I've Moved!

Dear Beautiful Fans,

I am changing venues and will be working under a brand new domain. 

www.simplye3photography.com

 

Come on over, browse the lovely images, and book your unique lifestyle session with me.

I promise I will still add some recipes and design posts too.

Thank you for the journey over here at blogger and I hope to see you as the adventure continues!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth

CY365 12 January - 18

CY365 12/365 Frost/Ice/Chill

Bourbon on the rocks; warms you up on a chilly night.

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” 
― Mark Twain

CY365 13/365 Pop of Color

Is there anything more bold, more sensual, and more classic than red lipstick? Next to pearls, it is my absolute favorite accessory

CY365 13: Be Positive

I have a love affair with coffee. It's my beginning of my day, my pick me up, and my escape. There is always a story to be shared with a cup of coffee and even in the darkest of roasts, there is always a subtle sweetness that emerges through.

CY365 15: First Taste

Prepping dinner for tonight. First time making and trying Spaghetti Squash.

CY365 16: Snowflake

No snow here in 60 degree Texas today. Thankfully I picked up some of these snowflake pieces that fell off of my MIL's outdoor Christmas decor. My little man was kind enough to take 5 minutes from his playtime so he could pose for me :)

17/365 Off Prompt as I was out all day and left my camera at home. We decided to enjoy the beautiful and unseasonable weather at a local park and I nearly kicked myself for forgetting it when there was the most amazing lighting and a plethora of trees and trails. Snapped a few with my iPhone but just can't capture it like I can with my trusty Canon 60D. So no powder or DSLR but enjoyed the challenge (and scenery) never the less.

18/365: Balance

My dog Kona is as sweet and as spoiled as can be. Her favorite napping place when we are running around the house going about our day is perched on the back of the couch. A safe spot from little hands but a good vantage point to keep an eye on the rest of the household in between zzz's. I am fairly certain her Beagle/King Charles Cavalier mix has a dose of cat in there as well.

White

#CY365 11/365 White
Pearls adorned with my wedding dress. The pearls were an anniversary present and always a favorite accessory.
"Pearls are always appropriate"- Jackie O

This also won the CY365 Photo of the Day!  It is such an honor as there are so many talented photographers on this site.  It has been fun learning and sharing with them.  

Habit

CY365 10/365 Habit

My IPhone and FB. I am a mindless scroller. I check my FB or email multiple times a day for no particular reason. My husband actually mentioned today as I'm getting ready and taking a peak at FB land on my phone "I see why it takes you so long to get ready". I would be so efficient if I could just part with this thing.

Multifaceted

CY365 9/365 Multifaceted

I love the simplicity, weightlessness, and dimensions of this sculpture. I was drawn to it immediately have have it placed in my favorite room in my house

Solitude: Coffee Break

Solitude.  A necessity in life but sometimes only a luxury of a Stay at Home Parent.  This was also the prompt of my CY365 daily photo challenge.

On most days this would have been a problem as it was a non school day meaning both kids home. But on that day, I woke up and knew exactly what I was going to do.  My wonderful MIL watches my kids most Wednesdays so that I can have Mommy Time (or work time, or catch up time, or errand time, etc).  This was the first Wednesday being back from Winter Break and I thought I would take the opportunity to go see The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1.  A movie by myself midweek in an empty theater sounded life heaven, the perfect solitude I was looking for.  I got dressed, had the kids ready to go, and then realized I forgot to call my MIL to confirm today (it had been a couple of weeks after all).  I called the house, no answer.  My Father In Law sometimes works from home and ties up the line (did I just say that in 2015) so I called his cell.  Held my breath, he answered and I could tell he was in the car, and my dreams were crushed when I learned they were on their way to an appointment.  Why did I not think to call the day before?!  I was bummed.  Kids were dressed and by a miracle ready to head out the door at the exact time I wanted no yelling involved, and I was wearing something other than my classic leggings and tunic sweatshirt ensemble.

Emma, on cue started to get cranky and Jude was anxious to see his Mima.  Put the little one to bed, read some stories to Jude, and he even read some sentences to me.  I went downstairs to drown my sorrows in a cup of coffee.  It was then I realized that aside from a bathroom break, this is my way to escape when I'm home with my kids.  Coffee.  Sweet wonderful elixir that gets my day started and again gets me over the hump before it is deemed appropriate to indulge in a glass of vino.

