the weekend before the weekend before christmas.

December 18, 2013

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I think I actually want to title this post, “A 50 MM DREAM.”

What do you think?

Now I don’t mean to toot my own horn by any means, but I’d be lying if I said my jaw doesn’t drop to the floor when I scroll through these photos. They’re not perfect, but still. I TOOK THESE? (!!!) That lens is obviously some sort of MAGIC. It’s honestly kind of amazing that my filter cracked this weekend. Sounds strange, but I’m actually really glad it did. Funny the way it is.

//

So these are the photos from our venture to Harvard Square last weekend. It was a cold, wet day just on the verge of snow. We went to all our favorite spots, the Book Store, Black Ink, Urban, Anthro, Burdick’s and Border Cafe. We even went to the one and only Curious George store for some gifts for the littles in our life. Oh! And Bob Slate Stationer, too. We stopped in to get some calligraphy pens for the holiday break since my Aunt Heidi offered to teach us while we’re in Connecticut for Christmas. The customer service in that little shop is completely refreshing. We had the kindest French man helping us out with our pen decisions, and a lovely man running the cash register too. Honestly, the nicest!

I found all my goodies for a Christmas city swap I’m participating in on Saturday, too. You can read about the swap here, and consider next year if Allie does it again! I loved being a part of it and will post soon about the items I chose to give– buying local was part of the concept (two thumbs UP) and I got really into it, which is just the way of it with me and these types of things. Such fun.

Now I’m ALMOST done with all my shopping. A few more stores to pop into and then I’m also DIY-ing a bunch of gifts this weekend. It’s about to get super crafty up in here.

2 more days of school!

LET’S DO THIS, CHRISTMAS.

//

A Merry Mix I’ve been listening to lately.
It’s perfect.

25 Comments · Filed Under: boston photography, holiday, life ·

on the first real snow and cameras and instagram.

December 15, 2013

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One more week of school and then 12 whole days of footloose and fancy freeeeeeee.

This weekend we got our first real snow fall. By first real snow, I mean it was the first time we had to go out and shovel the driveway. Do I love it? No, but kind of yes. I get in this ho ho ho spirit when I’m out there and just power through it while singing Christmas music quietly under my breath. I would sing them louder, but sometimes wonder what the neighbors might think. The shoveling gives me a back-ache and I seriously get SO hot and sweaty, but the coming inside after to hot chocolate part makes it all worth it. Oh, joy. It snowed a little bit early last week, and certainly stuck in most places because of the cold, but the storm this weekend was the real deal– the white all over, magic kind of morning. Today I didn’t even make it outside except to wrestle with the mounds of heavy white fluff in the driveway. Other than that it was present wrapping, and movie watching, and a stay-in-your-pajamas all day sort of Sunday. And I didn’t feel guilty one bit and that is the best part of all.

On Saturday my sister and I went to Harvard Square and had a full day shopping and eating and loving that little gem of a place that is part of our city. Before we were leaving the house I grabbed my camera and discovered that {what I thought was the lens} was cracked! The lens cap was on, but it seemed that I had jammed it on improperly and when I took the cap off I discovered THIS. Oh, no. I thought to myself. No no no no no. So I did get sad, but I didn’t panic. I looked up the lens and found that it wasn’t too expensive should I have to get another one, and then I looked up a camera store in Harvard Square and I grabbed my small lens {50 mm} to use that for the day and off we went. LUCKILY I discovered at the camera shop that the lens of the camera was actually fine and that it was just the filter that had cracked. HUNTS PHOTO SAVED THE DAY. And my heart. Also, the plus side was that I got to play a little more with my 50 mm lens, which I haven’t done as often as I’d like. I still find it a little tricky for me to focus and I often find later that my pictures aren’t perfectly crisp. Any advice from the photographers out there? I’ll post some of my photos later this week, but that’s going to be one of my goals for 2014, which is an ongoing goal for me in general. Keep on keeping on.

Besides being excited about Christmas soon, and snowfalls lately, and giving gifts to people I love, I’ve also been really excited about my instagram following growing rapidly these last few weeks. Instagram has always been my favorite– I love how it is an extension of this blog, how truly it reflects me and my life, and my love of photography, and more than anything I love the connections it gives me to friends near and far. I spend a lot of time curating my feed, not to make it seem perfect, no not that at all, but to make it feel real. Be YOU, I always hear people saying, and this is me being me absolutely. And I know that having lots of followers doesn’t matter in the bigger picture of life, but I do like the idea of a community, a community of friends and nice people that feel connected and so hooray for growing a following– for people appreciating my photos and my words and just all around for KINDNESS and LOVE and LIFE. Amen.

