• I'm so happy you've stopped by my blog! I hope you'll stay for a few minutes, take a look around, relax with a cold, bubbly beverage...

    These days, I'm no longer working with clients. (What the future will bring, I cannot say!) You'll find me now at home, playing with my kids; and likely taking pictures of them, too!

    {Hugs} and a huge thank you to the clients who have been so supportive over the years! I will miss shooting for you.

Dec 11 2012

Introducing Kathleen Miller, Gift Wrapper {Bethesda, MD Product Photography}

This time of year, there is so much to do.  Luckily, there are people like Kathleen Miller here to help!  Kathleen will come to your home and wrap one or all of your Christmas gifts!

Gifts wrapped and decorated with bows

When she arrived, Kathleen shared with me several samples of her business calling cards.  They are adorably wrapped as presents on one side (handmade!), and on the other is a description of her services.

Business cards for Kathleen Miller, "Ms. Elf"

(Yes, that is a tape measure bottom front, left — and super glue sticking up with a blue cap behind the tape!  Who knew the tools that would be useful to Ms. Elf!)

The text on her card reads:

“Gift-Wrapping right at your home…

If you need help with gift-wrapping ,I am the elf who can help you.  With experiences at Woodward & Lothrop and Hecht’s Department Stores, I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed in giving away your lovely gift-wrapped presents to your loved ones.  You can watch me and perhaps you’ll learn some tips from me.

All the materials (wrapping papers, ribbons*, bows, and gift tags) will be provided at the prices listed below.  There will be choices of formal, contemporary, or children’s wrapping papers.  Plus, a minimum of $10 an hour in wrapping.  If you prefer to use your own wrapping supplies then a flat fee is $10 per hour.

extra small (jewelry sized box) – $1.50
small (lingeries or socks sized box) – $2.50
medium (shirt sized box) – $3.50
large (robe or sweater sized box) – $4.50
extra large (Plasma TV or larger sized box) – $10.00 and up

Email Ms. Elf at giftwrapper2011(at)yahoo.com for questions or to set appointments.  In the meantime, enjoy the holidays!
*Ribbons may be charged additional depending on the quality and how much has been used.“

Wrapping the gifts in my home

Above – “Ms. Elf”, aka Kathleen Miller, at work.  Finished product below:

Here are a few of the other gifts I watched her wrap today.

Samples of Kathleen Miller

 

So, if you’re a little stressed this holiday season, you don’t want to miss out on this affordable, and time-saving way to make your gifts look beautiful!

 

 

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by Danie

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Holly Thompson - December 23, 2012 - 10:23 pm

Oh my goodness, what a brilliant service!!!!!! Those gifts are gorgeous (as is your photographs of them… I hope she wants to purchase those to use in her marketing!). My mom wraps gifts like this, it’s a lost art. Thank you for sharing this, Danie!!!

Nov 03 2012

The Overturned Tree {Washington, DC Children’s Photographer and park enthusiast}

A friend suggested we meet at Montrose Park in Washington, DC a few days ago, where, I was told, there was the most incredible uprooted tree from the storm.

She wasn’t kidding.  Our kids had a blast playing in the branches, and my son even went dare-devil and climbed the top of the roots.  Astonishing in size.

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by Danie

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Nov 03 2012

The way I view…Halloween! {Bethesda, MD Children’s Photographer}

Thanks for dropping by to read this month’s edition of our Clickin’ Moms Blog Circle, in which we visually answer the question:

The Way I View…Halloween and Dress-up!

With a five year old and a three year old, and the rule that Halloween costumes go into the dress-up box, the major difference between Halloween and regular dress-up is the candy.  And, I suppose, the social element (my son actually got to wear his costume to school!).

This year, my little “Jake and the Never Land Pirates“-obsessed children happened to spot Jake and friends dress-up clothes at the Disney store somewhere around the beginning of the school year. (For those unfamiliar with this show, essentially Peter Pan had to leave Never Land and asked Jake, Cubby, Izzy and Skully-the-parrot to keep Captain Hook under control in his absence.  It’s adorable TV — not educational, but clean and adorable none-the-less.)

My son picked Peter Pan (since his favorite is the hour-long “Peter Pan Returns” special) and my daughter picked “Izzy”, the only girl in the bunch.  And I was thrilled because together the costumes cost less than the princess dress they had picked out of a catalogue for my daughter!

Since big brother was at school in the morning, my daughter and I did a little “warm-up” practice in the morning.

 

Above, she’s trying to get her doll Izzy’s feet to stay tucked to the side so they would both be sitting the same way. ;)
She can be a little ham when she wants to be!  But unfortunately, our little photo shoot was interrupted by  an important phone call “on the pink phone!”  (The call included several important text messages, as well.)

Shortly before we left, I got my favorite picture of her from the morning.  Just staring off.  So sweet.  I like the picture so much, I even fixed the boo-boo under her lip! ;)

When my son came home, and knowing I wouldn’t want to lug my good camera around the neighborhood while we trick-or-treated that night, I bribed them with pizza into going outside and letting me get a few pictures of them together.  It sort of worked.

I love how they ended up pretending to be Peter Pan and Izzy (though why they were fightingeach other is still a mystery).

And then they were done.  We went inside, where they got their pizza, and my son gave me one last “Peter Pan” pose.  The first one in this set is his interpretation of Peter Pan being a tough guy.

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!  Be sure to check out what Susan Edge Photography was up to this Halloween!

POSTED INChallenges, Just my family, {Pictures}TAGS: , , , , , , ,

by Danie

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Susan Edge - November 3, 2012 - 3:44 pm

Love lil sis looking up to big brother. So cute. You have some beautiful lighting in these shots, love it.

Laura A - November 3, 2012 - 6:06 pm

Love these! I can’t wait until I have kids to dress up!

Mindy - November 4, 2012 - 1:24 am

What great costumes and it looks like they have so much fun playing together!

Jo - November 9, 2012 - 4:35 pm

These are great, Danie! I especially like that one of your son peeking through the bushes!

Oct 02 2012

A Hawaii Luau!

This month, our monthly challenge theme was “The Way I see Back to School.”

There seemed to be a very obvious way to photograph that theme…except that I find that when I photograph, I sometimes end up not really feeling “present” in an interactive sense with my kids.  And since this first day of school was a really big deal — Kindergarten = brand new school! — I wanted to be completely present.

But honestly, I think what I’ll remember about this year’s back to school drama was that we’ve actually just gone back to school…again.  Yep, beginning of October.  We took an almost 2 week break, less than 2 weeks after school started, to go to my brother-in-law’s wedding (and welcome into the family my awesome new sister-in-law!).  And  perhaps I haven’t mentioned — that wedding was in Maui.

Oh, yes.

Still, just because a family wedding is a very good excuse to miss school, doesn’t mean we should miss educational (okay, a little touristy…) opportunities along the way!  Which is how we ended up at a very touristy (but lots of fun!) luau at the Marriot in Lahaina.

Of course, it was crazy beautiful — the dancing, the music, just the general setting.  But the highlight, if not the most authentic part, for my children was the fire dancing.  They sat transfixed while I put my D700 to the high ISO test, and played around with some slow shutter speeds.

That last image gets me every time.  It was so dramatic.

So here we are, in October, just now starting to settle into the school year, still battling a bit of jet lag.  Such is the price of visiting paradise, I suppose!

(Totally worth it.)

For another looks at “back to school”, check out Photography by Susan Edge, and just the most adorable stylized back to school shoot!  You don’t want to miss it.

- Danie

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by Danie

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Laura A - October 2, 2012 - 7:30 pm

I am so jealous! It looks like you had a fabulous time :)

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