30 April 2013

resolutions // weight loss check-in

I saw this on Etsy last week and it is so perfect for anyway who has EVER frowned or fussed or wrinkled his or her nose at the scale.

Not much has changed for me since last week, except honestly, your comments are quite encouraging, so keep them coming!  :)

For now, I leave you with this.

29 April 2013

mani monday // basic black.

Hi everyone!  Happy Monday.  I hope you had a lovely weekend.

For this week's installment of Mani Monday, I went back to basics with a black creme lacquer -- one of my standard, favorite go-to manicures.  I considered a dark almost-black purple shade called Lincoln Park After Dark by OPI (another all-time fave), but the bottle was stubbornly and firmly dried shut.  Time to invest a new one, I think!

It also might be time to invest in a new black: Orly's Liquid Vinyl, while a great shade of perfect pitch-black, seems to chip much easier than the Julep, Butter London, Illamasqua, and OPI polishes I've been wearing as of late.  (Speaking of Julep and Butter London, did you check to see who won the giant nail polish giveaway?)


So I'm considering Butter London's Union Jack Black as a replacement for Orly.  Thoughts?

Mani Monday

Remember to link up (below) with me and Heather for Mani Monday!

26 April 2013

weddings // Carly + Robbie

I don't think it's a big secret that I'm mad about weddings.  I love looking at anything WEDDING: inspiration, real weddings, lovely details, bridal fashion... the list goes on and on.  This adoration goes to an entirely new level when I can sneak a peek at the wedding celebration of someone I know!  So as soon as I got to meet Carly, a favorite blogger of mine and seriously one of the coolest people ever, it didn't take me long to ask if I could share her wedding on my blog.

And when I saw that it was at Marvimon House?!  Um, yes please!


Here's Carly, the lovely bride, with some of her entourage pre-ceremony.


And walking down the aisle to marry Robbie.


It looks like Carly and Robbie had so much fun at their wedding: portraits full of laughter (my favorite!), tons of dancing, and such a gorgeous venue to boot.


Thank you so much, Carly, for sharing your wedding day with us!

Photographer: Playful Soul Photography // Dress: Lili Bridals // Florist: Chelsea Leah Flowers // Rentals: Huntington Catering Company // Venue: Marvimon // Catering: Lucille's BBQ


25 April 2013

new addition // meet alfie.

If you've been following me on Instagram, you know that two weeks ago, we welcomed a new little nugget into our lives!

Alfie was up for adoption for over TWO. YEARS.  And there were no "takers" who wanted to offer this little guy a forever home.  He bounced around between a few foster homes, otherwise he was stationed at the Tiny Loving Canines (TLC) home base in Simi Valley.

Below is a video from TLC that shows the little man in action.  For being so tiny (he's a little under six pounds), this three-year-old pup already has a big story.  Alfie has demodex mange, which is non-contagious and caused by mites that actually occur normally on all dogs.  The mites can get out of control, however, on dogs under extreme stress or with poor immune systems.

At the time this video was taken, his mange was in remission -- he currently has much less fur than he does in the video.


Alfie was pulled off a "kill list" from a local shelter, where he was abandoned by his first family -- supposedly, they didn't want to have to deal with the cost associated with his skin condition.  TLC swooped in and saved the day, but Alfie still waited two and a half years to get adopted.  It can be a financial difficulty and time-consuming responsibility to adopt a dog in Alfie's condition, so any adoption interest was undermined by a flare up of his demodex.


After his first trip to our vet a couple weeks ago (we made him an appointment the day after he came home with us), we found he not only has demodex mange, but also a secondary skin infection from the mange AND a parasite called giardia.  He's now on three different oral medications, gets a medicated bath every other day, and takes Benadryl tablets to help manage his itchy skin.  I suspect he might also have a little bit of an eye infection (but it could also just be that the sensitive skin around his eyes is itchy), and his teeth need a good cleaning -- but we're waiting until the mange gets a little more under control before we move on to his (hopefully) more minor issues.

