After almost 2 years of a life relocation across the country, rebuilding our lives from scratch with new jobs, new home, new schools, new grocery stores, a church hunt and new church home, new relationships, new culture, new weather (and on and on and on - WHEW)... I am ecstatic to report I! AM! SETTLED! and heading into this new decade inspired and encouraged more than ever before!
I am even more excited to share with all of you an incredible opportunity I was offered - an art exhibition at the Watson Ewell Currin Art Gallery in the Hudson Library featuring some all-time favorites, a series of "Sunsets Around the World", Destination Artwork featuring Hudson, Ohio and new Interactive Artwork, including my newest piece that I think you will love… a tribute to “AMERICA" Land of the Free, Home of the Brave”!
First, let me back up a little bit… I started my photography business 5 years ago with a passion for photography, a desire to be an entrepreneur and a pursuit to build a business where I can use my unique gifts and talents for the greater good. In those 5 years, life has thrown a few pretty big loops (the sudden passing of my father just months after I started my business, experiencing a traumatic spontaneous retinal detachment that left me half-blind in my dominant eye, and most recently – this move across the country… all while working part-time and raising a family too). Such is life. But through the trials and life changes, I’ve preserved and worked on my dream business as time/energy/resources would allow. Through the past 5 years, I have explored the gamut of photography and I have fallen in love with creating my unique, inspirational artwork. And then, it happened - divine inspiration penetrated my soul and has taken my dreams further and bigger than I could have imagined… creating a whole new segment of art that has never been done before. Art that is immersive and multidimensional. Art that tells a story. Art that is truly customized and features specific locations/events while taking you an unfolding adventure of TLC's artwork creation. TLC's Interactive Artwork is my trademark where I turn words into art, the mundane in whimsical, and bring art to life! I am honored to share with you my newest piece of art … AMERICA
AMERICA: Did you recognize any of the iconic locations across our beautiful country? Stay tuned for the inspiration and an in-depth story of TLC's newest featured Interactive Artwork!
The beauty of TLC's Interactive Artwork is that you can proudly display this gorgeous piece of art in your home, business establishment, office, etc. and also enjoy the story behind it. I've been told by many customers that they love sharing the story and the video of their artwork, as no one has ever seen anything like that before.
If you’re in the Ohio area, I'd love for you to stop by the Watson Ewell Currin Art Gallery in the Hudson Library to see my exhibit, through February 29th. I am showcasing 17 pieces I think you’re really going to enjoy...and I'd love to know what you think - feedback and art inspiration are always appreciated.
There will be an Artist Reception on Sunday, February 9 at 2pm at the Art Gallery in Hudson Library and YOU ARE INVITED! You can learn more about my process, enjoy the exhibit and even enter to win a matted print of your favorite piece on exhibition. I would love to see you there and appreciate your support!
Truly,
Deserea
Did you know that's TLC motto?... Celebrating the beauty of the families we live with, communities we live in and Earth we live on! And this blog post is going to be a little different... a peek into my life, my family and not 1 'professional' picture here. All cell phone picture capturing some precious memories throughout the years.
OK- full disclosure (it's not a secret) I love to celebrate! Who doesn't love a good celebration? Well I've loved to celebrate "the little things" for a long time now, before I even knew about all those "National Holidays" (I found out about those a few years ago and have been celebrating THAT MUCH MORE, ever since. I never told anyone but about 4 years ago I even submitted an application for LOVE DAY to be a National Holiday... still waiting for that to happen). I'm pretty sure my love of celebrating started in my childhood. Being Hispanic and growing up with the beautiful culture... they like to PARTY! Fiestas for birthdays, cousins birthdays, Sundays, rites of passages (quinceaneras), because it's Friday, and on and on and on. AND my Mom always threw the best birthday parties for us too. So growing up with all those celebrations imprinted my heart and has continued to grow. So this is how R Love Day celebration was born...
It was a beautiful spring day in Chico, California, 2006. Life was great - my husband and I were newlyweds, I was going to graduate college with honors the next month (the first one in my family on BOTH sides - talk about a party!) and we had just found out we were pregnant. I went to check the mail and something really weird happened... we received 3 cards from different people for different things, all full of love! As I read the cards, I felt so overwhelmed with love and gratitude.
- My sweet friend, who was one of my bridesmaids, and old San Diego roomie, had mailed us a lovely card with great pictures she took from our wedding!
- My husband's sister had mailed us a sweet card asking us to be Godparents of their baby girl!
- My incredible sister (was 7 at the time) mailed me a card and wrote to tell me I was a "supercalafragileisticexpialadocious" sister (my sister doesn't have hands, so for her to write all that out really just melted my heart!)!
Ok - so after gushing over these cards (who gets 3 awesome cards? out of the blue? on the same day?) my husband came home from work and the first thing he said was "guess what? I heard 3 SONGS from our wedding today!" And that was that. I showed him the cards and told him we should celebrate all the love in our life on April 18th, every year... and we have ever since!
Love day is our day to celebrate all the love in our lives and we also like to create a 'token of love" to share with loved ones too. I've had a lot of fun creating something different and unique through the years from videos, to cards, to "glitter bombs" (that I thought would be a fun reminder of our love as they found glitter in their house throughout the year, but didn't get much feedback on that one, haha), to house parties celebrating our family and friends. Every year is different- every celebration varies... we've gone away for weekend trips (SURPRISE, we're going to Lake Tahoe), hiking and ice cream trips, bowling, picnic (& food fight) in the tree house, surprise weekend away to Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Jelly Belly Factory, couples massages/pampering day <my favorite>, and last year we planned on starting "R Big Life Adventure" move across the country on Love Day but selling our house/ escrow and divine intervention had other plans which pushed us out a week or so. So last year we celebrated at Benihana's.
And that's our Love Day story. We enjoy our special little holiday every year - something not sponsored by Hallmark with inflated flower prices and full dinner reservations, but our unique time to appreciate our family and friends and the abundance of love in our life. Here's a little peek into a few of our past Love Day celebrations:
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This year was our first time celebrating Love Day in Ohio and we are also right in the middle of a big home renovation so we stayed local, enjoyed the festivities together and shared our special holiday in our new Ohio life too! I'm in love with how the cards turned out and ended up sending out 50 of them (confession: each year, in the middle of creating these handmade cards/creations, it can feel overwhelming. BUT I just have to remind myself how blessed and grateful I am to have so many loved ones to celebrate and create these for, fills me up and rejuvenates me every time!). This year's card was inspired YEARS AGO: So, I've been on a kick for a few years now about learning other people's 'Bucket List'. As a big dreamer myself, I love to hear others' dreams too so this year I introduced a reincarnated idea, "The Living Celebration List" (Bucket List has always felt so morbid to me).
"Life is a precious gift and the world is our playground, let's get to Living the Celebrations (& jot our big and small dreams down)!"
Love Day festivities: We started the day with a "Love Day" basket of gifts for the family, then dropped off donuts for the staff at each of my kid's school. Later that day I brought donuts for our church (I gotta think of a better alternative than these sugary devils, but they're SO CONVENIENT).
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I was commissioned months ago to create a piece of art of my daughter's Montessori "Children's House" class for their annual fundraiser auction in March, and have been planning on making this piece for the teachers ever since. Last week I had the preschoolers draw hearts and "sign" a mat and then put it all together for the 2 incredible teachers which I gave to them for Love Day, and they did LOVE IT! Funny thing about giving: it really does feel so good to give - much better than to receive, although one can "receive" a lot when giving so it's a double WIN!
We made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for our neighborhood Safety Department and enjoyed delivering those to the heroes of our community!
Lucjily, it was a gorgeous day so we were able to walk around our neighborhood delivering Love Day cards.
Turns out, we celebrated at HIBATCHI again- we love us some hibatchi (& trying out new restaurants too)!
