chixieandhoney.com » Toledo Family Photographer

My Sweetpea and Company | Toledo Commercial Photographer

Chixie — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:33:07 +0000

A few weeks ago Ava and I had the chance to work with Lisa, owner and creator of My Sweetpea and Company. I was so excited when she contacted us because we just love her bows and hats! She produces some VERY good quality stuff, and Ava was THRILLED to model Lisa’s new product—the bottlecap necklace!

Please head on over and check her out at http://www.mysweetpeaandcompany.com (sorry, the html code isn’t working tonight!) and let her know that I sent you!

And some photos just for me…..how did she get to be so big? Her beauty inside and outside just steals my breath away. ?

Catching Up | Toledo Children’s Photographer

Chixie — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:50:40 +0000

I still have a ton of sessions to blog from 2009 so I thought I’d take one off the list. Life is crazy, as usual, especially when you have two small kids. We have been battling the sickies and then pink eye, yuck! I have never had pink eye…that is until last week. It is the WORST! No contacts for a week for me! I’m completely blind and my best friend jokes that we could go and burn ants with my glasses with the sun. Except I don’t think she’s joking.

Anyway, we are all healthy now, so I think we’ll hole up here in the house until the weather warms up.

I have so much to share, including some new designs that my kiddos have modeled for a great clothing company, so stay tuned!

Until then…..meet the D family. You might recognize these pretty kids from an urban session we did last year.

The oldest here was telling me all about how his dad works on bones at work

Grandma and Grandpa wanted some family photos….and I love how they turned out. (Even if middle “N” was D-O-N-E at this point, LOL!)

He’s happier here

Little “L”…she was the big “1″!

We have LOTS of fun on our sessions!!!!!!

Pretty Baby

I puffy heart this one:

Thanks so much D family….love spending time with you all!

We have a WINNER! | Toledo Ohio Photographer

Chixie — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:59:51 +0000

I know I’ve already said it but I’ll say it again–WOW. Some competitive people out there, LOL!

We have a winner folks! I am so excited for everyone.

Here is the first prize winner: Miss Lena <3 with over 140 votes! :O This wins her (or her mama ) a mounted 11×14 of this photo plus a complimentary session in 2010! (value of $180!)

Second place goes to Mr Matthew with over 80 votes. I think this constitutes a prize as well. $75 print credit with full, regular session done in 2010.

And Third Place goes to the P family with over 40 votes. They win a $25 Print Credit for a full, regular session in 2010.

CONGRATS to you all! And, because all of you guys are winners in my eyes…the rest of the contestants will receive 10% off your total print order when booking a full session in 2010. Yay!

And one more giveaway–the random drawing.

Taken from Random.Org

Assuming I counted right……

Susan Puffer said atshp01@live.com said: Lovely pictures! I vote for # 19

Please contact me to claim your free session!!!

Thank you SO much for such awesome participation! It was so much fun, hope you guys had fun as well!

Email me at chixieandhoney@hotmail.com

Happy New Year! A CONTEST for you! | Toledo Area Photographer

Chixie — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:51:09 +0000

Update:January 6–Wow! Almost 300 votes cast! There is only about 13 more hours to go and it is a close race! I can’t wait to see who wins!

Update 2: Please make sure you are casting your vote in the comments section on THIS post! I have had lots of emails casting votes, so if you have emailed me, please comment here to cast your vote. I’ve had many votes cast in other posts as well, which I will count but please try to keep it to this post only, it will make it that much easier to get a consistent vote count. Thank you!

UPDATE: Wow! What an awesome response this contest is getting! I LOVE it! Keep the votes coming!

Happy New Year to all of my fantastic followers out there! I hope it finds you warm, safe, happy and healthy. We rang in the New Year here at home with the Inlaw’s and it couldn’t have been more relaxing and enjoyable.

I thought I would try something new to ring in 2010.
There are so many pictures this year that I just adore, I have such stylish and gorgeous clients! Instead of me just picking my favorite, I thought I would have you help me.

