This week’s extra special Wardrobe Wednesday post comes from the always fabulous Morgan of Morgan Dawson Photography.  We are highlighting an awesome retailer this week – Tea Collection.   I’ve only recently discovered this brand myself, and I am in heaven!  You’ll be seeing some two-year birthday pictures of my Emory sporting some Tea threads in a few weeks!   The reason why this is an extra special post is because it’s the first post of a new era for Wardrobe Wednesday – you can now find us on Facebook!  It will be a great way to have all of our posts in a central location, and it will also allow us to do even more to help you coordinate your custom portrait wardrobe as well as offer tips on great sales, highlight retailers, AND maybe even have a giveaway every now and again.  So, hint, hint … if you really like giveaways and Tea Collection, then you’ll probably want to go check out the new Facebook Page … just sayin’!  Here’s what Morgan has to say:

“No matter where you live, the weather is changing every day. Here in upstate New York,  the weather the past few days has ranged from the low 50s to the upper 80s with sun, rain and blowing wind.

 With things so unpredictable, how do you figure out what to wear for your fall photos?

 Flexibility. Layers. Coordinating looks.

 You’re probably thinking, “That’s easier said than done!” Don’t worry, I’ve got it all figured out… with a little help from a new favorite store: Tea Collection.

 Tea Collection, founded in San Francisco in 2002, offers children’s fashions with the tagline “For little citizens of the world.” They offer two labels: the signature, globally-inspired Collection, and their mix-and-match play clothes called Daily Tea. This season’s Collection is inspired by Old World Hungary, with Spain coming up next spring. Trust me, it’s very cool stuff.

 I had a difficult time picking out the outfits below, but only because there were so many options! Most of the items pictured come in sizes for children 6 months to 11 years old, but babies and women (yes, us!) are also represented. As you can see, it’s easy to add a sweater or jacket on top, or leggings and tights on the bottom if the temperature drops. A few items – like the blue sweater, cuffed pants and shows – are unisex. To make things even easier, Tea has created several “Daily Tea” mix-and-match sets (like a 6-piece coordinated set of three tops and three bottoms for $129) and their “Wear Now Layer Later” collections for girls. How brilliant is that!

 Total flexibility mixed with one-stop shopping. What more can you ask for? I hope you have as much fun with it as we are.”

This may be one of my very favorite products that I offer, and I can tell you right now that this post is not going to do it justice.  These gorgeous 5×7 keepsake boxes come in either Small (holds 100 prints) or Large (holds 250 prints), but the really neat thing about them is that they don’t have to be used only for prints!  They are a great place to keep mementos from baby’s first year, or special keepsakes from your senior year, or cherished family memories, including your own snapshots.  Order them with a competely customizable photo wrap (shown here in metallic), or choose from 32 different material and leather covers – either way, they will look just stunning sitting out on a shelf or table.  The inside is lined with black fabric and a ribbon is attached for easy removal of prints.  They also have a very discreet elastic and post closure to keep your special prints and other items secure.  These may be purchased a la carte, or as part of a brand new offering – the Have It All Keepsake Box Set, which includes a loose (unmounted) 5×7 Color print of every image in your gallery as well as 10 bonus Black and White prints (you choose which images).  It’s a great way to walk away from your session with every image AND a gorgeous way to display them.  And of course, these are available to past clients as well, send me an email for more info!  Enjoy the eye candy!

I had the pleasure of meeting beautiful 5-day old Vivienne last week for her first “official” photo shoot!  I  first met Mom and Dad when we were all in the same birthing class back before our first kiddos, and it appears they beat us to the punch on number two.   It was wonderful to see them again, they were actually my runner-up contest winners from the That’s My Kid contest back in June.   Big Sis CeCe hung in there just long enough for us to get some GREAT family and individual shots – I’m convinced that all toddlers wake up really early or skip naps the day of a photo shoot on purpose, Emory did the same thing for our pictures last month!  Thanks to some antics from grandma, we were able to get some great big smiles out of Miss CeCe.  And speaking of smiles, oh my goodness!  I think Vivi was one of the smiliest babies I’ve ever photographed.  She was soooo good during her session … sleeping nicely, waking up for a snack and diaper change, and then going right back to sleep.  I got to use some adorable new accessories too, and she was the perfect model!  Thank you so much for letting me capture these precious moments, and enjoy your sneak peek!

