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peachy-keen // almost wordless post

7.30.2012

With this girl, everything is peachy-keen.

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A few notes:

1. I am going on a last-minute camping trip this weekend from thursday to sunday and am in dire need of four guest-posters. If you are interested, please email me at letsblogtogether[at]me[dot]com for info, asap!

2. Because I will be gone when I originally said the kinfolk giveaway would end (thursday, august 2), I am extending the giveaway end-date to monday, august 6. The winner will be contacted within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner must get back to me within one week of being contacted, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

3. I guest-posted over here today!

a kinfolk giveaway!

7.26.2012

Giveaway has ended.

Have I ever told you how blessed I am to have you lovely followers? I know it's not about the numbers, but honestly, I get a little giddy when they rise. I like to think that people enjoy my blog - that I'm not just writing meaningless words into inter-web-outer-space. I truly mean it when I say that I wouldn't be here without out you - y'all are who I write for.

So, because I am ever SO thankful for you folks. And because I just turned sixteen. And because I just got my brand new Canon 60D in the mail yesterday. And because life is just super great right now.

Here is a giveaway. For you.

One lucky winner will receive the newest volume of Kinfolk. If you've never heard of this lovely magazine, go do some research - because you don't want to miss out on this. The giveaway starts today (July 26, 2012) and will continue to August 6, 2012. You can enter in the giveaway widget below - and with each entry, you get a certain number of points. These points will increase your chances of winning. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner must get back to me within one week of being contacted, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

p.s. guest posted over here today!
p.p.s. I got my Canon 60D yesterday - expect a post soon!

the magic of film

7.24.2012

I know it's so cliche, but there really is something magic about film photography. Maybe it's in the anticipation of the first look after development. Or maybe it's the extra amount of thought that goes into every shot, because a roll of film is far less spacious than a 16gb memory card. Maybe the magic lies within the vulnerability of the film itself - a back cover away from exposure to the damaging light. Personally, I love the soft grainy-ness in every photo - it seems to add a certain tangible depth to the shot. And I just can't help but smile when I think that in all this technologically-engrossed society, I've got a piece of history - photography, in it's purest form.

Note: Most of these photos were digitally altered to black and white form because they had an obnoxious blue-overlay. I kid you not, they were BLUE. So, take my word of advice, and don't ever have your film photos developed at CVS. Please. 

sixteen.

7.20.2012


(written yesterday)

I really can't express to you how I feel right now. It's somewhere between happy, overwhelmed, and tremendously thankful. You see, today I turn 16. The big one-six. A birthday the media has created to be materialistic. And big. And, honestly, up until today, that's exactly what I expected it to be. Gifts, facebook messages, birthday letters, more gifts, and more facebook messages - me, me, me! And I guess with a surprise party, and pile of gifts from friends that know me all too well, and all the camera gear I had asked for, I got exactly that. But I realize now that it's not about any of that.



A couple weeks ago, my cousin celebrated her birthday. She was seven going on eight and I thought, 'what better person to give my American Girl Doll to?'. So as I packaged up the doll and every single one of its accessories (read: as my mom packaged up every single one of her accessories), I thought to myself, 'I'll be the star of the show!'. And I was right. As she tore open the wrapping paper to discover what was inside, she screamed with delight and ran off to dress the doll.

Then, a few hours later, her mom (my aunt) came to me and said, "She really loves it, but she wants to give it back. I think she's really overwhelmed." I smiled and assured her it was hers to keep. But I didn't get it. Why would anyone ever want to return so great of a gift - let alone an eight-year-old girl?



Then today, when I opened the envelope to find that the camera was actually on it's way, to me, I finally understood. My cousin didn't want to return the doll because she didn't like it, rather because she felt she didn't deserve it. And that's exactly what I felt, opening that envelope. Why do I, with a roof over my head and food on my plate, deserve a $900 camera? Why do I, with two parents who love me and several amazing friends, deserve a surprise party? Here's the thing:

I don't.



My birthday shouldn't celebrate me. After all, it's not Alexa-day. It should celebrate the life I was given, my birth into this world, and everyone that brought me here. Life is amazing. Without it we'd be lost, and without God. I am so lucky to have the life I have, the family I have, the friends I have, and that is the best gift God could give me. And I can't help but cry out my gratitude to the Lord, every day.

p.s. more on the birthday celebration soon :)

p.s.s. you can expect a birthday giveaway sometime next week!

meet anne

7.17.2012

It's about time I featured this girl on the blog. She visited a few weeks ago and I know she's just been sitting anxiously in front of the computer waiting for this post to go up since then. Well, maybe not quite to that extent. 

We spent the first six years of our life growing up in the small, neighborly city of Boise, Idaho, no more than a few blocks away from each other. And even when I moved, some fifteen hundred miles away, our friendship never died. Letter after letter after letter, we've bonded more than I ever thought possible, and she's become more of a sister than a friend to me. So when she flew in for the week, last month, you can only imagine how psyched I was.

I can't even begin to describe the moments I have with this girl - but I can tell you that with her, I laugh until it hurts. I had the time of my life with Anne and seriously can't wait to see her again. 

Love you Anne!

P.S. I'm working on some design changes around here - they should be ready in August! 

a day at the lake

7.14.2012

I'm trying to treasure every last moment of summer. Every laugh, every smile, every adventure. And I'm trying hard to remember them. (My camera has hardly left my side all season.) I don't want them to blow away, like a bubble in the wind. I want them to linger, for as long as possible, glimmering in the sunlight. A couple days ago, my family visited a nearby lake. My favorite one, actually. It was hot, and windy, and absolutely beautiful. We got wet, blew bubbles, had ice cream, and stuck our heads out of the car windows on the highways like excited dogs. It was pure bliss. I put together a rather enjoyable montage of our day - I hope you enjoy!




comfort of a storm

7.07.2012

It's raining. Thunder rolls in the distance. The air is cool and lightning strikes on the horizon. It's every characteristic of a storm, though it doesn't quite feel like one. Maybe it's the way the birds gossip in the canopy of branches far above me. Or the way the clouds are so lightly grayed that I can almost see the blue sky behind them.


The rain falls harder now. And the thunder grows from a low rumble to a fierce roar. The bird's songs  are muffled, as they hurry to the shelter of a drier place.

Storms have never frightened me. In a way, I have felt almost comforted. Embraced in the certainty of my own safety. And befuddled by the melancholy beauty of the wet terrain.

a day at the orchard

7.04.2012

You know Erin. (If you don't, please, go meet her.) We've had several adventures - wandering downtown, holiday overnights, and more recently, a 30-mile bike ride to the lake. Well, last September, we agreed that autumn wasn't autumn until you went to an orchard of sorts. So we did. And we documented it. And I've finally put together a little montage for you to see. Enjoy!
A Day at the Orchard from Alexa Anne on Vimeo.

P.S. Happy Fourth of July!

it's already july

7.01.2012

It's already july, folks. Where has the time gone? Seriously. Well I thought I'd put together a little desktop calendar for you, so you can keep track of these crazy summer days. Enjoy!