PL365 + IN THE BAG

last week one of the inspiration hashtags from project life 365 (PL365) was #in_my_bag and while my photo wasn't all that inspiring - sandwiches for dinner! - it did get me thinking about putting together a blog mini-series about my photography bag.

wait, what's that, you don't know about PL365 and you're missing out on all of my random phone photos of the sky, my feet, food and otherwise uneventful moments in my life?! well stop right there and let's get you squared away before we go any further!!

project life 365 was started by the impressive team at design aglow. i want to work for them, even if it's just to file stuff...i love their aesthetic, so clean and crisp and organized! they create some insanely useful tools, provide inspiration through written word & images, and had the awesome idea to create a community around a daily photo challenge. they give you a hashtag for the day and you find a way to interpret it through photos and then upload via social media and/or through their very own photo uploader. it's a fun way to document a small facet of your life each day and then share it with others participating in the PL365 world. it's not too late to join us!! if sharing's not your thing, feel free to follow me on instagram or just check out my recent posts by clicking on the camera (on the green flag) in my blog header!

so now that you've been fully briefed on PL365 and you've taken time to catch up on all my recent images, let's get back to something everyone loves...a new, and highly functional, bag!!

mmm, swoon...check her out, her name's Lola (officially, i didn't even have to come up with a name for an inanimate object on my own this time, the folks at epiphanie did it for me) and she is a BEAUTY!!

i had hinted to my husband (mz) that i'd like a new camera bag for christmas...as the lowepro backpack i had stolen from him many moons before was making me feel like i needed to be wearing cargo shorts, a visor and some LA Gears...but never really thought anyone would be bold enough to actually surprise me one!!  luckily my mother-in-law is pretty fantastic at finding things that are better than what you would have ever thought to pick out for yourself!! such a lucky girl!! i mean, c'mon the color even coordinates with my logo, seriously!? match made in heaven!

Lola has long shoulder straps plus a longer removable, adjustable, strap which is nicely padded and very handy when toting her & all my gear across nyc or boston all day (check out my boston post to see a glimpse of her in action). she's equipped with two outer pockets, an inner zip pocket and wonderfully soft, padded, velcro dividers. plus a second padded bottom insert so you can have all of your gear stored on the bottom and cover it - in a secret compartment kinda way - to keep personal items on top. i currently have her configured with 6 slots on the bottom and it's plenty to hold all of my gear and daily junk that fills any purse i carry. i'm so so thrilled to have this gorgeous epiphanie bag to keep my camera safe and looking sweet!

stay tuned for upcoming posts in this mini-series where i'll share all of the treasures that Lola holds!

time to celebrate: aston turns two

i really can't believe how much this little guy has grown since i met him for the first time when he was just a few days old. two years ago on a chilly february day, aston's mom and i stuck him in a basket and took some pictures in order to introduce him to the world. today, he's still a bit of a pipsqueak, but there was no way this little man was about to humor me and take a picture in a basket!

aston was far more interested in being behind the camera and pushing all of the tiny buttons, but once he gets warmed up his huge personality was ready to shine through.

in the middle of running around, punching balloons, and laughing like lunatics, aston decided to call it quits. i thought we might be done for the day, but luckily i know aston's weakness...chocolate chip cookies! boy after my own heart!

after a little snack break, the star of the hour was back in action.  it was especially helpful to have big brother, alexander, along to show everyone how it's done.

not only does aston have a birthday this weekend, but he is also being baptized! so glad his christening outfit arrived in time for the photo shoot...and we managed to keep it nice and clean.

i'm excited to share in this joyous celebration as we welcome the church's newest member...and eat some cake and cookies!

happy birthday, aston!!

woo-girls' weekend: boston

sometimes when i get excited, or am feeling particularly awkward, i might have a tendency to throw my hands up in the air and do a little jazz hand thing.

and by sometimes, i mean always.

luckily, there are a few ladies in my life who get the need to be a woo-girl...and they might have a tendency to do the same exact thing :). we got together for a woo-girls' weekend in boston...home of my sista, brutal windchill, an abbondanza of italian eateries and a surprising amount of bronze statues.

my momma and her sista joined us for a weekend of walking, laughing, public dancing and of course the most important thing on any agenda...eating!! only bummer was that we didn't have all of the woo-girls with us, due to scheduling, which just means another weekend needs to get on the books fast!!

here are a few snapshots of our adventures that i managed to capture without freezing my fingers off...



always good to know how far santa is from you at any given moment.

common knowledge that craziness occurs in the commons.  we were getting lots of odd glances as we all took a turn getting our pictures taken with the frog pond frogs...mom obvi wasn't prepared for the ridiculousness, haha.

and then we danced. a lot. and probably sang loudly too.

so thankful to have these girrrillas in my life and so fortunate to have such a close-knit family that enjoys spending time together...even when i make them stand against funky walls and doors in a hidden alleyway!

xo ladies! hope you stay warm this weekend once nemo hits!

updated with a few extra photos from Facebook.

a boy and his toy: sweet deesigns blocks

last weekend, before i got sick with norovirus (ick), i got a chance to spend some time with my darling nephew, benjamin. benny-boy was kind enough to help model some of the awesome wooden blocks that his momma is selling in her new etsy store - Sweet DeeSigns! they are hands-down the cutest blocks and are absolutely perfect for little ones. they sure did keep this little 9 month old muchkin entertained while his annoying aunt stuck a camera in his face :).

as you can see, ben wanted nothing to do with modeling - he was too busy playing!

the blocks can be custom made to match a nursery, bedding set or with your child's name so they are THE gift for any expecting gal in your life!! plus, they are also non-toxic so you don't have to worry about little teethers drooling all over them. they also make awesome photo shoot props...can't wait to order my own set for my next shoot!

be sure keep an eye on victoria's latest creations posted in her store or on her facebook page.

and since the nursery is magazine worthy, i have to share a few shots of this DIY wonder world! no nursery is complete without a hand-crocheted elmo, of course!  seriously, is there anything my sister-in-law can't do!?

 isn't his blueberry clown face hilarious?!

haven't had enough? a couple more are hiding here!

enjoy your week!!

lauren