giveaway // iPad mini

Happy April, friends!

Today I have a very very special treat for you.  In collaboration with my lovely blogger friend Janee (and a plethora of others!), we're giving away a 16GB iPad Mini!  No joke.  No April fools. This is for real!

Janee is sponsoring this giveaway to say "thank you" to her beloved readers: Yellow Bird + Yellow Beard just reached 2,000 followers!  And just in time for Janee's birthday, too: this lovely lady turns 26 on the 26th of April!

Who are the other amazing women who have contributed to this monumental celebration?  Please find their links below, and VISIT them!  Say hi to them.  Follow them.  They are all more than worthy of your time, guaranteed.

Little Baby Garvin // Shannon Hearts // The Freckled Fox 
Easy Makes Me Happy // Sew Tara // Oh The Lovely Things 
Gentri Lee // Ciera Design // Yellow Heart Art  
Bouffe e Bambini // MaieDae // Jenny Highsmith 
All That Glitters // A Day In A Joyful Life // Oana Befort 
Anna Delores // Bubblewrapp'd // Wild Olive 
Going Home To Roost // A Pair of Pears // Kneadle & Bread

Okay, friends -- you know what to do!  And GOOD LUCK!  :)

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giveaway // essie polish, anyone?

Today is a very special Mani Monday!  I've teamed up with Courtney over at Baxtron{Life} plus a plethora of some of my very favorite ladies to give one very lucky reader a complete Essie Nail Wardrobe.  The winnings include 13 gorgeous Essie shades, a base coat, a topcoat, and the millionails nail treatment (for a grand total value of $135!  Heck yeah!).

This is one giveaway you don't want to miss out on, so max out your entries!  For a close-up of the gorgeous colors with their swatches and details on the other products being given away, you can visit our Essie Giveaway board on Pinterest.

Good luck & share on!!

P.S. while you're at it, remember to enter the Sweet Spot Bags giveaway, too! 

P.P.S. I'm linked up with Carly for YOLO Mondays!

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life // a ridiculous(ly good) year so far.

I'm truly so grateful.

I was perusing my Instagram photos from the past several weeks and found myself with an ever-widening smile about the way 2013 has progressed thus far.

I really don't mean to brag; this post is not intended to say "hey everyone, look at me!"

It's much more an acknowledgment of the incredible opportunities I've had this year -- opportunities to work with rad couples, talented designers, and wedding vendors, and the truly unbelievable opportunity to make a career out of something I love to do (and feel so lucky to be able to do every. single. day).

I was reminded while reading this post that I still have a lot that I want to accomplish, and that despite all that I have already accomplished, there's a lot more I'm striving for.  BUT, that does NOT mean I shouldn't appreciate and enjoy the success and progress I've experienced thus far.

"Comparison is the thief of joy."

So this post is not about comparison; it's about all the great, awesome, amazing things that I have been able to do!

So far in 2013...

I've met clients and colleagues in fun restaurants and cool coffee shops.


I've gotten crafty making chalkboards and heart-shaped garlands for client photo shoots.  I've scouted event rental showrooms and wedding venues.


I got to meet and work with Summer at Grey Likes Weddings.  And then I got published in Grey Likes Weddings.


I went to Seattle to visit a sweet friend (and photograph her family!).


I celebrated my 29th birthday.


I photographed three styled shoots full of lovely details in gorgeous locations.


And I made lots of new friends. AND I'm getting a studio space with some of them!


Yes, 2013 has been good to me so far.  :)

What has been your favorite part of the year to date?

sweet spot bags // giveaway!

Did you see my post on Wednesday about these super-cute, gift-worthy, customizable bags?  Well, go take a look then!  And then come back.  Because I have a little treat for you today.

One lucky Anna Delores reader will win her choice of location (via global coordinates) on a sun-drenched clutch (or makeup bag, whatever you want!) from Sweet Spot Bags!

The winner of this giveaway can select a location from Malin's collection of coordinates for landmarks, vacation destinations, or pop culture references, OR pick a city of your choice and she'll make a custom bag, just for you.  Maybe you want the coordinates of your college alma mater, or the birth place of your husband, or son or daughter, or dog or cat!  Whatever location you can dream up, Malin can screen it onto a bag for you.

Here's my Sweet Spot Bag, customized with the coordinates of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  LOVE!

You guys know how Rafflecopter works, right?  So get to it!

And good luck!


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wear // a tale of two cities.

Can you believe this is my first outfit post of 2013?  Okay, technically this post was in January, but I took the photos in December, so it doesn't count.  :)  I hadn't planned on any outfit posts until I got a little closer to my weight loss goal, but then I scored some cute accessories so I just had to share (PLUS, I had awesome photographer Sandy of Sandy A La Mode to help me out during our recent trip to Santa Monica -- that's SM Pier in the background, people!).

I called this post "a tale of two cities" because my clutch bag bears the coordinates of the city of Paris, and my necklace flaunts my pride for my home state!  So, technically not two cities, but still two places on the map I consider very near and dear.

dress, Target (old) // California charm necklace c/o Style Lately // geometric necklace, PacSun // tights, We Love Colors // flats, Target // clutch c/o Sweet Spot Bags  

My clutch was customized just for me by Malin over at Sweet Spot Bags on Etsy.  I asked her if she could make me something with the coordinates of the city of Paris (I studied abroad there in college and it remains one of my favorite places EVER!), and she asked if I had a specific location or landmark of the City of Lights in mind.  So, my bag is customized with the exact location of the Eiffel Tower!  How amazing is that?  I think Malin's bags are an excellent choice for something like bridesmaids gifts!

Also, please give some recognition to my Hello Kitty sunglasses and Kate Spade iPhone case, thankyouverymuch.

This outing with Sandy was followed by a fun blogger dinner organized by me, Sandy, Carly, and Alissa.  The restaurant was way dark so apologies for this grainy little number, but here we all are!

From left to right: Aime, Carly, me, Sandy, Julie, Alissa, Jacqui, and Mandy!

We dined at True Food Kitchen, which was Alissa's pick, and I HIGHLY recommend it!  It. Was. Amazing.  Super delicious.  I think about half the table (or more) ordered the pomegranate mojito, and it was YUM.

Have you ever attended a blogger meet-up?

weddings // Kate Spade inspired shoot

I am so, so excited to share this inspiration shoot I photographed last month!  The collaboration with A Charming Occasion, Stella Bloom Designs, Crystal Robinson Makeup, and Alissa Bell Press was, honestly, a dream come true.

Dream come true #2?  Being featured on Grey Likes Weddings!  Say what?!  YES!  Summer Watkins from GLW actually e-mailed me to say she "peed her pants" in excitement over this shoot.  It doesn't get much better than that.  :)

Check out the feature on Grey Likes Weddings!  What do you think?!