And that's a wrap! A peek into our Love Day, how it started and what it's all about! I hope that our little family holiday has inspired you. Today, on Love Day (April 18) or any day you feel moved... share your love; write a card, give a hug, call a friend, make cookies for your local heores, volunteer your time somewhere out of the norm - because you never know the impact it'll have on some else's life. And if you already do, I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT! Does your family have a special holiday they celebrate? Or, how do you celebrate love in your life? Comment or message me
Happy Love Day & Lots of Love from my family to yours!
"Let all you do be done in love" 1 Cor 16:4
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Series 1: The Scenic Route highlighting the gorgeous island and adventures we had.
Series 2: "Speechless" where I opened up and shared one of the most incredible experiences in my life!
Series 3: "Sightseeing" features the activities we enjoyed on our day off (hint: Tarsiers & thousands of 'Chocolate Mountains')
Series 4: "The Christmas Parties sharing the heart of the trip!
This last part of this series is to share the artwork that was inspired by this mission trip to the Philippines. With so many incredible photographs and highlights to share - I am ecstatic to introduce to you TLC'S INTERACTIVE ARTWORK! I am thrilled to introduce this never-seen-before type of art....turning words into art, the mundane into whimsical, and bringing artwork to life! And if you've been following the series, then you'll appreciate it even more.
So what does this all mean? You may already know that I've been creating this type of artwork for YEARS, mostly featuring this unique, innovative artwork when I photograph weddings, as it's the perfect way to treasure such a special day with a one-of-a-kind piece of art created out of those personal touches of their special day. I also have done a few special editions of "Interactive Artwork" with other pieces... such as the piece below. When this artwork is purchased, there is a link that the customer receives where they can see the art come alive and the story behind that piece - check out the video below:
With so many inspiring verses about light -I had to create another version of LIGHT, different pieces will speak to different people.
One of the things I really enjoyed/ was terrified about and especially intigued with was the transportation in the Philippines. Have you ever seen the animated movie, “The Bee Movie” with Jerry Seinfield? Well, there is a scene in the movie showing the bees driving around in a beautiful, chaotic harmony that reminds me of my experience of being a passenger in the Philippines. There aren’t many TRAFFIC LIGHTS, or STOP SIGNS or much “organized” order (as it appeared to this foreigner) BUT there is this incredible, intuitive dance that all the drivers seem to do; driving in-between lanes, passing on any lane, swooping around scooters and bikes and Jeepneys and trikes and sidecars and pedestrians… It’s pretty frighteningly fantastic! Of all the hours, of all the days, of all the traffic of all driving we did… I didn’t see, or experience 1 FENDER BENDER! Which seemed like a miracle to me. I had to hold in many “gasps, shrieks and cringes” as I white knuckled the dash handlebar and trusted our driver who expertly maneuvered through the iconic Manila traffic. As I continue to reflect on my trip, I’d have to say that the traffic and incredible driving skills of the Filipinos was one of the most surprising parts. So, of course I had to create a piece of art as a tribute to that! “Ode to the Jeepney"
This “Jeepney” poster is a piece of history preserved and showcased straight from the streets of Manila, Philippines. It is a vibrant and fun tribute to the local transportation in the Philippines, so beautifully and practically utilized after the United States left and/or sold their surplus military Jeep Wyllis to the Filipinos.
If you’d like to boast some Jeepney pride and showcase a piece of modern history, this Jeepney poster is for sale and a portion of the profits will be donated to Extreme Response International organization! Just click on the poster below for more info or to purchase.
During the trip, a verse in the bible continued to press upon my heart, Matthew 7:7 and I was inspired to start capturing images of doors... which continues today!
Wow - what a trip, what a life changing experience and what a journey i had the privilege of capturing. If you want to learn more about the incredible work that Extreme Response is doing, click on the picture below to link to their website.
If you've been inspired and would like to own a piece of artwork created in the Philippines, you can click on any picture in this post, browse TLC's online store for a meaningful gift, a perfect addition to your home decor or an inspirational piece to decorate your office or place of business. Custom products are also available so if you're looking for something different, you can always CONTACT ME! Thanks for joining me in TLC's journey to the Philippines!
Truly,
Deserea
Join in on the fun giveaways, sneak peaks and exclusive promos by signing up for the TLC Exclusive!
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"Each year, {Extreme Response Celebrates} Christmas with thousands of the poorest of the poor. These celebrations bring hope to the hopeless, build trust and cultivate relationships that Extreme Response has developed with those who have been forgotten by society. Christmas Outreach Teams serve with Extreme Response staff members, partners and local volunteers by providing gifts, food, games, crafts, face painting and lots of hugs." https://extremeresponse.org/how-we-serve/christmas-celebrations/
Our team did 7 parties in 5 days and WOW - was it hard work. I didn't know what to expect, as this is my first humanitarian trip with Extreme Response, and well - ever, but I suppose doing double duty volunteering and photo-documenting the whole trip proved for really hard work. Each party consisted of a similar agenda; our team would get there early to help set up several stations of games and activities, then there was an opening - complete with a skit or song of some sort that the children performed, our team member did a magic show, the kids were dismissed to play as we worked at different stations and game set ups, then in closing each child received a gift bag and a hot meal.
It was exhilarating, difficult, heartbreaking and so incredible heartwarming and rewarding all at the same time. The first party we helped with was for the 10 boys who live at the Extreme Response, Manila Children’s Home (MCH), and was like no other! After introductions, greetings and reunifications for many, the ER Christmas Team showered the boys with individual backpacks filled with lots of practical goodies, toys, treats and great recreational activities for the home. The boys expressed their gratitude and also performed a song for us too. We received a tour of the home where the boys live and also the office upstairs where all the planning, case management, and logistical stuff goes on. I was particularly interested because my first job out of college was working in a group home and there’s a special place in my heart for those at risk children. I learned a lot about their program and was really impressed with it al
After the Christmas party in their home, we all drove over the a pool house, (literally a house rented for the day, with a pool) and were pleasantly surprised with the most beautiful display of a traditional celebratory meal, called Kamayan.
A kamayan dinner is a Filipino feast in which you eat lots of food off banana leaves at a communal table, without any utensils. What! An! Experience! It was delicious meal enjoyed with the boys, the Christmas Team, MCH Staff and some ER staff too. We had a wonderful time with the boys and it was so heartwarming to see the joy and laughter on their faces that day.
I learned a little bit about the boys, their heartbreaking past as well as their progress while living in the home and felt compelled to do some research and find out more. The Extreme Response website states the Manila Children’s Home mission is to “care for at-risk children, particularly 6- to 18-year-old boys who have been neglected or abandoned to live on the streets… The first six boys to take up residence (in 2014), ranging from 4 to 13 years old, were indicative of the children the Manila Children’s Home (MCH) seeks to impact. The three oldest are brothers who were abused by their father before being placed under government protection. The three younger boys were found on the streets by government social workers, unable to speak and apparently abandoned.”
It was beautiful to see the staff interact with the boys; their love for their work and for the kids really shined through! One of the highlights of my trip was meeting this inspirational woman, Gela. She is the Program Director and has done a stellar job at creating an effective and efficient system to run the home. Something else she does, that I love, is literally documenting and celebrating the accomplishments! I learned so much from her during my trip, this is one gem that I will really take to heart and start incorporating more in my life! All the staff and volunteers at every party exuded love and dedication to their work, it was beautiful and so refreshing to experience.
Gela’s husband, John, is the Executive Director of MHC and has the best smile and laugh you’d ever experience! He laughed the entire week as he helped us with the other Christmas parties too. It was an inspiration to witness the joy and love that they have; serving the needy, at risk and vulnerable children of their community. It’s hard work! But their faith, love, devotion, calling and obedience to divine guidance has led them to this ministry and made a difference in countless children’s lives.
MCH is funded by donations and if this has touched your heart, or peaked your interest, or you would like to know more about supporting this wonderful organization and cause… please visit their website @ http://extremeresponse.org/how-we-serve/manila-childrens-home/
You guys!!! That was just the first party...we helped with 6 more throughout the week and each one was just as unique, impactful and special as the last!
