5 TIPS FOR PET PHOTOGRAPHY

                      
ily is just the cutest pup around, so it's obvious that taking photos of her is a must! Lily weighs 5 pounds, so she's very tiny. Tiny puppies = hard to get attention! Big dogs are easy to take photos of, but not Lily! Lily will refuse to look at the camera, or look directly at me for a photo, so it's a tricky thing when doing a photo shoot with her! Dogs get distracted easily, owners run out of ideas, and every sound you can think of is used to grab your dog's attention. By this point, you're over it and frustrated. That's where these tips come into play! Hope they help you like they have for me! 

                            HAVE TREATS ON HAND 
This is the key for getting your pet's attention. (Duh right?) Just hold the treat or toy directly above your camera lens, and it makes your life as a photography ten times easier! Plus it's nice to give a reward for torturing them to pose for the camera. But if your dog is anything like mine, then this won't be a huge problem considering Lily loves the camera, ha! If treats don't work because of how excited your pet can be, then try to get their attention by calling their name by using different voices and sound pitches. I have to do this all the time, along with making some strange sounds! But all of this is worth it for some great photos. 

                                        USE PROPS 
Of course you cannot have a cute photo without props! I love having a patterned blanket underneath where my dog is laying, or add in a cute leash and collar for your pet! Plus i love adding a pop of color into the photo considering Lily is white! 

            CAPTURE THEIR BEST FEATURE 
You of all people know your pets and their personality. You know where they like to take naps, play with toys, etc. When does your pet look the cutest? Is it when they yawn, play with toys, sleep, or on a walk? Lily is super cute when she stands next to me because it makes her look tiny and she has a soft face! 

                             WINDOW LIGHT 
This is the most important part in capturing the perfect photo of your pet. Many times we see photos of pet with their "devil eyes" and this is because many people just use their flash instead of finding natural light. So when you are taking indoor photos turn OFF your flash to get more clear images. Position your back to the window with your pet facing you, facing the window! I usually use this method every time i take indoor photos and it works like a charm. 

                                            POSE WITH YOUR PETS
This is my favorite method to use when photographing my pets! I love looking back and having these sweet moments with my dogs!! Whether it's when you're out walking, cuddling on the couch, or playing ball in the park, all are great times to snap a few shoots! 

MAKING OVER MY MORNING

id someone say good morning? Usually my mornings aren't all that good, because their fast pace. They consist of sleeping in late, jumping out of bed, grabbing my backpack, and drinking my smoothie out the door! It's safe to say I'm not a morning person. I'd much rather sleep in, and take a long shower. But I've realized how much time I end up wasting out of my day. So these past few weeks I've been working to perfect my mornings.

Even though my early and productive mornings are rare, I absolutely love them. Being able to get stuff done off my to-do list feels wonderful, especially when I still have my whole day ahead of me! The problem? I'm a night owl, and I love to dream in my sleep so therefore waking up becomes very difficult. When I don't get enough sleep I feel really sleepy throughout the day and blah.

Here's how I plan on making over my morning...

My ideal goal is to wake up at 7:00a.m. in the morning and begin diving into my daily to-do list. I love keeping a clean room, so first up...cleaning my room and making my bed! When my space is organized and clutter free, I'm able to function a whole lot better. Next up, nutrition in my belly! Lately I've been into my protein smoothies because they are so delicious and really fill me up.

With the beautiful summer weather I've been sipping my smoothie in my backyard patio. I love the greenery and succulent pots all around me while hearing the birds chirp! During this time I will open my Bible and notebook, diving into my daily devotion. I've been loving She Reads Truth app, it's a devotion I've talked about here on the blog and also Instagram. Right now I'm going through the plan titled Hymns #2, and it's so encouraging!

After I finished my breakfast and devo, I will hop into the shower and get ready for my day. If I plan to stay home that day I'll keep my makeup very simple (if any at all) and possibly blow dry my hair. Once I'm all ready, I'll complete my morning my filling out my Q+A journal from Anthropologie that asks a question every day for the whole year! It's my favorite thing to do because they include questions that are deep such as what's your meaning of home, or totally casual like what was the last song you listened to. Anyways that concludes today's post, and my plans to make-over my morning! I hope my little schedule/plans for my morning helps you wake up and be excited to tackle your day!

Here's a daily vlog that was posted just recently! Thumbs up this video if you like me keeping up with vlogging!!!!

ARTWORK PRINTS

don't know about you guys, but room decor is my favorite! One thing I love in my room is artwork on my walls. My room is beach theme, but I have started to create a little wall space for some more inspirational quotes. Calligraphy is an obsession of mine, and each art print I'm sharing today includes just that! I have 3 to show you, and each print is from a different company; all that I truly love, and would buy from again! Let's check it out!

