The past year is hard to fit into a category, to quantify or to label. It wasn’t crazy-busy or exciting in its entirety. Oftentimes, yes. But other times it was quiet and slow, full of the wonderful but mundane in-betweens that we so carefully avoid on Instagram. (Guilty.) There were moments of energy and intensity, hard work and little sleep, challenge and reward. There were hours upon hours of editing in my fuzzy socks, with quesadillas and podcasts as my daily bread. And there were moments of true and incomparable joy, like when I held my tiny, 6 lb niece for the first time, or when Tyler knelt down on a cold day in June and asked me to be his wife. This year was many things. And I’m glad it was.
High up on my 2014-grateful-list are my clients who trusted me, who were kind and patient, who believe that good art takes time and is always, always worth it. Thank you for not caring if your dresses got dirty. Thank you for exploring new places with me, and for pushing yourselves to new comfort levels. Thank you for making sure that I ate dinner, for group hugs at the 8th hour, and for sharing some of the kindest words I’ve ever heard and read. I couldn’t do this job without you.
Along the way I managed to pick up one (or eleven) new tricks. Sometimes it takes a quarter century before you find true relief from dry lips. (Feel free to skip if you’re not interested in homemade crunch wrap supremes and the like. No offense taken.)
One night, post-wedding, Meghan and I were stranded in a small mountain town in the snow, because car trouble always happens to tired, hungry people. She whipped out the AAA app and I had never been more grateful for technology in my entire adult life. It’s now right up there with the Chipotle app.
Homemade Crunchwrap Supremes //
Someone posted this recipe-hack on Facebook and our lives have never been the same. It’s a new Friday night tradition, which I feel much better about than our previous Friday night tradition of ACTUALLY going to Taco Bell. At least we’re using real meat, people.
My skin is too sensitive for most moisturizers (see exceptions listed under Travel Favorites) so I started spraying this Rosewater + Glycerin when I feel dry. Super hydrating, and no vengeful breakouts.
Gin Martinis //
This was the year of the 5 o’clock cocktail. And that cocktail was a gin martini.
Doterra Essential Oils //
Travel Favorites:
Yes, I’m one of “those” now. But only because it’s AWESOME. Lavender + peppermint on my neck for headaches. Digest Zen on my tummy after questionable airplane food. Cypress on my legs for circulation. It is real, and it is good.
Eye De-puffer //
Because it feels like a giant cucumber on my face in the best way.
Kiehls Lip Relief //
I’ve been searching for the perfect airplane lip moisturizer and THIS IS IT.
Sadly I can only find this stuff in England so I get it online because IT WORKS and I’m a germaphobe slash ain’t nobody got time to be sick.
One of my favorite makeup artists introduced me to this magic salve and now I rub it all over my face + skin anytime I’m air-bound.
Editing Go-to’s:
Serial Podcast, Radio Lab.
Jump Roping //
I was looking for a noncommittal way to exercise in between editing so I bought a jump rope. Sorry downstairs neighbors, gotta get that heart rate up.
In my Fanny Pack:
I wear a fanny pack on shoot days. It keeps me humble.
In it you’ll find an assortment of nuts, rosebud salve, business cards, and my pelican memory card case.
In it you’ll find an assortment of nuts, rosebud salve, business cards, and my pelican memory card case.
So here’s to you. Here’s to the art we made. Here’s to another year of highs, lows, and glorious in-betweens. I raise my martini glass in your general direction.
