Mothers Day – Where to treat Mum Hythe Kent

So the day is fast approaching! Mothers day, the day above all days to spoil your Mum or the Mother of your children. Maybe you’ve bought her a lovely gift voucher for a Mummy and Me shoot (a few slots are still available, so if you haven’t booked yet there is still time 😉 ), or stuck with the old faithfuls of flowers and chocolates. But maybe she’d like to be taken out for something lovely to eat, or for a day out.

I’ve come up with a list of some of the best there is to offer locally.

Hythe Imperial Mothers day lunch

At the cost of £27.95 per person, you can take Mum out for a 3 course lunch at the beautiful Hythe Imperial hotel. Great food in  wonderful surroundings. Details are here

Port Lympne

Mums can visit Port Lympne for free this Mothers day! When accompanied by a full paying adult or child (only valid on tickets purchased at the gatehouse on the day). Further details can be found on the event page on Facebook (here).

Furthermore, Port Lympne restaurant has a special Mothers day menu. 2 courses for £22.95 per person  or 3 courses for £29.95 per person. Or a champagne tea for £23 per person. Details can be found on their website, here.

Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway

If your Mum loves trains or maybe, like me, has a toddler obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine, this Mothers day experience will be something extra special (and the toddler would think you are even more awesome!). Mum can drive the train! And then go and watch the trains puffing in and out of the station whilst enjoying tea and cake with one of their Mothers day afternoon teas. Full details can be found on their website, here.

Westenhanger castle

Westenhanger castle is only open publicly for events and odd occasions throughout the year. So taking advantage of their Mothers day Afternoon tea or carvery is an ideal opportunity to go and see this beautiful local setting. Afternoon tea is available on Saturday 25th March from 11-5, and a Sunday carvery is available on Mothers day (26th) 1-5. Booking is essential. Details can be found here.

Stade Court hotel

Stade court hotel have a special Mothers day menu for just £28.95 per person. Details can be found here.

 

Hopefully this will be helpful to some of you! Go on, treat your Mum. She deserves it 🙂 I’m now going to email this to my husband 😉

Kelly.x

 

 

 

Something a little different! Kitten Xmas mini shoot

This week I had the pleasure of stepping out of my comfort zone and taking on a new challenge – pet photography!

A Christmas mini shoot with a difference 🙂 4 cats, 2 boys and 2 girls. Lots of props and Xmas set-ups. Endless fun!

 

Marvin wasn’t feeling very sociable, so I had to improvise!

Marley wasn’t going to get in a basket, no matter what we tried 🙂 So I had to capture her as she investigated my props.

Four furbabies with very different personalities. But all with two things in common – Their human Mummy and Daddy adore them, and they are all incredibly cute!!!

Furbaby and reptile shoots available now. Please see website for details 🙂

 

 

More education – Adding another string to my bow!

I’m so excited! Tomorrow marks the start of a new journey for me, something I have wanted to do for a very long time.

Tomorrow I have my first Sure start volunteer training session. And the day after that, my very first Breastfeeding peer supporter training session! Eek!

I’ve been passionate about breastfeeding since my third baby was born. We had so many issues, from a c-section birth to 10% weight loss in the first week, to being hospitalised at 6 weeks seriously ill with bronchiolitis, to undiagnosed silent reflux and all that goes with it. I managed to get through them all. And I couldn’t have done it without the help of a forum full of ladies who were a font of all knowledge when it came to breastfeeding. Some were professionals, some just spoke from experience. But they helped me so much. I have tried to pay that forward ever since. So being accepted to train as a peer supporter is a dream come true for me!

I already feel that I’ve learnt so much about breastfeeding, but I know there is more to learn, and I’m so excited to have the opportunity.

It also means that I can provide an extra service to my clients, if needed. Which makes me so happy, because I can combine two of the things I am most passionate about!

I’ll keep you all up to date with my training journey.

Kelly.x

The benefits of Hiring a bespoke home photography service

I know it’s not the norm. You think portrait or newborn photography and you automatically think studio right? And you’d be right, to a degree. There are many many great newborn photographers who work out of a studio, be that in their home or in a separate shop front.

