Check out this sweet, sweet family!!  So many smiles and cuddles during our session.... Mr. Finley is going to be such a heart breaker one day!!! If you are in need of a car, go check out Everett Maxey GMC in Bentonville! They have the best customer service and their selection is crazy. It is so amazing to get connected with awesome people who run their business with integrity and class. I can't wait to see Mr. Finley grow up!

Ok, I know these are supposed to go up on Tuesday, but Thursday worked in the schedule, so I just rolled with it! :)

So you know you love photography with your ENTIRE heart... Hooray! That is so awesome! Isn't it so fun when you get to turn your passions into your profession? You have decided to (legally) start your business, and now you are in the process of building your portfolio. Double awesome! There are lots of people out there who are doing this same thing. SOOOOOOOOO...... how are YOU going to be DIFFERENT?!?

We ALL have people we are absolutely, 100% inspired by. I have some that I follow and sit on the edge of my seat just waiting for them to post another picture. One of my absolute favorites is CRAVE PHOTOGRAPHY out of Utah. I see a link to a new post on FB, and I am like a three year old who hears the ice cream man coming! Love her. Love her style. Love her editing. BUT I am not her. I draw inspiration from her stuff, but I am not her. My favorite newborn photographer is KERI MEYERS. Man, she is the BEST newborn photographer I have ever seen. I swear she must be the official Baby Whisperer of the world, because how she keeps babies asleep to get 15 different poses/set ups is beyond me! Again, someone I gain inspiration from, but I am not Keri Meyers. What makes these insanely talented women so wonderful is that they have developed their own style and have ran with it! People have taken notice of them because of it! They would not be who they are today if they didn't confidently walk in what their hearts believed was what the absolute best photography they could put out there. I hope one day I can be that way too!

This was a long journey for me, and I still am trying to figure out exactly who I am in terms of style and brand. Sometimes I like really punchy color and like to edit in a style that anyone could tell it had been doctored in Photoshop. Other times, I like the simplicity of a photo just how it is. The one thing I keep going after is working hard on just being ME. I want people to want me to take their photos because they like what I do, not because I am similar (or more available) than someone else. 

My encouragement to you today is to really spend some time thinking about who YOU are as a photographer. What makes you the happiest when you do it? Is it weddings? Babies? Families? Seniors? For me, I had to decide if I wanted to be a good all around photographer, or did I want to actually master a section of the photography world... I am totally not a master of anything yet, but I know that I want to work hard to master the craft of newborn and children's photography. I couldn't master those things if I continued to do weddings. Have you ever heard the phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of none"? That's the way I felt about my photography prior to deciding that I wanted to stick with just portraits. I felt like I offered a really great experience and everyone loved the pictures I was giving them, but I wanted them to be EXCEPTIONAL. I needed to narrow my focus on what made my heart the happiest, and that was newborns and kiddos. When you are extremely passionate about something, it WILL come out in your photographs! That's when people start to notice. That's when your work becomes exceptional. That's when you start to stand out in an oversaturated profession. How cool is that!?!? 

Now, it's taken me about three years to really figure out what I wanted to be as a photographer. I used to believe that you only "made" it as a photographer if you booked 30 weddings a year. If your passion is weddings, like my super amazing photographer friends Chelsea Sloneker, Rachel Blackwell, and Maura Johnson, then YES. Absolutely. That is such an amazing accomplishment! BUT what I failed to realize is that what means you have "made" it as a photographer is when you do what you love, offer a great experience, and produce an outstanding product. Bottom line. I had NO idea that people who just took pictures of other people just being themselves were successful also! Man, that was such a relief to me! I struggled to stand out in the wedding world simply because it wasn't what I was created to do! I am a portrait photographer through and through. If I try to be Chels, Rach, or Maura, I will never be BLAIRE! AND I will never have a successful business.

Before you go any further in your walk as a new photographer, spend some time thinking about who YOU really want to be. It could take some major time in doing so. Answering just this one question took me well over a month! (Special thanks to those of you who were my sounding board while I tried to get this figured out!) You might have to try out some different areas of photography before you make up your mind, but you will know when you have what you consider "the perfect session"! What would your pefect session be? For me, it was having a sweet baby at my house and giving their family images that they would cherish for the rest of their lives! Gosh, my heart goes crazy each and every time one comes to my house! I just knew that's where I wanted to focus. Since deciding that, my business has grown tremendously! I'm telling you... just figuring out who you are is such a huge step in business success! 

I hope this got you thinking about who you want to be! You can do it! Now, go be YOU and be OUTSTANDING!!!

Micah is my second baby plan graduate! It has been such a joy to watch her get so big and continue to grow into such a beautiful girl both inside and out. She is such a ham, and we got some great facial expressions! I love how photography gives me the opportunity to watch these itty bitty babies grow up!! Happy Birthday, Micah!

Love her sweet smile!!

There are no words for the cuteness of sweet Annabelle! Annabelle is six months old, and as sweet as the first time I photographed her as a newborn. Her sweet smiles just melt my heart! Her parents aren't so bad either! :)

Guest blogger, Caleb Perry, is a licensed and registered investment representative. Caleb can get you started in planning for your child's future with a 529 college savings plan through Legg Mason and Franklin Templeton Investments for as little as $50 per month. Contact him at 479.799.9625 to set up a free consultation on what it would take to get your family prepare for education expenses. The longer you wait, the more expensive it will be for you and your family!

