Oh, it has been a long day trying to get some work done on a snow day with a new puppy. I have been settling bickering wars all day between my girls over who gets to hold the puppy. I’ve had a few minor heart attacks, because she is so tiny, and the girls just want to love on her so much. Well, the girls insisted that Sasha had to have her own “newborn” shoot, so here are the photos I snapped. She is such a sweet little girl and we are so happy to have her in our family!
~Elizabeth
I’m just not one of those people who rest all that much. I guess I figure there will plenty of time for that, when I can no longer burn the candel at both ends. I love using my creativity to create new things, and I’m passionate about design. I love doing home projects, when I can fit them in. Recently we added hardwood flooring in our main living area and in my office. It was a lot of work, but I take great pleasure in accomplishing these types of things. This stirred up some other things I had been wanting to do, so I wrote up a list and started tackling it. Those of you who know me, know that I HAVE to get things done. I just do not rest well, when I have things to do.
I had been wanting to make a headboard for our guest room bed for over a year, and just did not allow myself the time to do it. I was in awe when I entered Nashville’s Preservation Station. I could have spent the day there going through all the old doors, windows and lighting. I found the dirtiest, most beat up panel door I could find and brought it home. I cleaned it, sanded it, cleaned it again, and sealed it. I was a little worried about how to hang it, but after I found “float mounts,” it was a piece of cake! I also updated some photos and picked up some new lighting. I found two antique or at least old books. Pride and Prejudice and a compilation of poems by Christina Rossetti. Two of my most favorite things 🙂 I find great pleasure in small details.
We needed to have some family photos done, and I was looking for something specific and tailored to my style of photography, so that they would blend with all the other work in our home. Chris Hansen was lovely enough to help with what I was needing. I love how they turned out and they make a great statement as to who we are as a family, as soon as you enter our home. I also love that I’m able to show clients different products that I offer! The three entrance photos are modern pop-out float wraps. They are beautiful and come in three finishes. Sleek, modern, and easy to hang!
I also added some new canvases to our entry. I just love the modern sophistication of a great canvas. They are bold and clean. I try to run specials on canvas orders a couple times a year, so if you like them, be on the lookout!
I’m very much a business woman at heart and love what I do, but I’m also a person who enjoys just connecting with people and sharing what I love too! I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the more personal side of me!
~Elizabeth
New and Old headboard for our guest room!
Love 🙂
Old family furniture!
Our fun entry float mounts!
Pop-out float mounts!
New entry canvases!
My Favorite Fall Coffee Cup – Polish Pottery of Course 🙂
Antique Business Card Holder – Thank you Grandma
One of my favorite fall scents!
When I sit down and think about how I ended up being able to make a career out of what I love, I cannot help but feel overwhelmingly blessed. The funny thing is that, if it were not for my amazing little girls, and some great friends and family, I do not know if I would have believed I could run my own business. I’ve had a camera from the age of 7, but I didn’t know anything about running a business. Before I was blessed with my girls, I went through a time where I didn’t have more than a little 35mm point and shoot equivalent. I was busy with life and thought I was going to leave the Air Force and start a career in the FAA. That’s where I thought my life path was going. Life has a way of changing in the blink of an eye. When most women find out they are expecting, they go and buy books or blankets. My first order of business, and new camera. I thought I would get a nice film SLR. The hubby had something else in mind. This was the beginning of the digital era, and it seemed pretty exciting to me. I can’t believe I paid $800 for a camera that was not as good as a point and shoot you could get today for $199. That was insane. LOL. I quickly outgrew that camera, but we were a young couple with a baby and money was tight. About two years later, I had saved for a DSLR (about $1000, CRAZY), just a little Canon Rebel , but it was just for me. I wanted to use my photography skills to document the lives of my now two precious babies. Oh, and did I. I’ve always been a shutterbug, but when a shutterbug has children, watch out!!! LOL Then I had my little DSLR, and two 500 page books on photoshop, and I was having the time of my life capturing every bit of my girls lives. I had these photos all over the house of course, and so friends start asking me to take photos of their families and children. Then one day, a friend said “when are you going to start charging me?” I laugh. She says “no, I’m serious, why aren’t you doing this for a career?” I didn’t know. Even when I took the photography courses, I did it because I LOVE it, not to start a business. From that moment on, my mind was made up with pure determination (doubts, insecurities, and hope) to turn my passion into a career, and as they say, the rest is history…
I know how blessed I am, but I also work very hard to constantly stay abreast of changing technology and techniques. The number one reason photography businesses fail, is because they do not know how to run a business, so I’m currently finishing up my business degree. Being behind the lens is just a fraction of my business, and even though it is what I truly love, I have to maintain a profitable business to stay in business.
I guess that was the LONG version of how these two little girls changed my life in more ways than one! Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the photos!
~Elizabeth
Here is a video that has been a long time coming. I hope this video helps you to get a feel for who I am, in this internet, email, and social networking driven world. Thank you for taking the time to get to know a little about me, and I hope to hear from you soon!
~Elizabeth
Elizabeth Thompson Photography 