Little Blue Feathers: family

Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Papa Feather

This week I am preparing to reopen my shop! It's been a really nice one month vacation and my sewing machine and I are together again at last.

I think about the end of last year and how much my dad helped me. Willingly he would come over to my apartment at least once a week and would sit in my little studio space, listen to music, cut fabric and we would talk about whatever it was that was on our minds that day. We would often joke about the fact that we never thought I would be back in Dayton so soon, running a handmade sewing business with two dogs and making bow ties. What is even more funny to us though, is that we never thought my dad would have retired from his family business by the age that he did, and become his daughter's assistant with her handmade business sewing accessories for dogs! My mom and husband get a kick out of it too.

My dad is someone who is very special to me. I've always felt like he understands me and comes from a creative mindset himself. He has encouraged me from day one with Little Blue Feathers and has never once told me he didn't think it would work, or that I should wait to pursue my dreams or business. My dad has pushed me to think about new designs and given me input on fabric types that would sell well in his opinion. He proudly keeps a stack of business cards in his wallet and has promoted LBF to people like his dentist, people in line at McDonalds, friends at church and just about anyone that talks about their dogs while he is around. I call him my lead marketer!

Something I always value about my dad is his advice. My dad and his family ran a successful carpet business for many years. He is always starting out sentences with, "I know carpet is different than accessories, but I always found that....." or "I know how you feel. With the carpet business I would...."

Although our businesses were worlds apart (fun fact, my family ran their business successfully with NO computers! Craaaaazy, right?! My business wouldn't even exist without a computer!) he always has a story to compare situations that can help me through a little rut. My dad has always taught me that if you are going to do something, you do it right. I've also learned from my dad that it might take a little extra time to do something a certain way, but it's worth doing it right the first time than going back and trying to correct something that would have just taken an extra minute to do the first time. That dad of mine, he's a smart cookie.

I am glad that my dad is continuing to help myself and LBF. Around here, Papa Feather has become a big part of my business and I am very thankful to have the opportunity to live close to each other and have this father-daughter bonding time. I will treasure this time together always.

While I Was Away

It feels like forever since I last sat down at my computer, in LBF studios and prepared for an order, blog post or new ideas. I knew when the holidays rolled around that I wanted to put my shop on vacation mode to take a break from orders. I wanted to relax, enjoy the beautiful season and create new things.

What I didn't plan on doing was...nothing.

I am the kind of person who over thinks everything. In general, I am just always deep in thought. So, [surprise!] I have been doing a lot of thinking lately.

When December rolled around, I felt like I needed a break. Desperately. The truth though is that I was not sure what I needed the break from; Sewing, LBF, internet, (fill in the blank...)

I got in my head that I needed a break to do this, this and that and it was going to happen to refuel myself. What I discovered was that I needed to figure out ways to keep myself going. The things that make/made me truly happy and keep those the priority in my everyday. Then I wouldn't get to the point that I feel desperately in need of that break.

The past several months have seemed to be on a downward slope for me. I can't explain why or how exactly, but I know I haven't felt the same. I've been a little more mopey, less inspired and out of touch with the things that I enjoyed so much before.

When I think about these things, I realized that I haven't created a new art project since we moved to Dayton this past summer. I haven't taken a walk through the woods one time. I have not made a new friend in the area and I haven't taken near as many photos, which is my favorite hobby. I can choose to continue to throw pity parties, or I can choose to get out and discover new places in Dayton, similar to my favorites I loved so much in Cleveland. Because the truth is, our happiness is only going to go as far as we take it. If we are out living the life we were created to live, we will be blessed by it. If we put all of our happiness into one person (spouse, friend, family member), place or thing, we are missing out on so much. While I am happiest when I am spending quality time with my husband, I know there are so SO many other things in this life that give me joy, and I need...I am...going to make it a priority to recognize those things.

The new year is always a new start, and I am choosing to change my attitude in 2013.

This year, my word is Create.

I want to create more memories, create new relationships/friendships, create more art projects and create more positive thoughts about myself, my ability and where happiness is found.

I hope you all have really enjoyed your holiday season with your loved ones! I am excited to be back and take a look at what all of my blog friends have been up to while I was away.

