Hena Tayeb Photography

Aruba

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

I know this post is about a month overdue but I've had my hands full. But better late than never right?

We had a fabulous week of warmth and sunshine.. just a tad rain and the waters could have been warmer but it felt good to shed our coats and sweaters and bring our flip flops out of hiding.

We spent time splashing in the pool, M had missed out on all of D's swim classes and the only splashing he had seen was in the bath so it was great to see father and son get in some pool time.

But D loved the sand so much more.. he was fascinated by the grain and texture, the way it fell from his fingers..

and the ebb and flow of the waves..

giving me a lot of time of just laying on beach chairs and enjoying him at play and reading..

We rented a car and toured the island which is not very big and covered with cacti.. millions and billions of cacti.. a light house, a few gold mine ruins, several beaches as well as dessert like terrain.

We took a semi submerged submarine.. it was when we were taking a boat to get to the sub that we encountered crazy rain and surprise surprise but that is also when D decided to nap. Yes, in the crazy cold rain and winds he fall asleep... naps through the submarine ride where we encountered the wreck of Antilla, a WWII German supply u-boat.

We had a few terrific meals..a Brazilian American Churrascaria, where meat carvers walkabout with tasty treats. It was a bit on the pricey side but the food and dining experience were worth it.

We ate a delicious breakfast at our hotel restaurant La Vista just about everyday except for one, when we ate at Linda's Dutch Pancakes. These were less pancakes and more crepe like and so awesome. I had peanut butter and M had banana's and chocolate.

Then we had a few average meals at Tango Argentine Grill.. mine was better than M's and D enjoyed the live music.

And Gianni's Italian restaurant, where M's was better than mine..

But the worst of them all was the beachfront Hadicurari. Oh so bad.. I have no words to describe it. We had to buy some ice cream from our hotel lobby just to get the taste out of our months.

But the trip was fantastic, D was a rock star, every maid and almost every other guest on our floor knew him. He was great on the flight and having him enjoy the trip made it just the more pleasurable for us.

p.s Getting Lasik done today.. so lets hope and pray for zero complications.

A Line a Day.. Journaling

2012-01-16T09:30:00.001-05:00

Just before the start of last year, I stumbled upon this post by Design Sponge for a Calendar Journal. I immediately knew this was something I wanted to do just without all the cutting and loose index cards. I liked the idea but the execution was not something that would fit into my life. I could just imagine D having his fun with the index cards, stuffing them into the vents. Yes, that is his new hobby. : )

So as of 2011 I started my one line a day journal. I liked the idea of one line.. you really had to sort through the events of the day and focus on one. It was your choice if you chose to remember a fight or the making up ;) It made me smile everyday before bed as I ran through the images of the day.. well almost everyday.. there were as there always are bad days too.

In all my excitement I forgot to check how many pages my little notebook had.. and also forgot that I had used this notebook before and had torn out a few pages. My notebook ended in the middle of December, which was not going to work. Obviously. Who would buy another notebook? Who was going to fill in all those pages again with the events of the year passed? So I added the last few pages myself. It was all fine until I reached those pages and they start to tear out.. this notebook wasn't going to last me years to come.. this one was barely holding on to dear life by the end of it first year. I needed a new journal and so the search began.

In the end I didn't go handmade, though I wanted to.. I really did. And such a beautiful collection of journals as you can see above. I was on Pinterest scrolling through all the beautiful eye candy when I found this little journal that was exactly what I needed.. down to the cover. And it just arrived this morning and it is even more beautiful than the photograph. I can not wait to filling in my line a day..

In hindsight I am glad my little notebook fell apart. Else I would never have found this one.

Do you keep a journal? What do you love most about keeping a journal or diary?

The Books of 2011

2012-01-09T09:37:00.000-05:00

I love to read.. I could finish a book a day forgetting the world around me. But I can't.. with a rambunctious toddler you get no time for yourself until your child naps.. and then you have a whole other list of things you need to get done.. and bedtime can not come sooner.. and you simply don't have enough hours in a day. But I can't not read. Sure it take me a month.. sometimes more to finish a book.. but I must make time to read. I am no particular genre of interest. I am willing to read anything that captures me. And if it doesn't there was time when I would still finish it.. a courtesy to the writer and a hope that it will surprise me. Unfortunately, I no longer have the patience for that. If i'm not hooked by the first hundred pages or so I must move on to the next tale on my bookshelf.

What I read this year:

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. I started with some laughs. He is a very different kind of funny.. he never fails to entertain and to think this was his life.. his real life.. I count my blessing and appreciate the normalcy of mine.

Not in the Flesh by Ruth Rendell: A quirky small English town murder mystery which was more funny than thrilling. Oddly I don't remember the end of it.. I am trying to recall and I can remember the overall plot but the who did it has been forgotten. Not a very memorable book I guess.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who played with Fire by Stieg Larsson: If you haven't heard of this series you must get out from whatever rock you are living under. If you haven't read it I advise you to read it. I haven't gotten my hands on the third book yet but I will devour it as soon as I get it. I personally preferred the first book over the second but they are all worth the read.

Hunger Games, Catching Fire and MockingJay by Suzanne Collins: Now for me this was an amazing series.. I waited all day for night to come so that I could read some more.. I thought about the characters and what would happen next during the hours I wasn't reading. I was obsessed. I assume this is what Twilight fans feel like. But the illusion of its awesomeness was broken when my husband started reading the series and was not as in awe of them as I was. He preferred the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. I suppose that these books are geared more towards a young adult audience and while both books are from a girls perspective Lisbeth is mature and twisted with a violent edge. While Katniss is the exact opposite but with a violent edge. Still a highly recommended read.

Currently I am reading 61 Hours by Lee Child: I have read enough to know who I feel about the book yet.

I started to read a few other books too.. but couldn't finish them.. Bullyville by Francine Prose it was intended for a much younger audience and I could get through even the first few chapters. Another was The Exception by Christian Jungersen: This one by husband read and said there was a great twist in the end but the con was that you had to get through the entire book to get there and it just wasn't worth it.

What have you read this year? Any recommendations to add to my list of next years reading?

Currently waiting on my bookshelf are:
Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
Maps of Hell by Paul Johnston
Ravens by George Dawes Green
Nobody Move by Dennis Johnson

Necklaces and Pendants

2012-01-09T09:30:00.001-05:00

Yoola

Rafya

Pole Star

MD Sparks

Cathy Walters

Year in Review

2012-01-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Wow.. 2012.. didn't it just turn 2011 a blink of an eye ago?

What a year it was.. D had just turned six month.. and is now eighteen months.. he had yet to learn to sit up or crawl for that matter and in the last year he has gone from sitting.. to dragging to crawling and cruising and now is a walking toddler.

M and I celebrated four years of marriage.. still blissful (knock on wood)

We had more than a few trips.. our first had a bit of a tumultuous start.. D and I made our first international trip.. yes it was 14 hours in a plane just me and my 6 month old with an hour layover in Dubai and that wasn't even the worst of it.. we had a snowstorm the night of my flight and were in and out of the airport for three days before we were able to get on a plane..

But in the end D was greeted by swarms of family.. grandparents, uncles and aunts and more cousins than he could imagine.

And a birthday surprise for M. While I was in Karachi for a little less than two months M could be there for only seven days to attend his sisters wedding. And he was leaving the night of his birthday and the eve of mine. So I got all his friends and family together for a surprise.. his first ever.

I participated in my first open house and was featured on PictoryMag.

Our second trip was a weekend road trip to Upstate New York.. this was D's first road trip. We visited Poughkeepsie, Cooperstown and Skaneateles. D also rode his first carousel. M and I both celebrated our first Mother's Day and Father's Day.

My baby boy turned the big ONE and we had a train themed birthday party..

The whole family came for a visit and were all living at our place so we had a very full house.. stayed up nights telling funny stories... got great dirt on M from his sister and played Trouble and Uno.

I joined LinkedIn and met an art consultant and she asked we what I wanted to be a Target or a Tiffany? Along with a few other things.. and I know that seems like such an obvious thing.. but sometimes you are the last to see what is in front of you.. her words got me thinking and as if possessed.. in a little over a month I launched my own website Hena Tayeb Photography and started to pursue the idea of getting myself into a gallery. Which I did!

I also joined The Artisan Group and got my business cards in the 2012 Golden Globe Swag Bags. Hoping it will bring me some attention and even business.

We took another trip in the fall.. we drove up to the Great White North. We visited Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec and finished off the year with the warm beaches of Aruba.. which I promise to post about very soon.

That was my year.. how was yours? Did it surprise you? Did you take a risk? Did something fabulous happen to you? I'd love to hear about it..

And here's to an even more fanfreakintastic 2012!

