ceremony location possibility

reception/cocktail hour option:  barn with a suite for the bride & groom
ceremony site #1 from afar (fyi: fields are available for a tented reception)

ceremony possibility #2

See why i had to share?  It really took my breath away.  So, here’s contact information…Ivey Henton (iveyhenton@aol.com)…and since it’s *just* become available (website is still in the works), there’s so much more flexibility for 2011 dates.  It’s so quiet you feel like you’re tucked away in your own world.  Hope you’re having the best Tuesday!  warmly, -melanie-

so, i remember how several weeks ago it seemed like the summer would stretch out before us endlessly…i saw this sweet 101 things to do in the summer, and i think i’m going to post it to our fridge next year because it’s just about the loveliest of to-dos :)  gratefully, we’ve done pretty well – i think that’s the mark of a summer well spent (insert happy sigh here).

1. Picnic under the shade of a tree
2. Star gaze
3. Fly a kite
4. Set up your own lemonade stand
5. Throw an outdoor party
6. Play in the rain
7. Go to the zoo
8. Surprise someone you love with a special gift
9. Make homemade ice cream
10. Plant a flower, watch it grow
11. Lay on a big blanket outside and read
12. Trace your body and footprints with sidewalk chalk
13. Make s’mores around a fire
14. Go on a treasure hunt
15. Climb a tree
16. Walk to a gas station and get your favorite treat
17. Ride your bike to the supermarket
18. Doorbell ditch a friend with treats
19. Discover a new park
20. Make fruit smoothies
21. Paint something
22. Make chocolate covered strawberries
23. Take a million pictures and make a stop motion movie
24. Rollerblade
25. Take your conversation out to the front porch
26. Memorize a poem and recite it to someone
27. Camp in the backyard
28. Enjoy a candle light dinner outside with friends
29. Go barefoot for a whole day
30. Drive with your windows down and sing really loud
31. Study and learn about an ancestor
32. Run through the sprinklers
33. Go to the county or city fair
34. Write a poem
35. Visit a neighbor
36. Play ghost in the graveyard
37. Collect rocks and paint them
38. Do play dough outside – use bark, cement, leaves, grass and sticks to make imprints and patterns
39. Have an outdoor movie night
40. Read story books outside
41. Make an “egg carton” garden
42. Set up a bird feeder in your yard
43. Wash your car in the driveway
44. Make a homemade candle
45. Go on a hike
46. Photograph nature
47. Walk to a park
48. Eat corn on the cob
49. Make boats out of popsicle sticks and race them
50. Sleep out on a tramp
51. Open your windows during a rain storm
52. Bake a loaf of homemade bread
53. Make homemade jam
54. Go fruit picking at a local orchard (try www.upick.com)
55. Go to the zoo
56. Hang up post it notes that say “you are loved” all over in a public place
57. Drink lots of water
58. Throw rocks in a lake
59. Join a book club
60. Turn off the Television
61. Play dress up
62. Watch the sunrise
63. Eat at a café that offers live music
64. Keep a journal
65. Blow up balloons, put kind notes inside of them and hand them out to friends or strangers
66. Play in the mud
67. Visit a museum
68. Change up your hair style, even if it’s just a little
69. Paint your nails a bright color
70. Make and fly paper airplanes
71. Make homemade cards
72. Blow bubbles
73. Spend a day at the pool
74. Donate unwanted things to charity
75. Discover some new music
76. Hang white twinkle lights up somewhere in your house or yard
77. Stay up late and dance with lightening bugs
78. Attend an outdoor performance
79. Hang up wind chimes
80. Reconnect with an old friend
81. Sit out on the roof
82. Create and go on a scavenger hunt
83. Make a paper kite
84. Have a water fight
85. Feed some ducks
86. Drink from the hose
87. Paint a birdhouse
89. Go backpacking
90. Help someone with house or yard work
91. Invent a new dance
92. Read to someone
93. Go canoeing
94. Build a sand castle
95. Make a time capsule
96. Write a song
97. Start a collection
98. Write a fairy tale
99. Arrange a beautiful bouquet of flowers
100. Take a road trip
101. Live in the moment

Happy Summer!  warmly, -melanie-

a package arrived on my doorstep today that made me incredibly happy – have you ever walked alongside someone with a big big project on their plate and then witnessed it’s culmination?  a book (or rather a huge resource) for photographers struggling to find organization and systems that work well just shipped and it was created by my friend, millie, who is nothing short of a wonder.   her business acumen is matched only by her incredible talent and huge huge heart.

if through some wierd ‘back to the future’ occurance, i was able to hand myself this kit 10 years ago, what a learning curve it would have shortened.  if photography is how you spend your days, do yourself a favor, close photoshop for 3 minutes and hop over to getittogetherkit.com.  and yes, you need to buy it (it’s wonderful!)….if you wonder for a second about the purchase, call me and i’ll immediately gush even more about it.

i write about it *here* because a handful of readers are photographers, and well, because i like celebrating sweet success of a big project completed alongside my friends i hold dear.    warmly, -melanie-

happy holidays!  we’re out of the office but wanted to pop in with a treat!
our new addition, ashleigh, brought these oh-so-yummy cookies in and we had to share the recipe!

ginger cookies
3/4 cup of shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
2 cups flour
2 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
additional sugar in a bowl

