Maine Seasons Events in Wellwed Magazines!

I have been so excited to share this, but as it was an exclusive feature, we all had to keep it under wraps until the magazines came out. Sara of Griffin-vites Watercolor Stationery, photographer Brea McDonald and I collaborated on a fun summer wedding design photo shoot way back in June of 2009, and it can finally be shared! Shot at a private residence, the green summery backdrop was just right for this design.

Amazing that it takes that long to see a photo shoot published in a magazine at times...

(Brea Mcdonald Photography)

The "Berry Inspired" feature came out in Wellwed in New York, Wellwed Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and Vermont Vows this month. These magazines are so pretty, so well designed, with so many little details and fun graphics, I am honored to be in them. You can read the magazine feature here.

(Brea Mcdonald Photography)

Of course I scavenged in my stash to find some great props and personal details that I wanted to include to create a personal, colorful, fun and seasonally simple wedding design. White milk glass, fresh strawberries, white daisies, vintage tea cups, pieces of a vintage yo-yo quilt, a vintage kitchen scale, several antique quilts, a rustic tin box, and a little antique film camera, some garden chairs, vintage cooler, hand sewn ring pillow and assorted porcelain dessert pedestals were pulled together for this design.

(Brea Mcdonald Photography)

Sara took the strawberry and daisy concept and created an incredibly stylish wedding paper suite to include menus, invitations, reception, photo booth and beverage cards as well as favor tags and table numbers. Without even meeting in advance, Sara completely understood the design and aesthetic I was going for and totally exceeded my expectations with her creations. The fact that she is beautifully smart, humble, super talented, funny, sweet and genuine doesn't hurt either!

I even made a little gingham dress for you know who to sit at the "kid's table" amongst the over sized pinwheels... (Brea Mcdonald Photography)

Brea Mcdonald worked her photographic magic, climbing up on ladders, leaning into trees and crouching down low to capture all of the angles in the design elements. When we got to see a preview of her work, I was floored. Brea's photos make everything just that much prettier...the light, the crispness, the color, along with Brea's easy going, positive personality and sense of humor very much impressed me. How had I not worked with these two gems yet?

I have said this before, but I am humbled and incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by creative, real, supportive and talented women in this industry. Every day I am grateful for their friendship, humor, ears, opinions, encouragement and capabilities.

(Brea McDonald Photography, L-R: Brea, Sara and Meagan) Griffin-vites custom stationery is so pretty, so textural, with a splash of whimsy, it feels nostalgic and fresh to me all at the same time-I love the green ric-rac! (Brea Mcdonald Photography)

I whipped up a bouquet to reflect the colors and the feel of summer...loved the red polka dot ribbon! (Brea McDonald Photography) The luscious desserts were provided by 111 Maine Catering and fit the call for hand made, local and familiar summer desserts in lieu of a wedding cake. Strawberry shortcake, lemon squares, lintzer cookies and strawberry pie prettied up the dessert table, clothed with an antique quilt. Jennifer at 111 Maine is a caring, passionate, talented chef, who loves cooking and preparing food and offers her clients local, fresh and delicious food with an ease and professionalism that is so critical in the catering field. Jennifer is flexible, easy to work with and enjoys creating a custom menu for each client-another local gem!

(Brea Mcdonald Photography) Another antique quilt from my grandmother and a vintage Brownie camera created a great "photo booth" opportunity... (Brea McDonald Photography)

(Brea McDonald Photography)

It was such a great experience to work with these talented creators, and being published with them is even better!

2009 A Look Back

I am forcing myself to look at those goals I set for 2009 and see where I succeeded and where I have some opportunity. I really don't like the word failure, it doesn't exist in my vocabulary...



So from this list of lofty goals, here are the things I would rate as successes for 2009:


From Who I want to be:


1. fearless (well maybe sometimes I was. 12 miles up a mountain on a bike with a toddler and and a thunderstorm pending and only an hour or so before sunset?!? Fearless I think!)

2.adventurous (I did take my 2 year old camping for 3 days in October in Maine in a camper that we had just finished a year long restoration on, without a test run!)

3.compassionate

4. sassy ( I mean really though, haven't I always been this, even when I tried not to?!?)

(Cunningham Photography)
5. confident (in varying degrees!)

6.capable (I managed to keep my daughter fed and alive, my husband still laughing, my business running and my house in relative states of organization and cleanliness)

(Cunningham Photography)

7. determined (I can't seem to quiet this internal force ever)

8. successful (Well, I am not sure I really defined that well enough. In general I think I was...)

