all things a

New blog!

2010-03-01T12:47:00.000-06:00

Come on over to my new blog, http://www.jallisonandrews.com/blog!

Newest designs posted on Facebook

2010-02-23T11:42:00.001-06:00

I wanted to post my latest designs on my blog, but there are a lot. So to save time, I'm just posting the link to them on FB. Click here to check them out. I think I have it set up so that anyone can view the album. Let me know if you have any trouble.

Thanks for looking!

New photography site, new options

2010-02-16T13:44:00.002-06:00

I've just launched my new photography site! Same address, jallisonandrewsphotography.com.

Two main reasons for the new site. I can use it now for all my proofing instead of a separate site/hoster that I had been using. Also, you can now order your photos through the site. The new site has a fully functional shopping cart. Both features save time and money. I also wanted a fresh, new look. I still have lots of photos to add! Thanks for being patient, and make sure to check back for new photos.

One of the options that I've decided to do now is to sell the digital files. For $400 you will receive 25 images that you choose from your session on a CD - fully-edited and formatted at a high resolution (up to 16x20). If you want additional files, they will be $10 each. In addition to that, all prints will be 40% off the listed prices with the purchase of this CD.

I'm really excited to be offering the CD now. I've felt conflicted about doing this for awhile. From a business/artistic standpoint, I like being able to see the finished product. And by offering the CD, I don't get to see the final printed piece. But as a mom and scrapbooker (who's been a scrapbook slacker for a long time), I know how important those files are. So that's why I've decided to sell them. And you might be wondering why I decided on 25 images. From experience, usually families really love and order around 10-15 actual "poses", even though there might be 150 proofs. I feel that 25 is a generous amount. Plus I'm giving clients the option to purchase additional images for $10 each once they've reached the 25.

Also, if you purchase the CD, I'm selling the prints to you for 40% off. A lot of people will definitely want to print their own which is why they purchase the CD to begin with, but some clients will still want to order prints from me, for those larger prints that will be mounted on art board or for canvases.

I still have the option that if you spend a minimum of $300, for an extra $25, you can have up to 6 images on a CD. It was 8, but I lowered it to 6. But I added that if you reach the minimum and choose to purchase the CD, your subsequent prints will be 30% off.

I hope everything sounds clear and that you will take advantage of these offers! Please visit my site and email me if you have any questions.

And I can't end the post without a photo, so I wanted to share this one. Big A was crafting yesterday while I was working on some things. When she showed me what she had made I was beyond impressed. She had created these little fairies out of various pieces of paper that she had cut up for their different body parts (including wings and hair, and maybe even wings for hair!), colored and all stapled together. My future little artist in the making!

SNOW DAY!

2010-02-11T20:54:00.000-06:00

People, it snowed today! And I'm not just saying a little bit of snow, but it has literally snowed all. day. long. It's the most snow I've ever seen - aside from skiing trips to Colorado. It's so beautiful!

Best news of the night...no school tomorrow! And we're out Monday too. Hooray for a 4-day weekend!

Jill + Brad

2010-02-10T17:28:00.001-06:00

Last weekend I had the privilege of shooting my sister's and Brad's engagement pics. We headed to Fort Worth and had lots of fun finding unique spots. But it was FREEZING, and Jill was in sleeveless attire. She didn't complain much though!

Can't wait for their wedding in July! I'm so excited about Lindsey shooting their wedding. I was in charge of finding the photog and I've been in love with her work for a long time. So to be able to finally get to meet her and watch her do her magic is going to be so awesome.

Here's a sneak peek of the shoot. Click on it for the full effect!

Hard to believe...

2010-02-03T21:35:00.000-06:00

but I'm TWO months old today!

Valentine's cards without Sponge Bob?

2010-02-01T11:40:00.001-06:00

Tired of character cards for Valentine's Day? I am!

Get custom-designed Valentines cards - with or without a picture - for your child's Valentines to hand out to classmates! You can even have your child's artwork on the card. Much cuter and more personalized that Sponge Bob or Tinkerbell!

Limited time offer - $30 for a set of 25. (limited revisions)

$30 includes the design fee and sales tax. Contact me soon! The 14th will be here before we know it. Offer ends February 8th.

A happy goodbye to January

2010-01-27T00:37:00.003-06:00

Do you ever feel like this? Like you're barely hanging on?

I've kind of felt like that for the month of January. It has been somewhat hectic around here. And I just thought I needed to tie that picture in somehow. I went in to turn out the light the other night and Little A had strategically placed her stuffed animals hanging from the top bunk. I got so tickled by that.

Back to topic. For the past month or so, someone in the family has been sick. We're glad to see January end! Christopher's had a cough, Little A, too, and both big girls had a stomach bug at the end of December. Then the worst...Camille got RSV about a week ago. I know! Yuck! She's finally better, but it took about a week. Thankfully, it took only that long - according to so many people I've talked to - and with no hospital stay. She really scared me a few nights with her coughing fits, but I just prayed and did what the doctor told me to, and she recovered quickly. (Oh, and I also figured out when I went to refill the prescription that I had been giving her the steroid too often. Oops! Maybe that's why she got better faster!)

I wish I could say that part of the craziness has been due to my preparation for the Warrior Dash that I registered for (I mainly signed up to accomplish 2010's Goal #2 ), but I have yet to start training. According to the Web site, it's going to be "the craziest frickin' day of your life." Sounds like it will fit right in to my already craziness. But not quite. It's a 5K, wild obstacle course - including lots of mud, a little fire, water and even a mock tornado. Not only am I doing it, but I talked my sisters into doing it, their friends and more family. Christopher found out about it first and signed up then I thought it sounded like fun. So when I wasn't in my right mind, I signed up too. We'll see! It's May 1st. And it's two miles from my house. Did I mention we even get a furry warrior helmet with horns?

Am I crazy or what?

I do want to say how proud I am of Christopher for already starting and sticking to our running plan!

Not much else to report so I'll end with a few pics of my sweeties.

Top 5 goals for 2010

2010-01-08T10:48:00.002-06:00

I don't really make New Year's resolutions. But with that being said, I am very driven by goals.

I hesitate to publish these on a blog, but what better way to be motivated than to be accountable to those friends and followers who read my blog?

So here are my TOP 5 for the year:

1. Redo my blog. I'm still waiting on inspiration, but it WILL get a makeover.

2. Look decent in a bridesmaids dress. I tricked you, didn't I? Notice I did NOT say lose weight, but my friends, that's what's going to have to happen. Working out and eating better has never been more imminent than this year. Jill Pill is getting married on July 24th and I am a bridesmaid with all the other skinnies in the wedding. I'd hate to have to wear the plus-size business suit since they didn't have my size in the dress she wanted! Ha!

3. Print and organize my pictures. Kind of embarrassing to admit, but other than the photos here and there that I've framed and hung in my house, I have not consistently printed pictures since Little A was a baby. I have thousands of digital images on my computer, but none have made it to an album. I'm excited to take on this project!

4. Brush up on photography and design skills. Christopher bought me a reflector for Christmas that I'm excited to play with and figure out ways to use it and also a Bamboo Craft: Pen and Touch. It's such a cool tool! It allows you to sketch, create fonts and have more control over your brushes in Photoshop - and I'm sure a lot more things that I just don't know yet. I'm looking forward to learning how to use it. There are other specifics that I want to work on, too, but boring to mention.

5. Have better balance. At the end of the day, I call it a good day when I've had balance. A little work, a little play, a little housework, a little me time. Some days, at the end of the day, I realize that I've worked too much when I should have been enjoying the kids. After all, they are the reason I am at home. So, I need to put away the laptop and be really engaged with them when they are here.

I look at Little A now that's she's 3, and I think this is how old Big A was when Little A was born. So, now I look at Baby C and think she's going to be 3, before I can blink. So I vow to take time, and enjoy the present...enjoy them...try not to get caught up in the monotony of the day...to take it all in, because before I realize it will be me having to worry about fitting into a mother of the bride's dress.

What are your goals for 2010?

I'm 1 month old today!

2010-01-03T17:55:00.002-06:00

Can't believe baby C is already a month old!

She just now got her little baby zits, and I think her cold is back. Yuck! But she is still as sweet as ever. Today I was changing her diaper and she spit up - really it was more like a throw-up - and it literally just covered her entire face and head. She was solid white! Jennifer witnessed it, and it was a first for us. It was really sad. But she never cried! She's such a good baby.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T22:59:00.002-06:00

Is it really 2010? I can't believe it. 2009 was a great one - a year of so many blessings!

After being stuck in the house for four days due to a sick husband and kids, we finally got out and had a fun girls day. We went to the American Girl Doll Store and ice skating at the Galleria. The dolls and the girls and I ate at the Bistro. If you've never been there, and you have little girls, you have to go. The decor is beautiful and the service is totally centered around the girls and their dolls. After eating, we did a little shopping. Little A got some pajamas to match her doll's pajamas and Big A got her doll's ears pierced. Yes, you can get their ears pierced! I think I might like that store as much as they do.

Then it was on to ice skating. Little A lasted about 2 strides on the ice, I lasted about one time around (those skates HURT!) and Big A went around a couple more times. Mimi and Camille watched from the sidelines.

It was a fun day - being with my favorite girls in the whole world - and a great way to end 2009.

Here's to a healthy and happy 2010!

Favorites of December 2009

2009-12-27T22:24:00.002-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We had such a great one, and I can't believe it's already over. Since my last post, I've had several posts composed in my mind, but obviously none have made it to the blog. So I've decided to summarize my top 5 things of the month (not really in any particular order).

1. Ava turned three! We actually had her party the weekend before Camille was born, but she turned three on December 14th. We love this little girl to pieces. She is definitely our feisty one. She keeps us on our toes! She's so comical, she's smart and such a cutie. I cannot believe that my little Bebe is THREE.

Yay for a family pic at her bday party!

2. jallisonandrews.com a success! Thanks to so many of you, I had a great year and especially a great holiday season. Lots of photos shoots and lots of Christmas cards designed and I loved it all. I was a little stressed about a week before Christmas since no presents were bought and I still had a few business matters to take care of, but, everything worked out and got finished. And I even got our family's cards designed and sent out before Christmas!

3. SNOW! Can you believe it actually snowed on Christmas Eve? It was so pretty. Even though it didn't stick, we loved watching it fall. A real white Christmas.

4. A beautiful Christmas with family The girls had such a great time and it was so nice to see their faces as they opened their presents. They loved their gifts from Santa - American Girl dolls and a Wii (complete with the Super Mario Brothers game - I used to love that game!). They have so much new stuff. Where to put it all, I have no idea.

Here they are Christmas morning...

5. Camille's first Christmas. She is perfect. Really, could I ask for a better Christmas gift?

Look who's already 1 week old!

2009-12-11T16:53:00.000-06:00

Well, she's actually one week and one day old.

Camille is so precious and we are loving her every minute.

She's been such a good baby so far - except when I put her down. :) I have a hard time not holding her constantly. I think it's because I realize how fast time flies and I know she won't be this little and this lovable for long.

It's hard to believe that we have 3 daughters!

I am overwhelmed with love and joy.

What a gift!

2009-12-04T13:17:00.000-06:00

Camille Lila Andrews was born 12/3/09 at 7:35 pm. She weighed 7 lbs. 14 ozs. and measured 21 inches. We're both doing great. I had a shower and makeup on by 9 am!

She's perfect and beautiful and we love her so much!

Of course, there"ll be more pics!

The Big Day

2009-11-30T18:23:00.000-06:00

To all my friends in blog land...This Thursday, December 3rd, is the big day! Baby Girl Andrews will make her debut!

I'm scheduled to be induced at 8 am. I'll try and update my blog soon after I have her. At least I'll send out some tweets throughout the day. :)

Please specifically pray that she is healthy and the delivery is smooth. Also, I need prayers for pain management. I had a bad epidural experience with Little A so I'm really nervous about the epidural.

