for the big day. we are allowed to leave our computers, phones + furniture in our offices, but everything else must be out. a little spring cleaning - aka excellent opportunity to purge 7 years of collected junk. while i'm pretty excited about new carpet, new paint (i went w/ donnegal) + organized cabinets, i'm most excited to have the wires rerouted & no longer a tripping hazard across the middle of my floor! it's the little things. i might even ask them to install a window. okay - a girl can dream!

2 // have you signed up for february's 31 days to a better photo challenge? yesterday's challenge was to get cozy w/ your camera manual. that's a big ol' 1 day challenge ... i made it about 1/2 way through the book. pretty excited w/ all that i'm learning. not gonna lie - there was a highlighter involved. and this thing is thorough. ie. "when operating the diopter adjustment control with your eye to the viewfinder, be careful not to put your fingers or fingernails in your eye." why thank you, nikon.

2 // running has majorly taken a toll on my crafting ... which has majorly taken a toll on my blogging. i get home from a long day @ work, run ... and then CRASH! last night i found enough energy to recreate i spy diy's heartbeat necklace. easy peasy - and adorbs. in fact, i made a few add'l necklaces for my sisters/sister-in-laws. they're going to love them! isn't it fun getting unexpected presents in the mail?

 your turn - your week in 3 random things. go!

a blast from the past ...

apparently there's quite a bit of controversy over swedish artist sanna dullaway. sanna recently colorized some of the world's most iconic black + white images. while yes, there is no substitute for the images in their original form ... i wouldn't go so far as calling her work blasphemous. THE GIRL'S GOT TALENT. talk about a way to launch a business restoring and colorizing old photos. what's that saying? "any press is good press"!?!

v-j day in times square

abraham lincoln

mark twain

theodore roosevelt 

 {photo: 1 // alfred eisenstaedt, 2 // matthew brady, 3 // unknown, 4 // walter scott shinn}
{colorization: sanna dullaway}

of course, my illinois ♥ing self had to share honest abe. 

what do you think - blasphemy or talent? which is your absolute fav?

i can't promise we'll be retouching quite like sanna dullaway by the end of february. but there's still time ... sign up!

take ♥ tuesday

OH MY GOSH - it's wednesday. just realized. even brunettes have blonde moments. ;) 

{clockwise from upper left}

1 // these simple heart dishes. french inspiration + pottery (shall i make my own?) ... via alder & company.

2 // this heartbeat necklace diy  ... via i spy diy. inspired by bright tiger designs on etsy's "you make my heart beat" necklace. decisions time: purchase or make?

3 // this vintage inspired digital wallpaper ... via fossil. oh hey ... an opportunity for me to plug the "31 days to a better photo" challenge again. (you're not too late, it's day 1.)

4 // this adorable bicycle poster designed for art crank minneapolis 2010 ... via allan peters (and dedicated to his baby-to-be). gah - i must find out if this print is still available for our {someday} nursery! emphasis on adorable, right!?!

and a little bonus for take ♥ tuesday: check out the "comment love challenge" on desirous of everything. every blogger could use a little comment affirmation this february ... right? and here's your opportunity to comment to win a copy of elsie larson's blog love e-course! get on it!

 

credits:
blog bling - pugly pixel
blackjack - dafont
aw conqueror inline - font squirrel
photos: 1 - alder & company // 2 - i spy diy // 3 - fossil // 4 - allan peters

31 days to a better photo

on the eve of february, we're officially 1 month into 2012 people. how's it going? 

i confess - i've already blown one of my resolutions. that's right i fell off the "ice chewing" wagon w/in just a few short weeks of the new year. [enter lecture from my dentist.] i am however excited w/ a few add'l goals w + i have set. we're running a half (barefoot). we're paying off all our debt except our student loans (by june!). we're budgeting & therefore saving enough to purchase our first home possibly this year. and ... we have a really fun trip planned. i mean REALLY fun.

while i'm not ready to reveal the details of our trip yet (isn't that evil!?! ... bah ha ha), i am starting to plan ahead! and 1 thing that's super important before a big trip is honed camera skillz.

i've blogged about darcy of my 3 boybarians' 31 days challenge before. she hits on everything from dSLR 101 to photo composition to finishing your images in photoshop! oh snap!

so here's the challenge: there are 29 days this february (happy birthday, leap year babies) meaning by march 2nd - we'll be pros! here's the full 31 days.

i could use a little blog accountability. who wants to join me? link up below to commit. then we'll post about our experience + link up every friday to share our progress.

don't have a blog to link? please please please still join along (+ let me know w/ a comment below!)

credits:
blackjack - dafont
aw conqueror inline - font squirrel
camera graphic - stephanie corfee
31 days to a better photo - my 3 boybarians

{ wishlist } snapshots!

