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Hello today!

I am so excited and just had to share. I am preparing to photograph the soon-to-be newest member of the Grant family, who's gorgeous, natural light Baby Love Maternity session is posted here. I wanted to created something special just for this new arrival and so I looked to the internet for some ideas. Um... does anyone know about this little secret place called Pinterest? Wow could I (and do I!) get sucked for hours perusing this eye-candy bounty! What I found was nothing short of magical... it is called up-cycling and it speaks to me on many, many levels. Having grown up in a family where money was not to be squandered, I fell in love with used clothing. Apparently, from a young age, I would get very excited at the sight of garbage bags busting with hand-me-downs. Thrift stores and second hand shops are favourite stops of mine on weekends. Something about a rack full of completely unique skirts allows me to go to my 'rebel teen' place and finding that perfect fitting skirt that only I can walk out of the store with speaks to my ego. All this and I can usually pay with pocket change! What more is there to love?

Well, there is a bit more... I, like so many other parents, worry about the state of the world and the direction it is heading. Whoa... heavy. I know. I won't go too far down that doomsday rabbit hole but I have to say that it just eases my consumer conscience a wee bit to shop at used goods and consignment stores. There are many amazing used clothing and furniture stores in and around Montreal and I encourage you to give them a try. You may just walk away with a bag heavy with new items to spice up your Spring wardrobe and a heart light with the knowledge that, with this purchase, your consumer footprint is next to nil. 

All this to say that I found, purchased and up-cycled the perfect sweater from a local second hand store into the cutest newborn baby pants and hats EVER! You are getting a sneak peek into my next newborn session with these photos. I had been warned, from the website instructions, that up-cycling can be addictive. The results say it all... My name is Tanis and I have an up-cycling problem... and I LOVE it!

{tutorial link at the bottom!} 

Be sure to check back soon to see these little bits of sweetness in action...

Are you feeling inspired? Got an old sweater?  Go to my Pinterest page for the step-by-step, pinned tutorial.

Enjoy the view

Tanis