Ashely Slater Photography

Bloom the Workshop

0 · Jul 11, 2016 ·

I am almost certain I’ve been living in a time warp. The days are flying by so quickly, I can’t seem to keep up on life, much less this journal. There so many events that I want to share, so much to talk about and in the blink of an eye, I’m posting content that’s well over a year old. Like this.

Last May (May 2015 that is), I was once again honored to be a part of Bloom the Workshop. There’s something special that happens in a workshop setting. There’s the collaborating and combining of artistic forces that one would see in any styled shoot, but there’s an extra energy. There’s excitement from all the attendees eager to learn and soak up every little piece of knowledge and beauty from the day. This workshop is, by all means, special.

This portion of the day took place within an apple orchard. We had hoped to catch a few lingering blossoms, but the trees had shed their petals the week before, leaving only lush greens behind. I’m a fan on greenery, so this wasn’t a huge disappointment on my end. The emerald backdrop allowed our shimmering gold and blush blooms to be the full center of attention. I adore the way the graywashed round table added just the right amount of “rusticness” against the gilded dessert, clean white plates and golden candlesticks.

Next week, Bloom is hosting another local workshop at The Felt Mansion. I will be there, along with two other amazing florists, creating a total of 3 different styled shoots all at one workshop. I can hardly contain my excitement, just dreaming of the beautiful flowers that I have headed my way for the day. Rumor has it, that there are still 2 tickets remaining so if you’re thinking of attending, don’t miss out!

This shoot was also featured on Inspired by This early last fall.

Southern Hospitality Dinner Party

1 · Sep 3, 2015 ·

I love summer. Everything about it just makes me smile. Long days at the beach, toes in the sand, warm breezes, sunshine, melting ice cream cones, bicycles, flowers, family get togethers… and the list really goes one and on. It’s the perfect time of year for entertaining, which is just one more thing I love.

I come from a family who finds any excuse to celebrate. Fussy meals and finding the perfect accessories are in my blood.

It was about this time last year that I was prepping for another party. I had this notion that I wanted to create something special, a fancy late summer meal but I didn’t have a cause for celebration. I was feeling blue and itching to do something. But this feeling crept in long before last summer, it hit me in the dead of winter and I just held on to it. I felt that I needed to do something meaningful, somehow I wanted to make a difference. Can a person make a difference in the world by planning parties? I’ve often struggled with this thought.

It just so happened that my southern doll of a friend, Ashley (of Ashley Slater Photography), proposed that we do a southern inspired inspiration shoot. I love putting together inspiration shoots, but some part of me can’t help but feel that they’re a waste. What’s the point of putting together this gorgeous party and not inviting any guests?

An idea quickly took form. We were going to plan a party. It was going to be chocked full of editorial worthy deals and we were going to invite perfect strangers to just come and celebrate life with us. So that’s exactly what we did.

We found one perfectly lovely soul who was in need of a little extra love. Samantha of Wondrous Whimsy helped us design a beautifully calligraphic invites which were boxed up and sent out in chain letter fashion. Each person who received on would then take the lead in inviting another lovely lady until all the seats at the table were filled.

Since this was not just a styled shoot, we had a full blown menu prepared by an awesome chef (I might be just a little partial since he’s also my husband).

Southern delicacies such as pickled shrimp, pimento cheese and toast points, chilled green tomato soup, roasted redskin potato salad, corn bread and grilled salmon were all served.

Upon arrival, each lovely lady was allowed to choose a party dress – on loan from the night from Kirribilla. Once dressed, in true Southern style the girls were welcomed with sweet tea or pineapple gin punch – both delicious options. And then on to the feast!

And what dinner party would be complete without a little dessert?! These pies from Ed Dunneback and Girl’s Farm were some of the best I’ve ever had (and did you know that they will make an awesome dessert display for your wedding, eek!!)

Such a fun evening! Thanks so all the vendors involved!

Bloom the Workshop :: Recap

0 · Jul 14, 2014 ·

I used to think that learning should take place in school. I thought that to get a good education, you needed to attend a good school or college. At least that’s what was always preached to me, so why shouldn’t I believe it? I was taught that in order to succeed in life, you needed a bachelor’s degree and possibly more. And if you didn’t invest in your education, you were destine for failure.

My thinking has shifted away from what my 18 year old self once thought. I definitely had those “why do I need to know this?” moments in school, but for the most part just sucked it up and went to class every day believing that this is what would help me achieve my goals and get a good job. In fact, the thought never occurred to me that perhaps I could teach myself a thing or two, or I could learn from other business people or attend small workshops.

I now think that it’s determination more than anything that will help you succeed in life. I learned language skills, basic business principles and various other things in college which I’m sure impact me more than I realize. I believe that college teaches you how to interact in the “real world”. However pushing yourself and being open to new ideas and learning from one another is HUGE. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals and people who inspire you – you will absorb so much.

About a month ago I was able to play a small role in bringing Bloom the Workshop to West Michigan. I supplied some super pretty blooms and did a little behind the scenes work for Ashley and Michaela and helped bring their creative vision to life. They are the type of people I like to surround myself with. And the best part is, they want to inspire, they want to teach and they want to see you succeed. I was able to watch them teach 30 ladies about business, blogging, social media, styling, design, photography and life. And I left inspired. I wasn’t even an attendee!

So while I want to share with you some of the pretty that took place that day, I also want you to consider investing in yourself, your creative side and your business. There’s always something more to learn.