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Holiday Gift Show.. the results

2011-12-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone.. happy holidays..!! Hope you are all enjoying the holidays with family and food.. :)

Remember I told you all about my Holiday Gift Show last week.. firstly I want to thank you all for your kind words of encouragement.. but now the moment i'm sure nobody was really waiting for but I'll tell you anyway.. the results are in.. I've crunched the numbers and after a few weeks of preparations.. and 3 hours of the show minus set up time.. (scroll down to see the rest)

we had a total of 30 something attendees. Yes.. you heard me.. 30! Of that I'm sure that 25 of them we're there just to see their kids preform as the carolers.. The choirs of two school's were there. Of which 15 stopped by to say hello... 10 told we my work was so beautiful. Two took my business card.. 5 asked me for directions.. one asked me the identity of one of the birds in a photograph, one asked me if I had an photographs of Buddha, which I do not. And I think that just about covers it. Fun fun fun.. blah blah blah.. argh argh argh..

I am hoping the Gallery produces better results..

Next week tune in for a year in review.. you may have missed ever post I've written but this is not one to be missed.. I'm am sharing lots of pictures..

Also are you following me on Bloglovin yet? If not, what are you waiting for.. get my post directly in your mailbox.. it can't get easier than that.

Holiday Gift Show.. in the making

2011-12-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

Back from Aruba..which was fabulous and I'll post more about that later.. for now..

This has been a busy holiday season. We started with the gallery exhibition, then flitting off to the warm, beautiful Aruba back home just in time for the Holiday Gift Bazaar at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey on the 19th of December.. which is today.

Now this is, will be my first official fair/bazaar. Thankfully the table and chairs are provided, tents were not needed nor allowed since it is an indoor event. So what do I need? Tablecloth, banner, display racks and product of course. So I started off by making a list and checking it twice (I apologize for the bad pun) but I couldn't help myself. : )

Photographs printed, signed and packed.

Bought a photo album to create a catalog.

Slipped in a little note between mentioning the price and alternately saying 'Ask me about framing?' and 'Ask me about larger prints?'

I also needed a banner.. I didn't want a ready made one.. nor could I afford one since I had bought display racks.. Methods to display photography are limited. Especially when you don't get a display wall and also when everything you are selling is not framed or matted. Most of my inventory is loose prints.

So I sat and cut out triangles.

Now color combinations. Oddly enough my package of markers included just about every color but red. I didn't really want to do Christmas colors anyway..

Now did I want to fully color in the letters or half color them in.. I know what you're thinking.. how very important these decisions were.. life changing. In my defense it has been a good four years since I've picked up a marker.. and have had to think about color combinations and refer to my color wheel.

The result.

As a last moment idea I also decided to offer gift certificates. Figured out how to firstly implement it in my website so that the buyer can easily use it and then tried to quickly but cutely make little gift certificates that people can actually gift.

I picked up one of those plastic storage boxes to put everything in.. Easy to transport and keep track of everything. I have my business card, tape, extra clear bags and pens. Email sign up sheet, custom order forms.. I think I've got it all.. now all I need is some shoppers :)

Will report back with pictures and hopefully great stories. Got any craft show stories of your own.. tips, tricks, DONT'S.. Share.

Sun Soaking, Water Splashing Fun

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

It is time for a vacation!

I haven't even completely finished editing the photographs of our last vacation and here we are going on our next. Yes, I have been just that busy and yes M and I really really need this. We have a toddler so it won't be the relaxing vacation of a time before children but it'll take us away from the routine of everyday life. It'll take us away from the Jersey cold and off to the warm sandy beaches of Aruba!

Getting back to the being oh so busy.. I don't know how all these other talented mommy bloggers, crafters and artisans do it but I find it hard to jump from creative mode to mommy mode at minutes intervals. Plus M has been working late.. and this is not just a phase. It comes with the job. It usually doesn't start as soon as December.. usually it starts with January and goes on till early May.. but those are the months where I find myself becoming a single mother.. eating meals alone and being starved for adult interaction and conversation. And to think this only the beginning.. five more months to go.

In the meantime I am trying to stay on top of things with my work. The website is fully loaded with all my photographs. And as some of you may already know I just had my first gallery opening yesterday! I will post more of the details when I get back from my trip. But for now a few photographs. My work will be available at the Art House Gallery till the 28th of January 2012 just in case you are in the area. I want to thank you all for your words of appreciation and encouragement. Your words make my day and lift me up when I am feeling down. Thank you.

And once I come back from my vacation I am doing a Holiday Gift Fair at the PaperMill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ on the 19th of December. Now technically I have done an Open House before but that was four Etsian's in a house. This obviously is going to be much larger than that. And requires much more work to get organized. Printing inventory, signing and packaging. Making a banner, sign up sheets just an endless list of things to do. Which I would like to say I am more than halfway done and I would like to be 100% done before I leave so I don't have to be worrying about getting things done once we get back home. I will tell you more about how that turns out.. and if you are fellow Garden Staters please stop by. I'd love to meet you.. you don't have to buy anything I promise. : )

Now getting to the toddler.. we have been taking swim classes which he loves, one of the reason we decided to take a beach/pool vacation. M never gets to see him in action, that is if you don't count his splashing around in the bath tub. So this way I can lounge in the warm sun (yeah right!) and M and D can catch up on their water bonding. He has also started to walk.. a bit of a late bloomer walking at 16 months but the amount of trouble he can get himself into has now tripled. So adorable..devil! He is like a tiny penguin plodding around climbing on and off things all day. Hopefully he too will enjoy the vacation immensely and crossing my fingers will be so tuckered out at the end of the day that he will sleep till the sun comes up.. ah the dream!

Okay so that is it for me.. see you back here next Monday..

A Little Something for your Ears

2011-12-06T09:30:00.000-05:00

Anne Holman

Joo Joo Land

Nest Pretty Things Shop

See you back here next week.. for a little less photographs and a little more me. Things going on and things to come.. till then have a great week.

My First Gallery Exhibition

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the wonderful Samantha Palmeri and Dawn McDonnell of the Art House Gallery in Manahawkin, New Jersey. They had talked to me about showing some of my work in their gallery and in the end the following ten pieces were selected to be featured. I am absolutely ecstatic about this new venture. It will be my very first gallery showing and to be going through the experience with these two fabulous ladies is my pleasure.

At Work

Pottery

Rings

UPDATE: Gallery Exhibition is set to open on 11th December 2011 @ Art House Gallery in Manahawkin. 2pm - 5pm. If you know people in New Jersey who may be interested please pass on the word. Thank you.

Montreal Through my Eyes

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's just few of the brand new photographs up at my website taken in Montreal.

The Shoes

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Bloglovin

2011-11-12T11:40:00.001-05:00

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3186184/hena-tayeb-photography?claim=a47e2gkb9vv">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

The dress

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ouma

Lauren's Paint Palette

Power Out!

2011-11-01T11:44:00.000-04:00

I had planned to post about Halloween and pictures of D in his monster costume. M was going to be a from and I a petulant child :) but that all went down the drain when Saturday afternoon with all the October snow we lost power.. it is Tuesday now and still we have no power to speak of. In fact our county decided to go ahead an postpone Halloween.. no sense in celebrating when there is no school to go to.. fallen trees and dangling power lines..

After spending one cold day and night at home and after finding out that power was not going to be returned before Thursday we packed our bags and moved down to Pennsylvania to my great aunts place. So there went Halloween. In fact Halloween has been postponed in our county and will be celebrated on Friday instead.. but we all know that that is no fun. Now it is Tuesday and we have been separated.. D and I and here in PA and M has gone to NYC to live at a friends so that he can be closer to work. This is the second time since we were married almost four years ago that we have been separated.. all because of snow in October.

UPDATE: Power is back on.. and M and I didn't have to spend a night apart :) We had power back around 1pm and by 3pm I was out of Pennsylvania and headed back to my Garden State.. great to be back home.

Golden Globes 2012

2011-10-24T09:30:00.000-04:00

I'm excited to announceHena Tayeb Photography, in association with TheArtisan Group, will participate in a luxury Gift Lounge on January13-14, 2012 hosted by GBK Productions atthe L'Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, in honor of the The 2012Golden Globes Nominees and Presenters.

Allattending celebrities will receive our business cards in their swag bags. Thisevent will also be attended by over 75 media outlets.

Tolearn more about Hena Tayeb Photography and our products, or our participationin GBK Productions' Gift Lounge, visit http://www.henatayebphotography.com, call (917)3558553, or email henaabbas@hotmail.com

HenaTayeb, Hena Tayeb Photography's sole proprietor, is a resident of Belleville, New Jersey.

For press inquiries regarding The ArtisanGroup, please visit http://www.theartisangroup.org/ oremail press@theartisangroup.org.

Something New from the Great White North

2011-10-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share with you all the beautiful photographs I had the pleasure of taking while visiting the serene Ottawa. All these and many more photographs are all now available for purchase at my website. They are available in a variety of size and come with the option of framing.

