everyday moments: a collaboration

I have a passion for the ordinary moments in life. The ones that are easily overlooked, taken for granted, dismissed as too "normal" but really hold so much beauty. Sometimes it's easy to see if something is beautiful or not -- a flaming sun slipping behind clouds, crooked, time worn streets of Europe, the quiet ebb and flow of a turquoise ocean. There's no denying that these are works of art, but there are times where the quiet, subtle moments hidden in an everyday routine outshine even the most glorious sunset.

We leads me to the reveal of a new project -- Everyday Moments, a collaboration between Ellie and myself. Brought on by our mutual love of those fleeting, special times, once a month we're going to share our favorite images from the past month. No posing, no directing, just simple, sweet life. I'm not going to lie -- I'm excited about this project. As a photographer, I notice things, but I'm often too lazy to go get my camera and try to accurately capture what I'm seeing. This will give me incentive; a little push that's good for me. There are times when I'm more focused on the lighting and background, making me miss the moment. For this project? I'm focusing on the memories instead of the settings.

c a m e l   r i d e

s a n d b o x   c r e a t i o n s

s h e   i s   a   m o n k e y   a t    h e a r t 

w e   l i k e   t h e   l i b r a r y

s u n s e t   w a l k

j u m p

l i f e 

h i k e   i n   t h e   r a i n

a l i n a  +  l i l l y 

e a r l y   m o r n i n g   c r a f t s

Photography is so much more than just capturing something beautiful -- it's about capturing life. It's about freezing a second in time that draws you back. Here's to everyday moments.

And tonight? I'm planning to see The Help (finally, finally) with my sister and mama tonight. What are your Friday night plans?

Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

-carlotta

p.s. last chance for sponsoring pastor's girl's ponderings in october! please email me for rates if you're interested.

a little midweek giveaway

I like my sponsors. And I like you. And to celebrate both, here's a little giveaway to brighten your day.

Ashley of The Poppy Chain Boutique creates some gorgeous jewelry. She's super sweet and is also a sponsor for this month -- and she's giving away a twenty five dollar gift certificate to her shop. Looking for a little something special to spice up your fall wardrobe? Ashley 's shop features pieces that are the perfect mix of vintage and modern, fun and girly.

Also, just for the lovely readers of pastor's girl's ponderings, you can get twenty percent off your order with the code PGP20 -- don't miss this opportunity!

And not only is Ashley giving away something, Romi, another lovely sponsor, has made this lovely locket especially for you. I'm in love with the edginess it adds to an outfit -- perfect for the nautical trend I'm rather head over heels for.

Want to enter to be one of two lucky winners? Here's how it works.

mandatory entry

answer this question: what are you most looking forward to in October?

extra entries

+ follow pastor's girl's ponderings on google friend connect

+ follow me on twitter (@pastorsgirl) 

+ tweet about the giveaway (make sure to link to me so we can track your tweet!)

+ follow Ashley's blog
+"heart" Romi's shop on etsy

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

Giveaway ends Sunday, October 2nd and winners will be announced shortly afterwards.

Have fun and good luck!

-carlotta

p.s. I'm now accepting sponsors for october! please email me for more information.

girly and industrial

Sometimes it's good to to act on an impulse. It's been a dream of mine to go on a shoot in an industrial area with a ballerina. The juxtaposition between girly and edgy gets me every time. Lucky for me, my dear friend Reagan, who has been taking ballet for over ten years and is in a professional division, agreed to help me out with my idea. After a little shopping, she slipped on her leotard and skirt and laced up her pointe shoes. We explored and climbed onto dumpsters (ahem, me), laughed and got into uncomfortable positions for that shot. You know -- the one that requires effort and maybe a even a bit of risk but is so worth it in the end. Have I ever mentioned how much I love photography? And industrial settings.

other highlights of this weekend:

All the super sweet birthday wishes from y'all (I read every single one and oh, they made my day. Thank you so much!) and a surprise visit from Reagan, which turned into her spending the whole weekend with us. I love my friends + family so much.

New moccasins -- they were much needed as my old ones were literally falling apart.

