New Blogsite! Ginger Tea is Moving!

Howdy, y'all! I've been hard at work over the last week to get my new blog up and running. All posting will now take place over at the new blog. This blog will remain here if you like to look at it. But no worries, I've imported my entire archive from this blog over to the new one, so you can still see all of your favorite posts there! Please update your links, bookmarks, and RSS readers!

To subscribe to the new feed, click below.


To go to the new site, click on the screen shot!


I can't wait to see you over there!

New Blog

Photography: Sister Session, Erin + Casey Sneak Peak

Tomorrow I'll be posting the awesome styled bridal session I put together with my friend Erin for my portfolio! I can't wait for you all to see the pictures! We're going to put together another one again soon, just 'cause they're fun! (Seriously, girls never get too old to play dress up!)

Tonight I wanted to give you a sneak peak at a session I did on Sunday evening. My cousins, Erin and Casey, were over and they needed some new portraits so we went to the little spot behind my house.

Inspiration: Vintage Royal Typewriter

Source: threepotatofourshop.com via Mary on Pinterest

It's a yellow kind of day.

Cooking: Mini Tiered Cake Pan

Source: amazon.com via Ben on Pinterest

These pans are ingenious! They make your life a little bit easier when making mini cakes for a party, or just because (we all need a little mini cake in our lives sometimes, right?). If you've never baked any mini cakes before you can pick up one of these pans, or you can follow this eHow article on them.


{ via Sweet Cakes Designs }

Inspiration: Paper Bouquets

Source: stylemepretty.com via Mary on Pinterest

If you are on a budget, or if you want your bouquet to last longer than your wedding day, then consider paper flowers. This gorgeous one is from Style Me Pretty, and it is from an absolutely darling, whimsical DIY wedding. To see more of this bride's charming floral arrangements, see the post on the Style Me Pretty blog, here.

Weddings: Family Photographers

Source: weddingbee.com via Lauren on Pinterest

This is an ingenious way of telling the guests at your wedding what you want them to get pictures of! You could set up a basket of disposable cameras by a guestbook with this sign, or you could have the message at each table. I would just makes sure to include a note about not getting in the actual photographers way! This little nugget came from WeddingBee as an idea for reception games. The original DIY is from WeddingBee's other DIY projects posted by HisPookie.

Photography: Styled Bridal Sneak Peak

Good morning everyone! It's a very rainy morning here in NJ. I wanted to give you a sneak peak of a shoot I'll be showing you all later this week. Last Thursday my friend Erin was my model and I completely styled her (that means I did her hair, makeup, got her the dress, and all!) for a stylized bridal portrait session. We had a blast shooting her session!

Tonight my Mom asked if I would help her at a bridal show, so I'll be doing that later today. She is a travel agent, so I will be helping out at her booth. Hopefully I'll get a chance to walk around and get a chance to meet some local photographers.

Beannacht Lá Fhéile Pádraig!

Source: dear-evie.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Or if you don't know any Gaelic, that's Happy St. Patrick's Day! Let your blood run green, dance a jig, and enjoy a pint! For those lovely brides out there planning their special day, here is a wonderful Irish-themed inspiration board from the wonderful Evie's blog. It features some gorgeous Irish cliffs in the countryside, clovers, and of course some lovely Kelly Green!

Today I'm missing my family across the pond, but here in NJ it's going to be sunny and warm! Today I'm working on a stylized photo shoot with a friend. Enjoy the day!

Weddings: Square Cakes

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via FormFire on Pinterest

We've all seen hugely elaborate cakes at weddings. We've also all seen dozens of cupcakes, as was the going trend last year. Today I spotted these square cakes from Martha Stewart Weddings and I thought they were so pretty! This could be the happy medium some people are looking for between a large cake and a batch of cupcakes.

Inspiration: Blossoms

Source: weheartit.com via Leah on Pinterest

Good morning my lovelies! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend very much, and I hope you remembered to turn your clocks forward! The chills in the air are warming up and Spring is nearly here!

Friday Etsy Picks: Mustard

{ via Kettle Star }

I have a serious love for the color mustard yellow. I think it looks great year round, it's a great pop of color no matter where you use it! This cropped cardigan is the perfect accessory for changing seasons to pair with sundresses, short sleeves, and blouses. I love the big buttons on this sweater! It's a total steal, too!


{ via Tilly Whistle }

This fabric wallet is so bright and cheerful that it would make your purse happy to see it! I always change my bags with the seasons and changing to a bright wallet always brightens my mood. The pattern on this wallet is darling, pairing the yellow with white and aqua.


