Treat her Right

I spend the day with a girlfriend of mine this week after a photoshoot at a candy company {that I will soon update about} ... and she happens to be good friends with The Makepeace Brothers ... these guys are AMAZING. They just toured with Jason Mraz and Justin Kredible for the Music, Magic and Makepeace tour. Take a listen. {though this is only Finian, one of the brothers}

These guys are something else. Another great track is El Pastel. LOVE IT!

Glee

Thanks to big sis, I am certain I know what our

favorite show in the fall will be. It'll be Glee.

The pilot was fun, witty, and the singing .. AMAZING!

I'm such a sucker for musicals. And let me just say

this is my favorite Journey song ... and now 

this is my favorite cover of it! ... sooo gooood!

I can't wait for more  Glee.

Charmed life

I finally watched the Grey's season finale, which was awesome .... and seconds into the episode I was tapping along to the opening song {or at least what i thought was the opening .. i missed a bit in the beginning that I didn't know I missed}. It sounded familiar then when the chorus kicked in I knew who it was. The awesomely talented Joy Williams. I simply adore her album.

Bantu by Yodit in ELLE magazine!!!

I was screaming when I heard this news from my big sis.

A family friend of ours, Yodit Eklund has her own swimsuit line {Bantu} and was featured as part of the fashion spotlight article in Elle Magazine this month!!!

Last summer she had mentioned to me that she started her own swimsuit line, I just didn't realize how big her line has gotten. Her line has been picked up by .. ahem ... ANTHROPOLOGIE, Barneys NY, and Fred Segal to name a few, and I'm sure with this article her name will be even more sought after. Also Bantu made an appearance in The New York Times “Sunday Style” feature on Memorial Day beach clothes ... how awesome is that?

I'm sooo excited for her, I texted her baby brother asap to give her my love and congrats! As for her company Bantu ... “It is Bantu’s mission to support and grow the African economy while providing high-quality working standards, opportunities for growth, and a living wage to its workers,” says Yodit Eklund, Bantu’s founder. “Hopefully consumers will begin demanding finished products from Africa, a place typically only considered for raw materials.” Great stuff. I'll be wearing my African pants her mom gave me last summer in celebration! hehe! YAY!

Buy Bantu !!!

You just lost one

One of my best friends sent me this and I was definitely moved.

Tuesday's Bitter Heart

I'm absolutely in love with Zee Avi.



I just bought her album. :)

SUMMER INTERNSHIP FUN!!!

It's been along time coming, but it's finally starting to sink in ...

I've got myself a photography internship this summer!!!!!!!!!!!

And remember that I had some exciting news about 

Kristen Leigh that I wanted to share very soon???

Well, the news is that I've been blessed with the opportunity to intern for Kristen Leigh this summer! YAY!!! There are 3 other gals who'll be with me, learning, growing, and having fun ... all with a pro to guide us and just have a good time with. I am beyond excited, and beyond blessed because the slots for interns were few, but God definitely made a way. Ekkkkssss!!! Praise God!!!  

{I can't wait for July to get here!}

Best Pop-up books ever!!!

Another Lisa Hannigan tune, Lille. LOVE IT!

Another Crafty tune

Awesome Video.
How do you craft?

I miss you, Likes it's tomorrow

By Kate Neckel

Wendy Straps

My guitar still lacks a guitar strap after two years. I still haven't found the perfect one, though I've been in no rush to find one ... but how great are these? Built by Wendy always has great stuff.

My Best Friend's Graduation

One of my very best friend's graduates college tomorrow.

Though we are practically like sisters.

We've been through it all together, I graduated kindergarten with her by my side {though she upstaged me with all of her awards ... lol ... and she was in 1st grade already}, she was there by my side when my dad past away, I was there when she got her first car, and when she graduated high school ... then I followed the year after, and now we are here. At her college graduation.

The years have gone by so quickly,

but I've been so blessed to have Em-em by my side through it all.

Tomorrow will be another milestone to add to our collection of memories we've shared together, and I am beyond proud of you Emem! Since we were little kids you've always been one of the hardest workers I know, always so creative, so smart, and so talented to top it of. But that's simple what you can do, who you are is what I love most about you. You are my kind and caring dear best friend and I love you soo much. 

I'll be cheering so loud and so proud tomorrow.

I can't wait to see what God takes you next. 

Buy TOMS, give some

 

Shoes, shoes, shoes. I'm surrounded by shoes everyday. It becomes a little monotonous job at times but now and again you learn or discover something new, and or your coworkers keep you entertained. It was actually a customer who had this shoes one, ones I've never seen before but they looked so cute and comfty so I had to ask.

 

"They are TOMS." She told me. Like I'm suppose to know what TOMS are? I sell shoes, but I don't know about alot of shoes outside of what we sell. So as I said I would I looked them up, and I love them.

