At this busy time of year I try to take a moment and reflect on what really matters – and I’m always astounded at how very blessed I am. So many of you are abundantly blessed as well – I love meeting the tiny new faces that have recently joined us. Thanks so much for letting me capture these first moments with your children and the milestones that follow.

Little Miss E is one of the sweet babies I had the pleasure of working with lately.

And I went on location to visit this sweet little guy and his family~

One plug before the holidays – if you need a unique and lasting baby gift, christening gown or heirloom gown for portraits please my sweet friend Angela’s site Dandelion Avenue. Her creations are simply exquisite and one-of-a-kind…you won’t find more memorable gifts. My niece in one of her gowns…

I’ll leave you with my favorite pumpkin bread recipe. The pudding makes it super moist. Canned pumpkin works best. I love to add walnuts but you can add any type of nuts or dried fruit.

Super Moist Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

2/3 cup oil
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 (3-1/2 oz) box instant cheesecake pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Mix oil, eggs and pumpkin
2. Combine remaining ingredients well and add to pumpkin mixture
3. Bake in a 9×5x3 inch pan – greased and floured – at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Best wishes for a warm and happy Thanksgiving in the company of those near and dear to you. Stay tuned later in the week for a Black Friday Studio Sale!!

~Michelle

I know we need the rain, but this week is a little over the top! And of course it’s stragtegically placed exactly one week before school starts.

And speaking of school – and Back to School. This weekend is TAX FREE WEEKEND! Usually this would be of no interest to my clients unless they had an ordering session this weekend. But in the spirit of Back to School and having a sale I am offering my own special.

Now through Sunday night at midnight enjoy

30% off any Gallery Wrapped Canvas or

40% off any Mounted Wall Portrait!

Pre-orders towards future sessions are welcome, but portraits should be paid in full by Monday evening.

And now for another edition of

If your session is featured remember to contact me before next Friday to claim your free session and 8×10!

I’m way behind on sneak peeks….but will try to share more soon!

Michelle

**ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SALE

-The sale discounts the a la carte prices, rather than the reorder prices.

-New and future clients are welcome to participate, but a deposit should be made on your session date.

-Applies to sales this weekend only. Orders already placed cannot be adjusted.

Thanks for the terrific response and have a wonderful weekend~

I hope everyone is enjoying Summer as much as we are. The lack of scheduled activities and homework has been so liberating….I could get used to this! But thankfully the studio is still keeping my feet on the ground. Here’s what I’ve been up to lately:

And I think someone mentioned it’s FRIDAY! Well, I’m in a fun mood so let’s get on with

and for fun we’ll have three potential winners for this week!

Go splash in the pool and I’ll see you here soon with more sneak peeks!

~M

How is everyone in internetland? I have no clue what is going on with the weather, but my poor children have braved two unseasonably cool days in shorts because I took Spring for granted and expected her to stick around for awhile. Hopefully she’ll be back soon.

Just a quick peek at the most adorable almost six month old in the Peach State.  My niece (oh yes, you’ve seen her before, but for a recap here she is as a newborn and again at three months) spent the morning with me and I took a few snaps of her. I’ve no doubt she’d knock them dead someday as Miss America….look – she’s already perfected the wave!

She didn’t last for long, and signaled the end of our little session with one huge, contagious yawn. So I finished with a wounded ego for not being able to keep a six month old entertained and the urge to yawn continually – but unable to finish one. You know how frustrating it is when you get stuck mid-yawn?

Did it happen to you, too? Not sure it’s good to have a blog that makes visitors yawn. To help rectify this, here’s an

**EXCITING BLOG ANNOUNCEMENT**

This Friday I will be introducing a new weekly blog feature called Flashback Friday (thank you Angela for the alliteration!).  I will pull an image or two from the archives and feature it on the blog. If your child is featured and you contact me within a week you will receive one 8×10 of any image from that session as well as a free session fee! More details to follow….stay tuned!

Smiles,

Michelle

If this sweet little two year old doesn’t captivate you with her blue eyes and  golden locks I just don’t know what will. She is just brimming with personality and ran the show during her session.

but I have to say she followed directions quite well…here she’s showing Teddy exactly where to sit to pose for the camera.

and if you ask her where her nose is she’s right on it!

I can’t wait for your mom to see the rest….you are truly a doll!

I have a Summer Special coming up….stay tuned to the blog for details~

Michelle

Well, I guess you are! At only 6 months old Mr. J here totally captivated me with his charm. It seems like yesterday he came in for his newborn session. I just have to say, little man, that I’m thrilled your mom is a repeat client. I can’t wait to see you grow up! I’ll have some of your sister from this session soon. I think she must have told you how it’s done for this shot before you guys came in…

because you aced it just like she did a couple of years before you…

Your sister was much better at getting your attention than me – she is just so funny! “ahhhhh booo booo booo!”

Lots more to come – and I’ll be sharing some darling faces from the mini-sessions as well!

Have we had a blog contest in awhile? I think we’re overdue for one. So stay tuned.

~M

It’s time again to share my adorable niece. I’m tickled pink that I got so many smiles out of her. Just wait until the six month session – we’re going to have fun! Here are a few I grabbed off the card. This first one just screams GERBER BABY!

I love you, buttercup. Thanks for being such a wonderful subject for Aunt Chelle!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

~M

Here’s my chance to prove it! I have decided to participate in a national charity model search for the cutest kid in America. I just know that your child is the one! Your family and friends will get to vote for your child in the online national gallery – $1 per vote which benefits an impressive charity, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep – www.nilmdts.com. City finalists will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing, which includes $5,000 in US Savings Bonds and a Canon Powershot G10 camera. And you can tell all of your friends that it’s true – your child won the national model search!

For more information about the contest, go online to www.sandypucmodels.com. Call me to book your session today!

Happy New Year everyone!

At twelve months most babies keep me on my toes in the studio. Little Miss J was no exception – full of energy and on the go! Her eyes had me from the moment I saw her – enjoy the sneak peeks of this sweet angel:

***NEW PRODUCT NEWS***

I’m excited to announce that we will now offer custom framing in the studio! So as you place your order you can select frames and mats so that your portraits are ready to hang when you pick them up. Collages and storyboards will be delivered with a frame of your choice beginning in September. Samples will be available for browsing in the studio by next week. I’ll post some sample images here on the blog soon!

We will also have a product that has been requested more than once – beautiful custom coffee table books. I should have a studio sample in the next 6 weeks. If you have an interest in one please let me know. Past sessions can be compiled into one album to tell a complete story of your child’s growth.

See you back here soon!

~M