Flourish

Spider

Rolls in the Field

Parliament

Starry Blue

Planked

Bridge

The Locks

Prayer

Metal Swirls

Connection

Walled In

Across the Pond

Notre Dame

Up to the Sky

Lock Break

Voyager

Quebec City

2011-10-10T09:45:00.000-04:00

The last stop on our Canadian road trip was Quebec. We stayed within the walls of Old Quebec at the charming and oh so beautiful Hotel Marie Rollet. My photographs with a diaper clad D scurrying on he bed do not the room justice. By day six or seven of your road trip with a toddler.. you realize that you are no longer on top of everything. Your luggage that started out as four bags has now somehow mutated into six.. counting the canvas bags full of things that no longer seem to have a place. We did not shop.. we are not big shoppers.. but visually it seemed like our belongings had doubled. I usually remembered to take photographs of our meals well after we were three quarters into it.

With all that said.. we loved Quebec City. It was everything I had imagined Montreal to be. We were few minutes walk away from Chateau Frontenac and the boardwalk like area called the Dufferin Terrace with a picture perfect view.

We opted to stroll down the Côte de la Montagne, a steep winding street that connects the upper town and lower town instead of taking the funicular.

Then we took the steps down to the Breakneck Stairs. We window shopped.. ate some more gelato : ) at Madame Gigi Confiserie and just enjoyed the lovely weather.

We were told repeatedly that our lack of French speaking abilities will become a huge problem in the Quebec region but that was completely untrue. The people were so accommodating and never did I need to pull out my iphone to use my translator app (yes I came prepared! )

We had dinner at the Restaurant 1640 and breakfast the next day at Pain Beni.. both on the Rue St. Anne and just across the street from the Chateau. All very nice but nothing I fell in love with. Though I must the mention staff at 1640 were amazing.. so friendly. You can really tell a lot about a person by the way they interact with your child..

All in all a wonderful trip. So lovely and serene..

Montreal

2011-10-03T08:27:00.000-04:00

From the picture perfect Ottawa we headed towards Montreal, which just our luck happened to be under construction. Yes, a major part of the city consisted of road blocks, detours and orange cones. So after going in circles and D tried from the long drive and now in hysterics, unfortunately we were already tired of Montreal.

We were staying in the Latin Quarter, at Hotel Quartier des Spectacles aka Abri du Voyageur Hotel an interesting choice and I mean that in a good way. But if I went again I'd want to try something different.

We were a bit far from Old Montreal but it didn't bother us much, we're walkers, we hardly felt the distance. We strolled the streets.. or should I say street of Old Montreal (was disappointing that there wasn't more to it). We ate crepes and gelato; Maple Delights had a very nice selection. A superb French onion soup at A l'Aventure and delish spaghetti at L'Usine De Spaghetti. D was thrilled at the amount of gelato he was getting to sample and his excitement over pasta was so adorably funny.

After a few average breakfast we finally stumbled upon Universel Restaurant Cafe on our last morning there. The food delicious, portions for great, the staff so friendly, D was enamored by the host who played peek a boo with him. Wished we had found this place sooner.

We drove up to the top of Mont Royal Parc to get a view of the city.. nothing special. St. Joseph's Oratory on the other hand was a delight. When I entered the basilica it took me by surprise. I loved the modern feel to it. The oratory itself was moving, seeing all those candles, all those prayers. And the openness of the space, the view, the height.. it was just what we needed before we headed out of Montreal.

I don't know what it was? Was it that my expectations were too high? Or was it that Montreal kept reminding me of a less awesome New York City while I had anticipated Paris.

The highlight for us was the Chinese Lantern Festival in the Jardin Botanical Gardens. We attended the opening.. it was our last night there. We arrived a little early and were so glad we did.. the gardens were beautiful. But what was even better was that we got to see the lanterns in daylight before the hoards of people arrived.. and yes there were hoards. It was interesting seeing them without the lights and then with. I would definitely recommend stopping by if you are going to be in Montreal in October.

Coming soon.. Quebec City.

Ottawa

2011-09-26T10:10:00.000-04:00

It’s time again to bring to you more of my tales from theroad. Yes, we took another road trip, just M, myself and a now 14 month old D.This time we headed up to the Great White North. This became D’s secondinternational trip and he had the fortune of meet some of the most warm andfriendly people I have ever met, the Canadians. J

We started our trip with the capital, Ottawa. But before Iget to it I must first mention the amazingly delish lunch we had on our way toCanada. It was a few minutes detour off the highway and into a Germanrestaurant by the name of Hallo Berlin in Conklin, New York. Now this was our first time eatingGerman food and the fact that we do not eat pork or drink alcohol made the menuall the more daunting. I don’t know why we chose German of all cuisines but I’mglad we did because my alpenwurst and M’s schnitzel was terrific. So if youever find yourself in the area I would make it a point to stop by for a bite.

Now back to Ottawa. We stayed at the Capital Hill hotel andSuites.. which was just a few minutes’ walk from the parliament buildings aswell as the Byward Market where you can get just about anything to eat, Thehotel itself was very nice and the staff extremely helpful. They let us usetheir freezer for the ice packs I was carrying for D’s food and when M lockedhimself out of our bathroom we had someone up within minutes to solve theproblem plus we got a room upgrade free of cost enabling us to have akitchenette.

As for the sightseeing, we walked all over downtown Ottawa..along the Rideau canal and saw the incredible locks.. which I had read aboutbut did not quite understand the allure until I saw them myself. They were amust see.. and standing on the locks was thrilling.

We walked the grounds ofthe parliament buildings and witnessed the surprisingly interesting sound andlight show that takes place at the parliament building at night. Instead ofwhat I expected to be dull and dated was something modern, relevant andgraphically awesome.

We visited the beautiful Notre Dame and ate some deliciousmeals in the Byward market including amazingly good Thai food at the RoyalPalace.. a steak penne that I am still thinking about at the Blue Cactus, anunfortunately disappointing meal and milkshake at Zak’s and of course a sampleof the famous Beaver Tail and some Poutine. But the best I save for last whichwas breakfast at the SconeWitch.

I do not have words to describe theawesomeness of this breakfast which we devoured twice. The first day was aweekend so we had the brunch which consists of scrambled eggs with your choiceof topping.. I chose to go with the Mediterranean.. some green, fresh fruit anda scone of your choice plus some jam. I choose the vanilla cream scone and thestrawberry jam while M picked the orange and cranberry scone. I must tell youthat I do not like jam.. I never eat jam..ever. I ate the jam.. I slathered itonto my scone and loved every last delicious morsel. In fact I was so enamoredI ordered the same scone and jam the next time too.. (unfortunately entranced my the awesomeness on the plate in front of me I forgot to take a picture until I was already started to dig in) and the sad part was that withevery bite I realized that I would in all likelihood never eat this meal again.

All in all we spent a lovely three days inOttawa.. with forecasts of rain but encountered never more than a light drizzleduring the night.

Have you been to Ottawa.. what was your favorite thing aboutit? Where did you stay and what did you eat?

A little something funny I saw in Byward Market

Stay tuned… coming soon Montreal.

Launching a Brand New Website

2011-09-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

I am so proud to announce that after over a month of hard work and long hours I have finally finished creating my own personal website. And in celebration I am offering one week of free world wide shipping. Check it out.. I am open to comments.. suggestions and constructive criticism :) http://www.henatayebphotography.com

New Photographs from the Road

2011-08-26T10:29:00.001-04:00

A month or so ago we took a little road trip through Upstate New York. We visited Poughkeepsie, Cooperstown and Skaneateles and here are some of the photographs I took on the trip. All available in my My Gallery

Colorless Country Day

Gone the Days of Color

Hope you all have a great weekend.. for those, like us in Hurricane Irene's path, stay safe.

World Photography Day

2011-08-18T17:29:00.052-04:00

In celebration of World Photography Day I thought I'd take you around the world with me and share some of the places I have been a

Paris

and I'll leave you with a quote "A lot of photographers think that if they buy a better camera they'll be able to take better photographs. A better camera won't do a thing for you if you don't have anything in your head or in your heart" - Arnold Newman

Circles

2011-08-09T10:24:00.002-04:00

Some more favorites from my circles

Lilith

What are some of your favorites? Feel free to share in the comments below.. always looking for new things to heart.

Something New

2011-08-01T17:43:00.000-04:00

It has been quite some time since I've been able to upload any new photographs.. I have been taking photographs if not outdoors I am exploring the objects of my own home. But it's the sorting, the uploading, the editing that I just couldn't seem to make time for. After months off squeezing in an hour here and an hour there I finally have something new to share. These were taken around the house.

Time for a Party

2011-07-22T11:15:00.002-04:00

I know D's birthday was a few weeks ago but we were having some scheduling conflicts and couldn't celebrate it till now. My parents, my brother and my sister in law and her husband as well as my cousin were all flying in for the occasion. So our little family of three became a family of nine.

The Theme: A choo choo train, we sent out adorable train invites via evite which I used for the first time and love.