How many of you have ever considered saving for your child's college education? If so, how many of you are actually doing it, or are using the right savings vehicle?

As soon as your child is born, you begin to imagine what his or her future will hold. You await their first word, watch their first step, and try to envision what they will grow up to be.

            Whatever it is, it is likely to require a college degree. So as your child takes the first steps toward the future, it is important that you take the first steps toward seeing that a college education will be part of it.

College graduates earn an average of 81% percent more per year that high school graduates, and over a lifetime, that difference amounts to over 1 million dollars in earnings. People who hold advanced degrees are paid even more- clear evidence of the lifelong value of holding a college education.

If paying for your child’s college education is your goal, you’ll need to plan well in advance. College education expenses have climbed over 5% annually during the past 10 years; more than double our nation’s inflation rate. That means a child today could need approximately $224,000 to attend a four year public college, more than triple today’s costs.

When your child is young it is easy to believe you will have plenty of time to save for college. The truth is that saving for college is a long-term goal. Start small if you have to, but start now.

I absolutely love photography. That's no surprise. What may be a surprise to many people is that I actually really love the business planning side of what I do as much as I love to shoot! As I have wandered my way through starting and running a business, I have learned many lessons (mainly because I have made and paid for a lot of mistakes!). Since a few of you who read this blog are new into the photography business or are thinking about venturing out on your own, I thought I would periodically post some tips about starting and running your business. I hope this helps those of you just getting started, and gives others who just enjoy having their pictures taken a glimps into the behind the scenes life of a small business owner!

Please note: I am NOT an expert on this stuff, but have had to go through the process. PLEASE double check with your accountant (YES, GO GET ONE!!) on the steps you need to take in order to legitimately start your business. What I am offering is a basic outline of the process. Each state/city/town/county has slightly different requirements.

So, you want to start a business officially, but have no idea where to start. It wasn't too long ago that I was there myself! We all start out the same way by taking pictures for free, then charging a small session fee for all of the images on a disc, and then finally realizing that you have to feed your family and $50 for the edited images really isn't going to cut it (or buy you a day's worth of groceries). I DID THE SAME THING! Don't feel bad. That's why I will be writing these posts: it's my goal to help you start actually MAKING MONEY and not hurt the photography industry by charging too little for your time and products! I'll go into that another time. First, we have to get you legal. 

 Step one: Get a DBA (Doing Business As) document

 If you are a business, you need to have a business name. By going down to your county clerk and registering your business with them, it insures that you are operating with a name that isn't already taken. You also need to have a DBA in order to open a seperate business checking account at your local bank!

Step two: Find an accountant to help you set up your business with the Federal Government. 

If you are charging any money for your pictures (even if it's only $10!) you need to have a Federal Tax ID number. While it may cost you money to go through an accountant to do this, it will assure that it gets done and you become a legal business. Click on the link and you will see a bunch of options that I didn't understand when I tried to do it myself. How was I supposed to know if I was a sole proprietor, LLC or S-Corp?!? YOU NEED AN ACCOUNTANT! It takes all the guess work out of it! I registered as a business as soon as I decided I was going to quit teaching and do photography full time. This was last February. (I SHOULD have gotten all of this done a lot sooner...Take care of this BEFORE you start charging money for pictures.) I didn't receive my papers back from the accountant with my ID number until May. This can be a very long process. IF YOU ARE CHARGING PEOPLE MONEY, YOU HAVE TO CHARGE SALES TAX.  The only way you can charge sales tax is if you have a federal tax ID number and a state tax ID number (step 5). If you are currently shooting and not charging sales tax because you don't have an ID number, look up what your sales tax is. Charge it anyways, and stick it in a separate account. You will have to pay that money back anyways, even if you weren't charging it when you first registered for your ID number. I had to pay six months worth of back sales tax during the time while I was waiting to hear back from the state. No joke. See why you need an accountant telling you this stuff?!?!? 

Step three: Open a seperate business checking acount

This is so important. You have to keep your personal and business funds seperate for tax purposes. If your accountant decides to make your business an LLC or S-Corporation, then you may have to get a specific type of account. Your accountant will tell you what type of account you need to set up at your bank. This is also the only way to actually keep track of your income and expenses, making it possible to tell if you are actually making money. Newsflash yet again: charging even $150 for the disc isn't making you money. You will notice that REALLY quickly once you start seperating your funds the right way when it comes in. On average, you will only make 1/3 of what comes into your business. $50 for driving to a shoot, shooting for an hour and a half, 3 hours worth of editing and burning a disc, and about a half an hour to an hour on the phone/answering emails with clients to plan out their shoot and pick up/drop off of their disc is only paying you MINIMUM WAGE. Do you know many people who can pay their bills and have what they need making minimum wage? I sure don't!

Step four: Get a city business license

In most cases, you can't get a business license until you have your Federal Tax ID number (step one). You can't move on to step five, getting a state tax ID number, until you have your federal ID number or your business license. This may be different for each state (like I said, I am not an expert!), so again check with your accountant to see what the process is where you live. 

Step five: Get a state tax ID number

This is a MUST. Like I said before, if you are charging people money to take their pictures, you have to charge them sales tax. When you charge sales tax to your clients, you are actually just collecting it for the state. It needs to go to them each month. This took forever to get registered for me. The day I got my federal tax ID number, I sent in my application and $50 to the state so I could start paying the sales tax I had been collecting over the past few months. I didn't actually get my state sales tax information back for several months. Don't get frustrated when this happens. It is just a long process. 

