Monthly Archives: April 2012

Click It Up A Notch – April Favorite

by Adel Posted on April 30, 2012

It’s that time again. As always, it’s hard for me to pick just one.

I realized recently that I really don’t have many really good shots of both my children together. I have plenty of them separately just not as many where they’re both looking adorable.

So. This is my submission for April. Just my two kids. As they always are. On one very sunny morning. Yeah she gives him that look quite often. <3

Check out the other great submissions this month at Click It Up A Notch!

Posted in Photography | Tagged click it up a notch | 8 Comments

From Beach To Playground

by Adel Posted on April 30, 2012

Some days we hang around the home and finish projects and household chores. Some days we get out to the playground, park or maybe even the beach.

Some days we do all of the above. This day that’s what we did. I took my little munchkin to the unusually warm SF beach after dropping Rex off one morning. I was on the hunt for my Negative Space shot

Boy does she love the beach. Something about the sand and tossing it around puts the kid in a GREAT mood.

She’s got all kinds of moves for tossing sand around.

The thing about sand? It gets EVERYWHERE. And is next to impossible to get out. Yeah we left shortly after this.

After picking up her big brother we hit the new Dolores Park playground. Again.

This was more BOTH our speed. She’s climbing, sliding and riding everything she can and I’m totally fine with it all. It’s not sand. And that’s good news for me.

I have to admit I didn’t get much housework done that day. But some days it’s worth it to just get out and play.

Laundry can wait another day.

Posted in Family | Tagged beach, playground, sand | 1 Comment

Sewed Paper Favor Bags

by Adel Posted on April 29, 2012

A few days ago I signed up to help a friend with some favors for her child’s birthday party. A quick search on Pinterest yielded lots of options. These though jumped out me! Paper and a sewing machine? I had to make them!

I have an abundance of colorful and patterned paper in my craft stash. I used some scrapbooking paper for these bags. They come in a 12×12 size so I cut them down to 9 x 12 pieces. Basically a straight line down the middle. Easy.

I used InDesign to layout my text, but that’s just because I used to pretend to be a Graphic Designer once and it’s what I’m familiar with. You can just us MS Word or any other word program. I printed the text directly on the 9×12 pieces.

Next I experimented with a few different stitch patterns and settled on a plain zig-zag stitch to stitch up the top and side. I did this on all the sheets of paper so I could fill them all at once when I was done.

There you have it. All ready to be filled with whatever you want. I filled mine with some personalized M&Ms my friend supplied me with and some stickers.

After you’ve filled them, just stitch the bottom the opposite way the top is stitched (if that makes sense). The photo shows how better than I can explain it

They’re real simple and quick to put together. Especially if you have a sewing machine. And they make such a pretty presentation

Next time I’ll have to try it with brown craft paper. I used up my entire roll for my Paper Easter Eggs and haven’t replenished it yet that’s why I went with the scrapbooking paper. I do like the colors and look of them too. So many options to make these!

Posted in Crafts | Tagged favors, paper, scrapbooking paper | Leave a comment

Project 52 – Negative Space

by Adel Posted on April 28, 2012

I’m surprised I found time to get this post in this week. I do love these type of shots though so was highly motivated to try different styles. I didn’t get to do all I wanted but I found a couple I liked.

This one of my baby at the overcast Ocean Beach one warm morning is what I’m submitting.

And here’s another one I liked of my beautiful son.

Posted in Photography | Tagged negative space, project 52 | 1 Comment

Photo Session – S. Family

by Adel Posted on April 27, 2012

Remember how I said I got to photograph TWO families over the weekend? Well I’ve finally finished working on the photos from this adorable little girl’s family!

This kid has some serious cuteness on going I tell ya.

She and her little brother were incredibly easy-going and fun to work with. I’ve never met any two kids that looked, smiled and performed on cue for the camera like these two!

Their parents were just as comfortable in front of the camera as they were.

The weather had cooled down quite a bit from the previously hot day we’d just had. But they didn’t seem to notice one bit.

I’ve actually known S & P since before they even had kids. It’s been awhile since I’d seen them. It sure was nice to finally meet their beautiful children!

