uh apple.

watch me.

5 friday favorites.

good morning!

the past few days i’ve been up and at ‘em super early! but hey, i’m not complaining, it gives me more time to do things in a day.

today’s 5 friday faves are focused again toward the things i’ve come to love as i am starting my business. and speaking of, i am excited to announce that i will be re-branding madisoncary in the very near future! :-)

do you want a small hint? i know you do. okay. it is my preferred condiment choice on a hot dog.

but to be honest, i don’t really eat hot dogs at all. they kinda gross me out. blech. i just wanted to use that as my illustration. okay, now that THAT is cleared up, on to today’s favorites!

1. showit — this website company is THE BEST. when i first won my 1 year subscription to showit, i had no idea what i was getting into. the only thing i was thinking about was “this is awesome, but now i have to figure out this thing.” the people behind this fantastic company are so encouraging, helpful & supportive. even my fellow showiteers are out to help one another as we each build and grow our businesses. and best of all, showit is SUPER easy to navigate. it’s a site made for creatives, so you have to worry about coding on your own. all you have to know is how to basically set up a powerpoint and make it look pretty. :-)

2. pass — this is the sister company to showit. pass is the way i plan on going when i deliver my images to my clients. it is a “in the cloud” type of host that allows you to upload your hi-res images into an event and share them with your clients via facebook or email. with the click of a button your clients can access, download and even directly publish their images to a facebook album. and the best thing of all, the photographer WILL ALWAYS be credited. it automatically goes to facebook with all of your info. pretty cool, huh? no more haggling about those photographer credits! let’s just say i’m pretty pumped, because as a part of my business model, i am going to strive to be mostly if not completely digital & paperless. yes! shoot & share, folks!

3. bird by bird — anne lamott is one of my all time favorite authors. she is a tell-it-how-it-is and a no-sugar-coating-it kinda gal. my first encounter with one of her books was in my spiritual formation class in college. in this particular class, i, along with 10 knowledge-driven students and 1 wise, old professor, spent time reading memoirs, praying, journaling & discussing life together around a small conference table with big, worn-in leather chairs. it is easy to say that this class was probably one of my most favorites ever. anyway,  we read through anne’s rugged & truthful journey of life in her book, “traveling mercies.” go read it. bird by bird is another memoir, however some great advice on writing has been weaved throughout it. i can’t wait to soak up more of her witty humor and helpful tips as i embark on the road to improvement.

4. moleskine — a little cliche, i know. but who doesn’t love a good, plain notebook? and now that they come in all shapes, colors & sizes, there are a spectrum of writing companions to choose from that will happily host your written journey on paper. i use a plain black notebook for journaling, a red planner & kraft-colored pocket-sized books for on the job. genius, pure genius. did you know that moleskines were used by famous creatives such as vincent van gogh, pablo picasso, ernest hemingway and bruce chatwin? maybe that’s why they are so “hip”.

5. la croix — my newest obsession. the pop of club soda meets the flavor of a fruity beverage, without the sugar, calories or sodium. score! every now and then i crave the bubbly-ness of a coke–yes, in texas we refer to EVERY kind of “pop” or “soda” or “soft drink” as a “coke”–and la croix has become my go to choice in order get my fizzy fix. and, if it doesn’t have enough flavor for you, you can always add a little mio and a wedge of lime!

whoomp, there it is.

happy friday folks!

5 friday favorites.

totally random at its best, but here are your 5 friday favorites.

1. law & order svu — zach and i are OBSESSED with this tv show. and i feel kind of awful since the stories are about extremely terrible things, but we have determined it’s the characters and actors that draw us in. zach has admitted to me several times that mariska hargitay is his all time favorite celeb crush. haha. let’s just say she’s a bamf. anyway, you can watch all of the seasons on netflix, but they are always having marathons on USA. and no matter how many times i may have seen an episode, i will always watch it all the way through. good grief.

