Spring was sifting through the branches one sweet afternoon and Jordan was just beaming under the Oak Trees on Johns Island. Glide through the afternoon with us and enjoy the sweet smile of a precious young bride…
Princess under the Oak Trees
Spring Sunlight
Spring Wedding Bliss
Mrs. Jordan Calamas Tate
“Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.” – Chinese proverb
Welcome to Decatur, Ga where Myriam and Jay live! Did you know there was such a cute place right in the middle of it all? Atlanta can be busy, noisy and messy but this little place is alive with memories, history and today? LOVE.
Myriam and Jay are planning a Sea Side Wedding at Pawley’s Island later this year but I really wanted to visit them at “Home” and take a tour of the Watkins Legacy. Jay’s family lives in Decatur and his Mom and Dad met and kissed under a big ole tree at Agnes Scott College. So we met up on campus to walk around and of course Willie came with them to enjoy the day!
It wasn’t spring, it wasn’t the most colorful of days… but Myriam wore a precious yellow scarf and made the whole afternoon bright and happy!
eskimo kiss
With their protector gallantly following along… we strolled around campus to take a variety of photographs and talk about the town where family has lived for generations.
peek a boo
true love
her favorite men
catch it!
The Watkins Family
Once we were done touring campus we traveled into “Downtown Decatur” where we went to visit the Watkins Building!
The Watkins Building on Courhouse Square
from Jay’s father:
“The Watkins Building, on the Court House Square in Decatur, GA, was built
in 1924 by Franklin Osgood Watkins. He was a real estate developer and
civic and church leader. The builder of the first subdivisions in the
area, he publicized Decatur as “a City of Homes”. The Decatur Building and
Loan Association was organized on the second floor of the Watkins Building.
Franklin and Lilly Watkins had four sons. One of the sons, James Osgood,
had a son James Osgood, Jr. He had a son James Griffin Watkins (Jay).”
Mr. Watkins
soon to be Mrs. Watkins
Perfect afternoon of romping through the town, visiting favorite places… even the Marta Station!
home.
We had so much fun peeking in shop windows, visiting favorite places and touring around on a Sunday afternoon… check out the FUN we had by clicking HERE!
forever.
until May………xo -jeni
True love is when you put someone on a pedestal, and they fall – but you are there to catch them. ~Author Unknown
Miss Sarah Early of Dodeline Design
If you remember back in the fall I had the honor of capturing Miss Sarah in the golden marsh in The Old Village of Mount Pleasant and we had a grand time in the sunshine… it was our last warm, sunny day before the marsh died and the chilly (ok darn cold!) winter set into the lowcountry. Well, today we got together again to take another kind of portrait! a Notebook Portrait!
Blogging Notebooks?
After a yummy in our tummy lunch at The Village Bakery in the Old Village, Sarah brought out her box of books to have their portrait taken! These precious handmade gems were recently featured in a Dodeline Newsletter:
“Dodeline Design recently launched a line of adorable handmade notebooks made of canvas, basswood, and eco-friendly paper. What’s special about that, you ask? Each notebook is individually numbered, and this number corresponds to a login at www.handmadenotebooks.com. It’s a marriage of the technologically advanced and the old-fashioned methods. Makes a great gift! Shop them here.”
Up Up and Away!
Each of these spiffy little books is designed with a canvas cover over clean, fun basswood and ready for your scribbles, lists and dreams. Each one is stamped and numbered for you to register on her cheeky blog. You can only log on to post when you get your official Dodeline Notebook!
Unique just like YOU!
We took the basic look of evergreen bushes and concrete blocks to create the backdrop on the sleepy little street… wonder what the owner of this home thought of two blonde crouching down in her bushes?
So you like to blog? So you like to Doodle? maybe take a note or two… a honey do list or three?! Spend your pennies to support a local artist and get your own blog to share with other Dodeline Notebook Owners.
Three Size Books... Small, Medium and I'll Take THAT ONE!
A few books have these particularly dreamy ribbons that bind your dreams closed when not in use… they compliment the joyful designs and messages outside… the little guys stand alone proudly!
on my way
be free
different sizes for different folks
Always a challenge to display “natural art” in a “natural setting” but Charleston is full of glorious nature… even the sidewalks and fences! So each branch of boxwood supported the notebooks and the concrete block trim held the books just so!
dreams of far away places
While there might as well capture a few new note cards, too! When was the last time you mailed some snail? Snail Mail that is… it touches my heart just so!
Polka Dot Balloon Flight
Don't Forget to say Thank You!