He was a bit on the scrawny side when we first brought him home, but he's got a very healthy appetite and has put on a little more weight -- yay!

Alfie makes FOUR dogs in our house.  FOUR.  They're all under 25 lbs., so really, size-wise, we're at the equivalent of one large dog.  That's what we tell ourselves, anyway.  I was nervous about Mickey and how he might get along with Alfie, but they are getting along surprisingly well (I'm so proud of my little Mickey bug).

And I've fallen head-over-heels in love with this little guy.  His nicknames are "Alfie-bear" and "piglet" (because his little pink skin and snorting noises when he eats make that a pretty obvious association).  He burrows under the covers in my bed and virtually disappears in the folds of the duvet, only to emerge if I leave the room or if there is food present.  If he's not in my bed or snuggled in someone's lap, he's curled up in his own little doggy bed in my bedroom.



Alfie and I bonded really quickly, almost instantaneously.  I think when he came home to a brand new place, he just needed to latch on to someone to feel safe, and that someone was me.  The third day he was home, I had to go to Orange County for a couple of wedding client meetings, and he actually howled in my absence (there's a video to prove it).  He gets so excited and bounces around on his front paws when I come home.  Yesterday afternoon, I walked in the front door and spent what Alfie considered too much time greeting the other dogs first, so he yelped at me for attention.

He's seriously SUCH a sweetheart.  I can understand the overwhelming nature of his health problems and how that could spook someone who might otherwise have taken him home, but we've already been paid back tenfold in the form of Alfie's love and affection.  He has big doe-eyes that get me every time.  I don't love the fact that Alfie had to wait for us for so long, but I'm glad we got the chance to add him to our family (better late than never?).

We also suspect the piglet may have been abused at some point, maybe by a man; he still hasn't warmed up to my dad at all.  He barks at him when he gets home, and my dad (who is the gentlest guy EVER) can't approach Alfie without encountering a cringe followed by the scamper of little claws on the hardwood floor.  "It's not his fault," my dad says. "He doesn't understand that I'm not going to hurt him.  Something must have happened to him before."  I think it's really sweet that he doesn't get his feelings hurt by Alfie's reluctance to befriend him.

Anyway, Alfie has a fan page on Facebook so that everyone who has loved him at TLC can follow along with his recovery.

And for those of you who remember sweet puppy-girl Boo, we never found her or know what happened to her.  I sort of can't really even think about it too much, because it truly breaks my heart.  BUT, I also know that if we had Boo with us in our home, we wouldn't have been able to adopt Alfie (apparently four dogs is the legal maximum in California, haha!), so the silver lining is that at least we can help Alfie start a new, happy, stress-free life in which he is beloved and spoiled (my two specialties when it comes to my dogs).

24 April 2013

small business // studio space in progress.

I mentioned it very briefly last month: Anna Delores Photography is getting a studio space!  I'm sharing the space with three other wedding vendors: Stella Bloom Designs, Leo Evidente Photographers, and A Charming Occasion.

We've been painting, investing in furniture, considering renovations, changing locks and lighting -- the works!


{ left: painting walls so we can start fresh!    //    right: snippets of our new studio furniture pieces }

I am simultaneously shocked that it's happening so fast, and impatient for the day that everything is finished and we can really start working in there (and inviting all of you lovely people to help us celebrate its unveiling!).

Here's a little peek at what we've been up to in our studio...


The Anthropologie mugs in that last photo are gifts from Joelle!  She surprised us with monogrammed coffee mugs for each of us.  So fun.  We're also equipped with a new Keurig coffee maker, a bar cart (and some beer in the mini fridge -- an office-warming gift from Joelle's husband, Robert!), and a gorgeous, geometric-detail community table built from scratch by the incredible, multi-talented Leo (yes, he's also a photographer).  We're trying to convince him that he needs to start a side business selling his handmade dining tables.  They're breathtaking, and he came up with the design itself too.  Amazing!