9. fulfilled (when I stopped to realize that I actually was)

(Cunningham Photography)

10.positive (most of the time! I really am a "what-if" type of thinker, I can't help myself)

11. passionate (can't seem to squelch this even when I try...)

12. fair (I even allowed brownies after lunch sometimes and staying up late times and skipping a nap or two times and one more time on the slide times. I will remind her of that when she is 14 and says, "You are so unfair!" before an eye roll and a door slam)

13. forward thinking (I am getting better at defining the future and planning for it personally)

14. happy (generally, when I am not ranting and raving to my poor husband)

15. curious (and better at asking others for information and help when I need it to satisfy a curiosity)

16.funny (according to my husband, who says,"where did you come from? You crack me up!" a few times a week at least)

17. loving (who can resist a 2 year old to hug and read to?)

18. strong (don't we have to be?)

19. and myself (sometimes too much so!)

(Melissa Mullen Photography)

From the "who" category, characteristics I still think I have some opportunity with:

1. Spontaneous. I can't help it, I really am a planner in my fabric, it is just how I am woven. It is hard for me to just do something without proper and ample research, planning, and thinking about...Note: thing learned about self in 2009!

2. Strategic. I still have some clarity to get to on a strategy for the business, my life. I did check off quite a few goals in 2009, but some of it felt like serendipity, or coincidental, not planned and directly arising from a clear plan.

3. Tough minded. Again, hard to weave a new thread into an existing piece of fabric. I can't help myself, I care about everyone and everything so much, it disables me from being critical and willing to say "no" as much as I should.

4. Realistic. I really still believe I can accomplish all of this (life, baby, husband, business, clients, house keeping, cooking, bill paying, gardening, snow shoveling, knitting, getting dressed and brushing my teeth, etc.) in a 24 hour day. I might event slightly believe that I actually have more than 24 hours to work with...Delusional? Likely. Don't tell anyone. I can't shake the feeling of possibility though...

5. And the unicorn of my existence: patience. Thought having a baby would force me to have patience, and maybe she has increased my levels, but overall I feel that this continues to be a life long opportunity for me. I just can't seem to harness the internal ability to feel patience, or to choose to feel it. Patience makes me uneasy, uncomfortable, restless, panicked sometimes even. Is it possible to learn to have patience? I don't think my lack of patience is a threat to others or myself, but I might have to seek outside counsel on this one if I can't find some soon!

(Brea McDonald Photography)

From the what I want to do list, the successes:

1. Open my heart and mind to possibility-I did this in varying degrees. I took some risks this year under the premise of "this just might work"...I really believed that things could happen.

2. I did a better job at staying connected, and at defining what makes me and my business different, and even determined how to show this to others, some design photo shoots became a way for me to implement this plan, and couldn't have happened without the first part of this goal, being connected. It was with the encouragement and participation of several other talented and creative wedding professionals that I achieved this goal. Together we achieved it. If you all are reading this, thank you, you know who you are. Personally, being published, having something I created in the glossy pages of a magazine, posted to a wedding blog that is read across the globe, is a huge life achievement for me, regardless of how tiny in the big picture of things.

3. Reading magazines, blogs, making time to keep up even a little bit each week was a big step for me!
(Top photo of Maine Seasons work: Sharyn Peavey Photography)(Bottom photo Laura Klein)
4.Introducing myself to 50 new people? Well, I surprised myself here and met 78!


5. Finish a knit sweater? At the time of the goal writing, I really had my doubts. I think I closed out December at 15 or so finished knits. Yippee!



6. Trip to Bar Harbor? Check, did it twice!

7. Take Ava out into the world to see, hear, smell, taste, explore and learn about life. We did this, she has had a lot of experiences and adventures for being so new to the planet! Lately she tells us she likes to "lay down in bed at night and close my eyes and dream about turtles and rays" "Like a Manta ray?" I ask. "Well of course I am talkin' about a Manta ray mommy" OF course.

(Brea McDonald Photography)
8. The whole drinking tea thing at nap time might have been a bit unrealistic, but I did increase my tea consumption as a whole. It just didn't always occur at nap time. And nap time didn't always occur either...

9. Be true to myself and my values. I think this one is a guiding light for me. I don't think I have to try that hard in this area, I just can't live any other way.

10. The camper completed? Yes, we miraculously finished it on October 7th, 2009 just in time for it's maiden voyage the next day. Phew! Where is the long promised blog you ask? I know, I really am going to get it finished one of these nights for all to see, I promise!

