interview with Brianna

Today I am bringing you an interview with girl who has been in the blog-o-sphere for quite some time. She is a very talented graphic designer and photographer, and her blog is pretty much awesome. Folks, I present to you, Brianna from By the Way.

1. Hey Brianna! I'm so excited to feature you here on "beautiful". Tell us a little about yourself:

Hi, there! I'm Brianna of "by the way" or Näna as I'm better known. I am 16 years old (days away from 17), love everything posh, classic and technological (and no, that is not an oxymoron) and am about to start by 12th year of school. I love my family to death and am pretty sure I couldn't get on without them. I am a perfectionist, I read Martha Stewart Living religiously and nothing makes me happy like a cup of coffee and a hoagies. I live in central Maryland and love the northeast US to death. My favorite movies range from Star Wars to Pride and Prejudice to Oceans 11 to The Count of Monte Cristo. There are many other things I could say that would give you a little insight into who I am, but the one vital key to understanding me is to know that I am a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. He came to earth and suffered death on the cross for the express purpose of having a relationship with me. That is a beautiful thought but it's even better than a thought because it is a reality. 

2. How many people are in your family? What are your sibling's ages?

My family is made up of ten fabulous, loud, extremely Italian, crazy, people. We amuse ourselves :) My siblings are Kaitlin (20), *insert me here*, Emma (12 soon to be 13), Nathaniel (10), Aedan (9), Samuel (7), Ellie (4) and Carmella (or Winnie as she is more often referred to on my blog, 1)

 
3. You seem very devoted to your faith. Were you raised to be so, or was it your own decision?

While I was raised in a Christian home, everything I believe was 100% my own decision. One of the things I appreciate most about my parents is that, while they do teach us about the Bible and train us in godly character, they encourage us to study things out for ourselves and at the end of the day what we believe is our own.  

4. What are some of your hobbies?

I blog (obviously), read, dabble in web and graphic design, play piano badly, knit even worse (which is odd because knitting is so not a me thing :P), bake probably even worse than I knit and try out diys.  

5. Have you ever thought about what you would like your career to be?

Oh yeah. It's something I've given quite a lot of thought over the years. Until I was 12 or 13 I wanted to be an OB/GYN. Ambitious, no? :) And then  I decided that 10 years of schooling and the amount of debt that would bring around and then Maryland is notorious for lawsuits against doctors that maybe that wasn't the best path. After that I started praying what is it that God would have me pursue as a career. I've tossed around many idea: web design, software programming and party planning (among others thing) but none of those seemed to be right. Above all else (the salary, location, etc.) I want whatever I do to be something that will help people. I don't want to just talk about the thing I am passionate about I want to be devoted everyday to resolving them and doing them and making a difference. God has been laying a few things on my heart this summer and we'll see how they pan out. Thankfully, I still have one year until graduation and the time I'll have to start making decisions.    

6. Do you have any pets?

I do not personally but my family has several. A cat (Noel) who adopted us (it's a long story), a turtle(Zipper), and two parakeets (Cocoa and Ginger).

7. What are your absolute favorite and least favorite foods?

Absolute favorite food: A hoagie and a cup of coffee. It's my Italian/Jersey roots showing :) Absolute least favorite: fast foods. Really processed and fast foods are the only things I won't eat (oh, and organs...those are just...yeah). My mom always taught us to eat everything we were severed and pretend we liked it even if we didn't and after 16 years of that I'll eat pretty much anything and genuinely enjoy it.   

8. What do you enjoy doing on a rainy day?

I enjoy reading and blogging on rainy days but one thing a little more unique is making bagels. They take a long time to rise rise and such so slow paced rainy days are the best time. And they are just too good.

9. What inspired you to start blogging?

My mom started a blog and it looked like fun. lol. I created a Blogger profile so I could comment on her blog and one thing led to another and here I am today a full fledged blogger :) Not very clever...I know :P

10. Do you see yourself blogging throughout your life?

Yes, I do. I love blogging and "By the Way" has become a close friend. There have been many times I've looked through old posts and thought "what the heck was I thinking!" I've come so close to deleting them but I can never bring myself to do it. I can't help but think that years down the road I will look back and love those first posts. So I keep them.

