j'adore

It's been a while since I featured a good ol' DIY project around here - with good reason. With the launch of my business I haven't had time for a good ol' DIY project. Unfortunately I had already purchased an old 1930s dresser that I really wanted to makeover for my daughter's room. I was at a crossroads - either donate/re-sell on craigslist, or find someone that could do the work for me. After a little searching on craigslist I found an antique furniture restorator that was local and reasonably priced.

I don't seem to have a before picture, but I purchased the dresser when it was painted a "shabby chic" white with natural wood knobs that the guy was super proud of (and I knew instantly would be coming off said dresser). My daughter's room is brightly colored, so I wanted something fun but with a bit of a shabby, romantic feel.

Behold the after:







LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I had to make sure my restoration guy wasn't too offended that I didn't want to restore to the original wood (which was a lovely dark walnut, apparently), and he said he didn't mind at all. I purchased the aqua paint from Benjamin Moore and the pulls from Anthropologie. He stripped the old paint, drilled new holes for the pulls, repaired one dresser, stripped the paint from the old keyholes, repainted the dresser, and distressed the dresser drawers and edges. These photos just don't do it justice - he did an amazing job!

Of course when I bought it I didn't think about the fact that the dresser is old, and the drawers are difficult for a 4 year old to open and close. But it doesn't matter - I j'adore it!

snapshot = future family heirloom?

This past weekend was my family reunion. Sort of. It was actually the family reunion for the kids and grandkids (and great grandkids) of Dick & Alice Verhoef. And since Alice was my great aunt, my family was invited to tag along. I have some very fond memories of previous family reunions and get togethers, and it had been several years since many of us had seen one another.

Many of us brought some wonderful old photos from my grandmother's generation - simple snapshots at the time, I'm sure, but today they are treasured memories. A glimpse at another world, another time. And as we photographed one another at the various reunion activities I wondered if someday these goofy snapshots would become family heirlooms for future generations? Maybe...





I love this photo - this is family. Not the stuffy Sears portrait (no offense Sears) - this is LIFE.



This illustrates the chaos of getting a big family together for a portrait.



We worked it out, though.



A huge thanks to Heidi and her family (pictured above) for organizing every activity and pestering everyone to come - we had a wonderful time!

And now for some color photos:









Day 2 of the reunion - Seal Beach, of course! I love hitting the beach with those that are landlocked most of the time. Makes me appreciate how great it is to smell salt water year round. And it's fun to see everyone really lovin' the beach!









And no family reunion is complete without someone getting tossed in a body of water. Used to be a pool in Palm Desert, but the Pacific Ocean would have to do this time...



A wonderful time indeed.

a very happy birthday indeed (and practicing what I preach)

For her birthday, my 4 year old received a "birthday tutu" from Auntie Lisa, which she proceeded to wear the rest of the day. It is a party in a skirt - pom poms and confetti and streamers sewn into the tulle. I wanted to take some shots of my girl at the park, but she refused to wear anything other than the birthday tutu, tights (yes, even though it was 90+ degrees yesterday) a striped shirt, a yellow bow headband, and black "fancy shoes":



I have said to numerous friends and clients that I like when people wear bold colors to photo shoots, or when your kids insist on wearing whatever funky getup is the choice for the day. (Check out the "about me" page on my website). I really do - it's interesting and playful and fun to photograph. Which is funny since I personally like order and symmetry and neutral tones.

But she is 4 and loves crazy colors and mismatched outfits and tights with everything. So off we went to the park, just like this:







I'm a mom and just like any other mom, I want my kids to stand still and smile pretty for the camera. But I know that won't happen. I tell parents all the time that I don't mind when their kids won't listen and are fidgety and run around like maniacs. It's true - I don't mind. Eventually, one of my photos (I hope) will capture that play, that charm, that exuberance that truly represents your kids.

And I will say I have WAY more patience with other children than with my own - the entire time (all of 20 minutes) I just wanted her to just stop moving and smile, darnit! But no - we ran all over the park, we played peek-a-boo and hide and seek, and there were lots of bribes being offered for smiles.

Then again, if she stood perfectly still with the doll smile, I wouldn't get shots like these:







Photos that show her silliness and curiosity at this age.

Ahhh - it's good to be 4.

tomorrow

Tomorrow my oldest turns four years old. Hard to believe she was ever this small...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Thank You - an unlikely expression of gratitude this Monday

It was 6 years ago, just around this time of year – time for my annual review. I was practicing employment law at a prestigious law firm in Orange County, and while there were some bumps in the road, I felt overall I had been performing quite well in my second year of practicing law. That is, until I heard my review.

Two partners came into my office, shut the door, and sat with me to discuss my review. Nothing strange so far – this is standard operating procedure around the office when review time came around. But the contents of the review would rock my world.

Negative. Disappointing. Underachieving. These were the words spoken to me at my review. I have to admit I wasn’t used to hearing these words. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes as I willed myself not to cry in front of my bosses. My mind was spinning – how was it possible that I thought I was doing so well when they obviously think otherwise?

And then a strange point was raised during my review – “Melissa needs to be here during normal business hours.” Wait, what? I finally snapped out of my stupor – what did THAT mean? I worked A LOT. I worked weekends, late nights, very early mornings. I worked in the office, at home, at coffee shops – any place I could will myself to spend another hour working on motions, memos, outlines that always needed to be done yesterday. They were making it sound like I was some sort of cracked-out addict that could only stumble into the office after 1pm. I assure you, this was NOT the case.

