ashley skjaveland | photographer » blog

Thank you darling little man, for a most wonderful evening . ox.

Love Ashley ~

“Go put your pj’s on.”

“Is that what you are wearing to bed?”

“Hold on, let me get my camera.”

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She was having a moment of pure joy standing there in her “pythons” (aka, nylons). She was so proud of herself for being so funny and making Mama laugh. Yes my child, you are hilarious and you make me happy to my toes.

Happy Thursday

Love Ashley ~

“How much do I love you?

I’ll tell you no lie

How deep is the ocean?

How high is the sky? ”

-Billie Holiday

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She Sleeps – Australia Edition

Another installment in the “she sleeps” series. My middle child is somewhat known for falling asleep in odd places. When she was little she would basically drop everything and sleep if she felt inspired to. Well these days she mostly sleeps in her bed, but every so often I will find her sleeping on the couch or on the floor. I still love it. Someday I will make a book, but I think I will wait until I know she has out grown it.

Love Ashley ~

You’re tea parties are much fancier.

You’re accessories are custom made (aka mama made), full of fabulous feathers and as unique as you are.

You play party games and surround yourself in flowers, like an untamed garden.

You laugh, dance and have a beautiful time with the loveliest of guests. You drink sparkling strawberry juice and raspberry herbal tea, eat blackberries covered in white chocolate, strawberries dipped in milk chocolate, grapes, raspberries, almond cookies, pink wafer cookies and pancakes with whipped cream! When you’re six life just becomes a little more fabulous.

My darling is six … not sure how that happened. My girls are turning into the most lovely people every year – every minute. I love them so much my heart could burst. Don’t worry my dears, mama was there too .. smiling behind the camera at my little fairies.

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For anyone curious, decorating was (a bit time consuming but) super easy and I reused things I already had. I made dozens of tissue paper pom poms in different sizes and hung them at varying lengths with fishing line from the roof. For some time – for  no particular reason – I have been saving the large amounts of paper that my canvas supplier packs my canvases with. With this paper I created the wall flowers by borrowing inspiration from Ruche’s Lookbook. I then hung some white flowey fabrics from the roof and used an old lace table cloth  to make the table “tent”. From the lace tent, I strung some daisys one fishing line to dangle above the table.  My daughter’s tea set was made of unique china tea cups I have been collecting from various second hand stores. Some hand picked flowers from the local flowers shop were the beautiful finishing touch! (Lots of Baby’s Breathe and other “filler” flowers combined with a couple choice blooms made for a cost effective table scape – only about $30). Each of our beautiful guests got to take home a little bunch of flowers as a thank-you-for-coming gift as well.

I much prefer parties like this with fruit and pancakes instead of pizza and chips, real flowers instead of rubber balloons. It’s much more organic and lovely, instead of so commercial and plastic. I hope my girls will grow up feeling the same way.

Love Ashley ~

She went to bed the night before just five years old. The next morning I woke to the beauty and wisdom of a newly six year old. She, the one who made me a mommy for the very first time, is so very fancy, curious, creative & kind. She is my heart.

Love Mommy ~

Today I took a moment to capture some of the magic that is currently happening in my little one’s room.  I have been meaning to show the sweet Kristine from Beach Cottage Studio what I have done with our butterflies.  Without getting into too much detail, we experienced a slight set back in the potty department once our third little lady arrived, with our newly middle child.  We needed a reward system for awesome dry nights and I am terribly tired of stickers being stuck to my coffee table (anywhere & everywhere else too).

When we have a dry night now, she gets two new butterflies to hang in her room!  She has a long, white bamboo stick that we hung by clear fishing line (mono filament) on two little hooks, on her wall.  Several strands of fishing line hang down from the bamboo and is the home to a bunch of fluttering butterflies.  I also had a whole bolt of  white tulle in her closet that I thought might be fun to use.  My husband helped me drape and hang from her roof so that she is sort of in her own little tent with butterflies scattered around the room.

I was just in there today enjoying the soft light that was in her room so I wanted to pop in and share.  Hopefully it might also give some inspiration to anyone also dealing with potty issues and are tired of stickers!  lol! 

They are growing and learning so much.  It’s amazing to watch the big kids they are becoming and to remember the little toddlers they were.

The morning of our session, the world looked incredible.  Don’t tell my husband, but I pulled my camera out of my bag and took a one-handed photograph as I drove to the studio.  There was this haze in the fields and everything was a magical cool winter color.  The most incredible part of it all was that there was such a thick frost on the trees.  It was a wonder they didn’t fall right over from the weight.  My one-handed photograph doesn’t do the scene justice at all, but it helps bring me back to that place.

Have a most lovely Monday, Friends!

Love Ashley ~

Aren’t these sweet little toes above just adorable?!  Just another image I loved from this session.  They were so good to me ♥

I have had some feisty baby girls lately!  A new generation of wild spirits, untamed hearts and strong independent women in the making.  I love that.

Love Ashley ~