6 month baby portrait

capturing baby’s first steps in photographs

Official Stats: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010xwa7.php#details

Digital Journal states it was 5.5
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/293768
Southern Ontario and parts of Quebec and New York have just experienced a earthquake measuring at 5.5-magnitude.

Location
1001 Ellesmere Road, Scarborough, Ontario

Dates
June 3rd – 13th, 2010
Monday- Friday: 10:00am – 8:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 5:00pm

Methods of Payment
Cash, Debit, VISA, MasterCard

Location
158 Main Street, Unionville, Ontario
(Highway 7 East & Main Street)
View Map:      158 Main Street, Unionville ON

Phone
(905) 305-0999 or 1 (877) 305-0990

Open
Monday – Sunday: 11:00am – 6:00pm

Payment Method
Cash, major credit cards

Website
www.whatgirlswant.ca

Email
whatgirlswant@rogers.com

Adding vitamin C to your diet helps your body absorb iron more effectively. Another non-animal product is red wine. Did you Know a glass of red wine provides 10% of your daily requirement for iron?

Eat your spinach cooked
Spinach is a source of non-heme iron, which is usually found in vegetable sources. Unlike heme iron found in animal products, non-heme iron is not as bioavailable to the body.

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one cup of cooked spinach provides three times the amount of iron as a cup of raw spinach.

Spinach also contains oxalic acid (sometimes referred as oxalate). Oxalic acid binds with iron, hence inhibiting its absorption. Adding foods containing iron absorption enhancers will help -  Orange, Orange Juice, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapefruit and other Vitamin-C rich fruits or adding vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, tomato, tomato juice, potato, green & red peppers helps increase iron absorption.

Spinach is not the only food containing high levels of oxalic acid. Whole grains such as buckwheat and amaranth, other vegetables such as chard and rhubarb, as well as beans and nuts all contain significant levels of oxalic acid.

The recommended iron intake for men and post-menopausal women is 8 mg
The recommended intake for pre-menopausal women is 18 mg
The recommended intake for pregnant women is 27 mg

Iron helps produce hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen  to your body’s tissues. There are two kinds of iron:
1. heme iron as found in red meats, fish  and poultry (it’s better-absorbed than non-heme iron)
2. non-heme iron which is found in enriched cereals, leafy veggies and raisins.

Iron is also necessary for proper muscle and organ function, and it fills our bodies with energy. If you’re feeling tired  or have difficulty maintaining body temperature, chances are that you may be suffering from an iron deficiency.

Olives are concentrated in monounsaturated fats and are a source of vitamin E, iron, copper, calcium, and dietary fiber. Vitamin E is the body’s primary fat-soluble antioxidant. It goes after and directly neutralizes free radicals in all the fat-rich areas of the body.

The anti-inflammatory actions of the monounsaturated fats and vitamin E in olives may also help reduce the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, three conditions where most of the damage is caused by high levels of free radicals. The vitamin E in olives may even help to reduce the frequency and/or intensity of hot flashes in women going through menopause.

They have a mild anti-inflammatory factor

WHAT’S NEW? … Pure & Simple! – Visit Pure & Simple for more details

Starting this month Portrait Boutique is adding a new type of session to the studio – Pure & Simple.

Pure & Simple is a streamlined session with a streamlined price with great packages starting at $155 (which includes several portraits plus images on CD). There’s even a package with all high resolution images on CD for you to keep forever.

These sessions are available for your children to be photographed on weekends only. The Pure & Simple sessions are photographed by Lisa. They are an abridged version of the exclusive session with Margie, which is only available Monday to Friday. It’s a great opportunity for you to capture beautiful poses of your little ones set against one of our classic canvas backdrops.

Your 30 minute session includes 15 minutes of capturing candid poses and 15 minutes for selecting your favourites. You may choose from three starting packages and we even offer a package which includes a CD of high resolution images for you to keep forever.

Sessions are available for children of all ages however babies need to be able to sit up without assistance. Newborn and young babies (less than six months), or sessions involving 3 or more children need to be booked as an exclusive session during the week with Margie.