After a week of this photo challenge which purpose is to help stir up some creativity, I imagined how I could incorporate this sweet escape in a way a parent of young kids could relate.  Hence, this image was born.

Now, I usually do a reveal at the END of the post but I had some interest so I wanted to show you how I came about this.

First of all, I'm a Photographer not a "Photoshopographer".  Photoshop is what I use to fix a blemish, turn it b&w, or to bring life back into my photos as sometimes digital images run flat.  I see some amazing work with filters and dreamy effects which I might play with throughout the project but for now, I like to stay as true to SOOC as much as possible.

I tried to do this the old fashioned way with a super slow shutter speed and a tripod.  I told my son to jump off the couch and hoped his sister would follow him around.  Unfortunately this is what happened.

f/25 1.6sec ISO 100

Two things wrong:
1. It didn't have the wow effect I was looking for.  A bit of a blur but not much more.
AND
2. It is REALLY hard to stay completely still while your child is jumping around you and then for some reason POKING you in the eye after you've had your eyes closed for a bit.

After multiple attempts, he was done and Emma was hungry.

We switched gears and I began to think of how to get the effect I wanted.  I realized I might have to learn, or relearn, a new action in PS.  So, how did I solve this issue.  Simple: A Composite image.

I ended up taking these 6 images.

Starting with me solo on the couch

F13 1/10sec ISO640*
*I was having issues getting a fast enough shutter speed and narrow aperture so without over pixilating my picture and using a super high ISO (although higher than I wanted), I opted to hold my breath for a bit without kids jumping on me

Then I narrowed my aperture even more to F25 2.5sec ISO 100

I opened up these 6 images in Photoshop and started with the image of me solo as the background. One at a time, I placed one of the other images above my background image, added a mask, and revealed the portion of the picture I wanted to show. Repeated until I used all of the images I wanted.

No clue what I'm saying. Well, I'm not a teacher but this link explains it beautifully.  Totally ironic that she is on the couch as well.


So there you go.  A day that might have not been all to myself ended up being a great spark in a new photo challenge and a fun project to do with my kids.  It was an escape into a creative side I've so desperately needed, and I got to enjoy it all with a hot cup of coffee.

My Gear

CY365 08/365 

I took a "What's in your Bag" approach to today's prompt. Natural lighting wasn't ideal but I did come home from an amazing day to myself. Wanted to be credible for the project so this was a quick shot.

Where I Stand

It was supposed to be a day of celebration.  It was supposed to be a day where I had one on one time with my daughter and actually non guilty time to myself.  It was supposed to be the day my son went back to school.

Unfortunately, his father gave him his unrelenting cough and unfortunately mixed with my son's weak gag reflux, it caused him to vomit multiple times on that very morning.  We know the drill and have sent him to school in the past if there was no fever but 3rd time was the charm and in bed he stayed.

My daughter insisted she should get up before her body felt ready and therefore was insisting she be held.  I found the irony in the situation, grabbed my camera, and was able to get this shot of my son behind the door throwing up, and my daughter clinging to my leg.  Oh the life of a mom.

6/365 Where I Stand

Ensemble x2

CY365 5/365 Ensemble

Best Friends, Star Wars, and Legos. Is there a better ensemble for a 5 year olds day?

Pearls, faux fur, and a paci are the most essential accessories for every 1 year old fashionista

A Reflection of Me

CY365 4/365 A Reflection of Me

I had envisioned this photo differently.  If I had 100% control over my life, I would have taken the a beautiful brushed nickle with hints of gold mirror from our powder room wall, propped it up against one the trees at my favorite photo location, and had my 2 beautiful, perfectly posed children snuggled up against me as I captured the three of us looking in the mirror with beautiful nature surrounding us and the golden hour sun lighting the scene.  