Yep I really need to get some pointers from mom on she gets her kids to embrace the camera like this one does. <3

Thanks S & P for a really fun session on a less than warm evening. It was was so great to catch up and do this!

Posted in Photography | Tagged botanical gardens, photo session, photography | 2 Comments

The Other Photographer

by Adel Posted on April 25, 2012

I’m not sure if you all knew this. But Grizz is the original pro photographer in our family. He’s been shooting with an SLR since cameras were using this thing called film. Yeah way back before most of us can remember how to take pictures without being able to see the shot instantly on an lcd screen.

Since my obsession with photography started about a year ago though, he rarely gets to shoot anymore. Let alone hold the camera much. On our sunny morning out recently I was reminded that I need to give up the reigns every now and then.

For so many reasons. Least of them being that he is good at this. Maybe not as good as me (hehe) but he definitely knows what he’s doing!

And mostly because I need to be in the picture with my children. I say it all the time I know. But I don’t do it as often as I should.

I’m always so glad when I go to edit my photos later to see all these happy shots of me and my kids. It’s a rare thing to edit photos with me in them. It warms my heart to see them and have them.

Of course I can’t stand to not be behind the lens for long so I always reclaim the camera shortly after! Control freak, I know

My kids… I love being their mom.

Posted in Family | Tagged justin herman plaza, kids, photographer, sunny | Leave a comment

A Water Hunt

by Adel Posted on April 24, 2012

For our Project 52 Water theme last week, my friend Rachel and I decided to go on a photowalk/playdate hunt for it together. We met up on the warmest day of the year and it was just a perfect afternoon out in flip-flops, shorts and dresses with our kids!

We decided to stay around the Ferry Building and Justin Herman Plaza area since it was right on the water and had an interesting water fountain structure there.

We were entertained by our three goofballs all afternoon. They’ve become fast good friends since their moms always insist on bringing them along on all their photo playdates

It was one of those gorgeous days in the city where everyone and their sister was out. We finished our afternoon with some Mexican food and then a little more running around before finally calling it a day.

Then, as an extra special treat, Rex and I rode a pedicab back to our car! My boy was one happy little camper!

Posted in Family, Photography | Tagged ferry building, hot days, justin herman plaza, water | Leave a comment

Photo Session – A. Family At The Botanical Gardens

by Adel Posted on April 23, 2012

Well I’ve had a crazy busy weekend. Yes crazier than usual. I got to photograph a couple of awesome families. Amongst other fun outdoor activities It was busy. I’m exhausted. But in a happy and productive way. If you know what I mean

So, remember this gorgeous little girl?

Well she’s a little older than the last time I saw her. I photographed her and her super cool parents earlier this year. It was a much colder day that first time we met. Of course it seemed appropriate that I photograph them again on SF’s hottest day of the year so far! And boy did she warm up along with the weather! What a precious little girl she is! And her parents aren’t too bad either

I had planned to do our session at the Conservatory of Flowers at Golden Gate Park. But when I showed up I walked up to empty beds of dirt! They had literally pulled out all the flowers the day AFTER I went to scout the place out earlier in the week! Wow. Does that happen to anyone else?? Well luckily, the day was warm. Golden Gate Park had plenty of options for pretty photos so we wandered over to The Botanical Gardens! I think it worked out pretty well!

We all had a good time and I’ll be seeing them again soon for a special celebration. Thanks so much Allison and Dave for letting me photograph your gorgeous family! Again!

Posted in Photography | Tagged botanical gardens, family, photo shoot | 2 Comments

Project 52 – Water

by Adel Posted on April 22, 2012

I’m a little behind on my Project 52. In fact I’ve missed one week. Last week. The theme was Two. You’d think that would have been a breeze for me. Two kids and all. But I’m gonna blame it on the my dental issues and all my visits to see my dentist! Ha! I’ll come back to Two soon. In the meantime, so I don’t fall too far behind, here’s this week’s theme.

Water.

I’m just posting the one shot this week. I did however go on a little photo hunt for Water with my friend Rachel and our kids on the hottest day of the year so far. What a fun afternoon we had. I’ll post some pictures from that day later. It sure was fun to find a Water shot for this week’s theme together!