Step six: Set up a book keeping system

Since you are now a legal business and have to charge sales tax, you need a way to keep up with how much money you have to charge. There are MANY ways you can do this. The Easy Accounting Solution for Photographers is a GREAT source for doing this yourself. Not only does it help you keep track of how much money you owe to the government in state sales tax, it also helps you know if you are actually making money by tracking your expenses and income. You can also pay an accountant each month to do all your book keeping for you. This is a great option if you want some accountability in the finances of your business. 

Whew! That's a lot of information! I know it is. The thing is, so many people are running their new photography businesses illegally. I can sadly admit that I did it too. I simply didn't know AND didn't realize how big of a deal it was. It was and is a HUGE deal. Just because you aren't doing it full time, doesn't mean you can run your business illegitmately. While you are building your portfolio with free shoots, go ahead and get this stuff taken care of! Once you have this in place, THEN start charging for shoots! 

I know this is a lot of information, but I really want those of you just starting out to have more info than I had. I am currently paying for not doing it the right way. They don't cut you a break for ignorance OR their slow processing time. You are the one who pays while they take their time getting all your info registered. Find an accountant that you are comfortable with and let them do this for you! It will save you a lot of heart ache and will make the process go faster! You won't regret it!

Starting a business is such a huge decision. It's so much more than just shooting and editing. You can do it if you set your mind and heart to it! Just be prepared for all the behind the scenes stuff! :) 

Hopefully this will help you guys! I would love to hear your feedback on what you would like to hear about! Blessings to you and your new LEGAL business! :)

Audrey's session was one of my favorite newborn sessions to date!  Her sweet momma, Katie, is a FABULOUS friend and assistant to me on newborn shoots.  I don't know how I ever did it without her!!  A few of these pictures are actually 20x30 prints at Creekside Center for Women.  Enjoy!

I am obsessed with those sweet little lips!!!

Yes, it is already time to start thinking about Christmas cards!  Christmas cards are a GREAT way to show off your images!  There are cards to meet everyone's needs and styles, making it a really simple, fun choice! The sayings are completely customizable, allowing your cards to send the message you desire. Cards start at $55 for your first two sets of 24 and each additional set is $40. Cards need to be ordered by NOVEMBER 25th in order to get your cards in time to send!  Contact me for ordering details. 

Annabelle is growing up so fast! It wasn't long ago that she came to me as a newborn. Those eyes melt my heart and her sweet spirit is such a joy to be around.  Photography has allowed me to meet such wonderful people, and this family is the perfect example of that!!

Stay tuned for a Christmas card preview! 

Happy Friday!  Check out this fun, beautiful family! There is no doubt that these guys love each other so much.  Hudson was the happiest little guy, which made for such great smiles.  Enjoy!

I LOVE the picture!  Look at that big grin!  I can't wait for the FANTABULOUS Raye Law to take our pictures this spring and get one of me and my kiddos like this! It makes my heart soooo happy!!

Ashley is a dear friend of mine from grad school AND my neighbor – so fun! We spend MANY a late night together writing our thesis papers and struggling through what APA format actually was! :) I was so blessed when she asked me to help document this time in their lives. We came up with the most adorable birth announcement that I will share after she gets them sent out, but for now enjoy these sweet pictures Ashley and her adorable baby boy Landon!

Beautiful mama to be!

I love how peaceful he looks in this picture – not a care in the world!

Landon was such a joy and I can't wait to watch him grow up!

UPDATE: Winner of the $50 gift certificate to Blaire Perry Photography is #22 Nikki!! I sent you an email already, Nikki! Be looking for it!

What better way to start blogging again than with these sweet pictures of the Hopper family and  BLOG CONTEST!?!? I have been blessed with such awesome relationships because of photography - Rebekah and I could chit chat all day long about teaching, photography, really anything.  I just love this family!  Here’s to a fresh start in the blogging world.  I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!

Help Rebekah win a FREE 11x14 print for her family! She needs 50 comments to her post and 50 new fans on the Facebook page! One lucky commentor will also receive a $50 gift certificate to Blaire Perry Photography! Comment away, folks!

Love this sweet mama/daughter moment!

Love Anna's cheeks!

Anna was such a ham and thought everything I did was so funny which made for some great smiles!

Yet another friend I have made through photography... I simply adore Haley and the whole Nicodemus family!

I love all of Porter's hair and his beautiful skin tone!

We, of course, had to snap some pictures of this little cutie!  It is always so fun to see little ones become big brothers and sisters - Stella just LOVED being around Porter and kept wanting to be right by him while we were taking his pictures!    

I think this family should be on the cover of some magazine somewhere... Stunning!

It's never a short convo when Amber and I get together.  In fact, her proofing session lasted about two hours and only about 15 minutes of our time was actually spent on ordering.  This family loves each other and the Lord so much and I am SOOOOOOO thankful the Lord has brought Amber into my life!!!  Enjoy these pictures of sweet Cooper and his gorgeous mama!!   

Cooper was such a trooper!  He kept sleeping, so we kept shooting!  I can't wait to watch this little guy grow up!

LOVE those baby rolls!!

This image is now a 20x30 print at Creekside Center for Women in Fayetteville!

