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A couple weeks ago we heard Polo crying outside. And limping. Right about then my heart broke into so many tiny pieces I lost count. Kind of like that bucket of micro Legos you used to play with as a kid. But doubled.
After taking Polo to the vet, we discovered he hurt his paw. More specifically, his nail. So what you're telling me is I paid $250 for you to tell me my dog has a hang nail, I asked the vet. Just kidding. I only asked her that in my head. She loaded us up with antibiotics and a soothing gel, but the key was to keep him from licking his wounds. He should leave that to me since I'm, like, a professional.
I'm still hurt for not being invited to Jen Castro's slumber party in fourth grade.
Polo's been wearing a cone and a bootie to keep him from agitating his paw...and I've taken to calling him My Lil Pirate. He hobbles around with his pseudo peg leg and I'm tempted to attach a parrot to his shoulder. |
| In efforts to make him feel better, I invited Polo to a slumber party last night. Take THAT, Jen Castro. |
    
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Leather Craftsmen + Square Gilding
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O ooooh, it's that time of year. The time of year when photographers are balancing what feels like the home stretch to wedding season annnnnd the final stretch to completing albums in time for Christmas. Yes, it feel a little crazy at times, but I like it. I'm a task-oriented person, so when I complete a project, I do a happy dance and treat myself to a chocolate covered pretzel.
I've mentioned before how much I love working with Leather Craftsmen to produce my wedding albums. Back in 2007, I was overwhelmed with the album process and I didn't know how to start, but a friend recommended meeting with Ira Gershoff and that introduction proved to be one of the longest standing business relationships for my photo studio. I've been with Leather Craftsmen since the beginning and blogged about how I use them (here, here, and here), but today I wanted to showcase a new element to the albums that I'm just lovvvving these days! |
| I now request black gilding along the pages of the album for a clean, finished look. The gilding comes in different colors, but I prefer the understated chicness of the black. The best part is Leather Craftsmen is the only album company to offer square gilded pages, which makes me extra excited to offer something unique to my clients. |
| Of course I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the ever-lovely Amy of Albumesque who designs my wedding albums...she's amazing and always does a phenomenal job! |
| I like to keep album designs simple, so the classic exterior matches the interior. |
I wouldn't be able to do what I love if it weren't for my amazing clients, all of whom I love. Truly. Helen sent me an email after she received her wedding album and it was a moment I felt the gravity of being able to do what I'm passionate about...
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If you are a professional photographer or plan to start your career as one and have questions about Leather Craftsmen, shoot Ira an email (ira@leathercraftsmen.com) and I have no doubt he'll take just as great care of you as when we first met! If you'd like to get an album for yourself and you're new to Leather Craftsmen, you can receive a 50% Discount for your first print&bind sample album if you use the Jasmine50StudioSample and you can also receive a 15% Discount for your first print&bind client album if you use Jasmine15Discount.
Happy Tuesday! |
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Parallel Lines of Success
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F or the past three years, I've had the honor and privilege of hosting photography workshops locally and internationally and it's something cherish. I adore connecting with photographers on a personal level, but--more so--seeing them connect with each other. I've seen hundreds of photographers push each other toward their personal and professional goals.
For every workshop, attendees join a group on Facebook where they get to know each other before the course. Some groups continue the communication past the workshop as a place to further their friendships. Once such group (January 2011) have stayed in contact and the majority communicate on a daily basis, irrespective of their geographic separation. |
| A few of the photographers decided to have a reunion in San Diego a couple months ago and put together a wedding photo shoot as a way to learn from each other and measure how far they've come in the year and a half since they first met. Well, I'm stoked to say our lives are running in parallel lines because the wonderful Jen Campbell from Green Wedding Shoes featured a recent wedding of mine... |
| ...and just a few days later featured their photo shoot as well!! Congrats to Bethann Greenberg, Brooke Allison, Christina Dely, Alisha Cryderman, and Whitney Bower! |
| I'm incredibly proud/happy/elated to see such amazing progress and I love these girls to bits. And sequin pieces. |
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Kisses + Disses : To Never Neverland
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W e sat around the table with a pot of tom kah gai poured between us, the scent of coconut milk and lemongrass filling the air. It'd been a few weeks since I'd seen my friends because of our jagged schedules, so we decided to meet at a Thai restaurant off the 5 Freeway at the last minute because, randomly, everyone was in town. Whoa, that was a long sentence. It was rainy (by California standards) and we battled over an hour's worth of traffic, but sitting around the table faded the world outside the steamy windows.
We took turns sharing life's random stories. I began with a story about buying lipgloss from a guy wearing an acid washed vest on the streets of New York and ended with a my plans for later that evening. I was going to the Girl Talk concert. As in the D.J., my friend Melanie asked. She didn't wait for my reply when she continued with, You know you're going to go to a concert where the majority of the attendees were BORN IN THE 90s.
Uhh, hold on, I can't hear you. Let me put in my hearing aid. And warm up some apple sauce while I'm at it.
I put down my spoon. Oh my gush, I said in between bites of something fried and definitely on the List Of Things I Shouldn't Eat, I think I have the Peter Pan Syndrome...what if don't wanna grow up?! The table was quiet. Which, like, sucked because I wanted my friends to be all you're sooooo mature and soooo wise. And use all those o's.
After some thinking, my sister diagnosed me with shades of Peter Pan-ism. Sure, I might have a hard time admitting I've grown up, but when it comes to certain aspects in life, I definitely act like an adult. Then we toasted. My friends raised their glasses to life, but in the back of my mind I said, HERE'S TO NEVER NEVERLAND! |
This is a iphone picture from last night's concert. There were glow sticks, balloons, and the smell of hundreds of people dancing in a small room. Go ahead, take a whiff.
