Those Satin Edges

If you know Robyn, you know she has a thing for Satin Edges. I made a travel blanket (14x14) for her birthday that was rather easy for me. So, Jaren motivated me to make a whole new blanket (42x42) using satin blanket binding.

A Pain.
Nightmare.
"Pulling-my-hair-out" frustration.
Ran out of binding 4 inches from the end (nothing more frustrating). Naturally I went to buy some more and even though it's the EXACT same package...the color is note exactly the same. Luckily, it really isn't noticeable...not with my sewing abilities.
I couldn't keep my binding from going crooked so it doesn't lay completely flat. And, those miter corners??!! Wow--how do you get those perfect? I think it took me four tries there at the end to get that 4th corner done to my satisfaction. I did finish it and I'm rather content with the end result. I'm happy with how it turned out despite all the grumbling. (I still maintain that sewing in zippers is still harder). It has some flaws but as my in-laws would say, "it adds character!" Though, after adding up all that I spent on making that blanket (not including the cost of my labor) I probably could have bought one for less. That would be too easy and much less satisfying.

We call it the "froggy" blankie (yeah, my creativity is lacking right now). While it's a beautiful blanket that the rest of us have grown to love, Robyn will have nothing to do with it...go figure. She happily chooses to strut around with her older, beat up blanket with satin edges.

Family pictures dilemma...

Okay, I will confess that I never took Robyn in for professional photos. For the past two years I've been able to get some decent photos of her. But, such is not the case for everyone else in my family. And now I'm having issues with Robyn's pictures. But, I want the pictures done before she grows out of the pretty red dress that I made for her!

Every picture of me is horrid...absolutely worthless. Always shows me as old (which I'm not), worn down, tired and just plan unflattering.

Now, my dilemma: I have a beautiful picture of me and Jaren hanging in our living room that was taken on our cruise last November. Along with 5 empty frames nicely hanging around it. I'm itching to get some nice photos of my family to fill in the holes. But, all of my attempts at taking my own photos have been wasted. There's an exact look that I want...and I can't get it. I'm such an amateur photographer with a mediocre camera. Even the nicest camera won't take good pictures if your lighting is all wrong. And, Hunter's eyes always shine red!

I hesitate to use any generic portrait studio (ie Target or JcPenney) simply because you get what you pay for and I don't want to pay for pictures that don't capture exactly what I want. How I'd love to have a real professional photographer take over my dilemma but I have to be honest with myself...we simply cannot afford it right now. So, my dilemma continues...and my frames remain empty. And my frustration continues on....

Is there someone out there who truly does photography as a hobby and wouldn't mind trying their talent out on my family for little cost? Who might actually be able to capture the pictures that I want?