Visit Pure & Simple for more details

Mushrooms have been used for medicinal purposes and as food for thousands of years. Although they sometimes get classified as a vegetable they are in fact a fungi. They are low in carbohydrates and have no cholesterol. They contain high lean protein.

Shiitake mushrooms have been used for centuries by the Chinese and Japanese to treat colds and flu because they stimulate the immune system, help fight infection, and demonstrate anti-tumor activity. Mushrooms contain natural antibiotics (similar to penicillin, which itself is extracted from mushrooms) which inhibit microbial and other fungal infections. They also help heal ulcers and ulcerous wounds and protect them from infections.

Mushrooms are a rich source of riboflavin, niacin, and selenium and an excellent source of potassium. They are very effective in preventing cancer of breast and prostrate due to presence of Beta-Glucans and conjugated Linoleic Acid having anti carcinogenic effects.

Mushrooms contain vitamin-D in edible form. They are rich in calcium (good for bones), iron (benefits in anemia), potassium (very good for lowering blood pressure), copper (anti bacterial) and selenium (very good for health of bones, teeth, nails, hair and as an anti oxidant). Since the best source of selenium is animal protein, mushrooms would be the best non-animal choice for vegetarians. They have no fats, no cholesterol, very low carbohydrates, high proteins, vitamins and minerals, lots of water and fiber.

Baccalà Fritto (Fried Salt Cod)

Salting as a method of preserving fish has been used for centuries in many places around the world such as Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The simplicity of the salting process, the low cost of production and the ease with which it combines with other preservation methods, such as drying or smoking, has led to its popularity and extensive use.

The important thing to note about salt cod is that it takes a few days to remove the salt. You must fill a large container with cold water and soak the fish in the refrigerator. The water must be changed twice per day and the fish rinsed when changing the water. This will result in a proper taste. Salt cod is not supposed to taste too salty. The salt was only there to preserve the fish. There is only one way to see if the salt has been removed, taste a little piece of fish. It should be de-salted in 2 days.

Note: Salt cod may differ in the degree of saltiness. A less salty one may need only one day of soaking, while a more salty one could require up to three.

In our family, Baccalà Fritto is made with hot peppers and usually served hot and spicy. The peppers our mamma uses are marinated hot red peppers, the little ones, not the large ones. They’re hard to find so when I run out I usually use the tiny hot Caribbean peppers that I find next to the jalapenos in the supermarket.

Ingredients:

1 large presoaked salt cod – cut into small pieces 2×2 inches

Vegetable oil

Garlic clove

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3 Hot peppers

Coarse sea salt

Lemon wedges

Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. The oil must be hot and should submerge only 1/2 of the fish.

While oil is heating, pat dry the cod and dust generously in flour.

Transfer to oil, add some hot peppers and garlic and fry until golden

When golden, transfer to paper towel

Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges. You can sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley to add extra colour.

Lupini beans are one of the highest in protein content, second only to soy beans.

Lupini Beans are commonly sold in a brine in jars  kind of like like olives and pickles. They can be eaten by making a small tear in the skin with your teeth and “popping” the seed directly into your mouth.

They have a high satiety factor and also suppress the appetite, lower cholesterol and reduce fat intake

They improve bowel health by reducing transit time and lowering colon pH. They are therefore a pre-biotic.

Lupin products are new to the North American food ingredient industry. They are most advanced in Europe.

Lupin products are being valued for their non-GM status. They are not genetically modified like soya and corn. This is a HUGE benefit to our health.  Hopefully the seed monopolizers (I won’t mention “Mon…fill-in-the-blank” here) will not change this in North America.

Lupin products can substitute for, and in some applications are superior to soy products.

I think you will see a lot more information arising about this popular bean famous in Italian households.

So the next time you would like to serve a nutritious snack when informal company comes over, just add Lupini’s to your plate with a little bit of peppers like the plate you see above. The image was taken during one of my commercial assignments for a restaurant. They happen to serve this dish to everyone who sat down at their table along with some crusty bread and oil and vinegar.

March 28 – April 1, 2010

You can attend as a consumer by purchasing your ticket at Ticket Master
http://www.ticketmaster.ca/lgfashionweek

Toronto LG Fashion Week is the premiere fashion event in Canada which brings together media, industry, buyers and consumers to view the season’s collections in the Fashion Capital of Canada, Toronto.

