Well, well, well…hello!! It’s been awhile! I have been busy soaking up every second with my little love.  He’s giving me a few moments though while he snoozes so I’m learning to get as much done as possible in a short amount of time. Multi-tasking at its finest!

As you can see, this session wasn’t taken in the past few weeks. It’s actually from the end of summer and meant a lot to me.  Hannah, the oldest, was actually my first photo shoot almost ten years ago.  Her mom was one of my teachers in high school…one of those teachers you idolize…one who makes a difference.  Hannah was only about nine months old at the time and we did the session under an old tree in my parent’s backyard.  I shot the session on film and spent hours making prints and enlargements in my dark room in the basement.  Years later, we met again…this time with her brother and sister in tow (who are also twins)…and how gorgeous are the three of them?

Hannah, Sophie, and Isaac – thank you for such a fun evening.  The three of you are just as gorgeous as your mama.  I can’t wait to get your pretty faces in front of my lens again…

Much Love,

Krysta xo

Actions: My own

That first shot kills me. We lost light so the next best thing for me is to go in the total opposite direction – moody and grainy.

Yes, I realize I’m short on words these days. This mama is trying her best to get everything in line before the babe gets here. He could literally be here any day now and I feel like I still have 1,000 things to cross off my To Do list.  I’ll be back with a few more images, my maternity leave info, and a tentative travel schedule for next year too!

Happy weekend all!

Krysta xo

I have been waiting patiently to share this little gem of a project!  It is the brainchild of  the ever so talented Shannon Sewell and Julie Martin.  When they asked me if I’d be willing to join in, it didn’t take me long to answer.  I love the whole concept of the magazine – a creative sketchbook to inspire.  If anyone were to ask me what my favorite subject to photograph would be, I would definitely say children.  They have the ability to be completely natural in front of the lens…something we tend to lose a bit along the way as adults.  I would gladly spend two hours any day running after little ones, playing tag, telling imaginative stories, twirling, and giggling during a photo session.  I also think it’s so important that, as artists, we constantly push ourselves to be better, to get creative, to break away form the same ole same ole.

A big thank you to Shannon and Julie for being the creative visionaries that they are, for challenging me artistically, and for being dreamers.  I’m so honored to be included amongst a group of so many talented artists.

Make sure you hop on over to Facebook and “Like” the Dreamer fan page.  :)

Here are a few of my favorites from the “Sparkle” shoot. Miss Elle and Miss Liv were all kinds of wonderful…especially since we shot in 42 degree weather!

…that moment right before the sun says goodbye.  The golds and yellows I love so much fade into the blues and purples and pinks that leave me in awe and make me believe there is something and someone far bigger than all of us out there.

Holly | The beach | 2011

Much Love,

Krysta xo

** Actions: my own **

He is seven tomorrow. Seven. SEVEN.

His request for his birthday – a night out at Dave and Buster’s…and so we went. He played one game the entire time.  We tried to tell him there were plenty of other games, but when the kid has his mind made up, he has his mind made up.

Currently:

He is obsessed (and I do mean obsessed with sports) It is all he talks about.  He’s in the first grade and made the second grade basketball team.  He got special basketball shoes for the occasion from Daddy and I and brings them to practice in a bag, wears them only at practice, and then takes them off to put different shoes on to go home in. It cracks me up. It’s serious business…this second grade team.  Brady took him out to eat one evening while I was in Minnesota.  They went to a restaurant near our house that has an outdoor fountain.  Brady gave Michael a quarter and said, “Make a wish.”  Michael sat and pondered for quite some time and then gave the quarter back to Brady.   Brady asked why he was giving him the quarter back to which Michael replied, “I was going to wish that I would be in the NBA someday, but I already KNOW I am so I don’t need the quarter.” …and nonchalantly walked away.  He’s on a mission I tell you.  When it’s not basketball, there’s constant begging to go outside and practice routes for football.  Soccer and baseball have taken backseat.

He still love transformers.  The latest and greatest for him is the new Kre-O transformer legos…although I’m not sure who likes them more…Michael or Daddy.  He’s got a vivid imagination and will sit for hours and entertain himself with transformer battles.

He’s a chatterbox…and I do mean chatterbox.  I swear he talks more than me and I’m not making that up.  His newest thing when asking him to do something is, “Just one second…I have to tell you something….” followed by at least a 10 minute story.   We have to constantly remind him that he can get dressed and talk at the same time.  Multitasking is a new and slow concept around here, but we’re getting there. :)

His favorite foods are eggs and ketchup (try making that when you’re in your first trimester of pregnancy), bacon, Nutella and jelly sandwiches, broccoli, pomegranate, apples and peanut butter, and tacos.  He’s not big into sweets and would rather have a juice pack or fruit….I’ll take that as long as it lasts.

He’s extremely animated and talks like an adult. It makes me laugh every time he’s serious about something.  He uses the word “ridiculous” a lot.  We were watching a football game the other day in which one of the players purposely stepped on another player with his cleats while getting up. Michael put his head in his hands and said, “See, now that behavior is just RIDICULOUS!”  Funny boy.

