Holiday Greetings.

T'was a few nights before Christmas, when all through the house
Under a blanket we're burrowing, listening to Allison Krouss.
Stockings were hung above the chimney with care,
embroidered with Ryan, Elyse and Pup Fair.

Pete was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of snicker-poodles danced in his head.
Ryan in his OSU shirt with a warm up of tea,
Turned off the music for a marathon of Glee.

When out of the dining room arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter.
Away from the sofa I flew like a flash,
To see what could cause such a terrible crash.


The moon glistened from window glistened off the freshly fallen table

broke with the weight of enough Christmas card greetings to fill up a stable.

When, what to my wondering mind should appear,

But a little tiny bit gnawing of fear.

With a Holiday season so busy and crazy,

and, let's be honest, an author that's a little bit lazy,
"Oh Jingle Balls," I gave with a shout,
"I forgot to get OUR Christmas cards out!"

"Now Lindsay! now, Traci! now, Jeni and Bill!
Oh, Grandma! Oh, Grandpa! oh Stefanie and...Dr. Phil?

With 2 postal days left, what can I do?
Only give this little ditty to you.
Even though there's no Christmas card from the Fair houshold sight
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Merry Christmas!
xoxoely

bahahaha-- perfect for your design friend

I saw this over on one of the blogs I read, http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/. It's a fun blog, you should hop over and check it out.



They're fridge magnets! They carry them at http://www.thinkgeek.com, but out of stock at the moment. I usually don't adorn my refrigerator with magnets, but I may have to make an exception and get one when they come back into stock.

Hilarious. Send it to one of your design/photography friends. They will love it too.

Thankful

I know I'm a little late on my Thanksgiving blog, but I vowed yesterday that it was a day to myself, just relaxing and doing a little shopping, and I even got a massage. Glorious.

Our good friends from Tulsa came down to embark on our first ever Thanksgiving meal cooked ALL BY OURSELVES. I have never cooked a Turkey before. I tried a little chicken a couple of weeks ago to prepare for Thanksgiving.

Hannah is about to beat the bread. I have decided that making bread is truly a labor of love. Isn't she the cutest prego ever?

Our Thanksgiving projects!

Emy writing about what she is thankful for. She is thankful for lots of doodles and scribbles :)

So, six hours later, this was our feast. I owned that Turkey. It was moist, and just as good as mama Mecozzi's. Holler! And Hannah made the most amazing rolls ever.

Emy liked her big girl glass.

And we topped it off with a homemade apple pie! Don't make fun of the sweater. I know it's ugly and has holes, but it is my most favorite ever.

So, to start out my list, I am thankful for:

My Husband. I have decided that to know Ryan is to love Ryan. He has a good heart. And genuine like of other people. And when you are around him, you can feel it. Probably a trait that he picked up from his family. He tells me everyday that he loves me. He not only puts up with me, but loves me even when I know I am being unlovable. He encourages me in everything. Days when I have given up on myself, deciding that starting my business is too costly, or that I'm not creative enough, or that the market is too saturated with photographers for me to really succeed, Ryan is there to encourage me. Reminding me that good things take time. That I can be creative. And he is selfless. He has put off many things to help me be successful in my business. He works very hard, and then I spend all his money :), and he never complains. Honestly, I don't know how I got so lucky.

• Dirty Laundry Friends. These are those friends who come to visit, and you don't even worry that the weeks of clothes that have been stagnate in your laundry hamper are all over the floor, awaiting their cleansing bath. On the more figurative side, friends who know us through and through, and know all the good, and all the bad, and are willing to sort them all out with you. 
• My Family. Yes, I know, everyone has to say this. But I really mean it. I feel so blessed to have a really good family situation. My immediate family and my in laws are so easy to love and get along with. They are both considerate of our time, love us well, and want to see us succeed in our marriage. My family loves my husband (maybe even more than me...), and my in-laws love me as one of their own. We never feel pressured about time, never feel like outsiders in the group, never feel like we don't belong. And even above that, we are encouraged from all sides to grow, and prosper and succeed. I know that not everyone has that in their lives, and I am truly, honestly thankful for that.