But not me. I offer something a little bit different. The service I offer is tailored to the needs of a new parent, with experience gained from being that parent, five times over.

So let me run through some of the benefits you gain from hiring me, and my bespoke home photography.

• You don’t have to leave the house

Those first days and weeks as a new parent can be tough. Adjusting to sleep deprivation, feeding, acclimatising yourself, and possibly siblings, to a new little person. Just simply getting to know this new tiny member of your family. It’s exhausting. I know for me it was hard to get everything together and get baby ready to just get out of the house, without having an appointment time or a deadline.

Imagine if you didn’t have to go through that. If you could just roll out of bed and open the door in your pjs, ready to have a mini studio set up and your baby’s beautiful photos taken. Well you can! That is the service I offer. I don’t care if your hair is a mess, if you have bags under your eyes the size of suitcases and baby sick on your shoulder. I don’t mind if you want to curl up on the sofa and catch up on a little bit of sleep whilst I work my magic with your little one. I’ve been there.

• You, and baby, are in your own environment

Your baby is very sensitive to new surroundings. Everything is brand new, and a little bit frightening. Home is the one place they should be starting to get used to, and as a result they tend to settle better there.

I know from experience that I wanted to be at home in those early days too. Recovering from giving birth isn’t always like the soaps and the media make out. And a more relaxed mummy makes for a more relaxed baby.

• Home comforts

Only like one brand of tea? Couldn’t even think of drinking anything but your favourite brand of bottled water? Comfiest in your own special armchair? There are so many benefits to staying at home and letting me come to you.

• Essentials all to hand

In those early days, especially if you’re a first time parent, its hard to know exactly what you need to take with you when you leave the house. How many nappies? Outfit changes? If you are formula feeding , how many bottles and how much milk? Do I need to bring a dummy/pacifier? What if it falls on the floor? Should I bring a spare just incase?

You don’t need to worry about any of that with a bespoke home newborn shoot. Everything you need will be close at hand, and you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything on the day.

• No childcare

If you already have children it can be awkward finding childcare for them whilst you bring baby for their shoot. But with a bespoke home newborn shoot you don’t need to worry. Siblings can stay at home with you, they can play with their own toys and nap in their own cot or bed. Siblings are much less likely to disturb the session if they have their own things to keep them occupied and are in their own surroundings.

• No need to worry about transport or traffic

I know not everyone has a car, or has access to one during the day. A bespoke home newborn shoot means you don’t have to plan and pay for public transport, or worry about walking somewhere in bad weather. No concerns over getting stuck in traffic and arriving late either.

• Lower costs

Because I have no studio overheads to pay, I am able to keep prices competitive and accessible.

 

With my bespoke home newborn sessions I aim to provide a high level of service whilst allowing you to relax and be comfortable. I bring everything with me that I need, including lighting, props and my posing beanbag. It may look like I’m moving in when I arrive! I clear the space that I need, and put everything back as I found it when I finish. All you have to do is feed and comfort baby if needed!

 

Kelly.x

 

 

Education is key

This week I was lucky enough to attend a newborn training workshop with the wonderful Tracy Willis of Tracy Willis Fine art photography. I have long been an admirer of her work, so I was very excited (and nervous, very nervous) to attend.

Our model was a gorgeous little 3 week old girl, Aria, with the most stunning head of hair. She was a little star.

These are some of my favourite images from the day 🙂

I loved every moment of my training day. In a profession where trends change often, education is most definitely key. It may be a cliche, but you really don’t ever stop learning. I can’t wait to put everything I’ve learned into practise!

Newborn sessions are available, but availability is limited so advance booking is highly recommended.

 

Kelly.x

 

Celebrating the little things!

Last week I was tagged in a post on Facebook. I clicked on the notification, and was happily surprised with what I saw.

One of my past clients, Jemma, who’s little boy Frankie was one of my model call babies, had shared that it was a year since their session, how much her little man had grown, and how much she still loved the photos.