One of the last parties we did was at the Philippine General Hospital and it was for a non-profit called "Shelter of Hope / Silungan ng Pag-asa", which serves as "a temporary shelter for Poor Children with Cancer from far flung provinces. A resting place where hurts and pain were ease until their next check ups". This non-profit was started by a husband and wife who experiences this need when their own child had cancer and was being treated. They were such an incredible couple with hearts full of love for what they are doing. Here is just a peek into the beauty of that party...
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After the party, we were given a tour of the hospital. I've never been to a hospital in a third world country before and it was an overwhelming experience for me. It took all my might not to take pictures and document all that I was seeing - but out of respect of the patients and the pain and sickness, I held off and kept my camera in my bag. We were taken up to the pediatric cancer ward - which was really just 1 large room with several beds in it. I get emotional every time I think about it, and find it hard to type through the tears right now. During the tour they rolled a bed past us, covered with a blanket as it had a child on it who had just passed away. That memory still impacts me and has come up in my life a few times when I saw a table with a blanket on it. I didn't take pictures of inside the hospital, but I did take 1 picture outside...
This trip was a life impacting experience that I will definitely be doing again and can't wait until that opportunity comes! I want to encourage you get out of your comfort zone and think about how you can help out and contribute towards something you are passionate about! Maybe visiting a convalescent home, baking cookies and delivering at a homeless shelter, collecting blankets and bringing to a pet shelter... the opportunities are endless and the impact can be life changing - on both ends! Two really incredible things happen when a person selflessly serves - they feel am incredible joy and fulness with their service, AND they contribute positively to our society - win! win!
If you want to see more about the Christmas Parties, the children, the work and the trip, you can check out this slideshow below:
If you were touched by this post, this experience and the work that Extreme Response is doing across the country - please consider making a donation to them so they can further impact the children and families in most need around the world. You can visit their website @ https://extremeresponse.org for more information and/or to make a donation.
Lastly, if you were inspired to get involved, pay it forward, do a random act of kindness, or anything of the like - please send a message, comment, and share it here - or on social media. You know - kindness is contagious and just a sprinkle of TLC in someone's day can really go a long way!
Truly,
Deserea
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First I will share this river cruise we went on! It was really cool, beautiful scenery, great food and even had some young locals singing Elvis and other "American" music. There was 1 stop which was kind of like a "Tourist Attraction" and believe it or not - a place I felt really uncomfortable photographing. The children and adults there were all dressed in "traditional tribe wear" and offered to be in pictures, FOR A PRICE! There were tip boxes everywhere and after the children lured you to take a picture with them, they pointed to the TIP BOX. I wrestled with that while there. It was a really cool experience but I also felt as if it was exploiting their culture (and children), but definitely understand that is how they are making their money so I was happy to participate and click away - I think you'll love some of these pictures:
We also had the pleasure of visiting a Habitat Bohol!
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I learned many things on my trip, but one thing I NEVER knew about were Tarsiers... they are the cutest little primates, and by little I mean tiny - 3in to 6in, and only live in the Philippines now! Tarsiers are vulnerable to extinction but have a refugee in Bohol where they live. They are a unique animal as they are the only completely carnivorous primates in the world! I had a great time at the refugee - check out their cuteness:
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Another incredible sight: "Chocolate Hills"! As we headed up there, I was so curious about how they got their name and learned that in the dry season, when all the grass dies, these hills turn brow and look like chocolate kisses. Looking out at the viewing deck, I got a panoramic view of these seemingly endless sea of "Chocolate Hills"... can you believe there are over 1,200 of these limestone formations? It was a marvel!
That's a wrap of my sight seeing day while in the Philippines! It was incredible, to say the least - and as I share it with you through this series, the experiences become richer, the memories grow fonder and the pictures are more precious. Stay tuned for "Artwork Inspired in the Philippines. Series 4/5: The Children" next week!
Truly,
Deserea
What are one of the most incredible moments in your life? If you're a parent, it's probably having a child, or your marriage day, or something involved with traveling... well how did it make feel? How would you describe it? If it is as profound as "incredible moments" would be... then it probably left you speechless - as this experience left me. I've had some time to reflect and process my trip to the Philippines (it's been a little delayed considering my life circumstances pretty much immediately returning from the Philippines). But this experience brought me to tears and etched an impression in my heart the moment it was happening.
I guess I'll start at the end... it was the last Christmas party we helped with in the Philippines (more about the parties later in this series). The Extreme Response (ER) Christmas Team consisted of several American volunteers and a few ER staff who lived there in the Philippines. We took a small airplane from Manilla to Bohol:
Once we got there, we checked into this great hotel, Bohol Sunset Villa, had a delicious meal and took in some gorgeous sights (if you missed it, check out a few scenic photographs of our view from "Series 1: The Scenic Route" HERE). We got ready and headed to our last Christmas party. This is what greeted us when we got there:
Gotta love a heart-shaped gate wrapping the home in security and love.
The mission for this agency is: "to give abandoned and abused children in Nicaragua and the Philippines a home, a family, and a future, with the hope that they will become the leaders of tomorrow in their communities and churches... And now also focuses on helping vulnerable children in our local neighborhoods who are highly susceptible to illness, hunger, lack of education, trafficking and exploitation due to extreme poverty."
It was a gorgeous property full of love and warmth that was palpable. When we got there, we started to set up outside and get things ready for the party (games, arts and crafts, nail painting, face painting and more) but then it started to rain. We all ran into that blue building pictured above, which is used for Independent Living skills for the older children. It has a small kitchen and a nice open space. Everyone was so fluid with this... all the kids sat down on the dirt floor and the adults sat right there with the kids, or found a spot off to the side. The staff and older children moved the sound system in there and the festivities commenced. The kids had planned out skits, stories, singing and dancing and one of the most powerful moments in my life was worship there, on the dirt floor, in the Philippines, serving these orphaned children, hearing their sweet voices, and praising God for how great He is. Once again, I wish the sentiment could be captured in this video, but here's just a little peek into this beautiful moment:
After worship and entertainment, the weather cleared up and we all went outside to enjoy a really laid back, joyful and celebratory party with the children. It was such a wonderful way to wrap up the Christmas parties.
At the end of the parties we handed out gift bags to each child, but this party each gift included their very own recorder, thanks for the beautiful hearts and donation of one couple. The gift of music is one of the most precious gifts. And let me tell you how marvelous it was to hear ALL! THE! CHILDREN! trying out their new musical instruments. It was an experience to hear, that's for sure!
And then it happened! As we were wrapping everything up and planning to leave for dinner - they surprised us with a freshly roasted pig and incredible home cooked meal! It was surreal... and I got to try real chicharrones that night (fresh, right off the pig, "pork rinds").
And there it was, one of the most incredible moments in my life: sitting under the most incredible bright moon, eating this authentic, delicious meal, having experienced the most beautiful worship and party that day, the last Christmas party... my heart was overflowing, with gratitude for this trip, opportunity to serve,, bring joy to children and offer my gifts and talents throughout that trip. As I sat there, I couldn't help the tears from leaking out of my eyes, as they are now as I reflect on such an incredible experience - that left me speechless.
Thank you for reading this through and now having a little part of such an intimate experience. I would love to hear about your favorite incredible life moment that left you speechless - please comment here or message me. With so many negative things going on in the word, let's sprinkle some TLC in the day and please SHARE!
Truly,
Deserea
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Welcome to TLC's "Philippines Series #1: The Scenic Route"
After serving in Manilla (the capital of the Philippines and one of the most densely populated cities in the world), several days and helping with multiple Christmas parties thrown for several hundred of the poorest, impoverished children in the country - the Extreme Response Asia Christmas Team flew to Bohol, Philippines to help with the last Christmas party at an orphanage. The first day we got there we were greeted with this gorgeous view...
This glorious sight was refreshing to the soul in the midst of challenging and emotional humanitarian work.
There was a "bridge" from our hotel that led to this incredible sight... I wish that these photographs could capture the beauty of this moment, but without the feelings from all the work and heartbreaking stories of the trip which contributed to this experience, it's pretty hard to portray. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful moment shared with the team.
Watching a family take a refreshing dip, men fishing for their next meal and the people enjoying their homeland was a treat.