The photo above is a print I ordered specifically for my graduation. It was my quote for senior year, and I loved the way it looked framed on my table. The gold foil is something I love, and even though it's trendy I don't know if I'll ever get tired of it!

This is my favorite quote of all time because it gives me so much encouragement! The gal behind this beautiful print is Jenny Highsmith from Maiedae. Her print shop is absolutely gorgeous and her handwriting is my favorite. I love the way it looks in my room and I'm so glad I purchased it.

The etsy shop where this print can be found is a real gem. I love her artwork and handwriting. She puts so much time into her shop and it shows! Her instagram is filled with beautiful inspiration of her work, and it's so bright and cheery.


p.s. I've been vlogging all the time these past weeks...so be sure to check them out!! 

EASY LIKE SUNDAY MORNING

ummer walks are so peaceful! That is when it's like 6:00 a.m. in the morning here in So-Cal or otherwise you'll be dripping sweat within two miles! Lily loves her walks and this summer it's been my goal to take her out even more. My second goal is to featuring this cutie on the blog more. I love it when YouTuber's and even bloggers really make their pet apart of their daily vlogs, and posts. It's such a shame because I think I have maybe two posts on the blog with Lily, yet if you stalk my Instagram feed you'll see that's not the case there!

My summer so far has been so relaxing! To be honest, I haven't really done much of anything. After I came home from Hawaii, the only thing I've been doing is reading (like crazy), and hanging out with my bestie. I did manage to take a day trip to the beach and have lunch on the pier with my grandma, and I vlogged the whole day! Woo! Insert dancing girl emoji here. I love watching vlogs and even vlogging myself but gosh, it is hard to step out in public and ramble on about your day to a camera! I have one friend who keeps pushing me to start back up again, so watch out because she's going to be appearing in my next one!

THE WEEKLY

he weekly is a new mini series that I'll be adding every month! I love the idea of featuring some snapchats of my week and highlights of my month! All of these photos are taken directly from my instagram account, so be sure to follow along so you don't miss out on any updates. This week was definitely more active than most this summer, and I've been able to get a lot of work done!

SNAPCHAT'S:
1. Took a trip down to the beach! // 2. Filmed some videos with my bestie. // 3. Classic selfie behind a colorful wall. // 4. Sipping some coffee, rocking my happy face because I managed to vlog three times this week. // 5. Lily looking as cute as ever! // 6. Loving my bling sandals from Target.


Favorite Pins/Articles/Posts around the web!
*Must try this recipe, especially this summer!!
*Wanting to try out one of these sprays!
*Loving this book right now!
*Aren't these heels adorable?


3 Things About Yours Truly:
*Carl's Jr is my favorite fast food! Western bacon cheeseburger with no cheese lol, ah to die for!
*I really wish I was subscribed to a magazine, any suggestions?
*If Luke's diner is real, I'd love to visit to buy my own Luke's mug! If you understand the reference, comment below!


Question of the Week:
Who is your favorite YouTuber? Why do you love watching their videos, and tell why your subscribed to them. Comment below and share with us.

TIPS TO GROW YOUR HAIR LONG

s most of you know my hair is shorter right now, but I thought I'd share some tips on how to grow your hair long like this picture above (before I chopped it;). I really miss my hair being long so I'm using these tips for myself right now. Believe me they work, because I've had my hair grow long like in the photo above, and then chopped it off, and have repeated this cycle about 2-3 times! Maybe one day I'll learn? Short hair is great for a change, but to me there's nothing like long hair!

1. GET LESS TRIMS 
You don't need a trim every 4-6 weeks, wait even longer like 12-16 weeks! It's important to get a haircut but always worrying about your split ends is a waste of time and stops the growth process! If you take good care of your hair, getting a trim won't even be necessary.

2. SAY GOODBYE TO HEAT 
If you avoid heat I promise your hair will grow and become stronger. This is a tip I've seen personally for myself and try really hard not to use it on a daily basis. You can always use heat protecting spray, but then you're just adding more chemicals to your hair.

3. USE COCONUT OIL 
This is my absolute favorite! I will use it after I take a shower. To apply, I make sure my hair is wet and I comb it through with my fingers and then scrunch up your hair. This leaves my hair feeling so soft and shiny throughout the day. I love the way it strengthens my hair, and I can definitely see the growth.

4. AVOID CHLORINE 
Obviously chlorine is horrible for the skin, so naturally for the hair too! If you happen to go swimming try not to get your hair wet, or condition it before and after!

