baby myra's blessing

today we were so lucky to be there when my beautiful friend alex's new baby myra was blessed. alex and i have been friends for as long as i can ever remember, so it's wonderful that we can share times like this together. she has the sweetest little family and a great husband who loves her like crazy.

i got to take pics too (what a busy picture weekend! haha) and loved it. they are very photogenic and make me look good.

myra is such a gorgeous baby, very sleepy and content and alex is a fabulous mama... her older girl evie is just lovely too!

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if they are all this sweet dear alex, you better have ten! :)

wade & deb's wedding

today i had one of the coolest experiences of my life. for the first time, i was the one and only photographer for a wedding. an awesome wedding. do you remember wade and deb? i did an engagement shoot for them in august last year... and their mothers liked the photos enough that they wanted me to do the wedding photos! that was pretty exciting for me. of course i said yes and now, it's all over already :( and the editing begins... i was asked not to share more than a few pictures (beacause they want to see them first...), but this one certainly had to be shared! i just love the colours they chose. the beautiful pastels and the vintage feel to the wedding (you'll see more of that when i can share more pics and include some from the reception)

our family is very close with the fepulea'i family, in fact people often mistake tayla (front left) and doug's sister dominique for sisters. i had taken a few standard photos of the bride and groom with family and got to adding the girls in with everyone else. i called out for them and next thing i know, the two of them (totally unrehearsed) go and stand directly in front of wade and deb and start throwing up gang symbols. it was so funny, that i had to edit this pic and pass it on to them. it's just so them, especially with nifae rolling his eyes and vivienne just laughing. it's how it always is. 

but the icing on the cake of the day, was totally this shot. years ago when doug and i got married, i had a vision of one picture and knew i would be completely happy with my wedding photos as long as i got that one perfect shot. i did. very similar to the above in the whalers tunnel underneath the round house in fremantle. i tried to copy that shot here and it worked! perfectly. i was looking the whole day for that one shot that would just have that wow factor. we had been cruising around the golf course snapping shots and were almost back at the club house for the ring ceremony and reception to begin, when i saw to one side, this tunnel. i yelled at our guide to stop and quickly dragged wade and deb into the tunnel for one more shot. and i am so glad i did. what an amazing shot! it was such a great day and i am thrilled i could be a part of it!

to the bride and groom!

les misérables

doug and i just got back from les miserables at the crown theatre - a.maz.ing. 

it never ceases to amaze me how much effort must go into a production on that scale. i have been to see a small scale production of the show a few times in the past at the regal theatre in subiaco and saw the full set once years and years ago, as in years ago (when i was a teenager, that's how long ago...) but the full set is just incredible. all the cast move seamlessly around the stage, moving and packing props as they go, while the lighting seams it all together to ensure a smooth run. 

it is certainly a show i could watch time and time again and was so thrilled with my christmas present from my love! it is still in perth for quite a while, so if you are umming and ahhing, stop it and go book your tickets here.

maddie's first sleepover

maddie came home from her first sleepover at my parents a few hours ago... she was so excited to go and helped me pack her bag, then excitedly waited by the door most of the day for them to arrive. the minute they knocked, she rushed to meet them and tried to get straight into the car. she was so disappointed when they wanted to come in and visit a while... "can we go yet, can we go yet?"

during the day she was there she had a lovely time, but when it came to bed - she kept waking up and whining for me. poor love. first time away from home. so when the second night came and she didn't want to go to bed again and got a bit teary, mum and dad packed her back into the car and drove her back to perth. of course she was fast asleep by the time they got here and we popped her straight back into bed... but at least she's done it once now.

i know she did have a wonderful time though and kept telling me all about everything they had done, so hopefully we'll have a little more luck next time around. ♥

visiting teaching christmas gifts

here are the gifts florence and i took a few weeks ago for christmas to the girls we visit teach.

casserole dish carrybags

years ago, i received one from my visiting teacher and decided i was going to make some. i had all the fabric and a little motivation, but when joseph was playing up and mum was at our house, she took over and had them all made within an hour. oh, she is the best. no arguments here!

i know you will all easily be able to tell from the picture how to make them, but here is a small rundown and the measurements for the square. i'm not good with sewing terms, so excuse me if none of this makes perfect sense.

you'll need half a metre of fabric and lining (they end up being 45cm across, so to allow for hems) and if your fabric is wide enough, you'll probably be able to get two from it - i got 4 from the two half metres i purchased. some wadding (to pad it so once your dish is inside no one gets burnt) and a piece of reasonably thick cord.

sew your fabric, lining and wadding into a 45cm square, then turn - fold open edge in and top stitch around all the edges, fold in a triangle of about 4cm and then sew two opposite ends across 2cm in, to hold them in place, ensure there is enough room to thread cord through. make a handle, the same way about 10cm or so wide, turn and top stitch. pin your handle to the other two points once folded in and stitch them to attach handle to the back, again leaving enough space for the cord which you will then thread through... and you're done. 

wrap and gift!

and thank you mum! you are truly the best.

joseph's room

i have been meaning to post joseph's finished room for quite some time, but seem to have failed miserably in doing so.

i had such a good time making this space for our little man and i am so glad i went with bright yellow and green with grey and white... it looks amazing and i am thrilled. i love to be in here with him. ♥ 

so here we are; better late than never...

canvas: officeworks

weathered blocks: chris lentz-reid

yellow frames: thingz home and gifts

mini fale, handheld drum and carved turtle: flea markets samoa

yellow house lantern: kmart

giraffe led night light: target

(drawers from ikea)

cot & change table: has baby

rug & cushion: anna joy french

metal storage baskets: kmart 

nappy stacker: ma & me

grey/yellow dachshund bedding set: target au

teddy bear: funky kids

deer head: the reject shop

mobile: made by my talented mum whilst in samoa

tupac and biggie cushions: passive juice motel

knitted blanket: target

deer cushion: ma & me

patchwork quilt: also made by my mum whilst in samoa, she was on a roll!

green storage cubes: target

monkey over door hangers: kmart

bookshelf: homeart

toy tub: kmart

dream frame: spotlight

vintage train: vinnies stores

elephant: ma & me

a new year and a new resolution

so here it is. there has been two thousand and fifteen years since christ was born. that's a really long time. especially considering i've only been alive for just over 31 of them. 

i saw online a few years ago a girl who had decided to make a single word resolution... what a fabulous idea. because let'd be honest, when you make a list and are too specific it's sometime only days (or even hours) before you've broken some or all of them. when you focus on one thing, it's much easier to make it happen!

so my focus this year will be to become closer. 

closer to my husband, my children, my family and friends.

and of course to the lord. to read and pray and think more and make myself better that way... and as a side note, maybe try and be a little less critical. (i am the queen of silent judgement :( )

so here goes 2015. come at me. (i think) i'm ready!