Little Tree Company

What is Real?

2010-09-03T09:23:00.001-07:00

With each pump of my legs I got closer and closer to my goal... to touch the sky while swinging on the old swing set in my grandma's yard.

Many a summer's day in my childhood was spent at grandma's. There are several things today that remind me about what was real during that time. The smell of wild mint, the cat tails blowing in the rain, the sound of the train coming, the beauty of lilacs, vanilla ice cream cones, and the thrill of a child in a swing.

Those things were real and have left everlasting memories in my mind.

Today things that are real are not that simple. Today's reality is about studying philosophy, ideology, and theories in education. What is real right now is that these words are making my mind ACHE!

I have been reading page after page of information on all three. My mind is spinning. I need to be able to connect each to one another as well as point out their differences. It isn't happening.

These things are so abstract, and I do not do well with abstract.

I want to grasp something real right now. I want to escape for a moment to the time in my life when what was real was the smell of wild mint, eating an ice cream cone with grandpa, and reaching for the sky while sitting on the swing.

What is Real?, originally uploaded by little.tree.company.

Hakiu Wednesday

2010-09-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

So a friend of mine creates Haikus and every Wednesday she posts one over on her blog.
She has invited friends to play along, so today I did. Here is my haiku for the theme she chose for Haiku Wednesday: Exercise!

bend, twist, stretch and kick
lift those weights way over your head
run a mile or two

You can read my friend's haiku and others that share theirs on her blog here:

HAIKU WEDNESDAY!

Facebook Page Giveaway...

2010-08-31T09:16:00.001-07:00

Click on image to go to facebook page...

Mini-Session giveaway, originally uploaded by little.tree.company.

Little Tree Company is looking for High School Senior Reps...

2010-08-30T16:48:00.001-07:00

She gave me magic wishing fries...

2010-08-29T23:58:00.001-07:00

"Here mom", she said as she handed me a homemade envelope filled with strips of paper.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Magic wishing fries" she replied with assurance.

"You take one out each day that you miss me and make a wish. After you make your wish you put the fries in the back" she stated as she showed me how to do it. "When they are all gone you start over!"

Wow! What a creative power of imagination this six year old girl has. She also has an amazing power to love and be loved, as do all of my children.

I am blessed with an amazing family. We have a crazy household when it is filled with the 6 of us.

The summers are spent with all four children in our home and the days are filled with laughter and smiles as we go about creating memories.

When August comes around, part of each of us leaves when the two little ones head north for the winter. An emptiness fills our hearts and our home as they are missed the very moment they step out our front door.

I am so grateful for the memories of the summer that are alive in our hearts, our minds and our collection of pictures.

And I am oh, so happy for my "magic wishing fries".

20100806-IMG_2992 copy, originally uploaded by little.tree.company.

The Weird Worm Story...

2010-08-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

I have had a plinky account for a while now but haven't really used it. Today while going through my email I came across a message from plinky. Upon reading it I thought one of the prompts sounded fun...write a 200 word story as fast as you can. So what follows is my story. It is based off of the pet worm I had when I was 5. Yes, I had a pet worm and his name was Fred...What, didn't everyone have a pet worm at the age of 5?

Picture from flickr...

73 - o little boys

The worm lay sunning himself on the sidewalk. Fred is his name. He was totally lost in the moment when she showed up.

She picked him up and placed him in a bucket of mud, poking at him until he was submerged. She left him there for a few moments before removing him and placing him in a bucket of water.

Man, Fred was so tired of this routine. Every time he got comfortable in the sun she came along and did the bucket of mud, bucket of water thing. She would talk to him as she did it. She referred to the bucket of mud as his play ground.

Fred didn't think it was a play ground. He hated mud! Sure, worms and mud are suppose to go together, but not for this worm. Fred hated to get dirty. And even more than getting dirty, he hated water.

Sure you are thinking, what kind of worm is this...a suicidal worm or something. Don't worms need mud and water to survive. And why would a worm sun himself on the side walk? What about the birds and dying from being dried out? This worm is weird!

Yes, all of those things are true. But hey, this is s short story that I am writing as fast as I can...so if you want it to make sense then you better give me time. Now go back to whatever you were doing and enjoy reality!

As Yoda says “There is no try, just do.”...

2010-08-26T09:40:00.001-07:00

I love reading photo blogs, especially those that are informational, such as Photofocus.
Today there is a wonderful post on using available light. The opening paragraph puts forth the message that to improve your photography you need to practice.

Scott Bourne suggests that you "Shoot each week so you get to the point where you don’t have to think about how to operate your camera…You just use it to create images." I love that last part..you just create images. I love creating images. I love it when I create the image I had in mind. One of my goals with my photography is to nail the shot in the camera and leave photoshop out of my workflow. And how do I go about doing this, I practice...Practice makes perfect! I am working on perfecting my photography...my style!

Scott closes the first paragraph with the Yoda quote..."There is no try, just do." This quote makes me think of something that Jasmine Star stated in the creativeLive workshop she is currently doing. I can't give a direct quote, but to sum it up, she said you have to fight for what you want....move toward what you want...vocalize it. Go after what you want....so in connecting it to Yoda's words...don't just try to go after it...GO AFTER IT! To connect that to my personal goal of nailing the shot in the camera...I can't just try to do it...by reading or wishing...I have to do it...how do I do it? I practice, practice and practice. Take note of what I did to make the shot that is IT! Do different and be different.

With that, I leave you with a one of my all time favorite photos...

The Joy of Laughter!, originally uploaded by little.tree.company.

Worn...

