a newborn shoot.

Baby "A" was born on my birthday, so I think it is quite fitting that I got to be his very first photographer (well, besides mom and grandma, ha ha!). There are no words to describe the session, so I will just let the photos speak for themselves.

The S. Family

Wow, what a great Sunday!! We went to a really gorgeous location, and the family was really fun and cooperative! Mom, dad, and baby "D" were naturals- interacting with each other, playing, and what a gorgeous girl! She was all-around entertaining: making silly faces, getting super close to the camera, and telling me all the animal noises she knows. I had such a good time. I was so nervous going into it, and I feel like I forgot about a million things while the shoot was happening. There were many shots that I had planned in my head that I completely forgot about when we were there, but I am really happy with the session as a whole. I hope the family enjoys their photos!
Thank you again, S family!!!!
Kristen

crazy week.

To say that it has been a crazy week is the understatement of the year. Monday started off with bad news, a death of my friend's husband, who left behind three young daughters, one of whom turned two on Tuesday. September 11th was my birthday, my twin's birthday, my cousin's birthday, and the birth of my first maternity client's baby! Baby A was born around 3 pm!

All this and more. On Monday, I got a text from my twin's boyfriend: "what size ring does Jen wear?" Me: "Why? :)" and then of course I gave him my best guess. I knew what he was planning, and I must say that Ron was very brave to ask me because he should know that I have a hard time keeping secrets from her. (We usually tell each other EVERYTHING.)
Ron asked my parents for their blessing a few days later, and today he proposed!!!! I'm so excited for them both, and I will be taking some photos of them as soon as they come out to visit. It was the perfect happy ending to such an otherwise terrible week.

Love you two!!! Congrats!

longing.

I wish every weekend could be a three-day weekend. I miss the beach and the sound of the waves, crashing in, one after the other. We actually spent the weekend in San Diego, visiting both the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. The animals were gorgeous and we had so much fun together.

ummmm, yeah.

My daughter has gotten tall enough to be able to reach things that are perched on the counter top. Today, she discovered the pull spout on the bottom of the water jug and let loose! After the initial shock, I decided that it was a good opportunity for photos, and we had a blast sliding around on the kitchen floor. :) She makes life so fun and silly.... I'm forever grateful for this little mischievous angel of mine.

grateful.

It has been an extremely busy start of the school year, and many of my loved ones are going through really hard times. It has taken a toll on me and sometimes, stress can get the better of me. I have felt like I am being thrown into too many directions all at once, and I don't think that I have been handling it with grace.

So, I have been taking time each morning to really think of all the things I am grateful for, and it is starting to make a big difference. For me, family has always been the most important piece of my life. My daughter is such an amazing blessing, with all her quirks and silliness.

She has recently learned how to climb out of her crib, which just amazes me. She is really starting to explore her world, and seeing the world through her eyes makes everything new again, and absolutely full of wonder.

first maternity shoot.

A friend of mine has a daughter who is due in a few weeks, and I volunteered to do a maternity shoot for her so I can start building my portfolio.

I had so much fun. Mommy(L.) was really helpful and she was willing to try a lot of fun things. Her mom and husband helped me set up shots, too.
I actually had to bring my daughter along due to odd circumstances, and they were more than accommodating.
Lilly got to play with their doggies, swim in the pool, and got lots of attention.

One of the things mom (L.) always wanted was a painting of a basketball on her tummy if it was a boy, and sunflowers or a watermelon if it was a girl. Her mom painted
her stomach after we finished the other poses, and these photos turned out to be some of my favorites.

Thanks P. family for all your help and for a fun Saturday...

K

Matt Mintz.

Sometimes, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. This is my husband, who is such a great support for me. He's my best friend and an amazing daddy. He's also an extremely talented writer and musician. He has recently finished his 5 song demo, and when I listen to it, I can't believe that I'm actually married to him. Go listen and let him know what you think.

new business cards

I just received these new cards from Moo.
To describe them in one word, I'd say they are fabulous. My plan is to get these into as many hands as possible so that I can get a little business going. Since I am still building a portfolio, my session fee is going to be pretty low to start off with. Anyone in the Crestline, CA area interested? :)

-thinking only good thoughts....
K

study.

