CONTEST!!! | enter to WIN here

Anybody looking for the perfect present this holiday season? Well, how about a free photo session? That's right, a photo session of your choice AND all the digital negatives.

 EE photography and the amazing Meredith from Sweet T Family are co-hosting a FREE session contest! 

To enter, just leave a comment on this post, or on Meredith's post, or shoot us an email at: erinelenaphoto@gmail.com or thetichenorfamily@gmail.com. 

Things to consider:

1. Make sure to leave your name and a way to get in touch (email preferred). 

2. Since these will be judged by originality, make sure your idea hasn't already been tried out! So look through my blog to make sure your idea is one-of-a-kind. 

3. Examples of what we are looking for. An idea of a creative "session theme" would be a tea party in the woods for a little girl's shoot or going to an amusement park for an engagement shoot. Some of my favorite props have been, silly string, umbrellas, or whenever it gets warmer I want everyone to run through yard sprinklers!! 

4. Since I am located in the DFW area, the session would need to take place in Texas. Or if you live some place where I will be traveling within the next year, I would be happy to work your session in! So check out my calendar on my website to see if I'll be in your area! You might be surprised, I have a few weddings/vacations away from home and may be near you (Northern California, North Carolina, New York, Mexico, Perth (!), etc).

4. Meredith from Sweet T Family and I are going to pick our top 5 favorite ideas and then YOU, your friends and family will vote for the winner! 

Good luck! 

peach cobbler | personal

Before you read this, please understand I do not bake. Actually, it's usually dangerous whenever I do, mainly because I do not read directions (on anything). And with baking....that's a HUGE problem. 

Last night, because of the cold damp weather, I really wanted my granny's peach cobbler. YUM. Since most cooking enthusiasts make it with their eyes closed, I thought I could make it with my eyes wide open.

We hopped in the car, went to our new local grocery store, and within an hour of this idea I was baking. Apron and all. :)

The recipe, from start to finish (washing dishes included) should take roughly 35 minutes. For a challenged baker such as myself, it took about 2.5 hours to finally master the cobbler. 

After the first mistake, I had to call my granny. We talked through the recipe twice, and I learned the difference between tbs and tsp...HUGE difference apparently :D. 

I won't bore you with many more details, but you do need to know I made the first batch with 3/4 cups of margarine instead of 3/4 of a stick... Second mistake is that I made the cobbler with 1/4 tbs baking powder instead of 1 tsp...this mistake was still edible though...haha

Enjoy the photos. And if you want to try this simple (and DELICIOUS) recipe, it's included down below.

Below: Top photo, this is my happy smile before I realized too much margarine!!  

Below: The second series of photos are the obvious lack of baking powder! Kinda flat, tasted more like chewy sugar peach candy. 

Above: The final finished delicious product!!! YAYYYYYYYY. 

I don't like sweet things really, but I do love this because it's mostly crust and dough and hardly any of that peachy goo. :)

Granny's Quick Cobbler:

3/4 stick of margarine
1 C sugar
2/3 C flour
1 can peaches (heavy syrup) 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 C milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Melt 3/4 of a stick of margarine into a 9x9in or 10x10in baking dish, and set aside.
2. Set oven to 350 degrees.  
3. In a separate container, mix everything else, except the peaches, until well mixed.
4. Pour batter into cooled margarine. 
5. Pour/place peaches into batter and margarine mixture. Then pour on top about 1/2 of
the syrup from the peach can. 
6. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon over top of dish.
7. Cook uncovered at 350 until crust is brown. (about 20 minutes)  

And enjoy! Brad ate the whole thing already :). Make sure to combine it with vanilla ice cream! Makes all the difference. Hot, cold, warm, soft textures!

AND AND AND.... I'm about to post a free session give away! It's coming up next.... :D.
So if you want to enter to win, more details to come!  

we've moved! | personal

So after a week and a half of being completely out of touch (no internet, no home), working our booties off by packing and unpacking, we are settled and comfy :). 

