Merry Christmas, friends!

I decided to put a tree up at my studio this year. I found the perfect pre-lit, white, pencil tree, at Michaels early in December and some realllllly cute garland that I visioned going on the tree. I thought about it and left the store, and thought about it until I decided I had to go back and buy it, haha! Oh, and don’t get me started on the ornaments. most of those were collected this year too. Minus the felted cameras Jenn made me, and some of the other camera ornaments! It’s such a cozy addition to the studio I really don’t want to take it down. Is that a problem?

Our Christmas was spent at our home with my parents. This is the second year we’ve continued this new tradition. Two years ago we were in Chicago with my mom’s side of the family. We had just bought and moved into our house 15 days earlier, so our first Christmas in our home was last year! Seeing we hosted, we also made breakfast and a late lunch for my parents. I took on the recipes that I grew up eating and it felt great to be able to do that for my parents and us. We had breakfast around 10:30 and then opened gifts until 12:30. Yeah, we’re super leisurely about it spotlighting each person and gift. Oh and can we talk about my dad’s recation to us gifting him an Instant Pot?! Priceless. The Honey Baked Ham my grandparents gift us every year, went in and an hour or so later we were feasting on so much goodness.

Tim and my mom napped while my dad and I hung out at the kitchen table playing with my new toy! The Palette! This thing is so cool even my musician husband, Tim, is jealous! hahah. It’s an editing tool that has sliders, dials, and buttons for intuitive, precise and custom control of software I use like Lightroom and Photo Mechanic. It can also be used with Photoshop, audio software and other things! The pieces snap together in whatever combination you need, the amount of customization is pretty awesome. I’ve shared two ways I stuck them together to try it out so far. I’m anxious to find the best configuration for my workflow. Speaking Christmas gear goodies, I also got some MagMod stuff. Finally switching from the Rogue stuff I have. I think the magnet system will be way easier and efficient than the velcro on the Rogue gear I have. We’ll see. Perhaps I’ll have to write another post later on about my ideal set up for the Palette and what I think about the MagMod gear.

After playing with the Palette for a while and a spiked eggnog, my parents headed home and Tim and I proceeded to watch the rest of A Christmas Story, Elf, and then The original Santa Clause with Tim Allen. Ha. I’d say it was a successful Christmas Day. I’m looking forward to spending a few days this weekend with Tim’s family. 🙂 

Hope you all had a lovely holiday and are thinking about your fresh start to 2019! We’re working on a 2018 behind the scenes and a 2018 highlights post that will be dropping soon! But for now, enjoy some pretty from my studio and home.

Answer one of these questions in the comments below: What holiday traditions do you do with your friends or family?What is your favorite ornament I put on my studio tree?