photography by melanie mauer, your moments remembered

happy holidays

photo: melaniemauer.com

happy holidays!  we're out of the office but wanted to pop in with a treat!  our new addition, ashleigh, brought these oh-so-yummy cookies in and we had to share the recipe!  

ginger cookies

3/4 cup of shortening

1 cup sugar 

 

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ginger

2 cups flour
2 tsp of baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

 

additional sugar in a bowl

 

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses.  In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Slowly add dry mixture to wet (this batter becomes very thick, using a stand mixer helps.) Chill dough in refrigerator for an hour (or in freezer for 10-15 mins). When dough is firm, roll into balls.  Roll balls in bowl of sugar (until the entire ball is covered) and place on ungreased cookie sheet (leave room for dough to spread).  Bake at 350 for 8-10 mins.  (or until they start to crack at the top) Let cool for a moment on cookie sheet, when able to transfer let them finish cooling on a cookie rack.

(handed down from her college friend, Allison)

snuggle in close to the people you love - see you in 2010!  warmly, -melanie-

ella: charleston wv newborn photography

it's hard to describe how lucky i feel when a couple that i witnessed marry has me to their home when a baby arrives...and a lot of those babies are being born which makes it such a fun reunion!  i look at that face and see little bits of mom, dad, and grandparents. 

i think to myself, what a lucky baby to have arrived in a home with so much love.  such is the case with you baby ella.  -m-

you will always be your child's favorite toy. 

[vicki lansky, trouble-free travel with children]

 
 

the cutest personalized stamps...i think i'll make audrey one of these for her birthday

i love dreaming up getaways (and this article has lots of great ideas)

a poster to give at valentine's day for anyone with a fiance in med school

emily + chad: lexington engagement photography

i was a little weak in the knees over emily's great boots & silk top!  we were lucky enough to have an unseasonably warm day to shoot and i loved getting to know them, see how they interacted...how happy they are to be together! 

i fell in love with emily (who couldn't - she's sweet as pie!) months ago and so I was excited to see who she had fallen in love with and picked to be beside forever.  enter chad...sincere, kind & incredibly funny :) 

thank you, emily & chad for pausing life for a moment to be photographed!  -m-





my whole heart for my whole life.  [saying used inside rings in france]

* the perfect engagement treat for an ice-cream loving couple

* with a toddler in the house, we should stock up on these! so cute!

* i picked up some books to read during our holiday time off and think they would be so lovely with these on the pages.  (sweet patterned page corners)

* cute month-by-month signs for bebe

published: style me pretty

we couldn't be more delighted!  -m-

published: an article about balance in professional photographer magazine

happy news, my work has been published in Professional Photographer Magazine (ppmag.com). i talk a little about creating work/life balance and photography gear i prefer.  yes, i'm totally blushing.  and when i blush, it's not a lovely pink to the cheeks, it's a full 'red as a tomato' sort of deal ;)  i'm pretty sure i'll be this way until at *least* next tuesday. really thrilled with the wonderful company in the same article: davina fear, laura cottril & claudia kronenberg.

i'm so looking forward to the workshop (and think it's sort of funny that this is the same beautiful inn that the wedding crashers movie was filmed at) - i'll be speaking about...

* balance/simplicity - having a business that enriches your life
* love & kindness - their place in the business world (answer: right up front!)  
* beautiful business collateral/systems that foster connection

(if you're a photographer headed there, please feel free to write me beforehand with any questions and i'll make sure they're addressed during the class)

have the best week! -m-

p.s. tonight i'll be at bella bliss's open house...come stop by!

a tiny holiday gift project

i had a moment this evening to work on a gift for audrey's grandparents and thought i'd share in case you have a little downtime this weekend! i think this little set of 4x6 prints (edges cut with a corner rounder) and set on a small easel are sweet.  and a great way to use some of the photos you've taken throughout the year. if you've done a session with us and ordered the high resolution files, this would be easy-peasy & so cute!!  warmly, -melanie-

a few options: mine below, and another

love these hangers for organizing clothes for the week

the most enjoyable registry ever to peruse

a fun list of questions to ask your children each birthday

workshop on the waterfront: march 28-31

This has been such an amazing week...and it's topped off by announcing a workshop i'll be speaking at next march.  registration starts dec 1 and i'll be joined by these wonderful photographers!  i'm looking forward to meeting all of you! 

