Christmas Cards

I thought it would be fun to post a few of the cards put out by Tami Paige Photography this year! It was fun designing the cards and I was amazed with how easy it was to work with each client on the cards! I LOVED their creative input and making the card reflect each of their tastes. Thanks to each of you who let me be a part of your Christmas Cards this year!!! It really is an honor to get to design these cards for you! I'm not able to post all the cards, but here are a few! I blotted out the names for privacy sake.

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And finally, this is my card. It was a tri-fold so that's why the layout looks kind of funny! But from me to you, I hope you had a MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a REALLY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Random 5

Just in case your in need for some interesting (or not-so-interesting) conversation at your family Christmas, here are 5 random facts you could share...

1. Coming this spring to Cub Foods parking lot in Bloomington, IL is the largest Dairy Queen Grill & Chill in the Nation. I'm not sure if this is something to be proud or ashamed of.
2. Last Wednesday, someone was found dead in the basement of State Farm Corporate offices. Investigations are going on. Let's just say that I park in the basment and walk up to my department at night. Oh boy.
3. Speaking of State Farm, as of January 1st, the campuses will be tabacco free. This means that there will no longer be designated smoking areas and no one is allowed to smoke in the buildings, in State Farm vehicles, in the parking lot/garages, or on any property of State Farm. Needless to say, come January, I'm going to have to steer clear of half my co-workers.
4. Last night, I got a call from a lady that told me she is a midget truck driver, who got rear-ended by a guy that dropped his cell phone. The accident resulted in her losing half her teeth, a broken neck and jaw, half her body being paralyzed and being bed-ridden for life. However, I'm a little confused 'cause supposedly this happened a couple weeks ago, she was talking just fine considering her jaw is shattered, and if she's paralyzed for life, why is she buying auto insurance? She said that after the guy hit her, he ran to her car saying, "Please don't die! Please don't die!"...her response?!..."Come over closer so I can KILL YOU"! What a classy lady.
5. It's 2 days until Christmas so this will be my final post until after the Holiday, so I hope you all have a great and very Merry Christmas!

The Streak is Over!

I knew this day would come...I just didn't know when. I was always proud to tell people that I had never gotten a ticket. Especially when you consider that I'd been stopped 14+ times...I literally don't know how many times because I stopped counting at 14.

However, I feel that I should explain that most of those stops were bogus stops because in college, I used to drive an Eclipse which is a sports car, and I'd always gets stopped on weekends, late at night, near campus. I was stopped 3 times for "drunk driving". I have some crazy stories of getting stopped and how I got out of the legitimate speeding tickets...but there was always one common factor: the cop was a male.

Now, if you know me at all, you've probably heard me say that I couldn't flirt to save my life. It's true. My sisters could attest to that...however, when it came to tickets, I was always genuinely sorry for the legitimate stops and somehow, that always got me out of my tickets.

This brings us to last Saturday. I was late...AS ALWAYS. But this time, I knew there was a classroom of little 3 year olds that needed to get their Christmas gifts that were in my car. So, needless to say, I was speeding.

When I looked in my rearview mirror to see

FLASHING LIGHTS!!!

My thoughts was, "Hmm, I wonder if I'll get out of this one"...and my questions was immediately answered when I saw that the cop was a...

WOMAN. :(

Let's just say, my streak is over as I am no longer a part of those with a "clean record". :(

Orange Coats and Teal Bows

Our hands were numb, our cheeks, pink, but the cold didn't stop us from having fun. I got to know Holly when we were both in college, and I immediately liked her. She's been a friend that continues to challenge me in every area of life and a political soulmate. :) I'm convinced that I'm a better person in many ways for having known Holly and I'm proud to be her friend.

A couple months back, I asked Holly if she would want to model for me as I was wanting to do a shoot for gift cards I'm making for Tami Paige Photography. I was so excited when she agreed to it! So this morning, we headed to downtown Bloomington where we had a great photoshoot! I haven't even had the time to really look through all the pictures, but I quickly edited a few images that immediately caught my eye!

Thanks Holly for jumping, squatting, posing, and laughing with me today! I'd say it was a success!!!











At the end of the shoot, we had some time, so I was able to get a few quick shots of just Holly and I think she looks BEAUTIFUL in them! Holly Anne, I know I told you that I didn't "need" someone gorgeous, but I'm glad I got one! :)






I'm sure I'll be posting a few more as I have the time to look through the rest of the shoot!

GNO - Christmas Party!

Last night, Heidi and Katie hosted a Girl's Night Out for Christmas! Everyone brought delicious food, we played games, and had a great time. I had my camera and got some pictures of the evening.

