Vendor Spotlight: Bebebeecouture

Posted on May 15, 2012

LOVE this fun little pink pixie hat that Rachel with bebebeecouture sent me!!

The Basics
Business name: Bébé Bee Couture (bébébeecouture)
Location: Etsy (or Québec)
Product: hand knit baby items
The Lady in Charge
Your Name: Rachel Couture (yes that is really my last name – by marriage)
Tell us a little about yourself: I am a stay at home mum to two little guys (6 and 2) – my full time job – I am originally from New Zealand but married a french Canadian and have lived here in Québec for about 10 years or more.
Why do you make your product and what started your business?: My grandma taught me to knit when i was little, but i re taught myself when i needed something to do in these long cold winters! when my first son was born i started making him so many things he never wore half of them and my husband suggested i try selling them – Bébé Bee was our sons nickname.
When you shop Etsy, where do you go?: I am always looking for things i can add to my hats, buttons, ribbon, and recently felt circles. But i also love the hand made toys, and jewelry, and just bought a mothers day necklace for my mum there. Etsy is awsome!
Where do you get your design inspiration?: Usually it starts with the yarn, i see something i love and then i imagine what i can make with it – I am a yarn junkie. My boys too, it is so hard to find cute boy things, i am always looking for ideas for boys.
What is your “go-to” snack while you work?: oh boy, it is hard to snack and knit, have to wash your hands all the time ;-) so maybe knitting is good for me..except for the coke – not so good!
The Fun Stuff
What’s in the background while you’re working (besides screaming children)?: I am usually watching Tv at night when the kdis are in bed, i can not just watch tv anymore, have to be knitting or i feel lazy.
Describe a typical day in “the office” for you?: My day is getting my 6 year old off to school, then entertainment department for 2 year old till 6 year old gets home ;-) I get my packages ready and to the PO during the day but I don’t really get to work till after they are in bed, then i just relax and knit, it is work and quiet time all rolled into one!
If you had a storefront, what would it look like?: if it is like my house, a mess! he he no probably stacked high with yarn…and a cat or two, knitting and cats just seem to go together.




Vendor Spotlight on Lee Crochet

Posted on May 11, 2012

I’ll come back to the one year olds I promise…in the meantime I’ve got some great vendor spotlights that I’ve been wanting to showcase!

The Basics

Business name: Lee Crochet
Location: Sand Lake, MI
Product: Crocheted photography props

The Lady in Charge
Your Name: Susan Waller
Tell us a little about yourself: I have a love of being crafty and creative. My two passions are crocheting and photography. I love doing both! (I would call them just hobbies, but they really are not – they’re more for me.) I love trying new things. And I’m hoping to join my photography and crochet and offer both to my clients. I’m currently in the process of building up my photography business.
Why do you make your product and what started your business?: My mom taught me how to crochet when I was little. About two years ago I picked up a crochet hook again and I couldn’t put it down. I finally created my Etsy shop last August. I love seeing my creations in action! It’s so much fun how many possibilities there are with crochet. You can create so many things! It’s nice to be able to offer a variety to my clients/customers. It makes me feel good. I just enjoy what I do and it makes me happy. I believe everyone should do what makes them happy. That’s why I do what I do. (:
When you shop Etsy, where do you go?: I honestly don’t shop much on Etsy! But I do search a lot of different stuff – photography, crochet, woodwork. It is so cool to see what others create. There are a lot of talented people out there!
Where do you get your design inspiration?: I try not to search crochet too much. I want to be as original as possible, but it’s hard – there are so many of the same type of items out there! I just go off of colors and styles I know I like and would probably purchase myself.
What is your “go-to” snack while you work?: Usually it’s junk food, candy, and/or chocolate. lol

The Fun Stuff
What’s in the background while you’re working (besides screaming children)?: Usually a TV is going. Sometimes I play my iPod. It’s a great motivator!
Describe a typical day in “the office” for you?: Lots of sitting. Unfortunately it’s not very realistic to be standing while crocheting – one of the only parts I dislike about what I do. A lot of sitting and time in front of the computer (uploading images, updating Facebook, etc., etc.) I try to at least make it comfortable and sit on a couch versus sitting on a dining room chair while I work on orders. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love what I do!
If you had a storefront, what would it look like?: Clean and fresh comes to mind. I see a building with brick edging, neutral toned vinyl siding, a couple of large windows, large wooden front door/entrance, and of course some flowers to landscape. Nothing too over-the-top or wild, but def. something that will catch the eye. Something a little fun and creative added in there, too. (:

