30th Birthday

I can't believe I'm 30 Ya'll! To be honest it feels exactly the same. Every year it feels exactly the same it seems. I had blocked off the whole weekend from sessions so that I could relax but I take after my father and relaxing is really stressful for me when there's a to do list as long as my arm that needs to be done. So the morning of my birthday, I finished and delivered a session from the week before, vacuumed the whole house (and studio), did laundry and got ready for dinner celebrations.

We went to Carrabbas for dinner and it was fantastic! There were drinks, cake, dinner, presents and of course friends and family. I even got back home and to bed before 10 like the grandma that I am!

The next day I weeded my flower beds and finished up some art projects I had lying around in the morning then relaxed with my boyfriend until bedtime. I don't know what it is about this 30 Before 30 project that has me so motivated, but I think I might do a 31 Before 31 just to keep the motivation going!

Final 30 Before 30

That's right! My birthday is TOMORROW! Boy has it flown by. I didn't know doing 30 things would be so difficult! It got to the point where I couldn't put certain things on my list because I didn't have enough time to do them all! I still haven't lost those 10 pounds, but I'm not super worried about it, 29/30 is still super great! It has been a crazy great year for both myself and my business and I can't wait to see what 30 brings! Thank you all for sharing it with me!

1. Read 15 books
2. Purge my house and have a giant yardsale
3. Attend the Color Run and attempt to run (at least a little)
4. Finish stripping wallpaper in preparation of repainting our guest room
5. Organize my office to make it a place that I actually WANT to work
6. Finish watching every episode (on Netflix) of Shameless, Criminal Minds and OITNB
7. Lose 10 pounds
8. Throw out at least 30 clothing items I haven't worn in a year
9. Keep my orchid alive
10. Celebrate my new age with a boudoir shoot of my own
11. Attend a concert that I've always wanted to
12. Treat myself to something unnecessary, but wonderful
13. Clean out my inbox so that I have 0 messages in it
14. Invest more in my friendships
15. Hand out more business cards
16. Break open the Maker's Mark
17. Offer more unique products
18. Finally get a dainty photography piece of jewelry
19. Finish re-doing my back deck
20. Turn my basement into a craft studio
21. Celebrate July 4th with my family
22. Buy and paint a vanity for the studio
23. Hang old family pictures in my home
24. Spend a Saturday yardsaleing/antiquing
25. Send more handwritten notes
26. Pay it forward
27. Help get a gardening table set up
28. Spend an entire week without eating out or buying lingerie (two of my money weaknesses)
29. Update my website with newest sessions
30. Enjoy my last few days of 29 with friends and family

Handwritten Notes {30 Before 30}

One of my goals in both business and in life is to have meaningful relationships and I think a lot of that has been lost through technology. It's so easy to go catch up on someone's life by clicking on their facebook page and never even talking to them. My goal is to begin sending out more handwritten letters through snail mail to give friends, family and clients a little present between all the bills and coupons that get put in their mailboxes. It doesn't have to be much, just a thank you for your business or a happy birthday or even just an I miss you card. I think it's the little things that make such a big difference and I want to be that difference. Join me? We can make it a trend.

Celebrate the 4th of July {30 Before 30}

With the busy photography season upon me, I was determined to have a "vacation" even if it was only for a day to the lake. My goal was to have everything edited that I owed people and nothing pressing at home that would make me feel guilty for taking an entire day away. So I worked hard all week, got everything edited and delivered, laundry done and the house semi cleaned so that I wouldn't be thinking about all the things that I should be doing while I was away. Scott and I drove up to the lake around lunch time and spent the entire afternoon floating, swimming and hanging out with family with absolutely no guilt! And I might have accidentally thrown some of my cousins in pretty dresses and into the lake for an impromptu session. I swear, I just can't help myself.

Viewfinders {30 Before 30}

Here's a quick flashback for you!

Remember those red viewfinders with pictures from like Sesame Street on them!? Well now we at Katie Larrington Photography offer the new and improved adult version of them! Introducing our newest product, the Viewfinder! It holds 7 of your favorite images with 1 for the middle. It comes with your choice of a black, red, yellow or white viewfinder. Extra reels may be purchased as well if you are having a hard time choosing only 7 images. I can't wait to see which pictures you choose for yours!

Vanity {30 Before 30}

Not only did I get to cross something off my 30 Before 30 list, but I also added a SUPER adorable new piece to my studio! I was on Craigslist a while back cause you can actually find some super awesome things on there and I came across a listing for a vanity. It was an antique white with these handpainted roses and white plastic handles and a big round mirror on top. While my first thought was "wow, that looks exactly like something my grandma had" my second thought was "wouldn't that be so cute painted in the studio!?" That second thought won out and we bought it, brought it home, Scott helped me paint it and get it all set up upstairs and it was a SUPER huge hit! It is going to have a very nice home here. Come see it soon!

