Frosting and Sprinkles.....

2012 is here!

YAY! Because Last year was a whip and I am ready for what has to be the up swing!!!!!!  Lets get this year a'going!

So we have Valentines day Quick n painless up on the schedule now, and its super cute!

Its January 21, 2012 and we'll be open 9-5 except for lunch 1-2. The website has all of the important details...click here!

We'll  have a white brick wall, with white floors (keep in mind your floor may be a bit dirty in the photo.. its gonna have character... no doubt!) and about 5 bejillion props we can use for your valentines day portrait!

IN addition we'll have an Ed Hardy-ish giant poster hanging out in the background for those of you that want a little edgier Valentines day love this year... and to make that even more fun, I have Free Tattoos for those of you that want to have one for your photo! hehehee! they are SOOOOOOO Cute. They are approx. 2  and something inches big. 

SEE? How stinking cute!

When I put his on... he screamed like I was killing him. HAHAHAHA. it was so funny! he looks like he is cool with it now, but I don't think his momma will have to ever worry about him getting the real thing! hahahahah!
We have a cute cupcake one too for less edge...

Now, we shot the samples with a rock star background ... however it did not work out right- catches too much light... SO we ordered the ed hardy looking one and its due in a few days before the shoot.. so there wont be time to get samples. But it looks like this:

and will appear behind the kids just like the samples.

I have an awesome flame car you can use, (THANK YOU SUZANNE! You are so awesome!!!)

as well as a motorcycle,

and even a few tutus to make the edgy sweeter! So much fun! 

I cant wai to see you here!  Email me at Cupkake897@aol.com if you have any questions!

ALSO, several of you responded to my survey............. THANK YOU SO MUCH for doing that........... and I wanted to make sure you knew i was listening and trying to do my best for you. Because here is the deal............I need to take pictures. Its what makes my heart go thump thump, and keeps the TWO ROOFS over our heads.  We need you.   So........ quite a few of you said you missed me picking out the images for you- SHOCKING to me- because in previous questionnaires many of you want the option to do that for yourself! hahahaha!  So.................. I'm giving you the option now, and at a lower price so you can at least buy two or, three or Hey.. EVEN four! 

Here is the scoop on the new prices......for $25 (at quick n painless) I will pick your single image out, clean it up and email it to you. It will ALSO appear on the website gallery, where you, or your grammas or whatever can order prints from our lab. The prices of those prints start I think around $15 for two 5x7 ect... pretty cheap, and they ship it right to your door!  Of course your images is yours do play with on facebook or print on your own as well. I only ask if you share on media that you give me a shout out, please!

And of course, you can still opt for the $60 you pick your own. The prices are so different because I am cleaning up at LEAST 3 images or more for you to choose from. IN addition you can print pictures from any of the others OR choose t purchase another. So there is quite a bit more work involved in letting you choose one. But it does give you more options!

So THIS should satisfy ALL of your lovely photography needs.......... An awesome shot for Valentines Day from Cupcake, in budget, and right to your doorstep! It just doesn't get any easier than that! That's why we call it Quick n painless!

SO............. what do you want to see for the rest of the year at QP? We can do some locations (clearly we have weather and no pretty leaves issues right now... but other than that... ) what do you dream of seeing? I can figure out doing just about anything.... so lay on your wish list! I'm all ears!

In addition, this year, I did lower the sitting fee a bit, and added a little more love to some of the packages.  I am really in the business of taking pictures, and I have been for a VERY LONG Time, and I don't really have another option here for making the bills on Little house.............. So I am counting on seeing you here this year! OK!? Good.  Because I missed some of you over the holidays, and I need ya back! Please and thank you!

Lets see, what else..... OH! Real Estate! I am a Realtor now... so yeah! Give come on and give me a call or drop me an E! Cupkake897@aol.com 214-675-8222

I know SOMEONE out there must be buying or selling, so hire me to come be your personal House Hunting tour guide! I LOVE it and I'm dying to get out there and do it!  And guess what I need in order to do it? YOU! Did you know... because I did not........... that real estate agents are self employed and have to rely on their good friends and contacts in order to do business? I didn't know this until the second I signed up with someone.... Bob and I both sort of guessed that you joined up and they sent you on leads! NOT TRUE!   So that means... we get to see a lot more of each other soon, I hope!!!!!!! 

I am a lot of fun to go house hunting with! And I answer your calls, and I answer your questions via email.. Just like I already do- and let me tell you......... in my experiences with real estate agents in the past.. THIS IS RARE!  You know you'll get the same quality, service and friendship you always do with me! And on top of that, we'll get you renovating and decorating hehehehehe! Because you know I have tons of ideas!   

