Urban photo blog

hello world.

2011-09-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this little baby. She just so happens to be my new niece!!!! I am so excited! This will be the 2nd girl on my families side and i am OVER the MOON excited about her. Charlie too. She already has big plans for them. She wants to teach her to walk on her tip toes, carry her pink purse, get her "chap lips" (chapstick)... big plans. Isn't she the CUTEST????

And check out these fun hats and headbands! My fabulous sister-in-law karen did them. I LOVE the pink ear flap one. Seriously??? It's so stinkin cute!!!!

more from our trips... where has sumer gone?

2011-08-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying the more lifestyle pictures lately. I love all these so much. It was just moments. Little glittering moments. I'll hold onto them forever. There is nothing i love more than photographing my kids... it's sad because I have to force my self to get out my big camera. I usually just bring my point and shoot with me and use that, but being able to sit and watch my children explore, laugh, love... it's what makes me so happy. that and cooler temps...

not sure why, but photobucket is making them look very soft right now. It's too late for me to change it... sorry.

a little piece of our summer...

2011-08-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

we took the kids to the beach this summer for the first time ever. i grew up in florida where we spent almost every waking hour at the beach, so for me it felt like i was finally going home again... well, not quite, but you get the idea. i think this beach trip will be one of my most favorite times ever. i hope when i'm 85 and in my rocking chair i can still remember it well enough for it to feel tangible. i took so many pictures and it still wasn't enough. i found myself wishing there were more to go through. i couldn't bring myself to let any go... so what do you do with hundreds of pictures???? make an album... a really big album! really big! as in 200 pages big... it will sit on my shelf waiting for to turn it's lovely pages until my fingers are too old and arthritis has set in (with as much time as I spend at the computer that could be sooner than later!)...

but i am ready for school to start again, for the schedule, for the fall, for the smiling faces that i'll find waiting for me as i drive through the pick up line at the school... but a part of me will be missing summer... lazy days, sleeping in, spending WAY too much time at the pool, vacations, friends, family... all those little bits of summer.

Time to catch up!!!!

2011-07-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

wow have we been busy! and this isn't all of it... but i thought i better try to get caught up a little bit...

do you remember these twins??? they came very early and spent a lot of time in the NICU. now, they are not walking, but running!!! and they weren't going to sit still just for me!!! they made me work hard!!! and i loved it! i was laughing so hard. it's so good to see them now vs. where they were! amazing!

and then i got to see this cute baby!!! he laughed and smiled the whole session!!

and then this cute couple needed some engagement pictures!!! I think we did their session in record time!!!

and then another one of my favorite families came back!! we have known them now since our firsts were about 1!!! And now they're almost 7!!!!!! why does the time go so fast???

then this adorable baby and GORGEOUS momma came to see me... i asked her beauty secrets and she'd just had a baby 5 days earlier... that's how beautiful she was!!!!

and i got to meet this talkative two yr old!!! he spoke so well for his age!!! i was so impressed!!! and he was so cute and fun!! i love when 2yr olds are like that!

and i got to see one of my favorite seniors!! we had a to do a little bit of running at our session... his mom joked that she didn't know that she needed to wear her running soes! :) it's a fun little inside story between all of us now! :)

and then i got to see that seniors entire family! and this is how we do it in texas people. we love our sports. if you're a fan here, you're die hard! you can tell from the picture below! go mavs!!!!

and there's still more to catch up on, but for now, enjoy!!! this fall is going to be pretty busy! i'm so excited to meet all these new people and take beautiful pictures!! I'll be posting a few of my own family in just a bit... we went to the beach for my kids first time ever. needless to say, i think we should move to the beach, open a taco shop, and spend our days soaking up the sun and breathing in all the wonderful sea air!!! :) at least that's what i think!

B! eautiful!! family!!!

2011-06-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

Tell me this family isn't gorgeous! I am in love with this session. The kids are both so fun and talkative. They didn't mind my camera in their face!!! I love when sessions are like that. And how about that field? I loved the light there. We truly had the perfect session... minus the bugs. :)

lots to blog so little time... one little cutie for now.

2011-06-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

isn't she a cutie? she let me put on hats, headbands, etc. and never made a fuss! love when they're like that!

Mr. Man is so serious...

2011-05-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

Meet my sweet new friend. He was so sweet and so good! Just a week old when I me him. He was so funny, his little face looked so concerned all the time! I think he was trying to tell his mom that some crazy lady that talked in a crazy voice is sticking me in boxes and baskets and is tempted to smother me with kisses!!! :)

I had a great time with mom and both grandma's too! I'm sad they're moving in a few weeks!!! Congrats John and Jenni! You guys make beautiful babies!!!

Family of Four

2011-05-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

I love this family. I was so excited to see them again. This is my 4th time to photograph them in the last 2 1/2 years. The last time I saw them they were a family of three... and now they are a sweet family of four. Miss M, you are such a great big sister! Mr. T is very lucky!

Favorite Session EVER!

2011-04-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

I LOVED this session. She threw the outfits together in a days notice, trusted me for the spot, and did whatever I asked! I think the photos turned out amazing! It doesn't hurt that they look so beautiful!! And can i just say that this is one of the sweetest and smiliest little guys! I love him!

Senior 2011

2011-04-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Isn't he cute? He's all country too! I asked him what song he wanted in his slideshow, he said, "anything country!"

Another beautiful baby.

2011-04-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

My nieces... aren't they beautiful?

2011-03-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

I love to see families grow...

2011-01-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Last time I saw them there was only one baby, and now that baby is 2 and there is another new baby!!! There's nothing better than watching families grow. Especially when their babies are this cute!!!

More of the Mr.

2011-01-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

oh how i love him.

Meet the newest Elmer....