We'll keep you posted as we continue progress on the studio space.  I feel so proud and fortunate to be a part of this Ventura County wedding vendor collective!  It's a wonderful community of lovely, talented individuals who share my passion for weddings (and are pretty much ALWAYS game to share a bottle of wine) -- does it get better than that?


23 April 2013

resolutions // weight loss update.

I have been totally missing in action re: my weight loss and fitness progress.  Since my last update, I've lost a few more pounds, so I'm still headed in the right direction, BUT my momentum has slowed way down. 

On February 5, I was 11 pounds down.  Today, I'm 15 pounds down.  Like I said -- still headed in the right direction.  But four pounds in over two months is definitely slower than I intended.


Honestly, my birthday (in mid February) killed it.  And I'm not blaming my birthday, but I definitely gave myself a free pass to eat what I wanted on my birthday and for the few days before and after.  I love pigging out on milkshakes and bottomless fries at Red Robin, and it's become a birthday ritual for the last few years.

Since then, I've just had a really hard time with my intrinsic motivation to get back on the weight-loss wagon.  The momentum and motivation I had for the first six weeks of the year sort of disintegrated, and I'm not giving up, by any means (truly, I'm just thankful I haven't put the weight back on -- progress is progress, after all!). 

If I am to meet my original goal of 30 pounds down by June, I need to lose three pounds per week between now and June 1 (unless I play with the dates a bit and give myself until the end of June to meet my goal, haha!).

I think the strongest motivation continues to be my desire to feel fit (i.e. not sweaty and wheezy) during my summer weddings.  Alyssa, Andrea, and I shot a wedding in Murrieta this weekend and it was between 85 and 90 degrees.  I felt tired, and everyone was sweating, and in general, I felt okay. 

I'll feel better after I can annihilate the next 15 lbs.  :)

And there's nothing like my someecards calendar for some weight loss motivation!  This was the page for the first day of spring:


How are your New Year's resolutions coming along, if you had any?


22 April 2013

mani monday // speckled.

Happy Monday, friends!

I considered this Illamasqua polish for a few weeks before I decided to go for it.  Nail polish with glitter in it isn't a particularly new concept, of course, but there's something about this creme pastel with a more sparing use of glitter in varying sizes that makes it special.


The speckled polish series was, as I understand it, a limited edition release for Easter and the beginning of spring, so it's all sold out at Sephora already.  BUT, you can still buy it directly from Illamasqua (though I think it's a bit more expensive there).

Remember to link up your manicure loveliness with Mani Monday, co-hosted by Heather and by yours truly.  :)  Check out Heather's manicure this week; I'm completely smitten!  She always has a rockin' mani.

 
AND, you can still enter to win a TON of nail polish loot in this giveaway, open for just a couple more days. 

Your turn to link up!  I hope everyone has a very happy Monday. 

photography // acute designs + blogger breakfast

Happy Monday, friends!  Today I wanted to share some images I snapped of the lovely Gina over at Acute Designs.  We got together for a mini blogger brunch (really more like breakfast) with Julie and Tammy in Oceanside last weekend before I had to jet back to LA for a wedding, and Gina wanted a few photos of her new spring 2013 line for her shop!  We went to Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, and it proved a wonderful backdrop for our photo session.

Here's a peek, but you'll have to check her storefront to see all her new goodies, coming soon.


And oh my goodness, is Gina a pretty lady or what?!  Be sure to keep an eye on her shop for the launch of her spring 2013 collection!

After a few photos, Gina and I met Julie and Tammy at Petite Madeline for breakfast.  The coffee and the food were delicious!


That's my amazing Nutella + banana crepe.  I have a serious weakness for crepes.  And Nutella.

I also snapped a few photos of Tammy and Gina at the restaurant, although I didn't get any of Julie (or have anyone take a photo of me); I think because Julie was sitting right next to me I thought it might be awkward to try to lean back to take her picture, haha!  There's always a next time.  :)


I mean, really, how cute is Tammy?!  I always get a bit of nervous laughter when I point my camera at someone, and I'm totally okay with that, because the nervous laughter turns into genuine laughter and I get super-cute shots like this.  :)  Candids are my favorite!

