Tiny Trendsetter!!

A couple of weeks ago we made friends with a lovely mama of two twins girls who lives here in Toronto who recently started her own online store, Tiny Trendsetter, for fun unique children's clothing!!  I am always searching for unique kids clothing--something different and unique with fun designs. 

So I am really, really excited about this new venture of hers and for a whole new world of fun kids clothing we can get ourselves into.  Not only that, but we have already started collaborating on photographing the spring line!  I cannot wait to do it and share with you!

We stopped in for a little bit to her pop-up shop on Queen St. at Yummy Stuff Bakery, rifled through her clothes and picked out some fun stuff for ourselves.  Maggie was right at home trying everything on! 

So excited for this new venture and a possible chance to work with you on this!!  Yay!!  Thanks to everyone who popped into the Tiny Trendsetter Pop-up shop to support this fabulous woman!

Photographer Cousins

Last week my cousin, Ginger came over to the house and we had a great play date with our little people.  We got out on that rink and tested it's frozen condition (which wasn't totally frozen).  Everyone picked up a hockey stick and got into the fun of being outside in the winter.  So far we have been out on the ice everyday--skates or boots, it doesn't much matter so long as we are soaking in Vitamin D.

I treasure these days that our little people are all at home and we can spend time together as cousins with them.  And I feel lucky that my cousin Ginger is around and can capture the moments for us (when my camera is packed full of client photos).   Thanks for making memories with us on the rink and then getting some great shots too!

And this was the day we got some beautiful shots of little sister, Bronwyn in the studio at 3 months old.  (I'll attach a few).  I've also attached the blog post I wrote about our session in the studio with all the little ones running around.  Gracious. It's a miracle we got any photos.   Here is the link to the post about Bronwyn and the pictures from the session:

http://www.magnoliacoastsphotography.com/#!Toronto-West-Mississauga-East-Photographer-Three-Months-for-Baby-Bronwyn-Grow-with-Me/c2ju/56a1a7f20cf2009838b67451

Next time, we are planning on getting a little video of the session maybe when Bronwyn turns six months or a year!

Our Family Photographs: Behind the Scenes

Over the past couple of months, I have been working and collaborating with my dear (and long-lost) cousin, Ginger who recently moved to Toronto and we have since rekindled our friendship.  We have always loved spending time together, but you know, life just gets crazy and before you know it, it's been 10 years since you've seen each other! 

Now living in the same city, babies the same age and a shared passion for art and photography, it was sort of a no-brainer we would be messaging every single day and driving all the way across the city to see each other on a regular basis.  I feel so grateful to have a kindred spirit as we go through this journey of motherhood and stay-at-home-career-business-women/photographers. 

So the Saturday before Mother's Day, Ginger met us in the crowded High Park area in the early hours of the morning to beat the crowds and catch the best light of the day.  After several weeks of hunts to find the perfect Magnolia tree, we decided on High Park.  But it became obvious (with the full parking lot at 7:00am) that we'd have to find a quieter spot.  It was sort of ridiculous there with so many people and their cameras.  And the funniest thing was that we had perfect strangers standing around watching, holding a reflector and several even taking our pictures!!!  We sort of felt like celebrities....

The pictures are amazing, my cousin is truly an artist far beyond me.  She just has such an incredible gift.  When she sent them to me the other night, I was just bursting with gratitude while simultaneously laughing out loud.  Our children are hilarious and charming and mischievous and I feel like she really captured all that.  I had to stop part way through the gallery viewing and send her a glowing message.  I was so thankful.  We've never had family pictures like these.  Ever. 

The pictures really do look idyllic, but I have to be honest.  On Saturday, after a few hours of photographing, we left the park, covered, COVERED in dirt, soaked to the bone and sweaty.  Magdalene (and the stroller where we had strapped her in) were covered in yogurt.   Here's a few funny tidbits from "behind the scenes:"

1) The very first two minutes of being in the park, Gabriel laid down in the dirt under the Magnolia tree and started rolling around in it.  It was then a shuffling game of how to avoid getting dirt on his white shirt, my white dress or Jordan's tan pants.  By the way, his shirt is now officially destroyed after face-planting on the sidewalk only minutes after the photo shoot was over.  And my dress... will never be the same.

2) About 10 minutes in, it started raining and we had to hide under the reflector.  A good reason to bring one I guess.

3) There were no less than 5000 people in the park that morning, crowding every single tree, although not so much the magnolia.

4) We got down to the lake, away from the crowds but "the paparazzi" with their telephoto lenses found us, again, snapping pictures while Ginger worked.  Who are these people???

5) I was sweating, sweating...  Had to keep taking off my scarf, jacket etc.

6) The children ran for the water immediately, the last shots of us as a family are there, after that, we were really all too wet to take more. 

7) Except it started raining.  Again.  This time, we were officially done. 

Can you believe that?  My cousin is amazing.  I cannot believe she got the shots she did with all the craziness going on, the kids running around, the water, the crowds. 

Thank you cousin, for capturing the moments and giving them back to us so beautifully!!

xo

A Walk in the Park...

These pictures are pretty angelic really.  Not really the truth of the whole experience...  Admittedly.  But I hope my children remember going to the park and pretending to fish and climb trees and chase each other rather than the panic I felt in my brain that 1) Maggie would run into the lake, 2) Gabriel would fall in the lake while pretending to fish with his fishing rod made of a tree branch, 3) The dog would meet another dog and go ballistic toppling our stroller and dragging it and its contents all through the park, 4) One of the three of them would run into the busy road only meters from where we were standing, 5) One of them would eat goose poop, 6) That the stroller would topple over (dragged by the dog chasing another dog) walking a narrow stretch between the road and the lake, Maggie would topple into lake while Gabriel would run into the road and I would be the one with my face down in goose poop unable to stop any of it from happening.  What do we call this condition?  Mama-brain-induced-catastrophization? 

When did I become such a nut-job anyway?  But, when did taking three dependent bodies out for a stroll in the city's park become such a chaotic venture.  This is what I get from reading too many books or browsing too many of those precautionary articles on facebook.  Tell me, mamas, does anyone else go a little bit freaky when taking their multiple three-and-unders and/or dogs out to new places?

Anyways...... Here are some lovely pictures from my littles at the park today who are so deeply fond of each other and who, despite my constant precautionary commands, will hopefully remember it as a wonderful (safe) time. And can we just talk about how green and beautiful the grass is getting here!  I love it!

The New Website.

The month of December has been a busy one as we get ready for Christmas like many many other families out there.  Fortunately, it has been purposefully slower on the work end for Jordan and I.  This has allowed me to get a few things done on the business end besides shooting and editing.  The result, a brand new professional looking website!!  Complete with moving slides of photos from a broad spectrum of our photos and some music.  Thanks friends for all your recommendations AND for letting me use your little darlings as models.

And..... here it is!!

www.magnoliacoastsphotography.com

Take a tour when you have a moment, and give me your thoughts!

The Newfoundland Wedding: Pro Photos!

Just had to share some photos from the Newfoundland wedding!  These were all taken by the professional photographer, Nate Gates and have all finally come in.  

 Just a little note about having kids in your wedding.  While it may be totally adorable to have children in the wedding, you may end up with wedding pictures like this.  Dye from m&ms, baby eating necklace, wiggle worms and removal of headbands.  Be warned! :)

Very fond memories of this wedding to last a lifetime!