Living Room Sneak Peek!

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After months of not having use of our living room, we finally moved in this week. I love it so much, I can't believe it's ours. We haven't gotten any art up on the walls yet, but the curtains are hung, our rug has a home, and the kitties and Jeffery and I couldn't be happier. The rug is an ebay find that I scored a few weeks after we moved in. I gave it a good beating on the clothesline, but until now we haven't had a space large enough to roll it out in. I rescued a bird of paradise and a philodendron from Ikea, and they should do well. This room gets the most incredible light, and it feels so serene. It also has amazing acoustics.

When we moved the couches in we got our dining room back, which we had been using as a living room. Our dining table was purchased for our Tenderloin apartment, so it's a bit small for the space. Eventually we plan on building a new table. 

The most gratifying part is that we did everything ourselves (with the help of friends and family). Six months ago, when we got the keys and started tearing wood paneling off the walls, I could envision what it would look like when we were done. It's not completely finished, but it's even better than I imagined. To enjoy a space that we worked so hard on is the ultimate reward. (To see before photos and some of the renovations, click here. To follow along you can search #ourgrassvalleyhome on instagram.)

Favorites from 2015

Some highlights from 2015 include an epic trip to the Big Island with our friends, photographing eight weddings (four solo and four assisting other talented photographers, I wish I could have blogged them all!), the opportunity to document more beautiful families, and purchasing our first home and moving to Nevada County. I really love photographing people, and feel so lucky to do it. 

2016, you are boundless. I look forward to the journey.

A White Christmas

Bear Valley is about a 35 minute drive from our home, and walking through the snow in the sunshine with our friends was the perfect way to spend the holiday. This pooch was totally stoked, and watching him frolic and chase snow balls was highly entertaining.

In the past month I have developed a greater appreciation for snow. It's remarkable how it can completely transform a landscape, how it makes people so happy, and how it enables leisure activities that would otherwise not be appealing. I'm still learning how to photograph it. That much white is a challenge, it's so easy for an image to be overexposed. The scene is definitely more dynamic when the sun is out, the sky is blue, and there are shadows. And it doesn't hurt if there's a Goldendoodle having the best day of his life. 

Renovation Progress // Our Living Room

I haven't shared very many interior shots of our home because honestly I was a little scared of what people would think. And I wanted there to be some visible signs of progress. One of the reasons why we fell in love with this house was because of its potential, especially in the living room. When we purchased the house, we didn't know the condition of the floors under the carpets, we only knew they were hardwood. We also didn't know what lurked above the dropped ceilings or behind the wood paneling. But based on the height of the roof, we knew there was space up there, and we hoped we could make it beautiful.

Underneath the carpet was old growth Douglas fir, in excellent condition. It has never been refinished, and we believe it to be over 100 years old. Underneath the fir are beautiful, wide, tongue in groove subfloors that run the opposite direction. Behind the wood paneling was drywall, and above the dropped ceiling was fabric fiber wallpaper, that disintegrated when we touched it, covering cedar planks. All of the original walls in our home are constructed of cedar planks, most of which are covered in drywall (the exception being the walls in the closet in the second bedroom). All in all, the walls are only about an inch and a half thick, leaving no room for insulation or electrical, which had to be run externally or by cutting into the drywall and cedar.

This is where we patched a water stain.

Sanded, filled with wood putty, and sanded again. Ready for staining.

We chose "Black Cherry" by General Finishes, which is a water-based stain. It was the closest we could find to the original floor color, and we love it. Part way through we discovered it was better to apply the stain in the direction of the wood. Live and learn!

I love the wood grain (and my new L.L.Bean slippers)!!!

We used Minwax Ultimate Floor Finish in Satin, which is also water-based (no fumes!). Applied the first two coats and did a light sanding before the final coat.

We still need to paint the trim and find a ceiling fan, but we are looking forward to moving furniture in on Sunday. I originally thought the room needed a chandelier, but the woodstove is in the dining room, and we need to be able to draw the warm air in. It has come a long way since we got the keys in July. I love our home and I am so grateful. A huge thank you goes out to Jeffery's brother, Kevin, whose guidance and help has been invaluable. Thank you Kevin! 

All I wanted for Christmas this year was refinished floors in my living room. And they're done and they're beautiful and now we know how to do the rest of the house! This year has been scary and hard and wonderful and thrilling, and I have never been more excited about what the new year brings. We hope to make a lot more progress in 2016. :)

Merry Christmas to you and yours and thank you for following along. xo

Laura and Matt // Engagement Session at Goldeneye Winery // Anderson Valley

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Laura and Matt // Engagement Session at Goldeneye Winery // Anderson Valley

The afternoon I photographed Matt and Laura was a dream. They suggested we do the shoot at Goldeneye Winery, and it could not have been more beautiful. The sun sets early and fast in the middle of November, and so we had a short window of good light. The reflections in the pond, the fall colors, the vineyard up the hillside. I love Anderson Valley, and I love photographing people who know how to have fun.

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Family of Three // Nevada County Family Portrait Photography

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I feel so lucky when families ask me year after year to document their love. It is such a privilege watching their little ones and their love for one another grow. I first met this cutie before she was walking, and now she's a full fledged little girl. Photographing families like this feels so natural, and it's so much fun and so important that it reaffirms that I'm doing the right thing.

If you live in Nevada County and would like to book a family session, get it touch! I would love nothing more. If you live in the Bay Area and are interested in knowing my travel dates, join my mailing list. Thank you and happy December!

Family of Four // Sunset Mini Session // Grass Valley Family Portrait Photographer

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Taking family photos should be fun. My favorite sessions include a whole lot of laughter, hugs and kisses, and piggyback rides. When families are engaged with one another, beautiful moments happen all on their own, and rather than directing you, I get to focus on capturing the way you look at one another, and how tiny their fingers look wrapped around one of yours. People look best when they're having a good time with those they love. Ten years from now it won't matter if everyone was looking at the camera, and you'll be glad you smiled with your whole face. So let's go play somewhere beautiful, and I'll bring my camera.

Snowshoeing Castle Peak

snowshoeing castle peak

If you are ever presented with the opportunity to go snowshoeing, do it. I can't recommend it enough. We didn't make it all the way to Castle Peak, but it was beautiful and exhilarating none-the-less. The woods were so peaceful, insulated with snow, the only sound was our footsteps. It made me sad for the years when there isn't enough snow, and grateful that from the looks of it, this year won't be one of them. And I love that we only live an hour away. 

A Family Session, with the Robertsons

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Cheyenne and I were neighbors growing up. And when I was a kid and she was an adolescent, I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. And she's only more beautiful now that she's a mom. How she's so engaged with her boys, smiling with her whole face, no reservations, allowing herself to be goofy even though she's being photographed. We should all live a little more like that. This photo session was so much fun. I love reconnecting with friends and seeing how they've blossomed. Huge congratulations to these three on their new home and their new little one coming next month! 

(To see photos from our last session together, click here.)