 





Wall of Blessings…

Posted on April 17, 2012

So I’m getting ready tonight to speak for Career day tomorrow at Edison Jr. High. and I was pulling some pictures together to show them some of the things I use and thought maybe I’d share with you too.  I’ve been so blessed to be chosen by some wonderful vendors who have showered me with adorable hats and headbands in exchange for pictures to use in their etsy stores.  Sometimes you’ll see me do a model call and that usually means I got a really big box of goodies and need to work through them quickly, other times I’ll use them little by little in sessions (fyi pictures are never sent to vendors without a release from parents :) ).  I’ve received so many beautiful things over the last year that I’ve started to call what started out as a tiny bin as my wall of blessings.  Not very good detail shots but if you’re coming in for a baby session I now have over 100 hats for you to choose from and last count of hair accessories was over 60…and that was awhile ago.  I also keep a good stash of ruffle rompers and tutus on hand as well as some cute ties for boys!

And a “few” of the props I have to choose from :)





Yarning to Be

Posted on April 12, 2012

Oy…it’s been as busy as Christmas time around here lately!!  I’m way behind on blog posts but if you’re on facebook check out the fan page to see recent daily session posts!  It’s been a while since I’ve done a vendor feature and if you’ve seen some of the fun newborn pictures here lately many of the cute hats have come from Yarning to Be.  Ruth is the amazing creator behind these hats and while I was of course excited when when she approached me to work together with her hats I have been totally blown away by the quality of her work.  She’s also amazing at coming up with her own patterns.  I was looking for a hat with a John Deere tractor on it and was having a hard time finding something cute and she whipped one up for me that was just perfect!  So here’s a little look at the goodies she’s sent my way and if you’re looking for a special hat check out her store and if you don’t see what you’re looking for be sure to send her a message, she just might be able to help you out!  Also if you’re planning a baby session with me all of the hats you see (and plenty more) are available to use at your session!

Here is a little more about Yarning to Be!

The Basics
Business name:  Yarning To Be
Location:  Lake Stevens, Washington
Product:   Infant/Toddler Accessories and Photo Props
The Lady in Charge
Your Name:  Ruth Ogilvie
Tell us a little about yourself:  I am a mother of two wonderful children, Grace 8 and Brady 4.  I have been married for 9 years to my wonderful husband Jeff.  I am passionate about what I do and sometimes that will keep me up for hours at night and wake me from my sleep early in the morning.  I am constantly trying to perfect my craft and create pieces that are cute yet functional.  I am a note taker and have little post its all over the place with ideas and colors for my next project.
Why do you make your product and what started your business?:  I love to make unique photo props and enjoy seeing my work on these gorgeous little babies. It is so fun to see a peaceful sleeping baby wearing something that I have created.  My business all started with a crocheted bag that I received as a birthday present from my sister.  I loved the bag so much that I decided to teach myself how to crochet to make one and it just escalated from there.  I watched countless hours of YouTube videos.  I started, restarted, and undid so many patterns and kept trying till I finally got it.
When you shop Etsy, where do you go?:  I mostly shop for patterns, yarn, unique handcrafted buttons and anything else that I can incorporate into one of my pieces.  I am in awe of all the talent on Etsy.  People are just so creative and it so nice to see a place where all this talent can come together.
Where do you get your design inspiration?:  I am inspired everywhere.  I was at a department store the other day and saw this adorable hat with cute embellishments on it and wondered if that is something that I could try to recreate with my own flare.  When I see a photo of an adorable hat or photo prop I try to make sure I put my own special touches on it to make it more unique.
What is your “go-to” snack while you work?:  I am awful at remembering to eat when I get started on a project and coffee pretty much keeps me going for the first part of the day but the one thing that I will reach for is popcorn.
The Fun Stuff
What’s in the background while you’re working (besides screaming children)?:  Sometimes I will just turn on the tv to have background noise but I prefer the house to be quiet while I am working.  I get up before my kids and husband and stay up late to just have the peace and quiet.
Describe a typical day in “the office” for you?:  First thing I do is spend an hour on the computer in the morning, checking emails, returning emails, searching Etsy for more patterns and ideas and then get my kids up and off to school and preschool.  I have to have a clean house before I can sit down to work on orders or side projects so I will do a clean sweep of the house and then get all my materials that I need for a project all together and start on my orders or whatever I have to get done for that day.
If you had a storefront, what would it look like?:  It would definitely be shabby chic.  I truly believe that I was born in the wrong era and I absolutely adore antiques and time-worn pieces.  I can see past the chipped paint and worn spots to see the real beauty of an item and the story it has to tell.