This made my day! Its so nice to be remembered, and appreciated.

This is why I do what I do, to provide people with happy memories they can look back on for years to come.

So I have decided to celebrate this milestone by sharing some of my favourite images from Frankie’s session.

 

Frankie was such a little star, and hes grown into a gorgeous little boy. These moments are so fleeting, and I’m overjoyed that I can help parents to remember how small their little ones were by capturing them.

12 Bright/Rainbow buys for babies

I love rainbows! I may have mentioned that once or twice before 😉 I don’t really like the whole gender stereotyping thing, pink for a girl and blue for a boy. I love things that have a bit of colour, a bit of personality. A rainbow can always cheer up even the dullest day!

So I decided to share some of my favourite rainbow/bright things I’ve come across.

Little Bird by Jools Oliver at Mothercare

I LOVE the Little Bird range! Sadly it only goes up to age 7-8, meaning that only two of my little pandas fit into the clothes still. But we sure make the most of it! The bright colours and vintage feel, plus the often gender neutral designs, make this our go-to brand for fun, stand out clothes on the high street.

Rainbows and brights are the signature colours, so its easy to spot another Little Bird whilst out and about. A great conversation opener!

Sizes start from newborn, so its never too soon to be a Little Bird.

 

Mamas and Papas Jamboree Blanket

Made from 100% cotton, this blanket is just so bright and colourful! It has co-ordinating items available too, so you can choose to just add a splash of colour to your pram, or deck out the whole nursery in matching brights. Available from Mamas and Papas.

I also have to give a mention to the Mamas and Papas Gingerbread blanket, which is another one of my favourites!

 

Kokadi Rainbow Stars Wrap

This is such a happy, bright and funky wrap! Woven from 100% organic cotton, once its broken in its so butter soft and comfortable. I don’t own one, but I wish I did! One of my favourite wraps of all time.

 

Annzel Creations Rainbow Nappy

Whats not to love about this gorgeous cloth nappy? Rainbows AND unicorns! Its just awesome. And handmade too! Annzel creations is a WAHM (Work at home mum), and she doesn’t just make nappies! Check out her Facebook page for more yummy rainbowness!

 

Sainsburys Colour Sort Rainbow

I love wooden toys. They are generally so much more tactile than plastic, and more hardwearing. Obviously the natural materials is a big bonus too!

This rainbow from Sainsburys is everything I love in a toy. Wooden, brightly coloured, fun and educational. My littlest panda has one, and he loves it!

 

All The Small Things Tie Dye Clothing

Photo by All the small things

As the slightly-crunchy, hippy, AP parent I am of course I love myself a bit of tie dye! We were gifted a babygrow dyed by Linds at All The Small Things. It was love! My little panda looked amazing in it, and the quality of the dye job was fantastic. I’ve been a fan ever since! Linds takes customs, so if you have something in mind then just pop over to her Facebook page or website and ask!

 

JojoMaman Bebe Rainbow Stripe Slipper Socks

These were a lifesaver for us when Littlest panda was small! Being in the sling alot of the time, and being the Houdini of socks, he would get really cold feet. We would have people stop us in the street and say “Oh, aren’t his little feet getting cold?”, when he had started off with a pair of socks on! So when someone suggested these to me I was ready to try anything!

Part thick sock, part moccasin, they really are an amazing invention. You can pull them on and tuck in little trousers, which means no riding up and leaving a bare patch of skin. And no matter how much they kick and kick those little legs, these beauties are not coming off! Plus they look awesome, so its a win-win 🙂 Available from the JoJo website here.

 

Bubble and Geek Rainbow Romper

Another fantastic WAHM creation! Bubble and Geek make some gorgeous rainbow-y things for babies and kids, but this rainbow romper is my favourite. Handmade with love, from quality fabrics. They are well wroth a look if you are wanting something unique for your little ones! Check out her website or her Facebook page

 

Cheeky Wipes Rainbow Muslins

Muslins are a parenting essential! They are so versatile. Mopping up spills and baby sick, using as a nursing cover or a swaddling rag, a comforter or a face wipe. their uses are endless. So if you’re going to be whipping it out every 5 minutes you may as well make it pretty right?