Thanks, Heidi and Katie for a great night!

Help Portrait

There was a moment where I stopped. I inhaled the sights and sounds and I exhaled a smile...And I reveled in the feeling of being extremely blessed. Although many (myself included) would call it a cliche, I don't take those moments for granted because the sheer memory of those pauses are often the extra push of strength that pulls me through some intense and stressful times.

I whispered in my heart,

"This is one of so many reasons why I love
photography!"

I was standing in the Dream Center in Peoria, working as a volunteer with Help Portrait. If you have the time, you should go to the link by clicking here and watching the two videos. In a nutshell, on 12-12-09, photographers and volunteers all around the world took a day to photograph homeless people, single parent families, and low income families, for the purpose of providing them with a nice, portrait image of themselves. They would come in, get their hair and make up done, and in Peoria, we had 2 photographers (Vicki Taufer with V Gallery and Josh Blick with Bruer Photography) photograph them. Between Vicki and Josh, they had about 100 sessions in 6 hours.

I was working as Vicki's assistant. I have a feeling that they were being nice and trying to find a job for me to do so they let me squeak toys, walk people from place to place, blow a fan, take some behind-the-scense pictures...and I loved every minute of it! I was honored to be Vicki's assistant as I'm always awe-struck by great photographers. I had recently been to the workshop that she and Jed (Vicki's husband and editing extraordinaire) run, so I had seen her shoot a session before. However, I was amazed this day, how she was able to make every single person that she shot feel like they were special, beautiful, confident, and unique. She really has a gift and a LOT of talent.

I could go on about each person, but I have to mention Jed because he retouched every single picture they ordered and let me just say, that was A LOT of work!!! He's got some mad editing skills, and when I'd have a free moment, I'd sit by him and just watch. If you don't read his blog, it's worth checking out. He's such an honest writer and I love his thought process. I've been a stalker for quite some time, so it's fun to actually now call him and Vicki friends.

Here are a few pictures I took on my camera before my battery died and I had to switch to another camera. These pictures are only of the first 5 minutes or so of the event since I don't have the images I took on the other camera...

The Production Team (that's not what they were called, but I wasn't sure what else to call them), discussing workflow.

Hair and Makeup Team hard at work making everyone look fabulous! The makeup artist on the very left in the black t-shirt is Josh's (photographer) wife, Robbyn.

Another shot of hair and make-up.






Vicki, probably discussing some last minute details.

Jed, looking "chill" as always!

The last picture I got before my battery died. :(

Lesson on Living

A few months back, I got an e-mail. I hadn't ever heard of her before...but that wasn't new. She was inquiring about getting pictures taken. As I read on, I realized that this wasn't just another email...she went on to explain that her husband has a sickness that will not allow him to be around as long as she would want. Immediately, I did a quick search on his condition and my heart ached as I read and thought about this husband, the father of young boys whose life seems too short.

We scheduled the shoot, and I went wondering how I could use my photography to somehow reach out to this family. I wondered what I could do for them. However, as I began the shoot, I realized that I wasn't there to give, but to learn a lesson...a lesson on living. I watched as this husband and wife looked at each other with love. I could tell that they not only loved each other but they really LIKED each other. I wasn't there to pose and prod, but to document their love. I was touched with how easily they laughed together as a family. So as I clicked my camera that afternoon so they have some photographs that will turn old and wrinkled, I was touched by this love and laughter and I left with a lesson, not only on how to die but how to live. Thanks, "B" family for letting me be a part of this special day!

Do Your Eyes Light Up?

*Picture not taken by Tami Paige Photography

Maya Angelou once asked, "How do you react when your child enters the room?

...Do your eyes light up?"

She said that so many times when your children walk into the room, as a parent, you see the untucked shirt, the messy hair, or some other aspect of their little self that needs "fixing". It's your love for them that makes a parent want to help them, but when they walk in,

do they see your eyes light up,

or do they see a disapproving look?

What message is being sent to them, simply by the expression on your face?

I'm not a mother, but I am an aunt. I'm a daughter, a sister, a friend. That question asked by Maya Angelou has replayed in my head countless times as I've wondered, when my little nieces and nephews see me, see them, do they see my eyes light up? Am I showing love in the details of life to my sisters? I've found that I forget to show love in the small corners of life.

So, I've been reminded by that question that is ever lingering in my head, that while I busily shop this Christmas season, and make all my plans to delight someone as they unwrap their package...to give the little gifts, like letting my eyes light up when I see those that I love walk through the door.