A Stylized Shoot | Antique Chic at Shady Acres

I have wanted to do a stylized shoot for a long time.  It was somewhat of a distant dream until I went to Connecticut last year and participated in a stylized shoot based off the movie The Notebook (which just happens to be one of my all time fav movies).  After actually experiencing the beauty and creativity of a stylized shoot, I had to boost organizing one of these events to the top of my 2012 business bucket list. What I really, really, really (really) wanted was some sort of vintage feel complete with “Allie-like” hair and cute dresses just like she wore on The Notebook.  With my motivation found, I started thinking of the perfect shoot.  

January 2012 came pretty quickly and I knew I had to start putting full focus on this stylized shoot if I was going to get it done before the start of busy season. I began paying particular attention to items I saw when I was out and about.  Any time inspiration would strike, I was quick to write down my ideas and annotate how I visualized using different props.  Stylized shoots are a great way for photographers to be even more creative, but are also an excellent opportunity to network with some pretty awesome local vendors. I had my hopes set high on one particular vendor that I just knew could make this whole shoot an amazing success. She owned a clothing store in downtown Dover that I adore and frequent for clothing for any occasion.   As fate would have it, just as I finally had my vision enough together to contact this vendor, I found out I was pregnant.  Although I was very excited for this wonderful news, I knew this meant a lot of my business goals would be put on the back burner as I dealt with the first trimester sickness. I weighed the pro’s and the con’s and eventually decided to cancel the stylized shoot for this year. 

That was until I drove by my favorite local clothing boutique store (the vendor I wanted to use) and it was calling my name to reach out to the owner. And so I did. A couple weeks later Erin from Bel Boutique and I were having a meeting and she just loved my ideas. She also had a style similar to mine so our ideas for props just clicked. From that time forward, everything just fell into place…the outfits, the jewelry, the models, the hair and makeup done by the fabulous Emily Moses, and even the venue.  As it turned out, Erin lived on some pretty amazing property owned by her boyfriend’s parents and their whole home and yard was perfect for my vision.

So I could talk forever about how quickly this was planned considering I had once canceled it, how I was freaked about a pending thunderstorm the day of the shoot, or how I just adore everyone who helped, but without further ado…

A special thanks to all of the AMAZING people who worked with me to make this vision come true:

Erin Tinsley, Bel Boutique | Outfits and Jewelry
Emily Moses, Rene Delyn | Hair and Makeup
Travis McClure | Male Model
Alexi Corham, Melissa Willetts, & Devin Horner | Female Models
Linda Foster-Thwaits | Venue
Jenny Epie | Assistant

 One of my favs! Isn't this potting shed gorgeous?

 Seriously Melissa!!!? This is stunning!

 And now time for our cute couple shoot :-)

 Lex, you are GORGEOUS!  Period.

 Oh Travis, you were perfect for this shoot. Super cute :-)

 A definite fav!

 How cute is this?

 Love this look!

  This is the very cool truck we were able to use. Thank you Linda.

 And the most charming log cabin house that was just full of antique wonderfulness. Thank you Linda! 

Country Girl

This weekend commenced our first annual beach trip. An early sunrise awakening, a sun block lathered baby, an anxious wave diving hubby, and a set of friends was all I needed to make me feel all summerish and peaceful inside. I pretty much love the beach. No, I L-O-V-E the beach. You can count on finding me in a colorful beach chair with my feet buried in the sand right where the rushing waves begin their decent back to the ocean. If I’m not there, I am more than likely taking a break to grab me some salt and vinegar doused boardwalk fries. A beach diet staple if you ask me! If I’m a little more sun-kissed leaving than I was walking in, I can almost guarantee it was a good day at the shore. But, this post isn’t about the beach. There will be plenty of those stories this summer.  Nope, this is about a self discovery I have been thinking about a lot lately, but have never really took ownership of until now. I am a country girl and a beach girl.  Now, since I can’t very well have the country and the beach, I have settled on living on the edge of the country with the beach but a short drive away. The truth is, I think I’m more country than I am beach. I know, right? This surprised me too. If you need some numbers, I would say my heart is about 61% country and 39% beach.