Thank you, friends!

She said YES!

2009-11-23T07:17:00.002-06:00

Of course I've been meaning to post, but there's just so much going on right now. I have a hard time justifying blogging when I have a mile-long to-do list.

But last weekend, we had something really exciting happen. My youngest sister, Jill, got engaged! We couldn't be happier with her choice. Brad's a super nice, laid-back guy and we love him. He's an Aggie, too, so that makes him even better.

I tried to capture some pics from the engagement. Yes, we all got to witness it! I was so nervous, but everything went smoothly.

By the way, her ring is beautiful. I don't have a close-up, but it's a solitaire, princess-cut carat and a half rock.

Not only are we gaining Brad, but I also get a new niece and the A girls have a new cousin. Brad has a daughter, Madee, who's such a sweetheart. We all love her, and the girls play so well together. Yes, more girls in the family! I admit that I'm starting to feel a little sorry for all the men in the family.

In the Andrews household, we've been working hard getting ready for the baby. The girls' rooms are finally being finished (photos to come!), and I'm working like crazy on photos and Christmas cards.

Thanks for checking in!

Engagement sneak peek

2009-11-11T20:30:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad I was able to squeeze in this engagement shoot - B (the beautiful bride I recently shot) and her finance. I had lots of fun experimenting with the sunlight and different types of shots.

It's obvious they're crazy about each other, so it made the shoot a lot of fun. And won't they make really cute babies?

Thank you J and B!

Latest favorites

2009-11-08T01:04:00.000-06:00

It's too late for me to think of any commentary, but I did want to post some of my favorites from the latest shoots. I have lots more, but this will have to do for now. I've had such a good time photographing all the families!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy November

2009-11-01T06:58:00.000-06:00

Hope you and your family had a fun Halloween.

Here are my little trick or treaters...Big A as a witch, Little A as Tinkerbell (without her wings) and Dixie as a princess.

Have a great week!

Reminders and bridal shoot highlights

2009-10-28T20:07:00.008-05:00

Just wanted to give some reminders and updates...

Unfortunately I can't book any more shoots. I am booked for 2009! With the baby coming soon, I'm stopping a little early, and leaving myself time to try and get all the photos edited and ordered before the baby comes. And with that in mind, please remember...

- If you want photos before Christmas, I must have your order no later than November 15th. If it's after that, I cannot guarantee that they will be ready in time.

- Deadline for ordering Christmas cards...Whether I take the photos or you submit photos to me for cards, the latest I will take orders for cards will be December 10th.

And now photo time...

I had the best time today at a bridal shoot with B and her mom. She is a childhood friend of my youngest sister, Jill, so not only was it fun to catch up with her and her mom but she was such a beautiful and fun bride to photograph. We were really worried about the weather - and the sun didn't shine for us - but at least the rain held out.

Here are some favorites...

Some shoots, some soccer

2009-10-18T22:37:00.000-05:00

We had two fun-filled shoots this weekend and two fun-filled soccer games. Wasn't the weather awesome?

First a look at the shoots...

I had a good time photographing L and her sweet family...

Twins, C and H, were such cute, mischievous little boys. They wanted no part of taking pics, they just wanted to play! But I think we all had a good time and we got some good shots.

Here's my friend, Paige's kids. Poor C's ear hurt, so we had to be quick to get a good one. I know this one's not perfect, but I love that it captures their personalities.

Big A had two games on Saturday. Good news is that we won the first game, and Big A scored three goals! I was so proud that I had tears in my eyes. It was the first time she's ever scored. Bad news is that we lost the second game.

I was so happy to have my Grandma there. My mom was so nice to drive to Sherman to pick her up so that she could visit with us and watch A play. We love you GG. (So pumped that Grandma reads my blog!)

Here's the Blast. Big A is READY!

My future author, songwriter

2009-10-14T08:58:00.004-05:00

I had Big A's permission to share some pages from her journal. Christopher and I have gotten the biggest kick out of reading this. How funny, grown-up, creative and smart (and dramatic!) she's become.

"Chapter 3, My Songs"

"My feelings have all gone away. I just have one more feeling in my heart. I am who I am, I am who I am, who I am."

"I have expected this a long time ago. Yes, yes, yes. I love to see the smile on your face. Yes I do."

"I have a soft part in my heart. Yes I do."

"My teacher teaches sign language."

"I did the abc's in sign language."

We were so impressed with the way she drew the hands signing the letters!

And, you're right, Big A. You are who you are.

We love who you are.

We love Big Tex

2009-10-08T00:32:00.004-05:00

I'm embarrassed to say that we've already been to the fair twice.

I mean, it does make you kind of not-so-classy to get such enjoyment out of spending an obscene amount of money on fried food and carnival rides. But, I've never really claimed to be classy, so I guess it's ok. You have to like wine - aside from box wine - to be classy, and I just can't acquire a taste for it.

Cotton candy? Now we're talking. :)

I didn't want to haul around my big camera, so I just used my phone for pics. I thought I'd post a pic of the girls with their million-dollar face paint. They loved it! Too bad it only lasted a night.

I guess we're through with the State Fair for 2009. I do love the fried Snickers, but I have a doctor's appointment on Monday, and I'm already so scared to weigh in. Two trips to the fair between the last doctor's appointment and this next one. Oh, it's going to be ugly.

Guess we'll wait until next year, when we get to take our THREE girls to see Big Tex!

Arboretum mini-sessions sneak peek

2009-10-03T16:56:00.002-05:00

I couldn't wait to come home, edit and post a few of my favorite shots from the Arboretum mini-sessions I had this morning. It was a lot of fun! The weather and gardens were beautiful.

Thank you families for letting me photograph you and your loved ones!

Getting down to business

2009-10-01T12:31:00.003-05:00

Here's what been happening in the busy "business world" life of mine. Lots of photos, invitations and birth announcements...

Cute, cute brothers...

A fun shot of B, soon to be 13!

More cute brothers, inspecting the tractor.

Yes, sometimes we have to literally turn them upside down to get a smile! But, I'm willing to do what it takes.

Couldn't ask for prettier weather. This was such a beautiful day, and this cute sibling pair had lots of fun playing by the pond and chasing the ducks. (while I tried to get my big belly on the boat!)

And now some of the print design "stuff". I just realized that it's been since June since I've uploaded new designs. I didn't have time to get all of them web ready, but here are a few of my favorites...

Birth announcement, 5x7, printed on linen.

Birthday invitation, 5x7, printed on semi-gloss.

Wedding shower invitation, 5x7, printed on linen.

Birthday invitation 5x7, printed on pearl. I can't believe she's already one...seems like it was just yesterday that I designed her birth announcement!

Birth announcement, 5x7, printed on linen.

Bridal shower invitation, 5x5, printed on pearl.

Wedding shower invitation, 5x7, printed on watercolor, with rounded corners.

Birthday invitation (13th!), 5x7, printed on pearl.

Birthday invitation, 5x7, printed on linen.

Birthday invitation, 5x7, printed on linen. (Yes, my precious niece Lily is already one! We took these photos in Puerto Rico for her luau-themed party. )

Thanks for looking!

Remember, to call me soon if you want Christmas cards and/or photos. I'm almost totally booked, but I do still have some availability during the week.

Also, thanks to all of you who posted a comment or sent me an email to use as a testimonial on my site. I truly appreciate it!

A soccer mom, without the mini-van

2009-09-24T23:09:00.004-05:00

Big A has officially started soccer.

I have to admit that I didn't really know what it would be like. I was worried how too many games and practices would cut into our evenings and weekends and just how it might be unorganized and frankly, a hassle.

But I was hooked on Tuesday night, at her first game. It was so much fun! Being a former high school athlete, my competitive nature and inner coach was revealed. I was so into it.

A did great! She's very quick and a real hustler. She played three different positions, including goalie. She fell on the ball three times to prevent the other team from scoring. As my dad always said, "way to sacrifice your body!"

Now, don't worry. I'm not going to run out and get a mini-van. No offense to any mini-van moms. It's just not my style...I'm more of the Tahoe kind of mom...a Tahoe with a dent in the side, suckers stuck to the carpet and Goldfish pieces scattered strategically throughout for an emergency snack. :)

Here are some pics of my cute soccer girl.

New design site is LIVE!

2009-09-20T14:17:00.002-05:00

As promised, my new invitation site is LIVE! jallisonandrews.com
(You will probably need to refresh your browser to see the new site and not the cached version.)

I'm so excited about the "look and feel" of it and its functionality. We're still working on having a different index page so that you can choose the photography site or the invitation site. Should be up in the next day or two.

My next plan of action is to put a description for each design so that if you were to search for a specific theme or style, you would be able to do that within the site. Not only will that make it great for potential customers, but my site will be found more frequently when crawled and will move up further in the Google ranks. Great for more business!

I have to give my friend, Benito, a huge thank you. He helped with all the guts and coding of it while I've worked on creating all the graphics and content. He is so nice, patient and knowledgeable.

If you have ever ordered an invitation, card or announcement from me, I would be very grateful if you would write something that I could use as a "testimonial" on my site. I have a few on the site already (on the right side, "What customers are saying...") that are set up to rotate randomly, but I'd love to have more to include. If you've used me for photography specifically FOR invites, can you mention that, too? You can do that by leaving me a comment on this post or via email at jallisonandrews@gmail.com. Be sure in your comment or email to put your first name, last initial and city and state.

Thank you so much! I look forward to many, many more designs.

Changes and constants, both a blessing

2009-09-17T19:46:00.002-05:00

I have to say that I've enjoyed the rain this week. It really has been a good excuse to stay indoors and get things done - or at least intend to get things done.

This week my Little A started Mother's Day Out. So far she loves it, and according to her teacher ("Nonnie", who I love...known her for a long time) she is doing great. Here she is on her first day of school...

She's thinking, "I'm not so sure about this."

Little A and her teacher.

I think she's so good at school that when she comes home she releases all the "tootness" on the family. She has been all of 3 lately (even though she doesn't turn 3 until December). We totally enjoy her funny personality, but boy has she tested us lately!

I should have photos of Big A hustling at her first soccer game, but it got rained out. Hopefully, she'll get to play in her first game this Saturday. She says that she loves practice, but she's not too excited about the game. She's nervous, or is it the "boy blue" uniforms that she's not too thrilled about?

I've been extra busy this week trying to keep my head above water with logo designing, business card creating, invitations and photo editing. Luckily I only had to reschedule one shoot. But the invitation orders have been rolling in the past couple of weeks. I don't know what it is, but it never gets old for me. I really do look forward to each new design.

In the meantime, I'm also trying to get my new Web site ready to launch. (Haven't I mentioned this before?) I'm really excited about it. The look and feel isn't too different, but from my end it's much more functional and so much easier for me to update.

Another last piece of tech stuff on my mind...a blog redo. "All Things A" needs a new twist because our precious baby number 3 doesn't have an 'A' name. (You can give me a hard time now or later.) I can handle it. :)

We're busy on the homefront planning and buying for the girls' rooms. We bought bunk beds, a dresser, a storage wall unit and new bedding. I'm looking forward to cleaning Big A's room (and soon to be Little A's too), repainting it and giving it a whole new look. My virtual world needs a makeover too!

I'm so excited about all the changes coming my way. And yet, I'm so thankful for all things that remain the same.

Holiday mini-sessions

2009-09-07T11:56:00.003-05:00

9 am - 3 pm, 8 spots available. Contact me soon!

Cute pics, NEWS! and too much BOLD print

2009-09-03T23:26:00.004-05:00

I've had lots of fun lately with the new and old families that I've had a chance to meet and photograph.

Due to my work load right now, I've just chosen one photo to post from each shoot. I have several favorites, but I have to prioritize right now. People would rather have their pictures than read my blog!

This little 5-month-boy was so sweet and good! And he loves his toes!