When this cloud rolled in, a couple of us "walked really fast and cautiously on 'the bridge'" back to the hotel for some cover during the release this brought. Others stayed and enjoyed the storm under shelter and we all marveled at the view as it passed by.
"The Bridge"
We had 1 day of "sightseeing" during the 10 day trip in the Philippines and luckily our sightseeing day was planned in Bohol. We had a wonderful time exploring the gorgeous island (stay tuned for more adventures in Bohol later in the series). After touring the island, we had dinner at an organic farm, The Bohol Bee Farm and had the pleasure of enjoying this memorable sunset below! Bohol had so many beautiful sights to capture! Here are a few of my favorites:
More pictures at The Bee Farm:
Thank you for joining me for this series: Art Inspired in the Philippines: The Scenic Route.
I hope you enjoyed the first part of the journey and am looking forward to sharing many more adventures with you...
Stay tuned for part 2, coming soon!
Truly,
Deserea
As we all know, seasons change in life ==> and my favorite weather season is fast approaching, but let me catch you up real quick on some major changes my family and I are celebrating right now... we moved across the country!! Yep, that's right, we traded in our "west coast" status for full-fledged "midwestern" occupancy (still feels unbelievable to me at times). When spring hit we purged and packed up our life in California, sold our home, shipped a Pod, packed up the Suburban -to the brim- loaded up the kids and dog and drove across the country for 8 days. We drove through 11 states and started an adventure of a lifetime.
As the season changed in my life (and therefore in my business as a solo entrepreneur, mother and wife, etc. etc. etc...) I took a step back from the business as I transitioned my family from one life to another, settled and began creating a new home while learning the lay of a new land (you know, priorities). We took a few months to explore (and photograph) our new quaint ski town, enjoyed our summer, learned about frozen custard, caught our first lightning bugs, got the kids all prepared for school, and my husband and I sent them off to school THIS WEEK! YAY for the change of seasons, the kids are back in school and TLC is getting back on track!
This experience has reinvigorated me and inspired me greater than I could have dreamed. The inspiration is SEEPING out of my pores and the scenery I was blessed to witness (and therefore photograph) was truly incredible! Fresh, new artwork is in the works, fun concepts and ideas are being executed and big things are on the horizon. So in honor of this new season for TLC, and since it's TLC's fourth birthday anniversary, we'll be celebrating ALL MONTH LONG! There are many things to celebrate but for today, we'll start off with celebrating America, my muse! Seeing the country left me speechless, I can't really describe the experience, but how about if I show you?... We'll start with Yellowstone (TIP- stay with me till the end to learn how you could win a FIRST TIME TLC CUSTOM ARTWORK GIVEAWAY):
Yellowstone
Yellowstone
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Yellowstone
Yellowstone
Yellowstone
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Yellowstone
Yellowstone
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Yellowstone
Yellowstone
Yellowstone was a highlight, of course! We spent almost 2 days exploring, although I could have spent 2 WEEKS there! It was spectacular, the colors were so vibrant, the wildlife was abundant and, as you can see by the pictures, it was mesmerizingly beautiful. One of my favorite pictures was when we stayed the night in West Yellowstone, before entering the park, and THIS was our view:
After we left Yellowstone, we stayed in a gorgeous town, called Gardiner, Montana.
It was a delightful stay in a beautiful little town with dozens upon dozens of wildlife just roaming around.
Gardiner, Montana
Gardiner, Montana
Gardiner, Montana
If you can't tell by now, I'm a sunset seeker. Everyday I marvel at the sky, the changing colors, the clouds... self-professed sunset lover right here!
Next big stop on the journey, Mount Rushmore:
Don't you love the lines of this walkway leading to the monument? I'm a sucker for great lines too! See how photography got me good? Love me some lines! After that, we headed over to Crazy Horse:
It was at Crazy Horse where I had the glory of experiencing one of the most incredible moments in my life:
DOUBLE RAINBOW next to Crazy Horse! "Never Forget Your Dreams" - simply stunning!
I hope that the pictures of our beautiful country inspired you as it did me!
OK, IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!
This is the first time TLC has ever created a custom piece as a giveaway AND it'll be featured on a gorgeous 11x14 vivid metal print. What does that mean? You'll get to pick what word you want me to create, I'll design 3 options for you to choose from and then ship it to you... all for FREEEEEEE! Or, if you prefer, you can pick a beautiful scenery photography metal print, from this post or other landscape images in my collection.
Contest ends Friday 9/14/18 * 1 lucky winner will be randomly picked * must complete all 3 easy steps to enter * here's how it works:
1) LIKE THIS POST & COMMENT what word you would want me to create for you
2) SIGN UP FOR THE TLC EXCLUSIVE (click here)! It's a great way for some more TLC in your life; get sneak peeks, great offers, and fun - not too many - updates, I promise!
3) SHARE this post on Facebook to give your friends a chance to win too - who doesn't love inspirational, custom artwork?!
That's all folks! I'm so excited to create a custom piece of artwork for the lucky winner and can't wait to see what word is picked!
Truly,
Deserea
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You see, I had the pleasure of photographing a special wedding, my first wedding in Ohio! There were many reasons that made this wedding so special to me, as it was a cousin's special day, and my husband and I were finally able to enjoy a big Ohio family wedding (we recently relocated to Ohio from California). Who doesn't love a good wedding? Everyone dressed up nicely, delicious food, yummy drinks, family, friends, and celebration of love... now THAT'S my kind of party! But most importantly, this wedding ended up being Grandma Reville's last wedding.
Grandma Reville is the matriarch of the family, the woman who helped create a beautiful family dynasty, over 100 family members... and counting. At 92 years old, she was so happy to see her Granddaughter get married. She was able to attend the wedding and even out on the dance floor enjoying her time. It was so beautiful to see the precious woman who started this big family (of 11 children, and their kids, and now their kids) amongst such festive love. Grandma Reville passed away yesterday and it was my honor and privilege to have captured this joyous occasion. It's such a big reminder about how precious life is, how invaluable family is, and how important celebrations are, every day! Celebrating the beauty of our true lives every day... that's True Life Creations' philosophy!
In true TLC fashion and form, I created a custom art-piece for the family out of images from the special day. It's a really unique and truly personalized memento that can be displayed with pride and cherished for years to come. To see how the piece was created and what special elements were featured in this custom artwork (other than "A" obvious swing set), check out the video above.
The wedding was held at an incredible venue, called Bath Hollow Farm in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. It is a stunning place that embodies simplistic natural beauty. The event barn was gorgeous! It's adorned with ambient lighting and lots of beautiful touches through the venue, such as; a great photo-prop wall, fireplace, bar and gorgeous views.
Outside is a whole other party! There's a fun beverage canoe filled with ice and drinks for all the guests. Outdoor yard games were provided for the guests to enjoy out on the vast, lush lawn and of course a swing set for kids and kids at heart! I heard guests all throughout the evening comment on how wonderful the venue was, "how fun and laid back" the space was and what a wonderful time they had - and I concur, It was FABULOUS! If you're in the Northeast Ohio area, or looking for a unforgettable destination venue, you have to consider Bath Hollow Farm. You can find out more info @ www.bathhollowfarm.com/.
And what is a wedding without MUSIC?! Josh, of Integrity Audio, did a great job throughout the evening as the fun MC and picked the perfect music for the various moods of the celebration. If you're looking for a professional DJ, someone who knows his music and how to work a crowd, I highly recommend Josh with Integrity Audio. Check him out @ www.integrityaudiodjservice.com.
And the Mr. & Mrs. of the night... Mary & Cory. WOW - what a couple! They planned such a beautiful event celebrating their love, and all the thoughtful touches really made it truly a special occasion. Congratulations to the newlyweds, and as Grandma Reville blessed the couple praying "for many wonderful and joyous years together", I thank you for letting me be a part of these precious moments in your life!
"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored." ~ Earl Nightingale
If you'd love a custom piece of art created just for you, or are interested in photography services, please CONTACT ME for a free consultation on ways we can capture those precious moments in your life!