Now in its 12th year, the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC) has successfully created a Fashion Week known as “LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oréal Paris” that commands international respect and drives the Canadian fashion economy.

LOCATION
Allstream Centre
105 Princes Blvd.
Toronto, Ontario
M6K 3C3

Canada’s Newest and Greenest Conference Centre
The Allstream Centre combines history and state-of-the-art technology. l

Fashion Design Council Of Canada
75 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON
(416) 977-6184‎

All attendees must be over 19 years of age to attend

Canada Blooms: The Flower & Garden Festival invites you to visit a paradise bursting with six acres of stunning gardens in full bloom, more than 100,000 square feet of green thumb shopping and more at Canada’s largest and most prestigious flower and garden festival.

Canada Blooms (http://www.canadablooms.com/)

Buy your tickets online at
https://www.microspec.com/tix123/etic.cfm?code=CB2010

Funny how parents are always parents and always wiser then their children, even when the children are ‘old people’. I happen to mention to my dad that I had heartburn. He told me to eat sauerkraut.

At first I didn’t believe him and just thought it was an old tale from our old country. But since I don’t like to take pills and usually prefer the ride-it-out approach, I thought I had nothing to loose.

It worked!

Sauerkraut contains the bacterium Lactobacilli plantarum.  This is a  beneficial bacteria. It boosts your immune system and helps break things down in your stomach.  It contains vitamins K vitamin C and iron. It also detoxifies.

If you have too much acid in your stomach, it will reduce it; If you have too little acid in your stomach, it will increase it.

The magic of cruciferous vegetables (plants of the cabbage family)  never ceases to amaze me.

Before we get too excited, this article is about the benefits of dark chocolate (with 65% or more of cocoa content).

Chocolate is made from a plant. Dark chocolate may contain some of the same benefits as dark vegetables.

Did you know that dark chocolate:

• stimulates endorphin production, which gives you a feeling of pleasure
• contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
• contains caffeine and other substances which are stimulants
• contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries)

Studies in two prestigious scientific journals say dark chocolate is good for you. Dark chocolate is a potent antioxidant but don’t have it with milk. Studies also show that milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants. therefore milk chocolate will not contain the some health benefits as dark chocolate.

So here is my favourite chocolate. It comes from Lindt. If you can’t find it at your local store you can visit their outlet boutique in Etobicoke.

Lindt Outlet Boutique Etobicoke
The Queensway Commons
1557 The Queensway
Etobicoke, Ontario
M8Z 1T8
Phone: 416.255.1388

www.lindt.com

Located on the south side of The Queensway, between Ikea and Hwy 427.

Here are a few very unique ones. If you’ve never tasted these flavours, you’re missing out on something exceptional in your life. They are truly unique.

Excellence Madagascar 65% Cacao dark chocolate has the exotic taste of Sambirano cocoa grown in the north-western part of the island. The cocoa imbues this prestigious chocolate with a soft and harmonious character, enriched with a hint of vanilla.

Excellence Peru 80% Cacao dark chocolate is created with a fine cocoa that is exclusively grown in the Amazonian Tropical Forest at the foot of the Peruvian Andes. The cocoa gives this premium chocolate its superb aromatic richness, enhanced with a fruity scent and an exquisite smoothness.

Excellence Ecuador 75% Cacao dark chocolate has a full-bodied aroma that expresses the nobility of the Arriba cocoa, which is harvested in the tropical coastal areas of the Ecuadorian lowlands. An aromatic chocolate offering an intense cocoa flavour.

CREATION 70% Cherry & Chili: Indulge in the ultimate gourmet experience crafted by the Lindt Maîtres Chocolatiers. This harmonious recipe combines a 70% Cacao extra fine dark chocolate shell with a double filling of smooth chocolate truffle and irresistible cherry coulis accented with a hint of spicy chili.

Excellence 70% Cacao: a highly refined, delicately fragrant, and smooth dark chocolate, which has a strong but not too intense, cocoa flavour with subtle fruit and floral undertones and hints of natural vanilla.  A full-bodied dark chocolate, masterfully balanced with bittersweet undertones.

