J Cooper Photography

Hi all…thanks for all the support you showed for Ann’s awesome GIVEAWAY!   Happy to announce the WINNER is….

CAMILLE BRANTLEY who said “Love it! I’d have one for my hubby and me, then one for each kiddo, and perhaps a bible verse or two to remind us of things we’ve overcome.

Message Ann through Hip Mom Jewelry on Facebook or via her WEBSITE to discuss details!

Found this picture The Brainiac made on my computer awhile ago.   Gets me in the mood for SUMMER!  Too bad I’m not a golden tan like my drawing which she titled “Mommy in the Sun”.  But check out my awesome hot pink gladiator sandals.  I’ve got style  And maybe some collagen in my lips.

Thanks to all who participated!

Dear Bertha Compton,

You were a wonder with paints.  Your perseverance is remarkable…crafting your art for nearly a decade.  1975 to 1982 were productive years for you.  Never one to waste those tubes of aqua blue, olive green, and peachy peach paint.  You stayed in the lines like a pro.  Oh, Bertha Mae.  I don’t know if your middle name was Mae…but it just feels right.  I’m happy to hang your works of art above our throne.  I bet you were a classy gal…hair coiffed with Aqua Net wearing your favorite polyester mauve slacks.  I bet your sweetie Bubba filled up your tank of gas for you the night before the Wednesday ladies bridge club.  I can picture you now…standing in the arts and crafts aisle at the Five and Dime….carefully plotting your next masterpiece.  Don’t you think for one minute that I overlooked that subtle water theme.  Brilliant.  Don’t you think that just because I purchased your entire life’s work for a mere $25 at a flea market, that it isn’t appreciated.  True talent rarely is.

Sincerely,

Your biggest fan

We’ve finally finished up the little powder room on the main level! I wish I had a proper BEFORE picture.  But this room is tiny with a capital T.   Just enough room to turn around and sit down.  You can touch the sink from the toilet…a bit of an elevator shaft in there!   THIS POST shows it at its worst.   Olive green wallpaper floor to ceiling and oak trim.  Dark, dark, dark.   I peeled off the wallpaper half way down (didn’t worry about getting it off under where the bead board was going to be installed) and painted it SW’s Urban Putty…because we had a gallon hanging around the house and my main purpose was BRIGHT and CHEAP!

Come on in!

Someone asked awhile ago whether we are going to paint our doors?  As of today….no.  They are solid pine and really pretty (they look more red in these pictures than they are in real life).  So far I like the contrast with the white trim because it warms it up a bit…but I’m not married to the idea of keeping them stained.

{There are lots of doors in this little hallway…gotta help the guests out.  Now if I could just keep my kid’s grubby hands off my cute chalkboard!}

It used to look like The Pit of Despair when you opened the door.  Now it is happy and bright.

We kept the existing vanity…just painted it out in SW’s Creamy White.  We also kept the laminate counter top and faucet (which I actually love…one of the only fixtures in the whole house that I liked).  The tile looks more pinkish here…but it is just a neutral khaki.  Some day I’d like to go solid surface in here…but for now this works!

We added the bead board and painted it in semi-gloss paint so it is easy to wipe down.

I switched out the formal gilded mirror for something a bit more playful.  I bought this turquoise beauty at Hobby Lobby when it went 60% off.   And then found a little rag rug at TJ Maxx for $8 in colors to compliment Bertha’s handiwork.  I have several of these mason jar soap dispensers from THIS SELLER on Etsy.  I INSIST on FOAMING hand soap at our house because my kids are unable to control themselves around regular gel hand soap…too many bubbles!   We’ve had great luck with these soap dispensers…they were worth spending a bit more to get the foam!

Of course…Bertha Mae’s art work is the piece de resistance in the room.  I complimented her work with some grungy metal clips I picked up at Junk Bonanza last fall.   Now….I’d really LOVE to just cover this whole room in water themed paint by numbers (have you see all my pins on Pinterest?)  So if you are out and about and score some cheap…send them my way

Bertha….you rock, girlfriend.  Your 1982 “Deer by Waterfall” had me at hello.

I think it is safe to say that most moms LOVE getting a new piece of amazing jewelry!  Hand stamped jewelry is all the rage right now.  And I am completely SMITTEN with this piece that Ann sent me this week!

Me and Mr. P on the main charm (with our anniversary)…and a sweet charm for each kidlet.  The GREAT thing about this necklace is…you can collect charms as you collect kids…BONUS!!

Ann and I go way back to our Ebay days together.  Back when our girls were teeny tiny and we were collaborating on outfits and jewels.  We’d meet at the park for play dates and let the girls run wild while we practiced our photography (ok…so I had some serious practice ahead of me!)