2011-01-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Well, we were waiting. We were on our way to the Dr. and something started to happen! He decided he'd waited long enough. Although i wasn't due until Jan. 10th, this little guy came to meet us on Dec. 23rd. We brought him home christmas day. The best christmas present ever!!! And i truly have the greatest dr. ever. He came up to the hospital at 6:30 christmas morning so i could get released early and be there to watch my kids open up their christmas presents. The while family waited... grandmas, grandpa's, cousins, aunts, brothers, sisters, daddy... they all waited while Dave came to get me from the hospital so I could be there for christmas!

It has been bitter sweet. I LOVE babies! I"m OBSESSED with babies... I've even been known to kiss a baby at a session because I love them so much. I am so excited to have another sweet little new person to get to know and love, but I'm sad that I will never have that again. So please, if you ever have a new baby, bring them over so I can get my baby fix!!!

Until next time, meet Baby Wes.

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

From our family to yours, merry christmas! We thank all of the wonderful families that have come to us this year! We had a great time meeting you all and photographing your most precious memories!

We'll be going on a short break while we wait for the arrival of baby number 5... looking at the pictures below i'm not sure this little bunch knows what they're in for!! But we're ready and SUPER excited!

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Here's to a great 2011!!

Another calendar set!

2010-12-10T05:14:00.000-08:00

I've been busier than ever wrapping up sessions, making gifts for loved ones, preparing for class parties, and um... GETTING READY FOR BABY! I can't believe it's almost time. It's really 3 or 4 weeks away still, but I know I won't last that long. Maybe another week... I always have my babies around 2 weeks early. SO that would be next weekend! I'm feeling excited to not be pregnant, nervous to have five kids and the whole hospital experience... mine have never gone smoothly, and even sad... sad to know that this will probably be my last time to go to the hospital to meet a new little person and to feel that closeness of the heavens opened as this little soul enters the world.

But with all that business I still manage to find time to make a few new things! Here's one of them! This is for all those people that don't want to take the time to put pictures in templates! It's a full little typography calendar if you will! A little funky! A little fun! Perfect to start off the new year!

This is a printable calendar. I will email you the files in jpeg and pdf format so you can either print on 5x7 photo paper, or just regular paper... it's up to you! Get a cute frame or a fun little easel and you're done!

2011

2010-12-02T11:04:00.000-08:00

I just added a fun little calendar to my collection of things. THis 2011 calendar is editable, so you can change the colors or fonts if you' like. Or just leave it like it is. Add your own photos and it's a great gift for Grandma's, clients, or yourself! And it's cheap! So get it fast!!! YOu can find it in my shop, you can find it in my templates section at the top of the blog, or you can just hit buy it now!

Price: $15!!!

Toddlers and babies!

2010-11-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

I recently got see one of my favorite little people again. This is my third year to photograph her and I love her so much! She ran up to me as she got out of the car and gave me big huge hug!! It was the best!!!

And because I know there's Mama's and Grandma's that would LOVE a little sneak peek of this guy here you are miss Molly!!! Thank you for bringing over your little guy and letting me play with him! We're super excited to have a new cousin!

Doesn't she look A-MAZING.

nothing better than family.

2010-11-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

I had a great session with an awesome family! There's nothing better than family. Especially ones that are as fun as this one! Hope you enjoy them!!!

The Book Wreath

2010-10-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

So I know you probably want to make a book wreath too!! So here a few of the ones I found. All equally fantastic!!!

This is the one I went with:

book wreath

here is another:

book wreath

another take on it:

book wreath

And this one I have admired for SOOOO long

book wreath
and really admire EVERYTHING she does (The fabulous Danielle, or Dandee)... I'm lucky enough to know this creative mama. She lives by & is super close friends with my SIL, and sometimes come to visit us down here in texas with said fabulous SIL.
Be sure to check out her most recent posts too about the super creative Project Craft that she and the Lovely Lindsay put on. Makes me wish I lived there so I could have attended. I told her she needs to make project craft a traveling event and bring it here to dallas... any else here in on that?!?!? Ok, stop reading this and click her link!!!

Hope you had a great weekend!!

2010-10-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend!! Lots of soccer games and lots of relaxing. Can soccer games and relaxing be int he same sentence???

Well, I made one of these for our house this weekend. After seeing lots of different versions of them floating around on the internet I thought this one looked pretty good. SO I gave it a go. And guess what... it cost me a total of $3!!!! How about that????

It's a book wreath. I love it. It's a little bigger than I thought it would be, and it took a lot longer than I thought, but worth it.

Halloween Tags for you!

2010-09-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

Since it's thursday and that means that three of the 4 kids are home all day we decided to do some "projects" to help make the time go by a little bit faster! Since tomorrow is Oct. 1st we wanted to make the boys teachers a fun little halloween goodie to sit on their desks and to tempt all the little children!! :)

So we just got some of our canning jars out, filled them with candy corns, and printed out these cute little labels to slap on top! So fun! So easy! So cute!

And we thought it would be nice to share the cute little circle tags with you! So enjoy! Click here to download!

Play dough Recipe!

2010-09-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the recipe for making your own play dough! It's really easy and believe me, when you tell your kids you know how to make it they will have a renewed love for you and a new found respect! What mom can't use a little of that???

So here's the recipe:

2 c. flour
1 c. salt
4 tsps of cream of tartar
2 Tbls of oil
2 c. boiling water
2 pkgs of unsweetened kool-aid

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the kool-aid to the water. Then mix the flour mixture and colored water. Knead, cool, play, and smell!!!

Now, when we did this the first time i used two packs of yellow or what I thought was going to be yellow (lemonade)... don't disappoint your kids the first time around and do like i did... the lemonade one doesn't really do anything to it color wise.

So go make some play dough... and don't forget to smell it too!!! yummmm!

Itsy Bitsy Photography

2010-09-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

On thursday I was contacted by Sarah of Itsy Bitsy Photography to come up with some cute watermarks for her images!! She just said she wanted a vintage camera feel, so that's what we did! I actually made her three different designs. That way she can switch them up and never get bored of them! So thank you Sarah! I had so much fun designing these!!! And what do you all think?? Isn't her photography amazing?? If you live in Temecula, CA you may just want to visit her site and set up a session!!!

