It's Friday! {Elgin Engagement Photographer}

Here's hoping you find something to smile about today. Have a great weekend, friends!

Sweet Baby Alaina :: Elgin and Crystal Lake Newborn Photographer

This precious little lady was only 13 days old when I met her. Alaina is already completely adored by her family, especially big brother, Oliver! I have a feeling this sweet baby girl is going to be one spoiled princess. :)

Alaina's mom is decorating her bedroom in purples, so we made sure to use lots of that color in her portraits. 

Oh, sweet little baby lips! She's just so squishy and sweet that I want to eat her up!!! 

To see more of Alaina's session, check out her slideshow.

My Crafty Afternoon :: Elgin Newborn and Family Photographer

My camera and I have a date with two week old Alaina tomorrow morning, so I'm spending my afternoon getting my gear together. Batteries charged. Memory cards packed. Fabrics and props packed and ready. And I have to say, I'm pretty excited to be using some new fabric backgrounds tomorrow. Look at this bit of lovely...

But I needed something more to really make it special... a matching headband! With my trusty hot glue gun and some felt scraps from my sewing bin, I whipped this up:

I can't wait to see sweet baby girl sleeping peacefully in all this tomorrow. Here's hoping she's ready to take a good long nap when I arrive. :)

One Hot Mama ll Crystal Lake and Elgin Maternity and Family Photographer

This beautiful family is growing! And one thing is for sure - this baby has so much love waiting to welcome him or her into the world. 

The Ebel family is pretty special to me. I met them back when we were both expecting our first babies (can't believe they're 4 now!!!), and it's been such a blessing to grow our families together. I can't wait to meet this newest addition!

Kristina, you are one hot mama! I know you're feeling HUGE, but you're really looking so lovely and you definitely have that mama-to-be glow.

To see more from the Ebel family's session visit their gallery here.

Or watch their slideshow here.

Three beautiful kids! :: Elgin Family and Lifestyle Photographer

I've been keeping this October session under my hat for a LONG time, since this family wanted their images to be a surprise for Christmas. Mama wanted some contemporary, urban-looking portraits, so we headed to downtown Dundee and Carpentersville to make use of some cool brick walls, garage doors, and the gorgeous Fox River. 

One thing these kids didn't need coaching on was how to have fun. We did some jumping to get them warmed up and relaxed, and they just ran with it...

 

What I love most about these portraits is that each kid's personality really shines through. Their dad told me I really captured their essence, and I don't think there's a better compliment I could receive.

Thanks, Fraser family, for letting me spend some time with your beautiful children!

Click here to see the full gallery of these adorable faces.

Or watch their slideshow here.

My favorite holiday moment :: Elgin family and lifestyle photographer

Hello 2012! I hope you all had wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations. As our family gets back into our regular rhythm of work and school, I want to share a bit about our Christmas. A lot of it was a whirlwind of wrapping paper and parties, but we made a lot of wonderful memories this year, and have some exciting things to look forward to in the year to come. 

One of my goals this Christmas was to photograph one particular moment that is so special to me each year - our church's candlelight Christmas Eve service. At the end of the evening, the entire congregation encircles the sanctuary, each holding an unlit candle. With the flick of a switch, we are plunged into total darkness. Eyes squint to adjust; children grasp for the hand of a parent. The darkness and silence are an uncomfortable contrast to the warmth and life that normally fill our church. Then out of the darkness comes one small spark of light as our pastor lights his candle and passes it to the one next to him. The flame begins to spread around our wide circle, and it always amazes me how quickly the light overcomes the darkness. In just a few moments, the whole room is glowing. And then the singing begins: “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright...” In that moment, I’m not thinking about the gifts left to be wrapped or the food to be prepared for the next day. I’m not concerned with how perfect my tree looks, or if all my cards and packages made it to their destination. It’s just the purest and simplest kind of Christmas, soaking in the truth of Jesus Christ come down to earth. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light,” says the Bible in Isaiah 9:2. I was once one of those people, walking in darkness, far from God. But the light of God has come into my life, and I’ve been transformed from the inside out.

