So here’s the space before, ignore the iphone photos, when I first got there, I realized that I forgot a memory card in my big-girl camera. So iPhone photos it was.

(don’t worry, they cleared all that stuff out for me!)

some in progress, look at that great light coming in…

and you already saw the finals! I had a lot that had to get done from painting, laying the floor and the trim, and then there was everything else that just took forever! But I’m so happy it’s done! So stop by and see me!! Anyone who stops by gets a small gift!

I’ll be there Tuesday and Thursday from 4-8 and other times by appointment! But those two days are the official days and will be, I’ll announce if that will be extended or not! Or if you just want to stop by and say hi!

I will be there this Saturday from 11-4 as well as another mini opening day, not all the pomp and circumstance but still lots of fun!

And I’m having a studio booking special! Book a wedding and receive a free 8×8 engagement album for sign ins! This is a fun way to use your photos from your engagement session and another thing you don’t have to worry about! That’s a $200 value! It ends April 7th, so get to it!

Hope to see you soon!

Kara
kara@karaschultz.com

I would also like to thank everyone for putting up with the crazy dog!

this is the shooting side, quite boring but it needs to be that way

the meeting side

some of the flowers generously provided by Kristen from Kio Kreations! She did them in my logo colors and I just loved them! They were so unique!

another photo wall of 8×10’s

I do have all my products that I offer there from my new albums and canvases!

I bought a cookie, but forgot a knife, I’m not even 1/4 of the way through it, who wants some cookie?!

I had water and capri sun for drinks, I was skeptical but the capri sun went over very well, be prepared to drink some if you come to visit! I have leftovers!

the shoes I started with….

my adorable flats I ended with…though most of the time, I went barefoot! It’s my place, it’s allowed.

the boys and the dog decided to take a short nap during a lull in action.

the hubs got really comfortable!

and since the hubby took over the couch, Isabelle retreated to the rug.

the toy duck that Isabelle shoved in everyone’s face.

this is what I look like a lot of the time isn’t it?

I was using my super wide 14-24 2.8 so the lens that is huge, really looks that way!

The dog, happy to go home!

I will have winners and a before and after soon!!!

Kara
kara@karaschultz.com

I will say that I’m announcing my April boudoir dates! April 8 will be a night boudoir sessions for the mini sessions that cost $150! April 25th will be the full day marathon! Cynthia Sally will be doing the makeup for both and I know you’re excited!

So if you’re interested in those dates, just let me know! I’ll be running 1-2 dates of boudoir a month and suggest it 1-2 months ahead of time!

Tune in tomorrow for the pictures of the studio!

Kara
kara@karaschultz.com

this one I just love. that’s all I have to say about it.

and can we look at that hair accessory!? Just wonderful

the one on the right just cracks me up!

I suggested this one, I wasn’t sure if it was going to turn out and it did!!

love is….lying in a giant pile of mulch for an engagement shoot

this one is also a favorite! After walking around the entire zoo, we finally got out to where I wanted to go and this foggy chicago skyline just makes me feel wintery!

no words for this one.

This one is a little more dramatic than my usual but I just love it, the lighting turned out perfect, everything is just perfect here!!

I love separating couples and telling them to pose, the guy generally does what Aaron did and just stands there while the girl does something fun, or usually the do the EXACT same thing (which Loretta and Aaron did do in the first frame, haha)

sorry Aaron, this was too funny NOT to post!

I’ve run out of commentary on how much I love these.

I always make winter engagements snowball fight, I think it’s necessary. I really do! Aaron and Loretta were all in and pretty much planned it too. Aaron had one request: snowball exploding on him, and here you go!

whew! That was a long post!! But completely worth it! I’m so excited to start shooting again! I can’t wait for my 2010 weddings and being able to produce amazing photographs!

Kara
kara@karaschultz.com

First, this is how she spent her birthday, hello nylabone #3

She’s such a princess, she uses pillows like humans do.

I’m not sure how this is comfortable…

“can I go back to sleep now mom?”

“seriously, you woke me up AGAIN?”

“aaah stretch!  This sock looks delicious…”

Hi honey, nope, this isn’t your sock that I’m letting her chew on while taking pictures, not your sock at all….

And now it’s cupcake time!  Notice how she perks up when the cupcake gets set down…

“is this mine mom?  I’m just going to sniff it….”  (notice David in the background ignoring this whole situation…lol)

“um yeah, this is mine.”

“this is delicious!”

