SPANKING new blog! woot!

hey everyone!  it's official, the new blog was launched just before midnight.  Yeah, I know go figure.  Hey mom if you had made a bet you would have won some $$!  My excuse is that Brandon and I decided we needed some actual professional pictures of us so we ran off for a fun portrait session.  Then I just had to go through them and pick out some good ones and post on the new blog and website.... anyway...

from now on all future blog posts will take place here

http://www.bellapopblog.com/

I will keep this blog for those warm fuzzy feelings.  :)

New Blog

Just a quick post to let everyone know that our new blog will be launched tomorrow.  Yay!

I'm so excited to share Becky's bridals on the new blog.  I've been busy working on new blog design, and website layout.  The boudoir photography is now up and running.  

I'm going to move some of the boudoir images on our new blog.  I'm looking into creating a slideshow that will be accessible by password (for girls only of course!)  For ladies interested in boudoir, send me an email at brandy@bellapop.com to view a private gallery from a recent session.  

Thanks!

Stice Family = lots of fun

A few weeks ago we shot couple / family portraits of the Stice Family. Paige turned sweet 16 (and has a very sweeeeet car to go along with it) and she was just beside herself for some Bella Pop portraits of her and her boyfriend Jacob. So we met up in Weatherford for some fun picture taking with Paige, Jacob and Regan (sister of course!) and mom Shauna. 

When I spoke with Shauna on the phone and she said "we know you can take a picture of a stop sign and it'll be awesome" I knew we were in for a super fabulous time. Thanks so much everyone for spending the afternoon with us (and friend Jackie for coming along) we had the a blast and can't wait for your next family photo shoot and to design your album! :)

The buggies.  Oh how we cracked up with the buggies.  Standing in the buggies.  Racing the buggies.  And yes, I say buggy cause I'm from Texas. :)

Paige + Jacob = love!

Regan and Shauna getting jiggy with it.

Gorgeous eyes!

Again, can we say gorgeous eyes?

Tiffany + Davis = love

Yay! A blog post :) finally... right?
Yeah I know, I've been quite the bad blogger this week. Not only did I blog about how we (mostly I) had plans to get a T@B but then wasn't sure and changed my mind then deleted the post, LOL yes laugh at me. That mixed with a busy week of album orders and DVD processing and just a TOUCH of crazy turned me into the bad blogger girl. Oh well at least it was worth the wait. Here are some of our favorite images from Tiffany and Davis' portrait session. These two newlyweds are super cute and we just love spending time with them. Thanks so much you two - your pictures are f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s!!

Enjoy!

Warning: Giant Lizard Ahead

oh yeah. nothing like big fake dinos, two crazy photogs and a warm spring day.
seriously thinking I should start taking my Mr. Potato head around town for random photos.
I bet *that* would get some looks. I can hear Mylynka and Becky chanting it now... Po-ta-to Head! Po-ta-to Head!

The Baker Hotel = adventure

Ever since Brandon became a photog and started shooting with me, he always said "I wanna go shoot the Baker." Baker this and Baker that. I'm all, yeah yeah yeah one day when we get a chance. If you're not familiar with the old Baker Hotel, well feast your eyes on this amazing beauty. If you happen to be toodleing along in Mineral Wells and you've never been there before - all the sudden you'll see this fabulous building just sticking out of the skyline of this itty bitty and (sadly) kinda empty town.

Ok, it's not EMPTY - my mom's absolute favorite scrapbook store, Cat's Creations Scrapbooks, is there. They have some resturants and that's where my dad has his airplanes. But really there are so many old houses built in the day of the Baker - and other stores that are just empty. You see, Mineral Wells apparently has this special water. The water has healing properties. People flocked to Mineral Wells as a vacation spot. The Baker Hotel was the most luxurious hotel for the rich and famous. Yes, the rich and famous of the day came to Mineral Wells! Well anyway, this is the story on the baker. If you want to know more just do a search. You'll find oodles of stuff.

So during our vacation we hopped in the van with my mom and jetted off to the Baker for a fun photo shoot. The current owner has it up for sale and won't do anything with it (or can't) and vandals really went to town so the city has really boarded it up. We didn't attempt to crawl inside, as my mom was already fit to be tied that we walked on the property (thanks to a giant whole in the fence) and scoured around the pool. Brandon was the first to break the law. He took off (how can we stop him?) and jumped down in the pool. LOL while my mom frets I'm all, "I'm following him!" to which I say, "hey mom, live it up." and sooner or later, she's there too. :)

We were the only people there at first. By the time we were done taking hoards of photos - other travelers had shown up (no not the gypsy kind) they were checking out the place, snapping shots, and just standing in awe. Because really, if you take the time to drive out to a sleepy little town and you actually pull over and stop and get out... you'll find yourself standing in front of this building in awe. It's amazing. Enjoy these images!


Brandon kicks it old school for this shot (and I gave it some love in B&W)

I just love Brandon's perspective - it blends with mine like macaroni and cheese. (above)

Brandon does it again... (above)

we had no idea what this tops gym thing was, but thought is was funnnny

ok, I lied.  my head did a little trespassing

and this is what my head saw!

the co-co cabana by the pool

I *think* this may have been the presidential suite. 

Le' Brandon

El Minion  - same guy :)

El Minion strikes again

Spring Flowers

Woo hoo!!! Blog post!!!

Ok, now that everyone has that out of their system.  :)  So our first ever staycation was a success.  I will admit, I had to do a teensy amount of work.  It was the minion's fault though!  No really, since we would be at the bridal show this Sunday Brandon mentioned we should order a few new prints of our recent bridals - which I was thinking myself.  So maybe an hour in the evening I picked out two of Kallie's prints for the show.  

Then on the last day or two before staycay was over I answered a few teensy emails about weddings but really though, we didn't answer the phone.  We never checked messages, we ate and slept and did random things.  I feel soooooooo much better!  I can't believe how overworked I had become.  From now on we are taking our weekly two days off in a row.  The dedicated days will be Monday and Tuesday.   So I won't be booking any more portraits for Monday and Tuesday.

 Woo hoo!!! Time for some fantabulous images of tulips from the Dallas Arboretum! We took these pictures after Kathryn's bridal session before staycay - I'm gonna have to get my buns up to my Grandma's pronto and show her these.  If you don't remember, she's 90+ and in the home and nothing makes her perk up more than to see me bop in the door with my laptop in tow.  My grandma loves gardening and she grew plants and flowers all the time.  She enjoys the slideshows I show her, but she really seems to dig the ones with flowers.  

p.s  I've never been a big flower girl - but I've decided I love tulips. 

in fact, it's safe to say the tulip is my favorite flower.  that an orchids.  :)