Our Year of Photos: week 4

Me

Moa

I can't believe it-- we both shot books this week! Moments like that make me so happy during these projects with Moa. We never say a word to each other about what we are thinking of shooting. *sigh* This makes me so excited for the coming year. =)

Our Year of Photos: week 3

Me

Moa

Our Year of Photos: week 2

Me

Moa

Welcome to week 2 of our project. Isn't Moa's photo full of wintery gorgeousness? It feels icy and warm all at once. My birthday was last Wednesday, so my shot is of some birthday macarons. I've subsequently overdosed on them and now craved carrots and celery. ; )

Our Year of Photos: week 1

Me

Moa

Well, we are at it again. Welcome to week one of a new yearlong photo project between my fantastic friend Moa and I! 2010 was our year of postcards, 2011 saw a diptych here and there, and now we are full-on back to weeklies, sans the words, because life is a little busy right now... but it should never be too busy for a quick snap.

We each took our shots last week, marking the first week of 2012. I'll try to post them here every Monday if you'd like to check them out. Moa might be a tad better at getting them up than me, and if you don't read her blog already, you should. It's really pretty and is like a day-trip to her wonderful Sweden.

See you again!

At attention!

I wanted to show you two of my favorite Christmas presents for the babe. The bobby and the guard from Alice Apple.

Christmas was trouble around here-- nothing in my Etsy faves was safe! Between Etsy and my wish list of books for him, I think he fared quite well.

We bought him one Fischer Price shoots-balls-everywhere-and-sounds-like-a-747-landing type thing and when we turned it on he looked at us like we were crazy and crawled away to find a book.

Gotta say, that made me just a little proud.

=)

My wish to you!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

And as we kiss 2011 goodbye, may health, happiness, wonder and love fill your 2012 each and every day!

photos taken by Jeff loves Jessica.

Happy Merry Christmas Week!

+] Found a new place for my disco balls and a new love for old fashion crystal punch cups.
+] The whole "mother and child" imagery at Christmas now has a special place in my heart.
+] Washi tape adorned my cards this year. So fun, not to mention relaxing to do.
+] The "big tree" and regular ornaments didn't make it up this year. A little tree and handmade felt flowers worked for curious little hands.
+] And while I was at it, I also concocted some Christmas stockings-- my first ever attempt!

As the year comes to close, I'm reflecting over the fact that I may not have had the time to devout to the hours of photography that use to fill my days (photographers know that photo processing trance that can eat up a whole afternoon), but my creative side is nourished in between the care-taking of the babe through many little things... they are now more hands on, tactile, functional things. (Or something I can smother with glue and glitter the heck out of! If I get some shots of those projects I'll definitely share. I'm obsessed with Martha Stewart glitter. Oh my!) My creative side finds an outlet in cooking for my family as well. I've always liked cooking, but now it is also a relaxing activity where I can escape from babe duties, and chop chop, chop, stir, stir, stir, until my shoulders relax and my mind need only worry about the tastes and textures in front of me.

Has anything changed for you in 2011? Are you finding new ways to relax and be creative? And on a different note, can you send me some snow? Mother Nature forgot to leave some for December and it's not Christmas without it. It's really all I'm missing at the moment... =)

little trees

Hi there you! And hello December!

Thanksgiving weekend we put our Christmas lights up on the trees in front of our house, and now I can officially not feel guilty when we turn them on each night. My favorite time of day has been feeding the babe his evening meal, with the colors glowing in the window and jazzy Christmas music playing. I stare at his face (in between doing my bizarre-o dances while singing off-key) and try to write to memory this time together. I can't remember what I did yesterday, so I'm not sure if it will work, but in that moment I know I'm so happy I could burst. Hopefully I'll at least remember the feeling.

Someone is now crawling like a pro, getting on the steps, and pulling up to stand by anything he can get his hands on. The whole "let's let go and see what happens" has me at once excited for him and freaked out. Shouting "babe, hold on to something!" pretty much has never resulted in him actually saving himself from falling on his butt, but we are having a good time.

He's exploring all the rooms in the house now, and today I quickly pulled out these little trees to shoot where I could also keep an eye on him. I'm hoping to get more done in the next few days or weeks. I'm kind of obsessed with where I could put them next.

Sweet little trees, sweet little babe, sweet little life. Don't get me wrong, LOTS of stuff comes up each day that is hard to manage. I'm tired, I haven't washed my hair since Monday, and I wouldn't know a real meal if it hit me in the face. But sweet it is just the same.