Excellence 99% Cacao dark chocolate: a revolutionary innovation in chocolate which reveals the true taste and strength of exceptional cocoa beans. With its strong flavour, full bodied cocoa taste and intense smell, it melts slowly in the mouth with persistent, smoky and toasted flavours. For the most sophisticated chocolate connoisseurs. If you dare!

The new location of Guess by Mariciano at 3401 Dufferin Street Toronto is having a preview of their April dresses, personal styling, champagne and hors d’oeuvres. They are doubling M points and giving a gift with every purchase.

WHEN:
Thursday March 18, 2010
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

WHERE:
3401 Dufferin Street

RSVP by emailing PSVPYorkdale@GUESSbyMarciano.com

By the way,  they state you must be an M Loyalty member to receive the Double Points offer. Present your M Loyalty card in the store to ensure you receive the offer for purchases made during the event hours. I think it is a free card.

I can’t say enough about bowls, baskets and boxes. They make amazing props. They add a bit of whimsy and enchantment without all of the heavy themed sets which can add too much complexity to a soft subject. I still like the occasional forest theme if enough simplicity is created. You don’t need to add a ton of foliage and wheel barrels and all that other complex stuff to crete enchantment and whimsy. Here are a few simple yet very whimsical themes with great colour harmony.

I have been studying the book “The Professional Chef : The Culinary Institute of America” and found that braised dishes are quite easy to make once you master the basic science. In my opinion learning this was time well spent because it empowers you to create your own dishes at a whim. Braised dishes are something you can put on a stove for a few hours and not have to worry about it except for the odd time to stir things around. (3 times in my case) Your friends will just love your cooking! This recipe was the first recipe I developed myself without the use of a cook book so you will have to be patient with me because I’m still tweaking it. Therefore, this recipe is more of a guide to the finished product than a fully completed recipe. My advice is for you to first get the braising down to a science. From that point you will be able to make any braised meat dish to perfection. It’s really worth learning if you want to make amazing dishes without too much effort.

Braising Meats
Before you get started here are the basics:
To braise meat you must first sear it in hot fat. This locks in flavor. After adding your liquid, you must bring everything to a boil and reduce at once to a simmer (slightly bubbling bot not a boil) in a covered pot. The amount of liquid is crucial to the success of the dish. 1/3 of the meat should be covered with your liquid. The dish should simmer for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the quality of the meat used. There should be enough liquid left over to create a small amount of sauce. If your liquid dries before the allowed time, you are cooking too high, if there is too much liquid you are cooking to low. The cooking liquids for braised meat are typically rich stock although you can use broths, wine or vegetable juices (not my favorite). I use a bouillon cube when pressed for time. Roasting garlic ahead of time and using it in your braising dish will give the dish a wonderful flavor but that’s an extra step if you have time or a love for cooking. To thicken the braising sauce use a roux or a reduction. Mirepoix may be pureed and added back to the sauce to thicken it. (don’t be intimidated … see bottom of post for an explanations of these terms, they’re easy, just fancy names that’s all)

The inspiration for my dish comes from a middle eastern restaurant I frequently visited when I was in my twenties and the fact that I love sweet meat dishes. If you don’t like sweetness in a meat dish, you may not like this dish, but the kids will love it! Serve this with my famous rice recipe or couscous along with a dark leafy green salad. The sauce mixes really well with all of these.

THE QUICK RECIPE (I will post the long culinary version another time)
5 Lamb Shoulder chops
olive oil (about 5 tbsp)
sesame oil (about 5 tbsp)
5 cloves of pressed garlic
1/2 onion chopped very fine
1/2 cup of white wine (Riesling is usually sweeter and this is a sweet dish)
1/2 cup or more of Honey (you may add more honey in the last 20-30 minutes)
5 tbsp of Soya Sauce
Mint (use at your discretion, yes it can be omitted)
1/4 cup of Chopped Walnuts
Sesame Seeds (small amount just for extra flavor)
vegetable bouillon cube
Raisins (about 1/4 cup)
Water (enough to submerge 1/3 of the meat)

Rub chops with a generous amount of salt and some pepper
Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over high heat
Sear shanks until brown on all sides
Transfer chops to plate

Add sesame oil, onions and garlic to pot and sauté until golden

Stir in wine, honey, soya sauce. Add vegetable bouillon cube

Add seasonings; mint, raisins, walnuts and sprinkle sesame seeds.