The Location: Shanawaz Palace Banquet Hall.
We had a guest list of 50 adults and over 20 kids.. so our apartment just wasn't going to cut it. The first birthday is just such a big deal.

My husband, sister in law, brother in law and brother took care of the balloons.. which were the extent of our decor. We bought two balloon kits from the grocery store which included a helium tank, thirty balloons and ribbon.

The cake: A sculpted choo choo train made by Kakes by Krisota

Party Favors: Train Party

Everything was train themed except for the candy. We had a rainbow colored pencil with a train shaped eraser, a train whistle with bubbles which was a favorite among the kids and the one the parent will first hide when the child is not looking. A train puzzle along with a train pull back toy all inside a train plastic bag.

The Party: Unfortunately you can plan and plan but can do nothing when your baby wakes up with a fever the day of his birthday party.. so we gave D some medicine and hope for the best. He refused to smile and went to sleep as soon as we cut the cake.

The After Party: Once we got back home D perked up and started to have some fun.

Well there it is.. he's a year old and it feel like it was just yesterday.. a very long.. tiring and sleepless yesterday.. here's to many more.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

2011-06-23T16:59:00.002-04:00

Last years.. just a mere 17 minutes ago I had just finished huffing and puffing and there he was my slimy little baby boy. He stayed in the hospital a week longer than he was supposed to.. he liked having all the nurses at his beck and call.. picky he, even switched hospitals. He wanted more special care..

Since that day he has kept us on our toes and we have kinda almost enjoyed every moment of it. So happy birthday baby boy.. I.. we can not imagine life without you.. well we can when we want to sleep in on the weekends and you don't.. : ) But you know what I mean. Here's to many many more..

Father's Day.. accidentally early

2011-06-18T22:35:00.004-04:00

It's Father's Day.. tomorrow June 19th is Father's Day, the third Sunday of June, the same time it is every year yet I let my husband sleep in last Saturday on June 11th. When he woke up we all went out to breakfast at Toast in Montclair to beat the Father's Day rush on Sunday. I thought I was being so clever.

On Sunday D and I woke him up with a little present. I called my dad who lives continents away to wish him a Happy Father's Day while he sat wondering why my brother didn't say anything to him even though they live in the same house. We convinced my brother that he was a bad son for forgetting; only for me to realize half way through the day that it in fact was not Father's Day on that Sunday. That my brother was right and I was wrong.. something I don't like to admit. The day ended in giggles and laughter.. not a bad way to spend the weekend.

So now what to do when the actual Father's Day rolls around? You do what matters the most, more than the presents and a special meal. You tell them how thankful you are for them. How you are who you are today because of them and you love them. After all isn't that what any parent really wants to hear?

What are you're plans for this Father's Day? Any special traditions you have that you do every year?

Road Trip

2011-06-05T10:00:00.005-04:00

It has been so long since we have gotten away. It was this time last year, I was 8 months pregnant and M and I had driven to Woodcliff Spa and Resort, upstate New York for a weekend getaway. We got massages, soaked in the pool, slept and ate. It was perfect and it was also going to be the last time we were going to do all that alone in a while.

So finally we thought road trip! Nowhere to far, flexible enough for D and maybe just a little peace. Our first stop was Poughkeepsie where we stopped at the Walkway Over the Hudson, a lovely 1.3 mile walk on what was a sunny and gorgeous day.

A view of the bridge from the road as we headed out to lunch at Kavos Gyros.

Our next stop Howe Caverns.. stunning in every way.. and a perfect end to the day.

Day2: The Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown... I know I know Cooperstown is supposed to be all about the Baseball but we're not a big baseball family.. and D is a lover of anything outdoors so we go back in time to a place of metal smith's and sheep shearers.

Here D had a lot of firsts, his first encounter with sheep and bullocks. His first feel of grass and most exciting of all his first carousel ride.

And after an absolutely delish lunch at the Stage Coach Cafe.. a must eat for anyone passing through Cooperstown we were back on the road and headed towards the small town of Skaneateles pronounced 'Skinny Atlas' which thank god M and I figured out before we got there.. before we had the chance to make the mistake of pronouncing it they we had been : )

The town was much smaller than I expected but with a lovely lake at it's center. We started the evening with some ice cream at Doug's Ice cream.. as suggested by the waitress we order vanilla and chocolate cones. Never thought I'd say this but the Vanilla was sublime. But unfortunately that was the last good meal we had in Skaneateles. The supposedly great breakfast we're supposed to have was a major disappointment.. IHOP would have been better.. Dunkin Dounuts would have been better.. the only saving glory was the coffee and the fact the they had free refills.. still hungry we thought we'd grab some sweets for the road.. I had read reviews of this bakery's heavenly.. and I quote heavenly, melt in your mouth donuts and rolls.. they were nothing of the sort. And to make things worse the town was full of mosquito like bugs.. one of the towns people assured us they were harmless but I wasn't buying it. Thank God we had a net for D in the car..

and before noon we were on the way back home.. home sweet home..

Two Year Etsyversary

2011-05-23T11:01:00.005-04:00

It's been two years since I joined the fabulous Etsy community.. and I have enjoyed almost every moment of it.. I wanted to do something to commemorate the occasion. I was inspired my Shop Dirtsa and her chalkboard maps to create a non chalk board digital version for myself. What started out as a fun activity turned out to be an interesting visual study of just where my customers are and a few pleasant surprises.

I tried not to think of the numbers... though we all know, all we really want to think is about the numbers.. so here they are:
24 months
38 sales
2 continents
15 states
25 cities and I'm just getting started :)

And on a completely other note D turns 11 months today..

Circles

2011-05-18T15:27:00.003-04:00

It was not very long ago that Etsy introduced the Activity Feed and Circles. And with them in my life now I can't imagine Etsy without them. They are a great way to come across so many more talented people, great eye candy and creativity. So I took this as an opportunity to comb through my circle as well as the people who added me to theirs and find some of my favorite things. Here are just a few to begin with.

Rickettsia

Some Blossoms and Mother's Day

2011-05-09T21:00:00.000-04:00

I just celebrated my first Mother's Day. D is almost 11 months old and I can't believe that this time last year he was the little guy kicking me on the inside.. now he kicks on the outside. I didn't expect much of the day and we didn't do anything special. We just spent the day at home. We woke up at the crack of dawn as usual..because that is the time D has decided is morning. We ran errands and tried and failed at finishing the never ending list of chores. We went for a drive, it was a glorious warm sunny day and just happened to drive by a park with swings. We just had to stop. D hadn't experienced the joy of a swing yet and I crossed my fingers hoping he would love a swing a much a I do. M was more skeptical. We gave the swing a little push and D was wide eyed in surprise, we followed with another small hesitant push and D erupted in laughter. He squealed with joy making me reciprocating his joy with a squeal of my own.

It was in that moment, seeing his face, hearing his laughter that made this the perfect Mother's Day. It is these moments that make all the troubles of having a child worth it. Unfortunately that was the one day I left the house without a camera. Will have to visit the swings again soon to do a do over.

Hoping all you mothers had a wonderful, love filled day. And to the fathers, don't worry in just a months time we will celebrate you and all your efforts that make the parenting experience so much more enjoyable.

The Favorite List #4

2011-05-03T14:09:00.000-04:00

A few more gorgeous jewelry picks I can't help but drool over

There so many more wondefully talented people on Etsy and I wish I could mention them all but the lists would be endless. Enjoy and feel free to share your favorites.

Featured on Pictory Mag

2011-04-25T12:55:00.000-04:00

Recently there was a collaboration between Pictory Mag and Etsy for a special Handmade Showcase and one of my photographs had the pleasure of being featured. Check it out here: Pictory Mag

Spring is Blooming Around Me

2011-04-19T17:33:00.000-04:00

A few years ago we, along with some friends had driven to Washington to see the Cherry Blossoms only to find out that there were a large number of gorgeous cherry blossoms blooming in our own town. We were new to the area and hadn't made our way over to that part of the town yet. We moved to a new location within the same town.. and boy what a difference those 5 miles made. We discovered that just a 10 minute walk away in Branch Brook Park there are now over 4,000 Cherry Blossom trees of many different varieties which bloom over an extended period in the park. There are an additional thousand beautiful blossoming trees growing along the streets of town. It turns out the my little town of Belleville, New Jersey is a premier location for viewing Cherry Blossoms.

When we finally had a day of no rain I decided to take D out for a walk. He was more than thrilled at the idea of getting out of the house. I also took this as an opportunity to dust of my camera and take a few pictures something I haven't done since the little guy was born. It was fun, the weather was great and D had so much fun I had to pull him off the bench, his little hands holding on tightly.

There were plenty of people out and about, taking pictures and picnicing on a Monday afternoon. It was all so surreal to think my little town was actually attracting tourism. We have to drive two towns over to get to the nearest theatre but come April and we've got tourist :)

We are having more rain so no more going out for now.. hope the sun comes out soon so D, my camera and I could go out some more.

