Friday, September 6, 2013

SHP Happenings | Why a Facelift?


Change sometimes is hard for me, but in this industry changing things can only mean one thing; I am shaping, molding, and learning new things that will help me get to where I want to be and to better serve my amazing clients.  Simply, I am growing. And I can’t be ashamed about that. So thank you for staying on my little journey that started three years ago. It’s because of you all you that I am able to make this big change.
I think every photographer goes through this; a change in style, a more focused direction, or just the desire to have their brand match their work that has been improving since they first started. Whatever the reasoning, there comes a time to re-brand or to give your current brand a facelift.  For me, this has happened too many times than I care to admit. So much so that I almost didn’t write this post as to let some future changes slip right on by. In the end, it was a business learning lesson for me so I decided to write this post because I am just too excited not to share.
If you are a photographer, you have probably realized that you can’t do it all on your own. Whether it is editing, brand design, bookkeeping, marketing, designing albums…the list goes on, something that you are not so good at is probably taking a lot of time away from the thing that you are good at. For me, that is brand designing.
This past spring I sat down with Steve and had a very serious discussion with him about investing in a professional brand designer to get inside my head and my dreams for the business, and then translate that into the brand I have always wanted. Sometimes, when life is crazy trying to raise two littles, it makes more sense to hire someone to collect my thoughts for me J . Throughout the past three years I have discovered things about my style that I just can’t relay to the design on my site and blog.  I need someone to collaborate with me on all the ideas I have and help me focus it to a very purposeful and very custom brand that is unique to who I am and what my work reflects. Then, I need this person to design it from scratch so that it is consistent all across the board- from the logo, to the site, to the blog on down to the marketing materials.  It didn’t take much convincing my husband. He just gets it. He knows where to make a smart investment and he saw a need for it in my business. With his approval and a lot of research I found the perfect person for me.         

Enter Jeffrey Shipley of J. Shipley Creative.

He is taking my whole entire brand and giving it a HUGE facelift. I’m not saying “re-brand” because I honestly believe I am so close to getting exactly where I want to be. My new brand will keep the same name (I think), but with a focus on the shoots that make my heart go pitter-patter and a style that matches me AND my work.  It will be focused on the “new family” because…well, because I am crazy passionate about the life I am living- the wife to an amazing man and momma to two beautiful little beings! I’m inspired by the everyday and in-between moments of my own family even if they are chaotic and disorganized at times. I know I can’t be alone in this feeling. There are thousands of other women out there that feel the same and I relate to them. I don’t want to give too much away for right now because I want you to get the whole story when you see the site for the first time. I just wanted to give you a little hint about what is to come of my photography and my blog.
This designing process has been in the works for over a month now. I have had Skype and telephone meetings, discovery questions to answer, Pinterest boards to fill, and images to gather. It’s been very exciting and I am lovin’ my designer, Jeffrey Shipley. He is full of personality and bleeds creativity! He created these two sites recently that I am just dying over (see below)!!! I cannot wait to see where he takes my whole brand. All I know, is that as of right now, my new brand is going to be just like my dream front porch; my go-to spot to get all cozy and relaxed and to chat it up with some of very best friends.  Cannot wait!!
 
 

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Bel Boutique | Fashion Anniversary Shoot

I love when Erin and I get together for a little collaborative shoot with the girls at her store, Bel Boutique . And I never can get over all the wonderful things she sells in that store. Last week marked Bel's five year anniversary and so this week they are having all sorts of sales from 30%-80% OFF through August 3rd. If you live in Dover, DE or are in the area, you must check out this store. Everything the girls are wearing is sold at Bel Boutique. Enjoy!



































And some of my favorites that they sell at Bel Boutique.


Brighton


Pandora

Tom's


Alex and Ani














Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Mom-to-Mom | Savoring this Season