today's the day! w+i are leaving town around 5 & heading to atlanta. tomorrow morning bright and early we're flying to hawaii for 10 DAYS! we're so excited to see my sister and her sweet family and as a bonus to warm up a bit. it's way too cold/rainy in nashville this time of year. (can you believe we considered moving to boston!?!).

i really really hope to capture all of our adventures on camera this trip ... a second honeymoon of sorts (this time caught on camera!). so today i'm daydreaming of a photography upgrade (just in time for christmas *hint hint*):

{source: jo totes, nikon, abie straps + lil blue boo}

1 // how cute are the camera bags from jo totes? i'm especially gaga over the millie (however the question is - what color? teal, marigold or moss.) this is jo totes' smaller option - more for the novice photographer ... uh hmm ... me. it can fit your dslr camera with attached lens + an extra lens - and it still has room to double as a purse. yes, please! 

2 // i need a lens upgrade. i'm looking at the nikon 50mm f/1.8d af nikkor lens. this lens allows you to take pictures in lower light settings without your flash & is perfect for blurred backgrounds. 

3 // and how lovely are the camera straps from abie straps? i absolutely am smitted w/ the color me happy line in golden petals. of course, since w+i share a (his) camera ... maybe i should find something a little less pretty. but gah - love this! 

4 // and last but not least, i have set a goal to myself to take a photography class before we start having kids ... but there are so many things that i'd like to capture in the meantime! I WILL TAKE A SNAPSHOP CLASS in 2012. i absolutely love everything that ashley ann of under the sycamore touches. and am so thankful for all the helpful photography hints (along w/ fantastic tutorials and inspiration) that she posts on her blog. time to save up some $ and take her class. 

 

in the meantime, i'm taking darcy of my 3 boybarians' 31 days to a better photo challenge (from 2010). i've printed out the first 10 days for our trip. 

have you taken a photography class? any recommendations?

{whatever wednesday} wedding madness!

a couple of weeks ago i went to a girls' night honoring our sweet friend taylor (the taylor that was married this past weekend!). we drank wine, ate way too much, and flipped through each guest's wedding book. a fun wedding shower idea! there were books {+ weddings} of every shape and size.

one of the girl's pulled out a couple of random pics from her wedding. 10 YEARS had passed since her wedding and her professional pics were still in a box waiting to be sorted. yowch! while i have all our pictures on disc, i've been procrastinating. this was major moto!

let's be honest ... it's an OVERWHELMING project. (and thus my limited posts this week.) since i am knee deep in wedding book madness - it thought i'd share some of my progress:

{click to enlarge}

confession: i am not a scrapbook person.

back in college - i attempted to be for a while. but to be brutally honest - i didn't enjoy it at all. then i fell in love w/ shutterfly books. much more my cup of tea. and super duper uniform - perfect for the obsessive compulsive in me. for our wedding book, i decided to upgrade from shutterfly to blurb (a recommendation by friend/photographer kyle shultz).

for my married readers - do you have a wedding book? did you do it yourself or did your photographer put it together? any recommendations?

{our wedding photos: adrian hitt photography}

{simple things} my life in 20 photos

my friend ellen (black and white and loved all over) did a blog post over the weekend called "storytelling in 30 photos" (something she snagged from one of her fav blogs). as much as i enjoy blog posts on what outfits people have put together or their favorite etsy finds ... i love catching a glimpse into the life of the woman behind the blog.

inspired (but overwhelmed with 30 pictures) ... here's my modified version:

1 // me ... and the dreaded self-portrait



2 // my love ... my sweet husband, wade.



3 // my family ... the extended version.



4 // something that makes me happy ... fish tacos + tortilla soup from mas tacos por favor.



5 // back when ... back when i could get a tan!



6 // random wade and i ... the night after we got engaged.



7 // a relative of mine ... my only living grandparent - gwen hammond.



8 // a person i can tell everything to ... my sisters (and my little brother). we do need some updated pictures.



9 // my spare time ... a messy table full of projects!



10 // a place i love ... the martinsville fair.



11 // old times ... family camping trips! (and permed bangs - what!?!)

12 // a great night ... september 25th, 2010.

13 // always there ... my mom & dad. i am so blessed to have them.

14 // last summer ... boston visits - and day trips to maine.



15 // a picture that makes me sad ... i really wish wade could have met my grandpa haven.



16 // a picture that makes me laugh ... the 1st night wade met my parents. a very awkward picture w/ my dad - or a wax statue of my dad. hee hee.



17 // being crazy ... my dad's harley goggles. i think he was serious when he bought them!



18 // my parents at my age ...



19 // my favorite vacation ... our dream honeymoon to morocco (peacock pavilions).



20 // an accomplishment ... my half marathon. people say it's addictive - not so much! but i'm proud i did it once!


snag this post (as i did) -- but be sure to send me a link so i can learn all about you too! :)