Free $50 Prints

I am so excited! Back in this post I shared some pictures that I was planning on printing with Nations Photo Lab but the promo code wouldn't work. Well, this time Tamara Lackey offered another code for $50 off your first order: TLNOVLUV (If you want to take advantage of this great offer too, make sure that you use the ROES software to order, because the promo code doesn't work on online orders)

So today I ordered these three un-stretched canvas prints for my new room and I basically only had to pay for shipping. Yay! :D

I plan on making these little cute things made from mouse traps to hang the prints on my wall.
I found the idea on Pinterest -- of course :P

Picture from ellaclaireinspired.com

When I went Walmart last night to buy them, I called my mom to ask her where to find them because I wasn't about to ask a sales associate where to find them... I would feel obligated to tell them that I was really only using them for a craft. And they would never believe me. *sigh* Who would!?

Picture from ellaclaireinspired.com

I think I'll put some burlap behind my prints to kind of "frame" them. But I'll make sure to show you all the finished product anyway.

So this week on my break I'll be painting my room, making a rug, making a ottoman (big pillow foot stool thing), making a skirt (if I have time), making these mouse trap picture hangers, making a pillow, and who knows if I'll be inspired to paint something on my 3' x 6' canvas that has been blank for the last two years ;P

-MarLeahJoy

Family Portraits

I hardly ever take pictures in the morning, but I really enjoyed this morning family session. I guess that is probably due to my lazy sleeping schedule I've been on the last two years :P So it was nice to actually get out and see the morning sunlight for once ;) and I found that I really like the lighting for portraits.

I really liked the foliage in the left picture. This was actually on their property, and how lucky are they to have a weeping willow tree in their yard!? I would absolutely love one!

They also wanted to take the pictures at their house because they planned to include their German Shepherd, Sasha. She looks like a sweet, innocent dog in this picture, but let me tell you... she is a wild one, even though she is three-legged.  :)

So, this picture was taken after he had ran around the yard in circles with her until she laid down for a few seconds.

I love Chelsea's smile, and I love who she is. She has a strong character -- stronger than I ever realized in all of my years of going to school with her. I wish her the best in her life!

I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving and this cold weather! :)

-MarLeahJoy

Orange Glazed Blueberry Scones

The things are just scrumptious! I have made them twice in the last week and a half and they don't last longer than 24 hours :P Partially because it does't make an extremely large batch and I live with a family. But mostly because they end up in the mouth of the cook! ;)

Blueberry Scones

• 1 cup of blueberries (I use frozen and they work just fine)
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 1 stick of butter
• 2/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 425 degreese. In a bowl mix the dry ingreedients. Add butter and blend with two knives or a pastry cutter untill it is crumbly. Stir in blueberries and add milk. Mix batter until it clings together. With floured hands, form into balls about 1/2' thick and 2 1/2' to 3'in diameter. Place on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 13 minouts or untill golden brown. Makes about 11 scones. After they have cooled, I coat them with the orange glaze. It will run off, but the more you can get to stay on there, the better ;)


Orange Glaze

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large orange, juiced and zested
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Melt the butter in a small bowl. Add the orange juice and zest. Stir in the powdered sugar, portions at a time to make sure it dissolves.

The little bits of orange zest add just the right "pop" to the sweetness.

I was taking these on a morning before I left for college. (Only two full weeks left! Woot!) So I was a tad rushed after taking pictures and didn't even get to drink the tea. Oh, well, it would have probably been cold and way too strong from steeping the whole time I took pictures. But I ate plenty of scones, of course, before heading off to school. :D

So, I must admit that it took me by surprise when I picked up my camera and started taking pictures. I thought to myself, "Hey, I like the sound of the shutter!" as if I had forgot what it sounded like. Then I chided myself for not taking pictures for such a long time... or blogging. :P I've had some people remind me that I haven't blogged since the 7th of this month, lol.

Well... delicious stuff. 

Guess what? You should make them! So we can share the love of them :)

-MarLeahJoy

Alyssa {Bridal Portraits}

It's really hard for me to even think of anything "happy" to write on this post. My sister got married on the 2nd of this month, and I must say I have already cried a good 4 or 5 times for her. The night before the wedding it felt like she had died or something. It was horrible. Most of those feelings were because I was at the end of a very long day and sleep was long overdue, but nonetheless I was still hurting at the thought of her moving so far away.