I don’t know what I expect. Maybe a floating warning sign that lights up above Addisyn and Kellan when they are about to do something that proves their growing up way to fast. It would flash brightly whenever they were about to surprise the heck out of me with a new something.  Like Kellan pulling himself up onto Addisyn’s play table before he can even crawl, or Addisyn showing me a picture she drew of Gamma, Gampa, and her, their Bugglebum. Since when does she draw stick figures so perfectly? And by perfectly I mean that they have warped circle heads, spider arms that reach to the sky, triangle bodies with peg legs, and the biggest smiles on their faces, so perfectly drawn nonetheless. I believe the floating warning signs would at least tame my proud momma moments to a quiet praise instead of my normal high pitched squeal. I feel like everyday it’s something different; Kellan pulling himself up in the Pack-n-Play or Addisyn coming up with a contemporary dance move that will surely land her a spot in the top twenty of So You Think You Can Dance, season 28.  Last week, it was going under water while holding her breath during swim lessons. Yesterday it was breaking apart her food and feeding it to the dogs under the table- sneaky and disobedient, yes, but so stinkin’ hilarious to watch.  And today it was, “Momma can you sign me up for dance lessons and princess lessons”. To which I replied, “Baby, I think you have the princess bit covered”. The good, the bad, and the cute – this girl and my little boy are on roadrunner speed in the growing up department.
I wish I could say that I have been able to sit back and enjoy it all. That every day was full of praise or proud momma moments, but that is not the case. In fact, I would say the scales often tip on the side of short tempered momma days. It’s been a hard transition for me to two kids. When I used to be so patient and purposeful in raising Addisyn, there are days now when I am quick to use a tone of voice I am not proud of, or even say things I shouldn't say to my child simply because I am trying to teach her through my actions and words. While some days go wonderfully, other days are filled with moments of anxiety, worry, and even instances of anger that I have to try to control. It’s not fun. At all. And the saddest part is that I know I am missing some of the very best parts about my little girl just because I just too tired and exhausted. 

She wants to put together a puzzle, and I’m irritated that she doesn't put the outside pieces together first. She wants to stencil an elephant, and I am irritated that she doesn't press the crayon against the stencil which I have shown her to do a handful of times. She asks the same question three times in a row, and by the third time I have shut her down. 

Gosh. Some days I feel like I am hindering her creativity, and her happiness. That when she tugs on my shirt and says “Momma!” over and over again to get my attention so she can proudly show me some new piece of art, I am telling her not to be proud of herself by yelling at her to “Stop it!”.  I haven’t written a mom-to-mom post for a long time because I have wanted so badly to post something positive. Something like I used to post. About how my girl is my world and is the center of so much of my happiness and joy in my current life. It’s still true. She and Kellan are the center of so so much of my joy, but parenting? Sheesh. Parenting is tough and stressful and satisfying and good and one of the most challenging and most rewarding things I have ever done. It breaks me on some days and other days it makes me completely in love with my life…
I started this post a few days ago, on the heels of a bad day, and today was so very different. Today I smiled as I watched Addisyn trace outside the lines of her stencils, and then color in eyes, noses, and ears on these stenciled animals all out of place. They were wonderfully made and I was sure to tell her just that. Then she offered to help fold clothes, and even though she would throw her scrunched clothes on my neatly folded piles of clothes, I smiled, cuddled, and kissed her every chance I could get. I was patient in choosing my words and my tone of voice when I needed to discipline and she was receptive to it. I was a present momma, giving more attention to her than to my phone/computer or anything else that distracts me.  I guess my point is that I know this is going to be just a season for me in my life - a new momma of two trying to balance the needs of a three year old and an eight month old while being challenged in numerous ways, pulled in thirty different directions, and needed in five different places at once. And as with any season, I get excited when it arrives, take advantage of it towards the middle and savor the last days, but once it has passed, I want it back so badly. Except this season only happens once, so why not delight in every moment of it? Even in the hard days, learning how to turn it around for the sake of Addisyn and Kellan. Learning how to turn my attitude around. To start the day over. To answer all her questions because she just wants to talk to me and I want her to know that I want to talk with her. To disconnect everything else in life and focus on what matters, the beauty of this season because after all, I will never get it back.  







Because I have to have a pic of my little Bubba! 

Monday, July 15, 2013

Baby Grayson {10 Days New} | Delaware Newborn Photography

Eep! I am beyond excited to share this blog post with you. I was fortunate enough to meet Grayson's mommy and daddy almost two years back when they asked me to do a couples shoot for them. It was one of my favorite couple shoots to date...so deeply in love and the chemistry was just ah.may.zing! Then, about a week ago I got to meet the ever so adorable Grayson....And again, in LOVE with photographing this family. Even more than that, Grayson couldn't really have been any better for the shoot. The end result? too many pictures to narrow down for a blog post. I hope you enjoy these sneak peeks!

Okay, Ashley is just too crafty. Loved this nursery! 




I love neutral colors for babies. So soft and cozy! 

Those sweet little lips!!


 


The light in their room was just swoon worthy. 




Add caption



One of my fave shots! 





See what I mean??? Ador.a.ble!!!


To book your "Love Multiplied" newborn session visit my contact page on my site :-)

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XOXO!

-Stacy

{Delaware Newborn Photography | Virigina Newborn Photography | Maryland Newborn Photography}


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