(Brea McDonald Photography)

The things I wanted to do that eluded me? Read on:

1. Write a work schedule for each week. I did try, but with being the full time care provider of a small human, working from home with that small person every day and just needing to work when I can, the nights, weekends, weekdays and mornings just all ran together more often than not. I am rolling this goal over to 2010!

2. The fabrics I had dreamed of designing took a back seat to the wedding designs I ended up creating.

(Cunningham Photography)

3. Ava's book did not get published. For the record, I finished writing it, I am just waiting on a certain someone to finish the illustrations. Ahem..

4. Swimming in Echo Lake with Ava and Chris didn't happen, due to weather related obstacles when we were in Bar Harbor. We did swim in the ocean a lot though. That counts, right?!?

5. Taking a bath once a month?!? Yeah right. I revised this goal to include shaving legs and trimming bangs at least that often.

6. The whole weekly exercise commitment really didn't commit either. I just don't think I wanted this badly enough to make time for it...There are always so many other things I need to be and want to be doing...

7. Spending quality time with my husband was satisfied by arguing in the husk of a rotting camper for a year and we did some laughing and talking too, but I think this year, there needs to be maybe one or two dates or times we actually leave the house just the two of us together. And running errands doesn't count.

And finally, from the things I want to have list, the successes:

1. A sense of wonder. With a child in your life, this is not optional.

2. A healthy child. Thankfully yes, 100% healthy.

3. A happy child. Have you met this one? She is a happy little nut and we love her.

(Brea McDonald Photography)

4. A happy husband. Well, he might not be wired as a jolly, happy, jubilant kind of guy, but if I can get him to laugh a few times a week, I think we can count this.

5. A strong marriage. Well, this will be year number 10 for marriage and year number 22 for really wanting to be around each other, and it doesn't look like either one of us is going anywhere so I think I will count this. (I asked just to check!)

6. A finished camper! Thank goodness, that thing might have done us in on all fronts if it hadn't been finished.

7. A positive impact on those around me? Well, I am not sure on this one. I will have to ask around!

8. Faith in my abilities. I did doubt myself, but kept pushing forward through the doubtful times, so I am counting it!

9. I finally do believe that all the wonders I seek are within myself.

10. Hope for the future. I did gain this hope this year.

11. Guts. I have them, I just don't always exercise the use of them. I did try them out a few times this year though.

Things that are still opportunities: (remember, we don't say "failure" in this house!)

1. The whole tidy house thing just may not be realistic for a creative project minded couple with a 2 year old and 3 cats...Clean? Almost always, but always not so tidy...maybe next year.

2. Organized workspace may be a non existent beast while working from home with a toddler on your lap as you e-mail...I did have several desk clean up sessions, but am sitting here today with piles around me. I feel lonely without the piles...

3. Peace of mind? I am not sure I will ever have this again after becoming a parent. I do experience moments of it though...

4. Clean garage? Don't laugh if you have seen it recently. This item just might come the closest to me actually admitting failure on. It is not organized, it is over stuffed and we have spent another year collecting and bringing home and not removing or cleaning out. Spring 2010, I swear.

5. The whole financial plan thing still eludes me-does surviving count as a short term financial plan?!?

6. I can't believe I am writing this, but it has now been since June of 2007 that I had my hair cut professionally. Maybe my husband should go to hair school to make it official.

7. I still don't have a clear vision for the future of my business though I do know a lot more about what the vision entails. I know much more about what I don't want that vision to involve too. Good year for learning and clarifying and being finally okay with what I want for this, and okay with the kind of work I want to do, not what anyone else might want for it.

8. Yeah, I didn't fare so well in the closet department either. I gained and lost and gained the same 10 lbs. in 2009 so the wardrobe stayed in a state of flux...

So there we have it. A long snapshot of my successes and opportunities over the course of 2009. On to fill 2010. Who's coming with me?

Maine Seasons Events in Seacoast Bride Magazine!

I am so excited to have some of my work published in Seacost Bride Magazine...it has been a long time goal for me and I finally took the time to talk to one of my favorite women and photographers, Sharyn Peavey to demystify how this whole submission/publication thing works...It took some time this past spring to get all of the necesary details together and actually make the submissions at various magazines. Sharyn is a Seacoast Bride darling, they smartly have chosen her inspirational photographic work for their magazine in every issue I have ever read.

