<a href="http://www.marmaladephotography.com/blog" title="Marmalade Photography" rel="home">Marmalade Photography

2 comments

Paula - January 23, 2008 - 6:14 pm

I totally agree. Can’t believe he is just….. gone. Weird. Addiction is such a crazy and scary thing.
Elizabeth - January 28, 2008 - 5:31 pm

I just watched 10 things I hate about you this afternoon.. I too am heart broken over the loss of Heath Ledger.. I didnt follow his career I didnt see all of his movies.. but the ones I had seen I always enjoyed tremendously.. I cant even imagine what his family must be going through and his dear little girl.. such a tragic tragic loss.. and I have spent probably way too much time reading up on him his career his life and hiw romance with Michelle Williams.. it seems that at one point they were so in love.. you could see it in the photos.. Such a tragic loss.. makes me sad too.. I am glad I am not alone in this.. I was starting to feel kind of goofy about being so sad over this.

I know y’all aren’t going to believe me…

…but I feel writer’s blocked. I swear I have a mild case of A.D.D. because seriously I’ll type away and have this amazing (@ the moment) train of thought, get interrupted/distracted by a shiny object and POOF!, awesome/amazing train of thought all of a sudden is uninspiring/stinks and I’m back @ square one. I’ve been sitting here for two days just staring at the blank blog page and wondering HOW much of my train of thought process can my readers possibly handle.

So it’s been silent.

Alas, I cannot keep quiet too long though. I had three clients email me in the past few days going through some blog withdrawls. (Thank you Lisa, Annette & Whitney for emailing me with “glad you’re alive” emails, it made my week and contributed to my general feeling of warm fuzzy love at the end of last week…and yes to anyone I haven’t personally answered, that WAS Nick L.)

So what to talk about, what to talk about. Hmmm… a) it’s too cold to snap photos. b) y’all know my deepest darkest wishes for 2008 already. c) I haven’t bought any new tunes that blow me away. I have done some shopping and had some me mall time this week, sweaters are way on sale now and every thing I own is sort of sad looking. I debated getting a new car a couple of weeks ago when my husband drove us to the dealership to get new wiper blades for his sedan but I stood my ground and decided the gas guzzler we own is a lesser evil than another gas guzzler with payments (even if it’s one that I have coveted for a couple of lifetimes now).

There’s a sofa/chair combo in my studio that I’ve bartered to exchange out for two chairs from the antique store across the way from me. Jill is awesome (the owner of J&R Antiques) and just started the storefront business this past fall and I am so excited for her because things seem to be going very well for her. She and her husband have a true talent for putting things together, her holiday ideas in store blew me away. I really do need to get in there this week to make the exchange out. One of (soon to be mine) new chairs is a white wood with light blue fabric (? it might be velvet…I forget) bergere with metallic details and the other chair is a whimsical quilted chair that would be perfect for little girly girl shots. I got this AMAZING chandelier for the viewing room from the antique store next to hers several weeks ago. It’s this amazing tiered beaded number and at $59 it was a REAL find. Just gorgeous. I’m getting giddy just thinking about it.

The antique stores in downtown Wilmington, near my studio, are pretty amazing. I’ve discovered this side of myself that loves the “find”. Milltown Market (located a few blocks away) has another awesome leopard print victorian legged bench like the one that is sported in my studio. If any of my clients loved that little bench, you’ll be glad to know there’s an almost duplicate (legs & all) at Milltown Market on Kankakee down there.

Here’s a picture of the more than adorable Ella on the bench in question:

Ok, brief discussion dedicated to my photography friends. I have posted information on my upcoming photography workshops at my photography workshop site here . I am now opening up slots for the 101 level workshop. Eligibility is limited to photographers outside my marketing area as discussed on the site (if you need to bookmark it, www.seethelightworkshop.com)

Thanks for stopping in & visiting. I swear I’ll get more blog exciting in the next few days. 🙂

xoxo, Mare

1 comment

Elizabeth - January 22, 2008 - 11:38 am

I hear ya on the lack of blogging stuff.. I have done pretty much nothing its cold and blah and stiffling.. I cannot wait for spring

News From Marmaland ;)

I apologize for the lack of blog love this past two weeks.Â Admittedly I felt a little bit of writer’s block however it’s time to get back into the swing of things.Â Question is: so what in the world does a mostly outdoor based photographer do during the downtime/self imposed time to reorganize, regroup, revitalize, regenerate and rediscover during the cold Chicago winter months?Â She tries to find her center and get all sorts of stuff done behind the scenes.

I am busily at work putting the finishing touches on the workshop site, I am so very excited to premiere details very very soon!Â Also as I mentioned, I’ve been finding my center again, purging the old and bad out of my life, making peace with things that may have caused distress in my life this past year or so and started taking care of ME again.Â I highly recommend regrouping to find yourself.Â For me I suspect yoga has been an integral part of this journey (and who knew I was still fairly flexible?Â I sure didn’t!).Â Yesterday morning in class I feltÂ a calm and peace come over me that was a shock to my system.Â It felt so good to come to terms with it.Â January 2008 seems to be a month of renewal for me and revitalization.Â Loving myself as much as I love those near & dear to me.

