SHE [clark county]

Bring the Outside In!

Fall...Autumn....It's all good!  This just might be my most favorite time of year.  It's so bright, colorful and BEAUTIFUL.  I feel enormously thankful to Mother Nature...just as the temperatures start to drop...the glorius colors of Autumn appear to help warm things up!  Lively, vibrant REDS, hot as fire ORANGES, warm and bold YELLOWS and GOLDS and those deep, earthy greens and browns.  Thank you Mother Nature! 

Take a just a few minutes today to walk outside to smell the change in the weather, feel the change of the season and view the glory that surrounds you at every turn.  We are so very, very fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest where the seasons offer gifts of many colors. 

Gather some of the most beautiful Maple, Oak and Douglas Maple leaves that are bestowed upon you as you walk outdoors.  Paint each leaf with a thin coat of Mod Podge and enjoy the colorful natures gift for months and months.  You can create nature and tablescapes that represent precisily what lie just outside that front door.  Combine the leaves with accorns and pinecones in a clear vase and you have created a beautiful natural center pieces...and nearly no cost! 

 

style

style....

Good Sister ... Bad Sister

Aren't sisters great? Well OK the good sisters. I have two good, one bad. Well not bad exactly. She's misdirected or chaotic or something. Difficult to be around.  

That said, most of the time talking with sisters is like having a version of yourself that already has all the background information and you don't need to stop and explain anything. She's right there with you. She's got it goin' on. I always want to add Baby! to that sentence. 

I've had several conversations this week with a sister and several girlfriends about how our moods have shifted since Obama was elected and is now Presdent-Elect Obama. Part of the feeling is definitely inspiration from the Obama speech on Tuesday night. It feels like there's been a real paradigm shift. Even though the women I know all have somewhat similar political views, it's surprising that we're all feeling this camaraderie at the same time.  

Maybe part of it is just relief that the election is over. I was delighted to turn on The View on Wednesday morning and not have to listen to Elisabeth spew at Whoopee Goldberg about John McCain's perfect patriotism, or hear her try to convince everyone that Sarah Palin really is more intelligent than she looks. Puhleese. What a relief that's over. But it's more than that. It's a feeling of being part of a larger community that despite what's happening in the world, can provide support for one another and hope for the future. 

I know ... it sounds like I want to have a campfire and sing Kumbaya. ............

Camas: Saving downtown commerce

Our portrait studio is located in the cutest town in the Northwest. Camas' Norman Rockwell-esque Main Street and adorable shops was something that we noticed when we were deciding where to put our studio two years ago. Yet, these days morale is a bit low in our little hamlet. As you can imagine, the recession hits the locally owned businesses harder than most sections of commerce. It seems that a great deal of our Camas residents find most of their destinations due West and with that, comes the inevitable trip to the large national chain stores near 192nd and 164th. Although I, too, love the convenience of having what seems like everything up there, I also love strolling our quaint town for fun finds, yummy food and design inspiration. I want this town to survive and I am urging all clients and friends to come and visit Camas this holiday to rediscover all that it has to offer. 

Last Bit of Fall

osta fall.... you were fabulous!