Open House in New Jersey

2011-04-11T14:59:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone,

I'm very excited to be participating in an open house in Bridgewater with fellow Etsy NJ members Thistle Bee Pottery, My Grace Notes, Blue Pie Designs, and Ms Veronicas on Sunday 4/17.
More information and a coupon on http://suhualow.com/april17

Hope to see you there!

Isn't Boring Just Great Sometimes

2011-03-28T16:22:00.000-04:00

Live. Grow. Bloom

Its been cold for days, weeks, months now and it was fine considering it was winter. But just last weekend..days before it was officially spring not only was the sun shinning but the air was warmer, we brought out our t-shirts, put D in his stroller and took a long walk. And then it was officially spring and it snowed!

Yesterday seemed like nice day, the sun was shining and was just a slight chill in the air.. we decided to head for the park. Maybe have D swing on his first swing. I filled a thermos with hot chocolate, bundled up D and off we went. Our first problem was when D fell asleep the moment his head touched the car seat. We thought no problem we'll just enjoy the sun and some alone time with D sleeping in his stroller. (M has been working late nights for three months now and though it's coming to an end with the end of the month it just feels like enough is enough. We hardly have any time. So this was it. A little us time. We pour two steaming hot cups of chocolate and take our first sips and a cold breeze blows.. and then a second.. we know in that moment it was to good to be true. We pour our hot chocolate back into the thermos and get back into the car and instead drive around for an 1 hour just talking, D still asleep. We talked about the future..way into the future when we've had the kids we've wanted to have and they're all off to college and our life is our own again. Jumping ahead of ourselves, I know!

We waited till be got home to enjoy our hot chocolate.. it still was a pretty good afternoon.. it was the highlight of our weekend.. yes.. we are that boring! And sometimes boring is just perfect.

Something New. Something Sold

2011-03-17T15:50:00.000-04:00

It was barely noon and already I had a new listing, was featured in four treasuries and I made a sale. Now that is one awesome morning.. and the cherry on top my little guy let me sleep in till 8:30am. This hasn't happened in the 8months and 22days since he was born. Perfection!

New: Caged In

Sold: Tailed

Treasuries:

One World One Heart Lets Get Together

Todays Inspirational Treasury Word - Illuminated

Dark Blue and Acid Green

For You I'd Burn the Length and Breadth

When in Rome

We have been having some amazing weather today.. and some more warmth coming our way tomorrow. Wishing you all some sun and warm weathers too.

New: Bloody Sunset

2011-03-16T14:18:00.000-04:00

Just listed a brand new photograph Bloody Sunset. It was taken from my parents 11th floor balcony in Karachi, Pakistan. Every evening you could see the sunset from there balcony, each sunset lovely in its own right but on this very evening the sky was an unbelievable red.

A little Voting Love

2011-03-11T11:05:00.000-05:00

In order to win a feature on The Guide and an ad space in The Guide's next Voter, I need your help. Send me a little love by voting for my 'Sitting Blue' photograph here at Hand Made Gift Guide

Thank you in advance and have a happy weekend!

Twisted Beauty

2011-03-08T11:19:00.000-05:00

Its been a while since I have been able to list a brand new photograph for sale on Etsy for a few months I had just been relisting and renewing whatever had expired. But finally I have had a chance and so I bring to you Twisted Beauty taken in Florence, at the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore also known as The Duomo. This twisted, intricately carved and detail pillar was part of the breathtaking facade.

The Favorite List #3

2011-03-04T16:00:00.003-05:00

This list is of things that are just oh so pretty...

Happy Friday everyone!

A Free Print for my Next Customer

2011-02-23T15:08:00.000-05:00

I recently made my 29th sale to the wonderful Michelle who bought the sepia toned 'Saved!' taken in St. Peters Cathedral in the Vatican City.

In celebration I would like to give my next customer a free print, upon purchase of one print. So visit my shop and be my 30th customer and recieve any print of your choice free!

Turning Twenty Seven

2011-02-06T10:33:00.000-05:00

For many..well not many but a few years in my head I was always 23 years old.. even after I turned 25 I still thought of myself as 23.. I had just started to get accustomed to being 25 and BAM! I'm 27! All of a sudden before I knew it I am in my late 20's. When I fill out a form or take a survey I can no longer check the 18-24 box.. no I now check the 25 - whatever box!

I know nothing has changed..today will be the same as yesterday and tomorrow will be no different. Turning 27 is less of a 'oh crap I'm getting old' thing but more of a nostalgic where did time go type of a thing. Just yesterday I was... and now.. and there is nothing depressing about that statement. I'm more filled with wonder, to think I am married to this wonderful man that I love in a way I had never imagined and I have little boy.. that we created out of nothing.. well ok there was something but you know what I mean and he has changed everything.. literally..

Oddly enough I am not afraid for getting older.. while the number 27 still bugs me but the future looks bright and I look forward to what it has in store for me and my family.

Now time for some cake! That is the whole point of a birthday isn't it : )

TidBits:
A few interesting tidbits that make my birthday special.. it was also the day my husband and I got engaged.
The very next day is my husbands birthday..

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-01-16T23:53:00.000-05:00

Kayce has awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award! I am thrilled! This is how the award works.

Thank and link back to the person that awarded me.
Share 7 things about myself.
Pay it forward to 15 recently discovered bloggers.
Contact those bloggers about the award!

Here are a few things about myself:
-I have a 6 month old son named Daanyal
-My husband and I have been happily married for 3 years after surviving a 3 years of long distance and an 11 hour time difference.
-Photography started just as a minor in college and now it's a passion.
-We vacationed, or more of sprinted through Europe last year 8 cities in 16days and I loved every moment.
-I want to go everywhere and photograph everything!
-I am trilingual
-When I was a teenager my dream was to be 5' tall. I gave up on that dream a long time ago.. now I am content with being 4'9".

I have passed this award to the following stylish bloggers:

Twillypop's Place
Felicity Lingle
Moon Flower
Sarah.Wandering.
Garden of Eden Designs
Coco Shack
Montclair Made
The Needle Blog
Daily Sip Studios
Katrin Shine
Kathy Maximo
In The Hammock Vintage
Enjoy the Eva Sunshine
Love at First Blush
The Nutmeg Tree

The Favorite List #2

2010-12-29T15:59:00.000-05:00

My last few posts have been a bit too wordy.. something I try to never do but there is just too much going on right now and when I get to typing I can't seem to stop. Contrary to my last post..I did not go home. I am still in the Garden State and have been to the airport twice only to have spent hours there with D and then being told that your flight will not be leaving today afterall. Finally we decided to give up our seat and just book a new flight. So now, fingers crossed hopefully I will leave Sunday morning. To make me feel a bit better about how things turned out I thought what better way than to share with you some of my favorite things!

When you have a baby you want to buy every cute thing you see and surprise surprise the baby isn't impressed. He is more interested in his own fingers then anything we have bought him..and when he gets tired of those he attacks our fingers. But that doesn't mean I don't look at every toy, stuffed animal, cute outfit and imagine him in it or playing with it. Here are some of my favorite things for D

Jugie Bee Crayons

Hello Banjo Baby

Mr.Sogs

Waafia

Evgie

Going Home

2010-12-26T14:22:00.000-05:00

It has been just a few days short of 3 years when I left home.. and when I say home I refer to not only my parents home but I also think about how I left behind friends of 14 years, family and a country. In these three years I have missed weddings and babys.. and most of all my family and friends have missed the birth of my baby.. though my father visited shortly when his brother passed away and my brother was here when D was born mostly I miss my mother... but now after three long years I am going home.. with D in tow. I will be there for a little over a month.. attending my sister in laws wedding in the meantime.. M can't get more than a week off so he will join us just for the wedding.. which sucks because by the time his jet lag will wear off it will be time to leave.. and he will be exhausted beyond belief just in time to go back to work, where it'll be the busiest next few months and will only get to slow down once april hits. : (

I am extremely excited.. excited to see everyone again but ever more for everyone to meet D.. who will be travelling with me on a plane alone! Alone I tell you! 18 hours in the air! Can you sense my fear..? Anyone travel with a 6month old before.. any tips? And my kids is not one of those calm ones that likes to just chill in his baby cot.. and will "I'm sure just sleep through the whole trip, they love that noise the airplane makes" as someone told me like I was insane.. plus now with the current snow storm in progress along the east coast my tomorrow morning flight is now an afternoon flight. Meaning now I will miss my connecting flight in Dubai since I will be reaching there around the time I should have been reaching Karachi. So now I have a 5 hour layover and getting home at night instead of the afternoon. And this is all tentative. The storm is just getting started.

Also I've never been apart from M for this long.. actually I don't think I've ever been apart from M more than like a day since the day we got married.. which too was 3 years ago : ) But on the other hand.. I am going home..

Hope you all have a Happy Holiday and have a Happy New Year everyone.. hope you are all surrounded by your loved ones.. Enjoy!

