Shop Update

Super excited to announce a mini shop update today!
I'm currently working on redoing a lot of the current listings photos to acquire a more unified and put together look (having a mish-mash of photos up there at the moment kind of drives me a little bit crazy) and hopefully in the process I can efficiently add some of the new knits I've designed as well! 
(This one in particular is my current favorite)

I'm a little bit in love with these photos, which I know is kind of weird to say, because I'm in them... so that sounds rather vain... but honestly I just really love the way Meagan captured the colors and textures in these photographs. Especially with the back drop of this beautiful city of ours.
Speaking of which, I'm hoping to incorporate more of RVA into my Etsy shoots in the future so hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of it in the upcoming weeks!

Anyway, a huge shout out is in order for Meagan. 
Many of you hear me talk about her all the time (or see the 458 photos of us together on instagram) but seriously... this girl works magic. She's officially my life photographer. I love her not only for the beautiful art that she produces, but for the irreplaceable friendship we've developed over this past year. She's become one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters in my artistic pursuits and it means the world to me.

Go check out her site and Facebook page and show her some love!

And then head on over to the shop to stock up on some knits because it's getting cold out there!
(I'm literally wearing a scarf at my desk as I type this actually. So I'm not even just saying that to make you buy stuff)


In order of appearance:

 All photos by Meagan Abell

Maddie & Taylor | Engaged

Meet Maddie and Taylor.
Actually, you long time readers may remember meeting them before.
It's been a while since those last photos were taken, over a year and a half actually, but now I'm over the moon excited to announce that these two are engaged! 

Not gonna lie, this engagement session is one that's very different for me personally because, for starters, Maddie is my high school best friend. Additionally she's actually the first really close friend of mine to get married.
 Makes me feel like life's kind of speeding by in a way. I mean, marriage? What?
It seems like yesterday that we were sixteen and going to movies in our footy pajamas, thrifting flowery dresses, being obsessed with all things Batman/Christian Bale and driving aimlessly down back country roads blasting Taylor Swift (hey, you know you've done it too...)
Regardless, as bittersweet as it might be to see her reach such a big new phase in her life, I'm so happy for her and support her and Taylor both 110%!

This lady really is very near and dear to my heart to say the least and so I was obviously excited when she asked me to be the photographer at her wedding. Doing these engagement photos with them only got me more excited about it. I feel really blessed to be able to share one of the biggest days of her life with her in this way. 

And though I don't know Taylor as well, since he came into Maddie's life more so after she went off to college, I know that he's an amazing guy.

I really can't imagine anyone more suited for Madds in any way. 
He treats her like the gem she is and I wouldn't let him have her if he treated her as anything less. 
I remember being there in the early stages of their relationship, when they were "just friends", and watching their progression into dating. I knew early on this guy was different, even pointing out the fact that he liked her way before she would even admit it.
There was one time in particular when I went to visit Maddie at school and we sat in one of the study lounges and she read me a letter that he'd written her (side note: guys who write girls letters are keepers). It was right before they were dating and she was asking my advice about the timing of getting into a relationship with him and what I thought about it. I remember how excited she was about the possibility of their friendship being something more and I knew that this was only the beginning of a really beautiful thing.

So anyway, there's a little bit more photos than normal, but I wanted to share all of my favorites.
And, well, they're basically all my favorites.
Maddie and Taylor, I love you both dearly and I'm so incredibly happy for you two. I know God's got a lot of really beautiful plans for your future together (it's "pregnant with possibility" actually) and this is indeed only the beginning of a really beautiful thing.

♥


 

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Check out more here.
Interested in getting some portraits of your own done?
Email me for more info: by.leney@gmail.com

My RVA

This is my city.

How I see it. 

My favorite nooks and crannies and unexpected and overlooked sights.

Some familiar, some unknown.  

I love it with all my heart.

I might be posting about it more regularly. 

Hope that's okay with you.

(For those of you who don't know, RVA stands for Richmond Virginia. Sometimes I forget not everyone's from here even though it feels like it on occasion...)

Fashion Friday: Overalls

I love overalls.
I have several pairs.
I don't really feel the need to share with you how many...
But bottom line: How could you not love an article of clothing with this many pockets?
I mean seriously.
That's pretty much all I have to say about that.

Also, a little shout out to a favorite local Richmond coffee shop: Lamplighter Roasting Company.
Their coffee and food is scrumptious. Go check them out if you haven't before.
Their outside seating is my favorite.

My fellow photog friend, Tiffany took these photos for me and I kinda sorta really especially love them.
Mostly because I'm sitting in an alleyway knitting socks.
While wearing overalls.

If this doesn't sum up my personality I don't know what does.

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See previous Fashion Friday's posts here.



Outfit details

Overalls- Thrifted 
Belt- Vintage
Sunglasses- Target
Watch- Michael Kors
Bracelet: Thrifted
Ring: This Etsy shop
Bag: Madewell

All photos by Tiffany Heidenthal 

Maggie & Ricky | Wedding

This is one of my favorite weddings that I got to second shoot with Meagan over the summer.
Cutest little rustic country wedding ever.
So many perfectly thought out details and endless gorgeous scenery to photograph.
A photographers dream.

Hope you enjoy some of my favorite shots from their big day!



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Check out more here.
Interested in getting some portraits of your own done?
Email me for more info: by.leney@gmail.com


Confessions of A Knitter


“Despite what we knitters know to be true, the non-knitting world somehow persists in thinking that a "knitter" looks a certain way. Most likely, this picture is one of an elderly woman, grandmotherly and polite, sitting in her rocking chair surrounded by homemade cookies and accompanied by a certain number of cats."
-Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

While I consider myself to be a fairly polite person and rather fond of rocking chairs, I am far from elderly, I'm allergic to cats, and my baking skills are very decidedly lacking in accuracy...
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 Been knitting/crocheting up a storm over here.
The influx of orders over the past month or two have been so crazy. But I love it. 
Like I mentioned in this post, knitting gets put aside during the summer months. So I'm over the moon excited that it's getting chilly again and I can knit away to my hearts content once again. 

 I've already been working on some new designs for the shop this week. Designed and knit one sweater  in particular which I'm in love with (you can see a preview of it on instagram: @agirlnamedleney) and which will hopefully be photographed and listed soon.

 Speaking of sweaters, this one is still as popular as ever! I still can't believe it was featured on Etsy's Facebook page a few weeks ago.
How crazy is that?

Seriously though, thanks heaps to all you wonderful individuals who've purchased something from the shop recently/ever.
You guys make my heart happy.

And for those of you who haven't...
What're you waiting for?
;)

The Storms

Photo cred: Meagan Abell

Sometimes you need to make a list of all the things on your mind, just to get them out, and in the process realize it made you feel better. 
And that, really, even though it's a lot of stuff, it's nothing you can't handle. 

Sometimes you need to just let someone tell you it's all going to be okay because, really, it will be, but sometimes you just need someone to remind you of that. 

Sometimes you need to go get coffee with friends after dinner (even though you have a lot of work to do) and stay until the shop closes and you get kicked out because you are too busy talking about all the dreams and plans you all have.

Sometimes you need to go to the gym at 10pm because, even though you're a little bit sleep deprived, that's the only time you're able to that day and that post workout feeling really is kind of great.

Sometimes you need to get up at 5am for a photoshoot, which is crazy early, especially when you only got 4 hours of sleep, but it ends up being the highlight of your weekend.

Sometimes it takes photoshoots like that to remind you why you love doing what you're doing.

Sometimes you need to remember that regardless of how big all this "stuff" seems, God's got you. 
He sees the storms before you do. 
And that's really all that matters.