2010-08-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

“I am worn to a raveling.” ~ Beatrix Potter

I have a love for things that are worn. My favorite blue jeans that are my go to for comfort. That old quilt that makes a nap complete. The old basket from grandma's chicken coop. Worn is good...worn is loved. Here is a sampling of worn from myself and my friends.

Photo Contest Open to East Valley Residents (Arizona)

2010-08-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Go to the bottom of the page and click on link to my facebook page and become a fan.

Reflect on your work...

2010-08-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

Currently I am working on my Master's degree in Elementary Education. Classes just started up again last week, so this past week I have been getting adjusted to my new class schedule. With this current class I am to write weekly journal entries. The purpose of which is to become reflective educators. As I ponder over this weeks readings I can't get one phrase out of my mind: "reflect on your work."

As I think about this phrase I feel that it is one that applies to more than just education and being an educator. It applies to life. How many of us reflect on our life's work, whether be as a teacher, a lineman, photographer, doctor, a father or mother, a husband or wife, a sister or brother, a daughter or son. We each have work in one aspect or another, and more than one aspect as well.

What purpose does reflection serve? How do you reflect?

The dictionary defines reflect as follows:
reflect |riˈflekt| (verb)
[ intrans. ] ( reflect on/upon) think deeply or carefully about

The thesaurus gives us the following synonyms
...indicate, show, display, demonstrate, be evidence of, register, reveal, betray, disclose; express, communicate; formal evince.
...think about, give thought to, consider, give consideration to, review, mull over, contemplate, cogitate about/on, meditate on, muse on, brood on/over, turn over in one's mind; archaic pore on.

How do you reflect on your work? Do you write in a journal? Meditate? Write poetry?
Does the way you reflect depend on what it is you are reflecting on?

As for me it does depend on what it is I am reflecting upon. Photography plays a big part in my reflection process. A lot of my photography serves as my reflection, my way of expressing myself and my thoughts. When it comes to being an educator I need to be better about reflecting on my work and in doing so writing my reflections down.

In this weeks reading it mentions conceptual framework as a reflection tool. Conceptual framework, according to the NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) is a "philosophy of education that gives meaning to teaching by integrating its daily demands with long-term professional commitment and direction." The aim of conceptual framework, in my understanding, is to make a clear connection between teaching and learning and connecting daily elements to the long-term goal of education.

Now, as a person who's life's work involves more than being an educator I ask myself how I can apply this framework to other areas of my life. My answer is to ask myself the following questions: Do the elements of my daily life correspond with my life goals? If not, what do I need to do to bring the daily elements of my life's work into alignment with my life time goals?

As I think about the answers to these two questions as they apply to different areas of my life I find myself thinking about the culture I was raised in. Setting goals and working toward achieving them was a large part of my youth. Reflection in the form of journal writing was a large part of my youth as well. At some point in time I fell away from using those concepts and have relied on "just winging it" with many aspects. I find myself realizing that "just winging it" doesn't work anymore. I need to go back to those foundational concepts from my youth and start using them again.

As I ponder these things I think of Stephan Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and feel that I need to revisit those habits and apply them to all areas of my life. You see, I want to be successful and "highly effective" in all areas of my life.

I leave you with a reflection picture...

did someone say brownies?

2010-08-21T22:21:00.001-07:00

ok... so what you are about to see is the a picture of the most delicious brownies ever made by my husband the super duper cook of this house everything he makes taste so good and these are more than good in the words of toni the tiger they are great and the picture below is going to make your mouth water and you are going to wish that my husband will come to your house and make you some but he most likely won't so you are going to have to make these brownies yourself because you will not be able to stop thinking about them until you do and then after you take your first bite you will say to yourself self are they really this good so you will take another bite to make sure that they are really that good and then another bite and then another and then before you know it the pan of brownies has disappeared and yes i know i just typed one very long run-on sentence but when describing these brownies it is very difficult to describe these brownies and type and use proper grammar all at the same time.

so i share with you this image and a link to the recipe. click on picture to go to recipe.

warning, image may cause excessive drooling.

**note: the brownies picture here were made with walnuts for the topping instead of powdered sugar.

Pride...

2010-08-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

I am currently working with a group of photographer friends on a project in which we each submit a photo each week that represents our own unique perspective of a word. The photos are put into a collage and posted for our friends and family to see on facebook. It is so fun to see how each of us interprets the word each week.

We are on week 9 and as each week comes and goes I will post the collages. I will try to post the weeks prior to week 8 over the next few days or weeks.

Week 9 was Pride. I immediately thought of the flag of the United States of America. It represents the hard work our ancestors put in to building our nation. I have a strong pioneer heritage. My ancestors gave up a lot to come to America and eventually the West. I take pride in my heritage and the sacrifices my family made for me and my family.

One of our group members submitted this quote with an image of her husband standing in front of the Vietnam's Veteran Memorial in DC: "PRIDE for those who have gone before us, both living and dead." Another member, Matt, had this to say about pride: "Pride is when you build something you have no idea you could".

The dictionary defines pride as follows:
pride |prīd|
noun
1 a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired
Through our submissions you can see that we all have similar but different perspectives on what pride is. The cool thing is that all of them fit the definition of pride.

So along with sharing our collage and my individual submission I leave you with the following question: How would you represent the word Pride?

Family Photo Time, and Good Eats!

2010-08-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

It has been over a year and a half since my family has had family photos taken. So before my little skittles, E and E, return to Utah for the winter we headed to downtown Gilbert to get some family and individual shots.

