Welcome Back Baby Everlyn

I absolutely love it when I get to photograph second, third, fourth, and even 5th babies in a family! I finished Everlyn's big brother's Baby Steps plan earlier this year. Each session was a joy as I played with Luis and visited with his parents. They are such a precious little family.

 Tuesday, I got a call that Miss Everlyn had arrived the day before and was ready to come meet me. On Thursday, at 4 days old, she made her modeling debut - and she was perfect!

Every baby that goes through the Baby Steps Plan paves the way for all of their younger brothers and sisters to get a free Baby  Steps Plan with my Welcome Back Baby policy

Continuing Education

I have always believed that continuing education is vital to the long-term success of any business. I certainly would not be here eighteen years later after receiving my first camera and photography lessons from my husband, if were not for the classes, seminars, conventions, and competitions offered by Arkansas Professional Photographers Association. 

Tomorrow, I will get to model, along with my dog Zeba for the super talented photographer Jen Hargrove from La Barge Wyoming.  Jen's program "Sit Stay Smile" will be focused on pet photography.  Zeba is super excited since she is pretty much a professional pet model anyway. I, on the other hand, am a little nervous to be in front of the camera instead of behind it!

I will post photos from our session in a later post!

Zeba the Super Model in her younger days!

Apple Day

October 21st is APPLE DAY

 Apple Day is an annual celebration of apples and orchards, held in October. It is celebrated mainly in the United Kingdom. It traditionally falls on October 21, the date of the first such event in 1990, but events are held throughout the month.^[1] It is commonly a weekend event, usually taking place on the Saturday and Sunday closest to 30 October.^{[citation needed]}

Apple Day events can be large or small, from apple games in a garden to large village fairs with cookery demonstrations, games, apple identification, juice and cider, gardening advice, and the sale of many hundreds of apple varieties.

Nap time

History of Napping Day 

Napping Day’s history is simply the history of napping, and it used to be something we all did in the middle of the afternoon. In fact, the siesta is still a time-honored tradition in Spain that happens right after the afternoon meal, and has been a practice since time out of mind. In fact, if you’re in the Mediterranean, it’s pretty much standard everywhere you go. In Italy they call it the riposo, pisolini, and even old Charlamagne (yes that Charlamagne) has been recorded as having taken 2-3 hour naps in the middle of the afternoon. source - http://ow.ly/guVi307azJY

Skirt day??

A bit of history on the skirt, it’s far older than you might imagine! The oldest known skirt was woven from straw, and was discovered in Armenia, and was known to have been worn by men and women alike. This was just the beginning of a long and storied history of a garment to shock and amaze people throughout the world. 

So what’s a skirt you ask? Why, it’s a garment that hangs from the waist down, and can most often be identified by the fashionably challenged as “That bit of cloth what hangs from the waist down on a dress, if there were no ‘top-part’ to the dress.” source - http://ow.ly/eJEa307azeE

Tell A Fairy Tale Day

Gather round the fire, and make yourselves comfortable…According to Days of the Year website....

 Tell A Fairy Tale Day is all about exploring myths and stories, old and new. From grim(m) tales to urban legends, tap the dark corners of your subconscious and see what you find…http://ow.ly/CqhA307

Feeling GROUCHY??????

Have you done a grouch a favor today? According to the Days of the Year website, find a grouch!

If not then it’s likely that no one told you it was Do a Grouch a Favor Day, as doing a grouch a favor is what the day is all about. We all know a grouch at some point in our lives, and it is very likely that we’ve had phases of being grouchy ourselves. Sometimes another person doing us a favor is the last time, but other days a favor from someone, be they a close friend or a random stranger, is exactly what we need to break us out of our slump.

http://ow.ly/NIb2307ahGl

Ballet Day

History of Ballet Day

 Ballet found its origins during the Renaissance throughout Italy and France, though it had yet to evolve into the form we know it today. There were no tutus, no ballet slippers, and the iconic pointe work of ballet were all things to come in the future. It found its roots in court dances, and thus incorporated the proper dance dress of women at the time, formal gowns that descended to the ankle. Unlike modern performances, the audience would join the dance as it came to a close.http://ow.ly/sjff307agtv

National Dress Up Your Pet Day

January 14 - Dress Up Your Pet Day 
http://ow.ly/wTSM307adBV
According to the Days of the Year  website Dress Up Your Pet Day is an opportunity to wow the neighbors, and to unleash the inner diva of your favorite pooch or Persian… 

Why not go the extra mile, and get the little guy or gal something to match your finest glad rags – that way you can both dress to impress and really set some trends!

Free Newborn sessions in January

I am SO EXCITED about 2017 and the babies to come. I have so many new Baby props and backgrounds, wraps, blankets, and just plain CUTE things that I have never used before! SOOOOO, for any newborn under 2 weeks born in January - I want to give them a free session and a small package. I need to play!