I hope YOU had a happy weekend and warm wishes for a quick work week!

9 DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS! JOY TO THE WORLD!

//

P.S. for those of you that have asked, I edit my instagram photos with VSCO cam.
I’d been thinking of doing a tutorial, except for that I recently found one by Mary Beth that is AMAZING. So just go visit her post and she wonderfully explains it all.

Happy picture taking!

25 Comments · Filed Under: blogging, holiday, instagram, life ·

an afternoon at the tree farm.

December 11, 2013

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Oh, December. You special little month, you. Thanks for bringing out the best of winter!

This year, as has been the way for the past several years, I’ve started the holiday festivities before Thanksgiving. Which I guess means I should be giving November a shout out, too. I definitely work in some Christmas carols in the house and in the car, throw around a little GLITTER GARLAND, and sometimes get ahead on my shopping, if I’m feeling it. {I’m always feeling it.} I’ve found in my old age that there is simply no reason to wait for the season. Get it while it’s hot! And if the mood strikes you the day after Halloween, SO BE IT.

One thing I do always wait for is our beloved Christmas tree. Wouldn’t want it to get dried out and empty of needles before the big day now would we? Heavens, no. The fresher the better.

The Sunday after Thanksgiving we drove back to Boston early in the morning with plans to head to the tree farm and cut down our tree. One of my favorite things about Zan being from Boston is that his family traditions are becoming my traditions, too. We go to the beach that he always used to go to as a kid, and also the tree farm where his family has cut down their tree for the past… hmmm, well, for a LOT of years. So many years that the owners know his family. It doesn’t hurt either that they always choose the MOST GINORMOUS tree in the lot. Go big and bring it home is their motto.

And while I love embracing these traditions, the whole tree-the-size-of-your-living-room is just NOT something I can get behind. Sorry Zanner! {To make it fair, Zan’s parents living room is about three times the size of our living room, so they make it work. It’s not easy, but they ALWAYS seem to make it work. Power it, I always say. POWER IT.}

Anyway, I suppose you’re curious now about the size of it, so, here you go!

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{I told you they always get the most ginormous tree.}

!!!!!!!

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Zan and I, being the early birds that we are {or were that day at least}, got to the tree farm before his family arrived, so we were able to hunt in the smaller sections {not the woods, ha!} for our little nugget of a tree. Not really a nugget in ordinary terms, but in comparison to the big guy, well, YOU KNOW.

We took a few rounds around the farm and after not too long we settled on this beauty.

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PRETTY NICE ISN’T IT? I sure think so.

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Also, after complaining quite a bit in the car about the weather {cold and rainy} I have to admit that I did appreciate the photographs it was giving me. Kind of serene aren’t they? But, yes, cold and wet, and gray. After we trudged our tree out to the pay stand, I spent the rest of the afternoon licking mini candy canes and drinking hot chocolate from the warmth of the heated car. Oh, the glory of red and white striped minted sugar. Love that delicious holiday treat.

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All in all, a Christmas tree hunt success!

//

My shirt, jacket, and pom hat are from Old Navy.
Scarf, Target/ Bag, Baggu/ Boots, l.l.bean
Also, you can buy the fleece hunter booty inserts HERE.
{Highly recommended. THE COZIEST.}

27 Comments · Filed Under: holiday, life ·

it’s here.

December 9, 2013

exciting!-3!

It’s here! It’s finally here! The long awaited redesign is HERE.

Welcome, welcome all, to the new Dear Friend. :)

I am giddy with excitement. LIKE A KID ON CHRISTMAS MORNING.

I would love it if you took some time to look around. Grab a cup of coffee! Stay awhile! There’s a new about page, and some most-often blogged about “feature” pages, too. Though not 100% done, I’ve started to curate my best and favorite posts in those pages. They are filled with most loved photographs and topics near and dear to my heart.

This new look has been in the works for months and I can’t stop smiling about the way it all turned out. I knew I wanted it to look just so— I had a vision, but not the skill to carry it through. I am no artist and know next to nothing about web design, and so I went out looking for help and I feel like I found THE BEST.  I wanted a fresh, clean look and with the hard work and stellar skills of Kate {web development} and Jolie {logo and lettering}, we made it happen. I sent over the messy sketches and mock-ups, and it all turned into THIS! I cannot speak highly enough about these two creatives. THEY. ARE. AMAZING.

I hope you like it!

And I don’t think I say it enough, but really, honestly, truly, THANK YOU for coming here and thank you for reading. It means so much to me and I want you to know.

ALL THE HUGS. FOREVER. XO, Me.

73 Comments · Filed Under: blogging ·
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