Hannah, thanks you so much for hosting me on "beautiful"! It was a pleasure to get to know you better.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Be sure to check out Brianna's blog, By the Way! Also, she interviewed me over there, so be sure to check it out!

xo,

hannah

p.s. Don't forget to enter the giveaway! I'll announce the winner tomorrow, so get your entries in tonight!

one frame friday || a link-up

When I saw this little link up over at Bree's blog I knew I had to join. Sometimes one picture is all you need!

Last week, the roses in my neighbor's yard were in perfect bloom. I had been busy all day and when I finally got time to myself I immediately grabbed my camera and headed outside to the flowers.

The sun danced on the soft grass, making patterns on my bare feet. A warm breeze stirred the air, and the delicate petals of the sweet-scented roses brushed my arms as I crouched among the bushes with my camera held to my face. And I snapped. It felt so good to capture the world's natural beauty again. I hadn't done it in a while.

As much as I love clicking the shutter to catch expressions and emotions of people, there's something about nature photography that gives me peace.

What's your favorite thing to photograph?

-hannah

what to wear?!? || for photographers

My first real photo shoot with a model is approaching, and I've been thinking about it a lot. Mostly my thoughts are questions:

What equipment should I bring?

Where should we go first?

What poses should I suggest?

What should I wear?

Yes. That last questions usually pops up if you're the model, but for me it's important. Being a photographer, I know what it's like to get down on the ground to get the shot, climb on top of things, and go through hot and cold weather. I need an outfit that'll hold up through all of these obstacles. And so do you!
Here are some ideas for outfits that us photographers need in different situations:

1. Weddings
Okay, weddings are tricky. You want to stay out of the way, but at the same time you need to be everywhere at once. You also need something you can move freely in...

Summer Wedding by nutty97 featuring chiffon dresses

You can't beat a sun dress! It'll keep you cool, stylish, and comfortable. As for flats, you can never go wrong with them if you have a pair that will be comfortable for you for a whole day :)

2. Family Sessions
Now you really have to be able to move! Especially if there are a bunch of little kids. You want to be able to look casual without looking, well, bummy.

Summer Family/Lifestyle Session by nutty97 featuring short shorts

This outfit will give you the ability to run around and chase the kids, while still being able to look somewhat professional (in other words, not bummy ;).

3. Summer Engagement Session
I'm gonna be honest with you: I love engagement sessions. Why? Because the couples are calm, mature, and cute as anything. I've only done one, but I'm hoping and praying I get to do another one.

Summer Engagement Session by nutty97 featuring jean shorts

Like I said in the collage, if you have heels or wedges that you can walk (or run) in easily and comfortably, go ahead and wear them! Especially for engagement sessions, because couples are typically more patient than toddlers ;) Also, wear something that makes you relaxed. If you are relaxed and easy-going, the couple will be too.

4. Summer Model Sessions
In this collage, I'll show you what I really do plan on wearing:

Summer Model Session by nutty97 featuring faded jeans

I actually own that shirt, and capris similar to the ones pictured. I'm choosing to wear tennis shoes because we're shooting at a few different locations, and I want to be able to climb up on things and do whatever else I might have to do :)

I hope this little guide was helpful, I certainly enjoyed putting it together! If you'd like any other "photographer guides" I'll see what I can do :) Do you have any tips for photographers? I'll feature the best ones in my next "guide" post!

-hannah

happy little links

Hey guys! Just posting to remind you about the giveaway I'm sponsoring over at Dezzy's blog! The winner will be picked tomorrow, so hurry and get our entries in tonight! And you seriously have to watch this video. I've been quoting it all day ;)

~via~

Oh, and go check out Hannah's blog (great name, right? ;]). I pretty much drool all over the place every time I visit it ;)

Happy Thursday!
-hannah
How do ya like my blog design? I'm thinkin' she's a keeper! Get yours HERE!!