 

 

 





Vendor Spotlight: Yarning to Be

Posted on February 16, 2012

I was so excited when Ruth emailed me and asked me to work with her hats.  Her items are absolutely top notch quality and she is a joy to work with!  I still have another box of goodies to use yet so keep an eye out for more from her!!

The Basics
Business name:  Yarning To Be
Location:  Lake Stevens, Washington
Product:   Infant/Toddler Accessories and Photo Props
The Lady in Charge
Your Name:  Ruth Ogilvie
Tell us a little about yourself:  I am a mother of two wonderful children, Grace 8 and Brady 4.  I have been married for 9 years to my wonderful husband Jeff.  I am passionate about what I do and sometimes that will keep me up for hours at night and wake me from my sleep early in the morning.  I am constantly trying to perfect my craft and create pieces that are cute yet functional.  I am a note taker and have little post its all over the place with ideas and colors for my next project.
Why do you make your product and what started your business?:  I love to make unique photo props and enjoy seeing my work on these gorgeous little babies. It is so fun to see a peaceful sleeping baby wearing something that I have created.  My business all started with a crocheted bag that I received as a birthday present from my sister.  I loved the bag so much that I decided to teach myself how to crochet to make one and it just escalated from there.  I watched countless hours of YouTube videos.  I started, restarted, and undid so many patterns and kept trying till I finally got it.
When you shop Etsy, where do you go?:  I mostly shop for patterns, yarn, unique handcrafted buttons and anything else that I can incorporate into one of my pieces.  I am in awe of all the talent on Etsy.  People are just so creative and it so nice to see a place where all this talent can come together.
Where do you get your design inspiration?:  I am inspired everywhere.  I was at a department store the other day and saw this adorable hat with cute embellishments on it and wondered if that is something that I could try to recreate with my own flare.  When I see a photo of an adorable hat or photo prop I try to make sure I put my own special touches on it to make it more unique.
What is your “go-to” snack while you work?:  I am awful at remembering to eat when I get started on a project and coffee pretty much keeps me going for the first part of the day but the one thing that I will reach for is popcorn.
The Fun Stuff
What’s in the background while you’re working (besides screaming children)?:  Sometimes I will just turn on the tv to have background noise but I prefer the house to be quiet while I am working.  I get up before my kids and husband and stay up late to just have the peace and quiet.
Describe a typical day in “the office” for you?:  First thing I do is spend an hour on the computer in the morning, checking emails, returning emails, searching Etsy for more patterns and ideas and then get my kids up and off to school and preschool.  I have to have a clean house before I can sit down to work on orders or side projects so I will do a clean sweep of the house and then get all my materials that I need for a project all together and start on my orders or whatever I have to get done for that day.
If you had a storefront, what would it look like?:  It would definitely be shabby chic.  I truly believe that I was born in the wrong era and I absolutely adore antiques and time-worn pieces.  I can see past the chipped paint and worn spots to see the real beauty of an item and the story it has to tell.

