Hanging out

Baby Ray is still hanging out and enjoying the comforts of the womb.  In spite of the torturous waiting Jared and I filled our weekend up with fun stuff around Portland.  We finally went to the Saturday Farmer's Market.  I was in heaven with all that fresh fruit and vegetables.  When we were living in Dallas, we went to Shakespeare in the park and were thrilled to learn that Portland has one too!  The only thing missing from our picnic was a glass of wine.  Theater on the lawn and wine just seem to go together.  We also got to explore more of Washington Park and all the beautiful roses in the garden there.  So, if labor doesn't start on its own by Wednesday.  They will induce on July 1st.  Either way, sometime this week, we'll have a new addition to the family!          

Portland Art Museum

Arch at Agate Beach by Terry Toedtemeier

Friday night me and Jared enjoyed the beautiful summer evening stroll to the Portland Art Museum for their first "Free Fourth Friday Night" of the summer.  The biggest perk of living in uptown Portland is the ease of walking around here.  I think I walked a total 6-7 miles yesterday!  That fact is kind of funny to me (especially being pregnant and overdue).  We only got around to viewing the works in Building1.  By the time we finished there, I didn't have the energy to go through the modern art in Building 2 and walk back home.  So we grabbed a bite to eat from a local food cart and made our way back home with the summer breeze in our face.       

Messy Bun-How to

via experienceparisienne

I've decided to grow out my hair again.  I can't wait until I can put it into a high bun.

Pedicure

via thecherryblossomgirl

This morning I met with a bride getting married in September over an iced passion tea from Starbucks.  I can't wait to get my hands in her gorgeous hair and do her wedding makeup!  I just love September weddings.  

Annalise is still not here so today I'm giving myself a pedicure, one toe at a time.  The OPI nail polish I bought is pink and called 'Your a pisa work'.  I think I bought it for the name.       

Hair color and Pureology

Well the official due date has come and gone, still our baby girl isn't making any signs of wanting to join us yet.  And yes we are trying everything to induce labor naturally.  So today's plan to keep my spirits high is to color my hair.  Before I color my hair, I desperately need some new shampoo.  I'm going to a salon wholesale store to pick up a bottle of Pureology.  All their shampoos are 100% vegan, has zero sulfate, and uses an antifade complex.  

I'm actually going to try their Dandruff Scalp Cure shampoo.  I have chronic psoriasis so maybe this will help calm it for a little while and be good for my color.  In my long experience with psoriasis, I'll find a shampoo to work but it only does the job for a month or two before I become immune to it and have to find another shampoo.  The cycle is never ending.  Wish me luck! 

Update:  I had no idea Pureology was so expensive, $19 a bottle at wholesale price!  I expect a huge difference in performance.  

Willy Vanderperre photo

Natasha Poly by Willy Vanderperre

There's something about this photo that grabs my interest.  I just can't put my finger on it.

The paper boat prints

These cute little prints by The Paper Boat would be an adorable addition to the nursery corner.  And so appropriate for living in Portland.  The second print (pet cloud) uses the same colors that are dominant in the nursery.  I still want to get some pictures on the wall behind the crib but other than that I'm happy with the way the nursery corner has turned out.  Updated pictures of the nursery corner to come in a few weeks.

I apologize for my lack of updates last week.  I'll do my best to post this week.  My mind is a little preoccupied with the impending birth.  She's officially due tomorrow but that seems highly unlikely.  Thanks for stopping by!      

Jared+Alisia mini video

A cute mini video of me and my man during our maternity shoot with Kim+Phil Photography

Maternity Love: Jared&Alisia

Kim+Phil photography were so sweet and came to do these maternity photos in our Portland neighborhood.  I really wanted these photos to reflect who we are as an expecting couple in love.  They did a great job at capturing that vision.  When I see maternity pictures I always want to know how far along she is.  So for those of you like me, I'm almost 38 weeks along in these pictures (40 weeks is the official due date).  I can't wait to look back at these pictures in 5, 18, 30 years from now and remember this past year in our life and how God has sustained us.        