Shepherd's Daughter GIVEAWAY!

*EDIT* Rachel would like to keep the shipping for this giveaway U.S. based, sorry!

Hey guys! Guess what I have for you today? Oh yeah, you probably *cough* saw the title of this uh, post... Anywho, today you have a chance to win this pair of earrings:

This giveaway is to celebrate having 400 posts! Wowza! Anyway, the talented Rachel from Shepherd's Daughter (who is also having a giveaway on her blog!!) has crafted these earrings for one of you! Exciting right? Here's a little bit about Rachel:

My name is Rachel, I blog over at Shepherd's Daughter about growing up in the Philippines, living in California, and pursuing my dreams of saving the world. Well, my way. ;) I also babble about my day-to-day passions and creative inspirations for my little jewelry shop. 

I started selling hand-made jewelry on Ebay in 2007 after I signed up for sponsoring a World-Vision child. I had my heart set on this beautiful 7-year old Filipina, but didn't have the funds to support her. Today, profit from the shop go to  an impoverished town called Guimaras where young children are in constant need of daily amenities. Come by and hang out for a while. I love making new friends!

Rachel was such a pleasure to work with and is super sweet, as you can probably tell from her short bio :)

So go ahead and start entering this awesome giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway





Happy entering!


-hannah
p.s. Once I hit 50 followers on my makeup blog I'm going to be having a giveaway over there! Go check it out :)

a holiday GIVEAWAY!

That's right, I have a giveaway to kick off the beginning of the holiday season! But guess what? There's not just one prize! Yep, you heard me, there will be two winners of this giveaway.

Let's see the prizes and their extremely talented creators, shall we?

prize #1:
The Amber Beaded Bohemian Feather Headband donated by Melanie of Neesie Designs.

When Melanie agreed to donate an item she let me choose which headband from her shop to give away. I was eyeing this one (it was my personal favorite) so I chose it!
When she sent me the headband so I could ship it off to the winner she mentioned she put a little "thank you" in the package for allowing her to be featured on my blog.
Inside the box was the headband above and almost the exact same one! I was so excited. Melanie, thanks again so much for the generous gift :)

Any-who, let's get to know Melanie some more...

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Hi. I'm Melanie and I'm the one woman show of Neesie Designs. I work in the fashion industry and live in NYC. I love going to see shows, eating out at all the unique and wonderful restaurants the city has to offer, flea marketing, thrift and vintage store shopping, and of course crafts fairs. I LOVE craft fairs. 

When did you get into crafting?

I've been creative as long as I can remember. But I think that I truly started to craft things when I was about 11 years old. I would gather dried and fake flowers and make flower arrangements, wreaths, and displays for the holidays. 

What is your very favorite thing to make?

I really enjoy making the woodland crowns. I think that it derives from the joy of making wreaths when I was younger. I've always felt that there's something magical about crowns, which may very well come from my love of princesses and fairy tales. But to make them now for my shoppe and to have people wear them for their weddings, festivals and other special events has been a really joy to share. 

What are some other hobbies you enjoy?

I love collecting postcards of other artist's work and framing them in my house. I have quite a collection. I still continue to make wreaths on occasion. I also love to collect interesting things at craft fairs and use them to make my accessories, which is how I first came up with my bullet headbands. I had a bucket of empty bullet shells just sitting in my room for months. I would just stare at it every now and again until the concept finally came to me. I love making something great from what someone else has discarded.

Thanks again so much Melanie!

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Have you guys forgotten there is one more prize? Well, without further ado....

prize #2:
Two eyeshadows from Madison Street Beauty in the colors Wisteria and Galaxy

Now, you guys have heard me rave about MSB's products before, but I don't think you understand how amazing these shadows are.

they. are. amazing.