Isaiah 41:9-10:

You are my servant,
    I have chosen you and not cast you off;
fear not, for I am with you;
   be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Today is a bit overwhelming for me. In fact, as I type this post I am fighting back tears. They probably aren't the type of tears you are thinking. These aren't tears of sadness. While I am overwhelmed, I am not sad. It's actually quite the opposite feeling. These tears are being contrasted by a huge smile on my face that won't quit. I am just simply overwhelmed at where the Lord has taken me over the past year.

This time last year I was incredibly self reliant. We had jobs, a healthy family, and really no need to depend on anyone but ourselves. While things were great in my world, my heart was continually crying out, "Jesus, do whatever you have to do to draw my heart closer to yours! All I want to do is know you. I don't want to know ABOUT you, I want to KNOW YOU." When you pray something like this continually, be ready for God to move. He does hear you! :) At this point in my life I knew ABOUT Jesus' provision and healing, but I for sure did not actually know Jesus as MY provider or healer. I knew ABOUT Jesus' ability to change the hearts of others through prayer and not through my forcing issues, but I didn't know Jesus as the one who has the ability to change the hearts of those that I love the most in such despair, confusion, and hurt. I thought that if I could say the right things, their hearts would be mended. Right words=people doing, feeling and living the way I want them to. Man, I had it all figured out!

A year ago Jesus began bringing me to a place where I actually had to take Him at His word of who He says He is. The details don't matter. What matters is that He took me to a place of experiencing Him for who He is. 

I have realized that I am not content with just knowing other people's stories of trusting the Lord for different things in their lives. I can't make it as a Christian living on other people's stories. I want my own story. I have my own story now. I have spent the last year HAVING to trust the Lord everyday. Man, has He shown me that he actually is who He says He is! He is a provider; He is a healer of hearts and spirits. 

You see, this year could have gone two ways: a road of despair, bitterness, and hatred OR trust, understanding, and growth. We have really had to CHOOSE the latter. It hasn't always been easy. Fear has crept in numerous times, and there were months when we looked at each other and said, "What in the world are we supposed to be doing? Are we going the right way? Are we going to make it?" But the Lord has ALWAYS come through. Jesus isn't a liar. When He says He's going to do something, he is bound by His word. He's not like you or me. He's the only person that we can 100% count on doing what He says He's going to do. I have seen the Lord provide for my family, change my (people's) heart(s) from bitterness to joy, and BE everything He promises to be. I have actually had to LIVE OUT my faith instead of just talk about it. Hmmm, what a concept!:)

So, I am a bit overwhelmed today. I am overwhelmed by the faithfulness of Jesus. I am overwhelmed by the realness of Jesus. I am overwhelmed by the love of Jesus. That's enough to bring tears and a smile all at the same time.:) 

I am so, so, so thankful for ALL of your comments and thoughts! It has been so helpful to see what you all think about the pictures I posted. I will be counting up all of the votes this weekend! Some people posted to facebook, so it's going to take me a while to get it all together!

The winner of the FREE session and 20x20 print is.....

#34, ALICIA!!!! Give me a call and we'll get you on the schedule! There was a comment that posted 3 times, but I counted the first one and went on to the next commenter. 

Again, you guys are awesome! I will post pictures as soon as the walls are covered with these sweet babies!:)

Hi everyone! There has been a lot of great things going on the last few months here. Two things that I am really excited about are some displays I am doing for Creekside Center for Women and Washington Regional Medical Center. I need your help! I am donating TWO prints to Washington Regional's labor/delivery unit. I want to put the two best pictures I can up there, so I want to know which ones YOU love the most! Which ones provoke the most emotion? Which ones make you go, "Wow. I want HER to take my newborn's pictures!" Please let me know which two are your favorite! Please pass this post on to anyone you think would like to give their opinion! :)

I will be also covering the walls at Creekside Center for Women this month also! Your votes will help me decide what my two largest prints will be! 

Maybe on Wednesday there might be a free session given away to one blessed commenter! And on Wednesday, the person who wins the possible free session MIGHT also get 20x20 print. Maybe.:)

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My gosh. I absolutely LOVE Crave photography. Andee is such a talented photographer and photoshop guru, and she is giving away an ALL EXPENSE PAID WORKSHOP TRIP for a blessed photographer! I am hoping that photographer is yours truly! Check out her blog. She seriously has some of the most beautiful images I have ever seen! Enter to win also, even though I am going to be the winner. Sorry.

Hooray! Back to the blogging world! I feel like I am still recovering after three weeks with no computer... sheesh! Hopefully I will be caught up soon! Part of the reason I haven't caught up this week is because I am getting ready to do a display booth at the World's Largest Baby Shower, a baby expo put on by Washington Regional Medical Center. Come and stop by! There will be some SWEET deals for you if you book a session on Saturday! I will be offering something that you can ONLY purchase if you book this weekend! I am also launching the new BabyLOVE plan CD option. Come and see me!

On to the pictures of this super sweet and fun family! Little Miss Annabelle was the sweetest thing ever. We even caught her smiling! This is the first contest I have been able to do since the tragic computer day, so here's a little reminder! Leave a comment! They need 50 comments and 25 new "likes" on the FB page in order to receive their free print! For leaving a comment, you are entered to win your choice of a FREE session or a gift card to your favorite place in NWA! What a deal!!

Enjoy the pictures! :)

I LOVE the Savvy Photographer. In fact, it's the only blog I check several times a day for an update on the latest and greatest in the photography world! They are having a GREAT giveaway with some of the best stuff for photographers, so I thought I would share! Check it out!