If you’d like to purchase one of these lovelies you can spend your hard earned moolah here: Handmade Notebooks by Dodeline
If you’d like to follow the blog of all the grand notebook holders ( I am one! and so is my friend Henrietta over the Pond in England! ) you can click here: Handmade Notebook Blog
Life Changing Little Books of Love
Let’s start blogging! xo -jeni
“Every person is a new door to a different world.” – from movie “Six Degrees of Seperation”
I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a lovely Friday evening with my favorite Sarah Hart Black and her precious Bridal Boutique – Belle Couture Bridal! We SPARKLED and SHINED along with her stunning new Kenneth Pool Gowns.
fluffing the sparkle and ruffling the shine
Sometimes a girl just needs a little BLING in her life! and that is why Sarah and her lovely ladies, Kelly Greene & Mary Rainsford are introducing a classic gown with very special glamour and style. We had Champagne Toasts and Eyelash Extensions… Thanks to Bonnie Mitchum of Aesthetispa in Mount Pleasant who placed Kelly’s lovely lashes to new lengths in the photo above! Va Va VA VOOM!
classic shine by Kenneth Pool
Artist at Work
We had these precious bags adorned with Belle labels that had wonderful sirces inside. My favorite is the sweet handmade flower hairpin by Kira Elizabeth Designs. Kira is the shop seamstress and creates loveliness out of her scrap satins. Of course my very own Belle Couture Champagne Flute will be treasured, as well. However, the biggest surprise for me (she who wears little make up!) was Pamela Lesch who came to create “sparkly eye make-up! She took my SPARKLE to a whole new level… several other guests were treated as well.
Sparkling Smiles
Hey! That's Me! Thanks Pamela...
Kira Flower rests on Sarah's Shoulder while she helps her Bride into a Kenneth Pool Gown
Sparkling Dresses and Lights
Of course for any event there must be flowers. Glorious, SPARKLING and Fragrant Flowers! Of course the fabulous Beth Leonguerro of Wildflowers Inc provided the SHINE to the flowers and made them Sparkle for the Event. Beth is the lovely co-owner of The Charleston Wedding Studio right down the street. Beth and her Studio Partner Pam King have a stunning bridal studio where everything wedding happens in Charleston! Stop in to say hello to them sometime!
shine from Beth of Wild Flowers Inc.
twinkling sparkle and silver shine
When I spoke with Sarah about her vision for the event she explained about her decision to bring Kenneth Pool to the boutique: “we really wanted to show brides and the local wedding community one of the lines that we are very excited about bringing to Charleston. There is sometimes a bad stigma with beading on gowns, but if done right, it can be glamorous! KENNETH POOL is known for their gorgeous draping and stunning bead work.”
While lashes were shining, faces were sparkling, and guests were enjoying their evening… Belle Couture provided Charleston with a lovely Friday evening of true SPARKLE and SHINE!
The world is full of poetry. The air is living with its spirit; and the waves dance to the music of its melodies, and sparkle in its brightness. -James Gates Percival
ps. make sure to come by in February….Lea-Ann Belter Bridal Trunk Show on Feb 11 & 12! Lea-Ann Belter designs gorgeous, classic gowns in fabrics such as silk satin, lace, and silk dupioni. She also makes each gown to the bride’s measurements! Come see these dresses for yourself xo
Sea Star Arts new Splash Page for 2011
So, how do you get to have a fabulous website without knowing how to write all that code? You make friends!
I am a part of the SmugMug world… for those of you that don’t know what that means I suggest you take a look at all they do. Besides an easy place to host all my photographic work, SmugMug has all this great help that goes along with it… People like Jerry Roek who has JR Customizations that can take blah and make it into WOW!
So when it was time to kick up my website and make it look spiffy I call on this group. We worked hard last year to incorporate this fabulous blog to my site and it has really helped me connect with my friends and photography clients across the world.
This year I wanted to separate my Blog from my Photograph Galleries to make navigating easier when someone comes across my website. This is usually referred to as a “Splash Page” and I needed one fast!
Jerry introduced me to the fabulous Adrienne LaMilza of JR Customization and she helped me create what you see at the top of this post or when you visit www.seastararts.com!!
Adrienne LaMilza
We worked well together, through email communication, and I really dig her style! I asked Adrienne if it was cool for me to blog about her and the process we went through… here we go!
jeni -Tell us something about your regular day Adrienne!
Hey all!
First of all I’d like to say just how enjoyable it is to work with someone who is fun, energetic, and exciting even over email! I loved helping Jeni revamp her blog! What a pleasure!