This candlelit moment is such an anchor for me. As long as I have those precious few minutes of quiet and calm, I can handle the rest of the craziness that seems to come with the month of December. 

How about you? Is there a particular moment or memory that meant something special to you this Christmas? I'd love to hear your story.

Wishing you all a joyful Christmas!

Elgin newborn photographer :: Sneak Peek of baby I

I can't help myself! I really don't want to ruin the surprise of Christmas cards and birth announcements for this family, but this little boy is too sweet not to share!

Krysta and Steve's wedding album :: Elmhurst wedding photographer

Krysta has waited so patiently for this pretty little box...

And finally, after choosing her favorite images and picking just the right cover materials, her wedding album is finished to perfection. Now that she's had a chance to show it off to her family and friends, I get to share it with you!

Krysta and Steve chose an album from our Upper Elements line. With a luxurious silk brocade cover, this is a beautiful and unique book that is easily customized to match your wedding colors or home decor.

The silk cover gets me every time. It's really so, so beautiful!

Inside, each page is custom designed to tell your wedding day story.

Thanks, Krysta and Steve, for trusting me to create this beautiful treasure for your family. I hope all the wonderful, joyful feelings you had on your wedding day come flooding back every time you open your album.

McHenry family and child photographer :: The Ebel Family

Oh, the weather! These November days can be so unpredictable, but we've been blessed with some GORGEOUS weather lately. I'm so thankful for that!!

I met the Ebel family at the McHenry Dam, where they love to hike with their children. It was a little on the chilly side, but Mama had stashed thermoses of hot chocolate in her bag, so the kiddos were sipping sweet warmth in between setups. I loved wiping their chocolate mustaches off over and over. :)

Can you tell how much FUN we had during this session? I sincerely hope that every family feels relaxed and enjoys the process of creating their family portraits - and I want those fun feelings to show in the images we make together.

Ebel family, you're fantastic! I'm so excited to meet your third little bundle this winter and watch your family love keep growing. 

To see more of the Ebel's, visit their gallery here, or watch their slideshow.

I Heart Faces Challenge: Black

This is Aaron at 18 months. Mike and I were looking at this photograph just the other night, wondering how our baby has grown up so fast.

One of the things I love about this photo is how simply it was captured. No fancy lighting tricks. I opened our front door on a sunny day, and snapped like mad while he watched the garbage truck roll down the street. 

we know how to have a good time! :: Crystal Lake and McHenry family photographer

We had such GORGEOUS weekend weather here in the Midwest! I had not one, but TWO wonderful family sessions, so I'm busy editing today. Thought I'd drop in and give you a little sneek peek...

This family was so much fun! Giggles galore!!!

More to come soon...

Amy & Pete (married!) :: Rolling Meadows Wedding Photographer at The Cotillion Banquets

"I was threatened by her brothers," Pete told me, as he explained how he and Amy began their relationship. After hanging out as a friend of the family, Pete finally decided to take the next step with Amy, much to her brother's protective dismay. Of course, those brothers were eating their words as they stood as Pete's groomsmen and watched Amy become his wife on a beautiful October afternoon. 

I love, love, loved Amy's vintage-inspired lace dress. And look at her gorgeous cathedral-length veil, edged in her grandmother's wedding lace. Personal touches like that make me melt. Amy, you are such a beautiful bride!

Special thanks to Gary of Windy City Hitman, who kept the party rockin' and the dance floor packed long into the evening, and Rick of Best Booth Plus - the photo booth added so much fun to the celebration.

And a most special thanks to Pete and Amy for inviting us to share in their wedding day. This is a couple who really knows how to have a good time, and they have an amazing group of friends and family supporting them. I know they have many happy years ahead of them.

To see more of their beautiful wedding day, visit their gallery or watch their slideshow.