 

When you buy a pair of TOMS, TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need. I see people buying shoes everyday, it's nice to know that somewhere people who are buying shoes are giving them out as well. 

I have alot of shoes, so it's not like I need another one. But I want to buy me some TOMS. I've seen first hand what a simple pair of shoes means to children in need. Maybe not now, but soon ... I'll get me some TOMS just in time for some summer fun. And plus they are so cute.

Buy TOMS, give some.

Collection of the week {73} - Kristen Leigh

One of my favorite photographers from last year is this super talented, fun and young photographer named Kristen Leigh. She's a local gal and some one I truly admire in the industry. Her story is inspiring, along with her work, her amazing resume and the amount of experience she has under her belt ... and the biggest wow factor is that ..... she's younger than me, {Note I'm only 22}. My admiration for her continues to grow as her work and talent grow too.

{Groom = Drummer for My Favorite Highway}

What I truly love about Kristen's work is the subdued, romantic quality her photos always take on. I heart Kristen Leigh.

{***WATCH OUT for I'll be posting some
exciting news about Kristen Leigh very very very soon***}

Mama's Day

In this little family of ours, Mother's day is like celebrating my mom's birthday a month early, its a very important day. Though I think 24 hours is hardly enough to dedicate to and celebrate my mom and how complete and wonderful her love has made our lives ... most especially through all the hard times.

Big sister and I had pretty special plans for the day, so we both got up really early to prepare our surprises, got all dolled up then dolled up mother dearest for our Sunday Brunch at Cheesecake Factory to start the day.

Mother dearest looked so beautiful,

But even then, on a beautiful Sunday morning all dolled up, my mom's outward beauty pails in comparison to how beautiful of a woman she is on the inside. My mom has faith that could "move mountains" and if ever I need a definition of strength, I simply look at my mom and know the answer.

When we arrived for brunch we had to wait for our two special guests to arrive but looked through the super yummy brunch menu and did a little gift opening while it was just the three of us. For starters mother opened up sister's present, because we both knew that emotions would run high and it would be a special moment the three of us.

The note attached to her present read:

Happy Mother's Day Mom!
Now you carry us near your heart.

I love you.

Her initial reaction to opening her present was this:

But a second after reading what was stamped into the silver,

all we saw were tears.

Then the tears turned into weeping,

Followed by tears of our own.

The first three letters stamped into my mother's necklace

are the three letter's that we miss the most in this world.

My dad.

Seeing those three letters written down, right next to my sister's name and my own brought the three of us to tears instantaniously. Never have I seen my mom brought to tear so quickly, because usually she's to strong for her own good.

After the cry fest, we had a few silly moments

to ourselves and then our guests arrived.

Then .. SURPRISE!!!

Our two other "seestars" arrived and so did even more laughter.

The food was SOOO good.

And so pretty.

Then I gave my mom my present for her, a camera she can call her own! She's addicted to our DS Lite, so I got her a touch screen camera she can play with. Also, I figured my big ole DSLR is to heavy for her when she does take pictures. And just like me and my sister, my mom loves pictures .. I'm sure we got it from her.

On a total side note, it was nice having Rio home this weekend, we've missed her around here. And though her visit and her mom's visit earlier in the week were not under the best of circumstances, I'm grateful that our families have each other to lean on in good times, bad times, sad times or in celebration.

I love my mom.

She's not only my mom, but my homie, and one of my best friends.

And she's also "mommy 2" to two of my best friends.

How we love our mother dearest .. lol

Homies for life!!! hehe

The rest of our day was packed with lots of love and celebrating, even a party. Great times with the fambam and what a wonderful mother's day.

Prom Night at the Gatti's

I still can not believe it is already May, nor can I believe how grown up my cousins are.

 

  

Last Saturday was Prom night at the Gatti's. 

Yes both Travis & Gina went to prom.

  

  

Our little "pizza boy" is little no more, but a handsome young man 

with really amazing Kenneth Cole shoes and a pretty amazing tux.

 

He looked so good for his Senior Prom, 

I can't wait to see him graduate.

 

  

As a good big brother would, Travis 

waited for Gina's boyfriend to arrive outside.

 

 Here is Mitch, Gina's boyfriend. 

Who is a Junior, as Gina is a Sophomore.

  

This is how Gina is everything she's with him. Heheh. 

She's growing up far to fast as well. :)

  

  

Loving Siblings.

  

Also awkward in every way... bwahaha

  

Mitch simply stood by and watched the Gatti's in their silliness.

 

Soon after a plethora of pictures were taken Gina & Mitch were off to a pre-prom rendezvous at a friend's house. And sure enough sister and I took the opportunity to embarrass our little Gina right before leaving. Her face tells it all. Then they were off.

As for Travis boy, he stuck around to make a fashionably late entrance to prom and waited to get dropped of by his pops. While he waited we goofed off. I love this boy to pieces and it brings tears to my eyes to see him all grown up. 

I love my cousins.