I love what guest poster Kristi Flower of Kendall’s Media put together for us this week.  She covers the basics of what makes up a rockin’ bridal portrait session, BUT most of these same suggestions could easily apply to a senior session as well, so listen up seniors!    To see more of Kristi’s gorgeous work, check out her brand new blog or Like her on Facebook!  Thanks for taking the time to share with us, Kristi!  Here’s what she has to say:

“FIVE reasons every bride should have bridal portraits taken BEFORE her wedding day: 

1. Playing dress-up is FUN.  When was the last time you played dress-up?   
2. Practice makes perfect.  This is the day you will practice your hairstyle, make-up and “wearing” your gown.  It’s a great trial run for the wedding day!   
3. You can Experiment.  Get crazy on the day of your bridals.  Add a hairpiece or wear red lipstick!  Do something you might not dare to do on your actual wedding day! 
4. You get to spend time with your mom, mother-in-law and friends.  I always recommend you bring your entourage! 
5. It’s ALL about YOU!  You deserve to have one day of being pampered and ohhh and awwww’d over! 

Below is an example of a recent bridal shoot I did with the beautiful Taeler.  She started the shoot with a glamorous look, golden eyes and nude lips!  She also wore the jewelry she planned on wearing on her wedding day - a beautiful cuff bracelet and Crystal oval drop earrings from Nadri. Her jewelry was a shower gift from her mother. Taeler wanted a classic look on her wedding day but also wanted to showcase her great grandmother’s vintage costume jewelry.  Instead of adding one more thing on the wedding day we decided we would incorporate the jewelry in her bridals.  We did this in her second look, its what I call “Vintage love.”   We achieved this by applying red lipstick, a black feather hairpiece (I found it at forever 21) and her great grandmother’s vintage costume jewelry.  Taeler had NEVER worn red lipstick and was a little timid about it, however, after seeing her photos she was super happy that she tried something different.  The third look we changed locations and she really let her hair down.  She wanted a more urban feel.  I found a beautiful turquoise garage (car repair shop).  She really let loose and had a fabulous time dancing and flipping her hair around! In a matter of two hours we achieved three totally different looks!  Simple changes can make a dramatic difference!   

Helpful Tips for a smooth sailing bridal session:

1. Schedule your bridal session at least six to eight weeks before your wedding date.
2. When scheduling your hair and make-up allow for at least three hours.
3. Bring the following items in a bag to your bridal session:

     * comfy shoe    * a white sheet     * baby wipes     * make-up     * hair spray     * water      * snacks      * comb or brush      * jewelry 

1. If you’re planning on having a floral bouquet in your portraits, order it at least a week in advance.  Pick it up a couple of hours before your session.
2. Invite people you feel comfortable around!
3. Bring your ipod.
4. Make sure you eat, even if it’s an apple and lettuce!  A lightheaded bride= a cranky bride!
5. Make sure you have your bridal gown, slip, bustier and shoes.
6. Review fashion magazine or bridal magazines to get an idea about posing.  Your photographer will always guide you but it doesn’t hurt to have your own moves.
7. Have FUN….

Make-up Resources – Vintage Look

FACE:

MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear SPF 10 foundation…$29.50 http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/158/10180/Pro-Longwear-SPF-10-Foundation/index.tmpl

MAC Cosmetics Bronzing Powder…Golden…$22.00 http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/159/302/Bronzing-Powder/index.tmpl

CHEEKS:

MAC Cosmetics BlushCreme…Posey…$18.50 http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/156/879/Blushcreme/index.tmpl

EYES:

eyeshadow: MAC Cosmetics Eye Kit…Trip: 4 bronze eyes and cheeks…$32.00 http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/2222/9277/Trip-4-Bronze-Eyes-Cheek/index.tmpl

eye liner: Sephora Collection Long lasting eye liner…deep black…$10.00 http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P138204&categoryId=B70

False eyelashes: MAC Cosmetics 6 lash…$14.00 http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/150/298/6-Lash/index.tmpl

Mascara: FusionBeauty Lashfusion XL Micro Technology Instant lash Volumizer…black…$10.00 http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P236301&categoryId=B70