Well, life as we know, isn't like that.  I came home from a great service at church, my son anxious to go to a friends house, and my daughter ready for a nap.  I knew I wouldn't be able to get the image I had in mind so I tried my hand at photographing me solo in front of my mirror.  It was then I noticed my daughter laying in the background where I had the idea to place my son next to her.  Still hoping for their "angelic" forms, it was anything but.  My son struggles to hold my tired/cranky daughter while he is asking over and over if he's done yet.  In the end, I like this image more.  I think it best represents the post I wrote a couple of days ago struggling with the work life balance.  It's not perfect but it works.  I hope to take the image I had in mind in the near future as I think it would be a beautiful image  but for now, I truly believe this is "A Reflection of Me"

Open Possibilities

Where will your life lead you today?

CY365 3/365  Open Possiblities

Good Morning 2015!

CY365 1/365 Good Morning 2015

2015.  A new year, a fresh start, and an opportunity to improve oneself.  

I spent the majority 2014 learning how to juggle a new business with a new baby, support my husband and his business ventures, as well as adapt to the demands of a growing family.  On top of that, I had a calling to serve the Lord in Panama and used my photography as a way to raise money to help send me there.  All of these changes and demands helped me to have a better understanding of myself, the world around me, as well as grow in a relationship with God.

For 2015 my goal is to continue to improve myself.  Just like any working parent, I often have the struggle between committing to much to one thing while the other falls short.  In my life this is my photography and my children.  It's a personal struggle to give equally and effectively to the two.  I'm still learning this trick as I'm sure many can relate.  

There are many times I beat myself up over this.  Why isn't my business growing quicker?  Why are my children always demanding my attention?  How is so and so succeeding at this and I'm struggling?  Maybe if I just commit to once a week, once a month, not at all.  My children need me.  My husband needs me.  My church needs me.  I need time to myself.  

It's exhausting and honestly, at this stage in my life, pointless.  I am fortunate that I have a supportive husband and we have this opportunity for me to stay at home with our children as well as take the time to figure out my career path what ever it may be.  

Jude will be in Kindergarten next year and these years with Emma will go quickly.  I want to be present with them but not lose myself either.  

So, my friends, my resolution if you will, is simple.  I want to be more present and more positive in my life.  I want to cherish the time with my children, enjoy when I have the opportunity to photograph you and your family (as well as some fun creative sessions), and most importantly, not stress when I can't do it all.  

In an effort to help stay in the present with myself, my family, and my photography, I signed up for CaptureYour365.  This is a site that has a topic of the day and you simply take a photo of what it means to you.  I'm using this as a platform to express my creativity, get inspired, share insights with other photographers, and venture outside my box.  

2015 will continue to have it's ups and downs like life always does.  I will learn, grow, create, stumble, get into deep, but hopefully stand back up and keep on going.  I hope you will take the time and join me as I share this year with you.  It should be a wonderful journey.

CY365 2/365 Think Over

A Session built for a Little Man

After a good break from blogging, I'm happy to get back into the "sphere" and introduce to you this super adorable baby boy I got to spend some time with a couple of weeks ago.

Little Man Jake was born over Memorial Day weekend so I got to meet him when he was just over a month old.  He has the most precious expressions and he even came up with his own poses for the pictures.  I let him run the show since he clearly has a knack for modeling.

Mom, Jessica, was super sweet and looks stunning for just having a baby.

She's an A&M alumn so of course we had to incorporate some Aggie paraphernalia into the shots.  I'm big into lifestyle so I don't carry too many props since I like to add more personal touches to my photos.  This cushy pillow pet and of course the ring were perfect additions.

Dad, Erik, could seriously pass for a Val Kilmer double (pre weight gaining days of course) and was very attentive to his families' needs.  While prepping for another shot, Dad was soothing Little Man and I came back into his nursery to capture this

So sweet!

The red door is from an old barn on a family property and Erik and his friend re-purposed it to create a beautiful rustic pallet wall and closet doors.  Charlotte's Web was a favorite of Jessica's growing up so there is even a spider web with the phrase, Little Man, written in it.

Both Mom & Dad are from the country so while they settled on living in the 'burbs to be closer to work, they back up to a gorgeous park so Jake certainly won't be lacking in space to run around and burn off that little boy energy.