I absolutely love downtown Gilbert. One of my favorite restaurants is there, Liberty Market. They serious have some great food. Joe's Real BBQ is another great one and it is kitty corner from Liberty (Do you call it kitty corner or katty corner? I guess it all depends on where you grew up...for me it has always been kitty corner). Both places give you free food on your birthday. Another great restaurant located in Gilbert (and my very favorite of my favorite restaurants) which also gives free food for you birthday...Joe's Farm Grill! Joe's Real BBQ and Joe's Farm Grill are sister restaurants. Oh My Goodness, Joe's Farm Grill is the bomb! (Yes, ok, I know, that was so yesterday, but they are). They have been featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I can't tell you what to try when you go because all of it is so delicious!!! If you are every in Gilbert, Arizona you have to try out all three of these places. Hey, come for your birthday and do breakfast, lunch, and dinner and enjoy free food for your birthday.

Anyway, back to the family photos. I decided that the exterior of Joe's Real BBQ was the place. I love the old bricks and the vintage Coca-Cola sign on the side of the building.

It was quite a challenge to get everyone to smile in one shot. One of the girls was showing her independent side that morning and did not want to get her picture taken. However, I did manage to get her to smile in enough to make it worth the while.

A BIG THANKS goes to my mother-in-law who served as my tripod for the whole group shots. She did a fantastic job.

Funny thing happened during the shoot. A lady driving by felt that it was necessary to stop and tell my mother-in-law what she needed to do to get a good shot... hmmm, no thanks lady, we have it covered!

So, here are a select few from the shoot...

Kim & Sammie | Arizona Wedding Photographer

2010-08-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

I met Kim while I was teaching at a Phoenix area high school. Kim was a substitute teacher and had covered my class one day. The following day she checked in with me to let me know how things had gone with my classes. The next fall Kim was placed as a permanent sub for my classes when I left teaching. We had been in contact several times over the phone to discuss school related items. During one of our conversations she mentioned that another teacher at the school had mentioned that I was into photography. Kim then asked me if I would cover her wedding. I let her know that this would be my first wedding but I would love to do it.

Kim and Sammie chose a beautiful spring day to get married. The ceremony took place at a church in downtown Phoenix. Kim was radiant as she stepped out of the limousine and even more so when she walked down the isle, escorted by her son. I will never forget the look on Sammie's face when Kim walked into the chapel. It was as if he was looking at an angel...his angel.

As I mentioned, Kim's son walked her down the isle. Not only was this his mother's special day, but it was also his Junior Prom. After the ceremony he was on his way to pick up his date for his special night. They made a special appearance at the reception later that evening, where they were greeted with flashing cameras and smiles.

One of my favorite images from the day is one of Sammie and Kim playing the piano together. The scene started out with Sammie playing while Kim stood near by. Watching the two at the piano was awe-inspiring and I snapped away at what unfolded before me. Soon Kim was on the bench playing right along side of Sammie. I felt it was fitting that they were playing a piano duet on the evening that they to became a duet. With that I present Kim and Sammie...

Building a Brand...

2010-08-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

I am on a mission...a mission to get my photography business up and running over the next several weeks. In preparing to get it up and running I have been reading everything I can from other photographers on how they got their business going. My favorite read thus far has to be Jasmine Star! She is such an inspiration. If you haven't visited her blog yet you must go there now (well, after you are finished reading my post). She is so open and real! She has a giving spirit and I think that is part of what makes her such a big success.

Throughout her blog I have read about branding. To define branding I give you this from Brick Marketing: A brand is the idea or image of a specific product or service that consumers connect with, by identifying the name, logo, slogan, or design of the company who owns the idea or image. Branding is when that idea or image is marketed so that it is recognizable by more and more people, and identified with a certain service or product when there are many other companies offering the same service or product.

I have read about branding on other photo blogs and I understand that it is so important. Here are a few articles that I have recently read pertaining to building a brand:
On Marketing Essentials International website they have an article titled 12 Steps to Building Brand Awareness. The author shares 12 ideas of making contact with your customer. Also on the same website is an article titled It's Almost August...What are you going to do different in your photography business this fall? This article encourages photographers to try something new to boost business as fall approaches. I look forward to reading more from this great site.

In one of Jasmine's post from 2009 she shares a link to an article about Trader Joe's building their business around their ideal customer. A couple of ideas from this article are to create an image of your ideal customer and give him/her a name. Then, do everything with your ideal customer in mind. In Jasmine's post pertaining to the article about Trader Joe's brand, she shared her inspiration boards of magazine spreads. I love this idea!

I have found myself looking more and more at magazine's the past few days. I like the idea of drawing inspiration for fashion spreads in magazines...ideas for poses and such. My goal over the next while is to be more vigorous in creating images that my clients will cherish for years to come. With that comes being more assertive in many aspects of my business.

What blog post is complete without a picture? Here is one of my favorites from a few years back...

Wedding Announcement Designs:

2010-05-21T10:53:00.001-07:00

Sample Wedding Announcement Design:
Orange Circles and Dots...

Click on images to see larger.

happy birthday to me...

2010-02-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

For my birthday this year I made a gluten-free cake. I have been working on going gluten-free but still wanted to celebrate my birthday with something yummy. I found the recipe below in the Living Without Magazine...now go make you some...Enjoy!

Mocha Chocolate Cake

MAKES TWO 9-INCH LAYERS, THREE 8-INCH LAYERS OR 36 CUPCAKES

“When I began living gluten free, this was the first cake I re-created,” says Diane Kittle. “Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor.” Top with Mocha “Buttercream” Frosting or Chocolate Ganache Frosting.