LIPS:

Kat Von D Adora painted red lipstick…$18.00 http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P265704&categoryId=B70

Achieve a subtler look by changing your lipstick …

Sephora Collection Lip attitude Star…$12.00 http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P198600&categoryId=B70

Sephora Collection  Ultra Shine Lip gloss Shiny Natural look…$14.00 http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P266811&categoryId=B70

Hair accessory:

Vintage black feather hairpiece

Black feather headband was purchased at forever 21…$4.80 http://www.forever21.com

Jewelry:

Earrings: Nadri Constellation Oval earrings at Nordstrom…$58.00 http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3132198?origin=category&resultback=986

Bracelet: Designer is Nadri and can be purchased at Nordstrom, OR a similar bracelet is Nadri Fine Points Chrystal bangel…$158.00 http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3105729?origin=PredictiveSearch&resultback=6745

Vintage earrings: Taeler’s great grandmother’s, but a great place to find vintage costume jewelry is http://www.etsy.com , just search vintage costume jewelry

Vintage diamond necklace: Taeler’s great grandmother’s, but fun costume jewelry can be found on etsy.com and I’ve had great luck with forever21.com

Taeler’s Wedding Gown: Gateway Bridal in Salt Lake City, Utah http://www.gatewaybridal.com/

Taeler’s Hair and Make-Up Artist: Lezlee Jones…The Salon in Bountiful, Utah

I had an absolutely fabulous time working with this gorgeous AND super sweet gal last week!  Awesome location, beautiful subject, killer outfits, and perfect lighting – it doesn’t get much better than that!    Everything came together so nicely, and it certainly didn’t hurt that we had our pre-session consultation at Dani’s house where I was able to check out her outfits, make suggestions, and have her wardrobe in mind as I scouted out spots to shoot at.  I was so excited to get permission to shoot at a brand new location, and it turned out even better than I could have hoped for!  I think I am cursed to shoot in McKinney in general … last time I locked my keys in my car, this time I left my wallet at home and was practically out of gas when I realized it.  Luckily I found my emergency cash and averted disaster, but Dani was kind enough to offer me gas money too.   I had such a blast spending the evening with you Dani, and I hope you enjoy your massive sneak peek! 

As soon as I saw this week’s theme over at I Heart Faces, I immediately thought of this shot from Friday’s newborn session with sweet 5-day old Vivienne.  It may be the cutest little smirk I’ve ever seen!    More to come soon! 

Head on over to I Heart Faces to see more great entries!

Every digital file purchase now comes with a beautiful CD case customized with an image from your session, and all digital files are burned onto a custom printed CD.  It’s about as dressed up as you can dress up digital!   I hope that this packaging will become another beautiful keepsake from your session.  It’s useful as well - I’ve created an inside label that contains all kinds of important information including a print authorization, your usage rights, and tips for printing at the lab of your choice.  Some labs do request a copy of the Print Authorization (which you will still receive) to keep on file, but you’ll also have it handy right there on the case.  Look forward to many more new product spotlight posts coming up over the next couple of weeks!

This week’s Wardrobe Wednesday comes to you straight from yours truly.  My own family just went through the extended family portrait saga a few weeks ago, so I thought I could save you and your family from our mistakes and let you in on our successes.  And it WAS a success.   Thanks to my good friend Erica May for the visuals!

“So you’ve been reading our posts every week and have gotten really knowledgeable about dressing your family for your portrait session, right?  And then it happens ….about every 5-10 years everyone gets together for an EXTENDED family portrait session.  Don’t panic, I know what you are thinking: “How in the world will we coordinate (and not match) different groups of people who may not even live in the same place?  It’s impossible.  That’s it, white shirts and jeans it is.”  NOOOOOO!  It’s not impossible, I promise!  I just went through this lovely process with my own extended family, and I’m going to help you do it too, step by step. 