Truly,
Deserea
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Here's a sample of True Life Creations Inspirational Artwork Collection:
Did you know that's TLC's mission?! Yep, it's true! True Life Creations mission is to make a positive contribution, create inspirational artwork, provide quality photography services and products while celebrating the beauty of our true lives everyday.
True Life Creations is excited to report we just finished our busiest quarter yet and are on the right track to achieving our mission! With a growing business, new opportunities and stunning new art pieces continually added to TLC's Artwork Collection, we're honored that there are many TLC art pieces hanging on walls, unique pieces displayed in homes and inspirational messages touching many hearts this past year. You can view TLC's current Artwork Collection here.
True Life Creations captured the smiles and joy of a local preschool, photographed several family photo-parties, documented a beautiful labor and delivery, a precious newborn session, and a humanitarian trip to the Philippines... and that was all just in the FALL of 2017! TLC continues to grow steadily while capturing those precious moments and celebrating the beauty of our everyday true lives.
Here's a peek into the beauty and fun TLC was a part of last year:
OK, let's Inspire a Heart with FREE TLC ART... it's giveaway time! The lucky winner will WIN THEIR CHOICE of their favorite piece from TLC's Alphabet Artwork Collection! A 8x10 professional print featured in an 11x14 white mat can be proudly displayed in any home, office or business to inspire hearts all year long!
Easy as 1,2,3... All you have to do is:
1) LIKE THIS BLOG POST
2) COMMENT your favorite word
3) SHARE this post on you Facebook page!
The contest starts 1/31/18 and ends on Friday 2/2/18. Winner will be randomly chosen this weekend and announced on Facebook!
Good luck and Happy #inspireyourheartwithart day!
Truly,
Deserea
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My experience in the Philippines was rich, exciting, heartbreaking, hot - really humid, and every other emotion you can imagine. The sights I saw, pictures I took, and emotions I captured are recapped in the video below. Of course, per my passion for unique interpretations of my surroundings and experiences, I created this completely customized Alphabet Artwork out of images from the trip, to celebrate all the great work Extreme Response does! I will be launching a new collection of inspirational artwork featuring the Philippines, but for now, I hope you enjoy a little recap of the adventures and joys of the 2017 Emergency Response Asia Christmas Party trip, check out the video below.
A core value of True Life Creations is to give back and donate a portion of each years profits towards a cause that works towards strengthening the lives of children, families and communities. It's a core value of mine personally, which is why I incorporated it into my business model, back on 2014. Every product purchased with TLC will make a contribution towards a philanthropic cause, what's not to love about that? More about that coming soon, but for now I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year. And if you're interested in learning more about TLC's artwork, services and products, you can sign up for the TLC Exclusive below!
Truly,
Deserea
So as I marvel about the week I just experienced at Redwood Christian Park, which overflowed with organized activities, games, powerful worship, inspirational speakers, delicious meals and desserts, train trip to Santa Cruz boardwalk, relaxing downtime (or so I hear), and a refreshing pool, here are a few of the highlights:
To me, one of the most amazing things in life is meeting a brand new human, and in this case I was meeting my first nephew, Michael. I'm in love. So in love with this sweet baby. My sister and her fiancé were ideal “clients” and my beautiful nephew was the most perfect, sweet model. I hope you enjoy these pictures half as much as I enjoyed taking and editing them…
One of my signature portraits during a newborn session is to capture the details of their birth in a fun, original way. These make for great birth announcements and prints to cherish for decades to come.
My sister loves Toy Story (it was the theme of their baby shower/party too) so it was only natural we included Buzz and Woody in on the fun too. Let me tell you, they were more difficult to work with than the newborn!
A cherished portrait of a grandson, and his late Grandfather's guitar.
I'm so grateful I was able take my sister's, first child's, newborn portraits. As babies change so quickly, the importance of newborn portraits are invaluable! If you, or someone you know, would like the precious moments / people in their life captured, I have wonderful packages that can accommodate any budget. Contact me for more info or to schedule your photo session today!
Truly,
Deserea
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I had the pleasure of taking my daughter (3 years old) to our first "Tea" together at Sunrise Community Church, and this tea was more beautiful than I could have imagined. First if all it was a Womens's Tea, Mad Hatter style. My daughter and I had a wonderful time shopping for a new dress and hat for the event, half the fun right?! Upon arriving Saturday afternoon, we were greeted with the most beautiful "Photo Booth" I've ever seen, complete with a variety of hats to pose with and the perfected themed stuffed animals to set the stage right.
We entered the Worship Center that was transformed into a wonderland of gorgeous handcrafted centerpieces, incredible food and every tiny detail beautifully displayed. "Drink Me" tags adorned lemonade and water carafes, "Eat Me" signs were the tiniest, cutest little things, on Each. And. Every. Cupcake! There were over 500 women who attended the event, that's a whole lot of cupcakes with adorable little signs!
Gorgeous, isn't it? That's what I thought! And those were just the table settings... the speakers were great, the message was inspiring, the raffle included all ages and even the Storyteller up on stage invited all the little girls to story time and ended with a special twirl. Every aspect of the event was flawless!
It was a beautiful celebration of women, for women, by women. I feel privileged to be among such talent and have the opportunity to enjoy an event with my daughter that was so thoughtfully planned (with my camera in hand)! If you are interested in getting involved in some awesome Women's Ministry programs, you can visit Sunrise's website Sunrise Community Church.
Truly,
Deserea
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"I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in" John Muir This is a quote you'll see right before you enter the Muir Woods National Monument, and how true it is! There is something purely divine about nature, especially towering redwood trees, rushing streams, babbling creeks, sounds of the wind passing through the treetop canopies and the intoxicating smell of the redwood forest that lingers even after you leave. I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Muir Woods for the first time over the weekend and it did not disappoint! With my camera ready to go, I explored the trails with my family and continued to marvel throughout our time there enjoying the sights, sounds and smells I experienced. With many informational placards sprinkled all around, it was an educational get away that revived my spirit, rejuvenated my senses and fed my soul. Here are a few pictures of the beauty Muir Woods has to offer..
The abundant variety of shades of green was just so cool to experience! If you've never been, or want a fun day trip to explore... Muir Woods National Monument is in Marin County, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and protects 554 acres, with most half of that being old growth coast redwood forest. So want to guess what I did while I was there? I do what I love to do and created a unique, original piece of art to honor the beauty of Muir Woods.
You can get more information about Muir Woods via their website @ https://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm and if you enjoy nature, or beautiful things, or cool artwork, or this post... please LIKE this post and SHARE it too. I'd also love your comments about your experience at Muir Woods, or other national parks you'd recommend.
Truly,
Deserea
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What better way to celebrate the uniqueness of such an awesome venue than to highlight the wineries in this Custom Alphabet Artwork. This original piece of art features images I captured throughout the Old Sugar Mill. Do any images look familiar to you? What's your favorite part about the Old Sugar Mill? Favorite winery? Favorite wine? Curious minds would like to know...
Old Sugar Mill
If you would like more information about the Old Sugar Mill, wineries, or events, you can visit their website @ http://oldsugarmill.com. Cheers!
Truly,
Deserea
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After the photo-shoot at the client's home, I began editing, designing and creating. When you order a customized piece, I create a few different designs to choose from to ensure that each customer is 110% satisfied with their customized art. Here were the designs I created
She picked her favorite and I had it made on a gorgeous vivid metal print, size 11x14.
1 happy customer, 1 surprised son and 1 satisfied artist. It touches my heart and is incredibly satisfying to create one of a kind pieces that are meaningful, sentimental and will be cherished through the years.
If you're interested in having a TLC Alphabet Artwork created just for YOU; celebrating your place of business, your first home or remodel, your favorite tourist location, wedding venue, musical instrument, etc... contact me for a free design consultation and we can begin brainstorming to create a cherished piece anyone would be proud to display.
Truly,
Deserea
P.S. If you love deals, giveaways, sneak peeks and behind the scene info, click below to sign up for the TLC EXCLUSIVE!