Last Wednesday was D-day for moving. First off, it was 36 degrees and snowing...in Abilene and Ft Worth! Thank goodness for covered trailers!

A week later, here are the photos from the process :D. 

I took the finished product photos a little late in the day, so I'll take some more tomorrow morning whenever the room is brighter :D. Isn't it just so happy?? We can't paint, so I'm doing the best I can :). Above were the before and after of the living room. And heck yes, did you spy my vintage birdcage?? 

Oh, and if anyone has ideas for working with a TV space that is too small for your TV, please let me know! I thought about hanging fabric, or a large mirror (but then it would reflect the back of the TV :/). So....fake plants?? Ohhh bother. HELP! Shannon?? ;)

And above is my OFFICE!!!! YAYYYYYYYY

That feels just great to say, much less fully enjoy. I'm still not sold on the floor layout, maybe going to move the desk to the center in front of the window... oh the options :D

So much fun to do arts and crafts stuff!! I have an entire closet dedicated to all that entails :-)

An enormous thanks to my parents for coming up and moving us. THANK YOU!! We love you so much :).

Hope you like what the finished product looks like! 

just something i made | inspiration

Wow. 

I'm on a roll this morning! I couldn't sleep and started to brouse... First, why I can't sleep. My loving and sweet puppy is a COMPLETE bed hog! His once small presence of 12 pounds has now grown to a more substantial 27 pounds. And whenever he stretches out, Brad won't be moved but I am! Soon, I find myself on the edge, no covers and my pillow is now being utilized by Winston. That's right, his head is in the center of my pillow, the covers are wrapped around him, and I'm left without anything. It's really hilarious to witness....and on the bright side of my lack of zzz's I found a new favorite inspiration-arts-and-crafts blog. 

Everyone, meet: Just Something I made. 

I found her blog through another one of my favorites, Hip Hostess, but back to Cathy's Just Something I Made. 

Judging by my last post, you can see I'm on a mission to do Christmas creatively and cost efficiently. So whenever I saw this awesome homemade peanut stamp...who can resist?!

Here are some of her pics:

Another bit of amazingness.....

I had the brainstorm idea of creating some ceramic plates with Brad's, Winston's, and my own silhouette for our wall decor. Hilarious right?? Well, whenever I saw her simple plate DIY I freaked. Here's how to make it happen. 

You have to purchase a special pen ($6.00), a plate (I want to get vintage floral patterned one!) and then your own oven! The final step is you let it dry for a day, and then bake it in your oven. Seems too good to be true, right? I cannot wait to experiment....More photos of that to come. You can count on it :D 

gifts | personal

The Christmas holiday season has officially started!! I don't know what has come over me, but I'm THRILLED. I've been on Etsy, fabric stores, wedding blogs, not really buying a lot of things...but more getting ideas of what I want to make!! 

Right after I say I didn't too many things, correction. I have bought things. Plural...but it's in preparation of what I'm going to make for others (and for my new place!!). First off, I found the most fantastic fabric store online. The Fabric Bar. Check it out, please, please. If you like anthropologie, vintage, textiles, oh sweetness, you will not be disappointed. Here are some of the beautiful textiles that should arrive soon at my front step. Immediately following their arrival, I will (wince) recover my dinning room chairs. Done and done. 

As for ideas to do for others...not to be a total spoiler, I'll just post photos of the materials....then once the presents are delivered I'll post photos of the final products!

A few words for hints :D (I'm the world's worst present secret keeper. My husband and family never ask anymore what they are getting or else I give it right there!!) See here I go again...haha

Coptic binding
Happy stomach
Beautiful fabric
Clever design 

The alphabet...well that's just something I like....hehe. 

All of these items are from various stores on Etsy! And if you're wondering, what's Etsy?? Stop everything (except breathing, for you will soon hyperventilate once you've realized the joy and delight of this store!) and check it out. Here or here. 

I'll be moving for the next 5 days!!! Then one headshot session, then an engagement session! See how calm things are?? Perfect time to move :)