Treat Yo Self {30 Before 30}

I haven't bought very much for myself lately unless it related to my business. But I decided that before I turned 30, I wanted to treat myself to something awesome and relaxing that I wouldn't usually get for myself. I decided on a massage because I had never had a professional massate - ever. But not only did I get a full hour of bliss, I got to do it with my best friend. I took my boyfriend with me for a couples massage and it was AMAZING! Kelsey was fantastic, calmed my nerves and it felt like a dream. A whole hour of peaceful music, massaging and warm blankets made my heart so happy. I highly recommend treating yourself every now and then and this was perfect. Check her out here. You won't regret it

Invest in what Matters {30 Before 30}

Over the years there have been a LOT of people that have come in and out of my life. Some for good reason and some just because we grew apart. As I get closer (OMG it's SO CLOSE) to 30, I realize that cutting toxic people (or even just people that don't add anything of value to my life) out actually feels super great. Not that I can't be friends with them or that I can't speak to them if I see them in the grocery store, but just that I don't go looking for their drama or letting them take advantage of me.

The biggest thing that I want to do before I hit the big 3-0 is to invest less in every relationship I have and instead invest more into the ones that truly matter. The people that will be there for me through thick and thin, dropping everything that they're doing to help me move, get dinner, catch a ball game, or just talk because one of us has had a bad day. Those relationships are the ones that I want to nurture and work hardest on because they're the most mutually beneficial and I can't wait to see where these ladies (and gentlemen) take me through this coming year - or 10.

Shameless {30 Before 30}

I've had a few great months with lots of sessions since it got warmer and it has meant a TON of hours on the couch editing pictures, updating my website, and blogging as much as I can. Usually I listen to music or watch tv shows that don't require a whole lot of attention because that isn't what I'm supposed to be focusing on. However, in honor of my 30 Before 30 wish to catch up on some of my favorite shows, I've gotten both Shameless AND Orange is the new Black all the way caught up! Even though both came out with new seasons just recently, I still got it all done! Got any suggestions on what to start next?

Basement Redesign {30 Before 30}

For the last few months, we have had one of our friends staying with us in our basement. They needed a place to stay, we had the space, it was a win-win situation. However, they have since moved on to their own place and I wanted to re-claim the space for myself. It's a perfect place to throw on a movie and snuggle by the fireplace (obviously not a fire in June...but you know what I mean) or to do crafts without it making a mess in the more used part of the house. You can leave a half finished puzzle down there for a month and nobody is going to move it, no cats are going to knock pieces off the table and lose them under the couch. I'm currently in the middle of creating a headboard for the studio so that's the first project of the new and improved basement! Let's see how it's coming.

Hanson {30 Before 30}

Yep, that Hanson. You know the one, "MMMBOP," that's totally my jam. So it has been my dream for years to see them and this year they're going on tour! FINALLY! My best friend and I got tickets to go see them in Maryland in September since that's the closest that they come to us. So I won't get to actually see them before my birthday, but I have taken the necessary steps so it still counts. I am so excited about seeing them for real, it's a dream come true. I know you're either dying laughing at me, or you're crying jealous. Don't worry, I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.

Yardsale {30 Before 30}

Guys, yardsales are so hard. We have been gathering up stuff for the last year - yes, literally a year - to sell in a yardsale. It was floor to ceiling in our basement and I'm talking furniture, clothes, books, art, plates, antiques...you name it, we probably had it. We got up at 5AM to start moving things outside and went until 3pm non-stop. I got my 10,000 fitbit steps in by 1pm which is unheard of (I usually can hit 4,000 a day - yay desk jobs). I got SO MUCH out of my house though! What didn't sell went straight to Goodwill so that it didn't sneak its way back into my house. I feel so much better now that it's done, my house is cleaner, less cluttered, I have my basement and garage back, and a few extra bucks in my pocket. The day of and the few days recuperating from the experience are super awful, but overall it wasn't the worst thing ever.

0 Inbox Messages {30 Before 30}

Is there anything more beautiful than an email inbox that has exactly zero things in it? I very often get to the point where I have over 1,000 UNREAD emails, not including the ones I read and didn't do anything with. It's stressful for me to know that I have such an overwhelming amount of things that I need to address. SO, I went through every email I had in my business email (personal is still a work in progress) and cleaned it out, filed everything that I needed to keep, deleted everything I didn't need, and am officially at zero emails! It feels super amazing even though it took days to make it happen. If you have a few days, I highly recommend decluttering your inbox.

Color Run {30 Before 30}

I only half-way completed my Color Run goal this year. We did go, and we finished it even though it was cold and raining but we failed with the running part. We got up early on a Saturday (on Scott's birthday) which is a miracle by itself, I'd rather just be lazy till at least 10 on weekends. I'm not a runner and it was miserable out so we just trudged our way through to the end. Then afterwards, we treated ourselves to Jack Brown's and a birthday beer before thoroughly showering (twice) to get clean. We plan to try the running thing again next year! It still counts as complete to me.

