How can a year go by so fast?

I can't believe my little boy is going to be one on Monday. A year ago today I was finishing up a month-long stint in the hospital on bed-rest, and preparing to meet our child a whole four weeks early. We didn't know whether we were expecting a boy or a girl - we're old fashioned and wanted it to be a surprise. We just prayed that whoever our child was that he would be healthy, and we'd both be safe. He was tiny... only 4 lb 12 oz, but healthy and beautiful and a BOY! We were thrilled. This image is from earlier tonight while he was playing on the couch.

Leap Year Savings!!!

Since it’s Leap Year this year, I have decided to have a special sale on Wall Portraits until February 29, 2008! Leap into 30% savings on all portrait prints 16x20 and larger! Save from $100 to $300 or more on your order! Free pick up is available in San Carlos or San Francisco, or have your order shipped to your workplace or home address for only $25. The code for this savings is WALL2008, and you just enter it at the end of the shopping cart process. All galleries have been relaunched so you can take advantage of this incredible sale, but remember the offer expires on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 5PM. Feel free to share this discount code with friends and family as there is no limit on how many wall portraits you can purchase for 30% off!

Visit the Gallery Listing to find your gallery. If you have forgotten your password, just email the studio.

Getting a Facelift...

No, not me, silly.... I am pleased to announce that after countless meetings with my design team, I have a new logo, and some new swanky business cards for the studio. For those of you who have my current business card, it has MY picture on it. I decided I should maybe, I dunno, feature some of the images I have created instead. If you ever miss MY photo, it's still here on the blog so you don't forget what I look like (this message is mostly for family who I see too rarely - if you miss my photo and you're not family, well, umm... I don't know what to say!) Here are three sides... (what? a three sided business card?) The adorable baby Kianna is on the back of both cards... I just wanted to mix it up a bit, but keep the overall branding consistent.

Enjoy, and photographer friends, don't forget to do your spring cleaning and spruce up your marketing materials when you get a spare minute!!

More Favorites from 2007!

Maryann and Dan were married last October in Palo Alto, and I was the associate photographer with my great friend Kristy Hardy. We love to shoot together, and our birthdays are one week apart... great Leo friends forever.

Maryann got ready at the Stanford Garden Court Hotel, and the light in her suite was amazing. We have photographed 4 of her friends' weddings, so it was old home week getting to see everyone again. This is one of my favorites from the day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Remember to snuggle the ones you love today and every day!

More Mill Cottage Kids

Anne & Garrett were married in April 2005 at Valley Presbyterian Church and had their reception at Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club. It was an awesome day from start to finish! They were already parents to an adorable yorkie named Mork, so when Kianna was born, she just fit right in and added to the family! So fun to have Kianna come to the studio - she's such a beauty, just like her mommy (and daddy too!)

The Original Love Story from the Mill Cottage...

People always ask me "Why Mill Cottage Photography?" and they want to know the story of why I named my studio after the Mill Cottage. So, here's the story... get your cup of tea, snuggle in on a comfy pillow :^)

Once upon a time... (just kidding)

My then boyfriend of two years, Ray, and I were looking for a place to spend a week for a little R&R. We had driven past the Jenner Inn several times, and thought maybe we should check it out. We wanted our own kitchen so we could cook together, and this was the cottage that was available for the dates that we wanted. It was fate. When we arrived, we found this little stairway to heaven...

Love story continued...

The cottage was built in the late 1800's, and was quirky and romantic, and we loved it right away. We shared many deep conversations that week, and it was where Ray decided he was ready to marry me. We also spent the first week of our honeymoon here in 2001, after we got married in Sonoma at the old Mission (always have a soft spot for Wine Country Weddings because it reminds me of our wedding!)

I am always ultra-creative when I am there, and I sketched out my business and marketing plan during a trip the following year, dreaming of the day I would quit my day job and work for myself. We made plans for our future, and even visited while I was pregnant with our son, Josh.

There is also an old story of the ghost of a sea captain, searching for his lost love. His name is Samuel, and you can feel his sadness sometimes. He is also known for his love of mischief, which is chronicled in the diary guests write in during their stay.

Through the mist and fog, where the Russian River meets the mighty Pacific Ocean... Where seals play and cavort in the waves... Nearby ancient Redwood Cathedrals in Armstrong Woods... After a nice long hike, or a day spent on the beach tide pooling, or just being together, the Mill Cottage is the perfect place to settle in by the fire and dream of the magic to come...

The name to choose for my studio was obvious, and this is how I want my clients to feel with the "Mill Cottage Photography" experience. Warm, cozy, lush, secluded, romantic, soothing, and in love. A photograph of the actual sign, which sadly is no longer there, became my logo, and I embarked on the most wonderful chapter in my life - sharing in the love stories of my clients!

Sounds like the perfect recipe for wedding photography to me...

Congratulations to Ann & Joe!!

I had the pleasure of photographing Ann with her mother and brother in the fall of last year, and made sure to take some portraits of just her as well... She gave them to her boyfriend, Joe, and just contacted me recently to say they were engaged over the holidays!!! They are so cute together, and we had fun at our beach engagement session! You guys were so great to brave the chilly waters in your bare feet!! Happy Wine Country Wedding Planning, and I can't wait to show you the rest!

Hooray! We spent the weekend at the Mill Cottage!

Big Thanks to Ray's sister, Caroline, for her wonderful birthday gift to her brother!!! There's not another place we would have rather been this weekend than our beloved Mill Cottage. Yes, it is an actual place... not just some place I created in my mind. Spent the weekend there with Ray and Josh, and enjoyed the pouring rain from the fireplace warmed comfy living room. We read, ate great food, had good wine, and Josh got to see our magical place for himself and explore (read: eat) everything he could get his hands on. One of these days I'll tell you all about the story of the Mill Cottage, but for now, here's Josh!