Love & Misadventure

I wanted to share with y'all a book that I've stumbled across and absolutely love. Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav. This book is full of poems and stories about love, life, and hardships that can take place. Only having this book for a short amount of time, I've already fallen deeply in love with it. When the words rein completely true to my heart, it's hard for me to ignore.

This particular passage has touched me the most, and has completely opened my eyes. It relates so much with what I've been going through in my personal love life. And even though I still want to hold on, I still want to fight for it, sometimes you just have to let it be. As much as it hurts us.

"One day you meet someone and for some inexplicable reason, you feel more connected to this stranger than anyone else—closer to them than your closest family. Perhaps this person carries within them an angel—one sent to you for some higher purpose; to teach you an important lesson or to keep you safe during a perilous time. What you must do is trust in them—even if they come hand in hand with pain or suffering—the reason for their presence will become clear in due time.

Though here is a word of warning—you may grow to love this person but remember they are not yours to keep. Their purpose isn’t to save you but to show you how to save yourself. And once this is fulfilled; the halo lifts and the angel leaves their body as the person exits your life. They will be a stranger to you once more."

Sunshine State

For the next week or so, I will be in Florida visiting my family. So my posts won't be so up to date, every day. But thus far! It's been amazing. I love spending time with my family that I haven't seen in a while, and plus my little sister turns 19 today. (She's not so little anymore, which just makes me feel old) 

To kick start vacation, my family and I went to the pool and just had a good old time. And afterwords we went to one of my favorite restaurants in Jax Beach called TacoLu. TacoLu is a sugar skull themed Mexican restaurant, and it's just simply amazing. The atmosphere is so relaxed and inviting. Plus the food is cheap and flipping amazing!! 

The decor in TacoLu definitely inspired me for some home decor ideas as well. I'm so excited to be spending the rest of my time here in Florida and sharing it with you guys. I will also be pigging out a lot so...expect to see more food. ;) 

Whimsical

What's a better way to start the Summer off then being hired to do a Vintage/Retro Maternity Shoot. This couple was beyond lovely and their personalities shone right through the camera lens! This is what photography is all about. Capturing the nature of the person and putting it into a product that they will cherish forever. They even brought the most whimsical props! The car, the parasol, the baby booties and shoes, and the cute overalls. Everything about this shoot was perfect.

I love that in-between my card business, I can make people happy with an affordable and quality photography package. It's the little things that make me happy as a person and a business owner. I never understood why photographers charged 300+ for 20 pictures and an hour of their time. I spent almost two hours with this couple, gave them more than 20 pictures for 60 bucks. With todays economy people don't have 300 dollars to be blowing on pictures that come out mediocre anyway. I'm glad I can provide my services while I'm still growing as a photographer at a great rate. 

What little things do you pride yourself in?

Last day to purchase for Father's day!

Bonjour dolls!!

Today is the last day you can purchase one of my Father's Day cards and have it get to you before Father's day. Of course you can order them after tomorrow, they just won't get to you before Sunday.

My etsy shop has a variety of Father's Day Cards that are sure to make you and your special dad laugh! Take a little peek of what we have to offer for you this year.

Be sure to put your orders in before tonight!! If not, you'll most likely get your Father's Day card by Monday or Tuesday of next week. Either way, these hilarious and cute Father's Day cards are too good to pass up! 

Oh and to all you Fathers, Dilfs and Studmuffins out there…HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!

Working from Home.

Yawwwwwn.

Starting your own business can be a very rewarding, yet very tiring!! I'm talking about, early mornings, late nights, running back and forth to the post office, to home, to the studio, to the store, to online shops. {i'm telling you…it never ends}

But that doesn't mean that a home business doesn't have it's perks. ;)

A nice cup of joe helps me get motivated in the morning to sit down and actually start working on my business. I also go to Pandora and listen to my favorite country station. Plus! I get the luxury of staying in comfy t-shirts and shorts all morning. Digging my Code Name Kids Next Door shirt I found at Goodwill? 

So since I've been working all morning, I decided I'll give you a little peek of what I do on a daily basis for my business. 

My little iPhone 5 sitting on one of my sketch books that I like to draw my designs in. There's a little preview on a "Congrats on Twins" card I'm making (you're welcome). And my GWTW phone wallpaper…I'm a tad obsessed with the classics. 

I got a few boxes at Michael's since they were on sale ($2!) to put my cards, packaging supplies, stamps and other necessities for my business. I'm still getting everything organized and it's certain place. Since I'm not fully moved out of my current living situation, it's hard having everything everywhere. Hopefully in the next month I'll have my own little station set up (where no little hands will be allowed to wander!)

