When my daughter told me she wanted a candy party, I couldn’t have been more excited!  I mean who DOESN’T like candy?!?!  She was having a small slumber party and we wanted to make if fun.  First we wanted to create invites that were fun and a little different.  We used supplies we had at home!  I asked her to choose a candy that she wanted on her invite and she chose a lollipop.  First I created a file that had the had a photo of a lollipop on one side with the invitation wording and a second that was the mirror image of the lollipop for the back.  You can download the images HERE and HERE.  I printed them and used glue dots to attach a popsicle sandwiched between the two lollipop sides.  Then I took a cellophane bag and put the “lollipop” inside and tied off with a ribbon.  Easy Peasy!

For the decorations, I used balloons that I covered in cellophane tied off with curling ribbon to look like hard candies.  I used them on the wall and also hung some from the light fixture.  I also used some PVC to create a lollipop.

I used glass bottles and with paper straws. They are just Starbucks frappuccinos bottles that I had saved and removed the label.  I get to drink Starbucks and have fun glass bottles- WIN WIN!  My friend Rachel used her Silhouette to create Riley’s name and large confetti.  Check out her store HERE.  Then we got some candy, cupcakes and viola!  Party decor done.  The girls loved it.

Then for an activity we did a photobooth in my studio.  I went online and downloaded some printable photobooth items. Here are some I used HERE.   This was by far the favorite thing for the girls.  They LOVED it!

It’s that time of year again! Holiday Mini Sessions are now available in the studio.  We have some weekday and weekend time slots available.  Contact the studio to reserve your time slot ASAP!  Outdoor mini sessions are also available.  Sessions are 25 minutes long and you will receive 10-15 proofs to view online.  You can also view the extensive selection of gorgeous holiday cards- from traditional, eclectic, vintage to modern- you are sure to find one that will make your card stand out this year.  You know you want the card everyone “Ooohs and AAAHHHS” for!  They would also make great gifts whether you do a print or an ornament.  Sessions are $100 and include 25 cards double sided press print cards.  Sessions are filling up fast, so call or submit a message on the contact form below today!

The  FAAN Food Allergy Walk is this Saturday, Sept 22nd    FAAN (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) is the world leader in information, resources, and programs for food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts as many as 15 million Americans, including approximately 6 million children.  FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials.  The goal of the walk is to raise public awareness, to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.   This organization is very special to me.  My 7 yr old son is anaphylactic to peanuts.  One bite can be fatal for him.   What this organization does for our family and other suffers is so much greater than I could describe.

Please join us out at the walk!  There is music, fun activities, and lots of allergy safe products and samples!   I will be there photographing – FIND ME FOR A SPECIAL DISCOUNT!!!  You can also sign up to walk with my son’s team– Go for Gavin! Hope to see you there!

Fun from last years event–

Can you believe summer is over?  Boy, did it ever fly by!   Capture all the excitement and giddy anticipation your kiddo has as they begin a new school year!  We are offering studio or outdoor sessions.  Both mini sessions include the 20 minute session and 8×10 print for $49.  There will also be packages available for additional prints.  The studio “Chalkboard Sessions”  will also feature a special personalized image you can choose that captures all of your child’s likes and interests.  So fun and a wonderful keepsake and peek into who they are at this age!  Call or email the studio today to book your child’s Back to School Mini Session.  See more on our Facebook page.

Can’t believe my little guy is 7!  He wanted an Angry Bird party, and we had so much fun planning it!  For the invitation he wanted to be IN the game.  I didn’t know there with birthday levels!  It was perfect.  I took snapshots on my iphone (clicking the buttons to take a screenshot) and then emailed them to myself and opened them in Photoshop and added Gavin from a picture I took in studio.

For the party we came up with a fun craft- Angry Bird Visors.  I got Visors already made in the Angry Bird colors from the craft store along with some orange and black foam for the eyebrows and beak and google eyes.  I found a template for the face at this site.  It has all the bird and pig faces.  I printed and then used that as a template to cut out eyebrows and beaks to keep it easy for the kids.  This was also one of the items they took home from the party.