2. mexican food — i could literally eat mexican food everyday if it didn’t affect my waistline. enchiladas? fajitas? chips and salsa? oh yeah, all are the bane of my existence. and it doesn’t help when you live in a town that has about 90 different mexican restaurants to choose from. but i have learned you can make healthier mexican dishes without loading up on the excessive amounts of cheese. and all that spicy goodness is supposed to be good for your immune system don’t ya know. my dad is a walking testament to this. he is hardly ever sick because he makes things so spicy he sweats. i’d like to think i’ve taken after him in that regard. thanks, pops! did i mention we had mexican food at our wedding reception? yup. thank you gerardo’s!

3. epiphanie bags –  these camera bags are the bomb.com. they amazingly fit a TON of your gear plus your everyday goodies. and some even have space for a laptop or iPad. for all you mommies out there who want to get pics of your kids when you are out & about and they do something super cute in the moment, this is definitely for you. it’s a great way to always have your camera on you without carrying around a bulky, boring, black backpack that makes you look like a turtle or the hunchback of notredame. i unfortunately know this from personal experience. i want one. really bad. hint hint, zach, hint hint. and they come in all different styles and colors. since i’m a cross-body-purse-wearing kind of gal, the one below is my favorite.

4. that thing you do — this movie will probably forever remain one of my all time favorites. i just love everything about it. if you watch this, i guarantee you will be singing the song in your head all day.

5. tuesdays with morrie — as a part of our university, each freshman is required to take a specific entry-level course. there were multiple topics to choose from, but for some reason i think i chose one entitled the american dream. i think it was partly because the only other person i knew at the school had chosen it first. :-) in this class, we read and discussed several books. and in that, i encountered what is now one of my most favorite books: tuesdays with morrie. based on a true story, the book is an account of the interaction between a wise old professor and his former student. when mitch albom found out that his beloved professor was slowly dying, he decided he would visit him each tuesday. unbeknownst to mitch, some extraordinary stories and valuable life lessons would come out of his weekly meetings as he weathered the storm alongside his dear professor. it is definitely a very moving story. i think i need to re-read it soon.

happy friday everyone!

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we are off to austin this morning to celebrate my bff’s sister’s wedding this weekend!

what are your weekend plans?

5 friday favorites.

morning friends!

sorry i’ve been so MIA this week! i’ve been super busy running around getting my ducks in a row in order to official start my photography business! yessss! i’m so excited about this big adventure and what lies ahead!

i’ve also been building my soon-to-be published website via SHOWIT. if you are considering getting a new website, i encourage you to check them out. they are so forward-thinking for photographers and creatives, and the customer service is unbeatable. i’ve only been with SHOWIT it for a week and i feel like i’m already a part of their big family. it’s awesome!

alright, so without further ado, i have some summer themed yet manly 5 friday favorites brought to you by my hus-band.

1. balmorhea state park — the san solomon spring located in the valley of the ft. davis mountains, balmorhea is truly the best kept secret of the west. think of it as a live swimming pool. with the crystal clear waters provided by the natural spring, you can swim alongside the fish, practice your scuba diving skills or conquer your fear of heights on their 15 ft diving board. you can even camp out on location with your own tent or in their little lodges on site. as a side note, one of our hometown friends started a band named after the town. balmorhea is a minimalist instrumental ensemble that incorporates the harmonies of their instruments with the everyday sounds of life. it is the perfect music to have the in background as you study, host dinner parties or soak in the bath tub. (<—that last sentence is my take on it… not zach’s. haha)

2. roundtree & york polo shirts — while we were recently on the hunt for some new work apparel, we discovered the best simple man’s work shirt in the caves of the dillard’s men’s department. these polos are soft, not itchy and very breathable. their straight-tailored ends allow you to wear the shirt casually un-tucked so you can avoid looking like a school-uniform-wearing child who must keep their shirt tucked in 24/7.

3. hastybake grill/smoker — made in USA, the hastybake‘s classic yet innovative design hasn’t changed since the 1950′s. it is extremely reliable & will withstand the test of time & weather. zach currently uses one that was his best friend’s grandfather’s. you could definitely consider it the best family heirloom that you could ever hand down to guys.