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Here's a peek into the fun, which took place in Old Town, Sacramento. Uplift employees had the option to choose their own adventure; an underground tour of Old Sac or a Sacramento river boat cruise on the Hornblower. I wasn't able to attend both activities so the boat cruise festivities were featured for the day. If you're local, visiting or nearby and have never enjoyed a river cruise, I highly suggest it. Lots of information, history, beverages and a comfortable viewing area make for a fabulous afternoon. If you want to find out more about the Hornblower Cruises, you can visit their website @ http://www.hornblower.com. After that, the CEO and Executive Director spoke to the staff, acknowledging the all the hard work and impact the agency has had on our community. It was inspirational and must have left the employees feeling accomplished and proud of their contributions to the agency's success. Lastly was LUNCH on the Delta King. A great time where the employees were able to mingle, socialize and enjoy a delicious lunch. The Delta King hosts various events (including a murder mystery dinner that is such a fun event) with tasty food and quite a unique experience. Check them out @ http://www.deltaking.com.
As a part of TLC's photography services, a personalized video is included, which features some of the event highlights. You can click on any photography in this blog to access the gallery, or here at http://www.truelifecreations.com/uplift2016. I also included TLC's new and unique "Interactive Artwork" video to make their special event even more personal, memorable and a one-of-a-kind experience. You won't be able to stop the feeling once you see this, check it out here:
Again, if you'd like to view more pictures of the event you can check out the gallery @ http://www.truelifecreations.com/uplift2016. To find out more about TLC's photography services, customized fine artwork and products offered, please contact me so we can collaborate about your personalized experience capturing the beauty of the families we live with, communities we live in and Earth we live on!
Truly,
Deserea
P.S. If you love exclusive deals, giveaways, sneak peeks and up to date info about TLC's artwork, click below to sign up for the TLC EXCLUSIVE
If you haven't experienced Tulipmania, I highly recommend this festival if you love flowers, the City and fun new experiences! It only happens once a year so keep an eye out for the next one @ http://www.pier39.com/home/events/tulipmania, or you can visit PIER 39 on Facebook @http://www.facebook.com/pier39/... who knows, maybe I'lll see you there! And if you're interested in TLC's Customized Alphabet Artwork for your business, event, home or destination location, you can contact me for a free design consultation to see what beautiful artwork can be created and personalized just for you!
Truly,
Deserea
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This CELEBRATE piece is a vivid metal print displayed on recycled wine barrel staves.
This SACRAMENTO Alphabet Art is a "TLC Interactive Artwork" - a concept completely new to the market! You can view more information about this concept on a recent blog post @ http://www.truelifecreations.com/blog/2015/9/todays-tlc-s-birthday-with-an-exciting-announcement. And if you love fresh, new, innovative ideas or completly customized art then you will definitely want to check out the 2 minute video below: TLC's "Sacramento" Interactive Artwork- Gold Rush Days
In November I participated in my 1st vendor event and am very pleased with how successful it was. Creating unique and never seen before artwork can be nerve-racking as it is unknown what the response will be, if anyone likes it or if anyone even cares and let me tell you... I received a great response with amazing feedback and compliments about my business concept. Most people "got it", appreciated the uniqueness of TLC's art, the products created and some were interested in having their own customized Alphabet Artwork created just for them.
This holiday season, I hope that we all take time to enjoy those precious things in our lives, the things we can't buy; time with loved ones, celebrations, intentful gratitude, joy, laughter and our favorite holiday movies (my family has already watched ELF twice)! But who's kidding who, we are all going to purchase something(s) for some loved one(s) this season so I ask that you pledge your support to a small business in your area. If not from my small business, then someone elses... I'm sure you know other family/friends/neighbor entrepreneurs who make products, own a business, provide a service right where we live. 1 purchase can make a big difference! I'd love to hear of any favorite stores, products, shops you have come across... I'm always on the look out to support other fellow small businesses too! And if you're interested in the unique and customizable products I sell, you can visit my Etsy store @ http://www.etsy.com/shop/TrueLifeCreationsTLC. This holiday season I'm featuring my Artwork on recycled wine bottles that light up with battery operated lights and really illimunate the unique Alphabet Artwork. Thanks for visiting!
~ Truly, Deserea
True Life Creations. Photography by Deserea, creates a truly customized art experience; capturing images from specific locations and/or events to create a treasured art piece for all to enjoy. It's the most creative way to celebrate a wedding, memory, vacation, new home, business location, experience, etc... limlitless possibilities for a truly personalized experience. This piece was created from Gold Rush Days in Old Sacramento, 2015.
Here's a 1 minute video showing how the artwork was created...
There will be much more information about this new type of artwork that i am introducing to the market but I couldn't contain my excitement any longer and had to share my INTERACTIVE ARTWORK WITH YOU, on our 1 year anniversary! If you are interested in having a piece created for you to celebrate your wedding, birthday, party, home, remodel, anniversary, business, or anything else that comes to mind... contact me and we can work together to create this never - seen - before artwork!
Truly,
Deserea
]]>True Life Creations, Photography by Deserea (TLC) is celebrating our 1st year in business and want to spoil YOU all month long! TLC spent the past year laying down the foundation, getting EVERYTHING set up & is ready to hit the ground running into our 2nd year! With really exciting news about TLC's innovative artwork, we'll be making a big announcement later this month, adding new inspirational pieces to our line AND hosting awesome giveaways too.
Here's a little overview of the services and products we provide:
1) TLC creates unique Alphabet Artwork, capturing images from various locations and creating a distinct piece of art everyone is sure to appreciate and enjoy! You can view some examples below or visit our SHOP @ www.etsy.com/shop/TrueLifeCreationsTLC:
2) TLC also makes truly personalized artwork for the perfect gift! Just pick a favorite word / phrase / name & I use images from TLC's growing library to create a customized Alphabet Artwork anyone would be honored to receive! Here are some examples:
3) In addition to Alphabet Artwork, True Life Creations, Photography by Deserea, loves to capture the beauty of everyday life; family, couples, children and individual photography services are also available. Anytime is the perfect time to make that appointment to capture the special moments that can pass so quickly.
4) New products and services will be announced this month and you won't want to miss the innovative Artwork I am creating THAT IS COMPLETLY NEW TO THE MARKET, never been done or seen before!!! Stay tuned or sign up for the TLC Exclusive below so you don't miss out!
To honor all our amazing customers and supporters, we started the TLC EXCLUSIVE where members will be the first to see new products, receive exclusive giveaways, awesome promos, fun contests and so much more! If you want to celebrate with us, click on the CELEBRATE picture below and sign up for the TLC EXCLUSIVE! As we continue to grow our business, every bit of support helps so please consider showing your support with a LIKE / SHARE / FOLLOW / SIGN UP and help TLC catapult onto our 2nd year!
Truly,
Deserea
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Another reason the park is my favorite are all the TREES! Living in Northern California, specifically the "City of Trees", we are fortunate to be surrounded by gorgeous parks and beautiful trees. Trees have always had an important, meaningful significance to me as the symbol of life, growth... with deep roots growing strong while the branches of the trees spread out, leaves grow, fall and grow stronger again.... it's quite a marvel. Anyways, off that tangent but I do love trees! I've been privledged to have taken this family's photographs a few times now, they were one of my first customers when I started my business last year and it's been so wonderful to watch this sweet girl grow and capture the love between her and her brother.
My favorite time of year is coming up, FALL! Change of weather, boots and cuddly sweaters, apple picking / cider / beer, pumpkin spice everything too, leaves changing to vibrant colors and blowing in the wind... is it Fall yet?! Well, needless to say, there will be more scenic pics coming this next season, it's my fav! But today, i'm celebrating the summer and these two cuties at the park!
Truly,
Deserea
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Does your family have any July 4th traditions? We'll be spending it with family, enjoying fireworks and the long weekend too! The next Photo-Party is going to be just as fun so keep a look out for the info, coming soon! Happy Independence Day.