Gosh I am rambling… 🙂

Speaking of love.Â I think I am in love with myÂ new camera.Â I’ve been having a blast with it!Â I’m currently participating in a self imposed picture a day project (which I won’t bore you with here) and am living my own advice of KNOWING your equipment. Â Feeling challenged to come up with different stuff daily is fun and my girls are totally into this as the pic of the day (we take turns on who’s day it is).

So, keep out on the look out for more news & stuff.

xoxo, Mare

3 comments

Elizabeth - January 17, 2008 - 5:52 pm

I cant wait to hear more about this workshop… and I have been following your picture of a day with your new love for you new camera on Flickr.. and Love what you have been doing.. I have been feeling very blah and uninspired myself these days… and am oh so longing for a D3.. ( am currently saving up my change )
Marianne - January 20, 2008 - 5:43 pm

Thank you E.
mk - January 28, 2008 - 10:53 pm

I LOVE that first shot!

Welcome to 2008

Presenting the year’s first blog entry.

I make lists every year. I don’t call them resolutions, I call them wish lists. I have high hopes that 2008 will be even better than 2007 was (and 2007 was pretty sweet). Last night as the girls and my husband rang in the new year I had a sense of purpose, a sense of solid footing of what my direction will be this year.

For any of you blog stalkers, something that has been in the works for a long time will come to fruition this year – earlier rather than later! I am so excited to able to share the news with you…but not quite yet. I’m not ready to shed light on the subject just yet. I promise you though, you will see the light soon. 🙂

(Evil, I know, making you wait like this. I promise it will be worthwhile and fun and perhaps a bit educational (hint hint)).

Coming up this month, I will premiere images for my blog readers from my new camera. Yes, I feel like the ultimate traitor and dove into the Nikon pool with the purchase of the D3. More on that later tho.

(Gosh, I’m the ultimate in cruel these days, aren’t I?)

If you haven’t seen the YEAR IN REVIEW 2007 slideshow, please feel free to click on the link and do so. I enjoyed 2007 so much that I go and look @ the slideshow once daily. It is so wonderful to remember the smiling faces, the happy families and the WARM WEATHER! Ahhh, the warm weather. Speaking of… DH and I talked about our upcoming trip (around spring break) to Destin. I simply cannot wait! We hadn’t been there in almost 3 years and truly, I think I’m going through withdrawls. If you’ve never been to the panhandle of Florida, you simply must look into going at some point. Destin is my perfect vacation spot, enough nature to satisfy that side of me, with a side of great shopping and good food. The softest sand beaches known to mankind (or at least to Marmalade & Co.) and beautiful emerald colored ocean. Simply paradise.

So there you have it. Here’s my list for 2008. How many do you think I can get crossed off before 12/31/2008? 365 days and counting (since day #1 is already almost gone….)

Thanks for dropping in. I send all my blog peeps a happy and relaxed 2008 lined with many successes and many wonderful things!

xoxo, Mare

9 comments

Elizabeth - January 2, 2008 - 10:22 am

I like the Plan a Parisian getaway… can I come.. teehee.. Happy New Year Girl.. so looking forward to another year of following your work and being inspired by you
Melissa - January 3, 2008 - 12:35 am

it’s a workshop…isn’t it??? yayyyyy!!!! haha!!
Joyce - January 3, 2008 - 11:41 pm

Woo-hoo!!!! : )
Laura - January 7, 2008 - 10:13 am

You are such a tease. Spill the beans.
PamN - January 8, 2008 - 4:28 pm

oooh, I hope it’s a workshop!
Jessica - January 10, 2008 - 1:16 am

You’re coming to Destin? If I should bump into you on the street and immediately recognize you and scream with excitement don’t be afraid 😉 I’m just a huge fan. Destin would be a FAB location for a workshop sometime don’t you think?
Paula - January 10, 2008 - 9:33 am

Like the blog! Happy New Year!
Marianne - January 18, 2008 - 9:31 am

Jessica,

Hehe…Destin would be a fabulous place for a workshop. You’re SO right!

Melissa, yeah, you got me, a workshop. 😀
Melissa - January 18, 2008 - 5:46 pm

yippee!!! when and where?? I will be there!!!

2007

2007 was a very good year. I had a blast getting to know all my clients, many have become friends and so many have children that are growing alongside my photography. It’s been a true honor to photograph so many wonderful children, families and the occasional new life (figuratively & literally!). Thank you to every one of you, friends, family, clients, acquaintances–that have touched my life this past 2007.

I have, once again, put together a year in review slideshow. Although it takes much work to get these together I find it fun to go down memory lane and pause for a second on the goodness that was 2007. Please get a cup or glass of whatever your poison might be 😉 and join me in retrospecting this past year in pictures.

I adore every one of you. Thank you for being an integral part of my world.

(if you don’t see the image, click here)

Thanks for stopping in,

xoxo, Mare

ps: If I happened to exclude anyone, the slight was completely unintentional and contact me to have it added in!

5 comments