Coffee Filter Flower Backdrop

This year I decided to offer a Valentine's Day Boudoir Special! I would typically do children mini sessions, and as much as I love, love working with kids, duh, I love, love working with beautiful ladies too! I really adore boudoir sessions. Women are so gorgeous, each and every one, no matter their size, or length of hair. Boudoir sessions are special to me because each lady is trusting me in a pretty vulnerable and exposed state. Most ladies are pretty shy for the first little while, and by the end are seriously rocking the camera, it's such a fabulous thing to experience. I don't often post boudoir images, for obvious reasons. They are private. Most likely for a boyfriend or husband. I decided to make a pretty little backdrop, and found some coffee filter flower tutorials online. I couldn't find one that I loved and was perfect for what I needed, so I improvised and I think they came out pretty darling!

Instructions for Coffee Filter Flowers

Supplies:

Coffee Filters

Scissors

Stapler

Tape

Optional, if making a backdrop or sticking on wall

Cardstock

Circle punch (can cut by hand)

White sticky stuff to attach to wall, found at dollarstore (no idea what it's called)

Glue Gun

I also dyed the insides of some flowers pink. I used Petal Pink RIT dye, mixed with hot water and just simple dipped the middles in, and turned right side up to dry. 

Steps:

1.  I used 6 filters for each flower. You can use more, or less, and I found some tutorials that used different sizes, but I wanted to make it easy so I just went with 6. 

2. Take all 6 filters, fold in half and then in half again.

3. Cut a scalloped edge.

4.  Open up your scalloped filters.

5. Pinch middle bottom of all the filters, creating a little crease.

6. Staple together.

7. Open and lay your filters flat again. Now take the top layer and bring to the center. Make sure to keep the it ruffled. Keep doing this for all 6 filters.

 8. Holding the completed flower in your hand, turn over and pinch the bottom. 

9. Wrap a piece of tape tightly around the pinched spot. 

10. Cut out or punch a circle from your cardstock. Using a hot glue gun, place a little dab of glue in the middle of the paper, and place and hold the flower to it until glue dries, a few seconds. 

11. Put a piece of sticky white stuff on it, and attach to wall! I've had good luck with this stuff, stays up well and doesn't leave mark. A trick for getting it off is too use a bigger piece of it and push onto the spot where it stuck on the wall and then it should all come off together!

And voila, you're done! Super easy and would be cute for a little Valentine's Day display, a baby or bridal shower, or just a little Spring installation somewhere in your home! You could also omit the paper backing and attach a piece of wire to make them into a bouquet if you want!

 

Would love to see if you guys make these flowers and how you use them!!

Thanks to Katie for doing an excellent hand modeling job, as per usual :)

xox nat

Valentine's Day Free Printables

I love holidays. I'm sure no one is surprised by that. And since it's almost mid-January, I think it's acceptable to start thinking about Valentine's Day, right?! I have been getting a lot of love from you guys lately and I want to give some back. I created 4 prints, with my new Gelatos and instead of hoarding them for myself, I figured I would share them. I plan on putting up a little Valentine's Day display and I think these will look cute incorporated into it.  And for those of you that aren't Valentine's Day fans, I think they would still look cute on a gallery wall or just framed on your desk.

 All You Need is Love Print 8x10

 Watercolour Heart 8x10

 I Like You, and I Love You Print 8x10

Hearts Print 4x6

By the way, the Gelatos are super neat. I had never seen them before, but when I passed them in Michael's on one of my monthly weekly trips, I bought them not even knowing what they were for. I did a little research, most of which turned up stamping and scrapbooking uses, but I just decided to try them out and really love the effect they create!

I am sharing these prints for personal use only, not be be re-sold. I recommend printing them on letter sized cardstock, but regular paper will work too. Trim to size and enjoy! Please tag me @natspencer if you share any photos using my prints, would love to see what you do with them! And if you happen to use them on your blog and want too link back to me that would be great too!

xox nat

hashtag 2015

Is it really the year 2015? How is this possible? This is the year that I will leave my 20s behind forever. I'm still not sure exactly how I feel about that, but I think I am okay with it.

2014 was a blur. It definitely wasn't my best year. I won't go into details about 2014, because honestly, there was a lot of difficult times, filled with doubt and uncertainty. There were also a whole lotta fabulous, happy moments, which are the ones that I really do want to remember and cherish forever.  A lot of my thoughts and values of what I wanted and thought I needed in life changed. I evolved into a new kind of person, one that I am still very much working on. I've learned a lot and am much wiser from 2014, so for that I am grateful.

This year I am not going to set such strict goals for myself, because failure sucks. Instead I am going to try and be a better person. I am going to try and find out who I am as an individual, as well as how I can be an all around more loving, caring and happy person for others. 

I have lots of ideas for new business ventures that I want to explore. I want to actually finish my photography website and work on being a better business woman. 

I want to travel more. I want to have new adventures and experiences.

I want to love Ellia and my family with everything I've got and more openly express how grateful I am for this wonderful life. 

Cheers to 2015 guys, let's do this!

xox nat

Christmas 2014 in Photos

Whew, Christmas has come and gone once again. How did that happen so quickly? We had a lovely few days, which consisted of lots of family, food and traveling around. It's always so busy, this time of year, but Ellia had a great time of course.

I am going to keep it simple as I always do for big holidays, photo dump all my images here and leave it at that.

All of the festivities start on the 23rd. It is my Grandma Nata's birthday that day and every year my grandmas, and great aunt make something we Southern Italian's call "pitti." They are basically bread, that is made with potatoes and deep fried. I literally wait all year for this day, it is one of my favourite things.  We then traveled to Morrisburg to have dinner with Lucas' Mom's side of the family. That evening we went back to Brockville to sleep at his parents place and open presents with her cousins on Christmas Eve morning. We then went back to Morrisburg for the annual family skate, which was so much fun! Ellia was not sure sure about the whole skating party, and daddy pretty much held her the whole time.

 

I love giving cookies at Christmas! I am obsessed with the gingerbread Mercedes and I made this year! These deer are probably my favourite ever.

Foggiest day EVER!

On Christmas Eve, it is my families big dinner. My aunt & uncle hosted this year and of course I forgot my camera :/ So I only took like 4 photos on my iPhone because it was madness there, ha.

Ellia's two favourites right there.

On Christmas morning we had some of my family cover over to open presents. We did have the trampoline that Santa, hm I mean my parents bought her all set up and she was so excited! We also let her open a few gifts to keep her busy until everyone arrived.  Seeing her precious face and how excited she was, was literally the best part. Then my in-laws came over and gave us our gifts and pretty much every had a nap except for us, shocking. We then went to my Grandparents for dinner and board games. Having my sister & her boyfriend here for the week was so great. Even though it was a very, very full house.

On Boxing Day we go to Tweed to have dinner and visit with Lucas' Dad's side of the family. Ellia really got spoiled with gifts, as I'm sure most 2 year old's do!

I hope that you all had the most amazing Holiday with your family & friends!

xox nat