my life in pins

So we're all hopelessly addicted to pinterest, right? Raise your hands -- hey! you, in the back there, I see you. I know. Just admit it. It's like a free candy store for chocoholics. Except, instead of chocoholics, we're artists, and we eat up inspiration like chocolate. (like my metaphor there? pretty snazzy, right? moving on) Photos, recipes, diys, words, music & videos...everything that makes me go tick. Want to see photos from a trip to Ireland? Boom. It's there. Searching for a perfect apple beignet recipe? You've got it. Hopelessly uninspired? Look around and you'll find images and text like crazy. Need to find a last minute gift to make? Pin, pin, pin!

My friend Liv has a fun challenge going on her blog right now...sum up your life in pins. So here's me, summed up, in a few images. I suppose "sum up" isn't the right word. Because it's hard enough to sum up your life in 50000 words. But they say an image is worth a 1000 words, so I suppose if I put up fifty or so pins...

(did I mention that sarcasm is my specialty?)

Anyways. Basically, the gist of it is to choose a few images from your pinboards that describe you. Funny, serious, moody, sarcastic, lovely, thoughtful, happy, colorful, bright, melancholy, silly, loveable, so beautiful you want to cry -- you name it! Pick a few (I limited myself to fifteen...otherwise we might be here all day) and share them with us. Write your post and head over to Olivia Erickson to link up. I'd love to see your life in pins. Because like I said, I love chocolate -- real AND metaphorically. (see how I worked that in there?)

Source: flickr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: my-morning-coffee.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: style-files.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: twotonmantaray.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: dreamyourselfalong.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: 30andbroke.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: theblogisfound.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: ryleehitchnerblog.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: myrevelment.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: theredhouse.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: pardeeline.blogspot.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: 100layercake.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: bethaltrogge.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: goodmorningandgoodnight.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Let me tell you...it was really difficult to choose fifteen pins that best described me out of 1881. These aren't even perfect, but they're close. What I love about pinterest is going through past pins and seeing how my inspiration has evolved (insert cheesiness here). I'm beginning to figure out what exactly inspires me and why, and how to channel that into my work. Like Picasso said: "Good artists copy. Great artists steal." So link up with Liv, sum up your life in fifteen (or fifty) or so pins, and tell us why you love what you love! (and if your love language is chocolate, then we might just be friends)

Happy Valentines Day!

xo
Hannah

fernweh.

It all began with an email.

That's how everything almost always starts. With something small and seemingly inconsequential. It's the culmination of little things into something bigger. Like how one snowflake leads to another and soon the world is covered in white. In our case, it was an idea. An idea that six people across the globe had been dreaming about and finally decided to do something about it.

For almost three months, we scrambled. Inspiration flooded my inbox in the form of email upon email, and I daresay I never went a day without a new one. We were just six girls, all with the same convictions, determined to take an idea from conception to completion. We worked hard. Hours spent poring over articles, design, photographing for the final product, drafting, branding, building, and doing. We released the site yesterday. And I'm beyond excited to show it to you.

Fernweh is an online magazine dedicated to celebrating the simple life. A collection of thoughts, photos, tips, tutorials, and poetry, Fernweh hopes to serve as inspiration for a life made lovely. Read our manifesto for more about the name and more about our magazine. There are so many talented people working on this, and I feel blessed to be a part of it. I'm ridiculously excited about this project and cannot wait to see where this takes us.

Libby, Katie, Carlotta, Abbey, Kendall -- I'm beyond glad that we're a team. I love you all so much and am so excited for this year. I have a feeling 2012 is going to be epic, in every sense of the word.

Go take a look at Fernweh, follow along, and let us know what you think!

So grateful. Happy Monday! xo

a December afternoon.

I've probably taken about a thousand photos in the past week alone, and I have oodles of stories to share. In fact, I'm guilty of pre-writing posts -- I have about five in my drafts folder, waiting to be published -- from Christmas decorating, to picking out our tree, thoughts about our family to Christmas candy recipes, and back to the simple days that make up our December.


Cardstock candycanes are taped to our cupboards and snowflakes hang from every available surface. There's a warmth that fills the house despite the winter's chill, and it's not just from the many cups of coffee and steaming cocoa being made (although, there's definitely a fair number of that, as evident by our many mugs in the dishwasher). The Christmas tree is up in our living room, the boughs slowly dropping and the smell filling the air, and Christmas lights reflect off the glimmering snow. Our countdown-to-Christmas chain is losing links everyday and the boys each clamor for their turn to take them down.



