sneak peeks...

Thanks to everyone that came out for a free mini session yesterday, I had so much fun taking your pics! I was there pretty much all day long and got some great shots for my site. I have LOTS of pics to edit, but here are a couple of quick sneak peeks...

i think she missed her mouth...

but she gave it a good effort!

*sigh*

I've been trying to lose some baby weight.

When the kids weigh themselves we always make a big deal about how big they are. Because they want to be big.

So this morning while the boys were eating breakfast I tried to sneak on our digital scale to weigh myself. I always turn away and try to keep the light up numbers hidden- I could totally see them announcing my weight to anyone and everyone if they knew it (a total nightmare!)

Jonah managed to sneak over and catch a glimpse of the numbers and then announced,

"Wow, Mommy, that's alot! You are such a big girl!"

I *think* this was meant as a compliment....

first photo shoot...

Recently I did my first photo shoot with a kid other than my own!

Thankfully it was with a friend of mine and her daughter... because wouldn't you know that on my very first shoot I would forget my battery! I had it charging with my camera right next to it so I wouldn't forget it- unfortunately I still managed to grab my camera off the counter leaving the battery behind.

So. embarrassing.

I'm buying a backup battery ASAP!

But Kelly was so sweet about it and hung with the kids while I zipped home to get it.

Z is beautiful and so much fun...





Thank you Kelly and Z!!!

I'm booking some FREE mini sessions here in the Tulsa area!

I'm trying to get a portfolio going and need pics to fill up my photography site (which is in the works! YAY!) All you have to pay for are you pics (think CHRISTMAS CARDS!!!)

If you're interested please email me at thevintagepearl@gmail.com.

come join us!!!

We are having a Holiday Open house next Thursday and would LOVE for anyone and everyone in the Tulsa area to drop by!

I will be there with some ready to go jewels and also ready to take your orders... and lots of pieces will be on sale :)

My sister in law Jennifer aka Bella Tessa Designs will also be there with her amazing clothes, as well as Lindsay aka Hair Candy Bows (aka "the bow girl" in our house) will be there with her bows and clippies! We are ready to outfit your daughters from head to toe!

Come and relax, do some Christmas shopping, have some coffee and some girl time!

You can email Jennifer (above) or email me and let us know you would like to come!

randomliness...

something new in my shop, called the lovin' mama cuff...



Made with a sterling silver cuff bracelet, a sterling disc that can be customized with names, and a sterling heart...



I put "mama" on mine since that's what Tessa calls me now :)

you can find it here!

Lots of new stuff is in the works :)


I'm so glad it's friday! Time to play...



ride bikes...



and take some pictures...





happy friday!

the great discovery...

her toes!!!!

the winner...

of the camera strap slip cover from Shey [b] is Abby!

Congrats Abby!

To get your own go and check out Shealynn's shop here! They make fabulous Christmas presents :)


{She comes out with new ones all of the time, this Amy Butler one is my new fave!}

we did it...

did you?

time to vote...

yoyo... another giveaway!

Remember my friend Shey? She makes the super cute camera strap covers. I have this one and I love it!

Anyway, she has added these fun fabric yoyos to her straps, I think they are the perfect touch and so unique...



You can mix and match the yoyos with her straps in her shop...



let's give one away...

Shey is giving away your choice of camera strap slip cover and yoyo combination!

(sorry, this does not include the farmer's market strap)

Just go to her Etsy SHOP and take a peek at all of her straps and yoyos, then come back here and tell me which one is your favorite!

Blog this giveaway for 5 extra entries! (be sure and let me know you blogged it!)

A randomly picked winner will be announced in 3 days!

ALSO...If you buy a strap cover before the giveaway is over, get your choice of any stacked yoyo [as seen in her shop] added to your strap cover for FREE!!!

dream...

the randomly picked winner is Christina who said:

"Oooh! I love all of them, but I think I would definitely have to go for number two, 'dream and follow your heart.'

To me, it means something probably a bit different... and the wings remind me of our sweet angel baby.