I'm the type of girl that LOVES lists. I make lists for literally everything. So I bought a separate notebook (Michaels for 50 cents!) to keep track of every card that a customer buys, when they bought it, and when I've shipped them out. Just to make sure that I keep everything organized. Again, once my little business station is set up, I'll probably have a better filing system. But this for right now gets the job done and well! 

Since the desk I'm sitting at is currently full {with a desktop computer, sketchbooks, printer, coffee, mac and cheese, sharpies, ect.} I was forced to set up my laptop and little box of supplies on the bed next to me. But hey! Space is space! Aren't Derek's cowboy sheets cute? haha.

Last but certainly not least, what's working from home without the little one constantly getting in your face? She kept asking me to take a picture of her truck. What can I say? My little girl has a thing for boy toys. And I couldn't help but include this in my blogpost. Look at those delicate little hands!

There you have it!

This is a morning in the life of derae art! And how unorganized, messy, and coffee ridden it is! Haha, kidding {not really though}. 

Greeting card Balooza!! C:

HELLO DOLLS!

They day is HERE!!! The day that I show you guys what I've been working on the past couple weeks! Aren't you all excited? I know I am.

HANDMADE (over the top, a little fun, unique) GREETING CARDS!! 

Tired of giving loved ones the same run of the mill cards every year? Why not spice it up with a little bit of change. Especially since Father's Day is coming up, we have a lot of great Father's Day cards in our Dad collection. 

You can find all my cards individually priced on my Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DeraeArt

I'm going to be changing around my template and layout here on blogger and add a shop button so that it will be easier to access what I'm doing. Also adding a newsletter so you can get discounts and updates. :)

Let me know what you think about my greeting cards!!

Oz: The Great and Powerful Review

My beautiful cousin Carrie and I decided to have a girls date night and see no other than the very very handsome James Franco. Whom we'd both decided that he's on our "I'd leave _____ for:" list, haha. Not only did we indulge in some eye candy, we also overdid it on the calories.

Lets start with the basic storyline:

Oscar or Oz (James Franco), a carnival magician, is a amorous guy who desires to be something great in life and not settle. A tornado randomly rips through the area which the carnival is stationed and Oscar hops into a hot air balloon and is whirled away to the Land of Oz. When he lands he meets Theodora (Played by Mila Kunis), who tells him that he is the wizard from a prophecy, and that he is to stop the evil witch, save the people and become the King of the Emerald City. Oz doesn't believe that he's a wizard simply because he is a con man, but greed sets in and he decides to play along with "wizard" business. 

I don't want to spoil too much of the story, so I'm going to list the pros and cons of the movie. 

Pros:

1. I loved the transition from black & white to color like in the original. 

2. The musical score was simply amazing.

3. Mila Kunis transitioned her character very well, prosthetics and all. 

4. I like the parallels that were made from beginning to end. 

5. The minor (supporting) roles were my favorite, like Finley and the China Girl.

6. It made a great prequel to the Original Wizard of Oz film. 

Cons:

1. Although I love James Franco, sometimes he seemed a bit off.

2. Some scenes were shot for 3D which threw off the movie a bit, in my eyes. 

3. I think the film could have been more serious. It seemed like a big spoof or parody at times. 

4. There were some "1st person RollerCoaster" shots that were just irritating. 

5. Weirdly, I feel that Glinda could have been cast better. 

Overall I feel like this movie was a 3.5/5 stars. I definitely recommend seeing it. I'm still iffy on where I stand with the film overall to how it will sit in the film history. 

Have you seen Oz: The Great and Powerful yet?! How did you like it?

Perks of being a Wallflower~

Not to brag or anything but, I'm pretty sure I have the most beautiful two year old in the world! (That's mommy talk right there) M is definitely a little ham! She poses and smiles (mostly cheesin') for almost all the pictures I take of her. She is definitely a little model in training, and my favorite one at that!

Just look at these gorgeous shots I took of her at the Liriodendron House:

It's the simplicity of the photography that makes it for me. 

The truth is, as photographers, we're "Wallflowers". We sit and observe, and manage to take great shots and distinct moments. And the perks of that is capturing a great image, and keeping it as a memory to look back on. Without this, we would forget how we looked and felt in the moment being captured.

I'll be posting a beauty post soon, along with a few new key products I have purchased. So keep on the lookout for that.

P.S. I linked my photography facebook on the top right hand side, if you'd PLEASE like it, it would mean so much to me.

P.S.S. Follow me everywhere, and I'll do the same for you. ;)