This is a past co-worker and friend and her precious son. (A special post about him to come...)

Another cute Little A. She and her brother were just so cute together and we had the best time following them around snapping pics.

It was great seeing L and K again! They are so cute, and don't they look just alike?

I had fun getting to see a good friend's Little A today...it's been so long - since she was a tiny baby. We got some great shots of her!

And now for the NEWS...and all the BOLD print

1. It's not too soon to be thinking about CHRISTMAS CARDS AND PHOTOS!!! I know it's crazy to think about it since it's still 90 degrees, but fall is around the corner. And, I'm having a baby at the beginning of December (!!!), so I'm trying to be ahead of the game this year!

Big A has started soccer, so I'm booking shoots around her practices and games. I still have some Saturday mornings available and lots of times available during the week beginning around 5:15 or so for family photos. I'm still working on two dates to schedule some mini-shoots, one at the Arboretum and one at a park in Dallas. Stay tuned for that.

2. The latest I will schedule a shoot this year will be Saturday, November 7th. This gives me enough time to get photos edited and ordered for Christmas gifts. I took pictures way too late into the season last year, and I was just totally stressed, working up until December 21st on some orders. So please contact me soon for pictures!

3. About ordering photos this Christmas season...If you want photos before Christmas, I must have your order no later than November 15th. If it's after that, I cannot guarantee that they will be ready in time. Also, your online gallery will only be available for 3 weeks during the Christmas season. And when you order within 3 weeks you get a FREE 8x10! It's not to say that I will erase your pictures after that. I just have to give deadlines for ordering because it makes my workflow much smoother, and really, it helps you out too! I know I'm more productive when there is a definite end in sight! This goes into effect September 15, 2009.

4. About ordering photos in general. Aside from the Christmas season, I'm going to start giving incentives for customers who order photos within 60 days. You will continue to get the $25 credit for prints (part of the $60 sitting fee) and a FREE 8x10. If you order after 60 days from the time the gallery is available, there will not be the $25 print credit or a free picture. Again, I think this is a good thing for everyone! This goes into effect September 15, 2009.

5. Deadline for ordering Christmas cards...Whether I take the photos or you submit photos to me for cards, the latest I will take orders for cards will be December 10th. I realize that I will have a new baby at this time, but the design aspect of my business is something that I can work on in the middle of the night in my pjs. So I definitely have more flexibility in this aspect of the business.

6. New sitting fee for bridals and senior pics ONLY...$100, multiple locations included. Any travel outside of Kaufman county will be an extra $25. This goes into effect October 1, 2009.

I think that's all for now. PLEASE let me know if you have any questions, or if you're ready to book! jallisonandrews@gmail.com

Thank you again for choosing me as your photographer and/or card/invitation designer! I love my job!

A full week

2009-08-28T11:33:00.004-05:00

We've had a very busy week so far. It's involved Meet the Teacher, gymnastics, Chuck E. Cheese, haircuts, taking Dixie to the vet (for excessively licking like a lizard), Big A's first day of school and cleaning.

On Monday night we had Meet the Teacher night. I am SO thrilled with Big A's FIRST GRADE teacher. She is just "that" teacher who goes above and beyond. Here they are!

And here is Big A on her first day of school. Little A wanted to have nothing to do with pictures at 7:15 in the morning, but I told her whether she was crying or not, she was going to be in the picture. If that's how she was on the first day of Big A's first day of school, then that's how she was. She didn't stop crying until we got in the car.

I am so proud of all of them! They are my world. (You didn't notice that my almost three-year-old still has a paci, right?!)

Big A at her desk.

So, what have Little A and Mama done now that Sissy's in school? We're trying to tackle this mess...

And this mess...Little A loves to destroy Big A's room.

And this one...The catch-all dining room table. You'll find some boxes of china (that Christopher's parents just found in their closet...btw, I sure was missing those wine glasses), school clothes, cords, mailing supplies, 24 antique wooden horses for Christopher's pica machine (a post devoted to that soon) and much more.

And the never-ending gigantic pile of laundry. We still like to tease my mom for yelling, "Get your stack!" I don't even have stacks, people. I have an enormous mound.

The past couple of weeks, I've just totally neglected the house because we've been consumed with other "stuff". But yesterday, I just got to the breaking point and decided I would have to do the dreaded task of cleaning out drawers and closets. It just needed to be done. I couldn't even put up the clothes from the dryer because I was out of hangers and drawer space. Little A still wears some 12-18 months, and with the weather change it's just hard to decide what stays and what goes. But we did, and I am so glad.

Now y'all, I'm totally opening myself up for having posted these pics, so please be nice to me! Maybe I'm just trying to make all of you feel better for being as bad a housekeeper as I am. (Or maybe I'm just in denial and totally embarrassing myself!) Feel free to leave comments with your suggestions on how to be a better housekeeper.

Ok, I need to end for now and get started on the next mound of chaos.

Have a great weekend!

Thoughts on August 21st at 10:37 pm

2009-08-21T22:50:00.003-05:00

Ok, so according to my husband, I'm earning a really bad grade in the blogging department. I've even been bad about keeping up with my friends' blogs. I just feel like when I'm on the computer I need to maximize my work time and not "waste" time. (If you consider blogging and facebooking time-wasters!) Once school starts I'm going to try and be a better blogger. It's just one of those things that - right now - gets pushed to the bottom of the list.

A random list of what's going on right now...

1. We found out today who Big A's teacher will be, and we are thrilled! She actually called to talk to A this afternoon but we weren't home. I had a good feeling about all the first grade teachers, but I've heard this one is exceptional. She's the teacher who's playing with the kids at recess.

2. This baby is going to be a gymnast! Every night about this time she's training for the Olympics. 25 weeks!

3. I'm currently working on a slight makeover to my invitation site. It looks similar to the one I have now, but fresher and easier to navigate. The best thing is that I'm going to be able to keep it updated a lot easier due to it being a totally different format on the back end. I'm very excited!

4. There'll soon be some news and announcements re: the photo biz. Not anything major, but stay tuned.

5. My precious niece, Lily, just turned one on August 18th. We were in Houston last weekend, and we had a great time. Can't have a post without a pic, so I'll close with a picture of Lily just before she digs into her cake (which she wasn't too thrilled about). We love you, Lily!

More (HOT!) shoots

2009-08-12T23:46:00.000-05:00

Whew! It's been a hot week for shoots, but fun nonetheless.

Here are my favorites from the past week. These families were such troopers, and it made my job easy (even though my belly is really starting to get in the way! :)

Such a happy baby!

Had to make this one in vintage...especially with the old tractor he was playing with. He loved tractors!

I'm beaming with pride for this sweet senior. She was born in Cuba, moved here as a preschooler, just graduated valedictorian from a high school in Mesquite, and is going to YALE. Can it get any more impressive?! She wants to be a pediatrician, and I have no doubt that she'll become one. Best wishes and congrats to you, C!

Thanks for looking!

Lately

2009-08-05T21:06:00.004-05:00

Here at the Andrews house we've really been trying to enjoy the last days of summer. I can't believe it's already August, and I'm about to have a first grader in my house!

Lately, we've been swimming a lot and have really tried to just take advantage of the last days of a "routineless" summer. Last weekend we (us and Jen Jen and the kids) loaded the circus up and went to visit our friend, Jana, who lives in College Station. Anyone who knows us, knows that we will always find a reason to visit Aggieland...our little slice of heaven. It was Jana's little boy's 6th birthday, and Big A and the rest of the crew love playing with him and M and S, his baby sisters. We enjoyed a day at the bounce house place, a big girls' night out at a fancy restaurant (w/ Jana's gracious babysitter willing to watch all the kids), a tour at the Blue Bell factory (very cool!) and two fun parties. We had a great time.

Here are some pics to document our fun...

The kids enjoying our free scoop of ice cream at the Blue Bell factory in Brenham.

The girls and I sporting our cool hats.

I really want one of these. I'm a sucker for any kind of water slide/toy. The kids loved it!

Big A and Z have such a special bond. :)

In the midst of all our fun summer times, I did have some trauma on the business side of my life. My MacBook crashed about a week after we got home from Puerto Rico. Luckily I had most everything backed up on my desktop and my external hard drive, but I did lose some precious files, including my vacation pictures (and our great family beach pics). Of course, this is a lesson learned for me. BACK UP IMMEDIATELY!

After waiting a week of not having a computer they finally confirmed that nothing could be saved. So the silver lining? I bought a brand new MacBook Pro and the latest versions of Photoshop and Illustrator. I was planning to buy a new computer soon, but not under these circumstances.

So with all these being said, I have been pretty behind but am quickly trying to catch up. I really thank those of you who were affected. Your patience is a blessing to me!

Next up for the summer...more shoots, more invitations to design, a trip to Katy to see my precious niece Lily turn one and more loving on my girls before the summer ends.

More summer shoots

2009-07-28T00:46:00.002-05:00

This past weekend I had three shoots, and they all were a lot of fun. We were lucky that it wasn't too terribly hot. I am loving this break from the scorching heat!

I enjoyed getting to know this sweet family. I couldn't help but think that this is where we'll be someday...three teenage girls. If my girls are as sweet as these cute girls were, I'll take it! :)

This one was fun! They sure love their dad.

And mom, too!

It was nice getting to catch up with my next subject, a friend from high school. Her children are precious, and I was very happy with a lot of the shots we captured. These were all taken indoor...using natural light from my living room and bedroom. (I can't believe I took someone back to our bedroom...talk about the "catch all" room...)

Sweet siblings...

Little B, three months old, is such a good baby.

My final shoot was another nice family with a cute little one year old.

Thanks for looking! Have a great Tuesday.

According to Doc, she's the size of Barbie

2009-07-20T17:56:00.001-05:00

It's official! We're expecting baby girl #3 in December. I'm 20 weeks, and couldn't be more excited about our final addition to the Andrews family. The girls are very excited, and are already ready to meet their baby sister!

Puerto Rico '09

2009-07-17T11:53:00.006-05:00

This year's family vacation was a lot of fun. I seem to be finally out of vacation mode and back to the normal routine. I've already had some shoots since I've been home so I haven't had the time to update the blog...but finally here it is, a summary - categorized - of our vacation.

1. Beach, of course! Actually, I say of course, but we only made it to the beach three times. I hate to admit that, but at some point we all got sick...cold, cough, fever...not fun. Plus, we really enjoy just hanging out at home at the pool with Joel's family (brother-in-law)...more on that...

We even attempted beach family pics!

Joel, Lisa and Lily

Lisa did a great job taking pics of us. We ended up getting a lot of great shots!

2. Food. What is vacation without great (and sometimes weird) food? We went to two places that Christopher really wanted to go and try. He saw an episode on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern that was all about bizarre foods in PR. One place in Arecibo (only place on the island) serves Empanadas de Ceti. It's tiny fish cooked with plantains (they cook everything with plantains). I didn't really like it, but at least I tried it.

The restaurant, El Nuevo Guayabo

Joel and Christopher trying the dish.

Oh, yes, Lisa is actually trying it. (For those of you who don't know my sister, she is extremely picky!) Look at her face...not even giving those little fish-that-look-like-cute-maggots a chance!

Big A and Gaby (Joel's second cousin) opted for the safer and common Puerto Rican dish...crab empanadas.

Another food stop, also on the Bizarre Foods show was an ice cream shop in Lares. They serve ice cream with weird flavors...fish, carrot, pumpkin, corn (best seller), garlic and beans. Thankfully they also have normal flavors. I did try the corn (not as bad as you would think) and the fish (make you vomit) flavors. The normal flavors were delicious. I had Rocky Road and the girls had cookies and cream. (Ok, I actually had theirs too, b/c they ate all of two bites.)

Weird flavors here...bacalao (fish) and ajo (garlic).

Little A eating her ice cream with Maneco (Joel's uncle). This man is our personal tour guide/handy man/concierge/kid entertainer, and he is as good as gold.