If you're a photographer or even just a mom and want a custom watermark for your blog photos send me an email and I'd be happy to get started on a fun design for you too!!!

The lovely Cheryl Muhr

2010-09-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

If you don't know who Cheryl Muhr is you should google her right now. I was lucky enough to meet her a little over three years ago and fell in love with her. She is amazing person, not to mention photographer and teacher!!!! Seriously, she made my business what it was because she was so open and willing to help and share her knowledge!

So I emailed her recently to ask her if I might use a few of her images for some of the things i'd been working on. I wasn't surprised when i not only heard back from her, but she said, YES. You can use my images!!! Cause that's how super nice she is.

So this morning i was all giddy when I woke up to find images that belong to the amazing Cheryl Muhr sitting in my inbox... MY INBOX! And not only were they beautiful, but they were some of my favorites by her. I think they scream cheryl!

So thank you Mrs. Muhr for letting me use your images! I used some of my photo overlays on them! The overlays work great for print and web. I love how they add just a little bit of jazz to a photo for the blog. Can you imagine how cute they'd look on baby announcements???? Seriously. A cute little doodle with the babies name, weight, length, and birthdate... I just sparked a little idea for my own new little guy...

Enjoy the photos, and again, thank you Cheryl, your work never ceases to amaze me!

To purchase these sets click on the link to my etsy shop, or scroll down and you'll find a buy now button for both sets!!! And i'd love to see what you make with them!

And just for fun! Leave a comment and we'll give a set away!! Next week! Tell me which is your favorite and why!!!

Grilled PIzza

2010-09-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not known for cooking. Not at all. I made cookies a few weeks ago and my husband said, "I think this is the first time you've ever made homemade cookies since the first year of our marriage." Well, it hadn't been that long, but seriously long enough! I don't love to cook, but now that our family is getting bigger I want to start getting better at it. We can't take 7 people out to dinner on a regular basis. That'd be way too expensive!

So this week we tried a few new things. One is now a new favorite of ours! Grilled pizza! Sounds hard, but it's not! Seriously. If I can do it, you can do it!

First I tried to find a good pizza dough recipe and made it according to the directions. If you're not into making your own dough just hit up your favorite mom and pop italian restaurant and I'm sure they'll be happy to hook you up with some dough balls and sauce! That was my original plan, cause remember... I don't like to cook, but i didn't have enough time to drive there. So then I made two dough balls. Let it rise and divided it into 4-6 smaller balls. THen made em flat with all my skillz, heated the grill to med. and brushed it with olive oil and slapped that dough on there. I left the lid open and let each side cook for 2 minutes. The dough rose pretty fast and cooked great! THen I yanked those suckers off of there and made a stack of them! Brought them inside and each kid got to spread their sauce and top their pizza! Then we turned the grill to LOW and shut the lid with them back in there. It only took about 3-4 more minutes and the cheese was melted and the toppings were hot!

All this pregnant woman can say is YUM. We'll be making those again for sure!!!

You should give it a try. Your kids will think you're amazing!

We even made home made playdough today... it was so EASY! I'll post the recipe for it later!

Q &A

2010-09-20T10:38:00.001-07:00

I get asked a lot of photography related questions and thought I would start answering them here. I love to help others get started on their little journey into photography!

I've mentored several people and last week had the chance to help a friend get her feet wet when it comes to editing. We talked workflow, raw vs. jpeg, to use actions or not to use them, down to the nitty gritty of exactly how I edit.

We had a great time and as we were talking it made me realize just how important it is to get it right in camera. When you first start out shooting manually though many people tell you to under expose. While this is good if you shoot raw it's not so great if you shoot jpeg. But why Toni? See, I know that's what you're thinking... Because it causes your subjects eyes to have dark circles and look more like pits and it also causes muddier looking skin tones. I would be willing to bet that most of your favorite photographers out there all OVER expose their images and not under expose. This helps the skin appear smoother and milkier looking.

It takes time to learn your camera and it's settings, but the truth is that for you to have a properly exposed image that is print worthy you'll need to have a few things in check:

1. A good understanding of light.
2. A good knowledge of your exact camera and how it works exactly in each and every lighting situation. And by your exact camera I don't mean canon vs. nikon, or rebel vs. 40D. I mean YOUR camera.
3. ISO

Each camera is different. When I first started out I owned a Nikon D50. I loved it. It was a great camera. I knew that camera so well that I knew exactly where my in camera meter should be for every situation. The way I shot and the light that i tended to shoot in required me to over expose by about a full stop. Which to a newbie may be a lot, but that's what I did and that's what worked for me and my camera.

Understanding light is SO so SO critical! Clean light is what you want. But where do you find it? Really, you can find clean light in open shade or in full sun. A lot of understanding light is knowing how to use it to your advantage. It's perfectly fine to shoot in full sun and it can be really great if you know how to position your subject in it. Typically you wouldn't have them looking right the sun because we all know that would make anyone squint, but having the light fall on them from the side looks amazing and adds great contrast to a photograph or a clients gallery. When shooting in the shade it's important to try and have them still face the light. I you're in the shade and have their backs to the light you're loosing out on a great opportunity to utilize the fabulous open shade you just found... Rather than having amazing catchlights for that perfect open shade you just found you'll probably still have a nice photograph but you won't know it's true potential until you start placing your subject toward the light!

Also, ISO. I try and keep my ISO as low as possible. It keeps the image quality more pure and makes your job editing that much easier. I try to never shoot over ISO 400 and tend to shoot between 60-200 ISO. The more you raise your ISO the more artificial light your adding to your photograph... and why would we want to do that when we just spent all that time trying to find the amazing light we just found???