MeMe's birthday yesterday; she's eight! I can't believe it. I remember when she came into this world so clearly. My little Mariam Elizabeth, growing up so fast I can hardly keep up. I love you so much, MeMe!

Reading reading reading -- I devoured two books in three days.

The safe arrival of my sister Alina late last night, who's sitting right next to me at the moment. We're so glad she's here with us for a few weeks!

What were some of your favorites from this weekend?

-carlotta

fifteen.

I woke up early this morning. The birds were chirping in the tree outside my window and the sun slowly made its ascent up into the sky. I wrapped the blankets tighter around me as I lay in bed, listening to the soft rustle of the wind through the trees and the sounds of my family stirring downstairs.
I like birthdays. A lot. They're my favorite actually -- I love the idea of setting aside the day just to celebrate a person's life, the surprises, the food, doing special things.

Today is my birthday. I've always been one that gets so incredibly happy over days like these -- when I was younger (and okay, now too), I'd have a countdown from three months away. But as the years have progressed, the excitement has waned a bit too. I suppose it comes with growing up.

scored this beauty at an estate sale today. so in love.

I struggled with the decision to share my age. As someone who was often mistaken for much younger as a child, I liked the idea of people thinking I was older than I really am. I was afraid that if I shared my age, I'd be looked down upon and my thoughts dismissed. While I realized how ridiculous those thoughts are, there was some part of me that wanted to keep my age a secret. But while this may seem silly to make such a big deal over it, I think it's good for me, to remind myself that I'm still young and it's okay not to take everything upon my shoulders. Sure, it's so easy to get caught up in age and creating an aura of mystery, but it's not always for the better.

Last night, I took a good long look at myself in the mirror. But it wasn't a vain kind of look, it was a deep, soul searching kind of look. I'm not going to lie, I felt a bit melancholy and my heart was rather heavy. This past year was good to me -- I've grown and learned, both mentally and physically and so many exciting things have happened to me. I wasn't sad because I was turning a new age, it was just the knowledge that I'm leaving behind another year of my life, a year I know I'll never get back.
Fifteen is a strange age; it's a limbo between girl and woman, not quite grown up but not a child anymore either. Sometimes it feels strange that I'm still a teenager -- there are times I long to be freed from the shackles of a little thing called school and to live life, fully and completely. And other times I wish I were little again. These feelings run through my mind with each birthday, leaving me excited for the year to come and a bit sad at the same time.

My name is Carlotta and I'm fifteen today. There's a whole new year stretched in front of me like a blank slate and you better well believe I'm going to live it to the fullest. And now? I'll start small, by eating a piece of oreo ice cream cake and celebrating this new year of life.

Happy Friday, y'all.

-carlotta

homemade oreos + some miscellany

I took one photograph today. As the sun was setting behind clouds threatening rain, I snapped a shot right as my battery died. (I'm awful at remembering to charge that thing -- and of course, right when I need it, it's empty.) One thing I've been learning about photography is that it can't be forced. Of course you can look for things to capture, but when the creativity isn't there, it just isn't. And honestly, in the midst of a crazy day of classes and homework and work, it's okay to put down the camera and do what needs to be done. I took one photograph today. And that's okay.

clutch from my mother's time in india.

This weekend, I devoted Saturday afternoon to decluttering my mess of a room. Four bags of trash and a three hours later, I was left with a neat, clean living space. And during that time, I not only simplified physically, I cleared my mind at the same time. That time was oh so good for my soul. I realized that while the saying that a messy room is the sign of an artistic mind (which I still think is true, but that's beside the point), it's so amazingly freeing, both mentally and physically, for everything to have a spot.

first fire of the season

Despite the fact my birthday falls on the first day of autumn, spring and summer are my favorite seasons. And if you'd ask me a few months ago, I'd have taken lengthening days and bright colors over the spicy tones of fall any day. But lately, it's made my heart so happy to don sweaters and boots, to drink hot chocolate and knit (yes, I am most definitely eighty at heart) at the end of the day. I relish the crisp mornings and cool nights, temperatures that make me reach for a cozy blanket and a good book to unwind at the end of the day, a sweet escape from the trials of everyday life.