Christmas decorations, from the handmade to the items acquired year after year adorn our home. They're homemade and made with love by all of us -- from Sam to my mom. That's what makes them special, and in my book, they're perfect. I remember Eli's face as he showed me his green candycane -- maybe it's mint? -- and Sam getting excited over the snowflakes above the sink. I've said it before -- it's the memories that matter, the moments we save.


Yesterday, we put up the tree and it truly seemed to usher in the Holiday season. I have so many memories of past Decembers, and every year that passes, seems to be better than the year before. Christmas cookie making, tree decorating, going downtown, annual family Christmas parties, snow angels and snow forts that you hoped wouldn't collapse, Christmas carols and cups of hot cocoa heaped with marshmallows -- the month is filled with moments and traditions.


Memories that are passed down in the way we save our Christmas tree stumps and the Christmas cookie cutters from my great-grandma. The many ornaments from when my mom was little and the holiday memories and stockings hanging from the stairs. The traditions that have percolated from generation to generation and make up the heart of who we are. Our family.


Each day that passes makes me more excited for the next. This is truly my favorite time of year. Not because of the material or commercialized holiday things, but because of the traditions and memories and simple days that make up this season. I feel so blessed to be living this life I am with the people I love and a Savior who loves me more than I know.

Happy December!

ps. wanted to spruce up my blog a bit! I've been itching for a change, so I'm excited to finally reveal it. Thoughts?

interview with Jessica Shae!

photo credit: Photography by SM
Hello friends! I'm featuring the lovely Jessica Shae here today! I'm a huge admirer of her work and am so excited to share her interview with you! She's a wedding photographer in Texas who's the oldest of seven...like me! ;) Her faith is such an encouragement and her work is truly amazing. Ohhhh, and she met a boy...and they're pretty cute together. ;) Read on and prepare to be majorly inspired!


photo credit: (left to right) Rachel Leigh, Kristen Leigh

Share a little about yourself!

Hi y’all!
My name is Jessica Shae and I’m a 22 year old wedding photographer who is obsessed with nail polish, cowboy boots, sweet tea, big trucks, and summertime, amongst a lot of other things.

I’ve lived in Texas for most of my life, with a few years in Denver and Chicago mixed in. I’m the oldest of 7 kidlets and therefore people are always telling me I’m from a big family—I just say it’s a party round the clock, there’s always something interesting going on! I love them all oh so much.

The boy I’ve liked for over 8 months made me his girlfriend this summer, therefore making it the most exciting and happy summer of my life. He’s the smart/funny/responsible/witty/wonderful half of the equation, and I’m the dramatic/fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants one. He very kindly lets me take a million and one pictures of us together…so obviously he’s perfect for me ;)

I like to read and cook (when I have the time), I’d rather be barefoot, I tend to procrastinate and I obsessively take pictures of e.vri.thing. around me with my iPhone. (let’s hear it for instagram!) I collect quotes, old books, and memories. And I love Jesus. My “…determined purpose is that I may know Him. That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly.” Phil 3:10a

How did you get into photography?

My story is not one that starts out explaining how I’ve been obsessed with photography since I was 3 and ½ and held a camera in my hands for the first time. I didn’t get my own camera until I was 15, and it was just a point and shoot digital camera. I bought it because we were living in Colorado at the time and wanted to be able to take pictures of the mountains and all the gorgeous scenery I was constantly surrounded by. I definitely had no thoughts of making it a business or becoming a wedding photographer. Slowly but surely I started taking more and more pictures of people along with all the landscape/nature pictures I was taking and then decided that people were actually a lot more fun to shoot.

Over a period of about 2 years I got a nicer camera, took a couple of classes, and started a portrait business. The last 2 and 1/2 years since then have been spent building up my business into a full time job and I’m in my second year of shooting weddings, which is my absolute fav. Photography is not my all-consuming passion, there are a lot of things in my life that are more important to me than my job and business. But, I do adore what I do. Documenting love and happiness is one of the greatest things ever--in my humble opinion.

What is your favorite part about photography/being a photographer?