“I’m just going to take it before they realize what’s going on and take it from me…”

(notice the frosting on the carpet…thanks belley…I seriously can’t wait to get it replaced this May!!)

gotta get all the crumbs!!

“is there any more left on the plate!?”

“thanks mom!!”

Now wasn’t that fun!?  Happy 1 year Isabelley

Kara

kara@karaschultz.com

I promise lots of blogging tomorrow, been busy obviously I have a fun winter engagement session (I love my 2010 clients) and Isabelle eating cake which is pretty entertaining! And no, no pictures until after Sunday!! You better come!! I promise it’ll be worth it! Prove the hubby wrong that I actually have clients as he laughed and thought only our families would come! I know some of you out there are coming but I’m hoping to see a lot of you! Thanks so much for the kind words! Isabelle will be there too with the husband (so you can meet who I throw under the bus a lot. He provides a lot of material for me. Hi honey, love you. I don’t think he actually checks the blog, for good reason too!).

So until tomorrow!! Be there sunday or be square! (yep, I said that and it’s ok for everyone who told me they couldn’t make it you are not square!)

Kara
kara@karaschultz.com

Let’s go over the details again!

Sunday March 7, 2010
12-5pm

Location: 227 S. Third St Suite 205 Geneva IL (I’m by the elevator on the top floor!)

Here’s a nifty map for you so you can see the things around it! There’s lots to do in downtown Geneva and it’s just a fun place to be!

So what are you getting by coming to see my new place?! You know I’m a sucker for a giveaway and here’s just a few: a couple of mounted 11×14’s, set of 3×3 accordion albums, 5×7 accordion album and even a $50 product certificate! (p.s. you can buy product certificates at any time, they make great wedding gifts so that couples can upgrade albums or buy wall prints like canvases!). You’ll also get a thanks-for-stopping-by gift that just came in yesterday! It’s a very useful item and you’ll just love it! And anyone who continues to stop by and visit me gets one too!

So I can’t wait to see you! I’m planning on a silly cake cutting experience and you may even get to meet Isabelle!!

Kara

She loves all things plastic (especially milk cartons), she’s incredibly camera aware and will on occasion be nice and pose for me, she loves food and kongs filled with treats, and squeakers and just walks around squeaking away! She maybe barks once a day if we’re lucky unless my parents are around, then she barks at them! She wiggles her entire butt to wag her tail. She’s destroyed 3 indestructible nylabones and the black kong for “tough chewers” was no match for her teeth!

When we wanted a dog, we knew that we wanted to adopt one, not only because we had no breed restrictions but I was also adopted so it was something more personal to me (and here I start crying…).  My mom joked that we went through a lot of what they went through when they adopted me!  And it was just for a dog!  There are millions of puppies, dogs, kittens and cats of every array in shelters and rescues and every day they’re turning away animals or looking for fosters (we’re waiting to foster until we get Isabelle’s separation anxiety under control).

So I made a slideshow of the snapshots over the past 9 months of her life, enjoy the craziness that is the Belley!  She’s currently enjoying her birthday napping on her favorite couch!  Tomorrow or late tonight I’ll post the birthday celebration!

I also hope you all come to the studio opening on Sunday! Isabelle will be there so you can meet the puppy And because since all our friends and family will be there…..there’s no one to watch her!

Kara
kara@karaschultz.com
3.2

The Engagement Project suggested that I write about something I complain about most to which I said my disaster zone of a house and dirty dishes.  Seriously, these are the things that drive me NUTS.  You know what’s the worst?  Is trying to break my husband of his bachelorness (hi honey, love you) and piling dirty dishes in the sink.  We have one of those giant deep double sinks in the kitchen, one side to wash in, the other to have the dishes drip dry, he likes to pile them in there.  All. the. time.  It’s my biggest pet peeve and I think he gets yelled at for doing that at least once a week!  On the other side, I leave tons of water glasses or coffee mugs out, so we’re kind of equal!  And I know I work from home so my house should be immaculate, guess what, it’s not!  Though I work from home, it’s not like I can not work and just clean all the time nor do I want to.  I do spurts throughout the day, but that’s what you get for waking up at 5:30am every morning.

