Emmett’s County Fair. First Birthday. Whittier.

Better late then never, right? Sorry for the delay, but I’ve been caught up with just about everything. Work, photography, being a mother, and you name it, takes up little chunks of my short day. No worries. It’s almost a month later but I’m  finally posting the pictures from my son’s “Big One.” Yes, sir-eee! My son turned one last month. Most parents will say time flew by, well not me. I couldn’t wait until he turned the ripe ole’ age of one…he he! This is the truth. I loved when he was cooing and sleeping the day away but we also had our scares within the first year of his life. Our son was diagnosed with GERD, which is a reflux problem. He would spit up way more than I had burp cloths to clean up the mess with. At times, he would choke on his spit which made it difficult for him to breathe. This totally freaked me out. Being the paranoid mother that I am, I just longed for the months when doctors said he would outgrow this issue (and the risk of SIDS as well). I couldn’t wait until his first birthday. Now, we are blessed with a wonderfully healthy one year old and we couldn’t be happier. To celebrate this momentous occasion and our own personal victory of surviving the first year, we decided to go a little overboard on his very special birthday!

Of course I started planning and pinning ideas for his big bash after his half birthday. My son gets totally giddy when he is around animals, especially mangy mutts. So, I wanted to incorporate animals into his birthday party. The wheels in my brain started turning and I got it! I decided on a county fair theme where we could have a petting zoo for all the kids. The theme grew from there and with much support from my super creative family and friends…Voila!

Welcome to Emmett’s County Fair


Since a county fair is a very neutral theme I decided to spray paint most of the farm animals blue so people could tell is was a boy’s birthday party.

Piñata bags and place mats for the little ones.


The center pieces were all decorated by moi. The pictures came from his monthly photo shoot.
These pie pops were to die for. Made with love by my sweet friend, Charm.
Also made with love and excuisite detail by my dear friend and creator of  Miss Fancy Nancy Cakes. Dada and birthday boy.
We also had a few games for the older kids to play.

Instead of creating a photo booth I thought it would only be fitting to have a classic photo op with some painted animals…just like at the real county fairs.
Some of our friends from the petting zoo.
Custom designed piñatas also fit the theme perfectly!
Okay, okay I sort of created a photo booth but it was only for his smash the cake pictures.
If you couldn’t tell by now we were going for a 1940’s county fair theme. Sort of like in the Notebook (my favorite move of all time). We love our little guy so much!SMASH THE CAKE!

 

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Diana & Ario. Baby Shower & Photobooth. Whittier.

Time is ticking before Baby Noah to enters into Diana and Ario’s life. They have been planning and preparing for the arrival of their first son since earlier this fall. I feel so honored to have experienced this creative journey by joining them in their maternity photo session and baby shower photo booth. I also gave a little input here and there for the shower’s decor. However, when we started designing the photo booth I never imagined that it would match so perfectly to their pen and paper sketches. Everything from the fabric to the sign just came together. The colors at this event popped!  A perfect combination of  lime green, wood brown, and a little mustard yellow added even more of a sunny feel to the already gorgeous day. Let me just say that Diana is one lucky lady. Not only did her sisters envision an adorably cute owl-themed baby shower but they made everything by hand. That is like WHOA! Great job ladies!

Once again Diana and Ario you have enthralled me with your love for one another and made my job easy peasy with your infectiously sincere smiles! 
I’m crazy about these buttons!

I adore pennants, whether big or small, triangle or square, but especially when the patterns and colors are mixed just perfectly.Okay I’m a little envious of this idea…I wish I would have thought of it! Hellooo cuteness! Mommy & Daddy sweetheart table.
Love the tie.
This is the first candy table I have ever seen with a big hunk of chocolate ready to devour. Ummm, don’t mind if I do!
Sisters with style!

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Me. Charlie & Olivia Design Session. Long Beach.

I’ll take two pink roses, a side of pale purple fabric and a dash of design. It was major fun working with the extraordinarily creative ladies from Charlie and Olivia, Elvira and Dawn,  and the sweet and stylish event planner from Velvet Events, Jacky Ibarra. This group of girls worked together to create a modern-colored Valentine’s event. Please visit their blogs to view more of their awesomeness!

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Diana & Ario. Maternity. Malibu.

Have you ever noticed that whenever  you’re around a happy person, they seem to infect your world with so much joy, that you just can’t help but to be happy too? Well this is exactly how Diana makes others around her feel. From her bright smile, all the way down to her sunny colored perfectly pedicured toes, she exudes happiness. I first met Diana when I created a custom-made photo booth for her sister Emily’s wedding. Shortly after that, she announced that she was pregnant and asked me to take maternity photos of her and her husband, Ario. Yes, please! I knew she was going to make a beautiful mother-to-be!

Ario and Diana planned  this perfect-like maternity shoot. We traveled to Malibu and basically had a private beach to ourselves. How did we get so lucky? Ario’s childhood family friend lives on a secluded private beach in a “famous” Malibu community. How famous? Let’s just say one neighbor was pretty much Mickey Mouse’s manager while another is a model that has a very distinguished mole. I’m just sayin’. This beach was Ah-mae-zing!