We loved six. I know we’ll love seven. He’ll be a big brother at seven and I can’t wait to see the two of them together.

Every day we thank our lucky stars for you Mr. Michael.

xo

** Images taken in September. I realized I never posted them and love them so. Actions: my own **

We are counting our blessings this year. We have so much to be thankful for. …and on days where it seems that the world is out of balance, all I have to do is look at this face to be reminded of how very lucky we are.

Wishing all of you and your families a blessed Thanksgiving.  May you all be surrounded by those you love. …and remember it’s not about the shopping or the sales or the perfectly perfect array of food.  It’s about snuggling in with the people who make you a better being…

Take time to be truly thankful.

Much Love,

Brady, Krysta, Michael, and Baby boy.

xo

**Actions: My own **

I was going through images for my brother’s Christmas card picture and stumbled across these lovelies.  I love these two.  They remind me very much of my own relationship with my father.  Ayla is feisty, sweet, stubborn, angelic, and she melts my brother into a puddle.  He adores her and it’s no wonder he has a hard time telling her no.  She is a complete daddy’s girl.  I’m so glad she’ll have these images to cherish when she’s older….taken right before we were ready to leave – happy luck.

I’m finishing up on placing all client orders this week and then I’ll have more time to blog some beautiful client sessions from this year.  I cannot believe that we’re almost to November! Where did the time go?

* Actions: my own *

Much Love,

Krysta xo

*** If you want to keep up with our other little corner of the world, make sure you visit us over at The Dollhouse. :) ***

Remember Sierra?

Our last shoot consisted of two takes as Mother Nature was not on her best behavior.  However, this time around she was on board.  She brought us a good does of sunlight…just what I love the most.  …taken on a random road in the country…which I also love.

Happy Friday all! My mama is coming to stay with us this weekend and I’m just a wee bit happy about it. Time for me to make sure everything is in tip top shape for her arrival! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

** Actions – a combo of my own and Eye Candy **

Much Love,

Krysta xo

First up: Miss Elle.  Remember her here and here?  My camera loves her. I love her.

…and little brother Colin.  He took cues from Miss Elle and ended up doing his own thang in front of the camera.  I’m also in love with his red hair and if I had video, you would hear his little voice and melt. Promise.

…and last, but certainly not least…Miss Penelope.  You’ve seen her here too. She made us work for it!! If you saw two grown women singing and dancing and clapping and flailing keys around and running and talking with really high squeals…pay no attention. It’s all for the love of the photo.

A lot of times it’s difficult for me to sum up how my shoots make me feel or the connection I make with my clients. I’m not sure why. I have no trouble in the talking department.  I guess it’s just hard to shorten things up and put them into words that suffice.  I first met Matt and Mikelle back in May on our trip to Jamaica.  Matt showed up dressed as Allen from The Hangover and I loved Mikelle’s style.  She had me at her lace Free People skirt I had been coveting.  Being in my first trimester of pregnancy, I was incredibly tired and sick on the trip.  I talked to Matt and Mikelle here and there, but was bummed I didn’t get to know them better.  Awhile later, Mikelle e-mailed asking about a photo session. Being an artist herself, we put our brains together and started coming up with fun things we could do with the kids. They were going to be staying in the city for the weekend and well, we all know my love affair for Chicago, so we decided to shoot right in the middle of the city.  Brady came with and was a saint.  He didn’t look so manly when he was carrying 36 inch round pink balloons with glitter and ribbon tassels, but he did it anyway.  We couldn’t have done it without him. :) We pranced around the city with people stopping and saying how adorable the children were.  The kids were amazing and more importantly when we drove away that night, I felt like I had met a long lost friend in Mikelle.   She is one of those free souls who welcomes you in and makes you comfortable. She is artistic and funny and warm. …and I am so happy our paths crossed when they did…

I can’t wait for you all to see what we have in store for this summer.  I am gidddyyyyyy over it!!

Matt, Mikelle, Elle, Colin, and Penelope….thank you for such a beautiful day and such beautiful yous!

Much Love,

Krysta xo

** Actions – my own.  If this year slows down and this baby doesn’t come early, I’m hoping to have them released in 2011…fingers crossed. **

…as sweet and angelic as these two beauties are, we had to spice it up a bit and rock and roll was the way to go.  Both girls are learning to play the guitar so we wanted to incorporate their love of music into their shoot.  Their mother, Amber, is one of my very dear friends from high school and it has been so amazing to watch her little girls grow up.   Little Sophie is a firecracker! She has a lot to say at all times and a vivid imagination. She was literally telling stories the whole night and my my, they were elaborate!  Aja is a bit more reserved, very sweet, incredibly mature for her age, and as you can see, she knows how to work the camera. :)

I had to find some of their images from their shoot last year…how they’ve grown!  Taken in their great grandmother’s house which was FULL of vintage goodies.  It was my Heaven.  …and their grandmother, who used to own the music store in my hometown, played the piano for us while we shot. To hear her voice and see her hands move across the keys put a lump in my throat and made me teary. I couldn’t have asked for a better setting.

I can’t wait to see what we come up with next year.  Amber, Aja, Sophie – big big loves to all three of you! xo

Much Love,

Krysta xo