Its a great time to buy or sell a house people! Don't let what you hear on media scare you... TEXAS is still hot!  So give me a call or drop me an Email, and we'll chat about it! 

Im so excited that the New Year is here... help us make it a great one for you with some awesome memories, and lets go buy a house! 

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Possible Valentines Day QP date!

We finally got our idea today, and are now working on making the set... so tentatively the date is set for Jan. 21, for our Valentines day Quick n painless!  We'll be back by weekend or so with the information about the set ect... but really anything Valentines will work for clothing, and props!

Quick n painless is open from 9-5 and we'll be closed for lunch from 12-1.  our location will be at the studio.....that much we do know! Will post more updates Later!!!

Back in time...........

June 29, 2010, I wrote a blog post that included what I will cut and paste below.

Can you do me a huge favor, and answer it for me again? See whats changed? or needs to be changed... from last time you gave me some of your comments? mmmm kay! Im just curious to know! 
So grab a little plate of christmas cookies, and some starbucks and settle in for a bit.. And THANKS! in advance....

Back in June of 2010, I wrote............

And Wowzers.................. the Economy.  That nasty old thing.. has been taking a bite out of ALL of my entrepreneur friends in the last couple of years. What the heck! When will this end!?  We have been looking for some work for Bob even, for months, with no luck................... and something has just got to change!  What will we all do?

To that end......................... I want to post a little Survey... a little Poll for you........and I hope you will be honest and let me know what you think.  Because you know..........at least I hope you do............that I love and appreciate you guys more than anything for helping me build Cupcake and keep it going strong for all these years!  Its not a Hobby for me..............its not just doing what I love.............. its not just getting to know all of you and watching your families grow.....................its what I do to live!  So I need to KEEP on doing what I do to live....................hahhahaha!  So help a girl out..........answer me some questions... and either Email me your reply, or if you want to be anonymous you can just post it as such here.  Im a big girl..........I can take it...............I think!!!!!!

So.. on to the questions!

1- What type of sessions do you prefer? Location... studio... or BOTH?

2- How much are you willing to pay for a Session... or what seems Reasonable to you? (this I'd really like to know...)

3- Do you want ALOT of proofs to view.........or Less proofs to view?

4- Do you LIKE mini sessions? Do you even  know what they are???

5- Quick n painless...............Love or Hate? And Why?

6- Do you feel Quick n painless is priced right for the money?

7- Do you prefer to view your images from a session Online ? Or would you rather come in and have a view and order session with us, to get expert advice and opinion?

8- If you do NOT use Quick n painless days .. why? If you DO... why?

9- Would you prefer to just purchase your images.............or do you want to purchase prints ? Or BOTH?

10- Would you prefer packages................... or do you want alacarte?

11- Do you  know why some photographers price their prints at a high end............and another at the Low end?

12- Does editing matter to you? ... such as...........do you prefer it if your images are "cleaned up" for red spots, stray hairs, background matters, and so on?

13- Do you feel like you SHOULD PAY for those edits? no matter its included!

14- What is the one thing you love about my studio that drives you to share me with others?

15- What do you wish you could change about my studio or services? share please.....

16- If you have not visited us for a year or more............. can  you tell me why? share please....

17- Do you read the blog?

18- Are  you on facebook?

19- How do you feel about our Clubs? Are they fair? Do you use them? Does it sound like a good deal? What would you do to change them, if you could?

20- Packages............. if you hate them......why? What would you change?

So........................ if you dont mind............. share a little with me and let me know what I can do to make things better ..... keep on going............growing.................so I can keep on doing what I love, and NEED to do to make it through ... and LET ME know.......what I can do for you!

I truly believe in Small business... in Family business. And I will go out of my way to encourage others to use your business... just as I will. I believe in honesty, quality, and loyalty.  Its what we were really founded on ... I think. Well I HOPE...hahahaha..but who knows what our forefathers were really thinking! :O)  In Any case.....................those things are important to me, and if they matter to you too, hopefully I'll see your email in my mailbox soon!

 

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!  So appreciated!

 

Change is afoot!

a·foot

[uh-foot] Show IPA

adverb, adjective

1.

on foot; walking: I came afoot.

2.astir; in progress: There is mischief afoot.

Check back at the New Year!!!!!!!

And in the meantime... Happy Holidays!

Help wanted

Im looking for someone who can help me do the digital "scrapbooks" for my baby club group.  I need a mom with a little time on her hands who loves scrapbooking. Having photoshop or a program that can use templates and digital scrapbooking pieces is a must!

Some samples of what I do/need are here:

  Email me at Cupkake897@aol.com if you are interested!!!!!!!

Fall & Halloween Quick n painless !