{ via Folding Chair Designs }

Finally there is my favorite headband designer - Folding Chair Designs! I LOVE the rosettes she makes and this mustard trio headband is so super chic! She also makes a whole array of adorable accessories, I definitely suggest checking them out!

Have a great weekend!

Photography: Sarah Senior Session

As I mentioned yesterday, we took the photos at the family farm. I love the farm, it's an excellent setting. Sarah and I had a blast shooting her country-gal-themed session. Enjoy some of my favorites from the session! If you'd like to see more, I encourage you to check out my Facebook page! Comment and let me know what your favorites are!

Weddings: Umbrella Lighting

Source: paisleytreepress.com via Anna on Pinterest

Now here's an idea that's different from the usual lighting you see at a wedding! Maybe this trend will catch on in 2011? What's going to be this year's 'it' things?

Design Crush: Stamped + Letterpress Business Cards

Source: cardobserver.com via Mary on Pinterest

I love these! The front side is letterpress, done by Taste of Ink Studios, and the back is stamped with a custom carved stamp. Give your business cards an edge and pack a punch!

Photography: Sarah's Senior Portrait Sneak Peak

Yesterday I went with my boyfriend's sister, Sarah, to their family farm to do a portrait session. Sarah had brought a few different outfit changes and a blanket to keep warm between pictures. She was a trooper, wearing her summer dresses in the chilly weather! Luckily the clouds broke and the sun came out and it warmed up a bit for us! Enjoy this little sneak peak, I'll share the rest later this week.

Weddings: Vera Wang Dress

Source: google.com via Iza on Pinterest

Oh, Vera, you've done it again! This dress would make any girl feel like a princess. I LOVE the combination of blue and taupe, but I'm a total sucker for taupe all day everyday.

Photography: Baby Keagan and Jack Portraits

This past weekend I spent some time with my family in Pennsylvania. It was cloudy and rainy, but we had a great time! The boys spent their time on the quad in the mud and the girls went to the outlet stores. On Saturday I was playing outside with my baby cousins and took some new portraits of them for my cousin.



The baby is an absolute ham that loves the camera and the attention. He got angry when I was trying to play hockey with Jack because I wasn't following him around with my camera!



My cousin asked if I would do more portraits of them again in the summer on the beach. How can I say no? They're such cute kids!

Inspiration: Carnations Made Cool

Source: designspongeonline.com via Leah on Pinterest

I am not a fan of carnations. I didn't think it was possible to make me like them, but this image has made me change my mind. This would make a gorgeous centerpiece at a wedding or dinner event. It could also work with other flowers too, I would love to see it done with baby's breathe or mini daisies. Another neat idea would be to do more than one shade instead of all pink or all white, mix it up. Even multi-sized hurricane vases would look great!

This looks would be easy to accomplish, simply collect your flowers, cut their stems so that they aren't touching the bottom of the hurricane vase, fill up the vase at least halfway with water, then begin arranging your flowers in there. I would start in the middle and work my way out to the edge. DesignSponge was genius to do this with carnations, since they are an affordable flower.

Friday Etsy Picks: Spring Dresses

{ via Dear Golden Vintage }

Spring is coming! I've been eyeing all of my spring dresses hanging patiently in my closet. I love spring dresses, especially vintage ones! This darling little number is simple, classy, and tasteful.


{ via Dirty Birdies Vintage }

This adorable dress is from the 1970s, it's a gorgeous navy blue with tiny roses on it. With an elastic waist it's sure to be comfortable. It's a gorgeous dress that can be dressed up or down. Perfect for the spring time!


{ via }

Finally I came across this classic pale yellow dotted picnic dress. Paired with a lace-lined slip and a sheer, dotted fabric this dress is perfect for a picnic on a spring day! With an elastic waist and a full skirt you'll be free to be free-spirited and enjoy the weather!

Have a great weekend!

Engagement Session: Sue + Ryan Sneak Peak

Yesterday I went to meet with Ryan and Sue to nail down the details about their shoot. While I was meeting with them, they wanted me to meet their dog Ginger since it was important to them to have her be part of their shoot. I brought my camera to see how Ginger would react to the camera, so there is a part one to their e-session. We had a good time just hanging out and playing with the dog. I look forward to showing the full e-session after their booked date!

Inspiration: Paper Flowers

Source: picasaweb.google.com via Theresa on Pinterest

Paper flowers are gorgeous, easy to make, and A LOT less expensive than the real deal. Another bonus? They don't die!

Photography: Engagement in a Field

Source: ginakolsrud.typepad.com via Theresa on Pinterest

I've got a meeting with a couple today to nail down the details for their engagement pictures! We'll be doing something similar to this gorgeous image above in a field where there is tall yellow wheat grass, a beautiful birch tree, and a riverbank. The image above was taken by Gina Kolsrud, who you should definitely check out! Her work is kinda insanely gorgeous!

