And Now The Moment You've All Been Waiting For.....

After three years of dreaming, wishing, aspiring and wanting to do this, It's finally done.......


MY ETSY SHOP IS OPEN!

You'll have to excuse the excessive use of caps. But I'm pretty excited.
Only a few things up at the moment, I'm going to be doing it in segments. 
New things will be added daily so check back!

And know that 10% of all my proceeds go to helping the A21 Campaign which focuses on abolishing human trafficking in the 21st century. It's a subject that I'm passionate about and I want to dedicate part of my life to helping in any way I can.
So when you purchase something from A Girl Named Leney you'll be helping out too!

Thanks so much to everyone who's been such a huge help and support in helping me make this happen and encouraging me to pursue this. I wouldn't have been able to do it without all the people I love. 
And of course thanks is due to my loving God to whom I have to thank above all for all of this.
 So here's to all of you guys, you're the best! 

Best start of a month ever.

October is going to be a good one, I can feel it.

Friday I'm In Love: Local Love

This Friday I'm giving a little shout out to some locals. 
There are so many people who inspire me and some of them live right here in Richmond.

You should read this article, so proud of fellow Richmonder Brian McDaniel!

This photo is gorgeous (shout out to another local photographer!)

I think I see Dorothy-esque shoes in my near future....

Recently had the privilege of taking this style savvy girls pictures, as well as some others, for an upcoming new article

Loved this post by a friend of mine

Are you a Richmond fashion blogger? Join the group!

I've mentioned her before but my friend Elsbeth has a lovely blog with lovely thoughts

Check out this article, written by some friends of mine on great places to thrift around here!

Want to see some pretty art? You should check out this lovely lady's work

My Aunt is working on renovating a beautiful house. She has a great mindset about it



Hope you have a good weekend! I know I will. <3




Cayla

Meet Cayla.

 This girl is gorgeous.
There is no doubt about it.
So when she asked me to take her senior pictures of course I said yes!
Her natural beauty was easy to capture and her constant jokes and sarcastic wit made it hard for me to hold the camera still from laughing so much.
Not to mention her own laugh is infectious, so we had a pretty good time to say the least.
Cayla and I have actually known each other for awhile now, I having graduated with her older sisters, and so I was honored when she asked me to take her senior pictures.
She had no reservations when I suggested (carefully) stepping into flower beds and over walls, standing on benches or standing in a waterfall while we were taking her pictures.
She also had quite a few ideas of her own and I loved collaborating with her creatively.
We definitely had a good time.

Check out more photos on my photography page here!


The First Model


My friend Monica was a sweetheart and helped me model some things for Etsy over the weekend. Doesn't she make everything look super good? 
I've been working away on things. With four more days before the end of the month it's been kind of crazy but I'm going to make it happen. Even if there are just a few things in the shop to start with....
I have another friend helping me model some more stuff today! Don't I just have the greatest friends? 
Happy Monday <3


Concrete Jungle

Last weekend I took a day trip to one of my favorite places ever (as I've mentioned before), and I miss it again already. New York City never ceases to promise a good time.
Some of the days activities included....


Watching the sunrise from Brooklyn Bridge 




Eating breakfast at the City Market Cafe right across from the Flatiron Building





Taking cliche pictures in Times Square


People watching




Visiting the Hershey and M&M stores and almost passing out from the overwhelming smell of chocolate




Going to the Disney store and taking advantage of the buy one get one free deal on the stuffed animals....


Having fun in the photo booth in Forever 21




Wishing I was rich enough to shop here...


People watching




Having lunch at Europa Cafe (Parmesan eggplant to be exact. Good, but not as good as my Mums)




Taking a nap in Central Park




Taking pictures with the Minolta 


People watching



Visiting the massive Toys R Us store and wishing I was a little kid again so that I could enjoy playing with the toys there and have it be socially except-able....


Drinking hazelnut iced coffee

Walking around singing this song (speaking of which, Jay Z you are not the next Sinatra.. just sayin)



Standing on the curb trying out different shutter speeds on moving cars for a good 15 minutes




Having scrumptious pizza at Lombardi's in Little Italy 
(They get extra cool points for playing Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday)




Wishing that I had new feet, calves, and shins after walking a total of about 15-20 miles
(no really, I calculated it)



Friday I'm In Love: Fall Edition

It's Friday! My favorite day of the week. And not only that, but it's the first day of Fall! My favorite season of the year. Today has to be a fantastic day in the making.
In honor of this glorious season here are some things I know I personally am looking forward to.....


1. Raking up a big pile of leaves and jumping in them 
(No Dad, this is not me volunteering to rake the yard....)

2. Drinking, eating, and smelling all things PUMPKIN as much as possible

3. Wearing hand knit scarves, hats, gloves and sweaters every day 
(yes, quite possibly all at the same time)

4. Driving with the windows down on a crisp morning and listening to Just Like Heaven by The Cure

5. Finally being able to knit in a climate that in doing so won't give me heat stroke

6. Photographing anything and everything that has a tree, with colorful Fall leaves, near it

7. Walking on a beach on a cool day

8. Going to BOSTON

9. Taking street style pictures of Fall attire! Everyone just looks way cuter in Fall with all their layers

10. Pulling out the leather jacket

11. Pulling out BOOTS

12. Starting up my annual resolve to pick up running every morning (more like walking), going on a few nice chilly runs (again, read walk), and then quitting once it becomes lower than 50 degrees out

13. Going to a movie or two at the drive in theatre
(It's always cozier when you can snuggle under blankets)

14. Having a picnic

15. Having a BIRTHDAY!
(I rather like Birthdays. I don't understand people who don't)

16. Visiting Narnia

17. Pumpkin carving and seed roasting and eating

18. Apple picking

19. Having two more weddings to go to
(Bringing the grand total of the year to nine)

20. Bonfires


What are you looking forward to?



Ode to Summer

Since today is the last day of Summer I decided to pay a little tribute to it. While Fall is my favorite season, it on occasion runs a tie with Summer (usually when it's the middle of Winter and I'm sick of cold and longing for warm weather again). So Summer, here's to you. You were quite lovely this year. Thanks for some pretty grand times. Hope you're just as nice next year.