Ambrosia Creative

Au Revoir Simone’s new album is out. Still have yet to buy it, but their MySpace is updated with a couple new songs from their latest album. So excited to see them in a couple weeks! It’s been forever since I’ve been to a live show.

And that last pic is an x-ray of my father-in-law’s elbow post surgery after a motorcycle accident he was involved in last Friday. Brad was heading back home from the Sierras, when a truck pulling a trailer, coming the opposite direction and speeding, rounded a corner and crossed over into Brad’s lane. Brad skidded his bike to a stop in order to avoid a head-on collision, but his arm and left-side of his body still smashed into the trailer. He ended up with a compound fracture in his arm, intense bruising on his upper body, and a rash from skidding across the asphalt. A two-night hospital stay, surgery, and a number of metal screws later, Brad is now back at home recovering. We feel so grateful that this was the extent of his injuries, considering how awful this could have turned out. We love you Brad, and are praying you get back to 100% soon.

And I was elbow-deep in foam curds. Weird.

I’ve decided to start cataloging some of my favorite images on a Tumblr blog. It’s so much easier to scan through the archives on Tumblr than to sift through all my bookmarked links on Delicious.

Speaking of Tumblr, check out this photography blog I’ve come across. I love how the URL is named “Audrey Hepburn Complex.” Lots of beautiful pics, with the occasional image of Audrey Hepburn and Zooey Deschanel.

NPR is streaming the album “Dark Night of the Soul” right now, a collaboration between Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse. Some of the artists on the album include the Flaming Lips, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, and James Mercer of The Shins. If you’re a fan, make sure to check the album out on NPR, as it may not ever be released for sale. Let’s give it up to record companies! Not.

2 years and another child later, Ryan is still the biggest goofball dad.

{Kai Bug, 06}

{Dax Bear, 09}

And two years later, I still get freaked out when dad jumps over the babies.

One of the things I really wanted this mother’s day was to make a Lizzie Fortunato-ish necklace or bracelet. Of course that entails me going to the craft store alone and some quiet time piecing my spoils together. Heaven! So here is my knock-off prototype.

And here’s the real deal.

And lastly, mother’s day isn’t quite over for me yet — I’ve asked Ryan to take me to Sprinkles this Friday. I hear it’s supposed to change your life. My own homemade cupcakes are pretty kick-a*$, so I better not be disappointed!

{images via Lizzie Fortunato Jewels and Refinery 29}

Thank you for being great.

And for passing on such great genes.

We love you and miss you!
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Wrapping up the artist interviews this week is my friend Raya Carlisle, the creative mind behind the blog The Paper Pony. Out of all my blogging friends interviewed, Raya is the only one I actually know in person, so I can tell you that she is every bit as beautiful as her work is!

Describe to us your work:
I’m a wedding photographer by profession, but love all types of art: painting, drawing, collaging, sewing, design…I could just make things all day.

I’ve learned that being a stay-at-home mom and business owner/artist does not have to be mutually exclusive. How do you maintain a balance between the two?
Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking when they hear a child screaming (always out of joy, of course, ha) and a dog barking in the background. I talk a lot about staying at home with Baker and just try to make it part of my story. Thankfully I’m in an industry where it’s all about connecting on a personal level with my clients so I think they can appreciate that I’m a mom first and photographer second.

We as mom’s are always producing: a clean home, food for our families, fun activities for our kids, so for me to have some time to produce for myself is so refreshing and I crave it. I’ve have definitely thought about quitting my photography business on those days where I just don’t know how I’m going to get those photos edited or answer those emails, but then I go shoot a wedding and I get a renewed sense of fulfillment and confidence from doing something I’m good at and that I love.

Thank you for sharing Raya!

(All images by Raya Carlisle)