Below are some of my personal favorites of 2009. I would like you to vote on which YOU think is the best. Each has a number. You can simply comment with the number, or say why you love the picture, if you know the person(s) in the picture, etc. It’s up to you!
Those who are nominated can vote for themselves, they can email every one they know to vote for them, but please only vote once per person! The more people you ask to come by the contest and vote, the better chance you have of winning……

A complimentary session for 2010, and the winning picture on a 11×14 mount.

To sweeten the deal, I will randomly pull a number from random.org, and that comment number will ALSO win a complimentary session for 2010! So it is critical when you comment to add your real email address when it ask for it.
Are you ready?
Ready.

Please use the number that is to the top left of each picture.

#1. I love me some baby in a basket.

#2. Going to Grandma’s

#3. Gorgeous maternity in the orchard…one of my all time fav’s.

#4. Beauty at the Beach!

#5. Soulful

#6. Up!

#7. My first wedding…they were both so gorgeous!

#8 Brothers with their Converse, LOVE this!

#9 This doesn’t need a title. She is so beautiful and the lighting is breathtaking!

#10. Ballerina Babes

#11. I LOVE his eyes here <3

#12 Girly Girl

#13. Mama and son

#14. Siblings…

#15. Love.

#16. Bad Horsie, lol

#17 Favorite Hat

#18 Baby lashes

#19. Fall Family

There you have it! I tried to keep it to 10 but I just couldn’t!!! I kept it under 20 though, LOL! I’ll keep the contest open until Wednesday, January 6 at 11:59 p.m.

{ Merry Christmas } | Toledo Photographer

Chixie — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:56:02 +0000

Merry Christmas to all of my fabulous blog readers! Thank you to you and to all of my clients for making 2009 such an AWESOME year! Seriously, I have the BEST clients in the whole, wide world…and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I truly adore what I do, and feel so honored to be invited into your lives to capture a piece of it. <3 <3

I hope your Christmas was very Merry. We have had a very special Christmas…no particular reason, it was just spent with family and the people we love. I get to see one of my besties Lori and baby Avery today (I cannot WAIT to get my hands on that baby!!!) and then tonight we’re off to see my favorite cousins! Life is so sweet.

I have not had internet access up here in the boonies until today so now I FINALLY get to announce the winner of my recent “Giving is Awesome!” giveaway. I had a few nominations, and they truly ALL pulled at my heartstrings. It was a tough decision, but I have made it, and hope that my gift can help to brighten this family’s day a little.

I had two different people nominate this family….

Here is what Inga wrote:

Tara,

I saw the post on your site about your contest, and I think this is a wonderful idea! I would like to nominate Cindy, Scott, and Sasha Franklin. This year has been very challenging for Cindy and Scott. Cindy has always been one of the first people to volunteer to help others in need. When friends have babies or experience a hardship, she immediately offers food, babysitting services, and anything else she can think of to offer.

Cindy and Scott have had a trying year. They experienced some personal battles which was very difficult and devastating to them. (*edited to protect privacy*) As if that wasn’t hard enough, Scott went to a specialist to have a lump in his throat checked. After more testing, it was confirmed that the lump was cancerous.

Cindy went into overdrive contacting treatment centers, setting up appointments to meet oncologists with the expertise to treat Scott’s cancer. She spent hours researching and driving him to tests and consultations. They relocated to Cleveland for 2 months of intense chemotherapy and radiation.

Cindy was amazing the way she cared for Scott. When things were really bad, she agree to send Sasha to family. Anyone who knows Cindy, knows that her dauhter is her light and joy! There were days when spending an hour alone with Sasha is what refueled Cindy’s soul so she could care for Scott.

They are all home now, but Scott is still recovering. I think the Franklin family would be deserving of this because they are surviving what could break a lot of families. More than that, they are stronger as a family for what they have had to go through this year! I think it would be wonderful for them to have some of your beautiful photos to document that they are surviving and stronger together!

Merry Christmas Cindy, Scott and Sasha…love to you guys. Please contact me soon so we can discuss your giveaway.

Thank you to Inga and Jen for writing in!

