ENGAGED // adam + candace's rattlesnake ridge engagement session

t the beginning of May I met up with Adam and Candace at Rattlesnake Lake for their engagement shoot.  This time of year it's a little hit and miss when it comes to weather, and so scheduling outdoor shoots months in advance can be stressful, hoping for good weather when the shoot day comes around.  We ended up with an absolutely perfect day, which was great, but for anyone who knows rattlesnake recreation area, that means it's totally packed, but we managed just fine.  I actually love doing hikes for engagement shoots because it gives me lots of time to get to know the couple, which is really nice and helps ease the awkwardness of getting photos taken.  Candace and Adam were awesome and we had a ton of fun hiking up and chatting about the wedding, how they met, and life in general.  We were talking about the hike, and about my last time going up to the ridge, which was for Jackson + Jessica's engagement shoot last summer.  As we're talking and hiking, I looked up the trail and saw a girl with pink hair and I was like, "Is that... Lauren?!?"who's my little brother's girlfriend.  And then I notice the rest of the group: Lauren, Matthew (my brother), Jackson + Jessica, and their two good friends, Melissa and Corey, who just got engaged!  Lauren, who is also a photographer, was shooting Melissa and Corey's engagement photos at Rattlesnake Ridge and were all on their way down, and the funny part is, Matthew and Lauren live in Portland, so not only was it crazy to see them there since they don't even live anywhere nearby, but Candace, Adam, and I were just talking about Jackson + Jessica's Rattlesnake Ridge photo shoot... and then there they are!  It was one of the weirdest things that's ever happened to me, and most definitely the weirdest thing that's happened on a photo shoot!

These two are seriously a blast.  I'm so excited to shoot their wedding this summer.  I had so much fun shooting these images.  They're getting married out at a ranch lodge near a river, which is, like, so totally dreamy, am I right?  It's going to be magical.   Usually I try to edit these engagement shoot posts down to like 15 images, but I loved so many of them, so start scrolling!

 
 



 





 




 

spring cleaning

othing super fancy today, just a simple, comfy spring outfit.  I haven't found myself gravitating towards the floral/pastel look that is usually so ubiquitous this time of year.  I am feeling that spring cleaning bug though.  I've already dug a ton of clothes out of my closet to take to my local clothing exchange boutique, sold some furniture, rearranged our bedroom, and have been organizing like a crazy person.  I've still got a lot to do, I feel like the winter months are spend holing up and hibernating and everything just starts piling up and accumulating in corners and on shelves.  Once the sun starts coming out consistently, and the doors and windows are open and fresh air is circulating throughout the house, I get a rush of energy to clear out all the clutter and simplify.  My office is a huge project that I'm looking forward to finishing.  Dan and I swapped offices a few months ago, I used to have the "attic" space upstairs, and Dan was downstairs off the living room (through the yellow french door).   Now I'm downstairs and Dan is up, which is actually working out perfectly.  He set up a little Xbox station and it's got a real man cave vibe now, and I'm prepping to paint the downstairs office a fresh white, it's one of the only rooms left in the house with the original beige paint it had when we bought.  Good riddance, beige!

 

top/courtesy of wildlife works :: necklaces/handmade + courtesy of tribe jewelry  jeans/courtesy of modcloth  :: boots/courtesy of Cat Footwear & AMP3 PR

#FLASHBACKFRIDAY // fly away home

Photos like these make me so nostalgic for Anchorage.  Dorothy really hit the nail on the head when she cried, "There's no place like home" as she knocked her red slippered heels together.  Small planes are so common up in Alaska, and planes buzzed around daily, the sound of the props whirring above was pleasantly familiar.  Growing up on lakes, floatplanes were constantly landing and taking off, and the high pitched buzz of engines revving up for take-off happened dozens of times a day.  Here in Tacoma, the sound is rare, but when I do hear a little plane above, my heart gets a warm sting, both happy remembering home, and sadness that I am not there in that moment.  I couldn't count the hours I spent aloft with my Dad, streaking across the Alaskan skies, landing on mountain lakes, and carving through snow covered valleys.  Hopefully someday my Dad will be able to take his grandkids up in the air, or maybe one of these days if we move back to Alaska I'll finally get my pilot's license like I planned on doing when I was in high school before life happened...

Fly Away Home // July 18, 2010

Sometimes I just enjoy the simplicity of dresses. You can just put on a dress and be ready to go. I even avoided putting on a belt (which I do with most of my outfits). I love that dresses are pretty non-fussy and simple, as far as outfits go. I probably would've thought the exact opposite a few years ago, but time changes things. I'm glad I'm not the same person I was a couple years ago. It's so strange to think of all the things that happen to you which make you into the person you are. I always see things in terms of analogies, and the one that describes where I am now is that life is a road and I'm just at a pit stop, refueling and getting ready to get back on the road. It's been about a year long pit stop, so I'm ready to get back to the journey of life.

dress/courtesy of tigercult vintage :: shoes/courtesy of modcloth

This plane is actually my Dad's old Tripacer. We sold it after moving to Alaska back in the early 90's, but it's still right next to where he parks his 180. When I was a baby he used to take me flying in it. I think I'm the only one of the kids who remembers this plane. My brothers are probably too young, and one of them wasn't even born yet! At first I wasn't sure if this was the plane, but I remembered that someone had vandalized it back in the day, so there's a patch in the side from where they ripped it open to steal who knows what. It was kind of unintended, but I totally match the plane! I wonder if my dress is the same vintage as the plane too...

changed by miscarriage / the brave ones with casey wiegand

Today the lovely Casey Wiegand is sharing from her heart about coping with loss through miscarriage.  As a woman who hasn't yet experienced motherhood, this is a topic that feels so far outside of my ability to conceptualize, but I know it's something that so many women have gone through, including some of my dear friends.  Casey has talked about it on her blog, and I'm super thankful she's offered to share her story here.  With Mother's Day being this past Sunday, I know it can be a painful time for those mothers who have experienced the loss of a miscarriage.   You're not alone.  

hen you lose something that you love so fiercely and so dearly, it shatters all of you. And when you slowly glue the pieces back together one by one, piece by piece.... then, when you are finally put back together... you're different. The scars are a constant reminder of not only what was lost but also what all you have to lose.