So let’s see, a typical day in the life of me starts out with sending, receiving, responding to, and reading lots and lots of emails! I don’t know how anything in this world would get accomplished without it!
Then most days I’m off to class at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. I am finishing up my last two semesters and then will officially have a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology! Can’t wait!
Then of course, in the evening I’m working on new website projects for jR Customization – We take boring, old SmugMug sites and incorporate a little bit of style and design to make the site a masterpiece!
jeni – Why the HECK do you know how to write code for blogs and websites?
Partly because I go to school for technology and the other part is because Jerry (owner of the company I work for) has taught me well! I love what I do and it is very rewarding when clients are in love with their new sites and have a place to showcase their amazing photography!
jeni – What part of the country do you live in and why?
So as I previously mentioned, I live in Michigan. Romeo, Michigan specifically, which is about an hour north of Detroit. I’ve lived here my entire life with my family but have big plans to get out of here some day. I’ve never really traveled much, but would love to go west somewhere, maybe California, Arizona?.. Somewhere around there. (jeni – I think you should come visit me at the beach in Charleston!!!)
Adrienne and her Sea Stars (Sisters!)
jeni – Tell us about a passion of yours:
Recently, I’ve been taking the next steps to apply to law school.. Prep classes, LSAT, transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc. It’s a lot of work but maybe going to law school is what will get me out of the state and into a new locale! I’m excited to see what happens.
jeni – How important is someone’s web presence to be successful in today’s business world?
I will always continue doing web design though because I think it’s so important for those who own a small business – like photographers – to continue to stay up to date with the latest and greatest technology out there. And whether that be in creating customized SmugMug sites, or WordPress Blogs, or Facebook Fan Pages, I want to be a part of helping that business grow to its fullest potential. And due to the ever-growing and evolving world of technology, that’s where success is achievable!
Thanks for Sharing with us Adrienne! I knew I would love you… we heart our family (LOVE the “Sea Stars” Photo!) and are passionate about life, learning and the paths in which we are taking. You are so wonderful to help me “look better” and I wish you all the best with Law School, Darn HTML Code and hope where ever you end up I can come visit! xo -jeni
“How far that little candle throws his beams!So shines a good deed in a weary world.” ~ William Shakespeare
what is a dodeline you ask? well it is so many things I’ve learned… it’s a oui bit French and a oui bit of everything else I love… help, guidance, quips and paper. and Miss Sarah Early is definitely the heart and soul of it all…
oui oui madame
But according to the website in the ABOUT tab I got this: “so, what designer isn’t a bit quirky? dodeline comes from the french, “dodeliner,” which means “to sway.” It made me think of dandelions swaying in the wind, or the seagrass on the dunes on a Lowcountry beach, and above all else, I liked the idea of flexibility, because that’s how I try to work with my clients. Plus, it’s catchy!” so there you have it…it’s CATCHY!
dodeline is "catchy"
I may be a bit old school… and really love the touch, feel and pleasure of a hand written note (not the typed on my ipad just for you or pinterest post you re-pinned for me) that speaks from the heart…
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62740240/romantic-valentines-day-card
I had the pleasure of ordering some of ms. dodeline’s designs from etsy (LOVE THIS PLACE!) and we decided to meet up since she lives down the street from me… Charming!
neighbors in the lowcountry
Sarah needed some photographs of her lovely smile and I had just the camera to capture them… we strolled in the marsh, played with the breeze and smiled at the sun!
fall marsh like saffron rice
She put up with my dogs running through Alhambra Hall and when it was time to talk about all things Paris, Boyfriends and new Printers we had a ball… fast friends we made and I will treasure her for life!
ooh la la!
so remember that when you need to add just a little something smart to your day, mail an important note to your favorite monkey or want to tweet up about latest trends in social know how, find Sarah! through her website: CLICK HERE and be inspired to spread the SWAY through your lives…
"dodeline" aka "sway"
oh, and follow along with the “quirky designer” on her BLOG as well… Cheers to our Friendship Sarah! xo -jeni
“One is not born a woman, one becomes one.” -Simone de Beauvoir
There's No Place Like Home!
So you want to know how a portrait of a precious 17 month old angel happens? It’s all happiness, smiles and love to come up with this idealistic and Rockwell looking canvas. Perfect for Nonna and Papa to hang in their home and show off to all their friends…
Papa's Sweet Angel
Complete with the cute sweater dress & tights perched in her Great Grandmother’s corner chair in front of the Christmas Tree. Easy as Pie. Right? or not so much…. I thought I would blog the process of a “Sneak Shoot” for Christmas!