My Very Own Boudoir Session {30 Before 30}

Guys, this was so scary. I know I preach that everyone is beautiful but when it's you in front of that camera, even someone like me gets nervous. My goal was to lose 10 pounds and THEN do a boudoir shoot. However, those 10 pounds just weren't coming off - you know....pizza and tacos...so I went ahead with the boudoir session anyway. This amazing celebration of my body as it ages will be with me forever, and the experience was one of a kind. Being outside in a field (right next to a major road) was exhilarating and unique by itself, but having one of my favorite photographers (Carling Zhou) come in from out of town just to be there with me, telling me the whole time how great I was looking was awesome. I might not look like a super model, I might have some parts of myself that I struggle with daily, but I walked away from this session on top of the world. It's so hard to learn to love yourself, but I'm working on it. :)

Vintage Photography {30 Before 30}

Due to my immense passion for photography and the lasting impact that it can have even years later, I have dedicated some time to gathering up some old images of my family from decades ago to hang proudly in my home (now that I have a home big enough to do something like this in). My first piece is now hanging in my walkway between my kitchen and the entryway - something that I pass by multiple times a day to be able to enjoy. It is an image of my mom when she was a teenager, matted, framed and loved. It also serves as a nice conversation starter since everyone who sees it and doesn't know it's my mom already asks me how old I was when it was taken. Next up: an old Navy picture of my grandpa. Stay tuned.

Back Deck {30 Before 30}

When we first moved into our house (a year ago in June), we wanted to re-do the back deck so that we could host parties, cookouts and just lounge in the sun when it was nice. The deck was original to the house and hadn't had anything done to it in over 20 years so we wanted to get rid of the splintered old boards and replace them in addition to a quick spruce to the whole thing. Well, we enlisted my dad's help to do it and it has been a SUPER slow and difficult process. Not to mention that it was on hold for a few months during the winter with the snow and cold weather. The boards needed to be pulled up, new boards put down, the railings were old so they were all taken off and new put on. It has taken a full year, but I'm super excited to say that it's finally done! We officially have a back porch! Now if only I had furniture to put out there. Beach towels will have to work for now.

Jewelry {30 Before 30}

I'm not a jewelry type of girl. I wear rings and necklaces but I'm one of those girls who forgets to put them on if I have to take them off to shower or sleep so I'll wear the same ring for 6 months then change it out. I have been on the search for a necklace that I can wear constantly, through showers and sleeping and exercise (if I ever decide to take that up) that had to do with photography. It was a struggle for me to find one that I liked, fit my personality, and wasn't going to be over the top photography. I found this SUPER cute, dainty necklace with a short chain that has a sweet little camera charm that is smaller than a dime. One other great added bonus that I wasn't planing on is that the chain, because it is attached the way it is to the charm, doesn't get turned around so my clasp is never showing! Score

Maker's Mark {30 Before 30}

After 3 years it finally happened! We broke open the famous bottle of Maker's Mark! You know the one. We used it in a photoshoot years ago and it has been sitting, lonely and dusty on a shelf in my kitchen ever since. I'm not a super huge fan of whiskey and it was bought specifically for the session so it ended up forgotten out of sight, out of mind. It felt so good to finally get it down, dust it off and crack that baby open. I may or may not have sang a little David Lee Murphy while we did it. "There might be a little dust on the bottle, it's one of those things that gets sweeter with time." No judgements. We even made some ice cream with it. YEP! Boozy Butter Pecan homemade ice cream. I know you're jealous, but I'll share.

30 Before 30

With less than 4 months until my 30th birthday, I am WAY behind on my 30 before 30 list. Heck, I don't even have 30 things ON my 30 before 30 list! But I'm determined to get 30 things on my list as well as cross off 30 things. If you have a suggestion for something that should be on my list, leave a comment and I'll see if I can add it! Let's get started!

1. Read 15 books
2. Purge my house and have a giant yardsale
3. Attend the Color Run and attempt to run (at least a little)
4. Finish stripping wallpaper and repaint our guest room
5. Organize my office to make it a place that I actually WANT to work
6. Finish watching every episode (on Netflix) of Shameless and OITNB
7. Lose 10 pounds
8. Throw out at least 30 clothing items I haven't worn in a year
9. Keep my orchid alive
10. Celebrate my new age with a boudoir shoot of my own
11. Attend a concert that I've always wanted to
12. Treat myself to something unnecessary, but wonderful
13. Clean out my inbox so that I have 0 messages in it
14. Invest more in my friendships
15. Hand out more business cards
16. Break open the Maker's Mark
17. Offer more unique products
18. Finally get a dainty photography piece of jewelry
19. Finish re-doing my back deck
20. Turn my basement into a craft studio
21. Celebrate July 4th with my family
22. Buy and paint a vanity for the studio
23. Hang old family pictures in my home
24. Spend a Saturday yardsaleing/antiquing
25. Send more handwritten notes
26. Pay it forward