 





Vendor Spotlight: Little Hatchlings

Posted on February 4, 2012

Today I’m showing off the cutest little headbands sent to me from Little Hatchlings!  I just adore the two she sent me and have since sat and stared at her store frozen with indecision on what my first purchase with her should be!  I absolutely love everything she does and they’re all high quality and just beautiful!
The Basics
Business name:  Little Hatchlings
Location: Tampa, Florida
Product:   Fine hair accessories for babies, toddlers, Little Girls and adults too!
The Lady in Charge
Your Name:  Uyen Tran
Tell us a little about yourself:   I’m a biologist who actually retired when I was 28 years old.  I have 2 little girls (a 7.5 years old and a 2.5 years old).  I’m originally from the Washington, DC area but I moved to Tampa about 13 years ago and have been stuck here ever since. I’m married to an anesthesiologist who loves his place of work and his colleagues so I don’t think we will ever move back to the DC area.
Why do you make your product and what started your business?:  When I had my youngest daughter 2.5 years ago, I used to go to the mall and buy her headbands.  After my sister-in-law saw it on her, she wanted them for her own kids.  However, the kiosk where I used to buy the headbands from had closed down.  So I thought that I could probably try and make them myself.  I had so much fun making them that I couldn’t stop.  Eventually I had so many headbands that I didn’t know what to do with them so a friend suggested that I sell them on Etsy.  I had never heard of Etsy until then.  That’s when my business kind of took off on it’s own.
When you shop Etsy, where do you go?:  I usually look for whimsical dresses for my daughters.  Especially anything that is made from Amy Butler fabrics.  I love the brightness of her fabrics.
Where do you get your design inspiration?:  Oh gosh, I’m a J. Crew girl all the way.  I love how they put their outfits together and how they combine their colors.  I get most of my ideas from the J. Crew catalogs!
What is your “go-to” snack while you work?:  Popcorn!  Love, love, love popcorn!  It’s so bad because I would stay up really late at night to make my headbands and I would go through huge bags of popcorn.
The Fun Stuff
What’s in the background while you’re working (besides screaming children)?:  The hum of my laptop and “ding” from the emails on my iPhone.
Describe a typical day in “the office” for you?:  During the day, I’m running around doing errands.  My typical day in the office actually starts at 8:00 pm when the girls are both in bed and my husband is busy with his own work.  I will work from 8:00 pm until about 3:00 am.  It’s such crazy hours but that’s when I can work straight through without being interrupted.  Whenever I am overwhelmed with huge orders, I will work during the day too but I won’t get as much done as I do if I worked at night time.
If you had a storefront, what would it look like?:  Hmmm…good question.  It would probably look a lot like a Kate Spade store!  I love how she has all these bright colors displayed in a sleek and modern environment.

 





Vendor Spotlight: Adisten’s Closet by Modern Chic Tots

Posted on February 1, 2012

I have been SO blessed to work with so many talented vendors this past year.  From time to time you’ll see me post a “fresh face” or “model” call on the Facebook fan page and usually what I’m doing is taking photographs of items for a vendor.  My prop stash has grown tremendously this last year by trading props for pictures to use in their online stores.  I’ve been able to to meet and work with some very talented ladies and love to show them off when I get a chance!  Here’s one that sent me these amazing hand made baby sized crowns and a matching tutu…I’m in love with them and have used them in several sessions!
The Basics:
Location: Orange County, Ca
Product: I specialize in creating beautiful and unique handmade tutus, tutu costumes, hair accessories, hanging tulle pom poms, pom pom wands, Monthly Milestone stickers and my newest addition tiny gold and silver crowns!
The Lady in Charge
Your Name: Morgann Perry
Tell us a little about yourself:  I am a Southern California girl!  I love the sun and can’t imagine living more than 20 minutes from the beach.  My perfect day is packing a picnic lunch, heading down to the sand with my little side kick, building sand castles, and playing in the water.  Adisten is my sweet little girl who is my everything and inspiration for Adisten’s Closet by MCT.
Why do you make your product and what started your business?:  I love being creative and all things design!  My business started after I made my daughter’s 2nd Halloween costume, a lady bug tutu set!  I got so many compliments and my friends urged me to start selling them.  I never dreamed it would evolve into a full time job!
Where do you get your design inspiration?:  Inspiration comes in so many forms all around me!  My interior design background has taught me to think outside the box.  I don’t like to be like everyone else, I like to put a twist on my designs to make it different and unique.  I love color!  I love new color schemes and I think that is where my design inspiration starts.
What is your “go-to” snack while you work?:  Anything SWEET!  I was never really into sweets, but now I can’t get through the late work nights without a little treat!
The Fun Stuff
What’s in the background while you’re working (besides screaming children)?:  I’ve learned that you can’t get much work done with a 3 year old.  I work as soon as Adisten goes to bed at night(thank goodness for early bed times!).  My DVR is my best friend at nights!  I rarely sit and watch a full episode, but it is on in the background to listen to.  Occasionally, I will put some country music on in the background.
Describe a typical day in “the office” for you?:  A typical work night for me is making tutus/shirts/headbands, brewing a fresh batch of coffee, filling orders, finding a yummy treat in the cupboard ;) and LOTS of admin work!
If you had a storefront, what would it look like?:  Modern. Black. White. Yellow.  My favorite!