Of all the many poses that happen when Aunt Jeni has the camera and is not so entertaining anymore… not to mention this was clothing change 4 already. Yes, FOUR times we put on cute cute clothes to try and get just the right Christmas Gift for both sets of Grandparents and for Roxie’s parents.
Distractions are always great… Roxie brings her very own! She went to her room to get the felt birdie from her Great Aunt Pat and self entertained. This was only around clothing change #2 so we were still in a relatively snot free, good mood at this point.
Clothing change number one… cute dress, yes. The one? no. So we were in it already and Roxie was all too unsure about what was going to transpire over the next two and a half hours (YES! 2 1/2) with a big ole camera in her face.
So we move on to the second clothing change… I like this one! The tights are cute, the stripes are dancing and Roxie has a glimmer of a smile in a few of these. This is a smart, inquisitive baby. You think 17 months? how did you get her to stay in one place? how did you get her to look at you? Why isn’t she crying? I’m just lucky. Darn Lucky.
I don’t think the birdie is working anymore… nor the dress. If you notice the very determined kid is handing me the bird while climbing the stairs. DONE! (waving her hands) DONE! and off we go to the next clothing change…
So, we get into THE dress that I really wanted in a portrait and the nose starts to run. I am entertaining, dressing, photographing, setting up scenes and DO NOT HAVE TIME to wipe a nose… PHOTOSHOP is a wonderful thing.
Snack Break! At this point you’ve got to do what the kid wants after several clothing changes, times with Aunt Jeni asking her to smile and well, she’s getting tired! and so am I… but I need that SHOT! the one I can print and wrap with a Christmas Bow so on we go… snap snap snap.
Standing! well, this might work… you can see the dress. But she stands there like a rag doll. What do you do? I just kept photographing and laughing hoping to salvage something from this shoot!
Now the kid is just being creative… those cute shoes? Cell Phone! That’s her Uncle Nicky’s fault. He gave her a toy phone and that’s all she plays with these days. And these shoes, while super duper cute! are not staying on well with the tights…
So, once you have a bunch of dress photos you’ve got to put on some jeans! Love this little outfit with the brown boots and her cute red sweater! She’s a little woman in these photos…looks stylish just like her mother!
And while this is all cute and such, never will she look at me and smile. That’s what you get when you try to do this alone. Next time I will hire a co-conspirator to come do tricks and keep her smiling and entertained. Roxie has a beautiful smile… and wonderful laugh!
done.
Enough said. We’ve had over two hours of fun and it’s time to finish up I believe…
Just when you think she hasn’t had enough… she wants MY shoes! ha ha well, had to throw these shots in since she’s in her cute room with all her clothes hanging up for you to see!
Grandma Mary & Grandpa Jim's Portrait
In the end we had over 700 images to sift through and find something worth framing up… and for each set of grandparents the photos had to be different and special. This one was for her Daddy’s parents. Her big smile close up with the gleam in her eyes… the first post above with the Christmas Tree was for her Mama’s parents. The Columbia Sailing Club Rocking Chair Ornament I made when Dad was Commodore hangs in perfect view and the little devilish grin is definitely there for Nonna and Papa!
But finally……..the task of THE PHOTO for the Mom & Dad:
Roxanne Elizabeth Ciesar
This photo, while not smiling, is the true essence of the soul that resides within this child. This pensive, precious glance while resting in her Great Grandmothers Chair feels like her. This is the portrait that made those hours of playing dress up and playing with Aunt Jeni’s camera all worth it in the end. Love you Roxie! xo – Aunt Jeni
“Love came down at Christmas; love all lovely, love divine; love was born at Christmas, stars and angels gave the sign.” – Christina G. Rossetti quotes (English Poet. 1830-1894)
Visions of loveliness danced in our heads… I thought during this holiday season that a wonderful post of Bridal Visions of Love would be appropriate!
When I met Virginia at the LulaKate store here in Charleston on King Street… I had no idea how much love would fill my heart. Katherine was there to dress the bride and help her to my car where we went touring downtown from place to place to take portraits of the spectacular gown that was created just for her!
Leaving Lula Kate
Waiting for her Ride! the amazing service at LulaKate Bridal!
and off we went in search of the perfect views to compliment the beautiful woman wearing the perfect gown…
Perfect Charleston Light
Brown Ribbon for the Reception just Sparkles!
Red Doors, Brick and Iron Work... classic Charleston!
it's all in the details...
