Passion is where passion is born.

I have came along way from being 8-years old working hard at my first job on the farm in the bean fields. I still can't believe it some days that I am a photographer in a business that is solely mine.

While in Oklahoma a month ago, I had the opportunity to meet my newest niece right after she was born in the hospital before her first bath. And when she was brought home, I had so many fabulous opportunities to take photographs of the sweet pea.

And then when back home, I had the fun opportunity to design her birth announcement. Every single step of the process so fun and rewarding.

I am so blessed to have this job. It just kind of flows in my life. I think that's when you know it's what you were meant to do. Like it's something that has always been there but I didn't know I could actually make money doing. Who would ever imagine you could make money doing the thing you love to do most?! I think this holds true deep in everyones hearts. It's when you discover that your passion can turn into something bigger that you know you are living the life God created you to live.



There can't be many more exciting and more rewarding jobs out there than what I do, but I guess when what you do is your passion, you do think that there can't be anything better out there, right?! What a great feeling to know that what you are doing is what you were born to do.

Thank goodness walking beans wasn't the lifelong plan for me. I definitely would have the best tan out of anyone else, but I'd also be the dirtiest and probably the grumpiest. Farm life was amazing and one of the best experiences I have ever had, but I am so so thankful that I was made to be a photographer. Living and working on the farm taught me so many life long lessons, however. Ones that helped mold me into the person and photographer I am today. I just know I wouldn't have had such strong determination and passion if I hadn't walked beans and if I hadn't seen how passionate my dad was for his job as a farmer . . . one of the hardest jobs on our planet. I thank him for showing me what determination and will looks like.



So tell me . . . how could a job be any better when you get to see this?! It really is hardly a job at all sometimes . . .

I know, she's pretty darn cute, isn't she?? Newborn hair, newborn yawns, newborn skin, newborn smell . . . so precious and such a gift. A true gift from God.



Welp, back to doing the CHORE I like doing most . . . vacuuming.

I {heart} fun assignments!

My latest fun project with work has been designing save-the-dates for my cousin's wedding. Not only do I get to shoot the wedding, but I also get to design the save-the-dates and the actual wedding invitation! How neat is THAT?! Here is the final save-the-date. How lucky am I, really, to have such a great job. It really is hardly a job when I get to do such fun and different things such as this!

I also posted this at my typepad blog . . . which I hope to start updating a lot more in the coming days and weeks as well. It's so nice for things to have finally slowed down a bit!

P.S. Their last name will start with a "B" if you weren't able to figure that part out ;c)

Winning tagline & my new design

I'm coming out of hiding for a minute to show you my new logo! (Can I "unground" myself?) I just finished it which is why I just have to share. My kids and the dog are not good judges of these things, and they don't "get" my excitement in the least. I'm very happy with it and I think it will fit in well (no, perfect!) with my new site, my biz cards, everything! And check out the kick-booty tagline. Isn't it dandy? Amy is so smart. And she's helping me with a few other ideas, too. She's the only one who has seen my new site! Haha, the rest of you have to wait, but soon soon soon. And I cannot WAIT. Hoping Alexis can help me out a bit with my wording. That's her forte', you know? 'c) I have so many talented friends!
{you can see it much much better if you click on the logo}

Now back to the drawing board. Almost literally. My computer is my drawing board. I would have never ever thought that my love of art would bring me to designing from a computer. I love it and now I'm working on my new business card. Now I know why I hired my very talented friend, Matt, to do my last card and website -- it's takes many many hours tedioiusly working hard on paper and at the computer. Any advice, dear friend, Matt? (You're a genius, by the way. I am not sure how you did/do it!)

Hope to be sharing the card with you soon, too. Or perhaps I'll make that a surprise, too? Nahhh . . . I'll be nice 'c)

Oh, Oh, Oh, OH! One of my very best friends in the entire world, who happens to be my sister (in-law) called me last night with the BEST NEWS!

