The other day I found a delightful surprise in my inbox. Ink361 is a web version of Instagram. I love using it to get a better look at some of the awesomeness on the mobile app. I also like to be able to save my camera photos, so quick and easily, to my computer for keeps.

Anyway, I’ve been a member for some time, now, and they sent me a gift. I received an amazing credit with Blurb to create a book of my Instagrammed photos. I paid shipping and handling and that’s it.

There are a few copy errors and some of the photos are a bit sketchy, but I was really cut on time and had no time to edit. The coupon code didn’t last for very long and I was rushed and up late trying to get it finished {amongst other responsibilities} at the last minute. Literally.

But I’d be lying if I told you I was disappointed. Its such a treasure, with the fading away of print in so many areas. I feel lucky to have so many things I love in my hand at once. Print is not dead, if you ask me. I do find it so very romantic, though.

I love it, really. Its something I look forward to enjoying for years to come.

I thought it would be really cool to do one of these, yearly, filled with my favorite moments/images from the year. Or do a yearly book filled with Lilie Jo’s art work?

What would you fill your photo book with?

p.s. Do you Instagram?? Follow me @littlewishball

Happy Fall, love! Its finally here. The mornings greet me with crisp air that smells of Autumn. Perfect for snuggling into a light scarf and boots. I’m a warm weather girl, but if it weren’t for Fall, I wouldn’t get to wear my favorites: boots, scarves and borrowed flannel {because his is always better than mine}.

Recently, I received an order for a shop banner. Little Miss Kelsey is a vintage style photographer. She has an amazing collection of props and attire as a result. However, her collection started over-flowing and she had to find something to do with it. Kelsey’s Kute Finds is a way to help these jewels find new homes.

When Kelsey decided to open the shop, she turned to me to design the banner/header.  Let me tell ya: the girl has good taste.  We wanted to stick with the retro/vintage feel so we started out with some illustrated vintage fancy ladies and a lace background. Kelsey liked the idea but thought more of a pinup feel would be better. Being more than happy to oblige, I gave her just that and changed the background, also at her request. The typography never changed.

I love the final design and really enjoyed working with Kelsey. Her shop is full of treasures with a design to fit. I hope you’ll check it out!

Need some design work done? I’d love to work with you on whatever your needs may be. Check out my shop over here.

Hey there, darlin’! Can you believe Autumn is finally at our door step? I couldn’t be more happy.  That is, unless I had more time to be able to enjoy it! I’ve been a busy girl indeed.  I’ve been designing, mothering, wifing, leading the salon and trying to stay as organized as possible as to not lose my sanity.  I got lucky enough to have a day off of work to be able to spend the morning out here soaking up the crisp air with my coffee.

Today I wanted to share my first project of the school semester with you. We were to create a typographical design for our bucket lists. I originally planned to design around the idea of hair with phrases mingling in with the strands. However, that design ended up just frustrating the fire out of me.

I thought the hair would, obviously, represent my hair profession, while the design its self would explain my other career half.

click for larger image

At the last minute, I came up with a whole new idea I liked even better. I’ve always been a fan for cameos. Though my collection is near non-existant, I love their classic beauty. I love that cameos have stretched across many eras, yet are still easily modernized.

Maybe that’s how I think of myself: a modern woman trying to live a classic life.

What kind of visual design/image/idea do you think would best represent you?

Hey, friends!! I have some awesome news to share. I’ve been published. I mean for a legitimate publication! Our church had to opportunity to submit an article to be published in a local magazine, SOKY Happenings. I was asked to write the copy, but ended up submitting a photo to use, too.

I did the copy and Billy and I worked together for the photo. Click on the image below for a larger, full page view.

Hope you’re having a wonderful holiday weekend! We’ve been lazing the rainy day away around the house. Ok, honestly, there has been more work than lazing, but it sounded good, right?

This past week, I went to my cousin to ask for ideas of scripture I could share with a friend in a hard place.  I wanted to encourage and empower this friend with both wisdom to know what to do and strength to act.  I was afraid of telling her the wrong thing and knew God’s advice and wisdom was far superior than mine.  She suggested studying Ephesians {chapters one & two}.

Then in church, Pastor Brandon shared a few good verses to use when praying for others.  Once again, Ephesians came up.  This is when Ephesians 3:16 was brought to my attention.  Its perfect.

Sometimes all we can really do for those in need is listen and pray for them.

Since its my birthday, I figured a gift was in order.  Here, I have a pretty little print packed with a powerful prayer.  I plan to also use this one a lot during our church’s 21 Days of Prayer campaign.