These gorgeous rainbow muslins are from Cheeky wipes (who also make great reusable baby wipe kits!).

Silicone Teething/Feeding Necklace

I absolutely love these necklaces from Funky Twiddle Mamas! So bright and colourful, but so useful too. Not only do they look stylish, but they are great for little ones to chomp on to ease the pain of teething. they are great for distracting little one during breastfeeding, to stop them from pulling hair, scratching and turning around to see what the cat is up to every 3 seconds 😉 They can also be worn when babywearing, to give baby something to fiddle with. Not just a pretty adornment!

 

Rainbow Legwarmers

For those days when socks or booties just aren’t enough, or for showing off those pretty nappies in the summertime, you can’t beat these funky legwarmers from Ali Express. Gender neutral and oh so bright, they are amazing for keeping little legs warm in the sling, or over the top of socks in wellington boots.

 

Short Rainbow Romper and Bib

This gorgeous set is another WAHM creation, from the very talented Rainbow Baby. As the name suggests, she specialises in rainbows! She has so many awesome makes, I struggled to pick just one for this list. Pop over to her Facebook page and check out her other makes, you won’t be disappointed!

 

I’ve had so much fun putting this list together, and found it so hard to narrow it down! In fact, I may just have to do a follow up 😉 I used to despair about the lack of funky clothes for little ones, boys in particular. Everything seemed to be dull and beige or blue (or pink pink pink for little girls). But as you can see, there are nice clothes and other items out there! I hope this list helps you to find them 🙂

 

Kelly.x

The Importance of capturing memories

So I’ve mentioned before why I got interested in photography. I’m the youngest of 5 children, and Mum and Dad didn’t bother with photos of me. One reel of black and white film sat in a drawer and never developed was what my baby years were reduced to. I have no doubt that my parents love me, that I was a cherished addition to the family. But I guess they just didn’t feel the need. As a result I have gone the other way. My children are immortalised in print many many many times over! Each of them have their own albums, and they love to look through them and try to remember the day they were taken, the moment they were captured.

Sometimes they aren’t even aware that I am photographing them.

The other day my littlest man fell asleep on the sofa. He looked so adorable, and I was so full of love and wonder that I just had to grab my camera! He is growing up so quickly, and he rarely stays still (as with most 2 year olds, he is a miniature hurricane on legs!), so capturing these quiet moments, those little details of his beautiful little toddler face, is so important to me. I will never let my children look back and wonder why there are no photos of them, wonder as I did growing up if they are somehow less important than their siblings, less worthy of remembering as time goes by.

So why should you pay someone to capture memories for you?

Maybe you have a decent camera, or just a camera phone. You can catch those moments yourself right? Absolutely! Snap away, immortalise every detail! Make memories, and shoot them. Print them, make albums. These moments are important! Too important to just be stored on your phone, or your computer. What would happen if your computer crashed, your phone broke? All those memories, lost forever. Shoot them, print them, pass them down to the next generation!

So why do you need professional photos?

Sometimes its tiresome being behind the camera. Look through my family albums and the only photos you will find of me are selfies. I’ve been so busy capturing my children that I have rarely appeared in front of the camera. This is going to change, family photographs for the album and the wall are in the pipeline. Yes, I am going to pay someone else to photograph my family and I! A bit of a busman’s holiday, but necessary. Because I want my children to look back and find photos of me with them, not forget what I looked like because I was always behind the camera.

A pro photographer can catch moments that you might miss, will let you be involved in those moments instead of just being an observer and will give you a finished product, not just a snapshot. Editing plays a big part in a photographer’s style, its much more than just pressing a button and burning to a disc!

Professional photography is a luxury, there is no doubt about it. But it is one that is very much worth investing in. Some people spend their life doing housework, and hating every second. Some hire a cleaner to do it for them. Its not that they can’t do it themselves, they would just rather free up time to do other things, and pay a professional. Its very much the same with photography. Its not for every day, but it is an investment. In your family, in your memories, in the next generation. It is worth every penny.