I also am not afraid to break the rules and go against the grain of what and how everyone else shoots. It's why my clients came to me and what made me and my style different. I was perfectly ok with the sky blown out behind my subject if I put them in a back lighting situation. I was ok with it because I knew it was going to happen. I placed my subject there knowing what the outcome was going to be before I ever pressed the shutter. And once you begin to understand the light and the different situations you're in you'll begin to know exactly what it's going to look like too before you ever place them in the light.

So the next time you go out to shoot try to over expose just a tad. Start with a 1/3 of a stop and then try 2/3's and then try 1 stop, edit all three and then see which one looks best. Remember to do it all on the same subject in the same light. Doing this several time will help you start to know where your camera performs at it's best... and where you do to. Then ty putting them in open shade facing the direction of the light. I think you'll be so happy and amazed at how beautiful your photographs look after trying those two simple things!!! oh yeah, and keep that ISO low!!

If you have any questions you'd like me to try and answer I'd love to! So just let me know! You can leave a comment in the comments section or send me an email!

I hope everyone's having a great monday so far! I'm going to go take a nap now... I'm kind tired since I am growing a baby and all that kinda stuff! :) I'll try and post some pictures later of different situations of light and how i used it.

until next time!

toni

are you itching for a new look for your blog?

2010-09-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

If you're like me you are probably always wanting to change things up! For the longest time i thought if only I had a wordpress blog I'd like mine better, but alas, I figured out how to get the look I wanted.

And now I'd love to offer you some of my other designs. I have pre-made blogs ready to go! They even include the headers if you'd like them to. I will do the html for your blogger blog and have it up and running in a days time! How about that???? You won't lose any of your posts, links, or sidebar stuff. And i'll even add a little piece of blog art to the sidebar to help your blog feel even more fun.

It includes:

-background
-header
-installation
-custom fonts
-2 or 3 column design
-mini etsy showcase if you'd like
-linked within if you'd like
-blog art

Price for this pre-made custom blog: $75

Here are some screen shots of the three ready to go. If you look to the right in my sidebar you'll see three buttons that say "sample blog1, sample blog 2, and sample blog 3"... if you click on those you can go to a live version of that blog!

and if you'd like to see another blog I recently designed for someone here's a link:

my little rays of sunshine

In the notes to seller section just tell me which sample you like best. I'll be adding even more samples over the next few days... so get ready to LOVE blogging again!

christmas photo and scrapbook overlays:

2010-09-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well, in all my spare time..... (haha, is there sucha thing???) I came up with another overlay set! I love this one, because it's great for christmas stuff! They're so easy to use, change the colors, size... what ever you want to do you can do! Be as creative as you'd like!
These are again at an introductory price of only $15. So hurry up and snag them!

KidsLife Magazine

2010-09-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

Well, we were lucky enough again to have some of our photos grace the cover and pages of KidsLIfe Magazine in Germany. The inside article was about bringing a new baby home for the first time and how siblings react. The good and bad reactions. We know ALL of those reactions well at our house and will get to relive them again soon! :) So enjoy the pics!!

THANK YOU KidsLife Magazine! I am always so excited to see my photos in there. You all do such a wonderful job!

Photo Overlays

2010-09-02T14:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we just found out what the baby is.... it's ANOTHER BOY! I can't believe it! 4 boys and a girl. We're a great big family! I'm so excited! We can't wait to meet him. All of our kids look so VERY different, so it will be fun to see what this little guy looks like... now we need to get a name. So much to do...

Well I've been busy! I love to create and these are my latest creations! Photo bling! Fun photo and scrapbook overlays that you can lay over a photo, add to a scrapbook page, or add to your cards. i think it will make anyone's blogs look even that much more special! I've got two set to release today and more to come!!

These are all high resolution png files that you can change the color on, lower the opacity, add a drop shadow, etc. The possibilities are endless. And they add just the right touch to your images.
They are at a special introductory price of $15.00 so grab them while they're hot!!!!
So now, I'd like to introduce you to the Baby collection. There are 11 different elements in this collection and hundreds of possibilities.

And now I'd like you to meet the CHILDHOOD collection. Inspired my my own children and the moments I never want to forget. There are ten elements in this collectionand again, hundreds of possibilities.

Louissa....

2010-08-03T11:28:00.000-07:00

beautiful. bright. intelligent. happy. smiley. fun.... and I can't wait to see what she becomes some day! She's only going into 9th grade, but she's got a bright future ahead of her. I was lucky enough to spend just a little bit of time with her.

popsicle party

2010-07-30T06:12:00.000-07:00

these are going up in the shop today. it's the perfect way to say good bye to summer and hello school year! Plus you'll be a pretty cool and you kids will have a blast jumping out of the car to deliver these fun little popsicle invites!

I'll customize it for you... so head on over to the shop and grab one. I'll have a printable version for you to use at home with in a matter of hours!!!!

So go get ready... summer's almost done. Get a date and get started!

CHARLIE LOU DESIGNS

A little Sample...

2010-07-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

I've been busy making some fun stuff to go up in my shop. I get the itch to be crafty every once in a while, and this week has been one of those weeks. I absolutely love everything that Martha Stewart makes, so i decided to do my take on one of the cakes that graced the covers of her magazine. It was really easy. I just used plain white baking cups to make the flowers and then attached them with pipe cleaners to floral foam. It did take a while, but I think it was worth it. I think it would look great in all sorts of colors!

So these pictures are for a Garden party theme Bridal Shower. This is just the beginning. Imagine Brightly colored flowers all over the table, LOTS and LOTS of good food... Some yummy punch.... it would be quite the shower.

I even made the pom poms. Those were very easy too, and a great project for bride's maids to do for the shower or even for a DIY wedding project. You could even just do the cupcake liner cakes for center pieces for the tables... I think it would look fabulous.