Mika Beth Edwards

Jessica Grieves

Bev Hollis

Marta Locklear

Melanie Mauer <- one very excited photographer

Jodie Otte

 

lots of incredible content, an amazing location for learning, shooting and relaxing - so glad to be there!  we are busy elves in the office working on your orders/proofs...oh, and we have a new too cute blog in the works!  happy thanksgiving in advance wonderful clients! 

out of the office: november 25-27, december 23 - january 1  warmly, -melanie-

lesley

hi there!

popping in with a quick reminder to come to the holly day market this week!  so so excited to be there...and i'll be available in the afternoons to chat & answer any questions you might have about family portraits.  wondering where to go?  what to wear? what to do with the gorgeous images you'll get afterwards?  i'll have ideas for you about all of that along with a cozy couch to sit on while we visit :) 

oooh, i want to share images of too-cute lesley.  so adore this family!!!!  seniors are SO fun and lesley is amazing...sweet as pie!  thank you for making the drive in to lexington for this fun session...so happy to see you again in a couple days!  warmly, -melanie-

 

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous. [coco chanel] 

a commercial i love
video notes: fast forward to minute 4:30 if you want the abbreviated version.  minute 5:18 makes me tear up.  thank you for letting me preserve your happy moments. 

anne + frank: a fall day at keeneland

love a cool day where i can spend some time proofing :)  here's a peek at what's on my computer!  anne & frank, you are so incredibly wonderful...i feel so at home with you and anticipate your wedding with delight!  -m-

the cutest playroom...look at those sweet books lined up on open shelves, bliss!  let's sit on that cozy window seat and chat :)

via here

 
a great post on 14 books to help ease children through transitions (arrival of a sibling, starting school, moving...)

quote of the day

the glad game

i love my sweet yoga teacher.  i love my sweet dentist.  i love a very sweet cupcake bakery.   i find that my interactions with others are a highlight of my life.  this week audrey's goldfish (version 3.0 mind you) died...she was heartbroken. 

as a parent, i walk into her room every day with my breath held to see if he's still swimming...and he was...until after some friends left one evening and we were getting ready for bed.  tears are falling on the floor.  we removed the tank from her room and just talked a bit.  and after the tears stopped i said "do you think we should end the day on a happier note?". "let's play the glad game"...and so while she listened, i went on and on about all the things about her and our family and our happy life that made me glad. 

and it was surprisingly wonderful.  and she wants to do it every evening ;)  (granted, i can't sift out exactly what percentage of this is a delay of bedtime but we can always throw in some gladness at the end of the day to indulge a little)  so, on the eve of november...i challenge you to do a little glad game of your own and see how mood elevating it is!  will you share with me your thoughtful thanksgiving traditions?  it's a favored holiday of mine and i want to spice it up a little this year :)  warmly, -melanie-



to the simmons family - you make me very very glad!

baby, it's cold outside [limited edition] sessions

i adore the junior league's holly day market...so fun, so many great gift items that make shopping a breeze*...and i'm so happy that they'd like me to do mini sessions concurrently!  gladly, cute junior leaguers! and while i'm at it, thank you for the good effect your work has on our community! 

this year we'll be at the civic center...a more contemporary setting (so dress your cute kiddos accordingly)...we'll have options in case of inclement weather (big yay!).

details: a 15-20 min session, $125
where: downtown lexington, lexington convention center

1-2 children (or you and a child), for additional siblings please add $25/child.  since these will be outside, please have children bundled in warm winter wear - maybe think darling patterned tights, boots, scarves, mittens and especially hats :)

in 4 weeks, we'll present 3-4 too cute images.  since it's so close to the holidays we won't be able to make to get prints back to you but if digital files are part of your purchase we'll send those to you ahead of time so you can make prints for gifts (shop ahead for great frames!). 