Just wedding photographers? I think not. When you hire Chelsea and me to do a wedding, you get much more than a couple of extremely cool wedding photographers. You get the entire package. That's right, we also double as super awesome, music video caliber dancers. Don't worry. Killer dancing is free of charge. Just a little sumpin', sumpin' we throw in. Score for you.

And now, I can't wait to see what Chelsea posts on my dancing. I know it's coming. 

It's crazy how something that is nonliving, made of plastic, and completely unreliable can start controlling your life... this thing I am talking about is a computer. Yes, a computer. This simple (well, not really simple) machine totally brought my entire life and schedule to a stand still. Yes, that's right, a stand still. I have been completely blown away by how NOT having my computer changed the way I have spent my time the past 3 weeks. I felt like a part of my body was gone. Sometimes I even felt as though I was about to hyperventilate because I couldn't use my computer to do some really meaningless things. Holy. Cow. Really??? I would allow a COMPUTER to make me feel this way? Sadly, yes. BUT, praise the LORD, that awful period of time is over and I am ready to get blogging and working again! 

See the photos of that beautiful little girl below? That's my Asa Joy. She was 11 months old yesterday. Gosh, my time with my kids is FLYING by. Over the past month I have realized that in three short years someone other than Caleb and I would be spending more time with my kids than we would be. Eli is two and a half and Asa will be one next month. I can't even believe it. They are so stinkin' precious to me, and NOTHING is worth missing time with my sweet babies. That leads me to some bitter sweet news. I am so happy and yet so sad to say that I will not be returning to teach in the fall in order to savor the precious times with my kiddos. I am THRILLED to have the opportunity to stay home with my kids, but it is really hard to walk away from something that you have loved for so long. I don't know when I will be going back to teaching, but I will always be so thankful for my time spent at Walker Elementary with the best teachers and kids in the whole world. I have been so blessed.

So, what does that mean for photography? Well, a lot. Photography is the reason I am getting to stay at home with my kids. My schedule will be a lot different next year, leaving me the freedom to pursue more business and STILL spend more time with my kids. I think it's so cool how Jesus has totally shaped my story in this. He is so incredibly faithful. As of right now, I will be shooting only during the weekdays starting in July (with the exception of the weddings I have booked). I also will only be shooting two days a week, which means that my schedule is going to book up a lot faster than it has in the past. I know that weekday sessions are not always convenient for everyone, but it's the only way I can protect my time with my family. I will no longer be teaching because of my family, and I don't want to get into another situation where more of my time is spent working than with them. 

This is such an exciting time for our family. I simply cannot wait to see what the Lord has up His sleeve for us! I truly appreciate each and every one of you who helped this dream become a reality for me. Thanks so much for entrusting me to capture sweet moments in your family's lives! Your referrals have been so crazy awesome... It's the highest form of a compliment you can give me when you give my name to someone else! Blessings to you all!

I recently added some elements to my shooting space that I am just crazy about. I pulled Asa upstairs so I could play around with it, and this is what evolved. My girl LOVES to eat. She made a bee line straight for this apple I had up there and would scream every time I tried to take it. We got some super cute pictures as a result of her determination to ALWAYS be eating! :) I hope they make your heart smile as much as they did mine!

The last week has been one of the most frustrating ones since I have started my bhsiness. Last week was conference week at school. That means 12 hour days and lots of great conversations... They are sooooo great, but they totally wear me out. One night I came home to our AWESOME babysitter, Ragan, telling me, "Uh, Mrs. Perry? Eli pulled your computer off your desk." Literally, I don't think I have EVER ran up the stairs as fast as I did at that moment. My mind was racing. This could not be happening. The kid KNOWS he isn't supposed to go near my desk.

My greatest fears suddenly came to fruition when I attempted to turn on my computer only to find that nothing would turn on. SIGH... Praise the Lord people who know a lot more than I do about computers are taking care of me. The problem now is that I don't have a computer of my own right now. Caleb is busily studying for his securities licensing test (which is next Wednesday... PRAYERS PLEASE!!!), so the opportunites for me to edit and post to my blog are few and far between. Announcing the winner of the comments contest from the Cate family's pictures is long over due! Please forgive me as we try to adjust to one computer in our home for the next week and a half or so. I will get blogging more as soon as I get it back!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... the winner is..................

#12: Chris!!

Thanks so much for submitting your comments. I absolutely love and read every one of them! Thanks for helping my sweet friends earn a free print!

Chris, contact me at bperryphoto@aol.com to let me know where you want your free gift card to come from and how I can get it to you!

A sweet little sneak peek from my last newborn shoot... more to come soon!

Long time, no blogging! I was really on a roll there for a while, but it all came to a hault after conference week at school and Eli pulled my computer off my desk... let's just say it was an emotionally draining week! I am currently without a computer of my own, so I am having to steal my hubby's computer between his study times!

I already blogged this sweet family's pics a while ago, but I wasn't doing blog comment contests when I did. Meredith and Cole came over on Thursday for their proofing session and to eat pizza. I love getting to hang out with my clients. So many of them become friends outside of the business. We had a blast letting the kids play together while we attempted to order pictures! There were many, "What the heck was that noise?!?" breaks... We had fun nonetheless! :)

These are two prints Meredith REALLY wants to have, so I want to give her a shot at winning them! Like always, 50 comments and 25 new "likes" on the fan page, and these prints are hers! Help a sista out!!!