She and her daughter, Ella (along with new baby dootle still cookin' inside), are coming HOME in middle October to visit! And they'll be at our kids' birthday parties and my Halloween Part-tay! I'm sooooo excited! I haven't seen them since June! And then I'm spoiled because I get to see them again in November and in December -- I've been doing a happy dance since I talked to her last night.

Also, tonight I'm going out with two girlfriends shopping and to dinner. I so can't wait. Without kids. What could be better? Maybe a drinky-drink? Yeah, that sounds about right.

Header crazed me.

One more down in my header portfolio. This time it's my friend, Corie. Boy do I enjoy making these headers. Kind of a silly thing to enjoy, but I tend to enjoy things that aren't the norm with most folks. Also, I just love using that creative imagination which is usually stored away on "pause" in my head.

For Corie, I incorporated her love of coffee into this header, as well as her love of books. Which is a great thing that she loves books because, well, it's also her last name. We were brainstorming on titles for her blog and I came up with this one kinda out of nowhere and she loved it - it just so totally fits! Anyway, mosey on over and leave her a message if you have a moment. Corie lives in St. Louis and she's coming home so I get to see her this weekend. Can't wait to see ya, Corie!

Not just photographs!

I thought this might be a good time to tell a little bit about my other creative outlets in case you . . . or anyone you might know . . . would be interested. I've started creating blog headers . . . and love it. I only really know Blogger and Type Pad, so I can only do designs right now for both of these. But if you'd like to see a few glimpses of what I can do, take a look at my current header here at Purple Valley, and also at VWC Photography and at Ramblings from Life. I'd love to design YOU one!

I also have taken up designing birth announcements, Christmas cards, you name it. I love creating . . . everything! Here is a look at some of my creations.





I also have created some composites with the photography work I do (most of it my on-location work). I think my favorite graphic design work consists in creating these. I love seeing parents smile. They never know what they are going to get, and it's always a pleasant surprise.







I have also designed ads and business cards. This is the only one I have on my laptop right now, which was done for a doula. I'm in the process of designing a new website for myself with a new logo, header, business cards, etc. Also working on new business cards from my friend, Alexis, who I linked above over at Ramblings from Life. She, too, is a work from home mamma! We can't be successful without supporting one another. :)

New designed header

I know you've seen my new header, it's no surprise. I decided to change it the other day when going through my grandparents old things. I think I've mentioned that they kept everything? Well, there was a box full full full of old cards from people over the years. Hundreds. Yes, they kept everything.

I found cards from my dad to my grandparents when he was 3, ones from friends when my grandma had her hysterctomy in the early 1970's, a card from my mom, dad and myself the Easter of 1976, which would have been when I was only a month old. It would have been probably my parents first card that they signed after I was born and that makes me think of signing our own first cards "Neil, Valerie and Noah". In a new parents life, it's pretty exciting to write a new person's name who is your own child attached to your own, especially when you never ever thought there you would be a family of 3. I still remember signing our names for the first time.

Then there were also cards from grandma and grandpa to each other during a 45 year time span, each seemed to be signed differently, "Honey, I'll always love you", "To many more beautiful years", "I love you more and more every year", and so on. There were hundreds of cards. While I pitched over half of them, I could not fathom throwing them all out. They were a piece of my family's history. And some of my favorites were the ones from the early 50's. Some had sparkles on them, some were very thin waxy tissue, some had the ugliest designs on the front, but some were just so . . . what's the word . . . retro . . . timeless? And the things the cards themselves said - even better - funny in most cases. I had a ball looking through them. And they inspired me to change my header.

This header I designed was using a card that I found from my dad and his siblings to their mom for Mother's Day. If only there was a frame on it with a woman taking pictures or a woman on her computer. Then that would be me to a "t". Here's another one that I really loved. I just adore vintage things. Aren't they great? Hope you're enjoying my new Purple Valley "look".