The birthday boy loved his cake.  I used buttercream to frost the entire cake and then used fondant to make the clouds and face.  If you haven’t used fondant, you should!  Super easy.  We also played Hot Bird (Hot Potato), Red Bird Says, Bird/Bird/Pig (Duck/Duck/Goose) and Red Bird/Green Bird (Red Light/Green Light).  It was fun to play some of the old school party games.  I was surprised that some of the kids had never played them and they really liked it!  We decorated the table Angry Bird Style with Nesting Supplies, worms and changed out the labels on the soda.  Gavin had fun coming up with the names.  As favors, the kids got the hats they made, Angry Bird Activity books and a pack of Gummi worms.  We used the Angry Bird Gummi’s as prices for the games.  Most importantly, Gav and the kids had FUN!

We only had a short time before the ceremony but we wanted to give Kim and Kent a special private moment to see each other before the festivities began.   This modern day “Brady Bunch” family with 6 kiddos is always on the go and for them to get some alone time together before their wedding was precious indeed.  The way Kent lit up when he saw Kim made my heart melt and these two lovebirds shared more kisses and hugs that day than any couple I have ever seen.  Their love was so evident and it was a joy to see!  More photos to come, but wanted to share their “First Look”.

It is getting warmer (did we even have winter this year?!?!) and you have probably noticed the wildflowers mopping up along I-35 and Mopac.  SPRING IS HERE!  Time for annual bluebonnet portraits!  Whether it is a family tradition or this is your first time, if you live in Texas you MUST have bluebonnet pictures!  Don’t pull over and take pictures on the side of the road (Can you say DANGEROUS?!?!)  Contact the studio today to reserve your $49 minisession.  We will be taking portraits at the end of the month into April- when the flowers are at their peak.

I was really excited when I got the call that Allee wanted me to take her senior portraits.  The last time I saw her, I was in college and she was really young so I was not prepared for the gorgeous girl that walked in the door!  We had so much fun during her shoots.  She is just so sweet and funny with an infectious smile.  I caught myself smiling at the computer screen while editing all her pictures.   Alle wanted to do studio and outdoor pictures so we did a senior combo shoot- two days of shooting both in studio and on location.  After talking with her about her style and what she wanted we came up with a perfect spot for her pictures.  And speaking of  style, she brought so many cute outfits it was impossible to choose which to use.  And SHOES- OMG!  LOVED THEM ALL.

If you haven’t booked your senior pictures, call the studio ASAP!  To see more of Allee’s pictures, be sure to check out Mariel Reyes Photography on Facebook.

Get on Santa’s Nice List!  Santa’s List Holiday Mini Sessions will be Nov 12th and 19th.  We will also have some weekday time slots available.  Contact the studio to reserve your time slot ASAP!  Sessions are 25 minutes long and you will receive 10-15 proofs to view online.  You can also view the extensive selection of gorgeous holiday cards- from traditional, eclectic, vintage to modern- you are sure to find one that will make your card stand out this year.  You know you want the card everyone “Ooohs and AAAHHHS” for!  They would also make great gifts whether you do a print or an ornament.  Sessions are $45 and are filling up fast, so call or hit that contact form below today!

We had such a great time at the FAAN Food Allergy Walk.  FAAN (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) is the world leader in information, resources, and programs for food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts as many as 15 million Americans, including approximately 6 million children.  FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials.  The goal of the walk is to raise public awareness, to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.   This organization is very special to me.  My son is anaphylactic to peanuts.  One bite can be fatal for him.   What this organization does for our family and other suffers is so much greater than I could describe.

There were over 400 walkers and they surpassed the $30,000 goal,  raising over $40,000!  Kyle Dine was here from Canada to perform and the kids (and grown ups!) loved his music!  What a great message he has for the kids and the music is just fun to listen to.  the kids of course were not just listening.  They were dancing and singing along!  There were a ton of amazing sponsors there with great products, snacks and services for food allergy suffers.  Dey was there and had stations to register your epi-pens.  If you have one and haven’t registered it- you can do so on this site. AND they were giving away an iPad!  (*  side note, we can not enter drawings.  My son is SURE we are going to win and then baffled, shocked and confused when our name isn’t called!)  In addition to the sponsors, there was a fire truck,  HEB buddy,  a balloon animal clown,  bounce house, and lots of other fun activities.  The weather was just gorgeous and event couldn’t be any more fun!  I am so glad I got to be a part of it :)