• Twilight. I will have to explain this one! My mom would be appalled and concerned for my soul to know that I am thankful for a book that is about vampires. But it has been a rallying point for the girls I have grown to love so much at work. After my buddy Lindsay made me read it, I made my co-workers read it, and our feelings or ridiculousness of loving a teenage vampire romance novel bonded us together. And now these girls are a joy of my daily life. Our friendships have grown to much more than a book club, and some days I don't know how I would get along with out them. And yes, my arm looks as though it is on backwards in that pic, I am aware.
• The Internet. Ryan and I lived the first 2 and a half years of our marriage sans internet in our home. I know it sounds dumb, but being able to blog or check to make sure I haven't bounced my checking account from home instead of sitting in the car outside of Panera has made my life much easier. It sounds dumb and materialistic, but I really am thankful for it. 

• Pete. Just look at him. How can you not be thankful for him. Even if he chews up my favorite outside pillow.

Overall, if I had nothing in my life other than the things listed above, it would be full and good. As I reflect on all of these things and people in my life, I recognize that I am abundantly blessed, and humbled by what has been given to me.

Little things that make my heart smile

Life is CRAZY for me right now. Work is overwhelming, 10 and 12 hour days, working on Saturday's, plus lots of editing photos, and I still can't get on top of things. I love my job, and feel so blessed to have it, but there's just been a lot of it lately. Sooooo, I really appreciate when something helps me to relax, and appreciate the creativity of someone else. Today, this helped me slow down and remember why I love being a professional creative. And, I know, I know, it seems so overly dramatic, but also reminded me that I WANT to continue to strive to be creative in all I do. Because I want to create like this.



Love it, and had to share.

Happy (post) Halloween!

I hope everyone had a great boo day, I had a fabulous day of running errands, and getting a lot of stuff done that I've been putting off for a couple of weeks. I even purchased the first Christmas present of the season! And I went to the doggie bakery to get Pete a little treat for Halloween. Then I came home and waited for the trick-or-treaters with my friend Amanda from highschool. All around a great day. Ryan even let me dress Pete up! A little anyway:

Pete's like: Really? Really? You're going to make me wear this thing?

And here's some pics of my niece and nephew-- their costumes were 'out of this world' hahaha.

 

This pic isn't great quality, but quality in the fact that this is how I will always remember them on Halloween. They must be leia and chewbacca from the part of the movie when Obi-Wan dies.

Love it. Love it. Love it. Thank you, niece and nephew, for being so entertaining.

Business schminess

So, I don't know how many of you have your own business, but I think it's hard. I haven't been doing it long, but I feel like there is soooo much to learn, and I know I haven't even scratched the surface. The trickiest part for me if figuring out pricing, and how to sell. I love what I do, so it is my nature to give it away for free. But, obviously, we can't make a living doing that, even as much as I'd like to. Knowing how to value what I do, and be a smart business person so that I can continue to do what I'm doing is tough for me.

So I appreciate any help I can get. I think I've blogged about them before, but i have recently stumbled upon a blog called Savvy Photographer. They are a great source for photographers, and right now are running a contest, so if you are a photographer and are interested in a little business help, check out their blog and enter to win the guides that are up for grabs, link here.

Anyway, we had a GREAT weekend hanging out with good friends, and I LOVED my first halloween that I got trick-or-treaters at my house. My niece and nephew made and appearance, I will post some pics soon.

Life in the Fair Household

Elyse: Where did these weird scratches on the floor come from

Ryan: Dang…I think that it will buff out, though….

A Week later:

Elyse: I got the scratches out of the floor, you were right, they were just on the surface.

Ryan: Oh, good. I think I might know where they came from.

Elyse: Really, what?

Ryan: The other day I was doing the moonwalk in my new shoes.

Apparently his new shoes are very slick, and condusive for doing the moonwalk. I think he was probably showing Pete.

I love you sweetie, you always make life fun.