You can love differently. Better.
Because you know it's fragile.

Life. It's a gift.
A gift to be cherished, celebrated, adored

5 little "A's" still hang from my husband's necklace. A daily reminder that we have 5 precious babies.
Two who didn't walk here along side of me, but those two that forever changed my life.
A brief life yet so much meaning.

I often get asked about how my pregnancy with Apple was after our first loss. It was terrifying, it was different. With my first two kiddos I had a clueless confidence, I didn't realize the fragility of what I had...how it could be gone in an instant with no warning signs. I was glowing and beaming and never for a second thought about anything going wrong before our loss. But with Apple, I carried that. Every sonogram my knees shook in the waiting room, my prayers poured out at night to protect her and keep her with us. I fought fear until the moment she was in my arms.



Not only was Apple our rainbow baby but also a sweet symbol of Hope for me.

A new humility and sensitivity entered my spirit when it came to this subject. As someone before who hadn't known the struggles of infertility or loss- I didn't notice what I notice now.

"If you haven't already gathered, or happen to be reading this blog for the first time in your life, I am a melancholy girl through and through. I find beauty in not only the beautiful things in life, but the bittersweet and sad as well. To me, there is something poignantly lovely about the human experience from its splendor to its grief. God created all our emotions, not just the happy ones, and for His good purposes. That's why a good cry can feel so good. And hitting our limits forces us to look outside ourselves for a Savior. It is in the plea, when we're at our end, that we can find that which is truly life-giving. Personally, my moments of deepest grief, deepest pain, have resulted in the most beautiful seasons in my heart. I've met God more intimately in those moments than in all the other pleasant ones combined. What isn't completely lovely about that?" - Leslie from Top of the Page

The thing about heartache is...it changes your perspective on life.
It makes you softer (if you let it), it makes you more understanding (if you let it), it makes you love bigger and makes you more available to relate to others who share in hurt.

I will forever be changed by loss.


Thanks so much for sharing, Casey.  If you want to follow along with Casey's amazing family, head over to her blog and instagram.  Casey actually wrote this post for me a few months ago when I was still gathering posts to start this series, and since then she's experienced another loss, so for those of you who follow Casey's blog, that's why the numbers are off in the 4th paragraph.  Much love to Casey and her beautiful family.

Want to share your story?  Here's how to participate:

 Have you experienced something similar, or did this post spark a thought or feeling in you?  Write your own post on your own blog, sharing your experience. Write it quick, don’t overthink it, just spill it all out, it can be pictures if you want, whatever. If you’ve already written one, feel free to link that up, too.

 Include a link in your post back to this post, so your readers can find others writing on the same topic. Feel free to use my photo up there in your post!

 Enter the link to your post (the actual post link, not just your blog link) into the link-up tool thing there below.

 Tell a few people about your post, either through social media or talk about it with a friend over coffee.  Click around and visit a few of the other posts linked up, leave comments for each other, and feel comforted that kindred spirits aren’t as rare as we think!  We're all in this together.  There is strength in numbers!

An InLinkz Link-up

WED // seattle luxe grunge wedding inspiration

nspired by local record stores and the Pacific Northwest's grunge rock history, Karrie (of Sparks Fly Events) contacted me with the idea to do a rock and roll inspired wedding shoot!  I was super excited about the concept and was 100% on board.  We were both disappointed in the lack of variety of "rock and roll" weddings, and in our research there was a lot of the same look.  Lots of black and red color schemes.  We decided to create a luxe-grunge wedding styled shoot with plenty of rock and roll cred, but with luxurious textures and a heavy dose of glamour. Glitter and Leather. Studs and Roses. Our "bride" is a truly rock and roll gal, a local burlesque dancer (she performed in Adventures in Oz with me, as the Tornado!), and the "groom", who can rock a serious man-bun, is a former coffee shop owner (my former boss, actually!).  These two are rad folks, but not in a relationship with one another, though it was fun to have them as our models!  Her amazing nails were actually my inspiration for my crazy emerald city nails for Adventures in Oz!  And you might recognize her studded jacket, it's one of my favorite pieces from my closet and a regular here on the blog in my outfit posts.

 



 
I was so in love with the braided faux-hawk the ladies at Embellish created!  Mae's grey hair was perfectly unconventional, yet chic, and the up-do gives homage to punk culture, while still being glamorous and pretty.  Her Elizabeth Stuart dress was classic and elegant, but the giant tulle skirt was so much fun and playful.  As we walked down 6th avenue, the huge skirt flowed out behind her in the wind.  I also loved how it was slightly blush, a departure from more traditional white and ivory dresses, but still decidedly bridal. We went with tons of gold and blush in the color scheme, and lots of sparkle.  Who says rock and roll isn't glamorous?

So many wonderful vendors contributed to the shoot, so scroll down to the bottom to see all the amazing talent involved!




 





Vendors:
Photography:
Liz Morrow Studios
FB | TW | IN

Florals:
Laurel's Floral Decor
FB

Dress:
Elizabeth Stuart
FB | TW | IN

Second dress:
Ivy and Aster
FB | TW | IN

Chalkboard art:
Colour And Dust
FB | TW | IN

Venue:
Events on 6th
FB | TW | IN

Design:
Sparks Fly events
FB | TW | IN

Hair + Makeup
Embellish Salon