...and if I hadn't followed my heart, I wouldn't be 35 weeks pregnant and about to welcome a sweet little boy into our family.

Thanks for another great giveaway!"

Email me Christina so I can get that necklace right out to you :)



We have a busy weekend... 2 soccer games and a football game today... and then tonight Ryan and I are dropping the kids off at my parents while we have a night out to watch the OU vs. Nebraska football game in Norman. Ryan is a Cornhusker fan, which makes for some fun rivalries in the Sooner State!

We may even try getting a hotel room and stay out all night! It's nice to get away every once in awhile, even if it's just for one night.

Have a happy weekend!!!

so what's new?! it's giveaway time...

Here are some new necklaces I just listed in my shop... you may recognize a few of them from the show I did...



1. everytime a bell rings an angel gets her wings
2. dream and follow your heart
3. diamond initial
4. i carried you (inspired by Footprints)

Want one?

Just leave a comment saying which one you would like and why and I will randomly pick a number and give one away!!!

my twins...

I get asked pretty often if Jonah and Tessa are twins...





they're just 20 months apart { Tessa was a BIG surprise baby!!! }

Jonah is a bit short for his age and Tessa is slightly taller than average, so sizewise there isn't much difference...





they get along so well, they play the silliest games and make each other laugh and giggle, like 2 peas in a pod...



I pray they stay this close forever... :)

the birthday girl, part 2...

party time...



we opened presents...



we ate cupcakes (chocolate on chocolate, of course)...



we hung out with our bffs...



it was a fun birthday weekend...

remembering...

Tessa Grace, 2 months old...



7 months old...



1 year...



1 1/2 years...



2 years...



3 years...



and now she is 4 years old...



How did that happen so fast...?

the birthday girl, part 1...

We had a fun day together as a family followed by a small family party...







These pics aren't too bad considering I didn't use a flash :) I'm sure there's a better way to edit them, I just don't know how yet!

A present from Grandma E, her very own camera...



Tomorrow is the fun "Little Mermaid" friend party!!! Which reminds me, I have cupcakes to make...

my assistant...

Whew, what a busy week! Ryan was out of town on biz for most of it, and then the boys had parent teacher conferences and fall break!

I tried to get a little bit of work done, although that's always a challenge when Ryan is gone.

I must say that I have the cutest little assistant who likes to sit in her bouncer next to my chair and play and talk to me while occassionally looking up at me with one of her big gummy grins...






Today is Tessa's birthday!!! She turns...



More pics to come!

frost yourself...

This launch was inspired by the movie "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"!

Beautiful faceted swarovski crystals wire wrapped in sterling silver and hung on handcrafted sterling ear wires.

Starting LOW.

Find them here!

the monkey test...

I read a great tip on the Mom Shots blog today and HAD to try it out!

This question was asked: How do you get those little rugrats to look at you so you can get those great eye contact shots?

The answer: Tell them there is a (insert item of choice) in your camera and ask if they could see it.

I chose a monkey.

After I chose a monkey I realized I should have chosen something else, because we like to tease our kids and call them monkeys. So when I asked if they saw the monkey they just said "yes, I see ME". And they probably could in the reflection of the lens. So their attention wasn't held with the game as long as I would have liked!

I tried it out on each kid individually...

Tessa did okay, but didn't last long. Grandma E had called a little bit prior to the picture taking and asked if she wanted to spend the night with her. Tessa's reply was to run upstairs, stuff her backpack full of "necessities" and then wear the backpack for the rest of the day waiting for it to be "time" to go to Grandma's... hence, the pink backpack.

I caught her "looking for the monkey"...



But she looked for the monkey until she "caught on" and thought I was just meaning her.

Next I tried Caleb. Who is 7 and much harder to trick than a 3 year old...



he caught on and was done with the game pretty quick... so these are "I'm only looking toward the camera because you are my mom and have the power to take away privledges if I don't" looks... but I kinda like them :)





Then there is Jonah. Sweet Jonah, who will do whatever I ask with a grin on his face...



he totally caught on but he just didn't care...



he even tried getting his soccerball in on the action...