My content soul has been savoring the simple things in life like long drives through back roads lined with wheat fields while Keith Urban blasts over the radio, short trips to the local market for some fresh veggies and homemade ice cream, and sitting around brown paper covered tables picking at crab and shrimp while chatting with an amazing group of friends.  My future house is calling for a large back porch that faces due east so I can marvel at the early morning sunrises, soak in the lunch time rays while sipping lemonade from a Mason jar and eating a fresh cucumber sandwich, and will shade me in the evening while my family gathers around for dinner.  I have finally arrived at the place in my life where I can almost define me. I am no longer a city girl. I wouldn’t dare think of trading in my jeans and flip-flop wearing days, wheat lined roads, and family owned markets for traffic, business suits and an endless variety of restaurants at my fingertips. Nope, my high heel shoe days are long gone and I am can even foresee a pair for cowboy boots being added to my shoe collection in the near future.  

Everything is beginning to fall into place. I am missing the perfect house with the perfect country rustic and shabby sheak beachy décor (yes, I plan to incorporate both my loves), but Steve and I are currently hard at work to make that dream a reality. For now, I am savoring the things that make my heart go tick. Like reading a good novel! It has been forever since I’ve read a good book. So this week is all about embracing my new found Stacy: the country girl who has been dying to get out and relax a little.

Cheers to self discovery!

With Love,

Stacy

*a few shots from this weekend :-)

On a quick side note, thank you thank you thank you for all the well wishes about our little announcement last week. Steve, Addisyn and I are equally thrilled to have a little plum growing in my belly right now. I feel so free now that we have shared the big news because I have been dying to share about my experience along the way.

One More For Love - a special announcement!

 Darling,

 Remember when it was just us two

 You in love with me and I with you

 We never knew how much we’d grow

 In the perfect love we’d come to know

 Until our daughter showed us how

 Our hearts could reach beyond our vows

 The love on which we both had thrived

 Miraculously had multiplied

 It ’s been a journey with us three

 Of more than we thought love could be

 And now the family we adore

 Will be growing by one more

 Oh how my heart it bursts with joy

 To meet our brand new girl or boy

 And see the wonders they will bring

 Another one of God’s blessings

 To you and me thank God above

 That we will have one more for love

 Written by: Stephen Hart

 13 week pic!

One More for Love

When I was little we lived about 45 minutes from an amusement park that we visited a few times each summer. Amusement park days were special because it meant funnel cakes, cheesy greased up french fries, fun rides, water parks and discovering new things. One of my favorite rides on a hot day was the White Water Canyon. It was the ride that was guaranteed to get you soaked and cooled off for the rest of the afternoon.  My amusement park days were not complete without standing in an hour long line with hopes that I’d be one of the lucky ones who would choose the seat that got drenched with cool refreshing water.  As clearly as I remember that ride, I also remember how good it felt to get in the car at the end of the night, change out of our wet clothes into warm dry clothes, and fall asleep on our ride home. It was peaceful and amazing. I could think about while falling asleep was how tired my feet were and how perfect the day was.  Now that I am older, I understand what those days must have meant to my parents. Mom and dad must have been completed drained of energy from trying to make sure all the kids were safe and well behaved while we were spun up on a mega sugar rush, bouncing from ride to ride and spending all of their money. I am also sure they would probably tell you now that seeing our excitement made their hearts swell so much that mere exhaustion was totally worth the trip.

This weekend I put on a workshop in Delaware for anyone who wanted to learn how to better use their DSLR camera. The workshop was a huge success and the girls who joined me were just plain awesome.  I was beyond tired after “teaching” for eight hours, but, at the end of the day, I somehow managed to make it up to my bedroom, change into some comfy pajamas, and spend time with Addisyn and Steve before Addisyn’s bed time. Over dinner Steve showed me some videos of his “Daddy Addy Day”. They had gone to a local festival and Addisyn discovered all sorts of fun things to climb and bounce on. Addisyn’s face lit up when she heard her voice on the video and Steve and I smiled as we watched her silly/cuteness over and over again.  It continues to amaze me that in our daily exhaustion as adults, Addisyn keeps Steve and I focused on the importance of our roles as parents. Steve, dropping everything the minute he comes in the door after a long days work to catch a squealing girly running towards him and me, constantly loving on and encouraging her throughout the day despite how tired I am.

I hope one day I can accurately explain to Addisyn that her unique presence in our lives has changed everything. That because of her I look at Steve differently. I love him more, but in a way I never imagined before we had her. That my days have become less about me, and more about her, but in a strange twist, I’m totally okay with it. I hope one day far in the future she remembers falling asleep peacefully after a fun-filled day and knows that mom and dad cherish every moment with her.

With Love,

Stacy

*and because the blog post wouldn't be complete without one pic, here is a pic of my workshop ladies practicing their skills