Inspiration: Blue Skies

Source: weheartit.com via Theresa on Pinterest

Spring is getting closer and closer! Happy March! I'm very excited for this month, I have my first official client meeting for an engagement session that I hope will turn into a wedding booking. I've also rented a lovely lens for my camera for the month to test it out. This weekend I'm going to go see family for a few days in gorgeous, gorgeous Pennsylvania. It's also my birthday at the end of the month!

Design Crush: Screen Printed Label

Source: thedieline.com via Leah on Pinterest

I'm really loving this label design, it's clever but not overstated.

Design Crush: Vintage Luggage Labels

Source: uppercasegallery.ca via Brooke on Pinterest

How gorgeous are these vintage labels? I love everything about labels, especially the vintage ones. There are intricate designs, illustrations, bold colors, and excellent typography to oogle.

Inspiration: Summer Shindigs

Source: juliasroomfordessert.blogspot.com via Leah on Pinterest

I am a self-proclaimed sweet tooth. I love all food in general, but sugar is my true love. How do you usually serve ice cream at warm weather shindigs? If you have a bunch of mason jars laying around, get an ice bucket and try out this display! Great for summer weddings!

Inspiration: Spring Weddings

Source: google.com via Mary on Pinterest

Is it Spring yet? It's sunny out right now but there is a heck of a lot of rain in the forecast over the next week. Next weekend I'll be visiting family in PA. I hope the weather stays sunny because I plan on giving my cousin some new portraits of her boys for the baby's birthday. Not to mention, they are some adorable kids and I love shooting them!


This week I've been working on a mini-portfolio to present to my engagement clients next week so we can finalize the details of their shoot. We're going for a Saturday afternoon in mid-March on the Delaware riverbank.

Inspiration: Carpe Diem!

Source: ffffound.com via Mary on Pinterest

Hello my lovelies! If you read yesterday's post then you've seen that I've hinted at the fact that I've got some exciting things going on right now in my life. I'm following the motto in this inspiring image and making things happen to get my photography business up and running!

What will you do today to make things happen?

The [B] School

Are you a professional or aspiring photographer? If you are, then you should join the [b] school, a diverse network of photographers helping each other. Network yourself in this great community to grow as a photographer, get deals on the campus store (coming soon), and get referrals for clients! I've got exciting news that I'm no longer waiting for something to happen and given myself excuses to not start my photography business - I'm starting it now! The [b] school is helping me network and find photographers in my area and giving me access to amazing content!

Join today! This week is the last week to join for the old prices of $10/mo or $100/year. Take advantage of this deal!

Join now!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Source: etsy.com via Ward on Pinterest

Happy Valentine's, my lovely readers, I love all of you just as much as I love Roy :) Our date yesterday was lovely, we went ice skating, had a late lunch, and then saw No Strings Attached (I don't know why but I LOVED it, but I'm cheesy that way). Today he has classes all day, but he's coming home to a home cooked meal. I hope all of you have a wonderfully happy day, be it with your loved ones or with friends and family!


I'm taking a mini-blog break this week, I have final projects for two of my classes that require my immediate attention, I'll be back next week with lots of goodies for you!

Friday Etsy Picks: Foxes

{ via Teva Gallery }

This week I've been thinking a lot about foxes, and these gorgeous prints and watercolors caught my eye on Etsy. This first watercolor features intricate details to demonstrate texture, and it has absolutely beautiful colors. I find the eyes in this piece mesmerizing. This piece is an original work on 8 x 10 heavy watercolor paper.


{ via Orange Willow }

The next piece I found is a lovely print featuring a black and white illustrated fox. The details in the fur mixed with the simplicity in the color contrast are what caught my eye in this piece.


{ via Lulabies }

Finally I found another stunning watercolor of a fox playing with a frog. The colors in this artwork are amazing, I adore the blending. This sweet fox should be hanging on your wall, what are you waiting for?

Have a great weekend!

Photography: African Safari

I've been mentioning for a while that my mom, a travel agent for Liberty Travel, took a trip to Kenya to take an African safari. This was her second time to Africa, the first being when she toured Southern Africa and Cape Town to visit her Aunt. She had an excellent time on this trip, and they stayed in very nice accommodations - these were like 5 star camping tents with a bathroom and everything. My mom took all of these pictures, and I'm very proud of her since she doesn't really know how to use her camera at all passed the auto function.

If you'd like to see more pictures, there are more posted here!



My mom is the one on the right in the picture below.