Julie, you looked lovely too, girl!  I'm going to get some shots of the whole gang next time.

19 April 2013

life // five things about me.

I was tagged by the lovely Ms. Duff yesterday in her "Five Things About Me" post!  The idea is that she shared five random facts about herself, then tags five other bloggers to do the same.  So here goes!


1.  I'm terrified of the ocean and I have no interest in learning how to surf.

Since I've lived in California my entire life (and in Huntington Beach for four years), being a non-surfer is borderline blasphemy.  But there was an incident in my early adolescence during which I was caught in a current, swept toward a rocky outcropping, panicked, and had to be rescued by a lifeguard.  This traumatized me enough to avoid venturing very far into the ocean.  If I need to stand on my tiptoes to keep my head above water, I'm in too deep (literally).  The sport of surfing seems to epitomize the things I hate about being in the ocean: big waves, getting pulled underwater, not knowing which way is up... no thank you.



2.  I'm almost always hot. 

Nine times out of 10, when a friend complains that it's too cold, I'm having the opposite problem: I'm feeling quite warm.  I've grown up in Southern California (where I currently reside) so I'm not sure why I'm so sensitive to the weather, but really, if it's more than 70 degrees outside, it's easy for me to break into a sweat if I'm doing anything more strenuous than watching TV.  I LOVE California winters, because it means most days are 65 degrees or cooler, and I feel very happy when the air is crisp.  Summer can feel like torture to me, and I KNOW we have very mild summers here compared to so many other places, but a forecast of anything above 80 degrees makes me say "ugh!"  On days when most people are praising how nice it is outside, I'm almost always too warm.  Drop the temperature by about 10 degrees, and I'll agree with you. 



3.  I hate my feet.

I love sandals, but when summer rolls around and sandals are a daily staple, I have to spend extra time on keeping my feet in good condition.  I know that's the case for a lot of women out there, but I think my own feet are particularly high-maintenance.  I'm not dirty or neglectful or anything, I just don't think I have pretty feet like some girls do.  I won't go into any more detail; I know some people hate feet in general so I don't want to make you squeamish.

4.  I'm not sure I want kids.  

This one is always hard to admit, because a lot of people think I'm crazy for not wanting children.  I used to be a little afraid of kids, just because I didn't really know how to act around them.  Now, I have three young cousins, pictured above (twin girls who are about to turn four, and another little one who is three-and-a-half), and I ADORE them.  So it's not that I dislike children; I just don't know if I want my own.  My mom and my cousin Kristen (mother to the three-and-a-half year old) both say they were also unsure of kids when they were my age, so it's totally possible I'll change my mind -- I'm certainly open to the idea!  I'm just not sure that having kids is for me, unlike many of my friends, who have been confident all along that they will definitely have children someday.  I might change my mind; we'll see.  Only time will tell.

{ my three little cousins, photographed by moi }


5.  I almost pursued a career as a wedding coordinator.

I did a brief internship with Nicole Hirsty a few years ago.  She planned Kendra Wilkinson's wedding to Hank Baskett and I tagged along with her to a couple of Beverly Hills events.  I was still working a desk job at the time so I could really only help on the weekends.  In hindsight, I now realize that I lost interest primarily because my style would've been different than Nicole's; she does big-budget, traditional-style weddings at the Beverly Hilton and the Beverly Hills Hotel, and I'm more of a small-scale, mid-range budget, laid-back, relaxed, fun-details-without-big-bells-and-whistles kind of girl.  I just didn't know much about the wedding industry at the time, and didn't realize that there were different styles and types of weddings.  Regardless, I think it all worked out for the best -- I LOVE photography and I love being able to specialize in a particular segment of the wedding day experience.

{ now THIS is my kind of wedding.  photo by Jill DeVries. }

In fact, based on this flow chart, I'll swoon for the details apparently associated with a hipster wedding!

 


Okay, now it's time for me to pass it on!  I tag Sarah, Tammy, Julie, Gina, and Lauren.

I hope everyone has a great weekend ahead!

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