All of these things are available in my shop. They are all files that I will customize with your bride's or bride and groom's names and all the details of the shower or wedding on the invitation, name cards, cupcake wrappers, treat bag toppers, thank you cards, etc. They're sold individually or as a bundle. So stop on by the sop and make your next party look amazing! I send you the files and you can print them from home of at kinkos for an affordable and FABULOUS looking party. They are as cheap as $8... not too bad!

And there's lots of options in the shop. From Baby shower theme's to ice cream shop themes, to monster or robot themes... and if you'd rather have something in boy colors for some of the gender neutral themes just send me a note and i'd be happy to do that! And everything in all of my parties can be sold individually... so don't worry, if you don't want the whole package, only parts, you can do that too... just convo me through the shop and i'll put a special order button up just for you!

Charlie Lou Designs

little nugget

2010-07-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

this little nugget is already three months and getting sweeter by the day! Every time he comes over Charlie is in heaven... she's just started to LOVE babies.... which is kinda scary... seeing how we're about to be bringing another one home.... Bust she heard him crying one day and went and got him one of her diapers and her wipes... such a sweet little mama! I can't wait to see what we have. I hope it's a sister so she can play house and be mommies together some day.

my mother and father-in-law are currently living in California. They've been serving on a mission for 18 months and are about to come home, so they've never meet this sweet guy yet, they've only seen his pictures and skype of course... but she went to her local wallgreens there and had some prints of him made, went back a little while later to get some more made and happened to see a familiar face, her little grandson up on their wall!!! And of course it just so happened to be my picture... so funny. She asked them about it and said, "um..... what is my grandson doing up on your wall?" Haha!

Christmas in July!

2010-07-26T05:57:00.000-07:00

What? Christmas? Seriously?.... yes. We're half way there. Before we know it school will be starting and summer will come to a sad end. But it's never too early to get started on making all the little details of that special time of the year! With the new baby coming so close to christmas I decided to start early this year. Since strawberries and raspberries are all on sale and really good and fresh right now I bought a bunch to make some good 'ole freezer jam! To me there's nothing better than a home made gift. They're just thoughtful and meaningful. I love them. Freezer jam is SO EASY TO MAKE. You just follow the directions in the box of pectin. It took me about 20 minutes. 4 cups of fresh strawberries will get you about 5 cups of jam. I bought cute little Ziplock plastic jars with a red lid so I could freeze them and they'll stay good in your freezer for a year. So if someone has a baby, bust out a jam of freezer jar to go along with your meal. If someone is sick, bring them over some nice yummy soup and a jar of your freezer jam! (I actually just typed a jam of your freezer jar! haha) It's the perfect gift!

So for christmas gifts I made these cute little tags to attach to any gift or jar of jam, or homemade salsa, or cookies in a jar... anything! And the best part?

THey're 50% off in my shop right now through the end of the month of july! So go over to the shop and grab your gift tags for this christmas for only $5 right now!!!! I recommend getting a 2" scalloped punch from Michael's or Hobby Lobby! It makes it that much more pretty!

Charlie Lou Design SHop!

beautiful mama, and a design site...

2010-05-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm jealous. Meet my beautiful friend.... she's pregnant and looks like this. Amazing. And if you've seen me lately I have her to thank for my rockin' new hair. She taught me how to use the flat iron to curl my locks and well, I'm obsessed now! So I'm pretty sure the next time you see me I'll be rockin' some curls rather than my straight boring old hair!! :)

Also, notice the new button on the right on my blog? Well I've started creating some designs for photographers. I figured if I'm making them for myself I might as well make them for you too! So hop on over there and pick up something fun to make your business even sweeter!

family.

2010-04-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

I FINALLY got to take pictures of my brother and his family! Aren't they cute??? We had a perfect overcast session with slight sprinkles... i loved it. It was so fun and my kind of session!! We just kinda did what ever we wanted and the results were exactly what we wanted!!!!

What have I been up to????

2010-04-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

WHOA! MIA!!!!!!! I have been so busy lately with my own family, a special project, that is only a half secret at this point and a little bit of this.. isn't this family the cutest??? i had such a great time with them!! I have about three or four more of these kinds of posts, and another surprise post... so fun! So keep checking back!

my kids.

2010-03-24T18:32:00.000-07:00

i truly believe the saying, "to have photographs is to live life twice." When someone asks you, "if your house was on fire what would you grab?" I'm SURE your photographs would be among the top 5, if not three and for me two, things (kids first, pictures second... honey, you get the documents! :) For me they are priceless... what if i lose my memory? heaven forbid I lose a child. sure, videos are fabulous... you can hear their voice, see their movements, but there is something about a still picture... no words, just thoughts. peace. quiet. and emotion.

today i took my kids out to photograph because I would hate to look back and not be able to remember EXACTLY how it was. how the sun shined in their hair. how their cheeks would get really big when they were truly smiling. how much they truly love each other. and how the spirit of childhood can not be contained.

i will forever remember this moment.

if you live in the area and want photos taken like this, in this field, email me quickly... who knows when it will be gone... either mowed, or brown from the sun!! :)

"so pretty..."

2010-03-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

i LOVE this little girl!! her sweet little face, the fact that she'll keep bows in her hair, the other fact that she LOVES to be told she's pretty...

i had such a fun morning with this family! I can't wait for you all to see your gallery! This is just the beginning!

Interviewed...

2010-02-16T06:15:00.000-08:00

If you're a photographer and have never heard of Pink Ink Studio then click on their name before you go any further!!! The have great resources for photographers and a really great FREE online forum. I use their products all the time. And if you'd like to know a little more about me, then check out the interview....

Interview here

Snow Day!!!!!

2010-02-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

If you thought that Dallas didn't get snow then think again!!! Yesterday we got 12.5 inches... and what does that mean? SNOW DAY!!! I can't even tell you how long i've wanted to take pictures in the snow. Considering it really doesn't ever snow a substantial amount I thought my dreams were far out of reach.... but not this year!!!! Here we are. Me and My gang. Enjoying the snow!

what have we been up to?