One of my favorite parts of the workshop was how interactive it was. Ashley and Michaela didn’t give give the attendees a bunch a information and send them on their merry ways, but they also planned a time to put that information and new skills to the test. The afternoon consisted of a styled shoot portion, which believe it or not, is a great way showcase work in many industries, not just the wedding inspiration shoots we’re so accustom to seeing. From styling papers to models to flowers and beyond, participants photographed and played with different designs, poses, locations and lighting.

Photography: Ashley Slater Photography / Styling: Michaela Noelle Designs / Floral Design: The Day’s Design / Venue: Hydrangea Blu Barn / Wedding Dresses: Bridal Gallery / Chalkboard signage: Add {Vintage} / Mugs: Ashley & Malone / Calligraphy: Jessica Albers / Tassel Garland: One Stylish Party / Place Setting & Chair Rentals: The Rental Company

Want to attend a creative workshop? Bloom is coming back to West Michigan this September and rumor has it registration opens tomorrow. More info here.

A Blank Canvas

0 · Jun 17, 2014 ·

We just sold our huge dining room set. It was a solid maple Ethan Allen table which easily expanded to seat 10 people, along with a huge matching hutch. It was pretty – but it wasn’t right for me. It was so nice that I was scared to touch it and would panic every time guests came to dinner. Considering Hubby is a chef and we love to host dinner parties, this is pretty ridiculous, right?

It’s funny how having an empty dining room is a huge weight off my shoulders. It seems so airy and bright, open to new possibilities and full of freshness.

So what’s next? Well that’s the thing, I don’t have to have it all figured out just yet. Possibly a new office space which could then easily be turned dining room when the occasional presents itself? Or maybe a better place to craft, put together awesome event details and florals? I don’t know.

My previous visions of a new creative space for me aren’t falling into place exactly as planned. There are some hiccups in the scheming of the basement remodel. As a planner, this is sometimes hard to swallow. Sometimes it’s hard to admit that I don’t have a plan or my plans changed. But here’s what I’ve come to realize – first off, it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. And secondly, I plan ALL THE TIME, it’s just what I do. I don’t think there’s ever a moment in time where some sort of creative vision isn’t floating through my head. But I don’t bring them all to life. That doesn’t make me a failure and I’m still awesome with my craft. It just makes me human.

I was reminded of this last Friday as I sat in a room with about 35 other woman who are just trying to figure out their craft, hone their visions and find the right fit and purpose for them. They don’t have it all figured out yet, some are searching for website and social media answers while some are still trying to figure out what they were put on this earth to accomplish. Just because they haven’t figured it out yet doesn’t mean that I don’t respect them or think of them as less of a person or business woman. It just reminded me that this is a constant journey for everyone and I don’t have to feel 100% on top of my game every single moment in time. I should probably cut myself some slack.

For the moment I have a big blank canvas in front of me. And I love it.

Just a little sneak peek from Ashley Slater Photography of Bloom the Workshop last Friday — the styled shoot portion was so much fun, I loved creating these florals for Michaela’s beautiful tabletop.

More Negative…

0 · Feb 10, 2014 ·

“Monday Monday, can’t trust that day.” – Remember that old song by The Mammas & The Pappas? I was thinking about it yesterday morning as I was getting ready for church. I was thinking that I’m ready to change the lyrics to “Sunday Sunday, can’t trust that day.” It seems that Sunday has been a day of surprises for my family lately, and not necessarily pleasant ones.

I may have mentioned this before, but my mother used to say that the Devil always had way of sneaking in on Sundays, doing everything in his power to stop you from going to church and being able to worship. As I’ve grown up, I believe this more and more. He tried hard, but didn’t win yesterday.

It’s funny, on Saturday I stared to write a post following up on my discussion about negativity from last Monday. It was in fact the most popular blog post I have ever written. The purpose of the Saturday’s draft was to dig a little deeper into why negative things impact us so much. And there was also a little update on my current “leaky” situation. And now today I have a new update… that post is old news.

So here we are one week from when I first discovered the drip in my ceiling which lead to the creation of the enormous hole. My previous statement about there not being any damage other than the ceiling needs to be retracted. It appears that new floors might in our future, however not in our budget. In addition, we have sprung another leak. Pretty exciting, huh? My bathroom is now dripping too, and not from the faucet.

The point of blogging about all this? I am not looking for sympathy or pity. Actually, I’m laughing about the situation. It’s kind of funny in its own twisted way. Simply put, A LOT of the things that sneak into my life in the form of negativity have to do with comparison. It is easy to compare yourself to someone across the internet, who seemingly has this prefect life, gorgeous office and booming business. They have a lovely and ideal family, live in the suburbs with 2.5 children, a flashy SUV and no worries. Their Instagram feed is meant to inspire, but actually makes you feel like less of a person since their home is spotless and you just tripped over the dog, 3 toys and spilled your generic brand coffee all over your rug. Trust me, my house is not normally worth taking a picture of. My desk? You haven’t seen it on social media for a reason. I live in the real world with babies and spills and beat up old, second hand furniture.

The point is this: there is so much truth to the saying “comparison is the thief of all joy”. Negativity is all in the interpretation. If it makes you feel poorly about yourself, then I consider that negative – even if it isn’t something that the general public would classify in that way.

Even stranger, all of this was on my mind yesterday morning and then our pastor preached about comparison and finances which really drove the point home. My housing situation could be so much worse, I am lucky to have a home. So today I am grateful for my home, the sunshine and this week of love – in which I’m going to have another featured over on Burnett’s Boards in conjunction with Heather Cisler Photography!

Have a great week friends!

Ashely Slater Photography

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