I am going to keep it real here. This blog is in need of a little TLC. I have been so busy with shoots and album designs, that I have been slacking on my writing! I also have been feeling a little case of writer's block. That ends today. The only cure for writer's block is to write on. Write through the block, which is not a problem with Kristi and Ryan. As soon as the couple informed me they live in
Kirkwood, the ideas started flowing. I am very familiar with Kirkwood. Kirkwood has this quaint/every knows everyone feel to it. The town comes complete with a train station, tons of cute little knick-knack shops, families who have no need for cars, because they walk everywhere, and a feeling. A feeling of being home. A feeling of having neighbors who care about you. Kirkwood is a pretty big part of my past, and I have walked through just about every street in Kirkwood, I have shopped the oh-so-fabulous
Blush Boutique (which is where I find so many of my fav. fashion finds), picked out pumpkins in the farmer's market, spent Christmas Eve after Christmas Eve at my Aunt's on Jefferson Avenue, and have seen The Nutcracker for the past 4 years at the Civic Center. All of these afternoon and evening Kirkwood strolls, I do what I often do no matter where I am.....I think to myself, "If I did a shoot here, what would I do...." I location scout. I look at every doorway, building, shop, and everything in between and imagine the art in my head. When Kristi and Ryan mentioned they lived in Kirkwood, I immediately requested that we shoot downtown. They were up for anything, which made me love them, and I hadn't even met them.
The past couple weeks in St. Louis have been pretty icky. Snow, frigidly cold winds, and the booty warmers on the seats in my car were on full blast. We all know how St. Louis can be, booty warmers one day, open moon roof the next. This Friday happened to be a moonroof day. The weather was perfection....kinda windy, but you better believe I use that wind to my full advantage! :) As I walked up the porch Kristi opened the door with a big smile on her face, and I immediately felt her welcoming presence. She has this polite demeanor and aura to her, almost reminding me of a southern belle. Her beauty radiates. Then came Ryan....despite their dog was so excited to see me it was having an accident on the hardwood floor, he was as chill as can be, and I immediately could see how their personalities meshed together so well. As we chatted about how they met, compared our trips to Italy, and watched the secret camera footage from his proposal....I instantly felt like I was around lifelong friends. Thank you guys for being so open to all of my ideas and going along with me. I can not wait to get the phone call that your sweet baby girl has arrived. :)
My favorite of the day.
My favorite of Kristi...... (Who says a windy day is a bad thing!?!?)
Okay....they make it really hard to choose. This
American Gothic painting inspired pic is def. going in my top 3 list. The
Sugar Shack is this candy shop in the heart of downtown Kirkwood. Since the day they opened, I have always found it absolutely adorable, and have wanted check it out. As we snapped a couple pics by the store front, I could hear some John Mayer tunes emerging from the open front door... I knew I liked this place for a reason....
Then, we stopped back by the store for Kristi and Ryan to change......and to my amuse and delight, MORE JOHN MAYER TUNES. Okay, seriously....now I knew this was fate. They had to have known what hearing "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" does to me. We had to shoot in this store. Thank you
Sugar Shack for being so sweet (No pun intended. Seriously, but once I re-read that.....it was pretty funny). ☺
Top 3 fav of the day. No doubt. ♥♥♥
I can only hope to look this good preggo one day!! :)