After drooling over the beach, I finally got to really meet and hang out with Ario. I had first met Ario at Emily’s wedding. He seemed like a super chill and easy going kinda guy. It wasn’t until the day of this photo shoot where I found out that Ario IS super chill, a total sweet heart who is truly in love with Diana, and kind of a goofball when interacting with Diana’s siblings.  Diana had a small entourage there for her make-up, wardrobe changes, and moral support. And every now and then, Diana’s brother snuck an instagram update from the session. During the afternoon, I got to know more about Diana and Ario’s relationship, their baby boy’s name and their plans for parenthood. This super sweet couple fell in love a little over nine years ago at church. It was love at first sight for Ario, while Diana felt more of a yin and yang connection. She claims to be an introvert and he an extrovert. So an opposite attraction created a real chemistry for these love birds. Two years after they met, they married and decided it was time to create a family. As most planned pregnancies go, getting pregnant is harder than it seems. Doctors, prayers and even lifestyle changes sometimes don’t seem to help after a year of trying. But, just like love hits you smack in the face when you least expect it, BAM! Ario and Diana were expecting. I guess the body just knows when it’s ready.

Diana, Ario, and I had a blast hanging out. I felt as if I was one of their entourage members. I can’t wait until their “Owl” themed baby shower! Congratulations on your son, Noah! I can’t wait to meet him.


A contagious smile I tell ya!

My favorite!

Diana told me she got this fabric idea from me…aww. I love love love it when I can inspire my clients to craft for their own props!
Just hanging out.
Gilligan’s Island? Ya, this boat seemed to be perfectly ship-wreked here.N is for Noah and Diana’s expression is too cute!
Diana claimed she wasn’t “good” at taking pictures…right.
Come on…you are one photogenic mama!

Okay this one is my ultimate favorite! 
Mothers-to-be look absolutely gorgeous in this light! Diana you rocked this light and that red necklace!

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Samantha. Sweet Sixteen. Whittier.

Did you ever sneak a peek at the MTV show, My Super Sweet 16? When it aired in 2005, I was in grad school and watched it during my study breaks. This was a guilty little pleasure of mine for sure. It was fun watching these mini-weddings unravel from the preparation to the day’s execution. The best part was admiring all of the girly bling bling. Recently I was contacted by an El Rancho High School student to help capture her Super Sweet Sixteen memories. Not only was I thrilled to photograph all of her girly gear, but I was in a way going to take part in this Sweet Sixteen, just like on MTV! Rad, right?

Samantha’s Sweet Sixteen’s itinerary was booked solid from early morning make-up, to mid-day photo op’s, and concluded with ball-room like festivities. I couldn’t wait! As soon as I met Samantha I knew she was my kinda girl. She loved pink, was going to rock some glitter Toms, and is a well rounded student (She’s in color guard and I heard her skills are no joke!). Samantha is also super duper sweet and loves to laugh. But behind those sweet smiles she masks a mournful past. While getting to know  Samantha, I learned that she has overcome some difficult times in her life for being a mere sixteen. Samantha’s father had passed away when she was younger, so to honor him, Samantha and her mother dedicated some time and photographs at Rose Hills, where her father is buried. Samantha’s family and friends also wanted to make her day extra special so they spent the entire day treating her like a Sweet Sixteen princess.

Samantha I love that you are a true girly girl. Your positive attitude reminds me to always keep smiling, even during rough times. You are a champ! Happy Birthday and happy Sweet Sixteen!

The flats before the…

…grown up heels.
She looked fancy!The details on her gown are sweet!
Remembering her father.Prayer.Speaking of her hardships and giving thanks for all of her blessings created a few tears.
That pretty smile quickly turns into laughter…so cute!
She has the best girlfriends!Samantha used bright punches of aqua color and sprinkled glitter everywhere for her winter- themed decor.
Candy bar..holla!!!

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Peeks. Upcoming. Los Angles

I’ve been crazy busy, but I didn’t want to leave anyone hanging. Here are a few peeks. I’ll finish blogging them soon! Watch out for…

Samantha’s Sweet Sixteen


Diana’s Maternity SessionMy son’s first birthday

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Nia. Bebes. Rosemead.

Six months is a mega deal when your an ity bity thing. A half birthday, as I like to call it, is a momentous time in an infant’s life. It’s a time when these infants are learning how to sit, eat, babble and grab just like full fledged babies. It’s also six more months until their big first birthday. Nia’s mom and dad decided to celebrate her half birthday with a photo shoot. Nia is a sweet little thing and wasn’t camera shy at all. She had her parent’s and I working the rattle and tickle monster to transform her baby chic pose to a silly smile. She is a true fashionista. Her style screamed super cute and coincidently matched all the props I had brought.

Nia, you are just lovely.


See, she’s all ready got the J.Lo hat coordinating to her outfit.
Sunshine smiles here!
I think they should create a Baby Vogue magazine just for this photo.
Adored her twinkle toes.
Those cheeks.
Balancing!
Plop. I love when the outtakes are just so darn cute!
Sweetness!

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Jaime+Reyna+Jayden. Family. San Marino.

I love this little trio of a family. Their love for one another pours out as smoothly as bubble bath into a rubber ducky filled tub. Jaime and Reyna were blessed with a ridiculously adorable baby boy a little less than a year ago. Like all of us parents, they’ve had their ups and downs, struggles and successes, yet it seems as if their lives have been perfect ever since baby Jayden arrived. Sure wish our family looked as poised as them all the time (I’m just saying’). Baby Jayden is such a natural in the spotlight. What do I mean? Well, this little guy was made to be in front of the camera. He just had to look at me and he would laugh…hey wait a minute. Well, anyhow he was such an awesome model! I can’t wait to work with this kiddo again. I mean, pretty please Reyna and Jaime.

Thank you for letting me hang out and capture your cute family’s smiles, laughs, and hugs. You guys not only look like a perfectly happy family, you are!


Hi baby!My personal favorite. Love all the nature going on!
I’m sure Jayden was thinking, “I’ll just ignore what’s happening behind me and enjoy my fingers.”
Look at those cheeks!
Pretty mama and baby.

Precious family kisses.Okay, come on now, really? Too cute!
Boys will be boys.

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