A look back

I may be starting a little early or even a bit late depending on how ya look at it but right now just seems the right time. And as you all know Out of the Ordinary doesn't follow many rules.

April 25, 2003 I officially started Out of the Ordinary and that makes 9 years in business. Next year will be our 10 year celebration! So in honor I would like to take a moment and appreciate where I started and how it all began... and that my friends was about 12 years ago when I took these photos of Caleb. These photos never grow old to me and although he is a teenager now; I somehow captured something timeless. Thank you for all those who have given us this chance and all these years to share our creativity. <3

MY CURRENT PROJECT: fresh air & preparing for a busy weekend

SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: good life by onerepublic

CRAVING: sleep

NEEDED A MOMENT: mud

BEST MOMENT: bear footprints and my favorite place

Hibernating Trends: Love Letters

What's hot? Letters of love! Whether it's initials, full words, signs, glued to shoes or written on a chalk board; it's all about the alphabet! <3

MY CURRENT PROJECT: Roes Woes

SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: Yes I Do by Rascal Flatts

 CRAVING: Turkey and a milkshake but won't get either one :(

NEEDED A MOMENT: LinkedIn = FAIL

BEST MOMENT: Shiny hair too... just amazing!

NEW ~ Collage Insert Album

I am very excited to introduce the NEW Collage Insert Album and Juniper Package! It is custom designed by me with no templates so each page is an original like no other. It is a step up from the old traditional album I used to offer but one step more affordable than the Coffee Table Album (which I'm still offering). The Juniper Package starts at $2900* or you can add to any package starting at $750*. This includes the custom design with the photos of your choice, 12 pages (making 24 front and back), one of the standard leather fabrics, one of the front cover design choices (embossed, plain or picture insert), a choice of gold, silver or black page edging, name and date imprinting and the 10x10 inserted prints. *You may upgrade at an additional cost to a custom leather/fabric, more pages or if you want other size photo mattes included.

I recommend collage designs do not exceed no more than 4-5 photos each as it can get too busy. To allow proper design flow I also recommend there be 3-4 pages that have only one large photo so not every page is overwhelmed as a collage. I do allow some simple wording within some pages if you'd like. To get an idea of what the collage designs look like, please see samples below.

Just like the Coffee Table Album, you will have a chance to see and make changes via electronic files before they are sent for printing.

Please contact Out of the Ordinary for any questions and fall in love with the Collage Insert Album; it's ok! ;)
See more on: www.outoftheordinary.biz/album_collage.html and the help page for more details from there.

 

 

MY CURRENT PROJECT: More snowflakes hopefully and taking the weekend off to relax :)

SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: Feeling Good by Michael Bublé

CRAVING: Smiles, rest & relaxation

NEEDED A MOMENT: Woodsmoke again! eg

BEST MOMENT: Baking soda DOES works for dry, flaky, itchy scalp!

Hibernating Trends: sparklers and other lights

We love our sparklers! And the latest trend I see all over Pinterest is the sparkler photo; where the bride & groom are standing in the center with sparkler lights all around them. This is done with a slow shutter towards in the evening with a person running around them. The slow shutter captures the sparkler light but not the person doing it. It's amazing. I say this same trick can be done with a flash light or other light source. Let's take a look at some sparkler ones I did back in 2009.

MY CURRENT PROJECT: Catching up on some documentary's

SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: Free by OMNIA

CRAVING: I haven't had coffee in months! wait. one coffee in 4 months? yes. :(

NEEDED A MOMENT: Learning the facts watching The Age of Stupid

BEST MOMENT: Jim always making me laugh and snowflakes! :)

Hibernating Trends: off-colour

What is it about those off-coloured, washed-out, 70s looking photos that we all love? For me, it takes me back to my childhood and the way things used to be, simple and good enough. For many it's appealing to the eye because it's so different than what we've seen the last few years. It also seems to soften the skin tones. I see that it tends to work for the blue-eyed ones the best.

A before and after example:

MY CURRENT PROJECT: collage album

SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: Never Gonna Leave This Bed by Maroon 5

CRAVING: cuddling

NEEDED A MOMENT: Irritated at the entire world and human race

BEST MOMENT: hot shower

Pinterest Hopefuls

A bride and groom being whisked away in an old fashioned bug decorated with the words "I Love You" on it as they drive off into the perfect sunset. Or a proposal done in the rain and then the next photo of them after they've wed leaning against an old fashioned train. All looks and sounds terribly romantic doesn't? I can't blame you for dreaming but once you return to earth continue reading.

I am addicted to Pinterest just as many as others lately but I have to admit, I'm a little worried about how it may give brides false hope. So I did some searching to see if I was the only one. One poor girl twittered: "Pinterest gives me false hope about my not so soon, probably never will happen, wedding." While others saying it made planning harder or made them second guess everything. So take a moment, step back and do a reality check. Is your wedding going to be on a beach? Do you have a horse and buggy? Are you going to have the courage to step out in your white wedding gown on a wet evening to do a photo opp?

It's so easy to pick out your favorite ideas so quickly and then you have an entire board of dreams. That's OK but just remember to make them your own realities that fit you and your husband to be. Make them possible and don't expect them to all happen even if you planned it because the sad news is the moon isn't always on your wedding day and even if it is, it may be cloudy. Don't let it rule your entire day either. Let go and have fun. This is supposed to be a fun processes not a stressful one. And hey, the sun may not always set perfectly on time to be after your first dance and toasts... but you may have a different unexpected surprise that awaits you with no planning involved!

Here is an article I found on this topic, quoting:

“I think it [Pinterest] is a nice way to share your creativeness with other people... However, Pinterest can give a false reality on weddings, she said. Some of the ideas on Pinterest are a little overboard... You can get some good ideas and make your own reality out of it,” Rankin said.

http://oudaily.com/news/2012/jan/19/column-pinterest-plays-big-role-students-wedding-p/

MY CURRENT PROJECT: marketing

SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: Maybe by Ingrid Michaelson

CRAVING: warm bean dip and chips

NEEDED A MOMENT: sure to come

BEST MOMENT: day isn't over yet

Hibernating Trends: photomontage

I've been seeing this a couple places recently and it really isn't too far off from my collages from 9 years ago (see here). And so I thought I'd give it a shot with some recent wedding photos. As it turns out I personally like them a lot. But the important thing is - how do you like them? 

MY CURRENT PROJECT: photomontage

SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: Van Halen - When It's Love

CRAVING:  juice

NEEDED A MOMENT: ouch my toe and new off sleeping habit

BEST MOMENT: photoshop fun