the many faces of Jacob ...

I'm sure as the weeks go by you will become a little tired of seeing photos of my son but well i'm not & i like to share so "suck it up"!! 

Method Press ...

"Method Press is an art-filled idea magazine celebrating lo-fi thinkers. It is a consensus-based, not-for-profit, member run/owned, collectively managed magazine madly tracking down art as it moans to record its progress in history. We are not only interested in the making of art but in the art in the making." 

That's the mission statement for Method Press & well it really does explain everything. The magazine just published it's first issue & it's a wonderful read not to mention being full of pretty pictures. When Katie King came up with the idea at the end of 2010 i really wanted to be a part of it but well pregnancy & life got in the way, the team who put it together is made up of a number of members of the Female Photographers of Etsy (fPOE) so you know we're talking about a talented bunch of women!  

Ironically though i still got to be a part of the first issue as I was the featured artist. Take a moment to check out the magazine & their blog. 

Jacob Michael Evans

Jacob Michael Evans was born at 0134 on Saturday April 16th, weighing 8lbs 9oz & measuring 20.1"

be who you are ... not someone else!

In recent months i have dealt copying in my own life & watched as it effects the lives of other incredible talented artists. I've talked about inspiration, about learning from others & about being the best you can be. But there's a fine line between that & just stealing ideas from others. My friend Laura, incredible talented photographer/artists/jewelry maker/fashion designer & well wonderful individual designed the above flier to get the word out that i guess this is simple not cool (excuse the old school cliche). To view Laura's original post head over to her wonderful blog. 

animal groups ...

So you know when you find something that you love so much you buy it in every colour & style because you know you are going to wear it to death ... well this is how i feel about the "animal groups noun" tee design by Xenotees. I love this shirt ... i love the look of it ... i love the quality ... & of course i adore the design. So much so i have purchased it for others as well. So i had to share because well i personally believe we should all own one of these tees (preferably in every available style & colour). Oh & did i mention it's educational as well? 

the lil dudes nursery ...

So i finally made the nursery "presentable" today ... considering the doc took 24 hours off my pregnancy today (for the last 8 months i've thought i was due Saturday apparently not ... i'm due tomorrow) ... not that i'm complaining. & then of course people requested photos so i figured i'd take some for you & share some of the products i found for him. It is still a work in progress & i promise i will take better ones when he shows up & it's actually finished. 

Firstly i should mention we live in a rented house ... & whilst i think we could have painted the room i actually like white walls. The floor is linoleum & i plan to eventually put down a large floor rug. The room is also in our roof (as is our bedroom) with a huge sky light. All the furniture is from ikea (with the exception of a horrible ugly military issue closet that i haven't photographed). 

This is his dresser (obviously) ... i decided against a changing table because i figured a. i'm probably going to change him everywhere but here half the time 2. i want something more practical long term. The red knobs on the dresser we found at a flea market ... the photo above the dresser is a self portrait ... the yellow blanket to the left of the dresser is a play mat from Peppermint Pinwheels ... & the changing mat on top of the dresser is from twenty 7 handmade. The "black things on sticks" are actually shadow puppets bought from a french store called Nature & Decouvertes by my wonderful friend Nelou. 

Above his crib is "all the fun of the fair" (yes i know it isn't straight) ... the clock is from MB Art Studios (the quote is: "every story has an ending...but in life...every ending is just a new beginning" & i knew it was perfect the moment i saw it) ... & the little trike was found at a flea market. 

Love his little bath product, storage area complete with diaper genie (hubby insisted) & random gifts from friends & family. I love the vintage crate & actually plan on using it for newborn photos when you know i have an actual newborn. Also used a mason jar to store other stuff in. 

Finally the shelves which are easily still half empty because well we're still collecting stuff for the lil dude. The prints either side were a gift & come from Sugar Fresh ... the wooden camera with Jacob's name on it comes from Little Sapling Toys ... & the other "kids box" camera was discovered at a flea market (go figure). The tins are from Ikea ... & the first book i bought my son is "P is for Peanut: A Photographic ABC". 

& to the left of the shelves sits big ted who was mine! 

spring fever ...

& once again i must apologize for my lack of blogging ... i can't lie there's been a lack of inspiration going on in my life when it comes to photography. I'm 9 months pregnant ... the lil dude is due on Saturday (with no signs of showing up) & i have some serious impatience kicking in. I have been trying to do a million & one things to stay busy, to keep my mind of it & well i haven't really been shooting for me. & it sucks, i hate it. 

I hate that i don't see things that take my breath away, that speak to me. Spring is finally kicking in around here & yes i know sometimes you need to go search for it but my desire to search has been limited by ever increasing belly, "cankles" & various other "issues' that arise from the watermelon that is my belly. I see green but the trees round me have yet to flourish & the thought of climbing my favourite hill for nothing to be there leaves me tired just thinking about it. 

But today that all changed ... i am no longer bartending (i must admit that isn't mu choice) & this morning i was teaching, the student's choice was the "Japanese gardens" in Kaiserslautern. Well i can't lie i found my inspiration. I got out, the sun shone, i was able to wear flip flops, i slept well & most of all the colours were calling my name. Flowers were blooming, pinks & greens & blue blue skies. I loved it. I felt wonderful & not only was i getting inspired but i was doing one of my favourite things ... sharing my love for photography. I mean honestly can a morning get any more perfect? I felt like me again, like the something that was missing these past few weeks as i packed my life with everything & anything just so i wouldn't think about the impending arrival of my was back & i could smile & enjoy things. Not that i wasn't because i love being busy but sometimes you need some time to "smell the roses" so to speak & be you & wander aimlessly with camera in hand. 

& so i got to do just that & here are the results of my morning's "work" (i call it that but we all know it really wasn't). Sometimes we need to be forced to do something we don't necessarily want to so we realize what was missing. I'm going to miss my friends at work, i have some amazing customers & i love my life but now it's time to focus on me & my family. & honestly i think i may just be ready to do that! 

It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!  

         ~ Mark Twain