Truly,
Deserea
It was so beautiful, I had to bring my camera. I brought it to the viewing. I was tasteful and discrete but what I really wanted to capture was the display of all his guitars surrounding his casket. The flowers. The room we sat in for hours grieving, crying and honoring my Dad. It all happened so fast, and even a few months later it feels like such a blur. Last night, I looked at those pictures I took for the first time. I am happy I took them and I will be creating a beautiful gift of them for his wife, who also wanted pictures taken too. I'm still not sure how I feel about it but what I do know is that I have those images, the solidified memories of the beautiful tribute we planned for my Father. I have the pictures that captured so much more than an image. It was a time of deep pain and sorrow. A time of love and appreciation for the wonderful man he was. All that is wrapped up in those pictures. I don't know what I’ll do with them but they are the last piece of my Dad that I have and they will be cherished. My Dad's service the next day was just as beautiful. There were so many people who attended to pay their respects. It was a wonderful service and there was even a harpist. His stepson who was the pastor of the service and his other two step children performed songs to honor my Dad. I closed the services with playing part of song he loved on my saxophone, Samba Pa Ti by Carlos Santana.
My father was a big influence in my life, he helped shape me to be the entrepreneur I am today and his love of photography was passed down through me. His love for music and incredible musical talents seeped into my being and because of him, I am a musician too. He was a very involved Father all throughout my life and I could always count on him if I ever needed anything. I received that dreadful call on Sat. night 1.31.15 that he had a massive heart attack and then that horrific call a few hours later that he didn’t make it. My life turned upside down that moment. I flew down to Los Angles the next day to grieve with my sisters and help make arrangements for my Father's funeral. It's crazy how many decisions need to be made in such a short amount of time, this was my 1st funeral to help plan, and hopefully the last one for a very long time. The family all got together and worked so beautifully to create a wonderful "Celebration of Life" for my Father. One of the pieces that I took care of was creating a Tribute, honoring his life. A slideshow of hundreds of pictures set to some of his favorite songs... Man, that was difficult!! It took me a full 3-4 days of sorting through pictures, editing them, setting it to music, perfecting transitions and timing, incorporating videos... and then the program crashed so I had to start all over again. I didn't sleep well that weekend, my brain was on the fritz and i still feel like i'm recovering from all that. But I wouldn't have had it any other way, making "pic'deos' is my thing. I love creating them. I’ve made several dozen over the years and it only made sense I made one for my Dad. Whew. Everyone seemed to enjoy it and let me tell you, once I did that FINAL SAVE, I was so relieved it was done. What I am so grateful of is that I was able to make my Dad one of my 1st "Alpha-Artwork" pieces. A few months ago I visited him and took some pictures of his guitar. I was able to give it to him for Christmas and he told me how much he loved the idea, how talented I was, how proud he was of me, my new business and the unique and innovative artwork I was creating. His support touched my heart then, and now more than ever.
Well that’s my life the past few months. Grieving, trying to work through the pain and figure out this new world I live in, one without my Dad. I am getting back to my life and work but today, and I imagine all his birthdays, Father's Day and his death day, will be more difficult than most. Tonight, @ 9pm, I will be watching the tribute to his life and celebrating his greatness and invite you to join me, the link is at the end of this blog. To end this post I want to thank all my family and friends for your support, words of encouragement, all the cards and flowers, babysitting my kids and bringing over dinner too... it all is so greatly appreciated and biggest thanks to all to my husband who has been so understanding and loving through this... thank YOU!
Truly,
Deserea
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It was my honor to show my artwork at their event and in a way, it felt like a omen of good blessings that my 1st event was in my community, surrounded by positive and incredible people! The celebration was an Easter Egg-stravaganza and although I was showing my artwork there, I couldn't help but bring my camera and take some pics of all the fun that was had.
There were many activities with lots of fun for the kids, and adults too; an Easter Bunny, little chicks kids could hold and adore, a well organized Easter egg hunt, cookie decorating station, raffle, gardening activity, dress up station, arts & crafts table, music, food, face painting and even a table overflowing with clothes that were donated by the communty... free for the taking! Here's a few pictures of all the fun
Just weeks after this event, the administrators of the Facebook group worked hard to get the group incorporated as a non-profit! So congratulations "Ripples to Waves Inc"! All your selfless-ness and hard work is appreciated and inspired me to create a little token of appreciation to celebrate becoming a non-profit!
If you would like to see more pictures from the event, click on the picture of the beautiful administrators below
Thanks ladies for all your work and for the opportunity to be a part of your awesome event,
and a big thank you to my community for your support and great feedback on my artwork!!
Truly,
Deserea
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Personal touches throughout the home with beautiful dΓ©cor and the spread was so so delicious!!
And of course what is a bridal shower without some bubbly? and then some more?
The hostess and friends put a tremendous amount of work and love into making the celebration special for the bride and luckily, with a photographer there, it was all captured! No one had to worry about taking pictures AND no selfies had to be taken because I was there to take the pictures (although I do have to admit, I'm becoming more and more fond of those silly selfies!). I love events! I love parties! I love capturing special moments of people with their loved ones... I'm living my dream and enjoying every minute of it! If you want more information about my event package, please contact me and we can discuss your upcoming event.
Cheers,
Deserea
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The next photo-party was with an incredible Mom and her sweet little boy. This was their first time hiring a photographer so I shared with her my recent experience with hiring a photographer for my family and the pressure I felt with outfits, and matching, and smiles and she said something so fabulous... "I started to feel like that and then just let it go. I didn't want to stress about something like that!" um, hello! what a concept ;) So she came with her son in their everyday wear and the beautiful thing about that is these pictures capture Them. Now. It was so perfect! Well, guess what? This sweet little boy all of a sudden became extremely camera shy and he also nestled into his safe-place, not wanting his Mom to put him down, clinging to her as if I was the boogie-gal (I promise peeps, I showered and did my make-up, I don't think I was too repelling). But he was shy, a totally normal thing for most children. So, after "attempting" to break the ice and even making a peace offering with some yummy snacks... our Photo-party began. Precious moments of a boy and his Mom, the love is just radiating from these pictures...
During our Photo-party, I looked over and saw dozens of Seagulls just hovering over this family who were feeding them. To see birds treading air, in one spot, like a beautiful symphony in harmony with each other was really incredible. And quite frightful for me, because let me tell you, I saw that movie "Birds" and I have never looked at flocks the same since. Well I was lucky enough to be there at that moment, to capture this family enjoying each other and their experiences on this gorgeous day!
I don't have much experience with hiring a photographer, ironically. Well, actually only 1 experience. I hired a photographer several years ago when I was pregnant with my son. I found her on Craigslist, she came to my house and took my maternity pics. After my son was born she came back and took some family photos too. She was ok and at that time I was looking more for a deal than for quality. But I am so so grateful I had them done because those precious moments fly by so fast and I have the pictures to cherish that amazing time. But I do know better now... you definitely get what you pay for. Well EXCEPT when a small business owner is launching their business and offers fabulous introductory prices, ahem.
So it was time. She offered a mini-photoshoot and then the planning and anxiety began!
Well, wait, I am going to digress for a minute but it will all be relevant... bear with me. So I have to tell you I started this blog because of a friend. She is a gorgeous, smart woman, has a beautiful family and is an inspirational entrepreneur. I talked to her a few months ago and told her about my new photography business. I remembered I have never seen a family photo of theirs on Facebook, and if it's not there it doesn't exist, right? So I asked her about it and told her about my introductory special. She had confirmed that they have never taken one and confided that she always felt too fat and didn't want pictures taken of that. Now, let me tell you that this woman is not fat! At all! She works out regularly and looks amazing! Her comment hit me hard. We all have our insecurities but I felt sad that this beautiful woman didn't want pics taken of her with her family. I think the reality is that many people feel that way. I've seen it before during photoshoots and hate to admit I have definitely felt it myself. But personally, I try to push all that aside to celebrate where I'm at now. I'd be happier 50# lighter but it's my journey and what a wonderful way to honor it than to photo-document it.