Do you remember these days, Ann??

I’ve been wearing Ann’s jewelry for a LONG time and have many special pieces!

You DO NOT want to miss out on this one!

{Before church this morning}

YOU can WIN your own NECKLACE and TWO CHARMS!!

1.  Leave a comment here about what you would like your charm to say

2.  Leave another comment if you “like” Hip Mom Jewelry” on Facebook

3.  Leave another comment if you follow @HipMomJewelry on Twitter.

You MUST leave separate comments if you want to be entered numerous times!  You have the opportunity to be entered up to THREE times!

Check out all her designs at Hip Mom Jewelry!!

I will leave the comments open until THURSDAY, MAY 10th and 9pm and then I will draw a WINNER!!  Just in time to order something nice for yourself for Mother’s Day!!

It’s not everyday that someone asks for my opinion.  Or an interview.  But I got an email this fall about doing an interview with Scholastic’s Parent and Child magazine.  I actually had to do a bit of investigating before I agreed because I thought the email was spam.  I mean, really…I’m a parent…and I’m a photographer…but certainly NO expert.

The interview came and went last December.  The writer and I had a nice chat about photography and being a mom while my boys slept through rest time.

Then I got an email a few weeks ago that the article had been published!  Kind of a fun surprise.  Especially since my poor photography business has been pretty weak here in the cornfields (dare I say “non-existent”).   There are just a few quotes…nothing spectacular from me…but it was a fun interview because I had the chance to talk about two things I LOVE:  Kids and Cameras!

If anyone has access to this publication…I’d love a copy!  I’ve tried to hunt one down locally without much success!

Hmm….maybe I should take my own advice and get back on the band wagon.  My camera has been a bit neglected the past few weeks with all the craziness!  I think I’ve got the itch

1.  First off…if I am going to continue this trend of phonography…I have REALLY got to get better at taking phone pictures!

2.  HAPPY MAY DAY!  Do you celebrate May Day in your neck of the woods?  In Kansas City we were always a bit of an oddity delivering May baskets to our friends.  I actually had a friend tell me that I was clever for coming up with the idea.  Umm….ever heard of the MAY POLE?  HA!  I was feeling right at home back in the cornfields today where kids seem to know about this fun little tradition!

3.  Ok. Ok.  I had totally forgotten about May Day (I’m blaming the sleep deprivation from sick kiddos).  My Mom called me this morning to remind me and suggested I head out to purchase supplies.  Then while Danny had his EEG appointment this afternoon…she whipped up the CUTEST May baskets with my kiddos.  They delivered a few this afternoon and then tonight after dinner we got on our GAME FACES for DING & DITCH!

4.  This is how you do the DING & DITCH.

Step One – drive to your friend’s house

Step Two – sneak up to the front of the house giggling like a school girl with May baskets in hand

Step Three – ring the door bell and knock like the Big Bad Wolf

Step Four – squeal and shriek and run as fast as you can back to the car

Step Five – pretend to be mad that your friends “caught you” while you giggle and hide in the back seat

5.  I’m glad the EEG is over.  We sleep deprived Danny and arrived at the hospital at 3:00 this afternoon.  I promptly gave him a bottle and he feel right asleep in my arms like a little angel.  We proceeded to get 24 of the 25 electrodes onto his head (quite the process with his little fro) when the technician accidentally caught his hair and Danny screamed and yanked out most of the wires  It went downhill FAST from there.  He would not fall back asleep so the rest of the test consisted of him screaming and us holding him down.  He is finally asleep upstairs and is hopefully recovering from the ordeal.  He was so tired today he had passed the point of  no return…he was laughing hysterically a creepy laugh all afternoon and most of the evening!

{I know I look mad…but at this point I was just praying he would STAY ASLEEP…we were SO close!}

6.  I have no words to describe the next picture.

7.   We have SO MUCH STUFF to get rid of.  I would love to do a big garage sale but I’m not sure I can get organized enough right now with our crazy schedules to pull it off.  If anyone local is looking to decorate a little girl room…I have some great things we are finished with!  Cute matching Target owl bedding (2 twin quilts, shams, sheets), art work, a Pottery Barn rug, bean bag chairs, and a toy basket.   And I have matching TWIN HEADBOARDS! Shoot me an email if you are interested!

{I miss their old room and sweet play room some days!  I’d love to find these items happy new homes!}

8.  STINKER.PANTS.

9.  Sam and his new BFF.   They are like two little old men together!  I love this “big head” shot of the two of them out to lunch at Noodles!

10.  Calling it a night, friends.  This sleep deprived Mama needs a break!