Sleep Associations: What Happened?

2010-12-20T19:49:00.000-05:00

Last week I had written about sleep associations and how M and I were on a mission to break D's sleep association with me. So on Wednesday, instead of Friday like planned we fed D and then put a still awake put sleep D in his crib. And the crying insued. Minutes passed and I couldn't take it anymore so I hopped into the shower to drown out my baby's cries. 35 minutes later D was sound asleep. I had expected it to take longer so we were pleased with the results and that night he woke up only twice. Finally a night of sleep. We continued the cry it out method for the following nights.. with one change. I would first feed D then read him a book before putting him to bed.

And so the next night he cried for 15 minutes.. and then 5 minutes and then no crying at all.. and then today 20 minutes.. but it works.. It really truly does work. I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined that it would work.

So yay! Now another hurdle.. I leave the country next week for 6 weeks.. with an 11hr time difference. So comes the question of how to deal with a jet lagged baby? Will all our sleep association training go out the window? M won't be travelling with me and I doubt I'll be able to let him cry it out at grandma's house. So will we have to restart again when I come back? That is a problem for another day.. for now I will enjoy getting an almost full nights sleep.. and a few hours at night where M and I can just relax before we go to bed.. no rocking involved.

Sweet dreams everyone.. and incase I don't blog in the next couple of days Happy Holidays!

Sleep Associations

2010-12-15T15:44:00.000-05:00

D turns 6 months next week and has grown so much and learnt so many new things. But M and I are facing some sleep issues and we feel if we don't fix them now it may get all the more difficult once D starts sitting and crawling and basically more mobile.

D's basic nighttime routine consists of feeding to sleep or rocking/swaying/bouncing to sleep. He has always been a high maintenance baby but the feeding/rocking never bothered us before. It did not take up too much time. M would take him to his room and start the rocking and was done by the time dinner was on the table.. but now the once simple process taking minutes takes an hour and some time, more often then not the moment D's head touch the mattress of his crib he is awake and crying.. but once picked up he would fall back asleep within seconds. We would often have to do the put him down pick him up routine 4-5 times just to get him to sleep. And while we have heard that a 6 month old should at max wake up only once or twice during the night he was now making about a minimum of 4-6 times.

We were both tired and frustrated and ended up taking it out on each other. And so began the research of how to put our baby to sleep in a more efficient manner. Now from all the information we have gathered we have come to learn that it is all about sleep associations. D has associated sleep with me, feeding and rocking. We need to break this association and create a new one, one that does not involve M or I. Meaning introducing a blankie or a stuffed animal I assume. So how do we go about breaking this association?

There is of course the most popular 'Let him cry it out' solution which I find just too hard to do. I have forewarned M that D isn't going to be the only one crying that night. But we are parents now and sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.. But then again I have seen my son's lung capacity and I have a feeling he has no problem crying out the best of us.
Then there is a more gentle and slower method where you eliminate one association at a time. Stop the feeding to sleep and just rock, then slowly eliminate the rocking until and replace it with you association of choice but that all seems a bit vague to me. I want a step by step guide..which I know I know does not exist..so what do we do! I did read somewhere to introduce this so association prop.. lets say blankie to your feeding sessions. Something he can hold on to while he feeds and slowly just eliminate the feedings and so on so forth.

Whatever method we decide to try it's all going down over the weekend.. the key is consistency.. so we'll start Friday night.. wish us luck and chime in if you have an words of wisdom or tips to share.. i'll let you know how we fared next week..

The Favorite List #1

2010-12-08T15:30:00.002-05:00

There is so much gorgeousness available on Etsy.. some of which I wish I could pull off but can't or my home just isn't there yet but will maybe have room for it in some future home and then of course there is the stuff that I simply can not afford. But I can drool.. and heart.. and share

The jewelry list could literally go on forever but I am going to narrow it down to maybe 2 posts..

Introducing the Newborn Mat by zCush

2010-12-01T08:26:00.000-05:00

Two of my friends have developed a new product that I’d like to share with all of you. As a new mother myself I found it to be essential in the first few months of having a newborn baby in the house. In the words of the women behind zCush themselves:

‘What makes our product unique is that it allows you to hold a newborn with more support because the mat is firm, but it’s also soft so it’s comfortable. Also, it’s a great way for older siblings to bond with their new brother/sister because they can hold them easily and the parents don’t have to worry about the newborn’s neck or back.’

The mats come in two varieties, the cotton ones have animals embroidered on top; the animals are of a very soft towel material.

There are three animal choices
Pink lamb cotton cover: Cotton Candy
Yellow duck cotton cover: Dainty Duckling
Blue bear cotton cover: Plushy Paws

And the mats without the animals are:

White chenille cover: Whimsical White

Blue chenille cover: Silky Sky

Pink chenille cover: Rosy Ruffles

To learn more or buy one of these wonderful mats for yourself or a friend you can visit their website: http://www.zcush.com/
Follow them on twitter: http://twitter.com/zcush

Fan their Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/zCush/223947766647

Black Friday!

2010-11-26T00:00:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again Black Friday! And I am having a sale! Three glorious days of Free Shipping anywhere.. so hurry on over to my Etsy Shop and get shopping.. sale end 12am EST on Cyber Monday.

Note: The free shipping does not apply to customized large prints and framed and or matted work.

New: Bunny Love

2010-11-10T16:35:00.000-05:00

The Gift of Art

2010-11-03T14:00:00.000-04:00

The Gift of Art.. it's been a question in m mind for sometime now and with the holiday season just around the corner I seem to be thinking about it more and more. Do you gift art? Hanging out in the forums I got the feeling from a few that art as well as decorating is very subjective and I agree. But because of this people prefer not to buy art for other people. What if the person does not like it? Or they like it but it just doesn't go with their decor. But then again isn't that a concern for every type of present? Jewelry? Clothes?

What do you think? Would you gift art? Would you like to recieve art as a gift?

Its been 122 days and counting..

2010-10-25T16:09:00.000-04:00

It's been one hundered and twenty two days.. that's better... typing out the words gives those days the importance they deserves.. the numbers make them seem quick and easy.. you think I'm crazy I know.. and you have no clue what I'm talking about either.. but it was been one hundered and twenty two days since D was born.. we have made it through the NICU of one hospital and being transfered to the NICU of another. We ploughed through nipple confusion and are nearing the end of colic (hopefully). We are getting through the nights better and we take each day as it comes some good and some not so. He now not only smiles but giggles.. loves the baby in the mirror and sucks, chews and drools on everything..

He got his immunizations today, not happy about that and we are going to be starting on solids from tomorrow. We barely remember life before these one hundred and twenty two days and the funny thing is no ones complaining. Well maybe a little ; )

A New Venture: Consignment?

2010-10-21T13:06:00.000-04:00

Last month I was approached by the wonderful Nancy Torsen, artist and owner of Fair Wind Studio in Columbus, Ohio. She with the help and support of her husband and daughter was opening a brick motar in the all new semi 'Flea Market Style' Marketplace of Americas and was looking for consignments from fellow artists. The store was.. well is selling everything from jewelry and clothes to sculptures and 3D as well as 2D art. It official opening was last weekend and I was a bit late in getting my photographs to her, I had an uncooperative baby!

These are just a few of the photographs I have for sale at the Fair Winds Studio all also available at my Etsy shop. This is my first time doing something like this. I have taken part in an auction some years ago but that was more of an online nature. Where I printed, framed and shipped out only the work that was sold, so no money lost. Here it was a bit different since my work had to be present in the physical form, printed and ready for sale. I am wishing Nancy the best of luck with her store and I am hoping to come out of this with a good experiance and hopefully a few sales.

So for all those people in the Columbus area, stop by and take a look. If not something of mine you might like something by another artist. For other people who have done consignment work before, how was your experiance? Would you do it again? And for those looking to do consignment work give Nancy a shout out.. this might be your chance. You can visit her blog and learn more about it here http://fairwindstudio.wordpress.com/

Introducing New Discounted Photography Sets

2010-10-11T12:46:00.002-04:00

With the holiday season right around the corner I had decided to introduce discounted photography sets in my Etsy Shop

Now you can buy any four 4x6 photographs or any four 8x10 - 8x12 photographs/art prints for the price of three.

So hurry on over to my Etsy shop now!

D's Nursery

2010-09-28T17:34:00.000-04:00

Its been three months since D came into our lives. But it was many months before that that we started to plan for his room. He may not have known it when he first came home but now we can see him looking around.. it is possible that he is staring at something else completely but I like to think that he smiles because he enjoys the colors around him.

When we started out his room at been a make shift office for M and also functioned as a guest room. And it looked like this the day we started to paint. Our choice of color Lemon Pound Cake. We knew he was a he but we didn't want to trap him in a blue room just because he was a boy.

We don't believe in excess so we didn't go crazy buying toys.. we thought we'd wait and see what type of a baby he was.. and shop to suit his personality also that it would be wise to wait till he was actually able to play with toys.. but a cute little train and a few others were just too hard to resist.