Christopher's scoops - orange and corn.

Other food we ate - fresh avocados, pana (a fruit that tastes like potato) and bananas from the backyard trees, occasional fast food, Aunt Sonia's delicious beans and rice and pinchos (like a meat shish-ka-bob) from the extended family's pincho stand.

A pic of the girls with Maneco - holding bananas he had just chopped.

3. Family. Just a little info. for those who don't know the full connection between us and PR. Joel's dad, Ruben, is from PR. He grew up there until he was a teenager and then made his way to Texas where he and Joel and his mother have lived ever since. Ruben has 7 (I think...I should know since we did create a family tree!) siblings that live in PR...and all their kids and their kids' kids. When we go, we stay in a house that Joel's parents own. It's in the middle of a neighborhood with lots of his family, and it stays vacant the majority of the year. So we feel very fortunate that this vacation is affordable b/c of free lodging and mainly free food too...since they're always cooking for us!

It seems that the more we go, the less we do. We really feel like they are part of our family. They love on our kids like grandparents would! It's so nice to have that, and we really love them. These people would do anything for you, and we feel the same about them. So here's a bit of "family life" in PR.

On July 4th, family together for swimming and a cookout. On the right is Magaly (Joel's cousin) and Tia Sonia (Joel's aunt). Magaly is fun and crazy, and Tia Sonia has the biggest heart.

The family with Annie, Joel's aunt. Love her!

The A girls dancing with Gaby one night in the house.

4. Pool time. It's so nice that this house has a pool, probably one of the very few in the entire town of Camuy. It's huge and very nice. Within the past 6 months, Ruben has put some money into renovating it. It's not totally finished, but just enough to totally enjoy it. Of course, the kids love it! Even Little A, who was terrified of all water last year was jumping off the side of the hot tub.

Gymnastics has paid off. Look at Big A's muscles!

Here's a view of the pool and the back of the house. The girls were in and out of the pool all the time.

5. Relaxation. A lot of time is just spent sitting and resting. Isn't that what vacation is for? I actually read a book, which I never set aside time to do. It was awesome...Same Kind of Different as Me. I highly recommend it. Christopher is a big reader, so he's constantly reading something. And the girls did a lot of just playing and coloring.

Finally, a pic to close of my favorite girls...my precious niece, Lily...Second attempt at pics for her first bday invite.

And one of my favorite vacation pics of my A girls.

Can't wait to do this again! Hope you're all enjoying your summer. I'm looking forward to more summer fun.

Big A turns 6 and sweet newborn photos

2009-06-30T14:39:00.004-05:00

I had great intentions of what kind of time I was going to devote to my blog before leaving on our vacation. But my intentions were only that. I wanted to write a detailed post about Big A's 6th birthday bash and a post showing several pics from my latest shoots. For now, this will have to work.

We had a great time at Big A's party! I even agreed to a slumber party. What was I thinking?!

Six candles? Hard to believe.

And here are some of my favorites from a recent newborn shoot.

We're leaving tomorrow, and there's still SO much to do. My internet connection in PR will be either non-existent or infrequent, so I don't know if I'll be able to update. I should be able to check email on my phone though.

For sure, I'll be back in touch after I get back on the 12th.

Have a great 4th of July!

Vacation countdown

2009-06-18T22:13:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again! We're leaving for vacation on July 2 and returning on July 12.

I will not be scheduling any more photo shoots before leaving. My schedule will be back to normal once we return.

If you need an invitation, announcement, etc. please email me as soon as possible. The deadline to get any orders to me if you want them by July 1st will be next Wednesday, June 24th.

I will be able to check my email periodically while on vacation, but I won't be able to place any orders. And please email me on my gmail account, jallisonandrews@gmail.com. My other emails are still not working consistently.

Thanks, and I hope everyone is having a great summer!

Spring designs

2009-06-12T08:43:00.002-05:00

We've been busy around our house so I just haven't had the time to update my blog. But finally I have some of my latest designs to post.

Save the Date printed on linen, 5x7.

Baby shower invite designed to match their baby bedding...5x7 printed on recycled cardstock. This one looked so earthy and sweet.

Wedding shower invite, 5x7 printed on pearl.

Birth announcement, 5x7 printed on linen.

Senior announcement...I did the photography, too...5x7 on linen.

First birthday invite, 5x7 printed on linen. I was very proud of all the birds I drew. I'm starting to really like owls, by the way.

Baby shower invite, 5x5 printed on pearl. You should see this one in person. It is stunning! She wanted zebra, but to also incorporate some bright modern circles that matched some plates she bought for the shower.

First birthday announcement, 5x7 printed on linen.

Birth announcement, 5x7 on linen. I didn't do the photography, but wish I had. It's beautiful!

Graduation announcement, 5x7 printed on linen. Did the photography on this one. While we were shooting in one of the barns, we found a baby vulture. Very cool! (Should I be working at a zoo? :) )

My dear friend, Jana's, little girl. Her first birthday invite, 5x7 printed on linen.

Graduation invitation, 5x7 printed on linen. Did the photography for this.

Thanks for looking. Have a great weekend!

Spotlight on Big A

2009-06-02T23:55:00.002-05:00

It's been such a fun, busy and exciting time of year. I've had a lot on my plate with business stuff, but my main priority has taken the spotlight...my girls.

This post is all about Big A and her end of the year festivities. Can't believe she's almost a first-grader! I'll save the sentimental post for later. :( Here are some happy pics.

A couple weeks ago my little athlete participated in her first field day. She had a great time, and thankfully the rain held off until it was over. And, wow, is this child competitive. I have no idea where she gets it.

Two weekends ago, Big A danced her heart out in her first dance recital. It was a LONG night, but a lot of fun. We were so proud of our little dancer!

Here she is all dolled up in her jazz costume.

Her tap routine. She was so animated and cute!

Receiving her medal that she is so proud of!

Unbelievable! I'm in a picture.

Below are pics of my awesome family. I am so blessed to have such loving family members who are gladly willing to support my girls in whatever.

Big A with her grandparents. (Christopher's mom and dad) Look how tired Big A looks...

Big A's grandparents (my mom and dad, and Little A who decided to somewhat cooperate for a pic)

My awesome sisters with Big A and precious Lily. (Kelly "KiKi"- 25, Lisa "Tia" - 30 and Jill "Jill Pill" - 23) Ages...to help you figure out birth order.

And here she is with her teacher getting her kindergarten awards on Monday morning. We couldn't be more proud of our precious daughter!

Her kindergarten class...

Yay! It's SUMMERTIME!!!

Email issues

2009-05-27T13:04:00.001-05:00

I'm having some issues with my business email accounts, info@jallisonandrews.com and orders@jallisonandrews.com. I'm currently working with my web hoster to try and figure out this problem.

In the meantime, please send all inquires and orders to my personal email account: jallisonandrews@gmail.com.

I apologize. I hope to get this taken care of very soon. It's very frustrating!

A full week

2009-05-22T01:09:00.005-05:00

It's Friday! So glad it's finally the end of the week because it's been jam-packed.

This past weekend I went on a girls' trip with Jennifer and Jana. We had so much fun...shopping, good eats, more shopping, talking, discussing the world's problems and exchanging kid stories. We really felt rejuvenated, and agreed that there's no reason this can't be an annual thing.

I have a picture of us, taken by one of my best college friends, Amy. We randomly ran into each other while she was on her girl's weekend...at a store at the Round Rock outlet mall at about 8:45 on Saturday evening. It was pure craziness. Anyway, I would post the picture, but selfishly I decided not to. Because, well, it's not a good picture of me.

Anyway, while in Austin we had a mini photo shoot of baby S, Jana's youngest. She's not quite ready to be without mama, but it was totally fine. If it weren't for her adorableness, we wouldn't have even known she was with us. She's such a good baby!

On Monday night, I had a great time with this Rockwall Heath High senior. She's such a fun, free-spirit. W is heading off to North Texas, and will be on the cheer squad.

Another Rockwall Heath High senior. This guy was so nice and mannerly. I had a good time getting to know him and his mom. This is definitely not as easy for the guys as it is for the girls, but he was such a good sport! B is headed off to Baylor.

And here are two more of the sweet senior I photographed last week. I really enjoyed getting to know her and her mom. (and we figured out that her mom and my dad worked together for many years...small world!)

Time to go to bed. We have a packed weekend. Big A's field day tomorrow, rehearsal tomorrow night and the big dance recital on Sat. night. Then I get to spend lots of time with my sisters and my precious niece, Lily.

I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing Sunday.

Giddy

2009-05-15T13:14:00.002-05:00

I'm feeling just like this sweet senior who is ready to graduate.

But for different reasons, of course. In 3 hours, I've leaving for a girls weekend! I haven't done this in years...probably since before Big A was born. (I'm not counting scrapbook retreats.) This is with my besties - minus a couple who can't come. :( I can't wait!

I didn't get as many pictures edited and ready to post as I would have liked. But here is a sneak peek of a few from the latest shoots.

Three little cousins, all doing their own thing...

Girls telling secrets. We learn that early on, don't we?!

Here are a few shots of the children of a friend I grew up with - but hadn't seen in years. It was a great reunion, and I such fun meeting and photographing her kids.

And this is really random, and if you're on Facebook, you've already seen it. But I have to post it here because it's the coolest thing. A baby barn owl found in my inlaws' barn. Isn't it crazy looking? I'm beginning to think that owls are so amazing, and that really they shouldn't even be considered birds. I mean, look at it, it has a face very similar to a monkey. I really wanted to find the monkey that I think it resembles so much, but I couldn't. Do y'all know what monkey I'm thinking of?

Ok, time to finish laundry and pack!!! Have a great weekend!

And the winner is...

2009-05-12T22:41:00.000-05:00

#11...Leigh Judd! Congrats, Leigh!

Thanks to everyone for all the nice, encouraging words.

I'm going to try my best to post some of my latest stuff tomorrow.

Have a great Wednesday.

Milestones

2009-05-06T22:28:00.004-05:00

This month marks the two year anniversary of jallisonandrews.com! I can't believe that I've been having such fun designing invitations for all these special events since May of 2007. The photography biz has been official for a year now. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your continued support and business. I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.

I planned to share with you my top five favorite cards I've designed...but I started going through all of them and I got so overwhelmed. Plus, if you're a scrapbooker, you'll understand this. Ever look at the pages you first did? You just want to vomit because they're not the greatest, and you've seen how much better you've gotten. That's how I feel about some of my beginning ones. :) (BTW, no offense to anyone whose invite I designed in the beginning...)

I love that I get to design all different styles, and some I will say, are not a style that I would choose. But, regardless, I can totally appreciate it from the artistic and technical standpoint. I put so much into each one, so when I see the final product, it feels good. Even if it's not my favorite. I still look forward to the UPS guy coming up my drive with my packages. I love to open each one and see the finished product!

Thank you again!

To commemorate the anniversary, I want to have a giveaway! Leave a comment on this post, and I'll randomly choose one winner. Please include your email address. Contest ends on Sunday night!

Your prize? One set of 5x7 custom cards!

any style. any occasion. :)

Miscellaneous

2009-04-27T12:55:00.001-05:00

I have several pictures I want to share from recent shoots, but they're not ready yet. So, in the meantime I thought I'd share a hodgepodge of recent happenings at the Andrews' house.

I took the girls to see Monsters vs. Aliens on Saturday night. Christopher had something very exciting and MANly going on - the DRAFT - so it was just the girls and I. When we got there, I didn't realize that we had shown up for the 3D one. For some reason, I just thought that 3D would give me a bad headache, but I didn't want to stick around for an hour and wait for the 2D showing. So we got our tickets and glasses and headed to our movie with a giant bucket of popcorn, large cokes, two blankets and a pacifier in tow. Well, let me just tell you it was very cool. Big A LOVED it, and I really did too. It made me want to see every kid movie in 3D. Even Little A kept her glasses on for half the movie, and SAT STILL. Very good. I recommend it.