* tickets for the holly day market can be purchased here

p.s. the photo above is of sweet lauren in bardstown...truly one of my favorite images of the year.  oh that hair makes me smile!  can you imagine having that lovely face look up at you?  what a dreamy, happy life it is to be your photographer :) 

jennifer + trey: an anniversary

hello to you!  so, we had *the* best summer...and now *the* best fall and frankly, you haven't seen too much of it on this dear little blog!  but, i have been twittering with some regularity :)  it’s been an amazing year…and I’m looking forward to sharing lots of images once the holidays wrap up!

 

a quick reminder that prints you’d like to have in time for holiday delivery should be ordered *this* week…we need a bit of extra time to deal with the amount that comes in this time of year! 

 

On to sweet Jennifer & Trey!  Over the years I’ve noticed a ‘gap’ in photographs.  Too often it goes from wedding images to family shots with nothing in between.

Perhaps because in my particular case there were several years in between getting married to having Audrey, I think that can be far too long so I've been delighted with the anniversary shoots clients have arranged this year! 

 

Totally smitten with these two and their ability to relish the great moments (I particularly love their travel adventures)….i feel so strongly that photography holds a key to helping us preserve our memory of happy times.  And seriously, who wouldn’t love photographs of their parents like this?  There’s an image of my grandfather sitting on a fence holding a darling beagle puppy that stands out as a favorite in our collection because of the sweet smile on his face.  Thank you, Jennifer & Trey for being beyond wonderful!  -m-

 

make-up: ana crane simpson

 

check out:

a great blog series about having a 'first look' with your groom from a fun wedding planner (saundra hadley in indiana)

 

this talk by james nachtwey really moved me…not only are his images incredible but they stir my heart in a deep way and I think they are powerful enough to illicit change.  Well worth 20 minutes to view. 

the most delightful building swathed in liberty print

 

all the choreographed first dances at weddings this year have been so fun!  Here’s one via Cup of Jo (you’ll see three small boxes, click on the 2^nd):

love these mini chalkboards…I’m a message sort of girl: a smile on the fogged up window for Audrey, notes in a shoe or emails in the middle of the day to jason saying ‘I love you’…when I was little I had a box that I put messages back and forth in with my mom, perhaps that’s where the love stems…write a sweet note to someone you love soon

quote of the day

10 things that make me oh so happy (by laura)

photo via here

The sound of children singing

2.       Dogs bathing in a sunbeam

3.       Toddler girls in jumpers with striped leggings

4.       Baby birds in a nest

5.       Eating tomatoes fresh off the vine

6.       Peonies the day before they fully bloom

7.       Stepping out of a cold building into the sunlight

8.       The moment right before the curtain opens on a broadway show

9.       My grandmother’s voice when she discovers it’s me on the telephone

10.   High school football games – and all that goes with them – crisp fall evenings, marching bands, cheerleaders, proud parents

      warmly, 

Laura

From Melanie: we've been thinking lots lately about our favorite things...will you join us by adding yours in the comments or offering to guest blog on the topic?  thank you for letting us share so many of your happy moments :) 

quote of the day

gina, lance and 10 years of being your photographer

there's so much to share...i've been having the best time working on proofs as of late.  and the sessions have made me over-the-top-happy...i feel really fortunate to have the view of the world i do.  this week i literally had to pinch myself.  the blog is so behind...ie: 30+ sessions of goodness behind!  will you just smile when you see those leaves on the trees in january when there's a chance to catch it all up?  ;)  because i'm such a visual person, i really struggle to eloquently craft a little paragraph that communicates how i feel to a degree that satisfies so  i wait for time to really think about a session and the time i had to spend with you! 

gina, lance and their family were wonderful - we did this session for a couple reasons.  first, to create an image for an announcement and also to create images of their new blended family for their home. i love that now, as they share lives, the images on their wall will reflect this new beautiful family of theirs.  here's a peek at their beautiful announcement.

