This weekend I dragged my ass out of bed super early (on a Saturday!) to go check out the hot air balloons at the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic. I was tired (and no one else in my family managed to crawl out of bed that early, so I went all by myself – yes I’m looking at you, Brian and Joe!) but I’m so glad I went! I took tons of pictures, of course, and really loved wandering the park and checking out the balloons. Besides the awesomeness of the balloons, they had a flyover (some really cool planes but I don’t remember what kind they were – can you believe how informative I am?) and a pancake breakfast to support the Idaho Foodbank. There was a decent sized crowd, but I was still able to wander around right between all of the balloons as they were being inflated and then took off. I will definitely be going again when/if the Balloon Classic returns!

A few of the shots I took are below … some of these are available in my shop, too!

My friend Shanna asked me to take some first birthday photos of her gorgeous younger daughter, Devorie.  (Ok, actually Devorie doesn’t turn one for another month or so, but we had to get them in while they were in Boise a couple of weeks ago)  Devorie has the cutest personality – and look at those amazing blue eyes!  Thanks so much Shanna, I had so much fun!  Here are a  few of my favorites from our shoot (the first “official” shoot in my home studio – YAY!!)

It’s me, the blogger.  The photographer.  Remember how I used to write stuff here sometimes?  Remember how I showed pictures?  Yeah, I’m still alive.  Just in case you missed me …

Whew, I cannot believe I abandoned my blog for an entire month. Here we are, first week of September and my most recent post was August 1st. Pathetic. I have thought about my blog a lot during the last month, but thinking seems to be the best I could do. No actual posts made it out of my head and into the world wide web …

So, I have a lot to catch up on! Mountain pictures to share, new products in the shop, lots of portrait sessions to show you … and of course the last installment of the Photography 101 series.

So, for those of you who haven’t forgotten about me in the last month, there is lots more to come this month!

Hi peeps – we are back from vacation – tired, sunburned, bug-bitten – I think that means we had a successful vacation!  I have a bunch of woodsy photographs to show you later in the week … but first I want to share my newest obsession.  My photography wish list is growing longer and longer – and this is the newest addition!  The Fuji Instax Camera.  Swoon.

It’s a little instant camera (think polaroid) that produces itty-bitty business card sized images straight from the camera.  Take a look below to see some amazing images taken with this camera … click the photo names below to be taken to the source.  I love the dreamy, slightly soft images that come from film – and the fact that you see instant results satisfies my impatient side!  (And the fact that the film is a little easier to come by than polaroid film makes me happy too).  I don’t think the iconic polaroid can be topped … but this is a close second!

1. glow, 2. breakfast, 3. Ferguson’s Motel, 4. Sheep, in a field next to a tree with light streaming through the trees branches on Instax Mini, 5. Colosseum Roofline, 6. Fuji Instax Mini Macro Test, 7. Whitby on Instax Mini, 8. to the sky, 9. pasture

PS – Danni at oh, hello friend is giving away one of these fun cameras along with a gift certificate to anthropologie for her two-year blogoversary!  You don’t want to miss out – today is the last day to enter! She is such a sweetie to offer such an exciting gift for one of her loyal fans!

We are on vacation this week, traipsing through the woods in McCall and Warm Lake Idaho … while we are away, enjoy this series of travel-inspired finds!

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In honor of our camping adventures this week, I found some awesome, stylin’ camping supplies on Etsy.  Check out these fabulous items before you hit the trails next time! (and I made an entire Etsy treasury with these and other camping finds – check it out here!)

Mosquito Smackdown all natural bug-repellant

Mini White Compass Ring

The Hampton – cotton canvas bag

The Explorer – binoculars charm necklace

yellow vintage enamel mugs

We are on vacation this week, traipsing through the woods in McCall and Warm Lake Idaho … while we are away, enjoy this series of travel-inspired finds!

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To start off our week of travel inspiration, here are a few ideas for when you plan your next nature adventure.  Not a roughing-it kind of person?  Here are some luxury camping ideas that you might enjoy:

1.  Glamping at The Resort at Paws Up, Montana

The Resort at Paws Up is a Montana ranch getaway with a lodge, ranch house, luxury cabins – and best of all – luxury tents.  In Tent City, you can stay in a luxurious 270 square foot tent with wood floors.  You’ll have electricity, heat, a cooling fan, a king-sized feather bed and your own camping butler. Paws up calls this glamping – glamorous camping – and I’d have to agree!  Sounds much more glamorous than what we’ll be doing this week!

2.  Rent an Airstream and stay in Bar Harbor, Maine

The Bar Harbor KOA campground is right on the Atlantic Coast – at the entrance to Acadia National Park.  You can enjoy coastal views and mountain adventures, and then sleep in your queen sized bed in your classic Airstream trailer at night.  Sounds like heaven to me!

3.  Sleep in a cave at Kokopelli’s Cave Bed & Breakfast

Kokopelli’s Cave is a 1650 square foot home carved into the sandstone near Farmington, New Mexico.  Enjoy views of the four corners from the top of the cliffs, then climb into the cave to enjoy a queen-sized bed, waterfall shower, and flagstone hot tub!

4. Stay in a tree house at Vertical Horizons Tree House Paradise

At Vertical Horizons Bed and Breakfast, you can sleep literally in the trees!  Your own bed, bathroom, running water, heat and electricity, all in a tree house in beautiful Southern Oregon.  I totally want to try this someday!  How fun!

5.  Last, but certainly not least – a lovely, luxurious lodge in my beautiful home state – stay at Shore Lodge in McCall, Idaho!

Shore Lodge is a gorgeous mountain lodge, right on Payette Lake in McCall.  You can enjoy a beautiful lakeview suite – a wonderful, relaxing spot to come back to after a day of hiking and swimming in the woods and lake.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this virtual tour of luxury nature vacations … someday I would like to try them all!  This week we’ll settle for tents and rustic cabins, no butlers or laundry service … but I will be coming back with a ton of pictures!  Have a great week, peeps!

Looking for a place to store and display those family portraits and snapshots?  Take a look at these amazing albums from super-cool Etsy sellers.  Click the photos to be taken to Etsy to buy!