Kissed by the Twinkling Sunlight...
Having a gown made for you is dreamy...thanks LulaKate!
The Secret Garden
After we went down a stone street near the Charleston Yacht Club we traveled over to King Street to the little garden path to the Unitarian Church… unless you are walking down the street in this area (Near Queen) you wouldn’t even see these beautiful gates and the secret garden path where the light was shining at the end. This is my favorite shot of the day… looking down the path of marriage to her sweetheart Kyle!
Amazing Petals of Pink and White... I love this with the Coppery Brown Satin Bow
Precious Diamonds Sparkling on her finger...
Texture, Light and Dreams - A Charleston Brick Wall
Next stop? a random street near the Battery with character, old bricks and shutters! We drove around until I found just the right charming street with no one walking by… placed a beautiful bride in front of old Charleston Bricks and Voila! CHARM!
when you capture that smile... the one that melts your heart!
Kyle's Bride xo
I love the colors of brick, ribbon and shutters with the soft petals of roses and orchids...
a genuine laugh... happiness for the time spent in her gown!
Classic, Lovely and all things Bridal Wrapped up in one Shot!
Horse Girl!
I just love the heart that Virginia has for animals… they are drawn to her even though she is in a white dress that is scary and bright to them. They stopped for a photo as the carriage was taking tourists by. They all wished our bride well as they passed and a huge smile came across her face and I knew she was so happy and comfortable about the day, her dress and upcoming marriage to her best friend!
Battery Park Oaks
Classically styled Oak Trees adorned the Save the Date Bookmark, Wedding invitation and entire wedding day for Virginia and Kyle so it was only appropriate that we find some big historic branches to photograph today. Virginia is studying her Masters in Librarian Science at the University of SC and the literary theme was wonderfully carried throughout their planning!
Hand Painted Invitation by Salley Davis
This is Virginia and Kyle’s Wedding Invitation with the Oak Tree Theme… hand painted by local artist Salley Davis of the entrance to Magnolia Plantation for a gift to the family of the Bride and Groom!
Hugged by Branches
Mom comes to help!
Of course what is a day photographing around Charleston without your Mom there to help? She creates a smile, carries the flowers and makes for a memorable first time wearing your wedding gown. I couldn’t have done this without Jane’s help and love for her daughter.
Several brides will have their hair and makeup done for the portrait to “Try Out” their new look… Virginia’s hair was just stunning with these flowers placed among her beautiful hair… I had to do a close up to remember how the flowers just made the carefully curled locks look so wonderful!
Orchids of Love
Fall is in the air....
It was a perfect, Charleston Warm Fall Day! and we enjoyed touring the city in the lovely LulaKate gown, spending time with Mom and smiling about the upcoming wedding at Magnolia Plantation! It was only a few weeks ago but it’s all still a wonderful dream… xo -jeni
“Desire looks clear from the eyes of a lovely bride: power as strong as the founded world” -Sophocles
coming soon… a post about a librarian and her husband at Magnolia Plantation! xo -jeni
Sweet Faces, fingers and sticky noses! all hard at work in the New Dream Catering Kitchen in Charleston, SC tonight!
Chef Eric Gaffin is known for his big heart but the Santa in him came out tonight… his wonderful catering kitchen full of kids, candy and intense smiles beamed from corner to corner! New Dream Catering sure filled some kid’s dreams and gave out some serious sugar highs tonight!
Candy Canes and Christmas Peep Trees!
Chef and the Mini Chefs Hard at Play
Colorful Candy Dreams
New Dreams of Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays
Amazing Concentration!
One never knows what she will walk into when there is a free class for kids added with homemade gingerbread pieces and a LOT of candy! Kids hanging from the ceiling drooling comes to mind… However! I walked into a peaceful shop with creative and very serious kid size chefs making sugar wonderlands for the Holiday Season!
A few Grown Up Elves to help out...
A few pieces of roof, shingles, doors and snow stuffed in our cheeks!
Like Father Like Son...
focus...gotta get this sprinkle just so.......
I Heart New Dream Catering!
All in all there was so much sugary fun I just could hardly contain myself… I ate a few peeps, m&ms and yummy gingerbread marshmallows! If I hadn’t had camera in hand I would have turned into a kid and sprinkled a few rooftops, too! Thanks Chef Eric for sharing your wonderful kitchen with us! CLICK HERE to view all the fun we had… and have a Happy Christmas and Merry New Year, too! xo -jeni
“NOT MY GUMDROP BUTTONS!” -Gingy (SHREK THE MOVIE)