 

it's not nearly done but i'm already feeling like i've had one of the best years imaginable.  thank you, thank you, thank you...next week marks my 10th year in business.  it means more than i can express to have been present when you say 'i do', as you've welcomed babies into your home and to see them grow.  i appreciate that i'm involved with recording your visual history and i really do feel that it's so much better to have consistency in that if at all possible.  moves happen but if circumstances allow, i think the loveliest option is to utilize one photographer so that the voice amongst the images in your home all 'play' well together - they have a similar feeling and voice to them.  yesterday, the most darling mother mentioned her young daughter and the fact that i would be there to photograph the wedding and my heart jumped - it's never an assumption i make that i'll get to share life beside you, just a deep deep hope.  you make life rich - merci. 

quote of the day

fall sessions, holiday cards, save-the-dates

it's warm outside but if you're thinking of making the cutest ever holiday cards, call soon because we only have 8 5 spots left for sessions before our ordering deadline for the end of year. yes, this is my 'call pronto' hint :) 

we have cute cards in progress right now and it made me want to share a save the date project for a wedding coming up in a few weeks.  the sweet bride and i drove around the 1000+ acre property - before then i remember asking "are you sure you don't want to be in any of the photos? maybe just a few?" but it was such a fun assignment. my college training was in fine art photography which is part of why i love to also capture the things in a baby's nursery or the details on a wedding day.  thank you kristin for a wonderful commission!  i love how it turned out!  i'm so excited for your wedding!

casey + chris - an engagement

i was laughing all the way through this session because chris is nothing short of hilarious!  it's fun to see who a bride picks to spend forever with, and casey is going to have a terrific life with lots of laughter!  i think i'm going to unpack their uhaul so they don't move to texas.

among those whom i like or admire, i can find no common denominator, but among those whom i love, i can: all of them make me laugh. [ w.h. auden ]

carrie, barrett & baby cole

the first shot when my website opens is of a vintage car traveling down a tree lined road...the couple tucked inside and oh-so-in love are carrie & barrett...and now their family has grown!  what a happy reunion to meet their little one!  (carrie & barrett, i think you're pretty fantastic - if at any point you need a 'gushing reference': someone who can go on an on about your wonderfulness, just send 'em my way ;))

where does the family start? it starts with a young man falling in love with a girl - no superior alternative has yet been found. [ winston churchill ]

lexington cancer foundation

hi friends!

it's been a little while - we are busy bees and sometimes the blog gathers a tiny bit of dust this time of year.  first, thank you over and over again for an absolutely magnificent summer!  it has been the best! 

there's so much to share...oh my!  but i'll start with a peek at a couple great events the lexington cancer foundation organized - their annual wine auction and hats for life.  i'm so impressed with what this foundation does - every event is impeccable.  and kristi martin, the executive director, manages to craft events that are both elegant and FUN!   i feel deeply honored to record a tiny bit of the work they do and adore the amazing women on their board.

definitely plan to come to this event next april!  tickets are so so reasonable and there were so many great hats! location: hilary j. boone center on uk's campus

she happened to look cute in absolutely everything she put on!

an image from the wine auction held at keeneland

how wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. [ anne frank ]

a few things to share:

an incredibly thoughtful engagement story
a darling gift for your favorite 3 year old boy
these are my kind of alphabet prints!

so happy for a recent feature on style me pretty - merci, abby & eddye!

quote of the day

jenny + brad

so happy to introduce you to jenny & brad...i adore the sensibilty of this couple.  elegant, classic, sweet and generous beyond compare - i definitely feel fortunate that the work i do allowed our paths to cross.  even at the start of the day as jenny arrived at the church with a blue button down shirt on, i felt so overcome by her beauty as a bride.  we were in favored spots - mt. horeb, and the headley (which continues to take my breath away) and the day was made all that much better because jenny had a planner there to help the day roll along without a snag (thank you, alicia!). jenny & brad, your images are my love letter to you - a handful of seconds, carefully strung together so that you may remember your beautiful day years and years from now.  next time i'm in new york, i'm calling!  -melanie-

neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. love, love, love, that is the soul of genius. [ mozart ]

wedding notes

flowers: Suzanne Bauer
makeup: Ana Crane Simpson
planner: Great Expectations, Alicia DeBoor
cake: Martine's
shoes: Kate Spade
ceremony:Mt. Horeb Presbyterian Church, Lexington, KY
reception: Headley-Whitney Museum, Lexington, KY (contact: ivey henton)

girlfriends [limited edition] session

in honor of friendship day (first sunday in august) we're adding a few select spots for a special girlfriends [ limited edition ] session - jot us a note and on aug 8th, grab your besties because wonderful friendships makes life better :) and who doesn't want a great photo of all their girlfriends in their home! 

girlfriends [limited edition] session
when: saturday, august 8th
where: downtown lexington
details: a 15-20 minute session for up to 4 friends ($25 for additional friends), $125

kindly pick your preferred time:
4:30
5:00
5:30
6:00
6:30

in 4 weeks, we'll present 3-4 gorgeous images in a special online gallery.  thank you for treasuring your friendships!  can't wait to see you!  -m-

p.s. pictured is cute mmp office manager, laura (on right), and her sweet friend rachael.

life is to be fortified by many friendships [ sydney smith ]

thank you snippet & ink for the kind mention

thank you kindly to sweet kathryn @ snippet and ink for sharing chloe & shea's wedding with her readers! 

hope everyone is off to a great start this week. 

i think these boots are cute enough to make me hope for raindrops
-m-

oh snippet & ink, we're blushing!

it's such a treat to see an image you've made pop up in one of kathryn's fantastic inspirations boards on the lovely snippet and ink!  merci, kathryn!  (they always seem to make it in my favorite ones...here's the last one via elizabeth anne designs)  my photo is the striped tie and chamomile bout from chloe & shea's wedding planned by the ever wonderful mackenzie spalding

here's to a wonderful long weekend next to the ones you love!  warmly, -melanie-

camden - week one

i'm convinced i spent at least an hour a day gushing over this sweet family...anyone who knows them, knows how fantastic they are.  and there's this lovely little walk down memory lane that happens as i  see a family grow to include a new baby. this shot is in camden's nursery...i know that at some point he'll know, he's incredibly lucky to have these two as his parents. -m-


a baby overwhelms us with it's lovableness; even it's smell stirs us more deeply than the smell of pine or baking bread. what is overpowering is simply the fact that a baby is life. [ bill cosby ]

[ one day ] a celebration of family

in our last newsletter we shared a peek at a new offering - [ one day ] a celebration of family - is a day long look at family life. a documentation of what an entire day holds: getting ready, lunch, going to the park, bubbles, baking cookies. making a record at various times in your life is hugely important. a series of these books will become an family treasure...a way of stitching together a few minutes from each hour to tell the story of love you have for one another. with affection, may i please present, a work that comes from my heart - a heart that finds families the most beautiful thing on earth.

see [ one day ] - the fenwicks

a huge thank you to the endlessly sweet fenwicks for their trust - i hope that by the end of this, you'll fall in love with them like i did a few years ago when i walked beside them on the day they married. and perhaps you'll also imagine a bit of what your [ one day ] would hold.

if you're interested in something similar for your family, please let me know - we can do coverage in kentucky or perhaps at your vacation home late this summer/fall. our signature 1 hr sessions are almost completely full for summer so let us know soon if you're up for a fun shoot at the state fair with games/bright colors behind you...maybe eating cotton candy? or we can find a peaceful park for a picnic! i hope my love for you and what we create is evident...it's an incredibly happy life because of my association with you!

if you're a client or prospective client and would like to receive our occasional notes, please sign up below...you have our promise that we won't inundate you with mailings...just the occasional letter to say hi and let you know of news :) -m-

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back from an adventure

i've spent a blissful few days with 12 wonderful women photographers in beautiful & quirky marfa, tx.

it was a sundrenched adventure!

if you have an email in the inbox, you'll be sure to hear from us tuesday when we're all back in the office! -m-