2016 in REVIEW

The past year has been in pretty exciting for our family and Hardgrave Photography.
The year started in Guatemala spending time with wonderful kids, celebrating the New Year and my birthday.  January was blessed with visiting universities with friends from Guatemala - and that led to information...  Angels were photographed in the studio and new babies too.
February started the hope and process of Jazmín coming to live with us and going to school at Arkansas Tech.  I also got to dress up and play fairies with beautiful little girls during the Enchanted Fairy sessions.
March was exciting as Jazmín got her passport - one more step toward making a dream a reality. The fire engine and kids turnouts was brought out of storage for Lil Firefighters.
April started out with an awesome education opportunity in Dallas at the Southwest Professional Photographers convention. It ended perfectly with the graduation of my oldest - Natalia from University of Central Arkansas.
May brought so many blessings! Jazmín was granted her student Visa to come to the US, and I spent Mother's Day in Puebla Mexico with Natalia.
June started off Senior season with the Beautiful Madison Rule. It was also  my pleasure to offer Father's Day  mini sessions for free. Everyone should have a great photo with their dad! Natalia moved to Fayetteville.
July was incredibly busy preparing for the Arkansas Professional Photographers educational event. This was my  year to be in charge. I was also voted in as the President of the organization. The day after the event, I was on a plane to Guatemala to pick up my daughter  - Jazmín - FINALLY.
August was busy preparing Jazmín for classes. She had to get new vaccinations. We had to find an orthodontist. Natalia started a dental assistant program in NWAR. I started teaching Beginner Spanish at FUMC Dardanelle.
September we celebrated both girls' birthday. Jazmín started learning to drive. There were lots of babies to photograph.
October was fun with spending time with our international students from University of Ozarks - David and Mandy.  Halloween night we did our annual free photos at the studio for all the kids. Over 100 kids come to have photos taken and $60 was raised for buying books for the library at Shadow of His Wings, in Guatemala.
November was really busy with all kinds of outdoor sessions. The colors were late this year - but perfect for November photos. Thanksgiving was special as I baked bread with my Grandma's recipe with both of my daughters. Santa came to see us too!
December 1 brought fantastic news - Natalia was accepted to Dental School in Memphis!!! We are beyond proud and thrilled. Also, December always starts out with photos at Needy Paws Animal Shelter. The fundraiser we have done for the past 20 years. Snow days photos were precious!  And Christmas is wonderful with all my family in one place.
Happy New Year - I wish you love and comfort.
GOD BLESS

Christmas Gift Certificates

Looking for Last Minute Gift?

Don't have time to go out and shop?

Hardgrave Photography has you covered.

Rylee's Newborn session

It is such an honor to get to photograph another baby in this family. First her momma's senior photos, then cousins, now Rylee.

Lily Pad?

Oh how I love the Enchanted  Fairies set in February! I love it so much that I have my own fairy costume. But I do like to share so when Lily's mommy teased that she was jealous that I had a fairy costume and I didn't, I had to take it off and make  her put it on. All with the encouragement of Lily!  We had a great time, and Lily loved flying like a fairy and kissing  her frog.

Kyra - 4 months

 Kyra is in the "Baby Steps" program at Hardgrave Photography.

 Her 4 month session was so easy, I almost felt guilty for not taking more photos. She just was in the best mood and very willing to pose, laugh, smile, and talk with me.

 That is why I like to photograph 4 months instead of 3 months. That one month gives them strength to hold up their heads and body on their tummies. They also begin focusing farther away.

 I feel so lucky to be able to photography this sweet baby and work with her sweet parents for 3 more baby sessions.

Kara the Fairy

This little fairy is so very special to me. She started out in the Baby Steps program almost 5 years ago. I have seen her go through physical therapy, surgeries, pain, and still always has a happy face. Not to mention she gives the best hugs. She has over come so many things that they thought she might not be able to do.
 I love visiting with her sweet momma. We could sit and talk way longer than it takes to take photos or order photos. This is a special family, and she makes a perfect fairy.

Daisy Dog

Daisy lived at Needy Paws Animal Shelter. Luckily, through the efforts of staff and volunteers, she has gone to a lucky family that can love  her for years and  years to come.
For years, I was on the board of a humane society. Talk about hard work, emotions, and rewards - that was it.  There are always more dogs that need a home than there are homes available. Needy Paws has made such great strides in adoptions since I left the board. But the need to spread the word to consider adopting from a shelter, spaying an neutering your pet, look for housing that is pet friendly, don't get a pet unless you have a place for it and time to care for it.  All these things will help reduce the amount of pets that are abandoned in the streets and at the shelter.

Shannon and Robby

 It was time for this family to finally add a human child to the pack.

 For the last few years, they have brought their family of dogs to Needy Paws Animal Shelter for the annual fundraiser. But for the human baby, they are ready for the Baby Steps program.

 And of course, Shannon has the perfect little baby bump. That baby bump has accompanied her through several marathons since she became pregnant - she had one after her maternity session.

 I think one of the baby sessions will need to include the running stroller already in place.