1 cup hot brewed coffee (decaf works fine)
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup hot water
3 cups gluten-free All-Purpose Flour Blend more for dusting pan
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup dairy-free margarine or organic shortening
2½ cups sugar or evaporated cane juice
4 large eggs,* room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans for Chocolate Mocha Cake on cover. Or prepare three 8-inch round cake pans for Chocolate Ganache Cake, pictured here.

2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the coffee and cocoa powder. Add hot water and whisk until smooth.

3. On a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the margarine or shortening and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time. Then add the vanilla and cream well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. Blend half the dry ingredients into the wet batter, followed by half the cocoa mixture. Blend in remaining dry ingredients and cocoa mixture, mixing on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

6. Spoon the batter equally into prepared cake pans or standard-size cupcake tins. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Watch carefully as time will vary depending on oven and pan size. Cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

7. Remove cake from oven and cool in pans for 20 minutes. Then turn cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Frost tops of layers with Mocha “Buttercream” Frosting or Chocolate Ganache Frosting Assemble cake and frost sides.

Dairy Free, Too!

Mocha “Buttercream” Frosting

MAKES 8 CUPS

This versatile recipe makes enough to frost a 3-layer cake. For a wonderful Vanilla “Buttercream” Frosting, omit the cocoa and coffee extract and add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.

6 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sifted cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup boiling-hot water
2½ cups vegetable shortening, such as organic Spectrum shortening
¾ cups dairy-free margarine of choice
2 teaspoon gluten-free coffee extract
Fresh raspberries or shaved chocolate, for garnish

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine powdered sugar, cocoa and salt.

2. With a whip attachment, add boiling water and whip at medium-low speed until smooth and cool, approximately 5 minutes.

3. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add shortening, margarine and extract to the sugar mixture. Whip at medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, approximately 10 minutes.

4. Scrape down the bowl and whip an additional minute. Frost cake and garnish with raspberries or shaved chocolate.

Each cake serving with Mocha “Buttercream” Frosting contains 838 calories, 49g total fat, 18g saturated fat, 2g trans fat, 53mg cholesterol, 949mg sodium, 99g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 4g protein.

TIP Refrigerate leftover frosting in an airtight container for two weeks. Let frosting return to room temperature and then re-whip for 2 minutes before using.

*TIP For Egg-Free Mocha Chocolate Cake, mix ½ cup applesauce with 2 teaspoons baking powder in a small bowl. In another small bowl, thoroughly mix 4 tablespoons cold water with 1 tablespoon egg replacer. (For gluten-free egg replacer, visit ener-gfoods.com) Add egg replacer mixture to applesauce mixture. Then add the entire egg-free mixture to the creamed shortening and sugar and proceed with recipe instructions.

a little bit of this and a whole lot of that...

2010-02-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

I feel like my blog has taken a back seat to life the past few weeks. I started working on my Early Childhood Education Master's program through Arizona State University and I have spent the past few weeks to get settled in with my classes...balancing being a wife, mother and grad student.

I have been out and about taking photos. Did a photo shoot of my son for his 10th birthday...wow, 10 years old already...where has the time gone? I will get some of these up soon to share with all of you.

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to be an assistant for Stephanie Harmon of StepOnMePhotos. I have been an assistant for Stephanie before and was thrilled when she asked me to do so again. The wedding was quaint and the bride and groom were beaming with love. To see some of my photos from the wedding go to my facebook fan page and check them out. While you are there check out my other work and let me know that you stopped by by leaving a comment.

I leave you with a recent photo I took that is currently the background on my desktop and my google calendar (did you know that you can put a picture as a background on you google calendar??? I just discovered this last week and love it...check it out in the lab section of your google calendar settings).

Input wanted:

2010-01-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

If you would please take 10 minutes and fill out a questionnaire for me...it would be highly appreciated...Thanks :O)

Click here for the questionnaire.

Beautiful People | Mesa Arts Center

2010-01-08T14:22:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to do a shoot for a dear friend of mine and her beautiful family last week. I am pleased as punch with the results. Wanted to share a few of my favorite ones with you...

and my most favorite of all the shots is this one...

dose of inspiration...

2010-01-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this fun blog notebook doodles ... so full of fun quotes with drawings and photos...I just love it so much that I thought I would share it with you...so go check it out...grab a cup of hot chocolate, sit back and browse through it...that's what I am doing.

post note:...while drinking said hot chocolate I choked on it and sprayed it all over my keyboard and desk...good times, good times!

Senior Portrait Special...

2010-01-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

I am currently running a special offer with Senior Portrait Sessions booked for January and February.

Book your Senior Portrait session in January or February and receive a Custom Graduation Photo Card design free.
(You receive the design file along with your photo CD. You may then print your cards at the printer of your choice) (A $15.00 value)

Hurry, get your session scheduled on my calendar and take advantage of the low portfolio building prices and this special offer.

Current portfolio building Senior Session specials are as follows:

Basic Package: $80: Session includes 60-90 minutes at 2 locations of your choice (East Valley), 2 outfits.

Plus Package: $110: Same as Basic Packge plus up to an additional 60 minutes which may include a 3rd location plus 1-2 additional outfit changes. This may be spread out over 2 days.

With all packages you receive the copy rights to 30-50 color enhanced images on a CD (image amounts may vary depending on the package purchased). Included in the price are edits to 10-15 images done in B/W, sepia, vintage and textured...additional edits start at $2 per image.

Both packages come with one 8"x10" or two 5"x7" prints of an image(s) of your choice.

Little Tree Photography and Designs will also take care of your print orders for additional fees.