This leads me to another installment of Kisses and Disses... |
This week's DISSES go to...
*Growing up. Have you ever had the urge to freeze life in this moment? Me too.
*My inbox. Some weeks my inbox gives me heart palpitations...this was one such week.
*Injuries. Polo hurt his foot, so the vet requested he wear a cone around his head and a bootie on his foot. He looks so pitiful I sneak him bits of cheese to brighten his day. |
This week's KISSES go to...
*Friends. It's been said a person is lucky to have one true friend in life...I'm blessed to have four.
*Chobani yogurt. It's healthy and tastes good. And makes up for the fried food I sometimes eat.
*Pixie dust. Oh, com'on...you KNEW that was coming!
Happy Friday! |
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Seattle Eco Friendly + Organic Wedding
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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L ast month I spent time in Seattle, a city I equate with creativity and respite. I blogged about my adventures, but while there I also had the distinct pleasure of collaborating with a spectacular group of people. And I know I'm sometimes extra descriptive when it comes to people (and things and moments and life in general), but--really--they're spectacular.
These wedding creatives aren't just good at what they do, they're good at who they are. And it made the day amazing.
It was an honor working with Jenn Elliott Blake of Bowtie and Bustle, who worked tirelessly to create a unique vision for the shoot. The concept for the shoot was driven by the idea that weddings can be beautiful and environmentally conscious at the same time. Jenn incorporated organic color pallettes and re-purposed materials (beyond the use of vintage wares) adding a sustainable-modern take on a Pacific Northwest lifestyle.
Credits:
Concept, Design + Styling : Jenn Elliott Blake of Bowtie and Bustle
Floral Design : McKenzie Powell Designs
Paper Details : La Happy
Desserts : Hot Cakes
Hair + Makeup : Erin Skipley
Venue : Cast Iron Studios
Vintage Rentals : Scout Vintage
Bridal Dress : Martha Webb
Custom Table Linen : Andie Powers of Assemble Shop + Studio
Models : Amber Anderson + James Powell
Photography : Jasmine Star |
This dress? I died. Jenn found it on Pinterest and had it shipped from the UK for the shoot, but it was an adventure tracking it down...if she wasn't so good at design, she could easily get into being a detective based on her research skills and determination alone.
Oh, and this is Amber, our gorgeous bride for the shoot... |
| While visiting her mom in Colorado, Jenn assembled these hanging rope vases...like, handmade...by braiding them. And I'm happy when I can tie my shoes on the first try. |
| McKenzie Powell is easily one of the most talented floral designers I've worked with. Easily. Her designs are effortless, free-flowing, and beautiful. When I asked what flowers she used, she responded with this short list: Cosmos, Clematis, Rudbeckia, Dill, Rosemary, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Veronica, Queen Anne's Lace, Dusty Miller, Porcelain vine, and Agrostemma... |
| Jenn writes about her design: The color palette and materials reflect a natural & organic feeling with neutral tones being contributed by the use of wood, cork, macramé rope, organic silk, vintage amber-colored glass bottles & metal tins in an industrial setting. The burnt orange & mustard yellow pops of color were used to create a cheerful juxtaposition to the natural vibe of the design. I wanted the design to feel very clean & simple at the same time, not too much fuss. |
| Transitioning from the expected heavy use of florals in weddings, Jenn and McKenzie in turn used fresh herbs, potted plants and minimal cut stems for the centerpieces, hanging installation & bridal bouquet. Cork (one of the most sustainable & easily recycled products in the world) was hand cut to create floral vases, a backdrop for signage & the candle holders on the tabletop. Acacia wood cutting boards were used in place of the traditional dinner plate and as a "guest gift", inspired by a recent visit to Paris where charcuterie-style meal options were in great demand in cafes for communal dining purposes. |
| Look at this darling boutonniere...I had to spell check that word three times. Ugh. |
| Time Out: look at this up-do. Is that what they're still calling it these days? Up-do? Or did that end in the late 90's? Hmmm, let's start over. Look at this hair creation by Erin Skipley...she's so darn talented. |
| Wedding dessert stations are one of my favorite things (well, actually, anything with sugar is my favorite) and Autumn with Hot Cakes did a phenomenal job! She's one of the most popular bakers in Seattle and it's with good reason. After the shoot, JD made us stop by her bakery in Ballard on four different occasions for her chocolate chip cookies and molten cakes...my mouth is watering simply at remembering all that yummy goodness. |
| The best part of the shoot? Being able to eat everything from the dessert bar after photographing it. Job perks, Internet. |
| This gorgeous bouquet is comprised of Dahlias, Clematis, Rudbeckia, Dill, Rosemary, Queen Anne's Lace, Dusty Miller, and Agrostemma... |
| Most weddings have an interactive station of sorts (photo booth, guest book signing, appetizer bar, etc), so Jenn thought she'd take a new spin on the idea of photo booth by creating an area where guests could use a polaroid camera to take photos and leave them for the bride and groom... |
| The polaroid photos would be added to a hanging chair to make it part of the wedding as a whole... |
| I'll end this post with this photo because it sums up how I felt while shooting: happy. |
To see an entire gallery from this shoot, I'm excited to have it featured on Style Me Pretty today...feel free to check it out for more organic and eco-friendly wedding inspiration!
Happy Thursday! |
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