Wow, it has been busy

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I have neglected this blog…really bad.  I am so sorry.  I have a very good reason though, I promise!!  You ready? I am the new editor of an awesome online magazine for women.  Shocking…I know, trust me.  lol.  Go check it out at www.gypsy-sisters.com and unlike this neglected blog it is up to date and will have new posts just about every day.  Style tips, beauty secrets, business help, movie reviews; pretty much a little bit of everything.

 

And while you are out surfing around, stop by this site. www.ct40futurestar.com and vote for Katy Keenie, she is a new client that I just love.

Gypsies, Cadillacs and everything in between….

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So it has been a while since I have updated this page.  I am so sorry.  No really I am.  I have been working with my friends at Gypsy Soule on a couple of new projects and just haven’t had time to blog for myself.  Terrible I know.  However you should totally go check out their new blog at www.gyspysouleblog.com It is pretty cool if I do say so myself.

There is even more cool stuff coming for me and my Gypsy Friends…I can’t tell you about it just yet, but it won’t be long.  Here is a sneak peak….I have also done several shoots lately and have my calendar pretty booked for the fall, so if you need some pics taken before ole Saint Nick gets here, you should call today and schedule your shoot.  Here are a couple from a senior shoot I did last month.  Livia is a doll.  She is absolutely sweet, trust me I know.  What a day we had, I got terribly lost in the middle of nowhere, on top of the fact that this was an early morning shoot.  We were out and about before the sun!  Livia, you are a doll, and you are going to be such an amazing woman I hope your senior year is everything you want it to be and plenty more. 

I love this shot.  A little more edge…

I have also had some cute kiddo shots….I am just going to share one, because if I share more I will have to share them all and we will be here all night and I can’t do that because I have a show to go to.  Talk about a run on sentence…moving on.  Here is Miss Avery.  SO SO Darling, and that bench she is on is a painted old church pew, which may or may not go missing from my friend’s porch at some point.  If it ends up on mine, I have no idea how that happened! 

Now you see why I can only post one, they were all that cute.

Oh!  Oh yeah!  How could I even forget this…I really didn’t I am just pretending.  I did a photoshoot with the great, lovely and just awesome owners of Frank Kent Motor Company for one of their new billboards.  How freakin cool is that?  Seriously, I’m stoked but don’ttell anyone I try to play these things cool.  Here are a couple of shots from that shoot, which may have been one of the easiest shoots I have ever had.  If their salesman are as sweet as they are, they have my business forEVER!  Go over and check out their website, cause it’s pretty cool and has a really cool little commercial that plays. I love love love that last shot, it makes me happy.  Thank you to the awesome people at Frank Kent Motor I can’t wait to see the billboard!

Okay, So I will try to blog again soon…..But right now I have to decide what to wear to a show tonight and that could take awhile.

Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow Contest

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Or as Mike McClure says ‘Cow Convention’ (read the previous post).

Okay so I grew up raising cattle, and my family still does, so the beef industry is very important to us.  Every year the Texas CattleWomen have a competition known as the Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow Contest, they select four out of the contestants to travel the state with them all year and educate people about the importance and nutrition of Beef.  The top point earner in the competition goes on to Nationals, and the Texas bunch has almost made it a tradition to have someone make that team.  Congratulations to these four great, entertaining and very smart ‘kids’. (I can say that, Im old!)  So last year I volunteered to help out by taking pictures and did the same this year, its always a lot of fun to get to meet the kids although it does make me feel really old.These are last years winners, from Left to Right – BoDavid Williford, Jordan Symon, Austin “Pimp” Joyce (who went to the National Competition and made it on the National Team) and Trevor King.This is Mason Parrish, he was on the team two years ago and was the state FFA president this past year, he starts at Texas A&M in the fall, remember his name he will probably be Ag Commissioner or Governor one day (Lord Help Us All! – Love you Mase)

Here are some shots of the other contestants, they all did great, and I hope that the ones that didn’t make the team and are still eligible will come back next year.  