This little one is soooooo sweet! Her momma, aunt and I met for coffee several months ago (see, I LOVE to meet for coffee!) and I knew I would love working with this family! Audrey didn't want to sleep at first, but she was out like a light the last 30 minutes of our session. We got some of the sweetest shots and some of them have made the new website! The Cates came over today to view their images and it was so fun seeing how big she has gotten just in two weeks! The website should be up the next few days... I am just waiting on my hosting company to send me the email that I have gone live! It's what I have worked on since we've been cooped up in the house from the snowpocolypse!  

Help Kim and Chad win free prints for their home! Leave a comment and then become a fan of the Blaire Perry Photography Facebook page. If the Cates can get 50 comments on this blog post and 25 new "likes" to the page, they get free prints! And, as always, YOU are entered in to win a $25 gift card. This time, YOU get to pick where to! The winner of the last give away, Lindsey, was super stoked to win. You will be too! Help 'em out, folks!

What a sweet family! Look how happy her sister, Ashlyn looks!

I simply love this picture.

The Cate girls!

Seriously, how sweet is she??

I love how her little feet are up at her elbows!

Sweet baby lips... melts my heart!

This one's on the new website! I can't wait for it to be live!

Might be one of my favorite pictures EVER. I love squishy faces!

This was taken on a special blanket that someone made for them. Bring anything like this to your session! We will get it in some sweet pictures!

The winner is comment 23, Lindsey Pulley! Congrats, girl! Contact me to get your $25 gift card to Banana Republic! And SURPRISE!!! You also get a free session!!! Enjoy, Lindsey! I look forward to hearing from you! Shoot me an email: bperryphoto@aol.com.

I chose the winner from the Random Number Generator from Random.org. I had it posted to this post, but as soon as I saved it the generator cleared!

And because every post is better with a picture, here's a sneak peek at sweet Baby A's newborn session from yesterday. There will be another comment contest on this post, so be sure to check it out and leave a comment! Their proofing session is in two weeks, so keep checking!

Miss C steals my heart each time I see her! Her family is super awesome. Leah, her mama, is a superstar designer who's blog I LOVE to read! I love it when clients become more like friends - I have been truly blessed to work with the Martins! Since I wasn't really blogging when I did Leah's maternity session or Campbell's newborn session, I put a few in there. Needless to say, I think you can see that Campbell is destined to be super photogenic just like her parents! 

Help Leah earn some really great free prints by leaving a comment! If she gets 50 on this post and 15 new "likes" on FB, she gets a free 16x20 print! What's in it for you to leave a comment? How about a $25 Banana Republic gift card??? One blessed commenter will be the recipient of one! You must leave a comment and become a fan on the FB page in order to win! Come on, help a sista out! :)

I just love how happy they look!

Is she not the cutest pregnant lady you've ever seen?!!

Mom, I swear. I have NO idea how this happened!

Campbell when she was a precious newborn...

She's now three months old... Such a fun shoot! I love getting to incorporate mom and dad into these photos!

This is my favorite of the day!

I know I already posted this, but I believe it's worthy of posting again! Leah got this hat from Etsy... if you don't know about this site, you are simply missing the greatest website of custom made goodies ever created. Beware, it will totally eat your wallet and cause you to do some MAJOR lusting for everything on there!

Super Campbell!!! I just had to add this one...

Miss Vicki Sterns Huckabee - the sweetest lady ever.

Today I did something that I never hoped I would do so early in my life: I watched one of my best friends in the enitre world deliver the eulogy at her mom's funeral. I was in awe of her composure and spirit while speaking of the memories of her mom. I could not have done it with the same poise or grace in which she did.Dayna and I played softball together at Arkansas, and Mrs. Vicki was there at each and every game cheering us on. Mr. Jerry and Mrs. Vicki always made sure that I was taken care of during our weekend series because they knew that my family couldn't come very often being that they lived in Washington. I love this family.

Last October, Dayna invited me to Texarkana to take pictures of her family. Miss Vicki truly embodies the gift of hospitality. In fact, I feel like she is going to be waiting for all of us believers when we get to heaven to welcome us in and get us acclimated to the place. :) She will probably be the head of the hospitality division in heaven! We had awesome food (she is known all over the place for her cooking!), and she volunteered to play with my kiddos so I could get some work finished that weekend. This was such a blessing to me because I was completely slammed this fall with photography and school, not to mention I was an emotional wreck after we had a sudden career change and our financial future was totally in limbo. She had no idea how much it meant to me. I had no idea it would be the last time I would get to spend with such an amazing woman.

It wasn't but two weeks later that Dayna called to tell me that they just found out her mom had cancer. Mrs. Vicki went to be with Jesus Friday, January 28th. Dayna and her family prayed with so much faith for Mrs. Vicki's healing. I am amazed at how they continued to pray with confidence. While we may not ever understand why the Lord didn't heal Mrs. Vicki, we do know that she left a legacy here on Earth that impacted so many people. Please keep the Huckabee family in your prayers. Their hearts are so broken. Praise Jesus for his comfort and peace.

The entire Huckabee family.

Miss Vicki and Mr. Jerry were high school sweet hearts. They were married 32 years. What a testimony.

Dayna with her mom and dad.

You can just see Miss Vicki's personality shining through in this shot!

