a few pictures

Tyler and I drove out to one of my favorite fields this morning to take some pictures. This came about because of a sponsorship by Stride Rite and Lucky Magazine which I will tell you about later, but even though this was for a work-related reason, I am so glad I have these photos. They are precious to me. Tyler did really well, right? I am holding onto these moments of being with sweet Piper; she and I share such a bond, and Trevor and I will forever cherish the first two and a half years of her life that we spent with just her. Another baby will be here at the end of January, and our life will be forever changed in the best possible way. I am so excited, so eager to meet this new little life, and also sensing that this will be major for our family. 

Pregnancy has brought deep, strong emotions to the surface lately, and I have been feeling weary and out of balance. I have been relatively  secluded for the past few weeks, mainly because of an abundance of work and traveling, and this is beginning to take a toll on me. Because I have been so exhausted, I have had to use all available energy to love on Piper, keep our house running (but barely), and fulfill my commitments for work, and there hasn't been much left over. Anyway, it is just a season, and it will pass. I think it is just good to write this to remind myself that pregnancy is harder than I remember it being. Lots harder. But also so full of joy and anticipation. It's such a time of contrast.

Trevor is coming close to beginning his final year of law school. When I first started writing this blog, he had begun his 1L year. He is going to be such a good attorney. He is so passionate about what he wants to do. I was thinking about doing a little vlog with him, talking with him about his hopes for his work and his heart for people. Let me know if you think that is a good idea. 

I don't have much to pass on today... except for this. I love what she wrote, and her blog is such an encouragement to me. I read that post at exactly the right time. God used it to lift my spirits and remind me that the gospel is real and that He has a plan full of beauty and redemption for our family. 

Love to you readers.

xoxo

baggage

          

Just a quick post to show you the newest bag styles with leather handles. Leather has proven to be a challenging material to work with, but I love the results. These will be in the etsy shop soon, but email me if you are interested in an order before they are posted. I am really excited to share these at Indie Craft Parade this yeas, along with some other shapes coming soon. Be sure to like the Lightnest Collective facebook page to be notified of updates, sales, giveaways, and coming events. Here are a couple bigger images: 

Talk again soon.

xo

Paige

12 weeks, Piper, and the tilt-a-whirl

 Twelve weeks. One more week left in the first trimester. I am hoping for more energy, less nausea and dizziness, and less irritability in the months to come. So are Trevor and Piper :) And probably my clients, as well as basically everyone else who comes into contact with me or depends on me to do something. As you can see in the pictures above, I am beginning to develop a little bit of a bump. I am short- 5'2"- and I start to show pretty quickly. I have seen pictures of these tall, gorgeous women who barely look like they've gained five pounds at the end of their pregnancy (hello Bridget Hunt and my cousin Carla). That is not me. I become heavy with child. I have not yet decided if I will share pictures of myself toward the end. Trevor and I always laugh at pictures of me nearing the end of my pregnancy with Piper; my cheeks got so big, and they basically became one with my neck. I feel beautiful pregnant, though, until it gets to that end point of total awkwardness and waddling.


I forgot how pregnancy (at least for me anyway) brings a strange combination of energy and exhaustion. I have so much creative energy, and so many ideas about changes I want to make to my house (nesting, I know). But getting these things done is much harder. I sold Piper's crib and changing table and bought in their place a lovely Jenny Lind bed, a mid-century credenza that we'll use as a dresser and changing table,  and an Eames knock-off chair. (Is that wrong? I really can't afford an original.) It's white with a wooden base. I love it. This all happened rather impulsively, and while we are in the process of refinishing the dresser and painting her bed, she is sleeping on an air mattress and her room is rather empty. She did super well transitioning to a big girl bed. There are some other things in the works too... I want to do two painting for our living room and one for the nursery. They'll be abstract and mainly just for the purpose of adding color and a sense of movement to the rooms. But really, before I do anything else, I need to get some work done for lightnest, like making our new bag styles :)


I took a couple pf pictures of Piper yesterday. She is in a phase where she is super sweet, but also very prone to tantrums. I guess that is part of being a two-year-old. Even with the meltdowns, she is a wonderful little girl, and I love just being around her. It's so crazy to see her face change and everything get longer as she grows into a little girl.

I wrote in my last post about the book Notes From the Tilt-a-Whirl. Our friend Jeff gave us a copy of the film/bookumentary based on the book. I have been watching it, and plan to reread the book (when I can find it... did I loan it to someone?) I'll share other things as they come to me, but one of the things that I have been thinking about is this truth that God spoke creation into being, and because of that, we are God's story, His poetry, His art. Having this perspective comforts me greatly as I experience conflict and struggle in my life. ND Wilson, the author, comments that as the Creator, God is the master Artist, and we as Christians should therefore be students and appreciators of His art. God, as an artist, allows tension and shading into my life, because He sees the whole work. He has purpose and intent, and all that I experience is part of this narrative, part of this story that He is weaving. Wilson notes that if many of us were at the helm of our own lives, we would remove all the contours and shading, the things that we associate with pain and hardship, and we would be left with nothing but a blank canvas. God is instead taking these shadows and using them to create unspeakable beauty. This shatters any notion of boredom or shallow indifference that I (and I assume others) can drift into. Art is happening all around us, and God is speaking beauty into our lives. I want to be an observer of the Artist. This book is tremendous, and is written to combat the very sense of boredom that I mentioned above. Reading this book, and reading two of the gospels-- John and Matthew-- I have been broken again by God's beauty, who He is and what He has done/is doing, and His beckoning for me to come and know him. You guys, he reached out and touched the leper to make him clean. He raised Lazarus from the dead. He left his Father to walk among us and touch us and die for us. He put up no barriers. There was no sense of 'clean up or show some sign of repentance, and then I'll come.' He came to rescue us and did it in a way that is totally personal, and by knowing Him, because of his love and acceptance, we are changed. He broke into our lives with love. I am totally amazed at his love.


Talk again soon.
xo
Paige

wedding pictures!

Oh hi blog, how are you? I have missed you.

I had the gift of being able to shoot a beautiful wedding. Kyle and Bonne Cecil were married on June 25th at the Oakton House in Marietta, GA.  It was beautiful not only in the simple artfulness of it, but the focus of the wedding was Jesus and the gospel. I had tears in my eyes through the whole ceremony. I am totally floored that they wanted me to be part of it. Bonne, if you read this, thank you so much. You were absolutely stunning.

I don't have time to write much this evening, but I do want to share something that I watched tonight that has been so major for me. Have you read the book Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl? I just want to talk about it a bit in my next post, and to write a little about the short film that corresponds. Next time loves.

xo

Paige