QUICK TRIP + PISMO

Aubrey has this next week off school but Jared couldn't get the whole week off but could get this weekend off. Friday after school we drove down to Pismo Beach where we stay the night. Yesterday we explored the area. We stopped at this Monarch butterfly grove.

 Do you see any butterflies? They look like leaves.

 Here's the same photo zoomed in a bit. They had telescopes set up so you could see them close up.

 This one had a damaged wing and stayed on the ground for a long time.

 They had a plant with netting around it housing some caterpillars and this little cocoon.

Then we stopped at Pismo beach and played for a bit.

Next we headed north up the coast and stopped at the Madonna Inn.

I remember when I was 8 we stopped here on our way to Disney Land and took a photo in the front entrance. I never really understood why we did that as I didn't remember going inside or seeing the massive inn behind this building before!

 

 This is the dining room inside. it was all decorated for Valentine's Day. 

Aubrey thought it was awesome!

Next, we kept driving up the coast and stopped just north of Hearst Castle where these Elephant seals are mating and having babies. When we first arrived I looked over the fence and saw this one and thought it was neat. But then we walked along the boardwalk and saw...

 ...the beach full of mom's and their pups.

 ...and fighting fathers.

 A lot of the babies were huddled together as far up on shore as they could. Probably to stay out the way of those fighting males. There were lots of trampled dead babies all over the beach.

After we asked Aubrey if she thought this was a cool thing to see and she said: yes! and a little sad.

 As we were heading home, not to far from the seals, we saw zebras roaming on the side of the Hwy 1 on the Hearst Castle property. I really want to take a tour and see the castle some day. You have to book tickets far in advance as they sell out quickly.

It was a good quick trip but we saw a lot of neat things without having to go too far from home.

Pismo is about 3 hours from San Jose. We had dinner in Cambria and then started for home near Aubrey's bed time and she slept the whole way.

STRIPES BOUTIQUE GRAND RE-OPENING

I've been helping this boutique redecorate a bit this last week or so and on Saturday she had a re-opening of it. It was fun to see it all put together!

 I made a logo that she designed for her and set up this window display with my Valentine Mini shoot stuff.

She put in new wood flooring and painted the gold stripes on the wall which use to be blue.

 She let me play shop and rearrange the displays a bit!

 on the table are a basket of my headbands and my birdcage of hair clips.

 I have my own shelf!! The long middle shelf with the lamp is all my stuff. I can't believe I have enough to fill it up!

 She printed a large photo I took of our girls wearing the dresses she sells (top left).

It was a lot of fun, and I'm glad she let me help!

MISSING IN ACTION . . .

I haven't been on here in quite a while.

It's not because I have nothing to say - just no time to say it.

It has been a really busy year in photography so far and it's just barely February!

Besides getting to take a lot of cute baby photos, I've been increasing my items for my Etsy site: Aubrey's Closet. I've had a few craft sales and have a big one coming up in Pacific Grove, CA in April. They get 30,000 people over the weekend and I have no idea how many items to make!

I also just took a whole bunch of new product to Stripes Boutique, a local baby shop that is adorable.

I've also helped the owner redecorate the shop for their re-grand opening this weekend. I redesigned their logo and business cards and today got to decorate the shop window with my leftover Valentine's props - a lot of fun!

 From Left to Right: Doll Pattern Kits, Print, Doll Pillows, earrings, magnets, bibs and necklaces.

 More bibs, shoes and messenger bags.

I've made most of this stuff for the spring craft show but I thought it might as well test an audience while I wait until then!

I just started making these bandana bibs - they are reversible and perfect for droolers. 

I think they are much cuter then the normal round bib and more part of an outfit.

I just did a Valentine Mini Shoot this past weekend and had 10 kids come. 

It was a busy, tiring day, but they were all cute.

Remember this dress:

Stripes Boutique is doing a fashion show in March and the theme is circus.

So I am attempting to recreate this dress in multiple sizes for the upcoming fashion show.

Wish me luck!

I don't forsee things slowing down for a while.

Next weekend we finally get to check the Fairmont Hotel out in San Francisco and stay for a couple of nights while I go to a wholesale gift show with some friends. I can't wait.