The kittens are so cute! I would upload a picture but my go-go-gadget arm will not reach my phone. We had a scare with them the other day, though. Tinkerbell kept hiding one (Big A's favorite). We finally found it in a big bucket in the back of the garage. I thought something was wrong with it, but it's ok. Turns out that night she hid them all in the bucket. So we got a big chest and put all of them in it, and they're doing good. All of their eyes are finally open.

Yesterday I actually got caught up on the laundry, and even Christopher helped fold the clothes AND match socks from the enormous sock basket. It felt good. Then last night I had a shoot...thankfully the rain held out for us. Last night I was in the mood to bake something, so we did. It was some kind of browning pudding cake. Very good, although Christopher said he didn't like it. "It had a bad after taste." I blamed it on him. He convinced me to use the vanilla that he brought me from Nicaragua. It has a slight bubble gum taste to it, but what's not to love about that?

On the food subject, I want to let you know that I just had my first can of Progresso Split Pea soup that I've been without for a long time. I know. You're gagging. SPLIT PEA SOUP. I don't know if my loving it makes me seem weird or like I'm about to turn 85, but it is so good. But if you're about to run out and buy it, you might have a hard time finding it. Our Wal-Mart stopped carrying it for some strange reason, so I bought a case of it off the Internet. Christopher wasn't too happy when he found out that 1 case of 12 cans costs me $40. Whatever. So worth it.

And did I mention that I love plums, too? Good thing I didn't have to order those online.

This may have been the most useless post ever.

Because the laundry can wait...again

2009-04-17T14:37:00.001-05:00

Housework is piled high, but I know my huge fan base (ha!) is curious to know what I've been up to the past 3 days.

1. My birthday yesterday. I turned the big 33. I don't like odd numbers unless it's a multiple of 5, but I'm thinking 33 sounds better than 35, so I'll take it. We had a nice time. A good dinner, some nice gifts (cash and gift cards) and a fun time with the family. We were bummed that Christopher didn't get to go, though. Mandatory work dinner.

2. Tinkerbell had her kittens - on my birthday! Four cute little ones. I'll post a pic soon. She's such a good little mama. The girls are lovin' them. We even watched her have two of them. So crazy, but if you know me, you know I loved every minute of it. I put on my scrubs for it.

3. Lots of shoots and other projects. I feel almost as busy as I was during Christmas right now, but it's nice to be busy.

Have a great weekend!

i heart seniors

2009-04-14T23:28:00.001-05:00

Another beautiful day and another great shoot. L was a great subject! I am loving these senior shoots...different spots, unique personalities and cute outfits.

L, you were wonderful! I hope you love the photos as much as I do. Here are just a few of my favorites...

Another smooch session

2009-04-09T23:01:00.002-05:00

I want to start this post off by thanking all of you for such nice comments about my work. It really does encourage me. I recently joined some photography forums, and they really critique my photos - which I appreciate because I want to learn more. But, I have to admit it sure feels good to just hear the fully positive comments!

I'm really enjoying these engagement shoots. It's a little awkward for the couples at first, but I try to make them comfortable and warm up to them, so that they can smooch as naturally as possible. :) Tonight was another fun shoot. J & R are such a cute couple. It's obvious they have a lot of fun together.

Thank you, J & R, for choosing me to photograph this special occasion in your lives!

I love this weather

2009-04-08T21:51:00.000-05:00

So we took full advantage today...park twice and more outside fun when we got home.

Engagement session

2009-04-07T22:17:00.002-05:00

Tonight was my first official engagement session, and it was a lot of fun. I had great models, and we tried a few new spots.

Here are a few of my favorites...

Thanks for looking. And thanks B & A for such a fun shoot!

Sneak peek of a super sweet family

2009-04-05T00:59:00.004-05:00

I had the privilege this evening of photographing a precious family. Seriously, so sweet and nice. And their little E is just so cute...and busy! So fun watching her toddle around. We had a great time. It was a beautiful day, but very windy, so we made the most of it!

Here are just a few of my favorites.

Thank you H family! It was a lot of fun!

Another C in the Big D

2009-04-01T23:54:00.001-05:00

I had another great shoot today with a high school senior. C is just adorable! We had a great time...started out around here and then headed into Dallas for some urban shots. Such fun!

Isn't she so cute?

Thanks so much, C & J! I had a great time!

She can work it

2009-03-30T00:11:00.005-05:00

I had an awesome day today - my first senior photo shoot! We started at my house, and then drove to the big D. And, wow! It.was.a.blast.

So much credit is due to C. She did such an amazing job working the camera. I really think she needs to go into modeling. She made it effortless for me. I couldn't wait to share some (many!) of my favorite shots from this evening. Enjoy!

Really, thank you T and C for such a fun time!

While I was creating this post, Dixie was snoring in my ear

2009-03-26T14:21:00.005-05:00

Oh, what a tough life my dog has...people food, belly rubs and naps whenever a toddler isn't trying to use her as a stool.

And, while I'm on the animal subject, I'm almost positive Tinkerbell is pregnant. Anyone want a kitten? Not sure when she's due, but by the looks of her tummy and her little boobies, I'm guessing at the end of April.

Now, let's get down to business.

Here are a few invites I've completed in the past couple of weeks...

A save the date. When she first told me what she wanted I was a little nervous about it...but I was able to draw the birds pretty easily. I recommended the 5x5 square, and I think it worked great with the style...modern, simple - and unique.
5x5 printed on pearl

Here's the finished product of my adorable niece's 4th birthday invite, designed to match her birthday outfit that SHE chose!

5x7 printed on semi-gloss

Here's a friend's little girl's first birthday invitation - CUPCAKE theme - complete with bright colors and sprinkles. Isn't she so cute in her cupcake dress?

5x7 printed on high-gloss with rounded corners

A rehearsal dinner invitation, created with a western, but trendy theme in mind.

5x5 printed on linen

An invitation to an anniversary party. I've done several of the lime green and black color combos. Love it!

5x7 printed on pearl

I get several requests to match baby bedding. Although it takes more time to design the card, I really get into it. I love a good challenge!

I recreated the flowers and ladybug to match this bedding from Wal-Mart.

5x7 printed on recycled cardstock

And this one matches the pink and brown damask and stripes bedding from JC Penney.

5x7 printed on linen

Thanks for looking!

And please think about how much a cute little kitten would add to the quality of your life...Hey, maybe I can even throw in some birth announcements!

SB '09

2009-03-20T11:57:00.004-05:00

It's only fitting that I dedicate a post to all the excitement we've had this Spring Break.

It started with a trip to Houston on Saturday to visit my sis, Lisa, and our precious little Lily, and Joel. (Well, let me back up...Big A attended her first slumber party with friends on Friday night, but I have no pics of it.)

We had a relaxing time in Houston...a little shopping, lots of eating and just hanging out together....and of course, we had to take bluebonnet pics.

Lily at dinner time...

Bath to follow. Can you tell that we just can't get enough of her?

Precious Lily...

And Little A, even pretty cute during her fits.

We came home on Tuesday evening - the girls were great in the car. On Wednesday I had my first bridal portrait, and I was really pleased with the pics.

On Thursday we took a trip to Old City Park in Dallas. I've lived in this area my entire life, but had never been here. It is so cool. If you're the least bit interested in history and enjoy a park on a beautiful day like yesterday, I highly recommend it. The kids absoultely loved it. Jennifer had just gone on Tuesday, and loved it so much she agreed to go again. She's really into history.

The park is a living history museum portraying life in North Texas from 1840-1910. Each building has someone in charge of it, and they dress in character. But the neatest thing about it is that they really are in charge of taking care of the house, including cooking and cleaning. All the houses have fully functional kitchens (even the primitive ones where they cook over the fire), and they trade off cooking for all the workers and volunteers at the park. So cool, and not the least bit cheesy like you might think. I definitely learned something. Dad, are you proud?

The school house was definitely my favorite building. Theirs too, I think.

School?!

Do you think boys were ornery back in 1850? :)

I had to make these pics vintage. I just kept imagining what two kindergarten girls might have talked about in the late 1800s. I'm thinking maybe some of the same dialogue...well, minus Hannah Montana, Polly Pockets and what they got from Target.

Hope y'all had a great Spring Break, too!

Bridal portrait - a fun first

2009-03-19T00:56:00.006-05:00

I had the opportunity today to shoot my first bridal portrait. It was so fun, and I truly appreciate this family for taking a chance on me.

Here's a sneak peek of the beautiful bride. Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

H-Town

2009-03-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

The A girls and I are visiting Tia, Joel and Lily for a few days. We got here tonight at 8. The girls were great in the car - not a single cry - and both took a nap. The only issue we had was on the tollway...no dinero. I had to drive through the Full Service lane twice and get a payment slip. Who would've thought that they didn't take checks?! Yes, I was THAT car holding up the line.

I'll try and update before we leave with some pics of our visit. Happy SPRING BREAK!

When your peripheral vision fails you, close your laptop

2009-03-11T14:25:00.007-05:00

Dixie was barking under her breath for like 10 minutes. And I say to her - without missing a beat on Facebook - "Dixie, hush! If you wake up A..."

I finally look up and realize she has a legitimate reason...a bull and two cows in the backyard.

Today's grace

2009-03-10T23:02:00.000-05:00

1. A new camera purchase.
2. Chick-Fil-A!
3. Michael Jackson night on AI. (I don't care how weird he is, his music is awesome.)
4. A semi-clean house.
5. One day closer to Spring Break.

Weekend highlights

2009-03-09T11:51:00.004-05:00

1. Completed a week of no sugar. (Maybe that's a low?)
2. 24x24 canvas ordered of my girls.
3. Cool invites.
4. Fun shopping day with Big A.
5. Cauliflower dish that tastes like mashed potatoes. (Thanks for the recipe, Jennifer!)

Small things

2009-03-05T22:57:00.003-06:00

So the newest Internet fad is to list five positive things from the day. It's called Grace in Small Things...read more about it here.

1. Hanging out with Big A at school today.
2. Successfully giving up sugar for 4 whole days! (Anyone who knows me, knows this is a major feat.)
3. Placing 4 invite orders....all very different, but proud of each.
4. Anoop making the cut.
5. Little A's new haircut. (She actually got it cut yesterday, but it's still cute today!)

Exciting news...and photos!

2009-03-04T09:55:00.002-06:00

Three exciting things about jallisonandrews.com | invitations, cards and announcements:

1. A new paper is available! It's a recycled cardstock. No texture - just a nice heavy plain paper. It will be the same price as the linen and watercolor paper.

2. Rounded corners are available...$5 per set. It can give a totally different feel to the card.

3. Colored envelopes. It will be an additional cost, but I do plan on stocking up on various popular colors...pink, aqua, brown, lime green...probably others, too. I just need to decide what is in high demand.

Now for the photos...

My precious niece, Kara. Isn't she so photogenic? We took these for her birthday card that I'm about to design. (It's coming, Charity! I promise.)

My first big family group to shoot. It was a lot of fun. Aren't they such a pretty family?

Celebrating 30 years of marriage. Invitation is in the works!

And my precious niece, Lily. We went to the Arboretum on Sunday. Remember how cold it was?! Didn't have a choice...we had to get Lily's 6 month pictures while they were visiting from Houston.

We gave Lily this dress for Christmas. Got it at babystyle (which I just now checked my link...and found out that they've filed for bankruptcy). What a shame! That store has the CUTEST things.

And my A girls. They are actually both looking and smiling (before Little A started spitting). This will be a 16x20 in the house.

An onion might do the trick

2009-02-27T17:19:00.006-06:00

I often wonder how my parents handled four girls. FOUR.

Especially the way we used to fight. We always fought about something, and I remember getting in trouble for it. I think what made my mom more mad, though, was the way we would sometimes react to the punishment....like when we would just laugh uncontrollably after getting spanked.