Today, I'm gathering new materials I've purchased from PinkleToes for photographers (see link to the right). Going through everything is a bit overwhelming, because she has included so much! The business end of things is going to be difficult for me- I've offered to do maternity sessions for two of my friends because I want to build my portfolio, but I'm afraid that I won't have the guts to even ask them to order prints from me. Even if i do, I have no idea what I would charge. So the word for the day is "study" because I need to do more research. One day, I'll have it all figured out. Or mostly. Ha. Ha.

Wine tasting.

I discovered a new wine. A little over a week ago, I went wine tasting here in Southern California with some friends of mine. This is a Ruby Port wine, which is strong and sweet. Just look at those legs! I had to snatch up a bottle from the winery. (Can you see the fly in the second photo? Even he wanted a sip!)

So here's to the weekend! Cheers!

summer is over.

Today was my last official day of summer vacation. I am sad to leave this little one, even though I know she will be in great hands.
Here is how we spent our day....
I woke her at 7:30- trying to get her ready for tomorrow, when she has to wake up at 6:30.
We ate breakfast of blackberries and waffles. (She ate more blackberries than waffles).
We drove to the nearest Arboretum where we walked and played in the garden.
We napped.
We woke up and had a snack of grapes and cheese while heading to Gymboree.
We played at Gymboree and went shopping for groceries so we would be prepared for the week ahead.
We danced and played at home for a bit, then I put her to bed.

It's going to be a rough day tomorrow. Wish us luck!

now selling stock....

That's right, I've ventured into a new arena- stock photography. Here are the two images that I've gotten into a stock company called photoshelter. I am currently looking into other stock photography companies, as well. It would be amazing to see my images on a billboard one day!




here is my official photoshelter page:
http://psc.photoshelter.com/user/kristenmintz

I'm a wedding photographer!!!

Ok, so I was actually the second photographer, which was really nice because I was able to get creative with my shots and I didn't have to do all the work involved in posing people. It was a gorgeous day with a beautiful couple. They served In&Out burgers, which is my kind of wedding. Here are my favorite shots from the day- all photos are protected by copyright laws, and may not be used without permission from me.

I'm a terrible blogger.

I'm not sure why I'm keeping this blog. Perhaps in the future, it will turn into a photography thing for me, who knows. I am learning more and more about my camera, and I'm taking the leap into professional photography by being a second shooter at an upcoming wedding. I'll be sure to post some of the shots from the wedding on the blog. In the meantime, here are some of my most recent shots- go to the flickr widget to the left, click it, and you can view more.... (oh yes, all my photos are copyright K.M., so please contact me if you'd like to use them for any reason.)
xo,
Kristen

My New Obsession

So I don't publish on my blog very often. I don't even think people read this thing anyway. But I will explain why I'm never here for the one person who does look at my blog.

I'm a new mommy. She is 5 months old now, and I could sit at the computer and type away, or sit at my desk and actually make jewelry while letting her play by herself. She's perfectly fine doing that~ she doesn't fuss or cry. But, that is not the kind of parent I want to be. I want to be actively involved in her life, and show her new things. So, I am obsessed with spending as much time with her as possible. I have started taking a picture of her every day and photography has now become a huge part of our lives. So anyway, if you want to see some photos of my new obsession, go visit my Flickr site (see the Flickr widget on the left? Click it.)

Later Gators.

palmyra

mmmmm. pineapple quartz. yum.

my shop is waiting.....

Branchburg Earrings

Made from shrinky dinks and coral. If you don't think these are fun, then just beat it.

I'm still a Jersey Girl at heart.

weehawken earrings

These beauties are simply blue pearls on handmade sterling silver french wires. They are on sale at my store!!!