Contact me by phone (480) 202-9008 or email: littletreecompany@gmail.com

Happy New Year...

2010-01-06T13:38:00.001-08:00

I'm back after a nice...LONG..Christmas vacation. I took advantage of the break and totally relaxed pretty much the entire time. Now it is a little bit difficult to get back in the swing of things...I have been busy today cleaning off my hard drive and finishing up edits from one session...3 more sessions to go before Friday...I will get them done!!!

I am excited to get the New Year started...I have several goals for myself, my family and my photography business. I will be announcing some specials so be sure to check back soon.

Now's the time to get your session booked on my calendar. Call or email me to set up a session.

I have my first wedding scheduled for April. I am very excited about it. I have been a second shooter before but this will be my first big girl experience. It is going to be awesome!!! I have one second shooter lined up to help me with the wedding. If any local photogs are interested in helping out as an additional second shooter just leave a comment...the experience is the pay.

I hope everyone's Holiday was a great one and your New Year's is off to a great start.

.family.

2009-12-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

"other things may change us, but we start and end with family” anthony brandt

just finished editing the a family session. i picked a few of my favorites to share with everyone... hope you like them!

and no family session is complete without a foot shot...

i have a dream.

2009-12-16T18:39:00.001-08:00

i do...it is to someday soon own a canon 7d ... not too much to ask is it? i am going to dedicate all proceeds from photo sessions to this cause. i also hope to sale some prints of my work as well. i will be posting prints that are available for purchase on my blog on a regular basis...so check back often to see what is available. up first is a trio of 5x7 prints i like to call rusty ford...these would look great in a den or on the fire place mantel...a great gift for dad or grandpa...what do you think? the price for the trio is 22.oo plus 5.95 for shipping and handling in the US(USPS priority mail). international sales please contact me for shipping. email me at littletreecompany@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing these prints. they are available in black/white or color. if interested in a size other than 5x7 send me an email to discuss the pricing.

...so here are the prints...i am showing the entire set in black/white and just one in color. if you would like to see the other two prints in color send me an email.

hope you enjoy :)

notice the small child...

2009-12-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

"life is full of beauty. notice it. notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”

~ ashley smith

P O W E R

2009-12-14T09:13:00.001-08:00

Another find on our out and about adventure yesterday...

mmmmm.... B A C O N

2009-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Out and about yesterday...here is one of our finds:

it was here yesterday...

2009-12-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

Went for a photo safari around campus where I live...this is just one of the many gems I found...

The Sweetest Gift...

2009-12-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

How sweet is this? I just love these kids <3

Woot! Woot!

2009-12-09T18:34:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting for days to get the following news....

I will be starting back to school in January at Arizona State University...I am officially a Sun Devil now!

I would now like to go have some cookies and milk...to bad I don't have any cookies :O( ...This picture will have to do...

Giveaway for High School Seniors...

2009-12-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

I am expanding my photography portfolio to include High School Seniors and I need MODELS! Are you interested? If so, I have a GREAT opportunity for you:

A chance to win 1 of 2 Basic Senior Portrait Packages (AN $80 VALUE) or 1 of 2 $25 gift certificates that can be applied toward the Basic Package or the Plus Package.

Contest is open to Seniors that attend high school in the East Valley (Arizona)

What to do:

Leave a comment telling me why you think you deserve to be one of the Seniors chosen for this giveaway.

The contest will close on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2009 at 6:00 pm. Upon closing all entries will be put into a random generator to choose the winning entries.

Your name may be entered into the drawing up to four times. Here's how:

Just by leaving you comment here
Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter user name in your comment here. There's a twitter link in the sidebar to the right.
Join my fan page on facebook and leave a comment about it in your comment here. There's a link to the fan page at the bottom of this page.
Become a follower of my blog and let me know in your comment here. There's a link for that in the sidebar to the right as well.

So...what are you waiting for? Get to commenting and best of luck to you!

The Basic Package Session includes 60-90 minutes at 2 locations of your choice (East Valley), 2 outfits.

The Basic Package winners may upgrade to the Plus Package for $30.00. The Plus Package is the same as the Basic plus an additional 60 minutes which may include a 3rd location plus 1-2 additional outfit changes.

With all packages you receive the copy right to 20-30 (amounts may vary depending on the package purchased and many times includes more than 30) images on a CD. Included in the price are edits done in B/W, sepia, vintage and textured to 10-15 images...additional edits start at $2 per image.

**Please Note: The prize packages DO NOT include the free 8x10 or 2 5x7 prints that come standard with the purchase of one of my packages. Contest is only for the session and the copy-right to the images on CD.

Beautiful People...

2009-12-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

Last week I met up with the Lee family in downtown Gilbert to take family portraits. I have taken photos of their cute little ones before and really looked forward to doing their family session. I am lucky enough to be related to this family. Here's one for now...hope you enjoy!

Holiday Special

2009-12-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Season is off to a good start...do you have everything taken care of on your list? What about family photos? NO??? I'm here to help:

I am offering mini-sessions Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, December 10 - 12th. Thursday and Friday's sessions will be on ASU East Campus in Mesa and Saturday's sessions will be in Downtown Gilbert.

Here's the breakdown of these sessions:

For $30.00 you get:

a 30 minute Portrait Session
7-12 high resolution images on CD for you to print at a photo lab of your choosing.

Send me an email letting me know the day and what time you would like to book.

*With this special you may also choose a Holiday Photo card design from my etsy shop. I will customize the card design with a photo from your session. You will then receive a high resolution file of the card for printing at the lab of your choice.