And these two shadows were specifically donated because the ever-talented Bridget liked my makeup tutorial using these colors, called Midnight Plum.
Ever since I bought my first five shadows from MSB, I have purchased thirteen others and Bridget has kindly included several samples of new shadows, so my makeup drawer is now overflowing with her products, which completely fine with me ;)

Here's a little more about Bridget:

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Bridget and I'm 28 years old, I am married to the love of my life, Rhys, and we live in Las Vegas. When I met Rhys six years ago I was a radio personality in my hometown and since then I have been a bartender on a train in Alaska, a receptionist in a spa and a dozen other things before doing what I do now. I feel so grateful that I have a job that I love and that I can also spend the majority of my time with the ones I love.

When did you get interested in makeup?

I can honestly say that I have been interested in makeup for as long as I can remember! When I was a teen I got into makeup in a big way until I turned 20 and my skin really took a turn for the worse. At that point I stopped wearing it for fun and I started wearing it more as a necessity

When did you start making makeup? Was it/is it difficult?

After trying a million skin care products and a million more different cosmetics I realized that my bad skin was caused by what I was putting on my skin. I did a lot of research and I discovered that the only way I could use makeup without anything “bad” in it was to make it myself. I started making foundation for myself about 8 years ago and it wasn't long before I got requests from friends and family so it quickly became a hobby of mine. It was a little overwhelming at first but I always found creating makeup fun so it never felt overly difficult. The more confident I became in making new things, the easier it got. The most difficult thing to do was to believe in myself. I am still getting into new things but now, I have the confidence to try out something new rather than just telling myself that it's too hard to do and never trying it out. 

What is your favorite thing to make?

Eye shadow! Making eye shadow is easily my favorite thing to make because I find it really fun to experiment with and there is no end to the amount of colors that can be made. Lately I have really been interested in lip products and have been playing around with different lip colors.

Are you a huge beauty addict yourself?

I hate to admit it but I am a massive beauty addict. I have always believed that a girl can never have too many shoes or enough beauty goodies! I am always looking for the perfect hair product for curls and have probably spent a small fortune on hair products in the past. 

If you had to get rid of either all of your eye shadows or all of your eyeliners, which would you keep?

That is a tough question! I would have to say eye liners. Although eye liner is so important for framing the eye, I find that eye shadow can really bring out your eyes and even transform your whole look.

A million thanks Bridget!

Okay, so if you're still here, you probably want to know how you can enter to win one of these awesome prizes. Here's how:

•mandatory entry•

leave a comment saying what your favorite thing about the holidays is

•extra entries•

follow this blog

follow Bridget's blog

heart Melanie's shop

heart Bridget's shop

"like" Melanie's facebook page

"like" Bridget's facebook page

add Melanie to your circle on etsy
post about this giveaway on your blog and leave the link in a comment

So enter away friends! And also, the shadows pictures above are actually mine, the winner's are still sealed up tight, but believe me, they are the exact same colors :) The winners will be chosen fairly and randomly by random.org on Friday December 9th.

-hannah

p.s. If you use the coupon code HOLIDAY2011 you'll get 10% off your purchase before shipping in Melanie's shop, and the code SBS60 for 60% off your purchase at Bridget's shop!

photoshop+a giveaway

so, to get out of the "stress" of school (yeah, I don't mind school at all, but I don't have much time to photograph, or graphic design or..... well, anything else I really loved to do before I went to school) I wanted to mess around in photoshop a little...

also, before I sign off, i'm going to point you in the direction of a wonderful blog with a wonderful giveaway. Leigh Ashley is giving away $100 to her shop. Go check it out!

-hannah

liquid sunshine blogparty

Favorite season, and why?
Hmmm.... probably summer, but I really don't like it when its too hot.


How would you describe your personal style?
casual. But this summer I'm planning to get some more vintage stuff as well as boho stuff. Love it!


What's one weird thing you can do? (The stranger the better!)
I can flare my nostrils like a maniac ;)


Rain or shine?
A little of both, I think.