I got a little taste of this last night with my LITTLE A. She and Big A were getting along great in the bath tub, but then all of a sudden Big A starts her dramatic cry. I knew what had happened. Little A either bit her or pinched her, and probably for no reason at all. I go into the bathroom, and like I had assumed, Big A had a huge bite mark on her arm. So, I'm thinking we are in the bathtub, what a better way to punish her than to do the good ole fashioned "mouth washin". I take the bar of soap, put in her mouth and make her bite it. She looks at me, smiles, bites it and takes a few extra licks. At this point, Big A is laughing, of course.

And today she asks me if she can have some more soap.

Mom, I'm sorry for those times the punishment backfired on you. I was in your shoes last night.

Even though she really hasn't been a biter (she prefers to pinch), I guess we need to figure out a Plan B punishment.

I love that little girl like crazy, but she can be a real toot sometimes.

I predict that we're going to have to get creative.

Already feeling better

2009-02-24T23:05:00.011-06:00

I've been in a funk lately. I don't really know why. Do you ever get that way? I just can't get really motivated to do anything I need to be doing. But, I did get on the treadmill today! Woo-hoo for me!!!

We've been a little under the weather, too. I came down with a mild case of the flu on Thursday night. That's a self-diagnosis, but I know that's what it was. Felt better on Saturday, so we ended up going to the Stars game as planned and had a great time...but then I felt bad again on Sunday. Big A got it too, but by Monday she was better and ready to go to school. Still praying Little A stays healthy!

On Sunday Christopher dragged (I know...drug sounds better, but it isn't correct) me to a timeshare presentation, so he could win free tickets to Vegas. I love to aggravate these sales people. Do you know that right when we got there they "JUST FOUND OUT THAT A FAMILY WHO OWNED A TIMESHARE JUST CAME IN AND TRADED UP SO WE COULD ASSUME THEIR $10,000 NOTE FOR THEIR TIMESHARE IN BRANSON!"? I was like woo-hoo, how crazy that it just happened, and yes, please sign us up. We can't wait to see the Baldknobbers and play putt-putt golf. Really...why are these companies so gimmicky? In the middle of the presentations, they would stop and announce, "Congrats to the newest owners, Mark and Tina Smith. They're going to Maui!" (notice it was never Branson or Tyler) Looking back on it, we think they were just calling out random names. After telling them NO multiple times, we finally were sent to what Christopher labeled as the "loser's lounge" to claim our prizes. It was worth it...kind of fun actually.

So that's what's been happening at our house.

Since it is Tuesday, in honor of Tuesday's Tribute I wanted to tell you about three blogs I've discovered...families who need our prayers.

1. maxeyweb.com. A family who lost their first daughter to brain cancer in 2004...and they found out that their third child, who was born in October, also has a brain tumor. They've discovered that it is a rare, genetic tumor, and the prognosis is not very good. It is so heartbreaking. I just can't even imagine. I would think that as a parent if you lost one child you would feel like you were immune to anything happening to your other children, you know? They did, though just find out that their son who is 2 1/2 is "all clear".

2. mounce.blogspot.com. Brandi, a friend I used to teach with, has a son who has been diagnosed with Rett Syndrome. It's best just to google it. I don't want to get the facts wrong. He is one of only 12 boys in the U.S. to have this syndrome. Please visit her blog and read about specific prayers needed for her little boy, Andrew, and their family. I'm so amazed with Brandi's strength!

3. spiritdances.wordpress.com. I found the spiritdances site from Brandi's blog. An amazing story...a modern-day kind of Helen Keller. This 23-year-old girl named Karly has Rett's. She's nonverbal and handicapped, wasn't diagnosed until she was 12 because they really didn't even know what it was. But here's what's amazing. Her mother used to read her books and without anyone knowing she taught herself to read...and now she has a blog where she communicates her thoughts and feelings about living a life with this syndrome.

I cannot wrap my mind around the awesomeness of her story. Under "My Rett Body" she talks about her little quirks and why she does them, how growing up doctors and therapists would talk about her and she could understand them but no one knew she could, how even though she has limited use of her hands she uses facilitated communication to type and express herself through her blog. She composes music, even though she can't play it. You have to read her story. I just keep thinking how awesome a resource she must be to parents of children with Rett's - to someone like Brandi - and the hope that she gives them. How many handicapped, nonverbal people can communicate their own feelings about their daily struggles?

This post helped me to realize there's no reason I should be in a funk.

This job is fun, but I need to speak with Mr. Blogger

2009-02-19T01:11:00.010-06:00

(It's taken me almost 2 hours to post, partly because I'm battling with blogger and the weird spacing issues...anyone else have this problem?!?! You know it's bad when you revise your title to reflect your current mood. I know I should just let it go, but the Type A in me won't allow it.)

I've been working on updating my invitation site. Please bear with me! It takes some time to get it published on the site.

What's involved?

I have to change the info. on each one, size the front and back accordingly (saving it as a regular size file and thumbnail), create a page on the site for that design (this is a step with steps!), fix all the links so that when you click it's there, then add it to the "View All" page. I do enjoy the Web site design side of the business, but it is so time-consuming, and it takes a back burner during my busy times. Luckily, I haven't been so busy, so it's been nice to catch up on those neglected projects.

Have I ever mentioned that I like coming up with new names for some of my subjects? You might see a Gertrude or Humphrey someday.

I've created a new look for the main graphic on the site...what do you think?

My dear friend's Valentine card...first official Valentine card I've designed, and I had a lot of fun. Finally mastered the Argyle pattern. You think it'd be easy, but for some reason it took me awhile to make it look right.

5x7 printed on pearl

Wedding announcements are always fun. She sent me the picture, told me the colors she wanted, and we nailed it quickly!

5x7 printed on pearl

A baby shower invite for a sweet friend...designed to look like the baby's nursery. Love those colors together!

5x7 printed on pearl

I did not take these photos for this birth announcement, but wish I had. Her photography is amazing!

5x7 printed on linen

Do you remember this baby shower invite? Mom liked it so much, and she wanted the birth announcement to resemble it. I really liked the uniqueness of this one.

5x7 printed on pearl

I don't think I can get enough of the brown and aqua, and I thought it worked so well for this couple's Save the Date.

5x7 printed on pearl

I spent a long time drawing this monkey to match the baby's bedding...but it was worth it. I was pleased with the final product.

5x7 printed on linen

My sweet nephew's bday card invite. Did you notice that he's webbing you?!

5x7 printed on semi-gloss (thought the semi-gloss would look kind of comic-book, vintage-y)

I'm hoping that the damask patterns stick around for awhile. It's just stylish, but has that vintage, antique feeling. I think it worked so well for this baby girl shower invite.

5x7 printed on pearl (and it really did look stunning on the pearl)

Thanks for looking!

A heavy heart

2009-02-10T13:01:00.096-06:00

Yesterday I got to visit with one of my very best college friends, Brandi. She's the one who lost her 7-year-old daughter to brain cancer 2 and a half years ago. It's crazy that when we get together it's like we never miss a beat. We just pick right up where we left off. I feel so close to her, like we just get each other. But, yet, what she has gone through in her lifetime is just unfathomable for me and most all parents. She has lost a child. We talk about it. She shows me lots of pictures of Hannah during her last few days. We cry about it. It's just heart-wrenching. I almost feel unworthy to be her friend. Her faith is unwavering, and she is such an inspiration to me. (She doesn't have a blog, but they continue to have Hannah's site up.) Brandi and her family still need prayers, as they continue to grieve over the loss of their precious Hannah.

And lately, it seems like every time I get online I find another blog of a family who has lost a child. I've had this constant lump in my throat from reading and mulling over their stories. I feel compelled to read them, even though I don't know them. Their stories invade my mind and weigh on my heart, and I can't stop thinking about these precious families who feel so broken and helpless. But yet, even among their questioning, confusion and utter pain, they keep going because of their relentless faith in God.

There's a little blog campaign going around entitled "Tuesday's Tribute: It's not all about you.", inspired by a sweet little girl who just lost her fight to cancer. It's about SOMEONE ELSE. It's our chance, each of us, to shine our light on someone else. We each spend a lot of time on our blogs naturally talking about ourselves and our lives. Tuesday's Tribute is a chance to talk about OTHER people, OTHER blogs, OTHER lives. Writing about a blog/blogger/business whose work you love that you want to help promote to your readers, a friend or a loved one who you respect, a cause/fundraiser you feel strongly about...

The blogs that I've recently discovered are families who truly need prayers right now. I am amazed and humbled by their faith...and their beautiful words during their darkest hours.

http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/
http://half12.blogspot.com/
http://ashleybroach.blogspot.com/

I think what really hit me was this comment on one of the blogs...

"Dear Lord, I would have loved to have held my baby on my lap and told her about You, but since I didn't get the chance, would You please hold her on Your lap and tell her about me?"

This makes me want to just love on my girls like there's no tomorrow.

Merry February photos

2009-02-04T13:39:00.061-06:00

Ok, ok, I know. It's already February, and I'm just now getting around to posting some of my favorite pics from Christmas time. But, I believe it's never too late to share a good photo!

I love the angle on this one, and A's expression on her face.

A Christmas present for my sweet sister-in-law Charity. It was a success - not just b/c of such cute pics of C & K - but because we actually captured a smile on Brian's face!

These boys were playing so hard that they barely even noticed the chicken. I love the story this one tells.

All the girl cousins in their adorable tutus. We had lots of good ones from the shoot, but this one was a favorite.

Little S is getting so photogenic. I just love the contrast of the red hat and his big blue eyes. (By the way, found this hat on etsy.com. There are tons of cute, unique hats.)

Such a nice family. I may even need the oldest to be my "senior pic model." He is so striking.

These kids were in such fun and festive attire - "hunting Santa" shirts and camo. It was getting dark, and we weren't planning on taking more shots...but I just had a feeling that we would get a neat shot of them on the boat. I think we did.

A dear friend of mine's sweet little L. Sure is tough being a baby.

And L's sister...love her hat!

We had to resort to indoors for this family when it just got so unbearably cold and windy. They were such troopers! I was nervous about the inside pics, but we ended up getting some beautiful shots of these pretty girls.

These sisters were such fun to photograph.

I really love this one. Even among all the dead in the winter, they were just so full of life. Some of the best pics we got were of them playing around at the end.

These are just some of my favorites. I have updated my photography site with some of the photos. I'm still working on it, though. It's always a work in progress.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

2009-02-01T12:19:00.008-06:00

We meant to post this yesterday on his actual birthday, but we had family in town, and were out and about all day.

So here's a birthday greeting from the A girls! We love you.

WINTER BLAST '09!

2009-01-29T09:43:00.033-06:00

I was a little bummed the night before last that Christopher wasn't here to make fun of the weather forecasters with me. We love the drama on the news this time of year - the close-ups of icicles on the cars, tires spinning out, 18-wheelers screeching on the roads. It's almost never as bad as they say it's going to be, just their day to shine.

The biggest drama around our house was that our heat was not working. Luckily I was able to find someone who could fix it (and cheaply, thank goodness!)...and the best thing was that he also fixed our dryer vent so now it doesn't take five hours to dry ONE load of laundry! Hallelujah!

Due to the WINTER BLAST, lots of schools around here were closed, including Alex's. So we had a day of fun and relaxation. And, of course, eating icicles.

Ok, so maybe I, too, like those dramatic close-ups.

Alex even prepared Dixie for THE BLAST.

I really enjoy seasons...I like that it's cold when it's supposed to be, and hot when it's supposed to be. But Alex and Ava are ready for warmer weather, and I think Dixie is too.

Doesn't she really look a little happier in her spring attire?

iPhone photo gallery tour

2009-01-27T13:33:00.048-06:00

Initially I was going to do a post just about yesterday - spending all day at Alex's school volunteering, but I decided to include a couple more photos that I've taken with my iPhone (which by the way is magical, except for the camera...not so great).