What are you waiting for? Send me an email and schedule your session today!

Previous Posts....

2009-12-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

For a short while I was blogging over at Wordpress...I wasn't happy with it so I have moved back here to blogger. Unfortunately I can not transfer my Wordpress blog to blogger...so I am providing a link to my postings over there.

Check out Little Tree Photography & Designs on Word press here.

Christmas Card Designs in my Etsy shop...

2009-12-08T08:50:00.001-08:00

It's not to late to get your Christmas photo card designs ordered from my etsy shop.

Below are a couple of samples from my shop:

Red, White and Blue Christmas

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

Sneak Peek for the A Family| Gilbert Family Photographer

2009-12-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

I had a photo session with a very fun family of three this past Saturday. We met in downtown Gilbert and I believe we got some wonderful images. There is more to come but I had to get a sneak peek up for them to she. I am excited to get the rest edited. Hope you like this peek:

A new day...

2009-11-18T09:32:00.001-08:00

I have always thought of myself as a positive upbeat individual but lately I feel like I am the opposite…so, Today I start a new day…one that I am going to focus on the positive things in my life. I am going to start each morning with a gratitude list. 3 Things, each day. In doing so I hope to incorporate my photography into this list…if and when possible I will post a picture that correlates with my list. So…Today I am grateful for…
1. My husband…he is a wonderful man. He has supported me through my hard times and moody times. Last night he just let me cry and talk about somethings that have taken place in my life recently…he truly loves me unconditionally. He is an effective communicator and has help me improve in that department (and I have a lot of improving to do!). So Thanks to my Pete, who’s name is Tim.
2. The silly jokes my son shares with me from his joke book. I bought him this book last summer and it is just filled with silly jokes. When he reads it he always shares jokes from it with me..and he then shows me the joke in the book, I guess in case I want to read it again.
3. Fall weather in Arizona…okay, so Arizona doesn’t have a fall…but I love the weather here this time of year! Perfect days in my opinion. The evenings are starting to get cold and it’s time to throw another quilt on the bed to cover up at night…perfect cuddle weather!

.him., originally uploaded by little.tree.photography.

...having a dog makes you rich...

2009-11-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

I'm not doing to well in the sleep department tonight...husband had to work late and I just don't sleep so well without him around. I have spent a lot of time this evening browsing through other photo blogs...lots of eye candy out there. It has made me appreciate the talent that I have and the ability to improve. I know I am not the greatest photographer out there but as I look at my own images and look at others I do appreciate that I have a gift and it gets better as I take the time to practice and gain more knowledge about my craft.

I was inspired to dig back a couple of months and pull out a few pictures of my kids to post on my blog. This is the first one I would like to share...it is of my son and my sister-in-laws dog. My son loves animals and quickly falls in love with them. Bella is this beauty's name. I'm not positive what mix of breeds she is but I do know she does have boxer in her. My sister-in-law, I guess, inherited Bella from my brother (not her husband). As with any animals in my family, Bella has become well loved and cared for.

I love to find quotes that fit the photo...with this one it was no different...I found this:
"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich" ...Louis Sabin
I know my son will agree.
So I present to you...My son, Mr. LA and Bella...

How sweet it is...

2009-11-16T22:23:00.000-08:00

I have finally finished editing photos from a shoot I did a couple weeks ago of this sweet little redhead...I was so excited to hand the finished images over to his mom this evening. There are so many that are my favorite so you may have sweetness overload here:

...and last...this one if my favorite...mostly due to the story behind it. This cute little man kept trying to pose just like I was. He kept turning around to see if he had it right.

Thanks for stopping by!
Little Tree

Location, location, location...

2009-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

It's all about location right? ... I do believe a great location helps to make a great photo shoot. Here are a few locations in the Gilbert/Mesa/Chandler area that I think make a great background for portraits. Maybe these locations will also jump start your brain to come up with ideas of your own.

Dose of Inspiration...

2009-11-10T15:31:00.001-08:00

For the past few days I have been working on my application for graduate school. Part of the application requires a personal statement of 500 plus words. I have had the hardest time getting started with this statement. I have tried several different angles but nothing would flow as I would like it to. When I write something I have to have some sort of inspiration to get going...when I do my writing just starts to flow. Once I found a source of inspiration I was able to get started but still was having a difficult time in completing the process, so today I took a mental break from the statement and went outside to enjoy the beautiful Phoenix weather we are blessed with during this time of year. I packed my camera bag and headed to Discovery Park in Gilbert. What falls is the result of this break...and I am happy to say that it worked...I came home afterwords and was able to finish the statement. Now I just have a few finishing touches to the application and I can submit it and wait (so much fun!) The first photo is what got my brain into writing gear...what follows the redhead is what came from an afternoon of seeking inspiration...hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Basic Senior Portrait Session Giveaway

2009-11-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Contest is open to Seniors that attend high school in the East Valley (Arizona)
Enter to win one of 2 Basic Senior Portrait Sessions!
What to do:
Leave a comment telling me why you think you deserve to be one of the chosen Seniors for this giveaway. Don't forget to leave the name of your East Vally area high school.
The contest will close on November 24th. Upon closing all entries will be put in a random generator to choose the winning entry.

Your name may be entered in the drawing up to four times. Here's how:
1. Just by leaving your comment here.
2. Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter user name in your comment here.
http://twitter.com/LittleTreeCo
3. Join my fan page on facebook and leave a comment about it in your comment here.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Little-Tree-Company/141155526794
4. Become a follow of my blog and let me know in your comments here. **See link in the right side bar that you can click to follow me on blogger and twitter**

So...what are you waiting for...get commenting.