2010-02-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

making these little yummies! with valentines day just around the corner we were planning on making these "cakeball cupcakes" as treats for teachers and grandparents.... well, since we've got 12.5 inches of snow here in DALLAS that isn't the plan anymore. Now they're here for the eating. Sorry grandparents and teachers... maybe next time you'll get your intended valentines.

These were really easy and fun to make.

How to do it:

Just bake a cake as per the directions. Let it cool completely and then crumble it into a fine fluffy mixture. (we did red velvet and devils food)

Then take one can of frosting, we used chocolate, and mix the two around together.

Then go to michaels and get the Welton's candy trays for the "peanut buttercup" tray. Fill it with a little bit of the "weltons" melting chocolate and then place your little rolled cake ball (about the size of a melon ball from a scooper) into the chocolate and let it cool.

Then is two separate bowls melt different colors of melting chocolate for variety. We used red and pink for valentines, and then turn it upside down and give your cupcake a little dip.

Then finish off with sprinkles and a m&m!!!

Yummy!!!!

my guy turned 3!!!

2010-01-26T18:57:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that he can already be three. I remember when he was born... and then we packed up and moved literally 5 days later. Crazy. But he was so small and so cute. And all the nurses commented on how he looked like a little old man... and we agreed! :) Happy birthday to the big boy. Nobody else could be our nater taters.

fresh.

2010-01-26T18:36:00.000-08:00

we had a super cute little guy over in my studio the other day. My SIL needed some pictures for some new things going up in her shop so she found a super cute little model. Don't you think? You can find a lot of great stuff in her store. Go check it out. My personal favorite is her wraps like the grey one below. She uses high end yarn so the wraps are SUPER soft. I want to wrap my self up in one... but i think that might look a little funny.... :) Click the word shop to be taken to her etsy store or click on the link to the right under shopping goodies: etsy wraps :)

hey there. just checking in on ya!

2010-01-25T12:40:00.000-08:00

were enjoying a little down time.... the weather has been crazy here. freezing, then perfect, and now back to freezing. just wanted to send you a smile though.

the close of 2009

2009-12-29T17:46:00.001-08:00

Wow, what a great year!!! I can't complain a bit! I've meet the greatest people... each of my clients feels more like a friend than a client. I am so grateful for all of you that have trusted me with your memories! I love what I do.

THis was my last session of the year! This wonderful family squeezed in this session in the FREEZING COLD right before MOVING! Brave I tell you. But I"m so happy they did! I had a blast with them and their sweet boys! You can just feel the love in these.

I hope you guys have a safe trip and that you end up loving your final destination!!!!! Thank you for letting me spend a few hours with you. I enjoyed it so much!

Now everyone go and leave a comment! If they get to 25 they get a free 5x7! So help them out!!! And have a absolutely FABULOUS new year!!!

This is why I love babies.... each is so different, and hilarious

2009-12-15T19:48:00.001-08:00

mute the music on the side before you press play.

two posts in one night... i'm on a roll!

2009-12-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

I am lucky enough to call this pretty lady a friend. i was so excited when she said she wanted to do pictures. look at her cute family.... her kids are BEAUTIFUL! are they not?!!

Thanks so much Terin for letting me take your pictures! I had a blast and LoVEd every minute with you guys!

so sorry!!!

2009-12-14T17:41:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to blog this FOREVER. And really I feel like a terrible person because I have let it sit here this long. A few months back I did some photos for a friend of her newborn baby, who is edible by-the-way, and a few weeks after a little package showed up at my door. And what was in side of that little package was fabulous!

Kenzie had made me a camera strap for my camera and SEVERAL super cute pairs of earrings that I ALWAYS get compliments on!! SO THANK YOU KENZIE!!! I have been putting that camera strap to good use!!! And really, it's the cutest thing I've seen!!!

I'm sure she'd love to make anyone else out there one, or two, or three if you'd really like... i'm a girl who loves options... maybe you are too! Check out her blog for fun crafty tips, ideas, inspiration, and maybe have her make ya something for your someones this christmas!

And I think charlie need ones of these for her dollies... well, soon to be dollies... What would it take for me to get my hands on one of these little babies!!!??? Made by Kenzie.

oh me oh my.... I can just imagine a darling little girl running around in this. I actually already have two children's size aprons and LOVE when I see kiddos in them. Also made by Kenzie.

And if your neck is begging you to be warm i would recommend one of these. My wonderful SIL makes them and let me just say I LOVE the plum ruffle... or anything with a ruffle for that matter. Check it out.

GIrls ROCK! and moms do too!!!

2009-12-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy and have been meaning to blog more from this super FUN, ROCKIN session!!! So what better time than NOW!

I have grown to LOVE this mother and daughter! They light up my day when i get to photograph them... just like they light up the pictures!!! And they always come with the best clothes!

Clearly we had a lot of fun. We were just a bunch of girls rockin' out on the town! Thanks W. and C for making me laugh!! And next time we should really go get some chicken friend steak! ;)

baby love.

2009-12-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

it's not secret that i'm a sucker for babies.... this baby was no exception to my problem! just look at her... perfect in every way!

clients canvas order!!!

2009-12-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

There's nothing better than a great canvas... or 5 great canvases! This client loves canvases so much they asked me to help them come up with a wall display for their pictures. So what do you think? I think I LOVE it!!!! It's perfect. They're all big and have an impact of their own when you walk into their house, but together they're even better!!! Thanks so much for taking a pictures of the final product for me Friske family!!!

trying to get caught up!!!

2009-12-09T11:27:00.000-08:00

lots of pics... oh how i love my clients!!!

beautiful family!!!

2009-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am stills o behind on blogging, but I want to stay on time with editing and orders, so wait for the big bomb to hit the blog here in a week or two, but for now I had to share this cute family!!!! They dressed PERFECT for this session!!!

