Today I Want : A little Vintage

Impromptu Shoot with one of my besties, Vintage Fashionista Katie of Today I Want. 

Katie was kind enough to model AND style the shoot while I tested some new Perfectly Peach film for Four Corner Store with the new prism on my Nikon.

Celebrating Independence

And sometimes, that means running around in your underpants.

Photographed Monday, the 4th of July, using a Nikon F4, expired Fuji 400H, and processed at Walgreens for $6.

Jubilee Portraits : John Deere & Easter Eggs

Easter was last Sunday, and I spent some time enjoying an Easter Egg hunt using

a John Deere Tractor with my nephews, Ethan and Brandon.

The boys wanted to wear their Dad's, aka "Dadoo", hats, so he happily obliged.

And when Brandon tried to drink the bubbles, his mother taught him how to spit, which he proceeded to do for the rest of the afternoon!

The boys were so sweet and generous, and every toy they discovered in an egg, they wanted to share with me, their parents or their grandparents, but not necessarily each other. Boys can be boys, especially when they are 2!

April Fools

April Fools.

Chenoa Animal Sanctuary

It's not secret that I'm a HUGE animal person. A few months ago, I had the amazing opportunity to visit Chenoa Farms, with my good friend, Diane. Chenoa Farms is owned and operated by a Veterinarian, Dr. Teti, who has devoted his life, and his farm, to rescue animals. Many of the animals I met had been abused, abandoned and neglected, yet were so amazingly friendly, sweet and gentle. Diane works with the animals to rehabilitate them from their abusive situations, and get them comfortable and trusting of humans again.

The turkey developed a crush on me, and followed me everywhere. He even defended me to the curious Emu, although I don't there was any real threat. The Emu came over to see me, and my "boyfriend" got a little jealous!

Pigs, cows and other livestock live on the farm, rescued from slaughter houses, animal testing, cramped mills or cages, or abusive situations. They are very fearful of strangers, but after a while, warm up and become friendly!

This little guy, this adorable little goat was the sweetest little thing! As a baby, he had been caught in a fence which damaged his horns, and left for dead. Luckily, someone found him, got him the medical attention he needed and brought him to Chenoa. He followed me around after the turkey grew tired of me!

These horses, a mother and son, were so beautiful and friendly, and quite curious about the camera!

There are TONS of rabbits at Chenoa. Many are bought as Easter or Birthday gifts for children and then abandoned or sent to shelters. They seemed pretty happy to have a large, safe area to play, eat and rest.

The pony was a pet once, but when it was discovered that he had a condition that would require special medication and diet, he was abandoned. Such a sweetheart, we nicknamed him Sebastian Bach because of his sweet 80's hair...

There are no words to describe the beauty of Chenoa, and it exists merely by a handful of donors, the compassion and kindness of Dr. Teti and family, who never turn away an animal in need. The farm, an all volunteer non-profit, works with at-risk youth, bringing them to the farm to learn about animal welfare and participate on the farm in daily chores. Many of the young men and women are former drug addicts, gang members, and even former animal abusers. The program is designed to encourage positive interaction with animals to help instill compassion, improve patience and help bridge the gap between animals and humans. Chenoa is always looking for volunteers and donors to help maintain the farm and improve the conditions of the barn and animals housing, as well as to build, improve and expand necessary structures & operations so that more animals may be saved and given a safe haven and a compassionate second chance.

Meet Lil Jon & Isabella

Sorry for a slow blog week-Nic and I adopted two more kittens over the 4th of July Holiday, 8 week old brother and sister Lil Jon and Isabella! They are so cute, so sweet, and still have that adorable little kitten fuzz and tiny little heads. Neko and Gracie are adjusting, albeit a little begrudgingly, so we're trying to make the transition easy with as much love and cuddles as possible. So until next week, when I'll return with more weddings, inspiration and outfits, enjoy my two little 1 pound furbabies!

Memorial Day

For many, Memorial Day is a day off of school or work, a day to get together and celebrate the beginning of summer with roadtrips, picnics, bbq's, parties and the like, but I want to take a little time today to remember and celebrate those who are no longer with us, loved ones and strangers, those who served our country, and those who served another purpose.

Today is a day to remember and give thanks, and to ponder over how we would want to be remembered, and by doing that, hopefully we will make the world a better place than we found it.

Good Friday

I'm a person who is open to all beliefs and religious modalities, and for me, Good Friday is one of the cornerstones of my personal spirituality. Regardless of the popular meaning behind Good Friday, to me it's about humanity, generosity, compassion and selflessness. I hope everyone has a lovely Easter weekend, and takes the time to enjoy the wonder of nature, the miracle of family, and the beauty that giving, kindness and laughter bring to the world.

Carrot Bread Puddin'

Bored with all the snow? Yeah, me too. There is only so much work, tv and sleeping I can handle with the snow outside, and I tend to have a voracious cabin fever appetite, so I decided to make a healthy dessert alternative! Here is the recipe for Kristen's Healthy Carrot Bread Puddin'

Here is what you need :
1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
2 Large Eggs
1/4 cup of Canola Oil
1/2 cup of Apple Sauce-no sugar added
3/4 cup of Brown Sugar (I used a sugar substitute, like Stevia for Baking, it has zero calories!)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Fat Free Half and Half
1/2 small bag of shredded carrots.
Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until fully mixed. Take your baking dish, I use an 8 inch square baking pan, and I pour Sweetened Condensed milk to coat the bottom lightly, and then a light coating of the fat free half and half. Then I pour my puddin' mixture into the dish and pop it in the oven for about 40 minutes, 350 degrees. Test the cake with a knife or with a toothpick until it's no longer gooey in the middle.
If you let the cake cool, you can use your own homemade Cream Cheese Icing, or store bought Cream Cheese Icing. Can't wait? Poke a few holes in the cake using a fork, then take some sweetened condensed milk and pour it over the cake until the whole top of the cake is covered. You can use milk, half and half or condensed milk to pour lightly over the cake so there is a little moisture on the bottom of the cake. Grab a fork and enjoy this healthy treat!

Neko & the Snow Storm

We got pounded with snow here in Delaware, so much so that we are in a state of emergency and aren't allowed to drive anywhere-everything is closed and we're snowed into our home. Luckily, we have two adorable snugglers who are keeping us busy with their lap warming, playing and general busy-ness. Neko was quite excited by the snowfall and couldn't get enough. Gracie, on the other hand preferred the warmth, and potential spoils, of the kitchen.