1)      Get everyone on board.  This will be a team effort, so you need to have a pep talk with everybody and make sure they are all on the same page.  Make sure everyone understands what you are trying to do – show them examples from these posts to help give them an idea of the “coordinated” look we always try to achieve.  Let them see that they won’t be disappointed in the results! 
2)      Do your research.  Before picking a color scheme, I suggest actually going around to some stores and seeing what colors are “in” at the time.  We did NOT do this, and it didn’t take walking out of too many stores empty-handed to realize that purple was the color of the season, and our chosen burgundy accent was hardly anywhere to be found.  Doing a little research ahead of time will make it so much easier in the long run. 
3)      Pick a color scheme.  In my opinion, it’s easiest with larger extended family groups to keep your color choices simple, leaving less room for error.  We picked some basic neutral colors (cream, taupe, and denim) and then used burgundy for our accent color.  Simple works well, but also be specific when needed.  We chose taupe and not “browns” because I don’t think a dark brown would have looked nearly as good among the other colors.  Once you’ve made a choice, communicate it clearly to the rest of the group.  We actually pulled some of these colors out of my mom’s closet, took an iPhone picture, and sent it to everyone else along with some written notes.  Visuals never hurt!  J
4)      Raid your closet, hit the stores, and keep your receipts!  It’s important to have options, especially if everyone lives in different places and you can’t check things out in advance.  We arranged to meet at my parent’s house an hour before leaving for the session so we could see what everyone came up with and make final wardrobe decisions.  We each came with more than one option in case there was color-clashing, too much of one color, etc.  Yes, that means I made a round of returns the following week, but it was worth the peace of mind knowing we had our bases covered.  If you can’t meet in one place, just plan on getting to the session early – you can always change in your car if needed. 

FINAL TIPS:  First, our usual “rules of thumb” still apply – textures, layers, and accessories all make for a great outfit.  Secondly, make sure your family unit looks well-coordinated alone as you’ll likely be taking some individual family pictures too.  What looks good as a part of the large group may not necessarily look good in a smaller unit (for example, if you are all wearing a different color).  That brings me to my final tip – use your accessories wisely.  Particularly if you happen to be wearing mostly neutral colors, let your accessories add the accent color, which will help seamlessly tie your look into everyone else’s.  Below, you can see we used red and cream jewelry, a red tank top, and a giant red flower bow to do this, and the pops of color here and there really make a difference.  So, with all of that said, here’s the final product (thank you Erica May)!  I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out, and what I love most about it is that it looks like US – as in we don’t typically hang out together in matching white shirts and jeans, and I bet you don’t either. :)  

 Shopping List – I’ll only list what my family unit wore to keep this from turning into a book, but the majority of everyone else’s outfits were from Target, Kohl’s, and Nordstrom Rack (my new FAVORITE store). 
 
ME (Second from the left)
Tank top – Nordstrom Rack                       
Jeans – Gap
Jewelry – Necklaces (Claire’s); Earrings & Bracelets (not shown, but cute! :)  Dillard’s on sale
 
HUBBY
Button-up shirt – J Crew (Clearance)
Khaki shorts – Old Navy
 
ADORABLE DAUGHTER
Top – Baby Gap (Clearance)
Jean Skirt – Old Navy
Sandals – Target
Red Bow – Claire’s

I can’t wait to share this fabulous session with you – I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better “welcome back” to shooting than working with Paige!  After monsoon-like weather and even a tornado threatened, we decided to meet one day later than we had planned with the hopes that both the humidity and the puddles had dried up.  It ended up being a really nice evening, and everything dried up very nicely.  I have the pleasure of worshipping with Paige and her family at church, so it was extra great to spend some one-on-one time with both Paige and her mom (and dog Molly) and get to know them even better.  Paige picked some awesome outfits – they looked just great against the natural backdrops.  She wasn’t so sure about trying out the “serious” look (most of my clients rarely are), but she totally nailed it.  I just LOVE the fence picture towards the end, something about it just really speaks to me.  Anyways, thanks Paige (and Mom and Molly) for a great session, I really had a blast!  Enjoy your sneak peek! 

Well, it’s been a while since I posted an entry for I Heart Faces, so I thought I’d check out this week’s theme. Wouldn’t you know that it had to do with cars! Conveniently, I just recently had an awesome senior session that involved a vintage Corvette! It was really hard to pick a favorite … if you want to see more,  check out Riley’s session here.  Neat story – this was actually his dad’s car when his dad was in high school, and it was restored just in time for his session.  Cool, huh?!? 

For more great entries, head on over to I Heart Faces!