If you are looking for some extra encouragement to begin 2013, read this wonderful post from Ashley at The Shine Project. She is a beautiful person.

Thankful

Photos by: Amelia Sharkey Photography

Sometimes I can't seem to express how much I love this man. My husband is truly my best friend. I think it is the most important thing to have in a spouse; your best friend. My husband is calm, patient, a very hard worker, rational, loving and extremely supportive. I am so unbelievably thankful for this relationship. To have this man to experience life's lovely little things with, to travel the country together, to start a family with some day and have by my side during the tough times that are inevitable in life. My heart is so thankful.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving with your loved ones!

Family Photo Shoot

Yesterday we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday with a small surprise party at his favorite local pizza place. It was so great! He walked in, started toward the counter to order his mushroom pizza and didn't even notice all his family members standing at a table waiting to yell surprise. My mom turned his body and said let's go sit first and that's when he saw all of us! My dad actually is a quiet man that doesn't like to be the center of attention. So you can only imagine how he feels about parties, let alone surprise parties. However, when someone special in your life turns 60, that needs celebrated.

My brother and I got together back in September and planned to do a surprise photo session with us and our significant others as a gift for my parents. We didn't have many photos of all of us together, and of those photos they were not professional photos. My parents love pictures of their kids and my dad still shows people photo albums I have made for him from years ago. My sister-in-law is a professional photographer that took all of the photos at a very large metro park. We played in the leaves, walked into the woods and got some great shots. The photos were used in an album made in iPhoto that we gifted to our parents last night at the surprise party. They absolutely loved it and were surprised! They said "these are the best kind of gifts" and my mom said "this is so great you guys" probably 10 times.

The thing I think about when I look at these photos are that having professional quality photos are such a great investment. Sure, it costs a little more money to do a photo shoot like this as opposed to going to a department store photo studio, but the quality and variety of pictures you get are amazing. My parents will look back on these photos for many many years. And so will I.

There are many more photos to show you throughout the blog, but because there are so many great shots, I will not overwhelm you with all of them in one post ;)

Taking Care of Family

It's been a rough week around here in the Sharkey home. I feel really blessed that I am healthy and able to take care of, well, all three of my family members that seem to have something wrong with them right now. Taking care of them is something I need to do, want to do and am so thankful I am able to stay home and do.

This week my husband had a cyst removed from his wrist that was actually tangled up in his nerves once they went in to remove the cyst. It's been difficult for him to do anything because of the amount of pain he has been in. Husband anticipated getting back to work by the end of the week, but instead he hasn't been able to leave the couch. I've been staying by his side ready to put ice on his wrist, give him water and food every 4 hours with medication, cold towels for his migraines and just sit with him and keep him company. I look at him and can't help but wish I could take away his pain. I'm sure this is how every mother feels when they have a child that is injured or sick. Maybe it's in all of us women. That desire to take care of all of our loved ones.

In addition to taking care of my husband, Miley was seriously sick on Wednesday and Thursday with constant vomiting and Stanlee started breaking out in his bumps on his skin that commonly rolls around every 4 weeks. Isn't it strange how often things go wrong within the same week?

There is nowhere else I want to be than home with this crew. Taking care of them. Comforting them. Giving all three of them their medications and cuddling on the couch watching movies. This week was a busy week, but I was where I needed to be and putting other things on hold for a few days or a week is OK.

Today is looking up, and hopefully we are in for a better week. I will be back in LBF studios preparing orders and inventory for new projects. Thank you all for understanding and sticking with me this week. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of my fans and friends.

Photography Post: Doughnut Shop

About a month ago, I photographed my cousin's three adorable little boys at a nearby park. We had so much fun, and there were some seriously cute faces captured that day. Since everyone behaved so well during our mini shoot, we decided to go out for doughnuts. Who doesn't enjoy a doughnut treat every now and then?!

I decided to bring my camera into the doughnut shop just in case someone had sprinkles all over their face, or there were any other picture worthy moments.

That is when I realized something...

Looking back through all of the photos that day, the doughnut shop pictures were some of my favorites. I love the way it captures the boys in their real emotions.