Confession time... what's a flaw of yours?
I always leave things till the last second.


Favorite music?
I really like Kenny Chesney, Katy Perry, Taio Cruz, Bruno Mars and pretty much every "Glee" song. Also, I love Justin Bieber songs, I just don't like his voice.


Have you ever made a decision you instantly regretted? What was it?
I've made a whole bunch of decisions that I've regretted. Usually its something I'll say to a sibling ;)


Who do you admire/look up to?
My mom, my dad and several bloggers :)


You've just won an unlimited lifetime supply of... what?
Clothes of every sort. Like, tons.


If you were an animal, what would you be?
That is tough. I'd like to think of myself as a bird, but in reality I think I'm most like a golden retriever ;) if anyone who knows me is reading this, i would love to hear your opinion!


If you knew you were going to die in a year, what would you do with your time?
Spend time visiting every family member I know, then paint a giant mural on a building that has everything I love best about life


You're now a gazillionaire... where do you go to spend your money?
The apple store. And any store that has cute clothes!


Classical music: love it or hate it?
I actually don't mind it that much. I mean, its definitely not my first choice, but if its on I can tolerate it.


Phobias?
I'm totally scared of shadowy figures in long, dark hallways ;)


Hop on a plane and go live somewhere for a year... where is it, and why?
The first place that came to my mind was Paris, but after thinking about it I think I would really love Ireland.


Are you an extrovert or an introvert?
Neither. I'm sort of in the middle.


Would you/do you perform on stage?
I have performed in plays several years ago, but honestly, if I'm going to act I'd rather do it in front of a camera instead of live onstage.


Go on over to Olivia's blog and link up for your chance to win some awesome prizes!


-hannah

Happy Birthday To......

B L E A H  B R I A N ! ! !

Today is Bleah's 16th birthday! YAY! Bleah is such a fantastic blogger, her blog is definitely one of my favorites :) Let's all raise our glasses to Bleah, a true one of a kind!

Have a great birthday!

-hannah

Carlotta's Photo Challenge

The very talented Miss Carlotta is hosting a photo challenge over at her blog Pastor's Girl's Ponderings.
Carlotta has AMAZING photography and I love love love her blog!
Here's the photo I'm entering:

I just took this photo today and I love it!
Don't forget to enter my current photo challenge!

A Photo Challenge

 

<a href="http://mynuttylife97.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac161/nutty97/Random%20Buttons/photochallenge2.jpg" /></a>

Hello friends! It has been decided that I am going to host a photo challenge! So exciting, right? You bet it is! So anyway, the theme of this photo challenge will be:

Dessert

I love looking at food photos, don't you? I know you do. On with the rules (Yes unfortunately there must be rules...):

1. The photo must be taken by YOU!

2. You may only enter one photo

3. One of the "Hannah's photo challenge" buttons must be in the post.

Have fun! I can't wait to see your desert photos!! And if you have any questions feel free to email me!

Winners will be announced January 7th!

A random post ^_^

Hello readers! Today I went over too my grandma's house with my two friends and all of my siblings (it was a half-day for my friends) and we took my cousins and my neighbor to the park down the street from my grandma's. Let me jut say, those three kids (two toddlers and one baby) are the cutest in three kids in the world. We had so much fun with them and of course, I brought my camera but I'm unable to post photos any of the cuties on my blog, same thing with my friends. :(
Anywho, it was a nice day and somehow the subject of caramel frappachinos from Starbucks came up at least four times so that would always lead us to moan and groan about how we wanted the delicious coffee milkshake :)
And also at the moment I'm in love with etsy. Isn't it just the best website ever?? All of these lovely handmade things from all around the world right in front of you! I have a gadget on my sidebar for my own etsy shop, *wink wink* though, its not very impressive. I'm trying to improve it though! :)
Do you have a etsy shop? If you do I would love to know!