At Alex's school, the teachers get a day to plan every six weeks, and the aides and parents basically act as the substitutes. Usually they plan fun activities so it's not a typical day at all. I really enjoy getting to be with Alex and find it interesting to watch her interact with the other kids in her class. Sometimes I think how weird it is that, like my elementary school friends, some of these girls will probably be her lifelong friends, maybe even roommates in college or bridesmaids in her wedding. Heck, her husband might be sitting at the blue table with her! (when I say stuff like that, it drives Christopher crazy, but you never know?!)

So a man came yesterday to speak to Alex's school about reptiles. When we first got in to the cafeteria, the man wasn't there, but the turtle was. It kept peaking its head out of this storage bin that he was in. The kids - and teachers and parents - found it just hysterical.

This snake, named Banana Boy, was gigantic. Unlike the other adults in the room, I thought it was very cool. Not like I want it as a pet, but I really find these creatures fascinating.

There's my sweet little kindergartener listening intently! I didn't get a good pic of the iguana, but when the man said that they live in Puerto Rico, her eyes got huge! Because, you know, she's been there...and she won't stop talking about the fact that she's going back!

And of course, she's not afraid to touch a snake.

Later in the day, they listened to a police officer, and had the chance to sit in the car.

The other night we took the girls to The Magic Time Machine. Alex loved it! She went around and got autographs from all the characters. Ava still talks about the Joker and how scary he was.

Ava insisted on having two different colored bows.

I'll end with this one. Even though they pester each other, fight and destroy their room(s), (very typical way the room looks 99% of the time) when you see them like this, you forgot about all the annoying stuff. I LOVE to hear them interact and play together. One day, I hope they'll be the best of friends.

Soon he'll speak Miskito

2009-01-23T09:05:00.007-06:00

For the second consecutive year, my husband Christopher, his dad and a church out of Georgia are heading to Nicaragua for a mission trip.

Tonight they will arrive in Managua, the capital, leave on one of those really small planes (already scary, huh?) tomorrow morning and arrive in Puerto Cabezas. Then they take a bus trip to an even more remote village, travel in "fast boats" for approximately 10 hours up a river and arrive at the village where they will be building a church and some pews. Then after a week they do that same trip back, except they'll be on the slow boats (like a homemade canoe)....20 hours on the river!

Please pray for a safe trip for them, and that their works and teachings are a testament to our awesome God!

New pricing - and some perks, too!

2009-01-14T23:47:00.012-06:00

Last year when I began my photography business, I wasn't really sure about the response I would get. So, without putting much thought into the pricing, I just arbitrarily created prices for the various print sizes. Well, I was surprisingly overwhelmed with work, and especially during Christmas, I was very busy. The response was awesome!

In just a matter of year, I have learned so much. I feel that my skills are considerably better - not just my shooting skills but I've really learned a lot about the post-shoot/editing side of it all. I spend A LOT of time taking a good image and turning into a great one. I believe that the editing of an image is just as important as taking the shot. It's kind of like taking an average girl and turning her into Ms. Texas.

With my experience has come a need and want for better lenses, a better camera body, new and upgraded software and a more powerful computer. Some of this equipment I've bought and some stuff is still on my wish list. It may appear during the shoot, that not much goes into the whole "photography thing." But to do it right and to do it as a business, it takes a lot of time and it costs a lot.

So with all this being said, and after much evaluating, researching, discussing and praying, I am going to raise my prices - effective January 15, 2009.

For those of you who have dealt with me or know me, know that the money thing totally stresses me out. It makes me uncomfortable and awkward. But after December, I realized that I was basically giving some of my prints away (literally), so I really consider these current prices to be my baseline. Just think of last year as a trial run!

Here is the new pricing:

wallets (set of 8) - $16
4x6 - $10
5x7 - $14
5x10 - $20
8x10 - $24
11x14 - $48 (mounted on foamboard)
12x12 - $48 (mounted on foamboard)
16x20 - $88 (mounted on masonite)
20x24 - $138 (mounted on masonite)
20x30 - $158 (mounted on masonite)
24x30 - $188 (mounted on masonite)
24x36 - $208 (mounted on masonite)
30x30 - $218 (mounted on masonite)

I still feel that although the prices are quite a bit higher, they are now where they should be...and still affordable and comparable to other photographers who do similar work.

The sitting fee will stay the same - $60 for up to one immediate family with $25 of that going toward the purchase of prints.

The pricing for the design fees of the collages has also increased. Since I edit each image in a collage, just as I would if you were buying the image individually, it only makes sense to charge more for more images. So in addition to the print, the cost for the collages are:

up to 4 images - $25 design fee
5 - 12 images - $50 design fee
13 - 20 images - $75 design fee

We can't forget about canvas! It's such a beautiful look...artwork with subjects you love. The canvases are gallery wraps and come ready to hang on your wall. No framing or mounting of the hardware is needed. It's already there!

Canvas pricing:

16x20 - $192
20x24 - $224
20x30 - $248
24x30 - $268
24x36 - $288
30x30 - $300

One thing that I am really excited about offering is that if you spend a minimum of $300 (pre-tax), for an additional $50, you can purchase the high-quality, high-resolution digital files of up to 8 images of images you've already ordered (and formatted for the size that you ordered). With these images you are free to do with them as you please. By the way, I went back and forth with this decision. I just really got to thinking about it as a customer/mom, and how much I love the digital copies. I like to put them on Facebook, e-mail them, use for personal checks or whatever. I want to be able to offer that you, so that's what I've decided to do, and I'm sticking to it!

Good news for my invitation customers - the prices will stay the same! I feel that I'm getting more and more efficient with the designing and the workflow; and I think that my pricing is competitive and fair. Plus, unlike my photography costs, my costs for this side of the business did not increase.

Oh, important note! If you had a shoot last year and you are wanting to purchase prints, the old pricing is still in effect for you. You have until March 15th to purchase prints at the OLD PRICES. After March 15th, the new pricing will go into effect. Also if you've made an appointment with me before Jan. 15th, I will honor the old pricing.

Check out the site soon. I'm slowly but surely updating it with new photos. Soon, I'll get to my invitation site. It's really been neglected!

Thank you so much for your loyalty and support. I hope that everyone understands my reasoning for the new pricing. Please e-mail me if you have any questions or if you want to schedule a shoot. Look forward to seeing you soon!

A year of reconnecting

2009-01-07T09:42:00.024-06:00

Already I've had an interesting year.

When I was in college, I spent a semester abroad in Sevilla Spain. It was the Spring of 1997, and in lots of ways I remember it like yesterday. Life getting in the way has caused me to lose touch with so many of those people I laughed with because I was speaking Spanish and the Spaniard tells me he doesn't speak English, cried with because well, we couldn't find good guacamole and bonded with on our journeys to other countries, including the Rock of Gibraltar where one friend got bitten by a wild monkey.

I have so many fond memories of that time in my life. I have kept in touch with three great American friends, but I had lost touch with another close friend, who ironically was from Texas. Alison was one who I hooked up with quickly. We shared stories of the families we lived with, and how amazingly different - but strangely a perfect match - for each of us they were. We met almost every day after siesta for coffee and meriendas. And, of course, the nightlife. One night in particular we went out to El Patio, a bar/restaurant, in Sevilla. I don't remember exact details, but we met a couple of Italian guys. They were mainly interested in Alison. I didn't think much about it, but apparently Alison was pretty interested in Riccardo, so we met them again the following night.

Later that semester, Alison went to visit Riccardo in Italy. I remember worrying about her, thinking what a crazy thing to do. But, hey, wasn't a girl from Combine going to Spain for six months pretty crazy, too? She had a great time with him - but really, after that I didn't hear much about him, or I just don't remember. In June everyone went their separate ways - either back home or to travel throughout Europe. I kept in touch with Alison for probably a year or so after we came home. I even visited her in Austin one weekend, but after that I guess we just lost touch.

Within probably the past 2 years, I have really wanted to get in touch with her, along with other people including my Spain family and other Spain girls, who I'm so anxiously searching for. I've had a myspace account and I would occasionally google people, like Alison to try to find them, but with no real luck. I finally got on Facebook about a week ago - and yes, I find Alison! I was thrilled. There she was, her profile pic just as I remember her and a handsome man who was obviously her husband... later I see photos of their two beautiful boys. On her profile, her company's Web site was listed. I visit it. It's a high-end designer eyewear company (beautiful glasses!) that is "from the mountains of Italy." Do you get where I'm going with this? Here's the climax....the owners are Riccardo and Alison. You guessed it, she married "that Italian guy from the bar" that we met so many years ago. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around this fairy tale. I'm enamored with her story, and I can't wait to hear more of how it all transpired. We're meeting soon to reminisce and catch up in a major way. She says that he even jokes, "that he had to come to me to get to her". Crazy to think that I've been out of touch with her for 10+ years, but I've met her husband! Now, we all say that that semester was life-changing, but for her it truly was.

The same day that all this happened, my Mom calls to let me know that we received a Christmas card from the Japanese girl, Kayo, who lived with our family from 1988-1989. In all my hormonal adolescent glory, I talked my parents into having a fifth daughter. So, Kayo, a 17-year-old girl from the giant, populated city of Tokyo came to Combine, Texas, a town of less than a thousand, to live with a family of six. Really, this post will not do her justice, because there's just too much to share about that year with her. But we all realize now how much of a blessing she was to us, and we still talk about her often.

We've been in occasional touch, but not really since the proliferation of the Internet. We've never had her e-mail address, but we do now!

Here's her letter.

This letter brought tears to my eyes! Really, she needed to remind us of who she was? Kayo, if only we could justly express our gratitude to you...

I also must mention that I've reconnected again with my best college friend, Brandi. Her friendship means everything to me. (again, another time, another post) Two years ago, she lost her seven year old to brain cancer, and the first time I had seen her in probably 5 or 6 years was at her daughter's funeral. Now, if that doesn't make you want to search now and reconnect with those who mean so much to you, I don't know what will.

I love that technology has been able to allow us to find each other. People tend to complain about it mostly, and I guess, the only downside would be that you do sometimes reconnect with those friends who you really want to break up with (or you already have and they just don't know it). Other than that, I find it such an awesome tool that we are fortunate to have. The Internet is forcing us to rid our excuses for not staying in touch.

I don't really make new year's resolutions, but if I did, I think 2009 would be my year to commit to reconnecting, AND staying in touch, with more of those special people I've had in my life.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-05T10:20:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! The girls got everything they wanted and more - a violin for Big A, more babies than you can count for Little A, a remote control blimp and fashion runway, too.

Most importantly, we had a great time with all sides of the family. We especially enjoyed getting to spend time with our sweet Lily. She's just such a good baby, and her adorableness is just too much. (Shout out to Aunt Jill Pill who bought them matching pajamas!)

Our Andrews Annual Holiday party was a hit for the 8th consecutive year. We always have a current-event-themed white elephant gift exchange, and our friends get pretty creative...always funny to see what people come up with. The party's always a nice time for just the adults to have fun and visit.

jallisonandrews.com is in full swing again. Thank you so much for your business in 2008. I look forward to meeting new faces in '09 and seeing familiar faces again. There will be some changes coming - so stay tuned for that. And I hope to find some time to update my sites...I have so much to add!

I'm looking forward to a happy and healthy 2009, and I wish you the same!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T21:50:00.003-06:00

I hope your Christmas was filled with lots of love and memories!

Merry thanks!

2008-12-23T03:17:00.003-06:00

I'm completely (and happily!) shocked with the amount of business I've had this season! Thank you so much! Can't wait to do it again.

So here's what we've been up to...

2008-12-19T09:17:00.002-06:00

We've been crazy busy at the Andrews house.

On December 14th Little A turned two! We actually had her party the weekend of Thanksgiving. Here are the highlights...