Mika Beth Edwards

Jessica Grieves

Bev Hollis

Marta Locklear

Melanie Mauer <- one very excited photographer

Jodie Otte

]]> http://melaniemauer.com/2009/11/workshop-on-the-waterfront-march-28-31/feed/ 5 http://melaniemauer.com/2009/11/lesley/ http://melaniemauer.com/2009/11/lesley/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:54:56 +0000 Melanie http://melaniemauer.com/?p=20 hi there!

popping in with a quick reminder to come to the holly day market this week!  so so excited to be there…and i’ll be available in the afternoons to chat & answer any questions you might have about family portraits.  wondering where to go?  what to wear? what to do with the gorgeous images you’ll get afterwards?  i’ll have ideas for you about all of that along with a cozy couch to sit on while we visit :)

oooh, i want to share images of too-cute lesley.  so adore this family!!!!  seniors are SO fun and lesley is amazing…sweet as pie!  thank you for making the drive in to lexington for this fun session…so happy to see you again in a couple days!  warmly, -melanie-

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.
[coco chanel]

a commercial i love
video notes: fast forward to minute 4:30 if you want the abbreviated version. minute 5:18 makes me tear up.
thank you for letting me preserve your happy moments.

the cutest playroom…look at those sweet books lined up on open shelves, bliss!  let's sit on that cozy window seat and chat :)

via here

 
a great post on 14 books to help ease children through transitions (arrival of a sibling, starting school, moving…)

as a parent, i walk into her room every day with my breath held to see if he’s still swimming…and he was…until after some friends left one evening and we were getting ready for bed.  tears are falling on the floor.  we removed the tank from her room and just talked a bit.  and after the tears stopped i said “do you think we should end the day on a happier note?”.
“let’s play the glad game“…and so while she listened, i went on and on about all the things about her and our family and our happy life that made me glad.

and it was surprisingly wonderful.  and she wants to do it every evening ;)  (granted, i can’t sift out exactly what percentage of this is a delay of bedtime but we can always throw in some gladness at the end of the day to indulge a little)  so, on the eve of november…i challenge you to do a little glad game of your own and see how mood elevating it is!  will you share with me your thoughtful thanksgiving traditions?  it’s a favored holiday of mine and i want to spice it up a little this year :)  warmly, -melanie-

to the simmons family – you make me very very glad!

Here are some things we’ve found tooling around the web that seem apropos for this day in April…

– a company that recycles soda bottles into tumblers

– awesome lunch bags by Built NY (I’ve got the black & white one)

– we talked about reusable cleaning cloths last year, Uncommon Goods has some really cute ones

– and books! Happy ‘being green’! — Laura

]]> http://melaniemauer.com/2009/04/happy-earth-day/feed/ 0 http://melaniemauer.com/2009/03/laura-davy/ http://melaniemauer.com/2009/03/laura-davy/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:33:00 +0000 Melanie http://melaniemauer.com/?p=86

i had a super-fun portrait session with laura & david downtown and love how davy relaxed into her kiss as they sat down for a moment …their care for each other is so sweet.   laura makes me laugh out loud and davy was up for whatever the afternoon brought…love that combination!!  these are some of my favorites times, just getting to know a really great couple!

love hearing about your adventures, you two!  xo, -m-

p.s. here's the shot they used for their wedding announcement that our design team helped with:
 

warmly, laura & melanie

image from flikr user, Kylie Lambert (Le Cupcake)

found some great wedding timelines and templates at russell + hazel:

http://www.russellandhazel.com/ideas_weddingtemplates.html

happy 4th! -m-

celebration notes:

catering: catering by donna (859) 269-0978
cake: brenda renner @ sugar forest
florist: crist creona (the flowers were so fantastic & inventive!) (859) 252-6833
locations: bellinis, dudleys

http://www.lilydarby.com/

http://www.patternandpaw.com/

http://www.muji.com/

http://matthewmeadstyle.com

http://www.whiteport.com.au/

http://portovert.com

another website worth a visit is http://fabgreen.com – they’ve got really cute DIY projects — but green! (the site can be slow to load, but is worth the wait)

hope you’ve enjoyed our green(er) april!
take care,
-Laura
(the beaming owner of a new *prius*!!!)

Murval Foldable City Totes

The Murval Foldable City tote is
one of the best ideas we’ve ever seen. Now that we know both plastic
and paper bags are bad for the environment, we try to always have a
tote at hand. Murval Foldable City Totes are ideal! If you kept
one in your car, one in your desk, one in the stroller, one in your
suitcase, you would always be prepared to tote everything, and just say
no to disposable bags. It folds up so easily to 8"x4", but expands to a
roomy 15" x 15" by 4" with just a flick of the velcro. Perfect for
lunch, small shopping trips, and even wet items. If you’re planning a
summer vacation, and need a beach tote, this is the one. Give Simple
offers the Foldable City Tote in Black and Ivory Wallpaper, Pucci
inspired Insomnia print, Giraffe or Zebra. Look stylish and stay
organized.

next time you’re trying to think of a useful and practical gift, consider giving 5 reusable bags (you could tuck a sweet little note inside each one that they’d find as they started using them.

take care! – Laura

p.s. next week – weddings go green(er), too!

mom was so in love and so i got to meet with them to plan the cutest silk-covered box of the images, images for the wall…it was so fun to meet someone just as into pictures as i think *I* am! 

often children are uber-recorded when they’re little and it’s just so nice to see photographs of them as adults as well.  loved how sweet they were – and instantly felt a connection to what they were doing.  -m-