5. USE GOOD PRODUCTS
A key is to use good shampoo, and conditioner! Also, using good heat protectant spray helps tremendously! Harsh chemicals fry your hair and leave slit ends like crazy! When you add any color to your hair you'll see how key this tip really is!

JEWELRY PIECES

wanted to talk to you all today about a few jewelry pieces i've been loving lately in my collection!! I've shown a photo of my jewelry holder in my room tour post from last summer, so I thought it was about time to display a few favorites that were hanging! To me necklaces are one of my favorite pieces to wear, and I love the way they tie an outfit together. All my pieces are in gold which is funny because I use to hate it as a kid and only like silver, but the older I've gotten the more I begin to hate silver and adore all things gold!!

This is one of my all time favorite necklace and its the one I reach for the most! I love how it goes with everything. The length is perfect and makes it easy to layer other necklaces with it. I can't say enough wonderful things about the jewelry designer as she is a local here in California and I own several beautiful pieces from her. Be sure to give a look!

Black rock crystal just sparkles whenever I wear it. This necklace is such a complimentary piece. Again the length is perfect, and the chain really shows it off too. I swear the photo doesn't do it justice, but in the sun ah it's beautiful. You can see me wear it here.

Last but certainly not least, yet again another beautiful rock crystal necklace. I have a serious obsession with this type of look. If you take a peek  at my Pinterest jewelry board, you'll see more of what I'm talking about. I just adore this necklace and the triangle shape for my collection is a great style.

3 SUMMER COFFEE PICKS

offee is definitely my favorite and going to a coffee shop is such a special treat! I love to bring my laptop to work on my homework and essays. It's such a calming and soothing atmosphere for me! Now that it's summer, I thought I'd share 3 of my favorite drinks I love to order at Starbucks, and I tried to share a variety - frappe, or iced tea!

This one is just an original, the caramel frappuccino. It's more sugary than the rest, but it's my go-to when I cant decide what I feel like having. I can't lie, the only reason why I order it is because of the caramel drizzle on the top. To spice things up, I love the salted caramel, but sadly the last few times I've ordered it, people don't charge me for it right. But, plain caramel is great too.

Green tea frappe is something you definitely have to have a taste for. My friends love it, so I thought i'd throw it in with the mix. Here I ordered it with no whip and it was really tasty. The green tea iced tea is really good too.

Black iced tea is my favorite tea from Starbucks! It's so refreshing and tasty. I only ask for 2 pumps of sweetener when I order the largest size because anymore than that is too sweet. I love to order the large size because a refill is just 50 cents, and you can re-fill it with iced coffee, or anyother one of their teas! Definitely a go-to fave! 

AUDRIANAPAPER GIVEAWAY

iveaway time!!! I've been waiting over a month now to present this awesome giveaway for you guys! AudrianaPaper is such a cool little Etsy shop and has sponsored this giveaway for one lucky reader via A Beautiful Heart! The prize is one of your own personalized party banner with your name, a birthday banner, or dates! I actually have received one of these beautiful banners that I used for my graduation table, and loved the way it turned out! All you have to do to enter is follow some of the gals down below via Rafflecopter. This giveaway is only open to U.S. Good luck!

Jenna | A Beautiful Heart 

Daniela | Ahh La Vie 

Nicole | A Dash of Gold

Alyssa | She's Alyssa Renee

a Rafflecopter giveaway

p.s. I am starting a book club and the first book is "The Help". It's also a movie so if you don't have the book but would love to participate by joining in on the discussion then please do so! Leave some comments and ideas you have from The Help, movie or book, and I'll add them into the video I intend to film, talking all about the book at the end of the month! Ready, Set, Read!!! 

SENIOR PHOTO SHOOT

enior photos!!! I couldn't be more happy with these beautiful photos! My best friend Alex from Into the Woods actually took these for me, and I love them! She has her own photography business and her work is always so wonderful. Nothing could be better than having a best friend who is your YouTuber, blogger, and photography buddy! I took these photos at Myrtle Creek Nursery in Fallbrook and the location was exactly what I dreamed of. It has the country feel yet colorful and girly with all the flowers! My favorite spot was the white washed wall with the green ivy growing all over it, with that cute bench - it's the photo where I'm holding my black dress out! Ah just loved the location and the whole style of my photos. 

It's hard to believe I am a graduate of high school and that my senior photo shoot has come to an end. I loved high school and I longed for the day I could pull out these dresses and pose in front of the camera. To me, senior photos are the photos you can treasure always to look back on as a teenager. These are more than just self portraits, rather photos that celebrate an accomplishment of mine.