Its here!!! FALL Is here!! Yeeehaw!!!(well sort of ... some of each day...hahaha its just not cold enough out for me yet!!!)

So I wanted to Just drop you  a quick note to let you know the next Quick n painless is updated on the website!  Click HERE for more samples and more details!

Fall & Halloween QP is going to be located at our studio, on October 29. Hours are 9:00am to 4:00 pm (suns setting faster cant shoot as late) and we'll be closed for lunch from 12:00-1:00.

The fall scene will move around the studio yard as the sun moves with the day... so your spot or location in the yard may vary!  (unless its cloudy and then you'll find us in front)

You may choose to buy an image of just fall or just Halloween props... or you can buy one of each! Special for this day is buy one image for $60 or TWO for $80 (a $40 savings!!) 

Familys, pets, cousins, friends...........everyone welcome!  Email me if you have questions about anything! Cupkake897@aol.com

Hope to see you here!

Retro Fall Special

This offer is good til October 31, 2011... Appointments can be booked from October 1 through December 31, 2011.  Must pay for session at the time of Booking.  This is a HUGE Discount off regular prices !!! For questions and pricing email Cupcake at Cupkake897@aol.com

In other fall news............ I am finally a REALTOR!  I am working with Nathan Grace Realtors and I am DYING To get out there and help you buy or sell a home!  Drop me an email at kstevenson@nathan-grace.com or you can always find me at Cupkake897@aol.com 

I'll have a blog up and facebook page for that as well, as soon as we figure out my new "brand"... OMG. I've been Cupcake since 1985............. I think this new Branding thing has been the second hardest thing about becoming a Realtor!  If you have a suggestion for Who I Should Be... drop me and E and let me know! :-)

Hope the start of fall has been an awesome one and I look forward to seeing you behind the lens this Season!  (hey hurry............ its already the Fifth... OMG! you only have 26 days left to snag your Deal!!! best get on that!!)

Polling for Christmas!

Here are three ideas for Holiday Quick n painless... we'd love to hear your thoughts on which one you like!

The images I grabbed off Google didnt translate really well but I think you can make out the general idea of the trees and sets.... to make a choice!

Let me know which one you think fits your Holiday mood (if you can imagine such a thing in this disgusting heat from H E DOUBLETOOTHPICKS! ugh, bring on that mythical labor day forecast please and thank you!) so we can get this sample up and ready to go before Qp actually gets here (which is November 12, incidentally..) ok!

Here they are:

Drop me a comment here on the blog, or email me, or comment on Facbook which set you think works best for you... and THANKS!

Hope you all have a Safe & Happy Holiday weekend! BRING ON FALL!!!!!!! Wheeeeeeee!

Back to school is ready!

The Back to school Quick n painless has been uploaded to my website under Events.

 

If you did not receive the password on the day of the event please email me at Cupkake897@aol.com to

get the password.

Those of you that DID .........it is in ALL CAPS.

 

 Browse your images, and email me the number from the one or ones you would like to have.

 

You may purchase pictures or packages from any of your images as well. They will be shipped

directly to you from my lab. These orders do not go through me at all; they are handled by the lab.

Any family member that wants to order something can do so as well. Its totally open to anyone.

 

If you would like to purchase an additional image or images, email  me those and you can either mail me

a check or pay with a credit card (which you can email or call in to our voice mail.)

 

Places you can have your images printed that other clients have used-

http://www.mpix.com/  and a local lab I have used BWC  http://www.bwc.net/bwc/

Thanks so much for coming out! We love Back to school day and this one was especially fun !!! We had a BUS! whoho0oo

Upcoming sessions & Newsletter

How about a COOL BLOG POST To break this insanely horrific heat? It can't hurt to try, right?

I have sent out the newsletter ... if you have yet to join, please visit my website at photographybycupcake.com and do so immediately! Gosh!  How could you not want to get every little bit of information immediately from me, stat!!!!! hahahahahah!  No seriously... they want you to add yourselves... so Im not like " spamming " you or something, so pop on by the website and put yourself in the know already! And if you missed this months newsletter.... drop me an email and I'll send you a copy of mine!  Just "cross out" my name when you read it ok!? :-D

In case you just need to quick pop on by my BLOG site however, to check the date of this mini or that Quick n painless.. I thought I would go on and post all those times for you here... as well.  Quickie referencey like! See how awesome I am! Always thinkin!

So.. without further ado.....

BACK TO SCHOOL Quick n Painless August 20, 2011 at A SPECIAL LOCATION with SPECIAL TIMES.  Those are so special and all that they are posted on the website... so go there NOW... and get this all on your calender because this kind of awesomeness is not going to happen AGAIN! Cause you know what.. I Got me a BUS!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much to Shelby Morgan for helping me with that hook up (she is responsible for our awesome day at the school a couple of years back too.. Love her!!!)

