Tim and Sophia's family sneak peek!

Come on over to http://www.wildflowerstudiophoto.com (my other blog)
to see more of this gorgeous family!
*******
This has been such a rough week for me and my family.
We have been hit hard by the flu.
Dylan had it first, then me, and now Gavin is getting through it.
My hubby has been taking great care of me and my boys while I was down.
I don't remember the last time I was that sick.
I feel bad because we never made it to the pumpkin patch as a family.
I went with Dylan and his class last week, but I like to go as a family and take photos.
Luckily we have tons of pumpkins, home grown from my mom's amazing garden.
I sure hope we are all well by Halloween!
Dylan who is well now, is so excited to be Luke Skywalker with his little brother dressed as Yoda.
Stay well all of you out there!
And have a Happy and safe Halloween weekend!
xoxo
Shell
http://www.wildflowerstudiophoto.com

18 months old!

18 months old!

(he grabbed his big brother's french toast when he wasn't looking and took off with it here, somehow big brother's food is always more appealing than his own, even though they get the same food!)

(Here he looks like he is up to something. I just never know what he has planned...
Usually it involves coloring all over the walls or climbing up anything possibly dangerous)

(I had to add one in color, just for fun)

I have been so busy taking other people's photos, I haven't had time to take any for me!
So I grabbed my camera and just spontaneously started snapping pics of
my littlest man running around our house.
I feel so much better now!
And yes, I do kiss that little face all day long!
I love this little rascal!

Hope you are all well!
xoxo Shell
PS check out my new logo in its final stages in the post below!

My New Logo!!!!

Yipee!!!! This will be my new logo!
I love it! And I am so excited to start putting it on all of my stuff!
I found such a great guy, Ryan Hunley from Second Street Creative
who completely nailed the exact look and feel I was going for!
Thanks so much again, Ryan!
He just has a few more things to do to finalize the look, and its mine!
Next we are onto phase 2... maybe adding a bit of flash animation,
and other branding goodies for my biz.
I am also looking into customizing my other photo blog
and getting a website for my photography!
I'll keep you all updated!
I just had to share my joy!
XOXO
Shell

The Saranglao's + The Simiens= lots of smiles and fun!

Hi Everyone! Sorry I have been such a stranger here lately!
I was sick this week with a terrible head cold.
Now I am taking care of my hubby and Gavin who have it.
Kids just amaze me how resilient they are compared to us adults.
At the moment we are all on the mend :)

If you haven't already done so, please bookmark my new blog http://www.wildflowerstudiophoto.com
For those of you who have come over to visit, I am so grateful!
NOW, come visit me there to see my latest photo session with two great families!

Hope you are all having a great weekend!
xoxo Shell

A gorgeous couple and an equally stunning wedding!

Hi Everyone! I am trying to get used to posting my photography on my new blog http://www.wildflowerstudiophoto.com
please click the above link and have a visit!
I am loving the new large photo format, but still getting used to Word Press,
and how to make it more "me".

On my new blog I also posted a new musical slide show!
If you have a moment, come over and check it out.
Its so fun and totally reflects the fun energy of this couple and their wedding!
Congrats again Dustin and Jenna!

Thanks to those of you who have come on over to visit me there, and also for your feedback. I really appreciate it!
So, if you want to see a gorgeous wedding in Santa Barbara, California, click the links above!

Hope you all enjoyed a lovely weekend!
Fall is finally here for us Californians! Yay!
xoxo Shell

Moving into a new home...

(From my latest photo session with the Johnson Family, see more at WildflowerStudioPhoto.com)

Hi Everyone!
Well, I have a new home for my photography.
Its a new blog, but its not quite ready yet.
I just set it up and am slowly starting to figure it all out.
It is a Wordpress blog, so I do hope all my lovelies here on Blogger still come and visit me!
I am not done here at this blog, I am simply opening shop in a new location.
Dust is flying, and things are a bit messy and not like I like them over in this new place.
So I will keep you all updated as I make progress moving in.
I want to make it cozy and pretty, and I am not sure how to do that yet in Wordpress.
In the mean time do drop by! I would love to have some visitors!
So bookmark this new link:
http://www.wildflowerstudiophoto.com
And now click to come see me in this new space!
I can't wait to have some visitors! Its lonely over there!
XOXO Shell
PS. I just want to thank all of you who commented on my last post. I loved reading all of your personal stories and insights on the journey of breastfeeding. You made that transition for me feel so much more gentle and sacred, and I feel blessed to have your kindness and support.

A precious chapter in my life has closed...

I have been feeling fragile these last couple of days. I am quietly letting go of something very special that I will never again be able to do in my life, and that reality hurts my tender heart. My youngest little precious one and I have ended our time with nursing. It happened casually, as it did with my son D, my husband offered a cup of milk first thing in the morning, rather than bringing him to me first, and he was OK with that. Then he had breakfast, and the day went on. The next day the same thing, and then the next went on that way, with my hubby getting G milk first thing, and G hasn't looked back. Its been a little over a week now, and the reality really kicked in yesterday for me when I realized I still have all this milk, but will never again feed a child with it, or ever again in my life experience that type of bond. Mostly though, its just another reminder of time slipping by, my babies turning into children and my children growing into adults; the circle of life.
To know we won't have any more babies and that I am completely done with this phase of my life is bittersweet. And my heart breaks a little bit knowing that this precious phase of my life has now ended forever.

I know there are going to be many people who will read this and not understand what I am talking about, or why I would feel so emotional about this, and that is OK with me. This is my online journal, where I am choosing to share real things going on with me. I am not going to filter what I write to keep others comfortable. I assume if someone doesn't like what they are reading they will stop reading this :)
Breastfeeding for me was something I planned to try when I had kids, and hoped it would work out for us. I do not judge others for choosing to breastfeed or bottle feed, nor the duration of either one. It turns out that breastfeeding worked out for us, and for quite awhile.

I feel so grateful I was able to have such a beautiful experience with both of my children and for so long, and I am trying to focus my attention on that. The timing felt right for both of us (Gavin and me) at 1 and a half years of our special time. And of course we still read and sing, cuddle and dance together.
With this chapter closing, I am finding emotions of bittersweetness sneaking up on me these past few days and leaving me quietly wiping tears from my eyes at different times of the day, and I see how fast my kids are growing, and how short life really is.
But I welcome this new chapter of independence as well, and all that comes with it.

.,

Happy Fall! Celebrating the season with new fall cards!

Hi Everyone!
I just LOVE this time of year!!!!
I had to make some new cards to celebrate my love of fall!
So here is my fall collection of note cards found in the "Seasonal/Holiday" section of my site, now available at Wildflower Studio.
( By the way, the text you see across some of the images is just a watermark for protection on the web,
and is not on the actual cards)

You may have heard me say this before,
but when I was growing up I always wanted to create greeting cards.
I actually envisioned doing that when I was a child.
And now as an adult, I really get giddy thinking of all the love I put into my creations
and then them being sent all over the world.
It literally feels like I am spreading love globally in my own little way!
On Tuesday I was thrilled to mail out an order to Sweden,
thinking about part of me being over there in spirit and in my art.
The traveling side of me loves that idea,
and the romantic in me is thrilled to know that with every pack of cards bought
(no matter where in the world)
loving words and energy grace their insides from the buyer and then they are sent out,
like scattered seeds of love to recipients all around.
Its just such a great feeling!
Thank you to Sarah, I am so excited to have part of me in Sweden!
XOXO
Shell

Here are more:

(This last image, Golden Sea Kelp can be found under "Beach and Surf Inspired Cards", I just love the golden color for autumn so I had to include it here:)
Thanks for visiting!