“Is anyone sitting there?!” I said while balancing a plate of food and glass of wine.
He said “No, it’s all yours.”
And I cheered a silent ‘hoooray!’ because I was starving, and the wine was free. So far my day of solo travel had only occasionally been haunted by that painful kind of awkward. You know, the kind that almost always comes along with navigating new environments and experiences. And, dang, dare I say this was shaping up to be a good night.
I honestly can’t remember how the next bit went. But I quite quickly came to the realization that I had parked my clueless little self right beside the star of the show….
OK, so here's the thing, this is really uncomfortable to talk about but I am going to anyways because I think these days transparency is everything. So here we go (let's hope I don't make a mess of this). Why is professional photography 'expensive'?
So you just had an amazing brand photography session done (insert happy dance here!). Now it’s time to put your images to work! We often suggest that you plan to sprinkle them into your social media to really make them last. Perhaps put a few on your website, but then what? Well the good news is that this beautiful collection of photos that aligns so powerfully with your brand both visually and emotionally can be used in so many other ways! We put a lot of effort into making sure your photo sessions tell your unique brand story and are absolute workhorses for your biz. It’s super important to us that you get the most use out of you one-of-a-kind as you possibly can. Heck, even if you took the initiative to create a set of brand photos yourself (bravo!), we still want your efforts maximized. Our mantra is 100% work smarter, not harder. So let’s go…
DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU WRITE DOWN YOUR GOAL YOU ARE 90% MORE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE THEM?!* For me journaling is such an essential part of my self-love, creative and entrepreneurial journey. I check-in with myself daily to reduce anxiety, stay creative, commit to goals and plan my next moves. Here are 6 reasons why you should have a bullet journal too and super easy steps to start your own!
What happens when two sister’s head off into the desert with a tiny teardrop trailer and a killer road-trip playlist?! Magic, my friend. Pure magic. I am so excited to share everything about our adventure, from the creepiest night in a tiny Montana town, to the unbelievably beautiful abandoned mid-century motel that used to be frequented by celebrities like Harrison Ford!. If you love the desert as much as I do, you are going to love coming along on this wee adventure with us. Or heck, just come for the beautiful desert art!!!
When Jane from Poppy Barley emailed me about attending their Fall Launch event, I thought for sure she had made a mistake. I'm a full-time mom/photographer who lives in the middle of nowhere, I don't get invited to fashion launches! Soooo naturally, I quickly wrote back so that she couldn't change her mind lol!…
Hey Friends, it's been a little while since I posted a Genuine Portrait Series session here!! But it just so happens to be Volerra's second birthday this week (hooray)!! So, I thought there was probably no better time to share some photos of the incredible lady then now.Meet Tammy. Tammy hand-makes gorgeous jewellery which is as easy on the eyes as it is on the soul . Her attention to design and love of nature is evident in every single piece. You should really just do your lovely free-spirit a favor and head over to her website (or instagram feed). I'm serious, just looking at her jewelry will leave you with that good sorta feeling. You know the kind I'm talking about? Hard to miss, but hard to describe. 
I asked Tammy if she wouldn't mind sharing a little bit more about herself and Volerra, so without further ado, here she is:
<3K 
Hey Guys! Its been a little while since I gave you an update! Honestly things haven't been super exciting, I have just been doing the best with what I have. BUT I am working on my summer capsule wardrobe! And I have been enjoying the two new purchases I told you about earlier! One of which was this Pyne and Smith Clothiers Linen Dress.I was soooo excited to get this little number in the mail. I immediately put it on, and then, had one of those moments of doubt. You know the kind. I wasn't sure if I could 'pull it off', if it was the most flattering dress for me. Maybe it was just one of things I loved on other people? So I let it hang in the closet for few days, but eventually decided that if I like the dress I should darn well wear it, and love doing so.Jump ahead to day of errands, peppered with compliments and I was completely sold! (I really try not to dress for anyone besides myself, but being on the receiving end of a compliment is always encouraging <3) Needless to say, I have been wearing this incredibly comfortable dress on repeat ever since! It is honestly so versatile (and the midi length is crazy practical when you are running after little ones). I've worn it on its own, with sweaters and belted so far. (PS. the belted version kind of made me feel like Belle!! Honest to goodness the soundtrack played in my head allll day long lol)So I thought I'd share a few real life pictures that I snapped this afternoon while my kiddos splashed in the pool! I am about 5'2" and am wearing an XS. If you have any questions let me know!
Happy Weekend Pals,
<3Karmen
Hey Guys, it's been a while since the last time I posted about my capsule wardrobe and actually quite a lot has happened!! Let me fill ya in.I purged my closet.... and it was AMAZING!! I am a person that easily feels overwhelmed by clutter, so having so much more space in my closet has been kind of fantastic. And, honestly, I had so many clothes in there that didn't even come close to fitting or were just so far from my style (like from high school, freaking high school you guys) that made it really hard to find the clothing that actually fit!The picture below shows my king size bed absolutely covered in clothes. Not pictured is a chair full of maternity clothes and my naked daughters trying everything on in the thrift pile 😂. Haha it was out of control!
I spent an entire rainy afternoon sorting through this big pile of clothes and listening to Oldies (as one does). I was quickly reminded that as much as I hate clutter, I hate waste! And I really love re-porpusing old things. I toyed with a few ideas, but in the end I decided that there was just too much stuff for me to keep around the house. (And the last thing I need right now is another project lol.) So I sold a few things, and the rest I will be sending to my sisters and the thrift store. I also put away all my winter and hot summer clothes. This left me with just under 50 items including pants, shirts, tanks, sweaters and dresses. And so far it has been great! While I don't totally love a lot of these clothes, I have committed to sticking with them for the spring season so that I can make sure that this capsule wardrobe is really something I want to follow through on, and to sort of figure out what pieces I need to make this a fully functioning wardrobe that I adore.I have to admit, this process has already shown me that less can really, truly be more. And it has been surprisingly fun! I have actually cleaned out the girls and the entryway closets out as well! (up next linens!). Wowzer, look at me being all domestic!!! Hahaha, but I think what truly is the most surprising part of this exercise so far is that I have actually been wearing more variety! Who would have thought! 
I have also been doing more research on responsibly made clothing and have come across some of the most wonderful small (and big) businesses in the process. I ended up ordering from a lovely woman in California, who hand makes the most wonderful linen dresses to order. She recently did a collaboration with a fantastic YYC educator and I just couldn't resist the sale! I actually had been eyeing her beautiful dresses before I even started my capsule wardrobe (WIN!). I also ordered a bathing suit from a rad company I have been following on Instagram for quite some time. Thankfully my patience paid off and I managed to get it on sale as well! (High-five!) 
I just LOVE that I can totally get behind these brands and actually feel like I know the women running them. I have come across some other really promising shops but will wait to share them until I feel confident that they are awesome.So now it's your turn! What do you think of this whole capsule wardrobe thing? Do you know of any great responsible brands? Have you ever considered where your clothes come from before? Is there anything else you would like to know?Once again, thanks so much for listening to me ramble on about something completely unrelated to photography. Keep being awesome!!Warmly,Karmen