 





Vendor Spotlight: Petite Peanut Boutique

Posted on September 1, 2011

 

Our next Vendor feature is Petite Peanut Boutique, which is owned and operated by Joy in Las Vegas!  Joy is the woman responsible for all those adorable little neck ties you see in my photos!  She also does other stuff (like tutus, head bands, and other hair pieces).  Here is her email “interview”:

JJP:  Please tell us your business name, location, and the products you have available

PPB: Petite Peanut Boutique is located in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as Etsy.com

JJP: So tell us a little about yourself

PPB: My background and degrees are in Architecture, Construction Management, and Information systems…but I’m definitely a girlie girl at heart!  I’m a computer nerd (yes, its true!), exercise fiend, fashionista, shopaholic, accessory crazed, flower fanatic, and lover of all things bling!

JJP: Why do you make your product and what started your business?

PPB: I have always enjoyed creating things and when I had my second child I started making more things for my two peanuts because I couldn’t find fun, trendy, coordinating accessories for both boys and girls.  A lot of people approached me inquiring about the items my children were wearing, so I decided to open my Etsy shop.  I named my shop after my little girl- whose nickname is “peanut”.  I thought having my Etsy shop would feed my need to create things, but not have them in my house stock piling, I was wrong!  LOL.  Now instead of lots of finished projects I have piles and piles of fabric!  Fortunately my husband has been a good sport about it.

JJP: When you shop Etsy, where do you go?

PPB: I love Etsy!!  I like to give back to the community that supports my business.  It’s the first place I like to look for unique products and gifts.  Typically I do a search for what I’m looking for and then bounce around between stores “window shopping”.

JJP: Where do you get your design inspiration?

PPB: Sometimes designs come from pure need, but I love to look through fashion magazines, study wedding and color trends, and follow fabric designers.

JJP: What is your “go-to” snack while you work?

PPB: A big bottle of water (its pretty hot here in Vegas) and a protein bar.

JJP: What’s in the background while you’re working (you know, besides screaming children)?

PPB: Constant chaos!  LOL.  When one of my three kids aren’t crying, I like to listen to Pandora (normally at night when they’re sleeping) while I’m working- a good mix of fun, cheerful music like Jack Johnson.

JJP: Describe a typical day “in the office” for you?

PPB: I normally work for about 3-4 hours in the morning (a few of those hours before my kids wake up), and then about 3-4 hours in the lat evening/night time when my kids and hubby are in bed.  I have a new baby that doesn’t sleep much- but he loves the hum of the sewing machine- so we hang out at night until the wee hours of the morning.

JJP: If you had a storefront, what would it look like?

PPB: Very posh!  Lots of chandeliers, mirrors, sparkles, with pops of fun colors like teal and hot pink.

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I came across petite peanut while searching for cute boy props (although she has amazing things for girls as well!).  Joy’s ties are so cute that I added her to my list of recommendations for my clients.  From there she approached me about partnering and of course I said yes!  I just placed my own order a couple weeks ago to use in my own family portraits.  Every year we take photos of my son and husband, who share a birthday, and then throw in the girls for a few fun family shots and Petite Peanut had the perfect combination of ties and bows for all five of us!  My favorite product from Petite Peanut is the yellow, gray and black baroque-patterned neck tie that Joy sent to me as a model prop, which is the last picture above.

Thanks to Joy for the opportunity to work with Petite Peanut Boutique!  Be sure to check her out by clicking on her Etsy link!

If you missed our last feature click here to read about Made with Delight!