4. summer lawn concerts — for years these have been our go-to for summer entertainment. every sunday evening starting in june, you can make your way over to midland’s museum of the southwest for some local jams. from country to rock n’ roll and everything in between, these concerts are great for family outings. load up your picnic baskets, coolers, lawn chairs and blankets, and make your way over there this summer. but don’t forget the frisbee or a scooter for your kids, because there is a little area just for them to run around and play if they simply can’t sit still as you soak up the music. let’s just say it’s definitely a great way to end a weekend before the start of the long work week ahead!

look at us babies!

5. paletas — when we first discovered las paletas when i was in nashville for school, we couldn’t get enough of it. and after moving back home, we were able to find several local paleterias that were hidden around town! also known as a gourmet mexican popsicle, paletas are refreshing summer treats that are great if you can’t decide between ice cream or a snow cone. with their creamy & fruity flavors, it’s the perfect way to meet in the middle and keep everyone happy. pistachio is the all time favorite in our house. mmmm mmmmmmm!

happy friday!

5 friday favorites.

happy friday y’all!

well, howdy-doody, there’s my texan roots comin’ out. haha. maybe it’s because my weekend plans are filled with stuff inspired by the old west.

today, i have a special senior portrait session out on a family ranch with a true cowboy. it is going to be so much fun!

and then tomorrow the john wayne fest is happening!

let’s just say, i’m pretty excited.

anyway, aside from all this country talk, your 5 friday favorites are completely random and have no relation to the west what-so-ever.

here goes.

1. reeses. — okay, who doesn’t love reeses? need i say more? YUM. so bad for you, but SO GOOD.

2. the folding wayfarer. — while on our trip to vegas, i graduated from the $5 walmart sunglasses to my first pair of ray-bans. i am pretty stoked. i went back & forth between two styles of wayfarers, and finally decided on this one because i normally carry smallish purses and the case it comes with is literally the size of a stack of post-it notes. pretty cool, huh? and i never realized how much better & CLEARER good lenses on sunglasses could be when you choose to invest in a good pair. it was like seeing a whole new world. are you singing that aladdin song in your head? i am. speaking of, take a look at this.

3. boy meets world. — this was my FAVORITE tv show growing up. it’s a bummer we don’t have such wholesome tv shows that teach good lessons anymore. the hus-band and i recently watched all 7 seasons on netflix. i’m amazed that i could quote random parts from episodes i hadn’t seen in years, but apparently i knew them by heart. i think zach was a little annoyed with my impressive obsessive knowledge to the matthews family and friends. however, i do LOVE the wonder years, too. so maybe i just have a thing for those two savage brothers….. maybe? nah…. ;-) anyway, this is probably my favorite scene.

4. creative, inc. — as i am growing & developing my photography, i am hoping that by the fall i will become a complete & official freelance photographer and run my own business! i truly love it. but, i will have to say i worry about having to mind my p’s & q’s with all that legal jargon can be pretty daunting. i want to take all the right legal steps and do everything right the first time so i don’t have to come back and fix things later down the road. it’s super scary to be honest. but i am really excited about what opportunities lie ahead. anyway, to help me on my business quest, i’ve summoned the help of joy cho & meg mateo ilasco in their book creative, inc. it. is. awesome. for any creative person looking to make steps toward building and running a successful freelance business, this book has been super helpful in laying out all the proper steps to make sure you do it right. because let’s face it. us creatives would much rather spend time creating instead of crunching numbers and writing up contracts.

5. fab.com –  meet my new and latest discovery obsession, fab.com. think of it as the design-focused sister to pick your plum who married pinterest, only instead of craft supplies and pin boards, they have fantastic home decor, products, apparel, books, kids stuff, pet stuff, etc. that you can purchase or favorite as inspiration. at fab.com their main focus is on design, so you see great graphics, fashion, packaging, labels, and the like on everything! each day of the week they have a large discounted sale on items in certain categories. and let’s just say they are prices you won’t want to pass up. i’m definitely keeping this treasure in mind for the next gift i purchase!

welp, that’s all folks!

happy friday everyone!