And SUPER BEYOND SPECIAL THANKS TO Suzanne Hittson & Family for allowing us to visit their property to do this special session in a cool location. You rock more than you know!!!!!!!!! Thank you!

WACKY WILD WHITE DAY  September 24, 2011.. is SO WACKY we don't even have to use white paper! This is your day to create a funny, crazy or just plain awesome portrait!  Bring in some silly clothes, or something crafty, or chalk, or a chair, or food or WHATEVER you want!

Email me so we can muse over ideas together! This is the chance to get WACKY & WILD so bring it!  Hours are 9-5 at the studio and closed for lunch at a NEW TIME 12-1.  Hope to see your wacky selves here!

FALL AND HALLOWEEN October 29, 2011  Yes.. you read it right.. we are only doing ONE quick n painless...and its outside. I thought why not... every time you wash the car it rains right, and lord knows we can sure use a deluge.. so I'll go on and plan a Quick n painless OUTSIDE so we can urge it to pour! HAHAHAHAH!  Lets hope! And if it does... the Quick n painless is the next day (Sunday the 30th).  The scene is outside with the german hay cart filled with pumpkins and leaves and whatall. It will move around the yard in search of spots without direct sunlight as the day progresses, but this is the ONLY PROP available today. If you do NOT want the fall scene, please pick another day to come in. THIS SCENE IS SET!  Please and thank you!

HOLIDAY QUICK N PAINLESS is November 12, 2011  ..... location? Um maybe the studio? Maybe not. Anyone got any ideas? Im plumb out.  Its too hot to think of Holiday wrappings, and snowmen, and twinkling snowflakes in Santas eyes... ugh.  So help me out here. Where do you want Holiday QP And what do you want to see in it? Vintage?This one is still out there up for grabs.... lemme hear from ya!

 

And now.. on to our mini sessions. I keep trying out new ideas I come across on the interwebs... I want to make these so awesome you fill up every spot so its worth EVERYONES while... and I want to make sure its affordable to BOTH Of us in the process because just between you and Me, Im 45 years old and I'm a bit too old to be making minimum wage doing something I have been crafting for most of my life... I know you wouldn't want to, and you wouldn't want ME TO either. So when you are out searching for some new photo ideas and you just HAPPEN to come across some new photographer/hobbyist giving away the farm and wondering WHY on earth I'm so "expensive"... try to imagine how you would make a living on the 50 cents she is making off that image.... and then give me a call! I promise you awesomeness!

So... yeah with that in mind I have designed two new prices for Minis... one with 8 images + the sitting fee ($350), and one with 20 images + the sitting fee ($500).  To book a mini, just select what event day & time you want and send me an email with that plus your credit card info and we'll get you all set up. Minis are paid for at the time of booking and while they are non refundable... they are transferable to other days* or to a regular sitting.... so its all win win!  (*within one years time )

Our upcoming minis are:

October 5, 2011 at the STUDIO With any color background, or outside area you want. One area or paper background per mini.  Available times are: 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30 and 4:00

and

Turtle Creek November 20, 2011 with times at 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:00, 3:00, 3:30, and 4:00pm  I may or may not use the same spot; Im scouting for a location that may be new and different and also not filled with OTHER photographers on that day so we can optimize our time out there!

I am also considering an URBAN Mini in October likely... if you are interested let me know via email at Cupkake897@aol.com  ... I have an idea for a spot in Deep Ellum but I have to see how the light is at various points in the day to see if it works (and if there is a bathroom available... of course .. hahahahah) But i do have other urban locations to use as well. So just let me know if you wanna rock the hood for your family session and we'll get on it!

And so, the last peice of news I wanted to share is that I am currently in Realtor school... in case you are NOT friends with me on FB (whatever!!!!!!! LOL) and had not heard. NO THIS DOES NOT MEAN I AM CLOSING CUPCAKES!!! I am just learning another trade to use during the slow months for now and to have for when I am too too old to chase babies on the floor one day. So yeah.. if you are looking to sell or buy anytime after say, September, please keep me in mind. I will be with NATHAN GRACE realtors, in Dallas, just as soon as I get my prep test over with and take the big daddy one !!! Fingers crossed and all that It happens first time!  

Ok.................. I need to get a move on here! My good friend Marys coming to visit me today and I need to get a move on! Its been ages since I have seen here and I am beyond excited! WOOT! 
Email me at Cupkake897@aol.com if you have any questions about anything whatsoever or if you are ready to book your mini!  Do it right now... while you are thinkin' bout it...ok!

Thanks!