Recently, my dad made the comment, "Yeah, we will only see her a handful of times each year..." And the whole harsh reality hit again (as if it hasn't hit enough times!) "You mean to tell me that I will be lucky to see her a twice a year!?" This person I've spent nearly everyday of the last 18 years with... How sad! But people have already been giving me so much encouragement to help me through this though, and that has really helped. :)

 

Oh, how she loved her poor cat. Sadly, she wasn't able to take it with her, though. I mean, who really wants to travel on their honeymoon with a bawling cat. :P

"Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe"

I guess the handkerchief counts as Something Old and Something Blue... maybe? :)

I think this is my favorite of her. I love how her eyes match the chair!

Home. I'm glad someone suggested for us to take a picture in front of our house. Yes, I'm being very, extremely sentimental, but of all the beautiful backgrounds, I like this one with our house the best! ;)

Her engagement watch and flowers Marty brought her when he came out for the wedding.

Um, excuse me while I go cry some more. JK! ;)

-MarLeahJoy

This Is What I Want To Do

{My-thoughts-with-a-few-pictures-thrown-in kinda post} ;)

Ever since I started college, I became quite unsure that photography was really what I wanted to do. 

That troubled me. A lot!

I really began to question myself (and pray) and try to weigh out why I suddenly didn't feel like photography was for me any more. Within a few short weeks I realized that it was because I wasn't really taking pictures anymore. So the next few weeks, I was determined to take pictures. Well, that didn't work because I really do enjoy taking pictures of people more than anything else, and no one in my family will volunteer to be a model. ;) haha

Then within a few more weeks someone asked if I would take their family portraits (yeah, everything I'm talking about happened in "week" increments, haha. But that's really the way it went). I was happy to do it, but I was oh so nervous at just the thought of it. But, it went really, really well and assured me that me and my camera really do belong together and I can make a successful business out of this.

A double rainbow from the night of the wedding rehearsal. When Ranelle and I pulled up at the chapel I made her stop and let me out with my camera so I could take pictures. Only to realize that I didn't have a memory card in. By that time she had already sped off to park so I had to book-it to where she was. Running barefoot on the gravel, mind you! (Yeah, a really great thing to do, MarLeah! Bruise your feet right before the wedding so you walk like a chicken down the isle!) Anyway, I managed to get back to my spot to take pictures before the sky changed.

And now that I look back over the time that has elapsed since I got my camera, I have really had a lot of confirmation that this could at least work (regardless of whether or not it would be the "dream job" for me - that's always a whole other aspect of a job/career). Anyway, I say that because I haven't even been seeking out clients at this point because I'm busy enough with college. And because that's just not what I had planned... so I was fine with just having my camera, learning it, and not having clients... but the clients have sought me out. So I'm getting some experience in early that I really didn't "plan" for in my little book of "How My Life is Supposed To Go" lol. That is the best part about life though -- all of the exciting things you couldn't have ever expected or imagined!

Then, last night I was reading the assigned chapter in our business book and it happened to be about marketing. I got so caught up in my own plans for my business that I couldn't get through the chapter. Now, granted, it's never been easy for me to read out of a text book. :P But, still this time I was just getting way too excited about the whole thought of having my own business. :)

So, now I am completely sure that this is what I want to do. I don't know how I will get to the different goals I have in mind. And I know that some of my ideas might even have to be re-worked, but right now I feel happy in knowing that God has led me here.

-MarLeahJoy

"Never give up..." -Nightingale

No, I'm not giving a motivational speech here on the blog. 

I really shouldn't be blogging, in fact, because tomorrow is my sister's wedding. wow.

But I was trying to meet a deadline for some prints for my room, and without explaining why, I ended up making some picture quotes with some of my photography. 

I wasn't going to share these on here until I got the prints back, but... as it turns out, I must have missed the deadline (for an amazing promo code - somehow it wouldn't work). So with that disappointment, I turned to blogging. ;) Blogging always makes me feel better :)

An image from our travels through Tennessee this summer.

From our last family trip to Colorado this fall; Garden of the Gods

And this image reminds me to use my Lensbaby more (maybe I just need to get my camera out more). I took this one in the spring - way back in the first few weeks that I had my camera.

All of these were created with Quotes Cover.

Next week I should have a post up from my sister's bridal portrait session. She already gave me permission ;) In the meantime, I will be... Helping with last minute wedding prep. Standing up as the maid of honor. Enjoying all the wedding guest who are traveling in. Likely finding myself in some good game of Ultimate after the wedding. Saying goodbye to my sister who will be saying hello to a new life in West Virginia (wow!). Getting my whole weeks worth of homework done on Sunday. And my new life will begin Monday. My life in a household of four -- not five. 

Have a marvelous weekend!

-MarLeahJoy