School

Hello blogg-y friends! Yes, I am still alive and well :) My pink eye is cured and we are getting ready to start school. Pretty much all of our friends started today and so basically summer is over. I mean, how is it summer if all your friends are in school?
Sorry for the lack in picture posts I still haven't uploaded them on to our computer :P
My mom has been putting our tapes of home videos on to DVDs. Every time we someone walks in the living room they stay for about a half hour longer than planned! You just can't tear yourself away from those things! I will post soon with photos!

How do you like my header?

It took me a few times to get it right but I really like the finished product :) I did it in Photoshop! I love purple and I'm in a sort of fancy mood so I love the text and at the moment I adore butterflies so I found some way to squeeze them in too.
hehe let me know if you want me to make one for you!

How would you guys like it.......

...if I had a giveaway every other week? I would just giveaway something small like earrings or a bracelet or something. What do you think?

How do you like my blog? (survey)

I've been tagged!

4 Things found in my bag

a pair of goggles (I don't know why)

a few bracelets

a book

a pen

4 Things found in my purse
my wallet

a few random coins

chapstick

a pencil

4 Favourite things in my room

My desk

my guitar

my makeup :)

my bed

4 Things I’ve always wanted to do
Swim in the ocean without getting totally freaked out!

Ride a rollercoaster 50 times in a row

Have a photo shoot with a whole bunch of my friends with an awesome camera

go to the mall for about 5 hours and come home with a carload of awesome clothes (jk!)

4 Things I’m currently into

blogging (duh)

reading my Bible

trying to think of a good way to raise money for breast cancer

dreaming about having a Nikon D3000 (which actually might be a possibility..........)

4 Things I bet you didn't know about me

One of my thumbs is 3/4 of an inch longer than the other.......... I don't know why

I really love to laugh

I want an amusement park to be in my back yard

I love to do photo shoots as long as I'm not the model (I hate posing!)

4 Songs I can’t get out of my head

Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus

Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks

Chicken Fried by ZacBrown Band

Home to You by the Peasall Sisters

Now I tag 4 bloggers!

Olive Tree, Cori, Anna Gray,  and Eldarwen!

My Writing Style:

I write like
David Foster Wallace

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Ummmm.......... okaaaay............... :)

I don't even know who that guy is............... hehe :)

Thanks Bleah!

100 Blessings

Olive Tree@(of)HorseFeathers made a new thing called 100 blessings. Feel free to take the banner and do it along with me!

I am blessed because.........

1. I have a great family thats always there for me

2. I can write novels/short stories

3. I have a camera

4. I have a bed to sleep in every night

5. I have a roof over my head

6. I have an iPod touch

7. I'm not allergic to anything (so far!)

8. I can blog!

9. I have over 30 followers! Thanks guys!

10. I have some skill in drawing/painting

11. I'm perfectly healthy (at the moment)

12. I'm having lunch soon :)

13. I live in a fantastic friendly neighborhood that I've lived in my whole life

14. I'm athletic

15. I've never broken a bone

16. I don't have to wear glasses (not that I would mind too much, but I'm glad that my eyes are healthy)

17. I got to visit my great aunt for a week by myself

18. I've made some friends over the internet

19. I have a chance of being a photographer for Bloom! Magazine

20. I have amazing friends

21. My brother is the cutest 8-year-old boy on earth 

22. My sister is the funniest person on earth (not to mention dramatic)

23. My other brother is the most fun-to-be-with almost 12-year-old-boy on earth

24. I have the best parents on earth

25. I know God is watching over me

Your turn! Take the banner and write 25 of your blessings!
Time for lunch :)

Check out this AWESOME blog!

Hey guys, I'm kinda bored so I thought I'd tell you about a blog that I contribute too:

The Jabberings of a Few Teenage Authors

This blog has everything from suspense to romance, mystery to fantasy.
I absolutely love reading the posts my fellow authors write and they're all so well-written. And you can write for it too! Just visit the blog for more details.
So go check it out! And be prepared to be blown away by some amazing, intriguing and generally fantastic writing. :)