Our crib is the Graco Lauren, Dwell Traffic Bedding from Target. Above the crib hang colorful lantern from the Dollar Tree.

The bookshelves were once nightstands in our room. We removed the doors and repourposed them as floating shelves. Above the bookshelves three art prints. The numbers and alphabet one created by yours truly and the gorgeous boy girl art print created by a very talented felllow Etsian HeatherFuture

Our comfy chocolate rocking chair a great find at the Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot above which hangs a mobile I made inspired by the designs of Lupin of Bugs and Fishes made with a beautiful array of felt from Pixie Rose. This was quite a project.. I was sewing in bed and sewing in the car and I don't sew. Though it required no more than a running stitch I have never done more than reattached a fallen button. We also repurposed some plain white curtains we had. I bought a rubber stamp from Drumchick99 a little robot and stamped the little guy along the bottom of the curtains.

Lastly, we installed additional shelving in D's closet. He may not have much now but a day will come when the extra closet space will come in handy. And we bought these really cute blue and green bins from Target.

We had so much fun putting together the nursery.. so many memories to be made.. stories to be told and sleepless nights to be had.

I'm on the Cover!

2010-09-15T18:47:00.001-04:00

I am on the cover of Underwired Magazine's September issue! Well not me per se but my work.. but I do make it on the 3rd page under artists statement! I recieved a copy of the magainze a few days ago but couldn't post till now.. hubbay happened to knock my laptop off the counter over the weekend. Thank god my laptop is intact and in great shaape.. as if nothing ever hapened.. but my charger died.. Thank god for the warranty I'll recieve a new one soon.. but not soon enough.. it will take 6 days! It was a non paying gig but I'm not complaining.. I'm still beaming at the fact that someone found my work interesting enough to put on their cover. The image is of a set of birthday candles with the words Happy Birthday written in a variety of languages. A little something for everyone : ) Happy Birthday

and here's me with the the published cover

In other news D is almost 3 months old.. he smiles at us.. and he pretends to listen and understand when I ramble on.. and on.. my husband insists he would roll his eyes if he could but I think he likes my stories : ) He has still yet to sleep through the night.. he wakes up every few hours.. sometimes even every hour.. ah the joys of parenthood : )

For all the people who sleep through the night, eat food without trying to simultaneously bounce a baby and sip there coffe while still hot enjoy it.. these are cherished moments..

I can smell it in the air!

2010-08-23T16:06:00.000-04:00

The air is cool, the sky is gray and the rain is falling.. I have spotted a few yellow leaves. It's here, fall is almost here, I can smell it in the air and I can not contain my excitement! I love the colors and the breeze, I love the layers and sweaters. I will miss my flip flops but I am ready to bring out my boots. Here's a few autumn themed photographs to kick off my favorite season.

Orange Leaf

Shroom Climbing

Delicately Dry

Fall Themed Coasters

Another Day Another Time

Flora

Droplets

And they all fall down

Colors Filtered

Growth

The cool weather makes me want to bake, I'm starting out with some warm banana chocolate chip bread.. but instead of a bread pan I'm thinking of using a muffin pan instead and make some delish muffins. The house will smell delectable. We are also celebrating D turning 2 months today.. wow.. how time flies. He now socially smiles, follows movement with his eyes and makes these adorable little noises. He loves taking walks and hates when it's time to come inside.

I'm sitting here with a silly smile on my face.. hope you all find something to smile about today.

Where do the days go?

2010-08-07T14:44:00.003-04:00

Days and nights have become a blur and 7 weeks have gone by since D came into our life. He coos and makes eye contact with us.. feigns interest when I jabber on and on about nothing in particular. This post could do go on and on about all the wonders of D so I'll stop now.. yes, I have become one of those mom's who find their babies to be the most interesting subject matter.

But motherhood hasn't stopped me from keeping my shop updated and though my promotional and marketing skills may have become a bit lacking I *Thank God* have still managed to make a few sales. Red Print and The Inner Core

And with the heat beating down on us.. summer is definitely here to stay so a few more flower infused art prints never hurt anyone.. right? So here is Live. Grow. Bloom.

and a few more waiting in the wings aching to be listed.. till then enjoy the hot summer days. It won't be long before they are gone..

Christmas In July Sale

2010-07-19T17:51:00.000-04:00

Tis the season to be jolly fala lalala... well we're still a good 6 months away but who can stop us from getting into the Holiday spirit a little early. Surely no one at Etsy with it's yearly Christmas In July sale in full swing. With me being a fresh newbie last year I didn't do much to participate and being a fresh new mommy this year it is becoming hard to find the time to promote my years sale. But I just took a refreshing shower and D just had his bath and he has decided to just lay there all happy and swaddled, looking around and making sweet little noises so I took this opportunity fill you all in on my sale and take time between every few words to stare at my boy.. Okay.. that just turned into a very very long sentence..

Getting to the Sale.. I have one word for you BOGO! Yes you read right.. Buy one print or photograph and get the second FREE! And to properly get into the Christmas spirit I added some great Christmas prints to the.. Shop

Introducing Daanyal

2010-07-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

The days are passing by, I can no longer differentiate between weekday and weekend.. night and day no longer make a difference, for I am a new mother. I gave birth June 23rd to a gorgeous little baby boy and ever since I have been swept up in a whirlwind of diapers, breast feeding and crying. The computer has lost its importance.. so you may not see for a while.. I miss my connection with the outside world.. but I am busy making and strengthening this even more important connection with my baby.

So I suppose I will see you when I see you.. till then take care.

p.s the shop is still open.. so keep on buying.. :) I am also having a BOGO Christmas in July sale so stop by and take a look. Enjoy!

A Collaboration.. the Hospital Bag and so much more..

2010-06-21T12:28:00.000-04:00

Oh what a crazy past few days.. weeks I've been having. The days are flying by.. yes sometimes they seem to stand still.. I've got just about 2 more weeks to go till the baby comes.. but then again it could come today too.. all the unpredictability.. all the uncertainity really isn't my cup of tea. I am a planner. I make lists. And this is just the beginning of plans never going the way you expect ever again! Ahhh!

The bright light in all this is the nursery is almost complete.. I finished fabric stamping the curtains and I finished making the mobile. (Pictures to come soon.) We have yet to accessorise with cute toys and stuffed animals etc.. but I don't want to go on a crazy shopping spree just yet. I think I'd like to meet the baby first and there are presents to come.. so I will hold off on that for now. Though it is so hard.. and everything baby is just so cute!

Another yay! is that my little brother is flying in tomorrow.. I haven't seen him in 2 1/2 years.. and it'll be great to have him around.. I have been counting down the days since the start of June and finally I just have one more day of waiting left.. very excited.

Other than that life right now is all about the waiting, the cleaning and organizing.. hospital bag is ready to go.. though it is much emptier than I thought it would be.. we live 2 minutes away from the hospital.. literally a 10 minute walk.. so I see no point in packing everything just to bring it back home again. M can always run home and get me whatever I need. But if any of you mommies out there have any must packs let me know.. it might be the very thing I forgot..

I will not bore you with a pictureless post this time... infact I have some exciting news. I have collaborated with the fabulous BeansThings to make this gorgeous pendant using one of my photographs Spottted

Go check it out.. along with her other gorgeous necklaces. Click on the above 'BeansThings' link to be directed to the product page.

This is all from me for now.. will be back again next week. If i'm not I may be busy having a baby.. : )

Counting Down

2010-06-10T15:20:00.000-04:00

Yes we have now gotten to the point where the countdowns have begun..
0 days to when my MIL's visa should have arrived.. which is not good news.
3 days to my parents getting back home from their vacation, not speaking to my mom for hours every other day is driving me crazy. I have started to write her detailed emails so she'll be all caught up when she gets back home.
12 days till my brother flies in to spend a month with me. Haven't seen him in two and a half years!
and I don't want to put an actual number to this countdown but lets just say there less than a month left till baby arrives.

And my list of things to do hasn't gotten any shorter and the rainy gloomy weather is just bringing me down.

My shop just earned it's 300th heart.. happy! And I have added many more photographs and art prints so it.. so if you haven't stopped my recently go take a look
Etsy shop there are a number of new things to look at.

I leave you today with an oddly imageless post, I think this is my first ever post not to include any images.. I promise next weeks will be much more photo filled. But for now have a great weekend everyone.. with hopefully more sun and less rain.

The Perfect Weekend

2010-06-01T14:46:00.000-04:00

I had already hinted at some relazing weekend plans in my last post.. well here's what we did. We drove to upstate New York in the Finger Lakes area just outside of Rochester to a spa and resort. It was a weekend of lounging by and in the pool, getting a fantastic couples massage, sleeping in late and napping on whim and the great food. An especially elaborate Sunday brunch.. and just enjoying the great weather and sun.