Great tip, though!

I think it would work much better for me on someone else's kids :)

2 for 1...

I got this fun idea from Tonya (thanks Tonya!)

I bought a pair of women's knee high socks that were so cute, even have little pom poms on the tops...



then I cut the feet off, giving Tessa a cute pair of thigh highs, fun with a skirt or a dress...



and I got a matching pair of socks...



For $3 from Wal-Mart :)

thank you grandpa d...

for putting my new toy together today...



I'm having so much fun with it...



big gummy smooches,

eden

downtown...

Today we had a free morning... no soccer games to attend on account of Fall Break for the public schools, so we went to our favorite donut place for breakfast...



and then I drug my family around downtown Tulsa looking for fun spots to shoot...



Jonah is by FAR the easiest one to work with...



except his eyes are SUPER sensitive and I got alot of squinting pictures...



Ryan played football with the kids not taking pics in a parking lot...





I took about 200 pics and these are my favorites... I still have so much to learn! But it's fun- for me at least!

Thanks for indulging me today you guys!

knittin mama hats...

Eden got a couple of new hats...





Sara from the etsy shop knitsbyknittinmama and I traded jewels for hats...





Her quality is amazing and she has SO many adorable hats, I HIGHLY recommend her...



We love them Sara, thank you!



Eden is hard to take pics smiling pictures of...



She will be just grinning from ear to ear at me, but as soon as the camera goes up I get this:



"what's that thing on your face?"



but every once in awhile I get lucky...

so yesterday...

we got Tessa's ears pierced!!! She didn't cry at all, not a single tear! And now she can't stop looking at herself in the mirror :)



EVERYONE guessed it right, I guess it wasn't hard to figure out! lol

So MOLLIE won herself a new pair of EARRINGS (seemed fitting for this one!)



email me Mollie!!!

can you guess...? win something!!!

...what's different about Tessa?





do you see it?





she's pretty excited about it!







take a guess, if you're right I'll put your name in a hat...



and choose a name to win some fun jewels!!!



Jonah noticed it right away...





so... what's making her smile?

gotta love his "up in the air" form...

Jonah and a kickoff...



Jonah and a goal kick...



and then there's the tongue of concentration...





I guess it's workin' for him... :)



and just because...I snuck these in while riding bikes :)

tonight...

begins the craft show!



I don't have nearly as much made as I would like, but I have a photo album full of pics of custom pieces that can be ordered. I was up til 3 am working on new pieces and then Eden woke up at 5 am, so I'm a little tired!

If you live in the Tulsa area, come say hi at the Indie Emporium!
I have stuff on sale... :)

Wish me luck!

glitter pumpkins and gourds...

thank you Daddy for bringing home these cute pumpkins and gourds...









We have decorated them with pink glitter for you :)

a moment of silence please...

my favorite camera lens has broken...



When it hit the wood floors and busted apart, tears sprang to my eyes, I was so bummed. Tessa saw me and said,

"Don't worry Mommy, Jesus is so strong and He can fix anything! Just bring your camera to heaven with us and He will fix it for you."

"Thank you Tessa, you're right."

"And you have to let Him fix it," she continues, "because it's my favorite lens. It's so small and cute. And we will need it in Heaven so we can take pictures."

I had no idea she was such a fan of this particular lens!


So, for now, I am 50mm lens-less.

I will miss you dearly, sweet lens...

breast cancer awareness...

In honor of October being breast cancer awareness month I made this sweet little necklace... (sorry I'm a week late, I made it last week and then forgot to list it- a coughing baby makes you forget stuff :P )



The disc is 5/8" and you can stamp any word on there of your choice- cure, survivor, a name of someone that has won the battle or is fighting it, etc. A pretty pink ribbon charm adds the perfect touch :)

For every necklace sold this month, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

You can find them in my shop!