Portfolio Building Specials

2009-11-09T09:49:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are upon us, the time of giving! I am running a Portfolio Building Special for the entire Holiday season. Sessions need to be booked in November, December, or January. See below for details. Looking forward to capturing precious moments with your family. Teresa

email: littletreecompany@gmail.com

Miss JoJo and Mr. P Sneak Peek

2009-11-04T05:58:00.000-08:00

Update to this post:

I am finished editing photos from the Miss JoJo and Mr. P. shoot. I wanted to share a few more of my faves:

I love Miss JoJo's eyes in this one:

This one just begged to be edited in vintage:

I had the opportunity to do a photo shoot of a family members adorable children last weekend. I had a blast following Miss JoJo around the park in her beautiful bright clothes and a smile to match. Both kids are super cute with the most beautiful eyes ever! Here are a few photos that I have edited already:

Baby N

2009-10-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to do a fun photo shoot with a 4 week old baby boy. I am working hard to understand lighting and this shoot gave me the practice...and I know I need more. I am happy with a lot of the shots...here are a couple of my favorite ones...

Chocolate! Peanut Butter! Cookies!

2009-10-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

I love Peanut Butter Cookies and I love Chocolate...These Peanut Butter Cookies frosted with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting are just the ticket to satisfy my sweet tooth. Thought I would share the cookie recipe with you all....

Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Beat sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and egg on medium speed until creamy. Blend in flour and baking soda on low speed until well blended.

3. Shape dough into 1-1/4 inch balls. Place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with tines of fork dipped in sugar.

4. Bake 6 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool.

ENJOY!

Digital Paper giveaway...

2009-10-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

I am giving away one digital paper in red, green, and blue dots plus the template for this paper that you may customize to your liking in photoshop or photoshop elements.

Two ways to win...Either RT the following tweet and follow me on twitter

digital paper giveaway RT to win .... 45th RT wins... see my blog for sneek peek of the paper ... http://bit.ly/OLoKn

Twitter addy: http://twitter.com/LittleTreeCo

or leave a comment and follow my blog.

Here's what to do...simply follow my blog then leave a comment t telling me that you are now following me. Send me your email address and I will then send you a digital file containing the jpeg files for these papers.

Thanks :0)
LittleTreeCompany

New card design...double sided...

2009-10-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

This card design is a great way to send a Holiday greeting plus it has a full 5" x 7" photo on the other side that is suitable for framing!

The card is sold in units of 25 cards for $35.00. Shipping is $5.95. Each additional unit of 25 is $22.00 more.
Email me for more details and purchase information. Will be posted in my etsy store soon:
littletreecompany@gmail.com

Front:

Back:

Nikon D90

2009-10-26T09:24:00.001-07:00

Sharing some of my photography work...

2009-10-17T14:48:00.001-07:00

...comments are encouraged...What do you think? What do I need to improve on.
If you know anyone in the Mesa/Gilbert/Queen Creek area that is in need of individual or family photos send them in my direction...I have very reasonably priced packages.

So ...here are some recent photos that I have done with my daughter as my model.

This next one is one of my favorites!!!

Two new card designs...

2009-10-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

With each card I design I like the newest even more...I hope you like these two newest designs as much as I do.

Simple Red, White and Blue Christmas

...and Red and White Christmas Tree Stripes...

5" x 7" Holiday gift card designs for you to purchase.

Here's how it works:

Choose the design of your card and make the purchase.
Send me a message at littletreecompany[at]gmail.com. In your message include the following:

Design choice
Holiday greeting if different than what is shown
Family name and individual names if wanting to list them as well.
Your picture(s) to be placed on the card. The picture needs to be in JPEG format 300 dpi or larger.
Indicate if you want the picture changed to black/white or sepia tones or just left as is.

Once I receive your information I will make a proof of the card and email a copy of it to you for your approval. Once you approve the card I will send you a high resolution file of your card that is print ready for you to print yourself or print at your favorite photo lab.

Another print option for you is to have me order your prints. For an additional $32.00 I will order your cards...you will receive 25 5" X 7" flat postcard style cards with envelopes. The total package price would be $37.00...this price includes the shipping fee (USPS priority shipping)

Please convo me with any questions you may have.

New Design and a giveaway as well!

2009-10-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

I am excited to offer this new design...and a giveaway.

So first the new design:

Green Embossed Snowflake Christmas Card

See other listings for purchasing information...or click on my etsy link to purchase the design from there...

Okay, so now the giveaway....

What am I giving away you ask?

The digital paper kit I developed to create this card design...You may use this to create scrap book pages or cards. It comes in jpeg and png formats so you are able to use it with photoshop.

Here's what you need to do:

Leave a comment and tell me your favorite Christmas Memory.

To increase your chances you will be entered additional times for the following:

1. If you are a follower of my blog. So hit that follow button over there on the sidebar if you haven't already.

2. If you follow me on twitter. There's a link for that on the sidebar as well.

Please make sure you mention in your comment that you follow my blog and follow me on twitter. Please include your blog name and your twitter name.

I will close the giveaway to entries on Friday, October 16, 2009 at 12:00 noon pacific time.

Now make a comment! Please :o)

Blue Christmas Photo Card

2009-10-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

I am so in love with this card!

5" x 7" Holiday gift card designs for you to purchase.

Here's how it works:

Choose the design of your card and make the purchase.
Send me a message at littletreecompany[at]gmail.com. In your message include the following:

Design choice
Holiday greeting if different than what is shown
Family name and individual names if wanting to list them as well.
Your picture(s) to be placed on the card. The picture needs to be in JPEG format 300 dpi or larger.
Indicate if you want the picture changed to black/white or sepia tones or just left as is.

