Exciting Times!

*****PREFACE: This post is going to include mostly blabbing about new and exciting things. If you only visit for pictures, you may want to scroll down or come back another day. :)

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Well, things are always changing here in the Stone household and this week is no exception!

So, for today's news: I'm pregnant!!!!!

Oh, what? You already knew that? Oh. Well then, I guess I'll have to pull out something else....

For real though, there are some exciting things going on. For one, we've decided to turn our dining room into a small studio. I've told several people that this week and I think every one of them looked at me inquisitively and asked, "What dining room?"

There's really no distinction between our dining room and our giant kitchen and I think that's why everyone seems so confused at first. But the truth is, there is a difference. (Or at least, that's what our homebuilder said!) The dining room is officially an 8x12 foot area. We're simply going to add a wall in between that and our kitchen and - wahlah! - a small studio space!

I am really really really really excited about this. Like, ridiculously excited. Like, you'd think I was building an entire house from scratch and putting in my dream 20x30 foot studio. But I'm not. I'm just transitioning our dining room into a studio. Or rather, I'm just helping (read: watching) our dining room be transitioned. But really, those are just details, right?

In anticipation of the upcoming studio, I'm also in the process of gearing up for several sessions this summer by buying some more props and backdrops. I have to admit that I looooove shopping. I just don't really love shopping for me. But when I get to buy things for my business......so fun. That probably sounds really dorky, but...whatever. I enjoy it. A lot.

So yesterday I decided on 4 colors for my seamless paper purchase. (For non-photographers, that's a backdrop.) :) Then I decided on one more. And then today, yet another one. But can I really help it? I mean, shipping is cheaper when done in a large order. So I'm really saving money. See? Here are the paper colors that are waiting in my cart while my Paypal transfer completes itself:

Red, yellow, and blue for the modern crowd - gray, ivory, and brown for the more traditional. :)

Since I don't feel like redoing our entire floor, I've decided to purchase one of these bamboo floor protectors instead of a true floating floor. They roll up out of sight, so they're portable. And they're sooo pretty. :)

Today I also decided to wander on over to Knotty Baby Wear's Etsy site and purchase some leg warmers. These things are DARLING and I know already that I have several baby shoots coming up this spring/summer, so I am excited to get those in the mail! The store runs a photographer's special so I got 5 pair for just $31! Again, see how I'm saving??? :)

(( In all seriousness though, I firmly believe that nobody should go into debt to open a business and therefore I only spend what money I've made during the 10 months I've been in business. If you're just starting out, I really really encourage you to do that same. ))

Anyway, back to Knotty Baby Wear.....

If you have an infant or will have one soon, you absolutely MUST check out that site. They make THE CUTEST leg warmers. Ever. And if you plan to schedule a photo shoot, do yourself a favor and get a pair or four. They are darling and you won't regret it!

So I suppose you're waiting for some sort of picture in this post, right? Well, I've only got one for ya. Here's our dining room pre-construction. The wall will go where the red "box" is:

Try to look past my horrible computer drawing skills. And obviously, the trash can will NOT be in the studio come the post-construction pictures. :) I honestly have no idea what weekend we will plan to destroy - errr, recreate - our kitchen, but just know that it won't be much longer that it will look this way. :)

Oooo, I just can't WAIT!!

Alright, I think that's all the exciting news I have for you today. Stay tuned for updates......