 





Summer Spotlight:Made With Delight

Posted on August 9, 2011

 

I have been blessed this Summer with calls from multiple vendors  asking me to showcase their products for them!  This means that I get fantastic goodies in the mail, find a model, and schedule a session simply for photographing each product.  This arrangement is a win/win for all involved.  Vendors get great photos, mommies and models get a fun session and a few images, and I get to keep all the product so that my clients can play with them for their own sessions later!  Some of these products include ties, headbands, and tutus.  Doing something like this for a local vendor is an honor for any photographer and I’ve been able to work with so many vendors from all over the country that I’ve decided to use my blog as a spotlight for my latest partners!  I will be interviewing each of them and showcasing the best images from each sessions!  Each post will provide contact information and a link to their website so that I can share the fun and make it easy for you to check out all this great stuff!

 

My first spotlight is on “Made With Delight”.  The face behind this fabulous product belongs to Nichole Marranca.  I sent her a little questionnaire, via email, and here’s what I found out:

 

JJP:  Please tell us your business name, location, and the products you have available

MD:  Made with Delight, found on Etsy and Facebook, creates custom crochet hats for children and photography props

JJP: So tell us a little about yoursel

MD: My name is Nichole Marranca.  I’m a full time commercial interior designer by day…compulsive crafter by night.  I’m also first and foremost a mother and wife.  My son just turned one and he is the light of our lives and a huge reason why I crochet.  I come from a very creative family.  My grandmother started me on crafts at a very young age and I instantly fell in love.  I have done everything from woodworking, sewing, knitting, beading, crochet…you name it, I probably have tried it. :)   I solidly believe that handmade items, though not always perfect are the most genuine and beautiful gifts you can give to another person.  Every piece has the crafter’s fingerprint on it and that can never be copied.

JJP: Why do you make your product and what started your business?

MD: I started crocheting in February of 2011 to “get a hobby” as my husband would say it :) .  I’m actually part of a small group that formed called the “Oak Street Hookers”.  We meet once a week and just laugh and tell jokes while learning from each other as well.  My business started with my owl hat; a very bad one at that.  I posted a picture of my son in it on Facebook and first some friends asked me to do a few hats for them, begged me to open an Etsy store and it has just snowballed from there!  I can safely say that if it wasn’t for their persistence, there probably would not be a Made with Delight.  I’m really enjoying this new found talent and sharing it with everyone.

JJP: When you shop Etsy, where do you go?

MD: I usually head straight for the front page or the search box!  I love to just search instead of always going to my favorites because you just never know when you will find someone new ad fabulous!

JJP: Where do you get your design inspiration?

MD: I get at LOT of my inspiration from my customers who are not afraid to ask me to make something I have never done.  Sometimes I get an idea in my head, and I can not stop thinking about it until I whip it up.

JJP: What is your “go-to” snack while you work?

MD: A glass of wine!  I can’t really eat anything since I work with both hands and I don’t want the hats smelling like doritos :)

JJP: What’s in the background while you’re working (you know, besides screaming children)?

MD: Usually, a movie that I’m “watching” with my husband or some kind of trashy TV like the Kardashians, Jersey Shore…you get where this is going.  A good ole marathon of trash TV and I can crank quite a few hats out.

JJP: Describe a typical day “in the office” for you?

MD: I work full time during the day, so my “office” day starts at about 8pm after my munchkin has finally gone to bed.  I grab my list of orders, binder of patterns, load up my bag of yarn with what I need and head downstairs to my cushion of the couch.  I can usually get about 203 hats in before I need to go to bed and repeat again!

JJP: If you had a storefront, what would it look like?

MD: I would be a coffee shop/yarn shop/place to hang out and knit or crochet.  We don’t have a place like this in the QC and it would be awesome to have a place for other artists to hang out and people to be able to watch us in action!

 

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Nichole is a fun, outgoing person to work with and has left me with a whole box of really cute, well made hats!  My favorite is her cow hat because my eight year old, Ellie, absolutely loves cows!  If I could go back in time and make her a baby all over again, I’d call Nichole right away and take a million images of Ellie as a cow.  If Ellie had a picture now, of herself as a cow years ago, she would be absolutely delighted!  For all I know, she would model it today if I asked her to!  :)
Thanks to Nichole for the change to work with “Made with Delight”!  Be sure to check her out online by clicking here for Etsy or here for Facebook!