Once I receive your information I will make a proof of the card and email a copy of it to you for your approval. Once you approve the card I will send you a high resolution file of your card that is print ready for you to print yourself or print at your favorite photo lab.

Another print option for you is to have me order your prints. For an additional $32.00 I will order your cards...you will receive 25 5" X 7" flat postcard style cards with envelopes. The total package price would be $37.00...this price includes the shipping fee (USPS priority shipping)

Please convo me with any questions you may have.

Card Orders

Three New Designs

2009-10-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

Just added three new designs to my card selections:

Christmas Tree on Red Dots:

Beveled Christmas Tree on Red Dots:

Beveled Christmas Tree on Green Dots:

" x 7" Holiday gift card designs for you to purchase.

Here's how it works:

Choose the design of your card and make the purchase.
Send me a message at littletreecompany[at]gmail.com. In your message include the following:

Design choice
Holiday greeting if different than what is shown
Family name and individual names if wanting to list them as well.
Your picture(s) to be placed on the card. The picture needs to be in JPEG format 300 dpi or larger.
Indicate if you want the picture changed to black/white or sepia tones or just left as is.

Once I receive your information I will make a proof of the card and email a copy of it to you for your approval. Once you approve the card I will send you a high resolution file of your card that is print ready for you to print yourself or print at your favorite photo lab.

Another print option for you is to have me order your prints. For an additional $32.00 I will order your cards...you will receive 25 5" X 7" flat postcard style cards with envelopes. The total package price would be $37.00...this price includes the shipping fee (USPS priority shipping)

Card Orders

Green Grunge Holiday Card

2009-10-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

5" x 7" Holiday gift card designs for you to purchase.

Here's how it works:

Choose the design of your card and make the purchase.
Send me a message at littletreecompany[at]gmail.com. In your message include the following:

Design choice
Holiday greeting if different than what is shown
Family name and individual names if wanting to list them as well.
Your picture(s) to be placed on the card. The picture needs to be in JPEG format 300 dpi or larger.
Indicate if you want the picture changed to black/white or sepia tones or just left as is.

Once I receive your information I will make a proof of the card and email a copy of it to you for your approval. Once you approve the card I will send you a high resolution file of your card that is print ready for you to print yourself or print at your favorite photo lab.

Another print option for you is to have me order your prints. For an additional $32.00 I will order your cards...you will receive 25 5" X 7" flat postcard style cards with envelopes. The total package price would be $37.00...this price includes the shipping fee (USPS priority shipping)

Snowflake Christmas Card

2009-10-10T15:55:00.001-07:00

Holiday gift card designs for you to purchase.

Here are a couple more Christmas card designs.

SNOWFLAKE #1

Snowflake #2

Each design sales for $5.00. These cards are 5" x 7".

Here's how it works:

Choose the design of your card and make the purchase.
Send me a message at littletreecompany[at]gmail.com. In your message include the following:

Design choice
Holiday greeting if different than what is shown
Family name and individual names if wanting to list them as well.
Your picture(s) to be placed on the card. The picture needs to be in JPEG format 300 dpi or larger.
Indicate if you want the picture changed to black/white or sepia tones or just left as is.

Once I receive your information I will make a proof of the card and email a copy of it to you for your approval. Once you approve the card I will send you a high resolution file of your card that is print ready for you to print yourself or print at your favorite photo lab.

Another print option for you is to have me order your prints. For an additional $32.00 I will order your cards...you will receive 25 5" X 7" flat postcard style cards with envelopes. The total package price would be $37.00...this price includes the shipping fee (USPS priority shipping)

Please convo me with any questions you may have.

Rustic Stripes Christmas Card

2009-10-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

Rustic Stripes Christmas Card

I am currently creating Christmas Cards. Here is my first sample...Rustic Stripes. It is a 5" x 7" portrait layout. The design sales for $5.00.

Here's how it works:

Choose the design of your card and make the purchase.
Send me a message at littletreecompany@gmail.com.

In your message include the following:

Design choice
Holiday greeting if different than what is shown
Family name and individual names if wanting to list them as well.
Your picture(s) to be placed on the card. The picture needs to be in JPEG format 300 dpi or larger.
Indicate if you want the picture changed to black/white or sepia tones or just left as is.

Once I receive your information I will make a proof of the card and email a copy of it to you for your approval. Once you approve the card I will send you a high resolution file of your card that is print ready for you to print yourself or print at your favorite photo lab.

Another print option for you is to have me order your prints. For an additional $32.00 I will order your cards...you will receive 25 5" X 7" flat postcard style cards with envelopes. The total package price would be $37.00...this price includes the shipping fee (USPS priority shipping)

Please email me with any questions you may have.

Love Notes set of 4 cards

2009-10-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

These beautiful note cards are actual photographs attached to cardstock type note cards with photo quality glue tabs. The print is of a beautiful yellow flower with a textured print overlay to give it a vintage look.

These cards would go perfect with a wedding gift since the photo may be reused. The card is also perfect for a simple love note to your sweetheart.

The set sells for $10.00 with a $2.50 shipping fee.

A dog named Bella

2009-10-08T11:58:00.001-07:00

This image is from my personal photography collection. Layers of texture have been added to the original photograph to give it an antique, vintage look.

The image comes in a 10" x 10" inch print for $24.00 and a shipping fee of $5.95. If you would like it in an other size please feel free to ask.