I'm hoping all of you also had a great weekend..

and as if the weekend wasn't perfect already I also celebrated my one year Etsyversary ending the year with 15 sales. To me, that in no way is a bad number... I have managed to cover my start up costs and have started to make a profit. During this year I have sold images small, big and very big. I have had custom orders and have learned quite a lot during this year. So a big thanks to all of you out there who have visited my shop, who have liked my work and left kind comments, those who have bought my work, featured it on blogs and in treasuries. Thank you.

For the next year I would like to aim a bit higher but with motherhood around the corner I will keep more reasonable expectations and just hope to do as well as I did this year.. and anything more will just be an added bonus. And it think it'll be a good year, just one week into year two and already I have made two sales.. so I guess I just have 13 more to go and 356 days to get there.. I think I can do it..

As for the two sales the first, Irani Sky was to the wonderful June of YesterYearCreations

and the second Umbrellas was to Alice.

Right now I am a happy girl and I send a bit of happiness your way too.

Happy Long Weekend!

2010-05-27T14:56:00.000-04:00

I know! I know! It's not the weekend yet but it's just a day away.. and Friday is a half day anyway.. and I intend on enjoying this weekend the second it starts. Which hopefully be this time tomorrow. Why so much enthusiasm for this particular long weekend.. well this is officially our last long weekend before baby arrives.. we could get the 4th of July weekend.. but that will be just too late and I think relaxing will be the last thing on my mind then and will be thinking more along the lines of how do I get this baby out! Our plans for this weekend.. well lets just say its all about relaxing. I'll give you the deets in next weeks post.

And to all of you out there lucky enough to get a long weekend, enjoy! Get out and bar.b.que, take in the sun and let everything else just melt away.

In the last week I have been lucky enough to be in three wonderful treasuries all deserving of your clicks:
Secret Garden Meet Me There and I am the Light of the World

I have also listed a few new photographs Sunny Chairs

Swirls

Tailed

and a few new art prints Cute as a Button

Flower Cracker

And with this I wish you all a happy long weekend.. see you all next week.

10 Days

2010-05-20T17:02:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it has been ten days since I last blogged. I have been so busy and tired that time just slipped away from me. I don't even know where to start.

What's happening now may be a good start, I have a lunch party on Saturday, girls only kind of like a baby shower but a bit religious in nature. Lots of cooking needed, which thank god my aunt is taking care of. I have another aunt flying in from LA and one of my childhood friends coming in from Atlanta. Excited! But for now what I do need to do is clean house. With we getting closer to my due date I've been ignoring the dust gathering and just cleaning what I need to clean. But with twenty something people coming over I have gotten back to cleaning all the nitty gritties.. a little everyday.. todays task THE KITCHEN! Half way done.. so yippee.. taking a break and will get back to the rest in a bit.

That was a domestic update now for a baby update.. we bought a crib.. yet to be assembled.. we also bought a glider and finished assembling it yesterday only to find out it does not glide or rock without me rocking back and forth. It is too much work and will therefore have to be unassembled and returned! Now need to find another one.. and my god how expensive gliders are..! I also just recieved some goregous felt in the mail from PixieRose unfortunately the shop is now closed. Hope she opens up again soon, she had great colors to offer. Anyway so yesterday I also started felting, making a mobile for the nursery inspired by the beautiful work of Lupin. First time ever working with felt.. so good luck to me.

Lastly, a work update. Over the past week I have listed a ton of new work in my Etsy Shop. A few new and not so new photographs. Squared In

Sweet

and a few brand new art prints Numbered

Petals and Dots

Rainbow Squares

Sugar and Spice

Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Summer Loving

And of course the best news for last. I sold this great photograph On the Way Down

And how has your week been? Hope you all have a great weekend and tons of sun shine.

Where did spring go?

2010-05-10T14:37:00.001-04:00

After a few days of tank tops and flip flops, when we thought our coats and sweaters could finally be put away along came the gusts of wind, the scattered showers and the cold weather. So my socks are back on and I got my sweatshirt out of the deep recesses of my closet.

On Saturday I recieved a little package in the mail. I had won a few giveaways over the past few weeks and I expected it to be another prize. I say this without meaning to offend or seem ungrateful but not all prizes excite me as other. Some I wait for while others I forget I was even expecting. This little package definitely took me by surprise. Inside was the most gorgeous necklace ever. The colors just right, I wore it immediately and didn't take it off all day. Went out with friends and coordinated my wardrobe to work with the necklace. M was also a big fan of it, interestingly enough with the cool blues around my neck my hotness level shot through the roof. : ) But that was not all that came in the package. There were these lovey two colored earrings. Pink and Orange and oh so pretty! And it still didn't end there.. this small little package was just full of surprises. The perfect way to start off the weekend. Here are some pictures and I insist you must hurry over to Atlantis AK Jewelry immediately. You will not be dissapointed.

We spent the rest of our Saturday in the park expecting warmth and sun and surprised by the cold gusts of wind, later a bad movie at a friends house and some burgers to finish off the night.

I had told you all about the great sale I had made for a large custom framed photograph. Saved! It was shipped out today, but not before I took a picture of it on my own wall.

I have also been a busy bee and have listed a lot of new work over the last week. Here's a sneak peak Joy

See you on the Other Side

Happy Birthday

Shroom Climbing

Mirrored

Pinked Red

The Arches

Weathered Door

Hope you all had a great weekend, a belated Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. Hoping it warms up again soon.

Butt Cramps!!!

2010-05-04T10:02:00.000-04:00

Yes you read right.. I have gotten butt cramps.. they stay hidden for most of the day but then all of a sudden when you least expected BANG.. this sharp pain shoots down my leg and one of my butt checks cramps up like it's having a seziure! Not fun! This makes my very frequent bathroom trips all the more troublesome..
Curious, I Googled butt cramps and turns out I'm not the only one. Thank God for that.. not that I enjoy others pain it's just that having butt cramps is just weird. Anyway.. turns out that while the baby is partying inside..tumbling about and using my bladder as a squeeze toy s/he manages to roll on over my sciatic nerve and when the nerve is pinched it cause pain to shoot up and down my leg..
Oh well as long as the baby is enjoying him/herself.. right?!

In other news.. we have two decent sized closets in each room but they lack shelving..meaning the space is just being wasted.. so we decided to install our own shelving and optimize the space in our closets. It has not been easy with some cricket world cup going on and my husband finding it hard to tear his eyes away from the screen. But with a whole lot of sugar coated nagging.. I managed to get him to put up two shelves in the nursery.. three more to go.. will put up pictures when the project is complete..

And now some shop news.. a few new photographs Red Door

Orange Leaf

Some brand new art prints Circling Orange

Arabesque

Flowers and Vines

Eat Eat Eat

Girl on Swing

And now for some renewed listings Tired

Rectangles and Reflections

Spotted

Pottery

Hope you're all having a great crampless week..

On a lucky streak

2010-04-29T15:24:00.000-04:00

I have been on one awesome lucky streak. Just last week I managed to kill several threadkillers over at Etsy and now one by one my wonderful winnings are arriving in the mail. And I couldn't be more thrilled. So far I have received two gorgeous pairs of earrings. The first from the wonderful IHeartHandmadeGoods

And another from the equally wonderful TwilightVisions

And when I thought this week couldn't get any better I just made a huge sale. I sold the photograph Saved! as a large 16x24 print, both matted and framed to the amazing fellow Etsian Linda of AdultIndulgences

Wishing you all a great week and an even greater weekend. For those of you on the east coast..we are finally going to have some sun and warmth so enjoy!

And the bad news just keeps on coming.. with some good mixed in

2010-04-20T16:56:00.001-04:00

So it all started a few months ago when my mother's visa gets denied and she can no longer come visit me when the baby arrives. Then I get gestational diabetes (which I learned I have a very borderline case and should not be too much of a very) nevertheless I have to prick myself and test my blood sugar levels 4 times a day. And then last night we find out that my in-laws also got denied visa's.

But then again every dark cloud has a silver linning.. and so does mine. All this time I was sad for being far from home and no one being able to come to be with me and share with me this amazing experiance. All this time I missed not being surrounded by my family, my girlfriends, the girls I grew up with. But what I failed to see was the new friends I have made over the last two years. I also discovered that my dear husband will never fail to surprise me. My secret desire was to have a baby shower, but I wan't going to say it out load, it defeats the purpose. And thank god I didn't because on Saturday what was supposed to be a simple dinner party turned out to be a dream come true.. yes, you guessed it a Surprise Baby Shower. It was exactly what I needed. Perfect!

Now some shop talk.. just this week I introduced a new section, a new product to my Etsy Shop. Art Prints! Here's a sneak peak of what I've listed so far Alphabet which is available in a variety of colors.

Amore

and many more yet to come. And I have also posted a few more new photographs On the Way Down

Looking Up

Radial Points

So this is to all those people with a dark cloud following them or hovering over their heads. I hope you find your silver lining soon.