Stylized Engagement-Sneak Peek

Recently, I did hair+makeup for a stylized engagement shoot with photographers Ashley Forrette & Arron Courter of The Pancake Studios in Portland, OR.  It was so much fun; even thou it started raining literally just as we started shooting that day and it did not stop!  Tara and Jesse were such good sports about it and I think the rain just fed their energy.  This picture was taken at the SE Portland food carts.  More pictures to come!     

Peonies

I'm obsessing over peonies.  Every time I go for a stroll in our neighborhood, walk past a local flower shop or Whole Foods I'm ogling these flowers.  When I lived in China, I would see paintings of peonies everywhere but I don't remember seeing them up close and personal.  Now I get to admire them all the time.  Peonies were even used in the floral editorial shoot.  I don't know about you but beautiful things in nature make me happy.      

Portland Florals Editorial

These pictures are so dreamy.  Lavenda captured Hanna's beauty and the light so well.  Rebecca Westby's styling abilities are amazing.  The clothes on Hanna are actually in Rebecca's private closet and she hand crafted the floral head pieces.  For me the head pieces add the perfect touch in this editorial shoot.  Of course, I'm thrilled about how her makeup and hair came out too!   

So I hope your week is starting off on a good note.  It was a really busy weekend for me.  On Saturday I got stuck in traffic for at least 2 hours.  I still don't know why it was so backed up.  That evening we met with Kim+Phil and did a couple's maternity shoot!  Sunday morning we headed out very early to Bend, OR to hang out with Jared's coworkers and family.  We also had fun playing disc golf.  Yesterday was spent at doctors offices, getting new tires for our car and grocery shopping.  I'm definitely looking forward to a few days propping my swollen feet up.   

Rain Boots

Those black and white polka dot rain boots are by Nomad are calling my name.  A couple weekends ago Jared's Portland Aussie Rules Football team played against Seattle's team.  All the women from Seattle were wearing cute rain boots.  I'm not exaggerating either.  But I hardly ever see anyone from Portland wearing rain boots, even though it rains nearly as much.  It just goes to show you that sometimes fashion trends only hit in certain cities.   

Floral Editorial Preview (behind the scene)

A behind the scenes look at a recent floral editorial shoot I did makeup and hair for with photographer Lavenda Memory, stylist Rebecca Westby, model Hanna Thomsen, assistant Nick Wilson.  We started off at Lavenda's place with hair and makeup.  Then headed over to the McMenamins Edgefield grounds for the backdrop. 

Restyling hair and makeup can be a challenge in between wardrobe changes.  You have to do it fast, efficiently and creatively.  Sometimes hair just doesn't do what you want it to and you have to come up with something else on the fly.  Of course with Lavenda and Rebecca's eyes it made it a lot easier to achieve the looks we needed.  In the last picture, you can see that the hair and makeup changes took place from the back of an SUV.  I can't wait to share the gorgeous pictures with you sometime soon!

Bridesmaid Dresses

 

           

           

Shabby Apple

Do you know anyone searching for bridesmaid dresses?  What stands out about this Shabby Apple line other than just pretty dresses are the nicely cut sleeves and that the dresses are available in plus sizes as well.  The cost of the dresses fall somewhere near the middle at $128 and have 9 different colors to choose from.  Good luck dress hunting!          

Vintage Swimsuits!

Last week you saw a sneak peek of our Popina vintage swimsuit shoot.  Today I give you the rest of the pictures!  You even get to see Rusty showing off.

I took an extra long weekend my brain felt in a fog.  Nothing creative was coming out.  I'm sure you've had those days.  Can I blame pregnancy on the fog?  Haha.  Well it looks like it going to be a busy shooting week if the weather doesn't stop us.  Yesterday there was a 60% chance all day of rain but instead it held of and a gorgeous shoot took place.  I can't wait to show you!          

Photos: Kim+Phil Photography
Stylist: Rebecca Westby
Model: Heather Rieder
MUA: Alisia Ray