Jasper House Mini Sessions

Hello Dears!

Back in July, I told you all about a special opportunity to give back, and boy did you take it and run with it. Jasper House is a program in Haiti that provides resources and healing for women who have been abused and traumatized. Until Jasper House was founded in 2015, there were virtually no resources for women facing assault or abuse. That was a major issue, considering 1 in 3 women in Haiti ages 15-49 have experienced sexual and/or physical violence. 

The Healing Centre at Jasper House was founded in 2015, and here women are provided with therapies such as counseling, art, yoga, and self defense so they can heal, restore their self worth and be empowered to transform their lives. They weren't merely a safe home, the Healing Centre was a place where hope is restored and new life begins to take root. 

Since 2015, Jasper House has grown!  The majority of the women at Jasper House were over the age of eighteen and had reached an average academic level of second grade.  There were no adult alternative education options in Haiti so Jasper House created one. The Women's Academy for Learning provides basic education and literacy in addition to 3 vocational tracks so that the women are able to support themselves and have professional careers. 

Their most recent program is Rise and Empower, a type of non-profit business that employs people and earns income in order to help address perceived social or environmental issues. With the creation of handcrafted clothing and accessories, made primarily with locally sources materials, R&E is a business that will not only provide cutting edge fashion pieces that will long outlast the trends, but will also provide our women long-term sustainable income, empowering them to take back the keys of autonomy and independence for their lives. 

Jasper House recently expressed the need for a Tap-tap. What's a Tap-Tap you might ask? A Tap-Tap is a painted bus that is used to transport people around Haiti.
Jasper House currently has no form of consistent, reliable and safe transportation for their students to and from school.  Having a Tap-Tap would increase educational performance by decreasing the amount of class time missed due to the lack of safe transport.
They began raising money for a Tap-Tap in June and were about 25% of the way to their goal.

We wanted to pitch in so that they could be closer to their goal by the start of the new school year. I announced my plan for the Tap-Tap minis, and you guys responded! Through all of our lovely mini sessions, we were able to donate $1800 to the Jasper House Tap-Tap fund! That was only possible through YOU wonderful people! We can't thank you enough for your willingness to give back. 

If you missed out on the mini sessions, don't fret! Jasper House is still accepting donations for their Tap-Tap fund, and you can find that by clicking the button below. Just click on the drop down menu and choose the Tap-Tap fund.

Another great way to help out is to purchase a t-shirt from Jasper House! They recently launched the release of their 'Tomorrow is for Women' t-shirt, and all the proceeds from the t-shirt sales will go directly to the Tap-Tap fund. Go get you one! Just click below to check it out.

Thanks for stopping by!

What to Wear for Family Photos ·Part Two·

Hello Dears!

Our last post on what to wear for fall minis was such a hit, I thought it would be a good time for an updated version since fall minis are just around the corner! Picking out clothes for the family can be intimidating and stressful, but I promise it doesn't have to be! I perused some of last year's fall sessions for some handy tips to keep in mind when shopping for outfits. And for more outfit ideas, be sure to take a peek at our Pinterest board. 

Don't be afraid to get fancy!

 Dressed up or down, you can't go wrong with a flowy dress. Flowy florals are a trend that will never die! Long hemlines were popular last year, but this year has seen that hemline shimmy up just a few inches. Paired with booties, heels, or sandals, you can really take it in so many directions! As for the fellas, they can go full on dapper with a sleek suit, or a little more comfy in a cardigan or patterned button up. Ultimately, wear what makes you comfortable and wear what makes you feel good. That's always the goal!

Pick 1 or 2 main colors, then accent with complimentary colors.

Avoid being too matchy-matchy, but do pick out one or two colors that carry through most or all outfits, then accent with complimenting colors. When choosing a color scheme for my own family, I usually start with finding the perfect plaid shirt for my husband. From there, I base my outfit around the colors in the pattern. I typically go with solids and layers, so I can mix and match pieces that either match or compliment some of the colors in the plaid shirt. Same goes for choosing my son's outfit!

Coordinate large groups by breaking them into smaller groups.

Planning outfits for large groups is a difficult task, but it's definitely do-able! Break it down into groups to make things easier. You don't want everyone wearing patterns, so try to give a little order to the planning. For example, the men wear patterns, the ladies wear layers, and children wear solids with accessories. This way you'll get a healthy mixture of everything! As for colors with groups, pick a theme--complimentary colors, all neutral, neutral with complimentary accents, same color but different shades and tones, etc.

A few more things:

Always accessorize! You can never go wrong adding accessories to outfits. Bring on the scarves, necklaces, earrings, and headbands. It makes outfits unique and it adds depth to your photos! Also, I often have people ask if it's okay for more than one person to wear patterns, and the answer is yes! Of course you want to avoid putting patterns on everyone, but pattern mixing is a great way to go when they complement each other! 

Ultimately, these photos are representative of your family, and you want your outfits to be the same! Don't stress. Pick things that make you feel confident and comfortable! And if you're still stumped on what to wear, we're always available to lend some professional advice. Just holler at us and we'll be happy to help!

Thanks for stopping by!

Two at the Zoo ·OKC Lifestyle Photographer·

Hello Dears!

There's hardly anything more fun than watching a two year old at the zoo. The excited eyes when they see the real life animals they've been pointing to in books--never gets old.

Cooper had a blast celebrating his second birthday last year. Can you believe that?? Last year?! Now he's a big strong 3 year old! You might remember Rychy and Karena from this blog post from a while back, all about their brand new baby Claire. Well they announced that Karena was pregnant with Claire at this session! Then we all blinked and Claire was born and now she's growing like a weed and AHHH, life is crazy.

I loved being there to capture sweet moments like Cooper riding on the train. Having a three-year-old of my own, I know that the train obsession is real. But seriously, Cooper's 'choo-choo' sounds could melt any heart within a 5 mile radius, so consider yourself warned. 

Thanks for stopping by!