Love them.

Weddings!!

These are the earrings for a wedding for a customer. They turned out beautifully, with a great blue-greay pearl combination. I made earrings and necklaces for the bridesmaids, and bracelets for the flowergirls. It took a long time, but it was well worth it! I loved the experience of crafting something with a bride's wishes in mind. Go request something from me at my site! See you there!

Parsippany Earrings

Mmmm. Candy jade. Droool. These little clusters hang at the end of handshaped sterling silver wire. Stunning. Go get it! visit my store.

Mount Laurel Necklace

This little guy is now named after Marty Brodeur. This necklace is one of my new favorites, featuring smokey quartz and a beautiful hunk of amazonite.
buy it here.

Ocean, NJ

I think these beads are the prettiest things in the world. But, I adore just about everything blue, so.... Gorgeous nuggets of amazonite, small turquoise seed beads, and bali silver components make up this "Flinstones" choker. It so reminds me of Wilma. This is absolutely gorgeous. Get it in my store.

Secaucus Earrings

A single lemon crysophase bead orbits inside handshaped sterling wire. Sterling silver chain dangles from the bead. Soon to be listed on http://jerseygirlbeads.etsy.com

Sandy Hook Earrings

Tiny citrine briolettes dangle on handshaped wire hoops. These are absolutely yummy. Go get 'em in my shop.

Cedar Grove Earrings

These earrings are made with brilliant smokey quartz and citrine briolettes. They dance on sterling silver chain. They are on sale right now in my Etsy shop.

Brilliant earrings

brilliant earrings
Originally uploaded by Jersey Girl Beads.

ok, so here is my first try at pmc (precious metal clay). They definitely need more .... something. But I opened my new pmc kit, and here is what came out!

I got lots of advice from my fellow Etsy sellers on how to fix this- gosh I love that place.- Anyway, they need lots of work, but here's what they look like so far!

Bradley Beach Necklace- SOLD

This one is the coolest for those summer days. (Hey, it's warm in Cali!) Made from bleached pearl, crystals and my favorite amazonite nuggets. The shell in the center is being hung by a cool sterling silver component. The component and the clasps are made by a fellow etsy seller- http://loopityloopglam.etsy.com who I highly reccommend. Request a similar one at my store!

20% off anything in my store....

When you go to my store, write the words, "Scott Stevens haircut" in the notes to seller field, and don't pay until you get a revised invoice from me. Go visit!

Custom Children's necklaces- sold

These were made for my friend's daughters, who love blue, pink, purple, just to name a few. They are perfect necklaces for a little girl, with seed beads and swarovski crystals.

Patriotic Necklace

I made this necklace for my twin on the fourth of July. I liked it so much, I had to make one for myself as well. It is made entirely from seed beads and silver star spacers. I love wearing it on our birthdays (September 11th) as well. My favorite part of the necklace is that each strand has one "wrong" colored bead in it. Can you find them? Custom order one from my shop.

Bernardsville Necklace- sold

This was my designing challenge. Made of sterling silver wire, sterling silver chain and 21 lemon chrysophase beads. This necklace is absolutely yummy. Go buy it for 20% off using the code "Scott Stevens haircut" in the notes to seller field when you order.
http://jerseygirlbeads.etsy.com

Maple Shade earrings

These are the newest additions to my etsy shop, and I love them. They are made of bronze and white pearls that dangle about two and a hal inches from the ear. Sterling silver components. Visit my shop, and if you buy something, add the words "Scott Stevens Haircut" in the notes to seller, and recieve 20% off your purchase! Go now! http://jerseygirlbeads.etsy.com

Earring of the month club at my etsy store

This is my newest at Etsy. An Earring of the month club! I've got a 6 month and a yearly subscription. I absolutely love finding things that are perfect for the wearer, so I email people who sign up in order to get an idea of their style. Then, for just $10 per month, they get custom earrings sent to them! Please come visit my store at http://jerseygirlbeads.etsy.com to join the fun!