Return shanks to pot. Add enough water to submerge 1/3 of the meat.

Bring to a boil, and at once reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and (simmer) nicely bubble until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (nicely bubbling not boiling – simmer.) Flip chops every so often. I usually do this 3 times or so.

Remove cover from pot. Simmer about 30 minutes longer. Taste for sweetness and add more honey or salt at this point.

Transfer shanks to platter. Boil juices in pot until thickened, about 15 minutes. Spoon over shanks. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and almonds. You may toast the sesame seeds and almonds for better flavor, if you have the time.

mire poix (mEEr-pwah) : a mixture of vegetables (usually onions, carrots, and celery, in the ratio of 2:1:1), added to stocks or sauces as a basic flavoring. Can be left plain, or browned in order to add color to a stock. Other vegetables are sometimes used, depending upon the desired flavor or colors of the finished stock. Usually wrapped and tied  in a cheese cloth and placed in the dish during cooking as not to end up with a bumpy sauce.

roux (rue) : flour and fat (typically  butter) in a ratio of 60/40, cooked to various stages of brown. Used to thicken many sauces, and to add color to some. The trick is to fry the roux (gently and lightly) to eliminate the starch taste of flour.

I take these daily. Ddrops Company is 100% Canadian owned and operated. If you visit their web site you can find a retailer that carries the vitamin in your area.

We are now learning Vitamin D helps protect your health in many more ways. In addition to boosting bone and teeth formation, it is involved in immune and nerve function, even muscle contractions. Emerging research has found it may even help reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis, cancer, depression and more.
Vitamin D comes in 2 major forms, known as vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 is a form that is naturally produced in the skin after sunlight exposure or vitamin D is taken in dietary foods. Vitamin D3 is the preferred form for supplementation because it is more effective in raising serum 25(OH) D levels in humans. All Ddrops™ brand products contain naturally sourced vitamin D₃. Vitamin D2 is sometimes used as a supplement, it is about half as active in humans and is produced from plant and/or fungal sources.

There are 4 main sources of vitamin D:

1. Sunlight
2. Artificial UVB light (tanning beds)
3. Some foods (natural and fortified)
4. Supplements

Sunlight and Artificial UVB rays

• A total of 15 minutes of summer noonday sun or artificial UVB rays (tanning beds) on both sides of the bare body will provide 10,000 IU of vitamin D in the bloodstream of most fair-skinned adults
• The Canadian Dermatology Association and Health Canada advise against direct exposure of sunlight, especially for infants
• The Canadian Cancer Society recommends to keep babies less than 1 year old out of direct sun
• The use of sunscreen with a sun protection factor of eight reduces the cutaneous production of vitamin D by 97.5% in adults
• Dark-skinned infants are particularly at risk for developing rickets as they require increased exposure to sunlight to produce the same amount of vitamin D compared to light-skinned infants.
• Sunburns are associated with skin cancer (malignant melanoma) and regular UV light exposure increases the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers and ages the skin

In nature, there are very few dietary sources of Vitamin D.  Natural common dietary sources:

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Tuna
• Shiitake Mushrooms
• Egg yolk

Fortified dietary sources

• cow’s milk
• Infant formula
• Yogurt
• Cheeses

I’m always washing my hands like a doctor does. I have to because I work with kids everyday in my studio. In order to prevent the transfer of colds and viruses from one little client to the other I have to wash my hands thoroughly all the time. My hands became so dry that for almost 2 years I lived with rough chapped skin … doesn’t look so pretty on a girl. To make matters worse, I didn’t realize that I was washing my hands in the kitchen using dish soap. What does dish soap do? It removes oil and grease from dishes, and hands too. It sounds silly not to realize this but that’s what I did. We all make silly little mistakes. I wasn’t thinking about the natural oils in the skin being depleted by dish soap. So don’t wash your hands with something that strips the natural oils from your skin.