Drumroll Please…..this years winners are…..from left to right – Codi Coulter, Charley (I’m a lucky guy can’t you tell) Martinez, Lauren Grainger and high point winner who will move on to compete at Nationals Emily Jack.  Congrats again!  More info on each below. Codi Coulter of Naples, Texas, is a freshman at Texas Tech University majoring in Agricultural Leadership. She was active in FFA where she held several offices and competed in multiple leadership, career development and speaking events. She was a member of the National Honor Society and the editor of the school newspaper. Codi shows Santa Gertrudis cattle and currently serves as the Mid-Coast Santa Gertrudis Association President and on the National Junior Santa Gertrudis Association Board of Directors as Secretary

Charley Martinez of Desoto, Texas, is a sophomore at Texas A&M University-Kingsville majoring in Agriculture Business-Ranch Management. Charley currently serves as the Texas Junior Simmental/Simbrah Association Treasurer and was President in 2010-2011. He was awarded the Bronze Merit award in the American Junior Simmental Association Merit Program as well as other awards. Charley is on the Texas A&M-Kingsville livestock judging team and will be a member of the inaugural meats judging team in 2012

Lauren Grainger of Brenham, Texas, a fourth generation rancher, is a freshman at Texas Tech University majoring in Agricultural Communications. She was active in FFA where she held several offices including Chapter President. She was also a member of the Brenham High School Theatre Department. Lauren shows Santa Gertrudis cattle and serves on the National Junior Santa Gertrudis Association Board of Directors as Chairman of the Communications/Social Committee

Emily Jack of Giddings, Texas, is a freshman at Texas A&M University majoring in Animal Science. She was home educated and attended a college preparatory academy interning in Pre-Calculus. She gained college credit for both Calculus I and II as a high school senior and is a member of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society. Emily was team captain of her basketball team and is a gymnast. She plans on attending veterinarian school in the future.

A big thank you to the Texas Cattle Women for having such a great program and to the women who devote so much time to these kids, Rosemary, Anne, Melissa and all of the rest of you wonderful women you do a great job and thank you for doing it.

Also a thank you to Anderson Bean Boots for outfitting this years winners with new boots, really cool of them to do that and I know the kids appreciate it.   

Turnpike Troubadours and my love affair with fiddles

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I love fiddle players, because they play fiddles.  I love bands with fiddles, because a lot of bands don’t have them, especially the less established bands because bass, guitar, and drums are must haves and when you aren’t getting paid much its hard to add one more player to split your $50 with, so I LOVE IT when a band has fiddle, especially a good fiddle player, cute doesn’t hurt either!  Can anyone else tell I am trying to justify that I have way more pics of the fiddle player than everyone else?  They are just too much fun to photograph, kind of like an accordion.  Anyway on to my love affair with the Turnpike Troubadours.  WOW, Love them, love the album, love them live, love hearing them on the radio, love them.  They played the Wise Co. Old Settlers Reunion this year, opening up for the Mike McClure Band.  Two of my favorites same night….WINNING!  Thanks Charlie Sheen.  Okay back to it, I was a little worried when they started because there wasn’t much of a crowd and that just wasn’t going to do, these guys are too good for only a handful of people to hear, but low and behold by half-way thru their set the pavilion was very nicely packed with people.  These guys put on a great show, but almost as impressive interacted with the crowd and seemed to be having a good time,although awkward at some moments (the local high school mascot showed up in costume and tried to pick a fight with lead singer Evan Felker){no I didn’t get a picture}.  Check these guys out, download their newest album ‘Diamonds & Gasoline’, then go download anything and everything else of theirs you can get your hands on.  Let me just say this one more time, if you are a music fan, support your bands, go to the shows, buy their merch even if its just a koozie, keep these guys on the road!  Now on to the pics!!!

Okay so I have decided that all of the drummers in the world need to protest their stage lighting.  I get they have to be in the back, but does that mean they have to be in the dark?  Or worse, the RED DARK?  Join forces guys and demand the light you deserve. Did I mention that he could sing?  No?  Well he can and really well!  Multi-Talented Overachievers!

I didn’t get to stay for Mike’s set because I had to leave and get to College Station for what he called “cow conference”, which I will post about soon.  So here is a shot of Mike and Waldo backstage before their set, don’t ask….I can tell you Mike danced a little jig before this pic was taken, but I am saving those pics for another time or blackmail whichever comes first.