The fact that I get to be a part of the most intimate, happy, and exciting days and moments of people’s lives never really gets old. I see their tears, their laughter, I get to catch the adoring looks a couple exchanges during an engagement shoot, and their ecstatic happy smiles as the fact that they’re REALLY MARRIED sinks in during those first few moments after the wedding ceremony. I get to take the pictures that they’re going to show their children and grandchildren someday as they tell the story of how they fell in love. Pretty special I think.

One lens you couldn't live (or at least shoot) without?

50mm 1.4, HANDS DOWN. It’s my baby and I sometimes shoot whole weddings with that one lens—that’s how much I seriously love it.

Five favorite images from your whole career are?

Oh dear, this feels a little bit like having to pick a favorite child or something, I could never pick absolute favorites, but I guess these are some top picks:

Your biggest inspirations?

Mmmm, not sure if we’re talking photography inspirations, or life in general inspirations, so I’ll give you a little of both.

Photography:
The Poser (he actually only lives about 15 minutes away from me, so I'm hoping that means that someday I'll run into him at the grocery store or something.)
Jonas Peterson
Jose Villa

Life:
Ann Voskamp: A Holy Experience: her blog A Holy Experience is a daily read for me, and her book “One Thousand Gifts” is one of the most challenging books I’ve ever read
Oswald Chambers – Favorite author of all time, hands down. I’ll never get tired of reading his words, and consequently being challenged by them.

Best tip for any aspiring photographer?

As cliché and boring as it may sound, take LOTS of pictures! There's really no better way to learn than to take hundreds and hundreds of pictures, every week if you can! And then critique those pictures, think about what you like and don't like about each one, and what you'd do different if you could take the picture again...and then apply what you've learned the next time you take pictures!

Find mentors in your area that you can take out for coffee or lunch and just pick their brain. Ask if you can go along with them on shoots and even just hold their bags or be their assistant so you can see them in action and learn how the "pros" do things.

And don’t ever let your equipment hold you back. Nice equipment can be helpful but it’s not absolutely essential to becoming a good photographer. Learn to work with what you have and then as you are able to buy nicer equipment your job will just become easier and easier!

Funniest (or most embarrassing story) from a shoot?

I’m sure I’ve had them…and blocked them from my memory :)

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for reading, friends!

And thank you Hannah for interviewing me, I’m so honored to be featured on your blog!


Isn't she great? And don't you just love her photos? Thanks so much again, Jessica! Make sure to head to her blog and check out more of her wonderful work. Also, follow her on twitter and like her work on facebook! Make sure to leave some comment love as well!

On another note...I'm having surgery later today to remove an extra bone in my ankle that's causing impingement. It's what's been the source of the intense pain in my foot, so I'm definitely ready to have the surgery to get it fixed so it can begin to heal. However, to say that I'm a bit nervous would be an understatement. Would so appreciate prayers today!

mornings

I'm not a winter child. I love the season as much as one can when living in negative thirty degree temperatures. It's not to say that I don't like it, but in Minnesota, the world is somewhat frozen, and come December, chilly is and understatement. I love winter up until January second...then the magic of the season is gone and I'm ready for the snow to turn into slush.



Yesterday we had our first frost. The world was covered in a thin sheet of sparkling white ice and the air tasted like snow. I threw on a sweatshirt and stepped outside, breathing in the world. My fingers were numb as I pressed the shutter and my toes were cold. It was quiet and still as my feet crunched on the fragile ground and my breath came out in frosty whirls that reminded me winter was not far away.



The trees had dropped most of their leaves and lay on the ground, gold and red covered in shimmering white. There are still many days of fall ahead, but as the season looms to a close, with winter just in sight, I'm ready for it. I'm ready to enjoy the last month or so of autumn, these fleeting golden days of bonfires and hot apple cider steaming and pumpkin patch journeys and the last few leaves still to fall.



However...the thought of cozy mornings, staring out the window at a world thick with a blanket of snow while sipping a mug of steaming chai, doesn't sound so bad to me. Hot oatmeal, cooked overnight with apples and cinnamon, for breakfast, woolen socks, and mittens covering the littles fingers, all red with cold. Cheeks flushed and eyes bright as they make snowmen or angels or even have a snowball fight. And then there's the promise of days spent making cookies, the weekend when we put up the lights, and the day we go downtown. Thick white flakes falling and trees covered in frost, Christmas music, roaring fires, and hours spent with family, tucked inside warm houses with people I love so very much.



It sounds contradictory, but secretly, I'm excited for winter to come. And all because of a first frost.