The cake (made by Wendy) matched the invitation.

Lots of fun! Ava LOVED her gifts.

And between all the work, I managed to squeeze in some baking time. I'm trying to master the art of a sugar cookie...

We impressed ourselves!

And this is the reason I don't do it too often...

But what I've mainly been up to is working, working, working! I planned to take a picture of all the cards and invites I've created recently, but I'm out of time. Alex's Christmas party is at 11 so I'm headed to the school. I'll try and get that posted this weekend.

Have a great one!

Just wondering....

2008-12-10T12:14:00.000-06:00

Does anyone else's toothpaste get this jacked up?

I have no idea how it gets to this point, and most importantly, WHY IT STAYS THAT WAY!

And it's not just a Participant ribbon

2008-12-06T15:32:00.020-06:00

I received a blog award from my dear college friend, Amy. Thank you, Amy! You inspire and challenge me, and I'm so happy you're blogging now!

Here are the instructions:

"When you receive the prize, you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in their content or design. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing that they were prized with 'Honest Weblog'. List [if you can and/or dare] at least ten honest things about yourself. Then, pass it on!"

So, here goes. You said to be honest, right?

1. If you've told me your great aunt's birthday or what your third cousin does for a living, I will remember it. Some people call that psycho, I call it a willingness to take time to listen. I'm proud of that. Ironically, I'm very forgetful of small things. Where did I put my phone? I get in the car and have no keys. I totally forget what I need at the grocery store.

2. I never missed a day of school. Really. I'm still bitter (my dad, too) that I never got a special award. Go ahead, tease me. I ain't scared.

3. I want to have another baby, but I'm scared of being pregnant. Although I love pregnancy (finally a reason to have a tummy!) I'm paranoid about the baby's health. When I was pregnant with Little A, I was actually pregnant with twins and lost one. It was very difficult, and I really doubted the fact that I would actually go full-term with Little A. God took care of everything! She was born on her due date.

4. I love having 3 sisters. Even when we can't see eye to eye, I can't imagine life without each of them. I love them dearly.

5. I grew up in Combine (very small town just down the road), but I've been all over the world. I lived with a family in Spain for 6 months in college, and I've been all over Europe to Japan and to Africa. I really feel that I'm a more interesting person because of my experiences there. I even almost considered myself fluent in Spanish until our trip to Puerto Rico...when Lisa had to translate almost everything Tia Sonia said to me. But, in my defense, I'm not quite sure she was speaking Spanish.

6. I don't like loud noises. When the TV is up too loud it drives me crazy. I don't even really like to listen to the radio in the car because it's just more noise. And banging doors? Whistling? Ugh!

7. I really admire my husband. He's one of those people who EVERYONE likes. He's super intelligent, patient, sweet and lots of fun. Even when I'm annoyed with those little things, like his dirty socks and loud noises, I'm still glad that he's mine. Oh, and he also gives me great ideas for invitations....a true artist!

8. I usually feel more sorry for the homeless dog than the homeless man. I know, I know...But the man can help it, and the dog can't. And I do love animals.

9. I feel extremely blessed that I'm getting to do what I love! From the time I was little, I enjoyed taking pictures and making scrapbooks. I really feel that God has put me here. It's like I've come full circle...a passion that I've always had, has been revealed, and is now helping the budget! I do, though, feel guilty at times for neglecting my mom duties because I'm busy working.

10. I'm pretty obsessed with grammar and punctuation. I won't get into it all, but hey, there's a difference between plural and possessive. Not every word that ends in 's' needs an apostrophe. And "me" vs. "myself" - people are misusing the word "myself" like crazy. The most annoying thing is that these misuses are becoming "correct" because they are the norm.

Here are the seven great blogs that I nominate. (By the way, there are lots of other great ones that I read, but I'm sticking to the rules!)

1. Jennifer, a lifelong friend. The sweetest most understanding person you'll ever meet. She has more true friends than I have cobwebs in my house.

2. Stephanie, a lifelong friend. Such a fun person who knows all my secrets...and she'll do anything for you.

3. Charity, my sister-in-law and great friend. Someone with the sweetest demeanor who inspires me to be a better person.

4. Alli, a high school friend of Christopher's, who I've really enjoyed getting to know her more through her blog.

5. Vanessa, a friend and fellow photographer. First of all, she's drop dead gorgeous...like you could have a girl crush on her, or just be really jealous, but she's truly the nicest person. And she takes great pictures. Anytime we have the opportunity we share ideas and engage in "tech talk".

6. Jana, a dear friend I met through Jennifer. We love hanging out when we have the chance, and our kids love each other which is a big plus. But she does need to blog more often!

7. Jenni, my "Spain friend". We met during our study abroad in the spring of 1997, and we shared those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. She's such a sweet, free spirit and I enjoy keeping up with her through her blog.

Happy December!

2008-12-03T19:01:00.000-06:00

Just a post to tell you that I have too much to do to write a REAL post. But we are still alive! Just crazy busy. Hope that you all are doing well, and that you're getting in the Christmas spirit.

Stay tuned for a REAL post in the next couple of days!

Where's Waldo?

2008-11-19T13:29:00.002-06:00

As a mom, don't you just always feel that something is going to be neglected? Whether you're a working mom, a stay-at-home, or working from home mom, it's just hard to keep it all together! It's either your house (which is definitely my biggest downfall), your kids (major guilt when this happens!), your marriage (thankfully C is SO patient with me!) or your "me" time and however you spend it.

My house has really felt it lately. Finally on Monday I just had to stop working, put everything aside and take control of it. This is what it looked like Monday morning. I really wish I had taken a close-up of the floor because the picture really doesn't do it justice. We had about 200 multi-colored straws everywhere thanks to Aunt Jill Pill and Aunt Kiki.

Can you even see Little A amidst the chaos? She's back there at her Nemo table that they discovered when closet cleaning...Now it's a permanent den fixture.

Oh, and the clamps and down comforter? Well, that's the world's greatest tent that we played in all weekend.

Contradiction

2008-11-13T07:54:00.001-06:00

I couldn't wait to share this shot I got last night of two of the cutest sisters. I'll post more of the shoot soon, but I just had to show you this one now. I love that they wore fancy dresses and funky shoes.

Seasonal favorites

2008-11-12T11:18:00.005-06:00

It's so hard to try and eat good this time of year. Not that I do a great job anytime, but right now it's the worst. I just have too many seasonal favorites, and they all are peppermint-flavored.

These cookies have been begging for my attention, and I couldn't take it any longer. OH MY. If you haven't tried them, don't do it. You'll eat the entire box. They taste like Thin Mints, but even better. And I can't believe I just admitted that.

I haven't bought this ice cream yet this season, but it's the Brookshire's brand....Goldenbrook Peppermint...maybe even better than Braum's. (couldn't find an image of that type, but here's the brand)

Not that I frequent Starbuck's, but if I do, I must get this. The Peppermint Mocha.

And I did try Chick-Fil-A's new Peppermint Chocolate Chip shake. Delicious! I couldn't find a single image, but go to their site, and it adorns their home page.

This last item is not something you eat or drink, but it smells like you could. It's Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint lotion. Available only during Christmas time.

I'm feeling festive (and guilty) just thinking about it all!

fun. family. fotos.

2008-11-10T09:33:00.003-06:00

I've had a great time meeting new faces and seeing ones I haven't seen in awhile. It seems effortless because I've had the best subjects to photograph!

Here are just a few of my favorites from the past few shoots...

My good friends, and their pics I took at the Arboretum. I love this one of little E. She's so pretty.

Aggie friends...We haven't seen each other in a long time, and they drove in from East Texas for the shoot. We got some great ones.

I have a feeling this happens a lot...I love the personality in this photo.

Here's a sweet family who won a shoot from a silent auction. They were such fun, and little T was such a good boy, and just so bright-eyed and cute.

Here's a friend I used to teach with. It was so nice getting to see her and catch up with her at the Arboretum on Saturday. And I finally got to meet her husband and the adorable little E. She's precious.

I loved getting to meet the D girls. I went to school with their mom my entire school career. I'm so glad that she suggested that we shoot at her house. Just beautiful scenery.

Doesn't this next one look like we're in Italy on the Spanish Steps? That stone was beautiful, and we were just in their backyard in Kaufman County!

I love this family. This was my first time to photograph the whole family, and we got some really great shots.

We even got some of just mom and dad!

This family was just so sweet and SO photogenic. I really don't think hardly any touching-up will be required! I had a great time with them.

Thanks for looking! Stay tuned for more.

I can't believe it's already November!

2008-11-05T16:38:00.002-06:00

Wow! This fall has been crazy busy, and so much fun.

If you're wanting family photos or cards for Christmas, time is running out! The last date that I will be able to take photos for Christmas gifts or cards will be Thursday, December 4. I still have some spots, so contact me soon and we can hopefully get you on the schedule. Be prepared to start early. Because of the time change, we need to begin around 4.

I've had a great time meeting new families and photographing them. (pics to come!) Thank you so much for allowing me to be your family photographer.

In personal news...I got to see my beautiful, sweet, adorable niece Lily this weekend. We went to Houston to visit them. Although a quick getaway, it was oh, so worth it.

Disclaimer: This dress is not our typical style...it was Lisa's (my sister/Lily's mama) dress when she was that age. (She made me write this.)

Did I mention that she is adorable?

And I can't forget my two adorable A girls. Here they are on Halloween.

Big A as Hannah Montana, without the wig.

And Little A as a peacock for the second year in a row.

(P.S. - Thank you so much for your heartfelt comments and sympathies on my last post. I really appreciate it. Some made me laugh, some made me cry, but all meant so much.)

all things a

New blog!

Newest designs posted on Facebook

New photography site, new options

SNOW DAY!

Jill + Brad

Hard to believe...

Valentine's cards without Sponge Bob?

Tired of character cards for Valentine's Day? I am!

Get custom-designed Valentines cards - with or without a picture - for your child's Valentines to hand out to classmates! You can even have your child's artwork on the card. Much cuter and more personalized that Sponge Bob or Tinkerbell!Limited time offer - $30 for a set of 25. (limited revisions)

$30 includes the design fee and sales tax. Contact me soon! The 14th will be here before we know it. Offer ends February 8th.

A happy goodbye to January

Top 5 goals for 2010

I'm 1 month old today!

Happy New Year!

Favorites of December 2009

Look who's already 1 week old!

What a gift!

The Big Day

She said YES!

Engagement sneak peek

Latest favorites

Happy November

Reminders and bridal shoot highlights

Some shoots, some soccer

My future author, songwriter

We love Big Tex

Arboretum mini-sessions sneak peek

Getting down to business

A soccer mom, without the mini-van

New design site is LIVE!

Changes and constants, both a blessing

Holiday mini-sessions

Cute pics, NEWS! and too much BOLD print

A full week

Thoughts on August 21st at 10:37 pm

More (HOT!) shoots

Lately

More summer shoots

According to Doc, she's the size of Barbie

Puerto Rico '09

Big A turns 6 and sweet newborn photos

Vacation countdown

Spring designs

Spotlight on Big A

Email issues

A full week

Giddy

And the winner is...

Milestones

Miscellaneous

Because the laundry can wait...again

i heart seniors

Another smooch session

I love this weather

Engagement session

Sneak peek of a super sweet family

Another C in the Big D

She can work it

While I was creating this post, Dixie was snoring in my ear

SB '09

Bridal portrait - a fun first

H-Town

When your peripheral vision fails you, close your laptop

Today's grace

Weekend highlights

Small things

Exciting news...and photos!

An onion might do the trick

Already feeling better

This job is fun, but I need to speak with Mr. Blogger

A heavy heart

Merry February photos

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

WINTER BLAST '09!

iPhone photo gallery tour

Soon he'll speak Miskito

New pricing - and some perks, too!

A year of reconnecting

Happy 2009!