When they left my office to let me “digest” the contents of my review I finally became ANGRY. I don’t want to bore you with the details, but I had done some fabulous work for several clients, and none of that had been acknowledged or addressed at my review. Nothing positive came out of that meeting. It was horribly unfair and maddening. But I worked up the nerve to walk into one of the partner’s offices to tell him that my review was incomplete. I rattled off some of my greater accomplishments that year – items that were conspicuously missing from my review. He sheepishly agreed with me, but the dye was cast.

Shortly after that review I started looking for a way out of that place.

Little did I know – I took my first step towards melissa brandman photography that day.

I can see that now, 6 years later. Even so, the pain of that review is still incredibly raw. It was embarrassing, humiliating to sit there and listen to one negative point after another, all delivered with a half-smile. Especially after all of the times spent away from my husband, away from friends and family. All for work. All for this stinking review. It is hard to write about it, even now.

Little did I know:

· I was so miserable being in that office that I would take a photography class at night to bring some fun into my life.

· 6 months after that review I left my job to become a deputy district attorney – a job I had dreamed about since I was 12 years old.

· Later that same year we would move to the Bay Area, where I had to leave my dream job behind.

· I met many amazing people during my time in the Bay Area that inspired me to work for myself – to become the boss I always hoped for.

· That every career experience I’ve had since that day, the day of that horrible review, would give me the strength, the fortitude, and the courage to start this photography business.

So today, I say thank you to the two partners that sat me down that day for my terrible review. Thank you for giving me a reason to leave law firm life behind – I have never looked back. Thank you for showing me how ill-equipped I was to work in an office from 7-7 (if you’re working at a bigger law firm there is no 9-5 day. You’re lucky to get an 8-6 kind of day).

Because of you, I never worked in a large law firm again. I worked part-time after my older daughter was born, and I even switched practices to better accommodate my family and my life. I know to never again sacrifice my marriage or my family for my job.

Today, I have a life I never dared dream of – and I have you, dear partners, to thank (in part).

So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

good morning josie

I've been feeling a little guilty this past week as I've realized we have a LOT less photos of my baby/toddler than of her big sister. I really didn't think that would happen, given my love of photography, but I think life and the business of raising 2 kids got in the way. I didn't have one single photo of her in the crib, and she's 1 - what a bad mommy!

So the other day after her morning nap I made sure to get these:





and my favorite:


Hopefully the lack of quantity is made up for in the quality? Doubtful - they are sisters, and already they always want to play with the same things. I'm guessing I'll eventually get an earful about the obvious lack of photos...

Henry is home!!!

It must have been quite an adventure - almost 48 hours on the lam - but my dear sweet Henry is home!

A kind neighbor was out walking his dog when he came upon a limping Henry about a 1/2 mile from our home. He stayed with him until my sister in law and my babysitter could come and get him. And where was I you ask? I was driving around the neighborhood with Jack calling out for Henry. Without my cell phone on me...

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and well wishes - thanks to you I did not give up hope. Special thanks to Rachel, Angie, and our kind neighbor Jeff. I'm very grateful I do not have to keep staring at this sad face and saying "I'm sorry, Jack, but I don't know where your brother went."



And I'm getting our rickety gate replaced ASAP.

on a personal note - my dog Henry

To this point, I haven't shared too much of my personal life on Lens Flare (I have a family blog that I keep updated, mostly for my mom and for my husband so he can see his girls when he travels - click here if you're interested). But I have Henry on my mind today.

Henry ran away yesterday - he is a Beagle, and for those of you that know your dogs, Beagles have a tendency to roam once they make a break for it. Apparently Henry and his naughty brother Jack (another Beagle) managed to push our rickety wooden gate open enough for the both of them to escape, and while Jack always comes home, Henry was off.

He's been gone now for over 12 hours. I'm putting together a "lost dog" flyer, I've called the local animal hospital, vet's office, and shelters. I'm praying I don't get a call from animal control telling me that he's hurt or worse.

I wonder if he knew he was sick - Henry was due to get a mass removed from his head this Friday that his vet suspected from a biopsy was cancerous. Maybe he needed to scratch some items from his personal bucket list.

His brother Jack is sad - we rescued the two of them from a hound rescue here in Southern California almost 6 years ago (Beagles and Buddies) and the rescue insisted the two of them be adopted together. We have to warn the groomer not to bathe them separately, or they will HOWL the entire time. They nuzzle each other when they sleep. I'm more worried about Jack than I am about myself, or even my 3 year old, who thinks mommy is going to find Henry while she's at preschool.

Henry is my adventurer, but I'm hoping he finds his way home. He's done it before - 4 years ago, a few short months after we moved from Southern California to Berkeley, Henry and Jack ran away from our dog sitter. They were miles from home, and while Jack could be lured to safe hands with food, Henry was off and running. My husband actually flew home (we were visiting family for Thanksgiving) to search for Henry, but we lived in the hills - he could have been anywhere.

Somehow, Henry found his way home - over 3 miles from home and no familiar places or smells to rely on, he found his way. His paws were raw from all the running, and he was exhausted but he was home.

I'm hoping Henry comes home again...