I will get caught up on blogging... i will get caught up on blogging

2009-11-24T13:21:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to come up for a breath of air! I have lots of families to blog, but wanted to share this before i get back to cookie making and editing... we have to have balance right? :)

I have a great time with this family at one of my favorite spots. Don't they look like they were having fun??!!!

new soul....

2009-11-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

welcome to the world miss c. there's no doubt about it... you're going to be VERY loved!!!

How beautiful was she? And look at that beautiful momma! There's nothing sweet than those first few weeks with a new baby pressed up against you.

another year older....

2009-11-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite little friends is 2 now!!! Oh how the time flies... and look how big and cute she is!!!

10 minutes.... that's all this took

2009-11-10T11:32:00.000-08:00

Don't you just LOVE how they're dressed. She asked me what to wear and I told her that I KNEW she didn't need any help... boy was i right!!!! Thanks EUG! I LOVED your session.

pretty little baby.....

2009-10-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

Julie! I hope you love these of your pretty little baby!!! And look at all that hair! I LOVE it.

one from this weekend!!!

2009-10-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

I LOVE!!!!!!!! this girl. This was my 2nd time to see her this year!!! And I LOVE!!!!!!!! her mom for several reasons: 1. she makes me laugh... until my side hurts. 2. we never know what will happen....(locksmith). 3. And she's up for ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!! 4. And she'll help me carry my big chair around. :) Enjoy your sneak peek ladies.

for c!!!

2009-10-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

please, someone tell me I'm not the only one who can't resist these!!!!

and the most recent shot of my three wiggle worms....! it's going BIG, some where in my house.

and I can't forget my charlie.... she's a little bottom feeder. I find her under the table trying to get anything the boys drop... and the other day i found this little cheeze it in her belly!!!! love that girl!!!

fun little mini session

2009-10-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

meet my super cute friend and her gorgeous family!

need some great ideas for clothes?

2009-10-03T08:17:00.001-07:00

look no further! Mini Boden has a great line up this season!!!!! check it out!

have you seen this? I need this!

2009-09-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

seriously.... we live not even a mile from my kids school, and I pack them all in the car each day to take them and pick them up!!! It's crazy.... i should just be packing them on my bike!!!

wouldn't you love for me to bring this to your next session???

Can you imagine what i would look like with 4 kiddos in my bucket? How funny would that be? Check them out! Madsen.

And, don't forget to leave a comment in the post below to get my fabulous client's their free 5x7!!!

tell me you just want to be a part of this family....

2009-09-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

because i just do!! I feel so blessed to have the best clients. Families where you can not only see a connection, but feel it. This family is so full of fun and love. I was so excited to go back and get some awesome shots of the little miracles.

just for a little fun, if you can get 25 comments on this post i'll give them a free 5x7!!! so go and tell people to leave a comment!!!

change....

2009-09-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

I completely spaced and forgot that I have commitments on the 3rd, of Oct., so the date is changed... it's now the 24th! Hurry up and sign up. This is a great way to get some awesome pictures if you love us, but can't do a full session. Merry Urban Christmas!

cause when you're 13...

2009-09-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

the world's flashing by and you need to remember everything.

tiny miracles

2009-09-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

mir.acle. these two little ones are just that. we were scheduled to do mom's maternity pictures when I got a phone call telling me to scratch that idea... she'd already had the babies. but how? she was only 29 weeks!! amazingly, both babies are ok and are home now. so what did we do? celebrated with pictures of course! what else would we do?

welcome to the world little ones. the sky's the limit.

Holiday MINI sessions

2009-09-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

and as a bonus to all my great clients: if you book and get a friend to book too, then we'll give you a FREE 11x14 of your favorite image from your mini session. if we get enough interest we will also open up afternoon slots as well as possibilities for another weekend.

Thanks every one!! We hope to see you there. merry urban christmas!

baby love.

2009-08-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

my baby love.... (well ,not mine, but you get it :) )

the misses is 7 months

2009-08-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

like i promised...

2009-08-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

more pictures from our trip.

Can I first start by declaring that I have married into the GREATEST family in the world. Not too many people can say that, but I feel VERY blessed that I can. And this great family all started because of one of our favorite ladies in the whole world...#1 (you'll see her in a photo below). It's incredible to think that from one couple you can have an extended family of 88 people. This is only one grandma with her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren. And I bet by the next one we might be pushing 100. How crazy is that.

And on a little photog note, in the big group picture, out of 88 people, only one was slightly turned. The rest were looking right into the camera!!!! How crazy is that? Babies Included!

So... what do you think? Great looking family, right? I have so many more photos to go through... but here's a little sample for ya!

not engaged... married.

2009-08-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

This couple is so fun!! They aren't engaged, in fact they've been married almost three years now. And I think they still rocked the camera like they were first in love.

enjoy your sneak peek linds :)

more posts to come soon... so behind with the vacation...

me and my gang....

2009-08-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well, some of you may have been wondering where i've been..... ok, probably not, but I'm going to tell you anyways! We've been on a much needed family vacation!!! Full of 19 hour car rides, cousins and second cousins, friends, fishing, mountains, fun.... the perfect vacation!

and here we are....

little man turns one.

2009-07-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

Tell me you don't want to just pick him up and squeeze him!!!! He was so cute, and such a little sweetie! He seemed so old to me and yet he just turned one!!! And this little guy is going to be a big brother pretty soon.... I have a feeling he's going to be a great one! Thanks for playing with me Mr. C!!!

i love this...

2009-07-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

because this is how it really is.... when a new baby comes home mommy holds baby a lot, new big brother or big sister are curious about new baby, but Grandma is usually there to hold, and help, and show new big brother or big sister that every thing's going to be ok.

pure and simple.

2009-07-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

there's nothing like a sweet new baby.

don't judge me.... but I have baby fever!!!

2009-06-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

how could you not... look at her. I just had a baby and even I still can't believe they are that little, and that perfect. She's definitely a beauty!!! And I'm sure she'll be a little princess!!