*May your Days be Merry and Bright…*

Christmas Quads! | Toledo Children’s Photographer

Chixie — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:12:40 +0000

WOW! I am severely behind on my blogging, aren’t I? I am so sorry, I am going to attempt to getting caught up on posting pictures. I have been so busy that I wanted to make sure my clients needs were taken care of promptly and get those galleries up as soon as I could. So now I am going to post those galleries. :)

This mini session was the SWEETEST set of quadruplets I have ever met. Okay so I have never met quads before but I can bet they are really the sweetest. ;) Such nice and polite kids and mom is a saint. I met them through another client-turned-friend….Sara, thank you! I’m gong to keep each post short on words so that I can get to posting the important stuff. Enjoy!

{ I need YOUR help } Toledo Children’s Photographer

Chixie — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:36:38 +0000

Hello to all my awesome readers! Today is a good day. Today is my birthday, and normally (well, since having children at least) it feels like “just another day”. Today has not been, “just another day”.

I have so much to be thankful for….beautiful children who insist on coming into our bed in the middle of the night, kicking me in the face, pushing me out of bed, and then insisting on getting up at the crack of dawn, wanting to watch Elmo.

A handsome and generous husband who wrote “Happy 31st Birthday” on a stack of paperplates, along with some pretty darn good illustrations of presents and balloons. (By the way, seeing that 31 actually written down made me feel a little old).

One of my best friends coming over at 9:00 this morning with Starbucks and Tim Hortons donuts….and a pretty bracelet letting me know how important our friendship is to her. Having a chat on the couch while the kids screamed and played was also priceless.

My other best friend’s husband, who drove in (I had no idea who he was when he drove in), knocked on my door, came in and handed me a dozen pink roses. You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, it was such an awesome and welcome surprise. Even when he said “They’re kinda dead, but…hey” He and his wife (my other best friend) live almost 2 hours away but he “was in the area” and thought enough of me to do that for me.

*Yes I had to call my husband and let him know that my boyfriend delivered me flowers….and I loved to hear the shock in the silence, trying to figure out if *he* was the one that the flowers were supposed to be from…ha!* He informed me that Chad is now making him look bad, hehehehe*

The TONS of Facebook “Happy Birthday’s”, and the phone calls from loved ones….it’s all so awesome and makes me feel so special. Yes, I really do have a lot to be thankful for.

I’m also thankful for the opportunity I recently had with the clothing company “Matilda Jane”. A select group of photographers were chosen to photograph an unreleased little girls’ dress and then a contest would ensue.

I need YOUR help by voting for me!

Please go to My Entry and simply click “add to bag” It will then take through a voting process. You can vote as many times as you’d like..but it must be from different computers (IP addresses) So help a birthday girl out, will ya? Get your mom, your sister, your grandma, your dog, your dog’s grandma hehehe to vote for me. I would SO appreciate it!

Please leave me a comment and let me know if you voted, I’d love to hear from you!!!

The photo entry of my beautiful, precious girl….

{Orchard Girls} | Toledo Children’s Photographer

Chixie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:31:30 +0000

I recently had the absolutely awesome PLEASURE of meeting up with Nikki and her two girly girls. She had them dressed so stinkin cute, and we ran around the orchard stomping on rotten apples, slipping and sliding, and taking a moment or two here or there to snap a photo. By the time we were done, those girls smelled very strongly of fermented apples, LOL! I think they had a lot of fun though. Not sure if Mom was worried that we got any good ones…but I think we got our share

Nikki, thank you SO much for bringing your incredibly sweet and beautiful girls to me. I seriously had SUCH a hard time narrowing them all down…I hope you love them as much as I do. <3

{ Mini Session Event-Part 1 } | Toledo Children’s Photographer

Chixie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:47:22 +0000

Mini session part one went AWESOME! The weather was cold, but the sun was shining and the kids and families that came were awesome as always. I am finishing up but wanted to get a quick sneak peek of each of my families and kids that came. I can’t WAIT for everyone to see their entire collections!!!! Just another day or so and be looking for an email…I promise your wait will be completely worth it.

Enjoy your sneak peek!

{ A reminder… } Toledo Family Photographer

Chixie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:44:58 +0000

Just a reminder…mini sessions are filling up, I only have a few more slots open! Please contact me asap if you would like to schedule a time!

Coming soon….this beautiful mama and her precious baby girl.