Kelly.x

Natural parenting shoots -Babywearing

Since I made the decision to be true to myself and my style, I have been full of ideas. It’s like a floodgate has opened in my mind and suddenly my creative juices are flowing. 

In keeping with the natural parenting direction I have decided to take I have been shooting some Babywearing photos. 

  
Babywearing was my saviour when my youngest was small. Having a newborn with a tongue tie and severe reflux, who can’t be laid down and wants to be at the breast constantly would challenge any parent. But when you already have four children who need you, school runs and after school clubs to do, dinners to cook and the mountain of mess they leave in their wake, a sling is a must! He lived in it. I cooked cleaned, fed, helped with homework, read stories and ate dinner with him in it. On nights when his pain was especially bad I wrapped him on and went walking in the dark with him. It saved my sanity, it strengthened our bond and it enabled me to not be stuck on the sofa for the first six months of his life! So babywearing has a special place in my heart. 

I wanted to capture all those things in my photos. The closeness, the convenience of a sling in places where you would struggle with a pram (have you ever tried pushing a pushchair on a shingle beach? It’s near impossible!), the comfort of the child. This has resulted in a series of images I adore.

  

  
  
  
I’ll be offering these shoots as half hour mini sessions soon. Watch out on the website for pricing and details!
Kelly.x

Breastfeeding campaign UK – Kerry and Gabby

As a mother, breastfeeding is something which has become very important to me. I fed my first child exclusively with formula milk, because I had had no exposure to breastfeeding at all and found the very idea a little bit odd if I’m honest!

But when it came to my second child I was a bit more clued up on what breastmilk is all about, and what a truly amazing substance it is. So I decided to try. He took to it like a natural, and we fed happily until a poorly informed health visitor told me I needed to top him up with formula, because he had started sleeping through the night and wouldn’t latch onto me to dream feed. That was the beginning of the end, and although I limped along until 6 months combining breast and bottle, I barely made it. I had fallen into the top-up trap. Thankfully I was more informed again with my next baby, and despite her having silent reflux and a lot of obstacles in our way, I fed her until she was 14 months old. My last two babies have also been exclusively breastfed too, infact I am still feeding my 22 month old. Its not been without its challenges, both of them were refluxers too, my little boy had a severe tongue tie and, if I hadn’t been so determined, I might have given up on many occasions.

So when i heard about a campaign being set up by two fellow photographers, to raise awareness of breastfeeding and to help normalise it in the public view, I knew I had to take part. The aim of the campaign is to get people to realise that breastfeeding is a completely normal biological thing, its not sexual or obscene, and feeding your child in public is not exposing yourself. Every mother should be able to feed their child without harassment, be it breast, supplementary feeding system or bottle. Sadly, many breastfeeding mothers face hostility when feeding their babies in public. But surely one of the many many beautiful things about breastfeeding is that it IS so convenient, that you have milk of the perfect composition and temperature, ready for your baby to drink the moment they need it?

So I put out a call for some wonderful breastfeeding ladies to photograph, to be part of the campaign. And these beautiful photographs are the result of my first shoot. This is the gorgeous Kerry, with her little cutie Gabby. We had a lovely morning in a local cafe, chatting and drinking tea, and when Gabby needed to be fed Kerry fed her, like it should be. I just captured them as they were, and the result is just breathtaking! How can anyone be offended by such a wonderful thing? This is a Mother’s love, a perfectly natural act, what our breasts were made to do! There is next to nothing on show, certainly less than you would see on any summers day at the beach, or any Friday night in town. Surely better than a screaming baby?

So please, whenever you see a mother feeding her baby, just give her a smile. At worst its just a friendly gesture, at best it will make her feel less self-conscious, more confident. Its not about breast vs formula. Its about a Mother’s right to feed her baby however and wherever she needs to, without fear of being critisised or asked to leave. Lets normalise breastfeeding.

#BreastfeedingcampaignUK

#Normalisebreastfeeding

#freetofeed

Kelly.x