I hope you like your sneek peek Taryn! I have lots more to show you!

And just look at her big brother!!!! Can you say heartbreaker!!! Yeah, he's pretty much as GQ as a 18 month old can be. And with a name like Cash he's bound to be a little heart throb!

little owen

2009-06-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky to call this little guy family! He's the newest of the additions to the cousin list, well, second cousin if we're getting technical. Isn't he a cutie!!! HIs big sister sure thinks so! And rightfully so! She would not let that little man out of her site! It was so cute. I love having new little babies around!

Casting Call!!!!!!!!

2009-06-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for a super fun and outgoing SENIOR GIRL to help me with my next little idea! What's in it for you, well, free senior photos, and a little bonus that you'll find out once you sign up! So email me at toni@urbanphotostudio.com ANd if you're not a senior, but know a really cute one that would be a good match then send them my way!!!

welcome home little one.

2009-06-05T05:50:00.000-07:00

There's just something about a new baby. I wish they could tell us what they're thinking... Little L was so cute! Her mom was so fun too. I had a great time chatting with you Camille while getting L's photos done! I can't wait for you to see the rest!!!

a little bit of whimsy...

2009-06-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

my gorgeous friend and her beautiful family.... seriously, she's the best hairdresser ever! I don't know what I'd do with out her!

just a little fun!

2009-06-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

ok, so I lied! I had a LOT of fun with this family. I could have hung out with them all day long! It was two families and they were a blast! Little J is cute and funny. He is quite possiblythe most animated one year old I have ever seen!!! I love him! And the little miss has eyes that are TO DIE FOR! And Mr. T was the sweetest big brother and big cousin ever!

Thanks for letting me come and play! Next time we'll try out our new idea!!! Hope you love these as much as I do!

baby noah...

2009-05-22T20:08:00.001-07:00

welcome to the world little guy. we're so happy to have you here.

sometimes I feel like a nut....

2009-05-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

sometimes I don't.....

we just got back from houston where we met a beautiful little newborn named Noah. In about 10 minutes I'll be posting his pics... but this is charlie. It was just me, and her, and daddy this trip. I think it's safe to say she's spoiled.

More of the wedding

2009-05-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a few more that i've gotten to from the wedding!!

from here to eternity...

2009-04-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I was able to photograph my SIL's beautiful sister's wedding! What do you think of the happy couple? Gorgeous huh?!! Congrats you two. Your newest chapter in life has officially started and I couldn't be happier for you!

STOP the cuteness!!!! I Dallas baby photographer

2009-04-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

Someone stop the cuteness!!! Seriously I could have kissed his chubby little cheeks all day long!!! He was so cute, and so fun... just the perfect little baby... and did I forget to mention cute? Haha!

Halle, these are for you! I absolutely loved Mr. G. I hope you love your little sneak peek!! There's plenty more where these came from!

Mod Mom Mini Sessions

2009-04-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

Well, we're about to start a new thing!!! I've teamed up with a FABULOUS lady who just so happens to run a FABULOUS boutique in dallas and plano called Pickles and Ice Cream. It's filled with the cutest maternity clothes that would make anyone want to be pregnant maybe just one more time!

So, on Sat. May 30th we're bringing you Mod Mom Mini Sessions. They're fun and quick little mini sessions to get just enough pictures of yourself being pregnant without having to book a whole session and fill up an album! Because truth be told, most of us don't like pictures of ourselves anyways!!! BUT, we will always want to look back and remember how it was, and just how cute we really were.

So head on down to the Plano or Dallas store and get on the list! We're going to book them every 15 minutes. And you can pick up something cute to wear while you're there!!

Different packages will be available.

Kids Life Magazine in Germany l Dallas Children's Photographer, Dallas Editorial Photographer

2009-04-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Well, the fabulous German Magazine KIDS LIFE contacted me a few weeks ago and asked to use some photos again, and this time they chose three different kids!!! SO congrats to all the children that were selected. And to their parent's, my wonderful friends there are sending me copies to give to all of you.

Ich wunsche Dir einen schonen Tag. (Have a nice day!)

2.5 weeks

2009-04-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

happy little monkey! : Dallas children's photographer

2009-04-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

That sweet sleepy baby in the post below is now this happy little monkey!! She got to have a little "daddy daughter time" last night and I'm sure she LOVED it. He is the funniest guy in the whole world!

love the babies : Dallas Baby Photographer

2009-04-09T16:55:00.001-07:00

Casting Call!!!! : Dallas Maternity Photographer

2009-04-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hello to all you beautiful DFW moms! I am in need of one hot pregnant mama!!

I need a pregnant lady, around 34-36 weeks. I am doing this for an ad/ display. This is totally free. We would just like to be able to use the pictures. If you are willing to let me use the pictures for these purposes you will receive a free 8x10 of your favorite image we capture and a 5x7 of anything else that you may want from what we shoot. This shoot is specifically geared towards a creative approach for a specific advertisement.

If you are interested please email me at toni@urbanphotostudio.com I need someone asap! Thanks!

Toni

EDITED: filled. thanks everyone!

Cover Model : Dallas Children's Photographer

2009-04-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

Congrats again to one or our fabulous clients!!!! This little beauty was chosen for the current cover of Kids Trends Weekly! Go check out!! Kids Trends always has the latest and greatest!

baby in the studio...

2009-04-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

Well, my good friend and fellow photographer just had her 3rd baby girl, and at a whopping 7 days old she was stealing hearts already!!! SHe is beautiful and so alert!!! And STRONG! She nearly rolled over. We caught her before she did it!!

And my fabulous sister in law is at it again.... I told her I had a baby coming over to play, so she whipped up some fresh cocoons for her store! Be sure to check it often. I didn't post all of the cocoons here, but she has SUPER fun colors!!!! I'm loving the berry ones and the greens...

waiting on summer.....

2009-04-01T17:52:00.000-07:00