New post on the pro-blog, www.elyfairphotos.com/blog

Dry Eyes

We have the best friends in the world. And all over the world! Recently, our friends Ben and Lindsay moved to Portland, and we have enjoyed hearing adventures of peacocks living in their neighborhood, and trips to Forks, WA to take the Twilight tour (yeah...jealous).  Yesterday, I received a package from Lindsay in the mail, containing these puppies:

That's right folks, certified Onion goggles. Specifically designed to keep your eyes high and dry while slicing through the layers of those tricky onions. They're like a mix between safety glasses, and ski goggles, encasing your eyes. Holla!

Lindsay and I both share the love of Tortilla Soup, but whenever I make it, I am always handicapped by the cutting of the onions. But not anymore! I used them tonight, and they worked like a charm. I'm not going to lie, I have been known to sport my swimming goggles while chopping, but I think that these have decreased the chance of a severed finger in my kitchen.

(the onions view. mu haha)

Thank you, Lindsay, I miss you guys so much.

In celebration of good friends and fall weather, here is the Tortilla soup recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. butter
• 4 cups diced tomatoes
• 1.5 cup yellow onion
• 2 Tbl cumin
• 1.5 Tbl salt
• 1 Tbl garlic
• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 gallon chicken broth
• 4 cup cooked, pulled chicken breast

Instructions:

1. Saute onions & butter in a large sauce pan until onions start to clear
2. Add all of the other ingredients excluding the both and chicken, and saute for 3 minutes
3. Meanwhile, put broth and chicken in stock pot
4. Add the sautéed mixture to stock pot
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and serve with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips

Wal-ah, happy cooking!

Family Session

I just posted some pics from my latest family session on the new blog, www.elyfairphotos.com/blog. Lara, Bryan and Geneva were a lot of fun, even on (what I am convinced) was the coldest day of fall so far! Because of that, it made me think of a photo tip that I wanted to share with you. I know I haven't done these in a while, I'm sorry.

Photo Tip # I can't remember: I always grumble when it is rainy or cold, because it makes my job difficult. But, on the other hand,  it is good because it makes me think outside the box. I love outside shots, but the shot below is one of my favorite, and it came from the need to warm up! We stopped in after our first location to grab a cup of coffee, and the local proved to be a good spot to snap a couple shots. Shooting inside can be frustrating sometimes because you can't get as much light as outside (duh, but there was no other way to say it).

All that to say, here is my photo tip. This one is specifically for those of you who have an slr camera. Next time you are in a situation where there is not enough light to take a photo with out the flash, play with your ISO. In film, ISO means how sensitive the film is to light. Essentially, it is the same thing in digital, but it effects the image sensor. The higher the ISO number, the more sensitive it is to light, so it will allow you to take photos in sitiuations where there isn't as much light. "Well, Elyse, why wouldn't you just keep it at the highest number all the time then??" Good question. There is a trade off for quality. A higher ISO will produce a more 'grainy image,' not as sharp, especially when blown up. A middle of the range ISO is 400, and gives you a pretty crisp image, but still allows for room in your exposure.

So, break out your manuals and play with the ISO settings. You might be surprised with the results!

For those of you who haven't made the leap to the new blog yet...

I've decided to keep this guy around. I think I want something that I can be a little more personal with, and share tips and life with :)

So, with sharing tips, one of my favorite new blogs to read is The Savvy Photographer. I love the tips they share, and the interviews that they do. I feel like I've learned a lot, and it directs me to a lot of resources. And, they do giveaways! So if you're interested in learning more about photography, hop on over there and let the learning begin!

Busy Little Bee

I guys, I know I’ve been a little MIA lately, buuuuttt I’ve been working on getting my NEW BLOG set up. Bigger pictures, better quality, good all around for all of us. I hope you will continue to follow me! I’m a big fan of google reader, have you used it before? It’s an RSS feed, so it automatically updates you when your favorite bloggers post something new.

The new blog name is www.elyfairphotos.com/blog. So buzz over there and take a look at what I’ve been up to lately.

At the Fair with Ely Fair!

