Happy Monday!

Amanda's recipe on how to turn a super tired, raining, crap Monday morning into a good day...

#1 Grande Non Fat Vanilla Latte

#2 "Perfect" cup of oatmeal

#3 Even though dead tired sing really loud to a favorite song in the car, I'm talking about top or your lungs pretending your in the video type of singing ;) repeat until you get to the office

#4 E-mail a friend 1st thing to find out how her weekend was

#5 Thank god for giving me another week =)

This was on my Cup this morning...

The Way I See It #239

It takes two seconds to tell the truth and it costs nothing. A lie takes time and it costs everything.

-- Randi RhodesRadio host.

Urban Unveiled Fall 2008

Once again Urban Unveiled was amazing. I attended this event earlier in the year so I was super jazzed when i found out they were having another one. If you are a bride in the NW, a wedding vendor or just a wedding enthusiast this is a must see event. The decorations alone are worth seeing, not to mention the good foods, the Luly Yang fashion show, amazing vendors and the swag isn't bad either.

After the fashion show they have a raffle of about 20 great prizes, this time I won a prize, a SWEET prize at that! It's a brunch cruise for up to 20 people on Waterways Cruises valued at approx $1600, I told you it was sweet! I can't wait to plan that, I'm thinking a girls only birthday cruise with mimosa's lot's of mimosa's!

So I was smart this time and brought a camera! I had a blast capturing all the amazing details!

The program of vendors/ Resource guide

Lot's of lovely flowers

Doesn't it look yummy? It smelt good too!

I was too far up to get any good fashion show pictures but check out the slideshow on Jeff Laplante's blog they are awesome!

As you can see it's a great event. I look forward to attending them for a long time. You'll have to stay tuned to see more info from some of the great vendor's I had a chance to chat with.
And my cruise info and pictures later on in the year, So fun! =)

New Header + "SLC"

So what do you think? Do you like???

I have been wanting to make a new one forever, but couldn't find the time. I still didn't have time but I had to make it happen because the old one was killing me. I featured some new fall pictures of the kiddos, but plan on changing those out hopefully at least once a month.


I'm still not sure if I'm in love with the whole design but it will do for now. Of course I had to keep with my colors, and I wanted to incorporate images as well as font and design elements from my cards and marketing pieces. The camera on the right is one of my most favorite things! I love it, it's one of those things that you display somewhere to collect dust but every time you see it, it makes you happy! I got it a year or so ago at the Lakeside (Bill Gates Alma mater) rummage sale for $3!!!


Lately I have been taking a lot of pictures of "stuff" meaning non humans ;) that I will hopefully be blogging about in the future and the camera was one of them. I hadn't intended on using it in the header and just stumbled onto the idea as i was searching my files for inspiration. I think it ended up being a pretty cool element though.


Here are some more flick's of my "SLC"= sweet little camera...

It's cool to think of the history in this.

Who were it's owners, where did they take it? How did it end up in the rummage sale?

And lastly one of the lil guy in action as a prop at the Launch Party

Business Card :: Round 2

Here are the cards I'm using in addition to the round ones. Although I love my round cards, I wanted a traditional card as well. So I designed these to be used as appointment/referral cards.
I love having two cards! I've received really great feedback on both of them.

The color is not perfect in these photo's, I'm having serious calibration issues with my home monitor! ergh... but you get the point.

Happy Columbus Day!!! =)

Walk Now For Autism 08 - Seattle

Last Saturday my friend Cathy, her daughter Calmerin, Chase and I all took part in the Walk Now For Autism walk. Despite the rain and strong winds ton's of people turned out to walk the gorgeous University of Washington campus. Sponsor's and walker's worked hard all year to raise funding and awareness for Autism Speaks, together we raised $250,000 of the $350,000 Seattle goal.

Raising funds and awareness for Autism is super important!!!!


Did you know Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in 1 in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls?


" The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown." .... did you read that right ... "no known cause or cure"


This is incredibly alarming and should be a hot topic on everyone's mind whether you know someone inflicted with autism or not. This disorder inflicts more US children than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Although autism is certainly not a new disorder it is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability. Why is this? Doesn't it make you mad that we don't know? Something has to be to blame for the rise and I want to know what it is!

"67 children are diagnosed per day - A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes"

"Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade. Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases"

Pediatric AIDS: Affects 1 in 8,000 / Funding: $394 million
Muscular Dystrophy: Affects 1 in 20,000 / Funding: $175 million

Autism: Affects 1 in 150 / Funding: $42 million

Do you see those numbers!!!! How does that possibly make any sense? Why is that acceptable to America? I do not have a child with autism or even have a child close to me with it, yet I am outraged by this! We as parents, we as a nation owe it to the children to speak up for autism!

This is why funding and awareness are so undeniably crucial.

Walkers

Sticker on my jeans ;)

Me

Cathy

Look at these cute lil' walkers!

After the walk I got a ton of great pictures of these two. Stay tuned for those!

Speak up for Autism!

Join a walk in your city

Make a donation

Or at least keep the buzz going, talk about it, blog about it, bring awareness to it because without it our children will continue to be at risk!

Helpful link's: Jenny McCarthy's - Generation Rescue :: Autism Society of America

Business Cards :: Round Edition

I can't believe it took me so long to show you all my sweet little round business cards! I took some pictures of them last week and just uploaded them tonight. But since they are raw, my lightroom is not working today and I'm too lazy to use adobe raw, I was planning on procrastinating a couple days longer. That is until I lucked out and came across the designers facebook today. So I used the image from her portfolio instead, Thanks Andrea!

Round Business Card Designer: Andrea La Valleur - Divine Fusion Design

Aren't they cool?

I also designed some standard rectangle ones to use as referral/appointment cards I will post those soon... Or... if you just can't wait you can preview it here! :)

Meet the Parents

I had the enormous pleasure of photographing the Hilstad's with the newest addition to their family, Mr. Miles

Daddy the strong protector...

but also loving and fun!

Beautiful mommy

Nothing sweeter than grandma kisses!

Four Generations!!!

I almost died when she kissed his precious little feet! =)

I absolutly loved shooting this family, I took way longer than usual becuase I just couldnt get enough ;) They are so nice, very sincere and so in love with thier baby boy!

Thank you Hilstad's for letting me in your home and allowing me to capture your cute little family!

Danger is my Middle Name!

:: Meet Miles Danger ::

Isn't he the cutest thing !!!

Look at him smiling!

Miles is so alert and super smart.

I was amazed at all the expressions he was giving me, such a natural little model

Check back tomorrow for more of Mr. Miles with his mommy, daddy, grandma and GREAT grandma!!!