 

Have a great week everyone and get out and go see a live show this weekend!!  Have some fun!

Gypsy Soule, Miss Texas, Texas Women & the Clay Wilson Band…wow

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First off Congratulations to Miss Texas 2011 Kendall Morris

Kendall was Gypsy Soule’s modeling contest winner this year and was one of the models we used in the May shoot.

Kendall is a sweetheart and obviously really pretty, but go check out her bio on the Miss Texas page, wow she is impressive all around.  To think she spent the day with all of those crazy women from Gypsy Soule and me, can anyone say trooper?

So if you don’t know what Gypsy Soule is, well where have you been?  Amy, Lorinda and the rest of their fabulous team of women at Gypsy Soule produce some of the coolest things ever; from flip flops, boots, clothes and jewelry.  I have two pair of their flip flops and they are the MOST comfortable shoes I own, I wear them ALL the time as some of you may know.  These aren’t your grandma’s comfy slip ons, these are rockin flip flops that sparkle and shine with every step you take.  You can see their stuff everywhere….Miranda Lambert wears a lot of their products and her puppies were sporting some custom made goods during her wedding along with flip flops for her and her bridesmaids.  Leanne Tuohy rocked a custom hard hat on ‘Extreme Makeover Home Edition‘, and you can see more of their jewels on CMT’s new show ‘Texas Women‘.  Speaking of Texas Women, another client of mine (along with some of my artwork) made an impromtu appearance on the season opener, The Clay Wilson Band’s album can be spotted during Ali Dee’s segment with Kevin McCoy from 95.9 the Ranch. Here it is, see if you can spot it when you watch. (PS, you should really go buy this album on iTunes or TXRDR or Lonestarmusic.com; its really good!)

Back to my Soule Sistas, this year’s shoot was so much fun, it was a long day but worth every minute.  I will be posting pictures as they use them in their ads throughout the year, but here are some that have already been used.

The 80′s Rocked!  So much fun with this set-up.  Earlier in the day my hero Bob Moorhouse stopped by to help us out.  If you have never seen his photography you are missing out on amazing thing.  I would give anything to have his talent.  Check out Bob’s new ride “The Thing”, totally customized and suits him to a T.

Last but not least the new ad in Cowboys & Indians Magazine for Gypsy Soule, perhaps my favorite shot of the whole day, I just love this picture, it is so fun and flirty and rockin, just like my Soule Sistas.  Amy & Lo, thank you again for allowing me to shoot this years ads, it is ALWAYS a pleasure.  Melaina & Kendall thanks for making my job so easy, you are both gorgeous!

 

Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward

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This post has been a long time coming.  These guys are phenomenal, fell in love with them immediately and haven’t stopped listening to their albums since I got them put on the iPod.  A while back I got a chance to see these guys open up for Mike McClure at Wet Willies in Fort Worth.  I was there early and got to hear their sound check, it was the first time I had heard them and one song was all it took, actually if I am being honest all it took was one note and seeing the accordion, banjo and steel on stage.  You just know its gonna be a rockin show when you seen more instruments than band members.  I realize I am late for this bandwagon, but I’m just glad I am on.  So So So great, you have to check them out.  On top of being great to listen to they were all really nice as well, which is sometimes not easy to find in this scene.  So check them out on their site or go see a show!

And now for the pics from Wet Willies, which is a great venue by the way.  I know it is hard to get to and hopefully you can make it out there and sign their petition to help fix that problem, worth the hassle though, good venue.

and last one.  I love this one.  Not much to it at all, but I love it….I’m weird I know.

Millington Girls

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Okay these kids are cute.  So cute.  I had the pleasure of getting to hang with these two beautiful girls and they are sweet to boot.  How great it would be to be a kid again and get such a kick out of bubbles; of course for the most part its still entertaining to me, but I am easily entertained!  I love these shots, because they just scream summer to me.  Amanda does a great thing and has pictures taken once a month for the first year of her babies’ lives.  I love that!  If your interested in doing something like that, let me know and ‘package’ pricing is available.  Thanks Mark & Amanda, your girls are just too sweet and cute for words.