Chowing down on a doughnut.

Sprinkles everywhere.

The pure joy of eating fried sugar.

I recommend taking your camera with you the next time you go to a cute little cafe or bakery. If you sit next to the windows, there will be plenty of natural light shining through, and this is even something you can do on a cloudy, cold or rainy day. No children? Try and talk your significant other or best friend into going with you. It could end up being a really fun time with great photos!

*PS: Why are there two spellings for doughnuts/donuts? Why do we have to complicate things?!

Photography Post - Three Boys Under Five

As you might have read in this post, I helped photograph a wedding last month. Before the wedding, I did a mini photo shoot with my sister-in-law's family, but other than that, my photography tends to be of nature and my product photos. In the past month, I love that I have been pushed outside of my comfort zone and am learning more about my camera.

Two weeks ago, my cousin asked if I could photograph her little boys together in a natural setting, and I said, absolutely! We planned a trip to the park and played around for an hour, capturing some very adorable "in the moment" shots. All three boys are under the age of five, and were so cute playing around the park. Although we didn't get a ton of posed pictures with all three {you can probably imagine how hard it is to get a 5, 3 and one year old to sit still ;)} I think we got a lot of pictures of their personalities shining through. We all had a lot of fun!

Tennessee Life

Last week I took a little road trip with my dad to Knoxville and Tellico Plains, TN where his family members are from and currently live. I haven't been to visit in two years, and I was really missing them and Tennessee.

My husband and I are city people. We like to live in an area where there is a lot to do and places to go, but when I am in Tennessee, it's a much much more simple way of life that I really appreciate. When we drive around Tellico Plains, I see the start of the Smokey Mountains, signs for the Cherokee National Forest and the Cherohala Skyway, a national scenic byway that starts in Tellico Plains and winds through the mountain and into North Carolina. When visiting family, it's a lot of sitting around talking, listening to stories and playing in the front yard. We eat tons of banana pudding (and just a lot of food in general) and always take a drive through the center of town to see what has and hasn't changed since the last visit.

When I am in Tennessee I feel a little bit of a disconnect with the life I live in northeast Ohio. I do not have internet. The roads are only two lanes, some of which do not even have lines on them. You can look to your left and see cows, then look to your right and see chickens roaming the front yard of a house. High heels and fashionable clothing are not needed. Vegetarian meals do not exist and you will probably encounter some crazy insect, animal or reptile while visiting the area.

This past visit, I accidentally stepped on a fire ant mound that I didn't even know was there until I felt stings on my foot and saw that fire ants had taken over my shoe. We also saw a large snapping turtle walking through the garden and some type of bee-ish insect buzzing around the flowers in the back yard. I'm still wondering what that could have been...

Although it took me a few days to recover from my vacation and traveling, I am now home, cuddling my pups and hubs, continuing to celebrate my birth week with friends and playing with some new fabrics. It's back to work and a weekly routine for me.

A perfect weekend

There is so much I love about this man, this face and our weekends together. Sometimes during the week, Justin might have long hours to work, we go to bed really early and the days seem to fly by. I always look forward to our weekends because that means I get a full 2 days with my Mr. and we can do just about whatever we want.

Surprisingly, this weekend started a little early!

Justin and I woke up at our usual time of 6{ish} on Friday, but we kind of had a slow start to our morning. After about 30 minutes passed, I realized he had not yet showered, chosen his work clothes for the day or showed any sign of being in a hurry for work. I asked him if he was planning on getting cleaned up soon and that was when he flashed me a big smile and said "I took the day off!" To say I was excited just seems like an understatement.

This meant we had 3 full days together! We took advantage of all of that time and did some of our favorite weekend things:

local shops - including record stores, antique shops, handmade stores and coffee houses.
small local restaurants.
ice cream. We looooooove ice cream.
movies. We might have rented 7 from the library for this past weekend.
discovering new areas in northeast Ohio.
cooking together.
couch cuddle time with the pups.
having music on all day in our apartment.
window shopping for things we don't need.
and eating lots of sweets and coffee.

These are some of our usuals. This weekend we actually did all of that and more!