cooper's wedding

Here are two awesome images from an absolutely awesome day. xo.

cooper's wedding {engagement session}

If you know me at all, or read this blog, you don't need me to tell you how thrilled I was to be a part of Robert & Sarah's wedding. Nor do I have to tell you how much I absolutely adore Sarah. Or how I think these two are a match made in heaven. xo.

hannah's 1st birthday

Have I mentioned lately how much pressure I've been feeling due to my enormous backlog of photos? I've been doing a little bit of editing but it's been fairly willy-nilly. So today I decided to start at the very beginning (it's a very good place to start!) and will continue chipping away at my pile every day. This way, nothing will get missed.

So... that means I start with September 5th - Miss Hannah Marie's first birthday. Isn't she just a doll?

I love this series of photos of Dad playing peek-a-boo. They both look so happy! (Click to make the image bigger)

on the upswing

This past week has been a rollercoaster of feeling well, not-so-well, horribly ill and everything in between. But all was not lost. I managed to drink a lot of this.


And finally finish this.


And even learn how to do this! (Yay french knots!).

button button who's got the button

Apparently this is what one does in my house, when one is suffering from the flu.

"I feel sick and weak"

"I know... I will pile buttons on the counter!"

Not as helpful as Tylenol, but certainly a distraction.

the lovebirds of make believe

Meet Dill Pickle. He's a little dog with a big heart.


Dill Pickle has so many hobbies it's hard to know where to start. He's in love with life and wants to enjoy it in all its glory. So you can often find him reading... everything from the basics of french to money management to thrilling novels.


Or tending to his garden. He's an active member of the Make Believe Garden Society and a firm believer in the importance of growing your own food. His tomatoes will make you yell boo-yah! they're so juicy and delicious. His thumb is so green it's neon.


Dill Pickle is also very active. He runs, bikes, plays hockey and likes to keep moving.


But poor Dill Pickle is lonely. He wears his heart on his sleeve and wants nothing more to find someone special to give it to. He thinks that even though Make Believe is a special, magical place it could be so much more if only he could meet the right girl...

Meet Clementine. She's a free-spirited bunny with big ideas.


Much like Dill Pickle, Clementine also has many hobbies - but of a very different sort. She shudders at the idea of over-exertion and would rather stay inside discussing philosophy over a steaming cup of tea. Her other favourite tea-time activity is crossword puzzles.


Clementine also spends a lot of time in front of the computer looking at her favourite blogs. She loves looking at what other people are creating and feels so inspired her heart often feels like it's going to burst. She's constantly marveling over the amazing and beautiful things that people create.


In fact, she also tries to contribute some beauty to this world through her own arts and crafts. They're often simple projects (and usually involve buttons!) but they make her very happy!


Clementine was beginning to reconcile herself to the fact that she was going to be a crazy old bunny rocking on her front porch giving the stink-eye to all the neighboring kids because not once had she ever met someone who captured her imagination and struck her fancy in just the right way, though she longed for true love, like all bunnies do...

As fate would have it, Clementine and Dill Pickle ended up moving into the same apartment building (on the same floor even!) and one day as Dill Pickle was heading out for a run and Clementine was coming home from lunch with her girlfriends, their paths crossed.


It's safe to say that both their hearts skipped a beat. The image of Clementine's face was burned into Dill Pickle's memory and he knew... just knew... that he had to figure out a way to meet her.

He waited, ever-so-patiently, hoping to meet her in the hallway again.

And he did!

One beautiful fall day he saw her go into apartment 306. So the next day he built up the courage to knock on her door... and offer her his heart.


It was love at first sight! And now, they're inseparable.


They go for walks...


And picnics in the park...


On lazy days they stay inside, watching movies. Dill Pickle always falls asleep but Clementine doesn't mind.


They hang out with friends...


But their most favourite thing to do, is stay in bed 'til noon sharing secrets and whispering their dreams.

citizens of make believe

So far there are seven citizens of Make Believe but I'm sure over time their population will grow. Today I would like to introduce you to five of the happy friends.

Meet Turnip. He's Make Believe's founding member. He looks young but don't let that baby face fool you! His wisdom makes him a perfect friend for whispering your dreams and secrets to at night. He gives good hugs and loves having his belly button tickled. X marks the spot!


This is Bruce. He's contemplating a nose ring and tattoos to spunk up his style but I'm trying to convince him he's perfect just the way he is. He loves The Ramones and listens to Rocket to Russia incessantly. He sometimes gets into scraps on the playground but underneath his prickly exterior lies a heart of gold.


Oh Marjorie... what can one say about Marjorie? How about mammas lock up your sons! This one loves to dance and leave lipstick on collars. And those eyes... yes those eyes can soften the hardest of hearts and wrap the sternest of men around her coy monkey fingers. Marjorie loves martinis and her new iPhone.


Don't let Richard's bandanna and country bumpkin guise fool you - this frog has hopped all over the world from Australia to Zaire. He loves trying new food from different cultures and is particularly a fan of Indian and Thai. The spicier the better! His most terrifying moment was falling into a giant crevasse on the peak of Mount Kilamanjaro but this one has more tricks up his sleeve than Go-Go Gadget and used his extra-sticky tongue to pull himself to safety. His stories will keep bonfire gatherers entertained for hours.


Lastly, meet Gnash. It's a silent 'G' and he hates it when it's pronounced. It's Nash not G-Nash! This horse has a propensity towards meloncholy and can often be found off by himself writing poetry or contemplating the meaning of life. He's got little arms so he's not a great hugger, but nothing makes him glow more brightly than getting one. He will nuzzle his muzzle into your heart and you'll never want to let go.

greetings from a make believe world

My friend Elaine was visiting a few weeks ago and when we're together, sparks fly. For two full days my living room "looked like Christmas" with buttons and thread and fiber-fill spread over every available surface. And to what reward! Check out the amazing group of friends we created from socks and gloves!

At first you think you're going to make a little dude with a certain personality but soon you realize you have no control over how your creature will turn out - their personality bursts through with very limited coaxing from you. It's amazing to see them evolve before your very eyes!

Here are a few group shots from their photo shoot one sunny and cool afternoon. Soon I will be posting their individual portrait shots as well... and even a few romantic images of Clementine and Dill Pickle who have quickly proven to be inseparable. :)


It's a little hard to tell, but here they are waiting for the bus. The #7 actually. They were going on an adventure.

From left to right: Richard, Bruce, Dill Pickle, Clementine, Marjorie, Turnip and Gnash.