Thanks for letting me spend time with you and your beautiful family Erik and Jessica.  Let me know if Jake ever needs head shots for his future modeling career, I would be happy to help ;)

Tending to My Nest III

Little Miss will have been in our lives for 7 months tomorrow.  While it was a tough transition with this precious little stranger, she brings a balance to our family that completes us.  She is by far, the most mellow and inquisitive baby.  She can entertain herself while we go out to eat by studying her surroundings or being mesmerized by whatever item I've given her. When she's bored of that, she's perfectly content just sitting on your lap. She reminds me of Jude when he was a year old and had such a stoic personality, the photographer that inspired me to get back in the game, took note of his disposition on her blog.  It will be fun to see how she evolves over the years.

I took a quick snapshot with my IPhone but I thought this was such a great representation of Little Miss.

Her room seems to compliment her personality.  It's soft, delicate, and cheery.  There are also subtle touches that encourage you to take in your surroundings while not overwhelming you.    

I've added a couple of touches to her nursery, one for practical reasons, the other for aesthetics.  I am currently looking for a jewelry box that I can store her flower head bands that I swore I would never have her wear.  I'll continue to add more elements as she grows and take away some as her hands and feet catch up with her inquisitive mind.

I found these Pottery Barn black out curtains above on a buy/sell/trade site on FB.  While I got them for a quarter of the price, you can find similar ones at Pottery Barn Kids

 

I believe this element was the missing piece to her nursery decor.  I originally envisioned the branches alone framing the crib but adding this custom made mobile from TinyGoldenArrows brought it all together.

For more angles and details about Little Miss' room, read about it here.

If you want more up to date information about Simply E3 Photography & Design, "like" my FB page.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Pregnancy and having an infant has been a major damper on any culinary creativity in the Ellenbecker household.  Our foodie mentality has been subjected to eat to live vs. our normal live to eat.  I have also reverted to Beau being the primary cook after years of finally finding my place in the kitchen.  

Last night, however, I had a creative breakthrough.  A dear friend gave me a Tagine for my birthday back in September which has been sitting cozy in our Costco closet (yes, we have a closet dedicated to the big bulk warehouse).  I had made Moroccan in the past which she remembered.  In fact, Moroccan Chicken was my first signature dish that I doctored up from a Betty Crocker cookbook I received from my wedding.  The majority of the time, it was delicious and I proudly served it to my in-laws at one point, but unfortunately on that particular occasion it fell into the dry but edible category that sometimes occurred.  Did I mention this was my first time cooking for them?

Problem solved with this odd looking vessel.  In all honestly, the Tagine looked intimidating and time consuming.  I felt that I needed a special occasion to break it out.  With chicken thawed in the fridge and minimal ingredients at hand, I decided that an ordinary Tuesday was the perfect time to experiment.  

I was given a cookbook along with my gift that had a few recipes but none were quite what I was looking for.  Internet land gave some inspiration but in the end I created my own version.  The fusion of flavors was a symphony in my mouth.  Spicy, bright, savory, and sweet all worked in harmony.  The chicken was flavorful and so moist it fell off the bone.   My husband upgraded my title from cook to chef.  The best compliment I could ever receive.  

The best part is, this is one of the easiest dishes to put together but will impress your guests.   You can also let it just sit while you socialize which is important for me because I am a nervous cook and hate an audience. I was able to put it together and let it sit while I strapped Little Miss in my ring sling, grabbed a glass of wine, and met my husband and son outside and chatted with the neighbors for a bit.  The perfect way to cook in my book.

Make it for your next dinner or party or when you are in a cooking rut.  It's simply amazing!

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Olive Oil

Butter

2 lbs Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks (6-8 pieces)

salt and pepper

1 yellow onion diced

Tbsp minced garlic

1 1/2 inch ginger peeled and diced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp cayanne

2 2 inch cinamon sticks

14oz can of diced tomatoes with juices

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp honey

juice from 1/2 lemon

3/4 cup dried apricots

Small bunch of cilantro

Couscous

Heat oil and butter in bottom of Tagine or Dutch Oven, season chicken with salt and pepper and brown chicken in batches to prevent overcrowding for about 5-8 minutes turning once.  Transfer to clean plate.

Heat tsp of olive oil, saute onions, garlic and ginger until onions soften.  Add in spices, cinnamon sticks, and cook until aromatic.  Add in tomatoes, chicken stock, honey, lemon and apricots.  Nestle in chicken. Bring liquid to a boil then reduce heat.  Cover and cook for 50-60 minutes.  Serve over couscous and garnish with cilantro.  Enjoy!