So I went out and tried a ton of hand cream and hand product out there. I stopped washing my hands with dish soap.  Nothing seemed to get rid of my chapped hands. One day I passed by one of my favorite stores, Crabtree & Evelyn, to pick up some nice smelling room spray and I spotted a few hand creams. I tried 2 of them, the Gardner’s Hand Therapy and the Rose Water Hand Therapy Cream. Let me tell you what happened. Not only did my hands change from rough sandpaper to smooth as butter skin in a week, my hands smelled amazing. I’m not sure why this product worked better than all the others, perhaps there’s a science to it, but I’m happy it worked.

If you know of a hand product that is really good, let me know. I would love to try it.

So now I’m hooked on everything Crabtree & Evelyn and they even know me by name at the store. During the holiday’s I gave the mums a giant box filled with everything from room sprays and drawer liners to hand creams and body lotions. It was a huge hit! My new favorite is all things Spider Lilly by India Hicks Island Living.

Designing a beautiful and functional room while incorporating family photographs is often a decorating challenge. Portraits tend not to favor the walls in home decorating and design. As an interior decorator and artist, Margie believes that family photographs and interior design go hand in hand. By fusing interior design with family unity, a heartfelt and artful balance can be achieved. The entire portrait industry has changed forever. Gone are the days of taking boring ordinary photographs of kids sitting on carpeted tables. It’s probably the reason designing a beautiful room while incorporating family photographs was such a challenge in the first place. Today, it’s all about fun, fresh and unique!

Many psychologists who specialize in early childhood development believe that children who see their own images displayed throughout the home grow up with a feeling of well-being and self-confidence. Portraits on display serve to make a child feel loved and valued.

Decorating with your children’s photos can do more than add warmth and beauty to a home, it can actually enhance your child’s self-esteem. In the book “The Magic of Encouragement: Nurturing Your Child’s Self-Esteem” author and psychotherapist Stephanie Marston suggests placing two images of a child next to the child’s bed. One should show the child happily involved in an activity that they enjoy and the other should show the family together (parents and child nurturing each other or playing together). These images of your child being empowered and being loved will be “the last thing they see before they go to sleep and the first thing they see when they wake up. Images speak louder than words, so these photos can be a great benefit to a child’s development. Stephanie Marston’s book, The Magic of Encouragement: Nurturing Your Child’s Self-Esteem, can be found at http://www.stephaniemarston.com/

What better way to show how you feel about your child than to decorate your home with baby portraits made at important milestones in their life.

Going green is a term we will have to get used to. It is becoming part of our every day life.

Last June, the government banned the use of free plastic grocery bags from retailers. When shopping you must now pay 5c for each bag. It must be working because I see a lot of people with their own reusable bags at the grocery store. Not for the 5 cents, but probably out of guilt. We all want a healthier planet don’t we?

For me it has been quite difficult to remember to bring them every time I do my grocery shopping. Human beings are habitual by nature so you would think this would be an easy task but habits can take a lifetime to develop.

I have found one easy solution that has worked for me. I’m finally in the habit of BYOB bring-your-own-bag.

I list this as the first thing on my grocery list. It’s worked for me!

My Shopping list

Bring Bags
Milk
Eggs
Butter
bring the bags
Yogurt
Ice Cream
Bring the bags
… and so on

The image is from one of my commercial photography assignments of a few years ago.

March 12 – 7:15-8:45pm
March 14 – 1:30-3pm

In honour of Port Credit’s 175th Anniversary. Mississauga’s Web Site for Port Credit Memorial Arena

There is also an outdoor rink just outside the arena. It looks so pretty.

This winter I have seen kids skating on the Port Credit River. It has been plowed into a circular skating area,  although I wouldn’t attempt it with this current weather.

This little sweet pea had so much fun at the studio. She always gave us the perfect pose and great expressions. This is a close up of our little bath tub set which can be customized a million different ways. Keep it simple or take it to full enchantment with a canvas background and lots of pretty flowers and bath accessories.

Here’s a page from one of our albums

Isn’t this just adorable? We brought in some really nice things to the studio: hats, petti-skirts, tutus, and a few adorable little wraps for baby portraits. It’s so much fun being a baby photographer.