She then suggested that I write about some of the cute, romantic stuff I see on shoots or the like.  I said that I usually make fun of myself, trip over my own feet (or fall), or throw my husband under the bus, usually it’s a combination of all three.  Don’t worry, I always sacrifice my body for the safety of my camera.  Someone once said how you’re not a great photographer if your camera body is in perfect condition and I wish I could say that people didn’t bump into it, or I hit it against a wall, etc.  I’m pretty sure that I threw my husband under the bus in the last segment so maybe we’ll talk about how clumsy I am.  See, the problem is that I don’t pick up my feet and wear crocs that are non-slip.  And before you crucify me for wearing crocs because I see it coming, I wear the semi-cute not ugly gardening shoes ones!  They’re the only shoes that I can wear 10+ hours carrying 40lbs+ of equipment, running, jumping, squating, and the like with still being able to walk the next day.   These are the ones I wear:

The next suggestion came from my friend Otto and was to blog about my passion for photography, I told him that post would take a year to make and it was in the works anyway, and I don’t feel like being deep today!  Ha!  We’ll do that next week sometime!

I am stressing out about getting my space ready for the big opening on March 7th from 12-5…I suggest you being there to try my dad’s wonderful chocolate chip cookies (no joke, I had these at my wedding!) and some great giveaways like enlargements, accordian albums, portfolios and who knows what else!

Then Anna suggested that I blog her and her parents dog that I took pictures way back in November of!  And there will be more but I pulled 2 for the occasion!

I love this one of Kuba, he was EXHAUSTED after our photo shoot and I love the drool spots on the concrete.

And can you blame Scooby here for scratching?  I love how he looks so into it and like he just got the right spot.  I love labs!

And since this post is random, I just saw a brown blur run across the frozen tundra that is my backyard.  Love you Belley.

Kara

kara@karaschultz.com

Let’s start with the reception.  I love when couples do things that are unique to them!  Like cookies in the shape of their favorite Chicago Blackhawks and table names to follow!  Photo guestbooks filled with their engagement pictures are also high on my list!  A groom’s cake surprise!  Cake stands are also very cool and dramatic!  And anything that shows the personalities of the couple and occasion, for example, Traycie and Jason’s NYE wedding had a themed cake!  What a great idea!  I also love when couples use family photographs of previous weddings, it’s always fun to see!

Special touches are always fun too.  Like having a music themed reception when the husband is a musician!  Putting your names and dates on the bottom of your shoes (I was there also gluing tiny rhinestones on the bottom of my shoes for my “something blue”!), gifts are also fun for each of the couples!  Crazy card boxes that really show your personality and using pinatas (apparently that’s what happens when you leave getting a card box to the groom!) or even an ice cream truck on a hot day!  Visiting your favorite stadium for pictures (or even stopping by your favorite bar!).  Other things that make your wedding day special and personal, like having a brick engraved where you’re getting married, a wine box ceremony, or including your furmonster into the ceremony (this I love and would’ve done!)

I also love funky shoes!  Look at these fabulous ones!  Some shoes even inspired the entire day!  I also love veils with lace, cute flower accessories when the veil comes off that is still there, and birdcage veils are so much fun!

I love when girls have great accessories with their dresses, between sashes and great locations to hang your dress (tip: always keep the room clean where you’re getting ready, it’ll be easier to leave the location since everything will have it’s place and we won’t have to spend time cleaning up!).  Also, I looooooove colored bouqets for the bride.  The color just pops against the white dress and even if it’s just a touch of color with white, that’s really pretty too!

I love when girls wait to get ready when I’m there!  I love that they wait to put on the jewelry until the last minute.  You always get great shots of earrings being put on or a friend, sister or mom helping!

Onto where to get some of these awesome accessories!  I love perusing around White Aisle.  Here’s a few of my personal favorites and the good news is…they’re affordable accessories!!!  (note, images are from white aisle, not me).  I love some crystal and pearl combination’s but that’s my personal style, unfortunately I can’t wear most silver since I’m allergic to nickel, so some of the earrings may not work personally for me but I’d love to wear them!  I love bracelets and dramatic earrings if there’s no necklace.

Etsy is also a wonderful place for handmade items for your wedding day!  So search around!  But if you don’t want to search, the store heknowsmyname is fabulous and affordable too!   (these are their pictures…not mine   And their website is to launch in march at www.heknowsmyname.com)

I just love the flowers in their shop!  AND they do custom orders!

I LOVE these organza flowers!  They’d be lovely for spring, early summer weddings!

Feather fascinators are huge these days and I love those too!  Ah so many great accessories but they all may not work together!  So go ahead and embrace your style and the overall feeling of your wedding!  Don’t be scared to do something a bit different for your ceremony and reception!

Kara