Tending to My Nest II

I'm officially 38 weeks pregnant with my second child.  My little girl can arrive any moment and my OCD tendencies in addition to my "nesting" has been in full swing for the last year (my nesting began before I actually conceived).  My bags are packed (with a list of things to be added), newborn clothing and necessities are cleaned and sanitized (I hope), the house is tidy (for the most part), laundry is being kept up with (unless you count that basket that needs to be folded), and my physical and emotional state is ready to welcome my daughter in the world (bringing her home into our lives is a different story).

How prepared can you really be?  I remember this point of my pregnancy with Jude.  The normal new parental anxieties were settling in although slightly enhanced by the mere fact that I was less than a month settled into a new country. Thousands of miles and a great big ocean separated me from the familiar comforts of friends and family and a 24 hour Target down the street.  While I had my bags packed, food prepped in the freezer, every gadget I thought I needed, I went into labor with more knowledge of the stages of pregnancy than newborn care and just my husband to rely on through the first few months of life with a tiny human.  I survived, barely, but I survived.

It took time but I learned a few tricks of the trade to care for a child.  I made life time friends with some women and families on our base, started my walk with God, and learned to navigate the German economy while also realizing the simplicity of life (aka, not needing every infant accessory on the market).

Today I have a healthy and thriving almost 4 year old little boy who despite my inexperience of parental knowledge is managing okay with life (unless he doesn't get his way of course).  I've been settled in Texas for almost a year, have abundance of friends and family in the area (and a short plane ride away), a great spiritual family, and more big box stores in a 10mi radius than one knows what to do with.   Despite those conveniences, I've learned the anxieties of motherhood don't go away, they just transform.

It will take time, a few stumbles, many tears, an abundance of prayers, and constant reminders but I will learn to balance a life between two children, a husband, friends, and myself.   I will learn to cope with sleepless nights and having to be alert for an active preschooler.  I will understand that I don't have all of the answers, just the best intentions of raising my children.  I will accept that my house doesn't need to be perfect, just functional.  I will have better excuses for being at least 10 minutes late to everything despite my best effort.  I will realize yet again the important things in life, how to be content in the present, and to live more simply.

Just like everything else in this season of my life, I have Emma's room "mostly" prepared.  I'm still waiting on a beautiful hand crafted bird mobile from Etsy my friend ordered for me and a few family photos that will give life to this space.  More importantly though, I'm waiting on the little girl that will transform our family of 3 into a family of 4 and all of the blessings and challenges to go with it.

Shopping List

Wall Color: Behr Valley Mist mixed with Celtic Gray

Mural: Veteran Creations

Crib Sheets: Babies R US Knit Crib Sheet - Pink

Framed Bird Art: Nature's Heavenly Art

Birdcage: Hobby Lobby (originally watermelon pink)

Silver bird figurines: ELLE Home Decor at Kohl's

Owl Piggy Bank: Target

Picture Frame: Homegoods

White bird figurines: Hobby Lobby

Mirror: Home Depot

Bookshelf: Ikea Expedite

Lamp: Pier 1 (similar)

Lamp Shade: Target (similar)

Glider: Dutailier (similar)

Changing Pad Cover: Carters Super Soft Dot in Pink

Vase with Flowers: Hobby Lobby

Tending To My Nest

Casa Ellenbecker has many of projects under way as home-ownership is never fully done.  The one and only room that has barely been touched since my husband carried me over the threshold of our new abode has been the baby's nursery.  It has made a nice storage room for baby paraphernalia and a perfect place for our friend's son to stay while they were getting settled into their new house.  As I'm approaching 30 weeks, nesting is starting to kick in and the back burner room is almost ready to be worked on.  After a few other touch ups first.

So that I don't have to redo this room per my current trend, I'm am going anally overboard with my color samples.  Amazing how such similar colors can have such subtle yet defining differences.


Here basis of the vision although the actual color will be more of a light aqua and I will replace the yellow for blush pink accents

Kerianne Brown Photography 

A tree mural similar to this decal will adorn her crib wall

Here is the first step of the process

10am lighting 3rd one wins.  Mix of Valley Mist and Celtic Gray.

Now to sit back, watch the paint dry and the lighting to change while I visualize rocking my baby girl in modern yet serene escape.