Gretchen was the love of Miss Vicki's life! She was put to sleep the day before Miss Vicki passed away.

Miss Vicki's son Matthew with his wife Hilary and son William. Miss Vicki loved being a grandma!

Sweet William

Just a sneak peek! More to come later this week! SUCH a fun shoot!

Meet Eli. He's the second love of my life (of course, the hubby is numero uno!). You don't get to see many pics of my little man just because they don't make cameras that have a shutter speed fast enough to freeze him in action. :) Today was a momentous day for us. Eli FINALLY got a hair cut. Not just a trim, but a major hair cut. I love his long hair. Sigh... let the before and afters speak for themselves...

Oh my gosh... how stinkin' cute is he????? Maybe I am just a biased momma, but dang, this kid is so cute! I only got this shot because I told him he could tackle me. That is what he is in the process of doing right at this moment. Can you tell he's loving it? I cropped out my hand that was trying to soften the blow!

That hair is makin' my heart go crazy!!!

This is what my lovie looks like now... Still a stinkin' cutie, but he looks so much older! It's crazy how a hair cut can make a kid look insanely different. It was a memory for Caleb and Eli... they took a daddy/son trip to the barber together to get their hair did! His crazy cowlick on the top of his head is going to be VERY obvious until it grows a little!

While I was shooting yesterday, Caleb and the kids played on the U of A campus. This was a sweet shot I grabbed as we were loading all my props and chairs into the car. I think this will be going on the fridge. I love how Asa totally doesn't have a neck in this picture (he he!!!) This is EXACTLY what Eli looked like when he was this age! I love my chunky monkey babies!

Wow, the Perry house has been hit by the crazy cold and flu season... Someone in our family has had a fever, cough, sore throat, yada, yada, yada for over a week now! I was the last to get it! I was so bummed that I got it the week I had two newborn shoots and had to reschedule them. I think everyone knows that there is just something about those newborn babies that gets me going... I can't even describe the joy I feel inside when I know it's a newborn day! We almost missed the shooting window for Little Miss A because of me getting sick (it's about the only thing that will make me reschedule a shoot... I couldn't live with myself if I got one of these little guys sick!), but I got better and the house got sanitized just in time for us to shoot today! I just wanted to give everyone a sweet sneak peek! I just love how her face is smooshed! Enjoy!

Meet Har-ber High School Senior Kyle. I drug yet another person out in the blistering cold weather to get some snow pictures... so thankful people actually accept my offers for crazy stuff like this! I always say we are only going to make it 15 minutes, but we definitely stay out there longer due to my obsessive compulsiveness. Praise the Lord you people humor me! Thanks, Kyle! You were a trooper!

Might be my favorite shot of the day!

There's just something about this shot that I love... Sometimes I have a vision in my head of what I want it to look like after I am done editing, but I just can't quite get it there. This one may get a little more tweaking...

I love this location! Thanks for bringing me there guys!

Meet my first couple of 2011, Scott and Megan! Megan is doing her Masters of Arts in Teaching a my school this year, and I was thrilled when she asked me to be a part of her big day. She is so sweet and such an awesome teacher. You can tell these two love each other so much. You can just tell they were meant for each other. We braved the snow today, and I couldn't wait to get to work on them! Their wedding this July is going to be so much fun. How did I get so blessed???

Favorite shot of the day... aren't her eyes stunning???

This park in Fayetteville was perfect. I love how happy they look!

Winter wonderland!

Love.

Scott had no idea I would ask him to cross a busy street and risk their lives for this shot... Thanks, man. You are a trooper!

Hey baby, how YOU doin'?

Such a beautiful couple!

Snuggle up and stay warm, kids!

I am not a great writer, but the Lord has put something on my heart to share. I honestly think that if I don't get it out I will self implode. :) Anyone who knows me knows that I am extremely long winded. If I have had coffee with you as a client, it probably wasn't any shorter than a two hour affair. My life goal is to be a better listener than a talker, and let's just say that I am in the process of sanctification. I hope you are encouraged and see past the poor composition, some grammar and punctuation mistakes, to the heart of Jesus. 

Life. Twists and turns, ups and downs. It seems like all of us are in one of these places in life: in a tough time, coming out of a tough time, or a tough time is on it's way. Worry, fear, anger, sadness, and bitterness like to plan strategic attacks on our hearts during these times, and a lot of times it seems too heavy to fight against. Believe this: we are in no way obligated to fall to those attacks.

There is victory.

God is real. Jesus is alive. He is CRAZY about us. I don't think I can say this enough. He is CRAZY about YOU. Overwhelming. 

When things that we don't expect come into our lives we have two options: go kicking and screaming or put our lives into the hands of the one who knows our hearts better than we do. HE ALWAYS FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS. It's who he is. His word promises it. 

Isaiah 25:1: "...for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things; things planned long ago."

Psalm 27:13-14: "I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Philippians 1:6: "...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Isaiah 54:10: "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed..."

Last night the teaching leader of my Bible study said this: the best anecdote for fear is to focus on God's promises of deliverance. There is a target on our backs as believers. The Enemy looks for every opportunity to place doubt in our hearts and minds during hard times in our lives. Which kingdom are we going to agree with? The one out to destroy us or the one who sets us up for victory. Walking with God is called walking with God because it isn't a passive relationship. We have to make the conscious decision to agree with the Lord about who we are and what HE thinks about us so that we can become it.