This one picture (on top) that Sharyn took of my wedding place card installation made of vintage post cards, clothespinned to twine in a reception tent, checks a big goal off of my life list...to be published in a magazine...Thank you Seacost Bride and thank you Sharyn, here's to many more publications!

Knit Purse for a Young Lady

I have had some inquiries about a picture I posted of this knitted purse:

The truth is that I whipped this up during a nap time for a very talented photographer friend of mine. Well, it was actually intended for her adorable daughter, but I am not sure who will use it more!

I wish I could say that I had a great pattern to share, but it was one of those spur of the moment, "I have an idea....what if..." things and I dipped into my stash for some chunky raspberry colored wool yarn. Once I cast on and started knitting, the whole purse felt too big for a three and half year old lady, so I commenced with the k2tog decreases, until it felt right.

It was one of those quintessential gray Maine afternoons when I raided my fabric stash for a piece of lining fabric that felt vintage girly to go with what turned out to be a vintage shaped little cozy purse. The lighting wasn't great that day and I haven't the skills to master the light in photographs, please excuse! I realize that I didn't take a picture of the floral lining, but it was oh so sweet, a bit thirties or fourties looking... I used the knit purse front for a pattern and simply cut around the outside to get the shape of the lining. I know, but if you know me, you know how I do not like to slow down enough to actually do things logically, or sensibly...I can't help myself... Then I machine sewed the lining, now I can barely remember the steps, but it did involve turning the top edges in so there is a clean top edge...

Then I sewed an oatmeal colored muslin to the front, right sides together (oh how my old Singer enjoyed sewing over a knit item. Not so much. Put fabric side down if anyone tries this, not yarn side on the presser foot-big mess!) and placed the lining inside, pressed, machine sewed a double seam across the top edges, tucking pink store bought quilt binding in for straps, and buttoned on a knit flower from the stash. I wanted to make little Lucia a brooch... But as a mommy myself, of a daughter always requesting to wear my sharp -pinned brooches, I decided it would be best to sew a button on the back of the flower, to be slipped between stitches of the purse, or a sweater, hat or scarf. Now Lucia can have her very own brooch with no sharp pins to worry about...

I sewed a pocket in the lining, for a proper young lady's personal affects, don't you hate it when you lose your lip balm in the bottom of your purse?!? This annoyance unfortunately starts early in life for some of us. An interior pocket is a most important handbag feature I think.

It went out on a special delivery for Christmas, this woman has been an inspiration to me personally, professionally and artistically since I met her. A small knit token of my appreciation was the least I could give!

My Kate Parker Wedding Launch!

(Sharyn Peavey Photo)

On January 1st, wedding planner powerhouse Kate Parker launched her newest venture, My Kate Parker Wedding, a new online ultimate wedding resource and vendor directory developed and designed by a wedding planner for chic & savvy brides and grooms. Membership is free to use the site and with cutting edge technology, clients will be able to customize their planning experience by location, budget, style, season and color scheme. There are inspiration boards, featured weddings, expert advice articles and vendor profiles, along with blog posts by participating vendors. My Kate Parker wedding also has a blog to check out. This has been in the works for a very long time, with tons of pre launch work going into the site from Kate and her team, along with all of us service providers who built our profiles, uploaded thousands of pictures, and wrote articles for the website. Go have a visit and enjoy!

Time Flies

Happy 2010! Where did the end of 2009 go?!? And where was I? Oh, you know, the holidays, chasing after a 2 year old, planning for my next photo shoot, tending to my wedding clients....I had the best plans for keeping up with the blog, and they slipped away for a bit, sorry to have been away! (the camper filled with photo shoot props!)

So, what is new, what is coming? Well, a recap for 2009, to start- remember all of those goals I set?!? I will touch base on how I did and didn't do with those...

(Brea McDonald photo)

...mention of some new things I am involved in, like the new My Kate Parker Wedding website,

which happened to feature a little diddy about my own humble wedding 10 years ago, you can read about it here!

(Brea McDonald photo)

...introduction to some of the publications that are featuring my work this year...which means I can finally show you some of the top secret photo shoots I have been working on!

(Brea McDonald Photography)

...collaborations I have been involved in with some of the greatest creative talents...

...of course some sprinkling of knitting and crafting and baking, but this year is already shaping up to be a very wedding work focused time, right now I am thinking more about time management and scheduling than working on the 6 things I still have on the knitting needles...

...continued focus on having my wedding designs and work published, and chronicles from the life of a work at home mommy of a 2 (going on 17) year old...

Stay tuned, 2010 is going to be busy!