These little baby pods are just so adorable.

Here’s another little newborn outfit. These little baby clothes are just so adorable. We just received quite a few new newborn outfits for your newborn portraits. The bumble Bee and The little Flower are so precious. Priceless!

Don’t they just make the baby look so warm and fuzzy?

Isn’t this little guy just so adorable. I had the pleasure of capturing his little brother a while back.  We love using these wraps to enhance toes and fingers and such a sweet little face. If you’re thinking of decorating your walls with artistic portraits of your children, start with a newborn portrait like like this one. This will help you build your own gallery in your home.

Sometimes keeping it pure and simple creates such a beautiful memory. This is sure to be treasured forever.

I have had the pleasure of volunteering my talent in creating this wonderful keepsake calendar. We are working on the next calendar . This should be fun! It will be my third volunteer calendar project supporting a great cause.

Thank you all for your time and support, the calendars are beautiful. Please let me know if you have a retailer or an upcoming event where we can attend and promote the sale of these beautiful keepsake calendars…

Article Mississauga News http://www.mississauganews.com/community/article/33831–guys-dolls-strut-their-stuff
Photos July 28th http://www.mississauganews.com/photozone/34073
Video Mississauga News http://www.mississauganews.com/videozone/34185

Dianne will be setting up some autograph sessions over the coming months. We had some great exposure with City TV, Mississauga News, Snap Magazine, West of the City Magazine and Rogers TV here are a couple from the Mississauga News; keep watching for the others..

Guys & Dolls Calendar Now Available!

This unique keepsake is a one of a kind piece that features our friends and neighbors; namely; Madam Mayor McCallion, Gerry Townsend, Maggie Bras, Cliff Silveira, Betty Russell, Susan Howson, Peter McCallion, Suzanne Brown, Brad Welsh, Amanda Persad, Michael Brown, Kate Unger, and Jovanna Green.

The calendar celebrates the beauty in us all and is set in the vintage era, it focuses on the diversity that is our community regardless of age, shape, religious beliefs or social standing, and together we stand as one for all.

Great for Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas; really it is a great gift for all occasion spread the word…

Price:- $20.00 Contact:- e-mail diannesm@sympatico.ca call:- 905-820-2351

PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY @ CREDIT VALLEY HOSPITAL

Is she not the prettiest little princess? Wow how I love what I do every day. Babies are just so adorable and I have to tell you, they keep me thinking young.

This one is for Tharani from our session yesterday, hope you like these. He is such a beautiful little guy and had so much fun!

Every mom loves their little angel. If your angel is sitting up I have quite a few props we can use to place them on. If they’re not sitting up yet, we can place your little angel on a bed of flowers. Flowers and angel wings go together quite nicely. We even use bowls!

My enchanted forest is a lot of fun for kids. The little ones are always interested in the pond. This set is perfect for all ages once they know how to sit up. We keep it as simple as possible by providing the right colour harmony. This helps with the complexity of the background. It’s perfect for soft sun dresses, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers and even fairy dresses which we stock in the studio.

Had to share this mornings newborn baby portrait. This little treasure was captured on one our new hand painted canvas backgrounds. We have six new canvases and expect to be creating something new and fresh over the next few weeks.

I never had a fascination with baby angels until I embarked on a large project involving the creation of images over time during one mom’s pregnancy. We were looking for something really artistic to show her growth during pregnancy with the final portrait being of mom and baby. Over the course of one year, we created the photographs and although I had many ideas, and photographed all of them, a story began to emerge that was not in our original plan. It just magically transpired almost like life itself. I must tell you that as an artist, I thought I was responsible for creating this concept but that’s not how it happened. I did not control the story, rather, the story wrote itself naturally through our beautiful images. It really gave us goose bumps and was the most amazing experience. I almost wish I could go back in time and have that experience myself with my own pregnancies. However, that won’t happen and I am so grateful to have been a part of this storytelling. We are still working on this creative project but here’s a glimpse of the wonderful pregnancy and final result. You can put words to this story yourself but we think you will arrive at the same conclusion.
So I entitle this story “The Gift”

And this little one landed in our studio for a little snooze before going home.