The print is formatted to print as large as 8.5”x11”.  I wanted something pretty but simple.  I wanted to do something with my two favorite colors.    Purple is Lilie Jo’s and my favorite.  I love putting orange with purple because its just never seen.  I think the two contrasting colors with the balance of the neutral grey complimented each other quite nicely.  I didn’t try an intracate or detailed design because I didn’t want to distract from the message.

I can’t wait to frame and hang this one in Lilie Jo’s room.

What will you do with yours?

Hey there, darlin’! How are the summer days treating you?  Mine have been well.  Very well.  However, I feel them slipping away.

This is officially my last week of summer break.  My baby little lady isn’t even here to share it with me.  Sad face, indeed.  Instead, I’m filling this week with lots of solo coffee drinking, Mad Men, errands, chores grown up friends and spouse time.  Lilie Jo is away at her father’s for two weeks and I start a new job Monday.

This is new news here.  I held off sharing any details about it for fear of another let down.  I know that’s not a positive thing to say, which I usually try to stear clear of, but its how I truly felt.  I start Monday as a salon manager at JC Penney Salon.  I am ecstatic and also nervous.  I’m going back to work full time and intend to try to do that with a full time school schedule, this Fall, as well.

I know it will be hard and there will be little room for play, but with my supportive husband and a big new planner, I’m ready to give it my all.

My goal is to take the JC Penney Salon, here in Bowling Green, and turn it around.  They’ve been without a manager for about a year and were already in bad shape even then.  Bad enough that I only lasted four months as a stylist there when we first relocated.  I’ve never held a manager or leader position quite like this, but I do feel like I’m a better candidate now than I was a year ago.

I always talk about how fast children grow and change, yet I’m not sure that speed is limited to just children.  We just don’t see it with our eyes, as much, in adults.  As much as I feel I have grown and changed over the past seven years, its sometimes surprising to see its still happening.  The growth and change never stopped.

Anyway, here I am babbling.

I really wrote to you to share a new print.  My lovely cousin, Lacey, suggested I create something to go with Colossians 3:12-17.  It seemed impossible to create anything as clever as this one.  But I put my pencil to the paper and started brainstorming.

I don’t think its quite as clever or cute, but this is my version. Print, Pin and do what you like with it.  It can be printed as large as 11”x8”.

Curtis was a school-age friend of my little brother that carried over to adulthood.  His parents grew up in the same small country community as ours.  Little did we know, Ariel, my little sister, held a secret crush for the family’s favorite friend.  Ariel and Curtis started dating around the same time as Billy and I {Summer 2009}.  Because of how crazy they were about each other, no one was shocked {or upset} when he proposed.

They both glowed with happiness and excitement on their wedding day.  I’m so incredibly happy for them both.  I pray for happiness, communication, dedication and compromise in their relationship forever.

Welcome to round three of the wedding photos.  Today, I’m sharing photos of the whole wedding party {minus the flower girl}. I’ve just thrown a few of my favorites together, here, for you to look through.

Be sure to keep a close watch on the blog.  I cannot wait to share the photos of the couple together.  There’s so many, I might just have to break it up into two more parts.  You might even want to subscribe by email just to make sure you don’t miss out on these babies.

Happy Monday, darlin’!  Hope you’re week starts wonderfully.

I’m just checking in from our trip to drop off a few more photos from the wedding.  This batch will be of the groom and his party.  Curtis is definitely one of the best guys I have ever met.  I am so incredibly happy for my sister to have such a good man to call her husband.  We are thrilled to have him officially part of the family.

This last one is one of my favorites from the whole set.

See?  These guys were fun and easy to photograph.  They were so full of personality and fun. Check back in a day or two for another round of photos! We still have the wedding party, couple and maybe even some from the reception to look forward to.

In case you’re just joining us, my little sister recently got married.  After being so pleased with her prom photos {done by me}, she gave me the choice of being in the wedding or photographing it.  For the experience and as a gift {that would save her tons} I chose the photography.  The hair and makeup were a given.

For those of you who have been hanging around fo a while, I’m sure you’ve started wondering whether or not I’m going to share these wedding photos at all.  I decided to use them to keep you company while I’m out of town visiting family in Nebraska.  Lilie Jo and I will be gone for a whole week.  I’m sure Billy will be a bit relieved to clear out some of the estrogen in the house.

For today, I’m going to share photos from the bride’s side of the wedding.  Then next week, the fellas, the whole party and the couple.  That’s four days of posting, so I’ll start today, just to keep from making you wait any longer.

What do you think?!  Isn’t she gorgeous?!  Now, keep in mind: this was my first time photographing a wedding.  It was definitely a bigger job than I expected.

To see more of the wedding, check out the Facebook page.