TIE IN HERE... So it was time to begin planning my family's mini-photoshoot and the anxiety began! I started to think, "well, I haven't lost the weight I wanted to, maybe I should reschedule for when I lose some weight. I didn't get my nails done like I had planned". I then thought of my beautiful friend and how I should not let my silly insecurities interfere with my photoshoot, capturing my family now, as we all are. Because my babies are growing fast and I want to cherish every milestone, every phase and that includes my journey as a mother, as a woman too. I thought of how wonderful it will be when we get our pictures taken NEXT YEAR and I have lost some weight (maybe find the time to do my nails). And my babies are bigger. And we can celebrate our lives as it is then too.
Another thing I learned is the pressure of picking the outfits. Geeze! It was a great process for me to experience all of this so I can become a more thoughtful and attentive photographer to help my clients through the process of capturing their true lives. Investing in a photo-shoot is about celebrating who you are, who you love, your journey. It's about capturing a time of where we are in life. I'll remember that during our photo-shoot my son had a difficult time standing, just standing for 20 minutes, and my baby girl didn't want to smile! At all! It's life. They're kids. Maybe someday my girl will become the camera "ham" & we can't get her to STOP smiling for the camera, and my boy will not complain every 10 seconds of his "legs hurting" and we'll look back at those pics and see how much we've all grown from that time in our life.
So where's a little recap of what I learned from hiring a family photographer:
1) Don't arrive late, especially to a mini-shoot because time is limited! (it's a cultural thing for me, and I'm sticking to that story!)
2) Read all correspondents from photographer because there may be pertinent information about locations or forms of payment received. (oops)
3) Check out some Pinterest boards for outfit ideas (I'm building TLC's Pinterest page now!)
4) Most importantly, enjoy the experience and let the professional lead the way.
5) Oh and be patient AFTER the photo-shoot because it takes time for the photographer to sort through and edit the images (i'm still working on that!)
Here's 1 of the pics from our photo-shoot. I'm trying to patiently wait for the others but it usually takes a photographer 2-3 weeks to deliver the goods and it's only been a week, so i'll enjoy this one and share it with you.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by!
Truly,
Deserea
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I was introduced to the Flower Farm over the summer when my son's teacher arranged a get together with her students. I absolutely fell in love with everything Flower Farm during that visit. I heard they have a pumpkin patch for Halloween so I figured what better way to create an AlphaArtwork of The Flower Farm than to bring my family along, the best of both of my worlds. So we went the week before Halloween and had a great time! For an added treat his teacher met us there, with last minute notice, and we enjoyed spending some time with her too!
The Flower Farm is a B&B, event venue on a working citrus orchard. There is a Coffee House, a Nursery that is adorned with handmade garden art throughout the premise and a cute little gift shop featuring unique gifts from local artists. Oh yeah, there is even a wine tasting room, although I have not been able to check that part out... yet.
Sunday was a perfect afternoon for a family adventure and we all had a wonderful time exploring The Flower Farm, picking pumpkins and enjoying the holiday celebrations. They had a cute and festive scavenger hunt for the kids that my son really enjoyed! All the staff were friendly and helpful, which is so refreshing these days! I of course made my own scavenger hunt by searching for letters organically disquised throughout the property and you will see what I came up with at the end of this blog.
We took a break from our scavenger hunt and enjoyed some treats in the Coffee House. We all had a glass of apple cider and enjoyed a delicious pastry. My husband and son played a game of Uno while I walked my baby girl around the Bocce Ball Court. They have various sitting areas with tables and chairs all throughout the Coffee House and Nursery where families and friends can enjoy the scenery, conversation and a delicious cup of coffee (or apple cider).
The weekend after Halloween they hosted an Arts & Craft Festival so I brought the kids back for some art fun! It was a great event with live music, local artists giving demonstrations of their artwork, vendors selling their crafts and gorgeous jewelry handmade by some really talented women. The Flower Farm has beautiful handmade garden art throughout the grounds and the women who makes them had a table there and I learned she makes them from upcycled glass dishes, how cool! If you want to check out her gorgeous creations you can check Carrie's Yard Art out on Facebook. There were also these beautiful hanging candle holders for sale that are handmade by a cancer survivor. I love all things wine, candles and unique pieces too so a wine bottle candle holder is right up my alley! I also love the story behind the luminted art. If you're interested in these you can email @ [email protected].
If you have been to The Flower Farm then I bet most of the images in TLC's AlphaArtwork will be recognizable to you! If you haven't, I highly suggest a visit to this family friendly gem off the beaten path. The fun part about TLC AlphaArtwork is the "I Spy" game embedded in it. When displayed, people will continually be intrigued by where the "letters" came from once they learn that this unique piece of art was customized and created at that specific location. I have seen countless generic letter art mediums that are similar to my art (and usually B&W) but what I love most about this innovative idea is that this artwork features the beauty and characteristics captured on location.
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I am so excited to share with you the TLC Custom AlphaArtwork of Seaport Village! Seaport Village is saturated with beautiful varying textures, shapes, colors, it was really a dream to capture the beauty of such an iconic place in San Diego. I truly had a great time seeking and creating this unique piece of artwork.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I am creating it. TLC Customized AlphaArtwork will be available for purchase soon and there will be a new blog post next week where I will be making a really exciting announcement about Customized AlphaArtwork so check back in for some fun stuff coming from True Life Creations!
Truly,
Deserea
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1) You contact me with your interest. You receive a free consultation so I can get a sense of what you want, and as the artist I can begin to conceptualize the customized artwork I will be creating just for you.
2) We schedule a date and location for the magic to take place... Will it be in your newly purchased home? A remodeled home? Your wedding venue? Your forever home? Your place of business? A favorite park or play gound? Your office? A finished nursery? Your choice!!
3) You decide what word you want created... Your last name? An inspirational word? Your newborn's name? A favorite phrase? The name of your business / store / restaurant / company / real estate office?
I take it from there!! I capture those images, which usually takes about an hour, take the pictures and create a one of a kind, customized piece of AlphaArtwork just for you. Your Customized AlphaArtwork will be featured on my digital online gallery for you to view and share and in 2 weeks you will receive a beautiful, finished, unique and personalized piece of art!
Sure, there are plenty of those sites you can go on and pick your "alphabet letter" to create a generic print but that's nothing new and special. What True Life Creations is doing is creating a whole new concept of art that you can display and cherish for decades to come. A wonderful gift for anyone! A gorgeous masterpiece that will attract attention and be the conversation centerpiece wherever it is proudly displayed. True Life Creations is also working on cutting edge, never seen before aspect of Customized AlphaArtwork to be introduced soon. Please contact me if you are interested in giving yourself, or a loved one a Customized AlphaArtwork!
Truly,
Deserea
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Another photographer, another blog, but this one is me. My business. My experiences. My photography, and I am so excited to take you all along my journey from 0 - 100. So here i am, starting at 0 and someday i'll meet Oprah (she's my 100!). Yep that's right, Oprah's my benchmark, my goal, when i'm golden. So mark my words "OPRAH, i'm coming for you! i'm looking forward to meeting you sooner than later!" HEY, on a side note, if anyone knows anyone who knows anyone who knows anyone who knows Oprah, get me in touch with her people and i'll give you a FREE Custom AlphaArtwork as a big thank you!! So anyways, back to zero, a couple weeks ago i decided to go for it... i love photography, i have a creative eye and my technical skills are decent (much more growth to go though, that's for sure!). I've been contemplating starting my photography business for a year now and decided there's no time better than TODAY! So i spent a week building this website (ugh, those technical skills ARE NOT my forte) and went live yesterday! Who knew redirecting a domain name could be so difficult, sigh, for a novice like myself. Starting a business really can highlight some weaknesses (like my patience for technical stuff) let me tell you! I reapplied for my business license (i started True Life creations 3 years ago with a different business model in mind, which is still living strong). I had my logo created by an incredible graphic design artist who really did an amazing job taking my inspiration and making it awesome. I have had a couple customers already and have some really exciting things scheduled for this month and next. I am beyond excited to share my business adventure with you!
Truly,
Deserea
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