Allow me to introduce you to Mister Mustache. Practically irresistible, Mister Mustache brings out the kid in all of us with his silly but charming ways.  But who is the Mrs. behind Mister Mustache?  That would be Ukraine based “mustache artist” Kate Kuhar!!  Kate is AMAZING and was excited to be one of the official sponsors for my upcoming photography workshops in just two weeks here in Tampa (register for your seat!)!  Her mustaches and lips have been seen all over the world and have become a favorite among photographers as the perfect props for wedding photo booths and fun portrait sessions!  But it also just so happens to make the perfect costume accessory for your upcoming halloween party as well!  If you just have to get your hands on a pair of these lips and staches then get in on today’s giveaway for a chance to win a pair of your own, no actual facial hair required! See below for details!

AND just to show a little more love to my fellow shutter bugs (and because I am about to leave for vacation and am in an especially happy mood) TODAY ONLY you can receive 20% off a last minute seat to either of the SCP photography workshops on Nov 4th and 5th!!!  Just enter the discount code SCP20OFF when you register today!!

These mustaches and lips are awesome for weddings, photo booth props, birthdays, group photo shoots, costumes party, bridal party pics and much more!  They are all molded in plastic, which makes them strong and easy to reuse. Each element is covered with a glossy water-based lacquer, which is environmentally friendly. Mustache is mounted on a wooden bamboo stick using a hot glue. It’s size from 3.7 in (95 mm) to 2.3 in (58 mm) , each stick is 9.4 in (240 mm).  The winner will receive one of each mustache and lips (may not be identical to the ones shown – lots of fabulous varieties!) You can also purchase your own sets of mustaches and lips and all kinds of other fun props from Kate’s Etsy shop!

Here’s how to win!!!! You will have TWO days to enter this contest – Friday and Saturday.  Contest begins TODAY Friday the 21th and ends at midnight on Saturday the 22nd. The winner will be announced on the blog on Monday!

To enter to win you must do each of the following:

1) “Like” both Shay Cochrane Photography and Mister Mustache on Facebook

2) Post the following on YOUR OWN Facebook wall “I really want to win a sweet stache and lips from Shay Cochrane Photography and Mister Mustache http://tinyurl.com/42wfpzf”

3)Leave a comment here on this blog post letting us know that you entered to win!

Good luck! And don’t forget that all day today (Friday) you can still enter to win the fabulous clutch from Oatmeal Lace Design from my last post!

Here’s how to win!!!! You will have TWO days to enter – both Thursday and Friday.  Contest begins TODAY Thursday the 20th and ends at midnight on Friday the 21st. The winner will be announced on the blog on Saturday!

To enter to win you must do each of the following:

1) “Like” both Shay Cochrane Photography and Oatmeal Lace Design on Facebook

2) Post the following on YOUR OWN Facebook wall “I really want to win this clutch from Shay Cochrane Photography and Oatmeal Lace Design http://tinyurl.com/43lc5x2“

3)Leave a comment here on this blog post letting us know that you entered to win!

Good luck ladies!

Just a little heads up friends, your gonna wanna check back here tomorrow and Friday for two days of GIVEAWAYS (YAY!) thanks to the lovely McKay at Oatmeal Lace Design and our official SCP workshop sponsor the Mister Mustache Store!  Come get in on the fun right here on the blog!

I mean really…is it entirely  fair that these two ladies got extra helpings of beauty AND talent?!  Meet Shem and Carolina, photographers and co-owners of Blue Lane Studios photography and Room 3307 boudoir photography!  These ladies are as fun and sweet as they are talented photographers.  It was so fun to get to shoot them and I was even more excited when I saw the fabulous vintage chair that they found which just happened to compliment their outfit color palette choice perfectly! (Us photographers are suckers for these kinds of things!) Be sure to check out their websites and show these ladies some love here on the blog!

Fall is definitely my favorite time of the year!  It doesn’t hurt that my birthday and anniversary (6 years!) are both in October as well!  Among my favorite things about this time of year…finally shutting off the air conditioner and opening up all of the windows in the house, breaking out my favorite brown boots, the promise that Christmas time is right around the corner and last but not least Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies!!!  I never really developed that love for baking that is supposed to be somewhere in my wife-ly genes (sorry Graham!) but these cookies are yummy enough to find me covered in flour in the kitchen at least a few times each fall/winter season.  Chloe helped me make the first batch of the season today!  They are my grandmother’s recipe and ALWAYS prove to be a yummy hit!  A recipe this delicious and easy is meant to be shared so open up the windows and curl up on the couch with a glass of milk and a plate of these soft fluffy pieces of heaven.  You don’t even need to feel guilty because they are healthy since they have pumpkin in them…right? hehehe

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin (I always use a little more than a cup)

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fliffy.  Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla.  Mix and sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Add to cream mixture, mix well.  Add chocolate chip pieces.

Drop by tablespoons onto well greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet while still warm; cool on racks. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies depending on size. Share with friends:)

I could barely keep my heart from beating out of my chest all morning knowing that we were going in for the big ultrasound today. The plan was to have the results written down and sealed in an envelope for us to open together later, however we thought it more exciting to have Graham read the results on his own and surprise me after Bible study tonight.  Sitting in the grocery store parking lot he read the results quietly to himself and finally knew whether he would be picking out a pink or blue flower to bring home to me. As he skipped through the grocery store with the secret news in hand the bread in the bakery smelled sweeter and the check out lines moved faster.

Glowing, I aimlessly paced around the house knowing that he would be home soon with the news.  I felt my heart leap into my throat when I heard the front door open. Really, am I about to find out whether the laundry baskets will be filled with little pink clothes or little blue clothes? Life stood still for a moment as Graham pulled the flower from behind his back beaming from ear to ear…

Oh, were you looking for the results? Well, they are hidden in the two paragraphs above. Have fun!

Love,

a very excited Graham and Shay

Ok, so maybe that was a little tricky of me…hehe…maybe this is isn’t THE “big reveal” {those of you waiting to find out whether baby Cochrane is a girl or a boy will have to wait until tomorrow for that fun news.hehe. Graham is making me wait until later tonight to find out!} but while I have you here…you can check out the “big reveal” of the fun video that John Robinson of Robinson Imagery put together of the most recent photography workshop in Virginia! Thank you for the 3 minutes of fame John! You can also follow John’s work on his Facebook page. Just click below to check out the video and come back tomorrow if your curiosity is killing you (Mua ha ha)!