What a fun way to end my 2011 photography sessions.  The McDonald family definitely wins the award for most laughing at a session.  The five us laughed more during their session than I would have thought possible.  I think that pretty much says everything we need to know about this happy, fun-loving foursome, don’t you?

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanza, and/or Happy Holidays!!  I’ll be having a very merry Christmas, myself (:

Lots of fun coming to ai {creative} in 2012, and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

~Anna

Do you want to make some of this super cute fabric tape?  I walk you through the process step-by-step (and with pictures, of course), right here.  If you’re on my Christmas list, you may just see some of this fabric tape on your gift wrapping (:

This past weekend, J and I headed to Augusta, Georgia to visit and photograph our good friends, the Bennetts.  The photographs were actually done in North Augusta, which I believe is over the river in South Carolina.  We met at Boeckh Park – such a great location for photos, especially this time of year when things tend to look a little brown and dreary.  It had been about a year since we’d seen Carolina, but she was just as cute as ever.  Okay, so she was cuter.  I have a feeling that’s going to be the trend for her – cuter and cuter with every age. I’m just glad it won’t be another year before we meet again (:

Pinterest.  Oh, my.  I kept putting off even typing the url into my browser for fear I’d never leave.  Yet here I am, posting it about it on my blog.  I guess it was inevitable.  There was an initial fear that, much like my Bookmarks, I’d pin everything in sight, never to revisit any of it.  And much like my Bookmarks, I assumed I would randomly think, “I really should spend some time organizing all those things I bookmarked/pinned.”  It was pretty much guaranteed that my Boards would become jumbled messes of things I would never be able to find when {or IF} I ever decided to follow through.  With all of that weighing heavy on my shoulders, I joined Pinterest and started pinning, making a conscious effort to only pin things that I actually thought I would use or make or do or revisit in some way.  I’m happy to say that so far I have done one Pinterest project.

I first saw the wooden Christmas trees here, via a stranger’s post on Pinterest.  Over Thanksgiving, J and I went to his parents’ house and took some time to rummage our way through some old buildings and get some lovely old wood to re-purpose for our trees.  We didn’t even have to paint or change anything with the look of the wood. J and his dad made a few cuts, and viola!

Last night J and I went to the holiday party for his PhD program and participated in the White Elephant gift exchange.  When someone way ahead of us opened a box of canning jars, I knew I had to have them.  Do you KNOW how many projects there are for canning jars?!  The jars ended up being a hot item, but we ended up with them {I’m sure whoever brought them was shocked!}.  Afterward I was asked, “Did you get those for canning, or because of Pinterest.”  Busted!  But I was glad I didn’t have to explain myself (:

If you’re on Pinterest, feel free to follow me – just click here!

~Anna

And I’m not just saying they’re the sweetest family because Rita makes amazing cakes (and other yummies).  Let’s be honest.  As a wife and a mom to an almost teenage son, just getting them to agree to and show up for a photo session on a Saturday morning was an accomplishment.   Their sweetness was in the way Logan grumbled (like most kids his age at photo sessions), but smiled, and occasionally laughed, while doing so.  And in the way Curt was willing to go with the flow and be photographed right in the middle of his home town where people he knows were bound to be driving by.  He even noticed when Rita had something on her face and stopped to fix it.  Just sweet together.  I think it shows in their images (:

I know exactly what you’re thinking.  WHERE did you get those awesome mustache suckers?  Rita {a.k.a. The Plaid Platypus} made them!  She also made a bunch of mustaches, lips, and mouths that I took to Thanksgiving at my dad’s house on Saturday. They were a huge hit and we got some hilarious photos, a few of which might show up here soon   I highly recommend them for your next family gathering.

~Anna

Just so you know, I’m their favorite Aunt (or at least tied for favorite with all the other aunts).  Here they are, after the photo session, enjoying lunch at The Grill and wishing I’d put the camera away (:  It had been several years since I’d done proper photographs of these guys…sort of forgotten how different it is to photograph people that I know.  Especially people as silly as these two    I can’t wait to photograph the rest of the nieces and nephews!  In the meantime, I’m off to see Austin in his school play tonight – very excited!!

What better way to get back into the swing of things than with a sneak peek of this beautiful, fun family?  I knew this was going to be a laughter-filled session with the two youngest started speaking in British accents (:  Enjoy!  And you can find another shot of these five on the ai Facebook page, if you like.

~Anna

On Saturday, November 5th, I will be having a day of mini sessions in Columbia, S.C. If you’re in that area, it will be a great opportunity to get portraits done for holiday cards and holiday gifts!  The details are below, so read up and then sign up (:  There are a limited number of these sessions available, and they will be booked on a first-come-first-serve basis.

THE DETAILS:

2011 Holiday Mini Sessions :: Columbia, South Carolina

Cost :: $325

Includes ::

• 45 minute custom photography session
• Presentation of images in an online gallery for viewing and sharing with friends and family
• CD of all images from your gallery in both high resolution (for printing) and low resolution (for emailing and sharing online)

I have decided to offer the CD of images this year to give you the opportunity to order holiday cards and/or gifts at a more economical price.  I will be happy to recommend online printers for traditional prints, holiday cards, large format prints, wrapped canvases, etc…  {If you prefer prints from the pro lab that I use, you will be able to place an order through your online gallery.}

TO SIGN UP, just click here!

P.S.  If you don’t live in Columbia, and would like me to offer a day of mini sessions in your area, then let me know!  You could get a free session (:

~ Anna

Friday night, J and I took my 16-year-old niece to a Luke Bryan concert.  Yes, we’re now that old aunt and uncle trying to prove our hipness.  Don’t judge! This Mr. Byran fellow is a country music singer, so I wasn’t familiar with any of this stuff until a few days before the concert {figured I should listen so I wouldn’t be completely in the dark}.  I admit, he has a few songs that will probably make it into the old iPod rotation.  Boom boom.

Most importantly, he puts on a good live show.  He covered Steve Miller Band, Lady Gaga, and whoever sings that “my iPod is stuck on replay (replay)” song.  He also did a lot of mashups of his stuff with songs from other genres. I like the surprise factor, but I’m not really sure if “mashup” is a real musical term, or just something I heard on Glee.  The show was part of his “farm tour” which basically means he sets up a stage in a field and eight thousand people come exercise their squatter’s rights for a few hours in the pitch black darkness and then spend upwards of an hour trying to get their car untangled from everyone else’s. But it was fun and relaxing to be there with the sun setting on a cool fall evening in the Georgia countryside.

~Anna

Yes, I’m still here (:  Just swinging by to let you know that, and to share one of the many graphic design projects I’ve been working on over the last few weeks.  This one is for CU Studio Share, a fabulous new space in Champaign, IL, that will be available to artists of all kinds.  We don’t always need a studio space, but when we do it’s really nice to have a good one available to rent.  Allyson and Holly are both photographers, so they understand what it’s all about and I’m pretty certain they will do it up right (:

In other news, October is apparently coming early this year (as in this weekend!!). Don’t say I didn’t warn you.  That means that it is REALLY time to start thinking about those holiday pictures. I know I’m already feeling behind getting the word out.  So, if you need family photos for holiday gifts or cards, let me know – like, right now – by clicking here.  In early November, I’ll be having a day of mini sessions in Columbia, S.C. so if you’re in that area, keep an eye out for details here and on my Facebook page.  It will be a great way to get those holiday pictures at special pricing!!

~Anna