And with the arrival of autumn comes the craving for baked goods. Like homemade oreos. It's no secret that I have a soft spot for the creamy filling sandwiched between chocolate cookies, crunchy and flavorful and delicious. And homemade oreos? Simple, cheaper, and better for you.

homemade oreos
adapted from smitten kitchen's homemade oreos


ingredients for the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg


ingredients for the filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (or powdered sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


directions


Preheat oven to 375°F and set two racks in the middle of the oven.
In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
To make the cream, place butter in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream (makes 25-30 sandwich cookies). Eat with a tall glass of milk and enjoy!

Also, thank you, thank you, thank you for the amazing feedback from Red Currant. We feel so blessed and overwhelmed in a good way to have such wonderful support!

xoxo

announcing red currant

It all started with an email in early August. After the initial excitement and anticipation, the following weeks passed in a flurry of preparation and activity, photoshoots and laughter, late nights and web designing. In what seems like much longer but has really only been seven weeks, this collaboration between my dear friend Meg and me has blossomed from simply an idea into reality. And we couldn't be more excited.



We're so pleased to announce the grand opening of Red Currant, an online clothing store for women. Featuring modern pieces with a vintage flair, we believe that style is more than just clothing -- it's an art, an intricately woven tapestry of your life. So why should you live your life in ordinary, boring clothes?
Each piece in the shop is unique and carefully selected, because, after all, we only want the best for our customers.

coco, styled

It's funny, putting together this launch felt like the preparation for the birth of a baby. But in a way, Red Currant is our baby. It's been nurtured and nursed, had countless hours spent working on it -- and now it's born. Tiny and exciting and new. 

clementine 

 And as a little grand opening special, if you like our facebook page, you're automatically entered in a drawing to win a 50% off coupon code. Don't miss your chance to get half off of anything!

Our labor of love, Red Currant, is finally here and we're so glad. Go on, visit the shop and tell us what you think!

-carlotta

just happy things

After getting up multiple times -- first to get some socks, then for hot chocolate, and a third time for a blanket -- I'm settled here in the chair next to the bay window. The girls are sipping hot chocolate, leaving milky brown mustaches on their upper lip, and the dog is stretch out on the window seat, watching the front yard. It's fifty two degrees Fahrenheit and raining outside, a slow, steady, soaking drizzle -- and I'm dressed accordingly in a woolen sweater and jeans (why yes, I do get cold easily). Fall has arrived and I'm happy.

Other happy things, because sometimes random is good:

birthdays.

Jeremiah's eleventh birthday was Monday, but we're celebrating today. Which means presents, chocolate chip pancakes, and hiking in the rain. We bundled up, packed food, and set off. The landscape was transformed by the drizzle, mysterious, rugged, and alluring.

ever wondered what I look like in a yellow over sized rain coat? well now you know.

And when we came back home, frozen, ruddy cheeked, and laughing, we had cake and hot chocolate.

I quite like birthdays. And rainy days.

gardening.

I don't garden often enough, but each time I feel the soil sifting through my fingers and reap the bounty of my efforts, I wonder what keeps me away from it. There's something beautiful about the process of gardening, nurturing seeds into leafy plants.

flowers in my hair.

top and belt: thrifted / jeggings: american eagle / boots: my mother's / hair clip: unknown

visual recipes.

This gorgeous video featuring a beet cake recipe is my newest videography crush. Actually, everything by tiger in a jar is my newest crush.

school.
Three weeks in and school has yet to be a major source of stress for me. In fact, I'm finding myself enjoying it. The satisfying feeling of a stack of completed homework, discussions in class, sweet new friends all make my heart so happy. I'm so thankful the Lord answered my prayers -- I was so anxious over my work load and the amount of stress I thought I'd have this year.

apples and bottles.

As much as I love photo journalism, sometimes it's nice to get creative set up a shot.

What are some things that are making you happy?

-carlotta

p.s. monday, september 19th. the big reveal of the project I've been slaving over the past few weeks. be excited, y'all.