I got to do some pictures at the fair, yay! I was so excited to finally meet this couple, and they were a lot of fun to photograph! And they're GORGEOUS! And not just because of those beautiful smiles--they simply oozed with love and excitement for one another.  It was a long evening pushing through crowds and waiting for the right shot, but they were so sweet through out the whole process. I feel so lucky to have such great clients. I can't wait to photograph their wedding next summer.

More to come of these two!!!

Reception No. 3

This past weekend was my parents threw my sister and her new husband a reception at our home in Oklahoma. Reception no. 3. One was in Michigan, one in Korea, and one here in good ol' OK. My mom decided to play on the western theme (Yes mom, thank you for confirming all the ideas of  hay bails and hick to the northern guests), and of course she went all out, as always. Love you mom, but you are a little crazy. All of you readers out there that have had the pleasure of meeting Sue, you know it's true. Don't deny it. Anyway, I have digressed, but here are a couple of details from the night.
There were about 16 tables, and mom made a different cake for each table:

This one has eatable gold on it, fancy pants

Here's the happy couple!

Oh, the barrels. We had to go to 2 different Atwoods to get them all.

Mr. Cho was the keeper of the fire. One of them anyway. There were three.

Husband got deemed King of the Grill, he cooked over 60 steaks!

Lets not forget the 100 LBS OF PEANUTS. Because everyone needs to take two pounds of peanuts home with them. But no. We have 98 pounds left. Anybody want a peanut?

Any we have to throw some baby pics in there. This cutie is Stella. Best name ever.

And this is what we all did the day after the party! Love you dad!

I make fun, but mom really is great at what she does. I didn't take any pics of her fine chocolates because I didn't get to them before guests did, but if you are looking for someone to cater a dessert bar at your wedding, let me know, she's makes beautiful, tasty treats!

Photos Anyone?

The past two weeks I have been brainstorming ideas about taking photos at the Great State Fair of Oklahoma with a couple that I've had booked for MONTHS now. Sadly, though, my sweet little bride may have the swine flu. YUCK! 


Needless to say, she didn't want to expose me or her finance to the epidemic, soooo I have loads of ideas and a cleared schedule for tomorrow night. Anyone interested in a free couples session at the fair?? All that is required is for you to purchase your tickets, tickets for some of the rides, and maybe some cotton candy or ice cream, AND post your favorite fair experience in reply to this post.

New on Website: Little Friends! And blog header winner!

Due to overwhelming response, the winner of the blog header is....VIBRANT! If you couldn't tell already :)  Thank you to everyone who helped me to make the choice. 


I also wanted to announce that I just added a new section to my website: Little Friends! If you are a pet owner, you know how our little furry friends become part of the family. So I have expanded my site to include them. Of course, our own pup makes his appearance many times, because he's just so irresistible. Remember him when he was so cute??? 

Oh, look at that little face, how can you not fall in love with him! I've said it before, I'll say it again - I'm convinced that God makes puppies (and babies) so cute so that you fall in love with them.  And then you get all attached, so when they chew up your FAVORITE rocking chair, you don't banish them to the streets. Speaking of chewing, does anyone know a good brand of pet bed to buy for a puppy who eats everything???


Anyhoo, more pet photos at the site, www.elyfairphotos.com.

Vote Please!

Okay, so my friends who majored in Marketing have been getting on to me about having a plane jane blog. I swear, I am a disgrace to the graphic design community, I am so clueless when it comes to backgrounds and headers for the web. Clueless. Ask me to design you a print piece, and I can make you the most elaborate, blow your mind piece of art, but talk to me about web and I go blank.

In addition to my mental block against web, I may be the the 3rd most indecisive person on the face of this plant. Number One: Brett Favre. Number two: I'm not sure who this is, but I'm giving myself benefit of the doubt that there is at least one person that stands in the deodorant isle blankly looking at all of the brands, smells, designs, strengths, and cursing the flooded market of goods, at least 5 minutes compared to my 3.

So, I'm asking for your help in my inability to make a choice. Please vote for which you like best.

Vibrant set:

Muted set:

Semi-Seasonal Set:

Studio Audience, pick up your polling device and please vote now.