The next day of our vacation, we headed to the little town of Manteo to visit the aquarium and the lighthouse.  The kids had a great time exploring and just hanging out together….something that I wish we could do more often.  After the aquarium and lunch, we walked around the town a bit and played at the playground before heading back. PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEWhen we got back into town, we decided to take the kids go carting and putt putting.  When we arrived, Carter got out of the car and this is what he looked like….. PIN IMAGESomehow, he got into some chocolate!  It was hilarious!  His cute little expression above is when he saw the go carts.  Too bad for him…he was tall enough to ride, but not old enough.  What?! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGESo, we left and went putt putting instead.  They had a blast!!  And it was pretty funny watching them go at it.  Kaleigh is pretty good and Carter finally got the hang of it after a while.  Jay showed him a little “trick” to use the club the right way, so, forever now, will Carter touch the club to his nose and then hit the ball…it kind of reminds me of Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond lol! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEYea, the kids were exhausted after this loooong day!  They hit the pillow and were out! PIN IMAGELast part of our vacation coming soon!  Promise its the last part haha!

  

I look forward to our family beach trip every year!  It is my favorite vacation that we take(and ties with the Disney trips we take every other year or so!)  I look forward to the kite flying, sand castle building, relaxing, eating seafood, and the atmosphere of the beach.  What more could a person ask for?!  Sun, sand, and family.  I have been going to the same condo since I was a little girl, so getting to share this with my own family makes it even more special.  I treasure the fact that the memories that Kaleigh and Carter will have from these trips, I also had as a child.  I slept in the same bed, swam in the same pool, and built castles on the same beach.  It is such a wonderful thing to share.

This year was a bit different because, not only were we hit by the hurricane on the day we were supposed to leave, but Carter had also broken his foot(four metatarsal bones to be exact!) so we knew that this year’s trip would have to be a bit different than usual.  Carter would not be able to splash around in the pool or run from the waves at the beach….so, we thought of some pretty neat alternatives to water.

Our first day at the beach was spent hanging out at Kitty Hawk Kites, where the kids got to buy their own kite(Kaleigh’s had peace signs and Carter’s was an octopus that he likes to call Opi).  Later that evening, Carter gave Opi a big hug and said, ” I love Opi.  He’s my best friend.  I’m Opi’s best friend and he’s my best friend.  And I like to fly him.  I love Opi and Opi loves me.  And we love each other.”  SO cute!  After we flew the kites, we took a walk on the beach…this is one of my favorite traditions!  The day we get to the beach, we don’t worry about unpacking or getting into the room….we head straight for the beach to take in the nice breeze, smell the salt water, and feel the sand between our toes.

Finally, we went to my all time favorite place to eat at the beach….Hurricane Moe’s.  From the outside, it doesn’t look like anything special, but they have the most amazing homemade honey wheat bread and honey butter….they make all of their dressings(yum!), and their blackened tuna with soy sauce and coconut rice is to die for!  Ok, so enough rambling….here is part one of our trip. 🙂

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I had the amazing opportunity to work with Alicia from A Peach in a Pear Tree last week!  Not only is she a sweet person, but she can BAKE!!  She specializes in custom cakes, cookies, cupcakes and mini desserts for all occasions, including but not limited to weddings, birthdays, baby showers & all other celebratory events!  Alicia actually made custom cupcakes and individual cakes for my kids birthdays just a couple of weeks ago.  You can check out the yummy treats here.

Below is a short interview with Alicia to get to know her a little better and of course images of her delicious treats!

Who are you?  Where are you located?  What do you offer?

My name is Alicia Darnell and I am located in Ashland, Virginia.  I offer custom cakes (wedding, celebration), cupcakes, mini desserts, cookies and dessert bars for various events.
Tell us about your business?  How did you get started?  What do you love about what you do?

 

My business specializes in unique custom and original designs. When I started this business, my  main emphasis was on taste.  Having recipes passed down from my great grandmother and other family members from my home state of Louisiana, I knew I could bring a flair like no other to this area.  My very first item that was placed to sell in restaurants was my grandmother caramel pound cake, more appropriately called “Alberta’s Caramel Cake”.  After I made a name for myself locally selling homemade goods, I decided to branch out into the element of designing cakes.  I took professional courses, studied with great people and practiced – a lot.

 

What I love about my job is the opportunity to really be creative with a sweet, edible medium  — sugar!  The second best thing is the look on a customer’s face when they see  and taste the final project.  It’s priceless and makes the hours of work totally worth it!

Do you have a favorite party that you host?

 

My favorite events are those that use dessert bars with an extravagant, tiered cake as a centerpiece.  Dessert bars are so customized and detailed, it really draws all attention from everyone in the room!

Who has been your biggest supporter in your business?

 

My father was definitely my biggest supporter.  He passed away in December 2008, but not before he knew every detail as to what I wanted to do.  He gave me great advice on how to be successful with my business, and his words ring true still.
How would you describe your style?  What are your favorite types of projects?

My style ranges from traditional to haute couture – everything in between!  My favorite types of projects are cakes that are 4 to 5 feet high, 3D form, that blink or spin.  I love the challenge of making complex, realistic sculptured cakes and that is something I am looking forward to expanding in this area.
What inspires you?

 

I believe that inspiration is not only within self, but also from those you interact with.  I am inspired when I meet with a client who has just as much excitement about their event as I do the vision.

Describe your favorite cake that you have designed or would love to design?

 

My favorite cake that I have designed thus far has been the wedding dress cake with jewel embellishments – it constantly gets rave reviews and many clients have ordered it for bridal showers.

 

A cake that I would love to design would be a grand piano!

PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGENot only do these desserts look amazing, they taste even better!!  PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEI LOVE the detailing in each pastry.  Can you believe that the rose below is not real!  Its actually icing….how amazing is that?! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEAlicia, you did such a great job with setting up everything, it looks gorgeous!! PIN IMAGEBe sure to check out Alicia’s amazing work and keep up with the latest news!  Thanks for stopping by!

  
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I had such a fun time with this family!  I could tell right away that little Kinsey is the apple of her mom and dad’s eye.  She was so sweet and I really enjoyed working with this beautiful family.  And to top it off, Donna chose a favorite location of mine for the shoot, so I was really excited for that!  I think what made this location special to this family was that Don grew up on a farm, so it made it significant.  I think they really enjoyed walking around and seeing the cute character of the location.  PIN IMAGEShe is so cute!! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGELove, love, love this image below! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEBubbles!… PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEOne of my faves… PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGECan you tell we had a blast?! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEThank you so much sweet W Family for letting me share these sweet memories with you all!

  

When I walked into Suzanne’s art studio, Silver Tree Art,  I was totally blown away!  It was such a unique place and I immediately felt inspired!  I loved the modern, vintage feel the atmosphere gave and couldn’t help but think, “This is a photographer’s dream!”  Each direction I looked, I was constantly finding new, beautiful things to photograph.  I don’t think I could have chosen a more perfect place for Kaleigh’s birthday than this studio!  Below are some images of Suzanne’s amazingly decorative studio and a short interview to get to know Suzanne!

Who are you? Where are you located? What do you offer?

i’m suzanne l. vinson and my business is silver tree art.  i have a studio that i call the art+spirit studio which is painted a beautiful robin’s egg blue and welcomes light.  my studio is in richmond, va located in historical ginter park.  through silver tree art, i offer many branches:  the work of my hands, creating art: mixed media works, fiber wears, & vintage fabric resin jewelry.  in the studio i gather groups.  birthday celebrations, creativity circles, creative clergy groups, and retreats.  i carry the studio with me and lead personal & group retreats on location.  i love to create and travel.

Tell us about your business.  How did you get started?  What do you love about what you do?

i started creating very young.  from mud pies to making divinity.  i loved cooking and creating.  as i grew older, i would make gifts for others.  friday nights in high school were spend with my BFF cutting magazines and collaging paper for the next week’s note writing.  i began making jewelry in high school but became more serious about creating jewelry in 2004.  i love creating space for others to discover & use their creative potential.  gathering folks around a table is a sacred act.  i believe in being present to others…

Do you have a favorite party that you host?

i love celebrating birthdays for any age.  we need to gather together and bless one another.  we need to celebrate life and the faces and spaces we treasure most.

Who has been your biggest supporter in your business?

without a doubt, my love brings light and life to my professional and personal goals.  my love has supported my pursuit of wholeness and my call to create for years.  without a doubt, he’s my greatest supporter.

How would you describe your style?  What are your favorite types of projects?

my style has been described as colorful.  optimistic.  i love carving new blocks for relief prints.  i love cutting fabric into circles and creating color stories in brooches & hairpins.  i love the simple acts of carving, cutting, & stitching.  i love getting my hands into a project and losing track of time.  i love dreaming about some design, doodling, and then having it come to life.  some ideas i carry for years, others for moments before bringing them into being.  often i think we’re given more ideas than we carry into being.  someone else will if we don’t.

What inspires you?

nature.  color.  beauty.  stories.  food.  laughter.  so much in every day inspires me.  love.

PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE“Suzanne’s  love and appreciation of art shine through each piece of fabric she sews, each block print she carves, and each textile she sets in resin.  Silver Tree Art contains a variety of artistic works that use bold color and simple lines to tell a story.  Each piece of work is hand crafted by the artist and elicits a sense of wonder or exploration.  Silver Tree Art brings forth good feelings and hope.” PIN IMAGEHow amazing are these?! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGESuzanne has these adorable clips for sale here!  She also makes custom vintage neckaces, they are amazing!

PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEShe also offers design and custom work and her work appears in many great shops! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE

I am beyond excited to share these images with you!  The girls had such a wonderful time and made some really beautiful artwork!  I just love the images below….it really makes the birthday girl/boy feel extra special! PIN IMAGESuzanne had the studio decorated so cute!  I loved the sign on the door, it made Kaleigh feel extra special!  PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGESuzanne, you did a fantastic job setting everything up!  It looked so great! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEKaleigh had a Rapunzel themed birthday this year….I think it fit her really well! 🙂 PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGESuzanne was laid back and go with the flow, and the music she had playing in the background felt so peaceful.  It was such a neat experience! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGESuzanne doing her thing!! PIN IMAGEGirls hard at work! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEThe girls were so absorbed in what they were doing!  They made some really great pieces of art and I think this is the most quiet birthday I’ve ever been to!  I have never witnessed that many children at one place so intrigued and devoted to what they were doing….it was AMAZING! PIN IMAGEThis is Kaleigh saying, “Really Mom?….really?”  LOL! PIN IMAGEI just love this image below…it just captures pure joy and childhood bliss 🙂 PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEKaleigh and her friends!

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PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGETime for CAKE!! PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEand presents……… PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGELove this….. PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGE PIN IMAGEGroup photo! PIN IMAGEYou can check out Suzanne and her amazing work here:

Website:  http://www.silvertreeart.net/  and http://www.suzannelvinson.com

Flickr as http:/www.flickr.com/silvertreeart

Facebook:  Silver Tree Art

Twitter: silvertreeart

 

Thank you for stopping by! 🙂  Until next time……

  
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