Boom! Like that, it’s the end of April. Where did the month go? I think I’m going to ahead and blame our streak of warm days which put me in a summer-like trance. Now, I spend all my spare time making plans and trying really, really hard not to book too many weekends out of town. After all, there is gardening to do.

Starting Seeds

In March, I started a bunch of seeds for my vegetable garden – four types of basil, a variety of other herbs, some leeks, flowers, peppers, and a couple of heirloom tomato varieties. While I’ve been learning how to tend to a garden for the last few years, I’m a complete newbie when it comes to seed propagation, having tried it for the first time last year. Y’all… It was BIG flop, yielding only a couple of pepper plants. This year, I was determined to do it better.

So, I made a plan, obtained the right lights, provided the plant babies with a better home, and nurtured them the way they deserved. And, turns out they started growing. And growing… and GROWING… and maybe (ope!) starting growing a little too much. In no time, my tomato plants needed to be repotted… and then repotted again until finally, they officially outgrew their home.

As many upper, upper midwest gardeners know… April is WAY too early in the season to introduce plants to the outdoors. And so, sitting with my giant tomatoes and lanky basil, it dawned on me: I worked so hard on figuring out how to grow the vegetables that I dismissed the fact that yes, you can start seeds too early.

So, I had to make another plan. I repotted the plants one more time, reassured them they were doing great, and then brought a handful to my light-filled studio where they continue to grow until they can be outside in late May.

As many gardeners can attest, there is much to learn about life from growing plants. Lately, I’ve been discovering that learning how to garden isn't much different from learning how to run a business. Just as I nurture my seedlings, coaxing them to grow with care and attention, I also cultivate my business with passion and resilience. Success in both endeavors has demanded patience and steadfast determination.

Moreover, I've learned the importance of adapting along the way. Like adjusting my gardening skills to suit the needs of my plant babies, I've had to pivot and innovate in my biz to overcome challenges and better align with my business ethos.

And, as the seasons change, so too does the landscape of my garden and my business. Yet, amid the ebb and flows, there is beauty to be found in their evolution. And just as I eagerly anticipate the ripening of those big, juicy heirloom tomatoes in my garden, I look forward to the continued growth and success of my business in the seasons to come.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

April was another month of working on updating my offerings and chippin’ away at automated workflows. I had full intentions of promoting my Unstuffy Business offerings, but, like the squirrel I am, I was sidetracked by the much-neglected family photography offerings.

I haven’t promoted my family photography much in the last couple of years as I’ve focused on my work with businesses. While it is something I love to do, especially when I get to reconnect with past clients, it’s not something I really want or need to expand. At this point, I’m okay with people just finding me, connecting with my style, and hiring me because we’re a good fit. However, I wanted to make it easier for them by creating a few straightforward offerings that still align with my preferred approach to photographing families.

The biggest new addition is UnStuffy Kids. It’s basically an UnStuffy Mini headshot session but JUST FOR KIDS. I found that some of my clients really wanted a fun update of their children without involving the whole family in a session. Voila! UnStuffy Kids was born. Bonus? This can also be a sibling session. The more Unstuffy kids, the better ;)

Otherwise, I still offer two family photography packages - The Swift Shoot, which is a shorter session for those who just need a few family photo updates, and The Signature Shoot, my traditional session that combines a documentary approach with traditional portraiture.

Anyway, I’m pretty excited about my new offerings and have now made it SUPER easy for people to book online. No more unnecessary back and forth.

Steady as a rock

My schedule has been pretty steady, with the right type of variety in April. I photographed a few events, a bunch of headshots, a couple of UnStuffy Brands, and even some awesome kiddos. Other than work things, I had a chance to catch up with a couple of my long-time mentors (looking at you, Dave and Ann Arbor), was a breakout presenter at Gardenpoolza (and, boy was I nervous) and got a head start on some yard projects. And although I had to deal with some not-fun tax news (turns out doing okay in business does have a downside), overall it was a fun and busy month.

Five Fixations

I’m back again with my Five Fixations. There are things this month I can’t stop thinking about

Photoshop’s Generative AI

I was late to the ballgame with Adobe Photoshop’s Generative AI. I had heard plenty about it but didn’t think it really would help me in my day-to-day editing life. Boy, was I wrong. From removing exit signs to adding room around the frame, this has already proven to be a complete time saver. Now, when I accidentally frame my picture too tight I know there is a chance to save it It’s not perfect, but it is awesome. Just don’t try to have it generate fingers.

SOOT SPRITES

Over the last few months, we as a family have been powering through the Studio Ghibli archive. I’m sure I could write a whole blog post on the inspiration and awe I derive from these movies, but for today I’d just like to take a moment to highlight the awesomeness of the soot sprites. For those who haven’t seen My Neighbor Totoro or Spirited Away, soot sprites are these harmless fuzzy, itty bitty dust balls that live in the corners of a home. I love this idea that our world is full of little personality-filled spirits we can’t see, like soots sprites. It makes one feel less alone.

The asian and American Supermarket

This isn’t a new fixation, but a renewed one. For those living in Fargo and haven’t shopped at the A&A yet, stop what you are doing right now and go. This is hands down the best grocery store in Fargo. Cheap produce, ingredients from all of the world and now a deli! We had a chance to try the Bahn Mi this weekend and it’s a total Chef’s Kiss. Gah. I love this place. Here’s a nice little story about them on MPR.

Daffodils

Just a quick appreciation post for daffodils and the fact that bunnies do not eat them (not like tulips which are rabbit candy). We finally have spring flowers in our yard, and it brings me so much joy.

TLC - Crazy Sexy Cool

I stumbled upon this documentary on Netflix the other day, and now I can’t get the entire album Crazy Sexy Cool out of my head. TLC was one of the first music fixations back as a preteen in the ‘90s. And, you know what? I was more than happy to jump on that nostalgia train.

And with that, I’ll leave you with ten photos, work or otherwise, captured this March.

1: Edwin & Lydia 2: SNAP! Headshot of Maya 3: An UnStuffy team Session with the crew at Center for Plastic Surgery 4: Lobby of Epic Builds in Bismarck for a shoot for Interoffice 5: Nico, Remi & Elle for their UnStuffy Kids Session in Studio 6: Aldevron team members having a moment of brevity during their intense Kaizen event 7: Candid snap of Cathryn, owner of The Studio, with one of her clients 8: Margie Bailey after receiving Lifetime Achievement recognition at YWCA Women of the Year event as 9: Students at Pamela’s Piano Academy for an UnStuffy Brands Session 10: Advocate and singer Brittany Quiroz during The Little Black Dress & Tie Event for MS event.