Our tough times will pass. We will not be defeated. If we allow Him to do his thing during these times, who we will be on the tail end of these things will be unbelievable. My prayer is that we all decide that He's right. He will finish what he starts. 

There is victory. You are blessed.

*Jesus desires to be an active part of your life. If you have never thought about or aren't sure about what walking with Him looks like, shoot me an email and we can grab some coffee... I don't know everything, but I would love to share what I know! He loves you. He's the only way. He will rock your world. He's worth it. 

Asa says, "You're blessed!"

Since I was not blogging this senior portrait season, I decided I would do one on my favorites this year! I worked with the sweetest, most amazing seniors who truly make me feel like our world will be in good hands in the future. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 

I love photographing generations of families! It is so neat to see them all together and watching their interactions. Mabel contacted me this fall to take their pictures and I couldn't have been happier to do so! These guys were troopers in the cold weather, and our session got cut short due to weather and light! I had what I thought was the perfect indoor location, but it turned out to be not what I wanted. Be looking for more pictures from these guys this spring! Seriously, another session where I feel so totally blessed to meet such cool people! Enjoy!

I just love this picture! Talk about a beautiful family. Seriously, Mrs. Mabel doesn't look old enough to have grandbabies! She's gorgeous! 

Another great family shot!

There's just something about this picture that I just love... I think it's that she's missing a shoe! :)

I had to post two of her... she looks so cute in this one too!

Awe! How sweet is this?

Look how sweet he looks sleeping! What a great little guy! Mom and dad weren't so bad either! :)

I love how happy everyone looks in this picture! What a sweet family.

With the grandbabies! 

Meet the Walker Family. They are some of the sweetest people I know. I get excited each time I get to work with them! Sweet Sadie Kate was just a week old when we photographed her. She slept so well! I hope you enjoy these photographs as much as I loved taking them!

So peaceful sleeping...

I love her sweet pouty little lips!

A family member made this for her... so glad we got to use it!

I obviously love this one... it's my blog header!

How sweet is that smile???

Beautiful.

Shannon has to be one of the easiest people to photograph... isn't that skin amazing???

So happy!

Ahhhh....I think they are in their happy place. :)

Meet the Clouds. They have had an impact on my life in so many ways. Mama Cloud was my mentor teacher during my masters program. I always said I would never teach kindergarten- it was meant for special people who wouldn't stand in the middle of the room crying when 10 kids had peed their pants and all the others were picking their noses. That wasn't me... or so I thought. Being in Mama Cloud's class was such an awakening. I quickly figured out that not that many kids peed their pants in kindergarten and all elementary school kids pick their noses, not just 5 year olds. I really learned to appreciate those sweet little faces who loved learning. It was amazing to see kids at the beginning stages of reading and math reasoning. What a cool thing to watch them grow! She is a FABULOUS teacher. By the end of my time in her class, I was secretly hoping for a kindergarten job! 

A few months later, I was totally BLESSED with the opportunity to stay at the most wonderful school in the state of Arkansas where I had completed my student teaching/masters program (Mama Cloud was a huge part of that, too!). It wasn't a kindergarten job, but one in third grade. I loved it, but needed to move to fifth grade the following year. Lucky me. It turns out that Big Bro Cloud was the luckiest student in the world - he got to be in Mrs. Perry's class! He. Is. Awesome. So thankful to have had him! I have switched back and forth between grade levels the past few years, so I haven't gotten any more of the Cloud kiddos, but hopefully one will be my way soon. 

All that to say, I love this family. Enjoy.

Big Bro Cloud. The ABSOLUTE biggest Arkansas Razorback fan you will EVER meet. He might know MY stats from college if I asked him! 

Hey everyone! I have received several emails from people lately about camera recommendations, how to use the new cameras that people got for Christmas, and the like, so I wanted to share a site that I go to ALL THE TIME for all things photography. Vendors often share discounts to their stores through this site exclusive to the CM members. Your membership will pay for itself with just the savings you get from the vendors! It is awesome! It is for people of ALL levels of photography, beginner to advanced, hobbiest to professionals. If you join the site by January 31st and use the code FRIEND at checkout, you will receive 10% off! I am telling you, if you are interested at all in taking great pictures, this is the site for you! It is wonderful! Just thought I would share! Enjoy and get clickin!

What a cute.

What a sweet family!! I love them!

This could possibly be my favorite family photo ever!

What's up, Mom?

Heartbreaker. For real.

Just chillin'...

I love the look on Meredith's face!

So sweet. I want a picture of Eli and I like this!

I absolutely adore these two. Little man C completely made my day! His momma wasn't so bad either! :) The best part of my job is meeting new people who are so great. This was one of my favorite shoots this fall! I am truly a blessed woman!

Blogging is like dieting for me.  I always say I am going to start doing it consistantly and and it never happens. Not. This. Year. I. Will. Blog. I am determined! While I was talking to my best photographer buddy, Chelsea, we determined that blogging can be nothing but a good thing! Here's to a fresh start and real committment. I hope you enjoy! 

I heart this one!

We took these pics at her house instead of mine... I was thrilled when I walked in and saw a wall of north facing windows and rustic wood floors!

So sweet.

She just looks so peaceful!

This might be my most favorite newborn picture ever. I love how peaceful she looks! I used it for my add in Kids' Directory this month! Check it out!

Look at those sweet hands!!!

Oh. My. Goodness. Sweetness overload.