ratchet love

Honestly, this video is ratchet as HAYLE, but I'm so in love with it!  I laughed the entire time! LOL  If you're easily offended.... DO NOT WATCH!  You've been fairly warned.......

inspired: music

I'm SOOOO in love with this song right now. It takes me to a calm evening with the wind whispering across my skin.  It makes me want to love. It gives me a sense of peace. JUST SO DAMN YUMMY!  Let it inspire ya!

x

xoxo,
Sabrena

growth

I haven't blogged in probably a week.  My intention is to keep this blog up to date and as a record of my growth as an artist, mom, woman.  It's to serve as a chronicle of sorts to showcase my talents and even be a fuel for new business.  I intended to do very specific blog posts MWF each week.  Let's be real.... that shit ain't happening!  I mean really! lol

So, I'm going to be authentic and stick with ONE thing I'm really trying to accomplish with this blog.  GROWTH.  Will that growth come in the form of posts on MWF or a schedule of very specific blog posts?  Maybe.  Will it document my growth as a photographer and designer.  I surely hope so.  Will it showcase my growth as a woman and mother?  That I'm certain of.

In being real and authentic, there will be times I just get delayed.  For instance, this last week, I started design school, flag football practice, my full-time job as a teacher transitioning in a new class and getting things together for my son as he starts school next week.  That's not to add on to the design work I already have in the pipeline for clients AND working on things for my shop.

I know this is a bit, but it's real.  It's authentic as HAYLE!  It's me.  Can't get more simple than that.

That piece up there above, is a growth of sorts.  My two design classes are going great.  They're introductory for me, although I already do design, however it's pushing me to design outside of my norm.  Thinking outside of the box.  Designing more creatively.  I'm loving it!

So, here's to growth!  *yes, raise your damn glass*  ;-)  May she forever be present for us all to have that #kickass life we all deserve!!!!

xoxo,
Sabrena

changes

I'm doing some housekeeping around here and there's more to come.  Be patient, por favor.  Ya girl is tightening shit up! ;-)

7 creative ways to display your pictures

1. DIY wall hanging: This creative wall hanging is something you can do at home with picture wire, matting, hooks and of course, your pictures.  It's also a great way to hang your kid's art!  (via Remove and Replace)

2. Magnetic Rope:  This is a really cool and inexpensive way to show off your pictures of several different sizes all at once.  Your pictures won't even be ruined!  Photojojo was really creative on this one!  This could also serve as a great DIY background for a photo booth.

3. Family Tree:  Are you someone who loves to have pictures of your family everywhere?  This is a creative way to display the family.  A cute hand drawn tree with pictures of the family in similar frames, keeps the look cohesive.  (original source unknown)

4. Instagram phone case:  I am in LOVE with Instagram.  So much so that I'll be doing an IG tutorial here on the blog.  This is a SWEET way to display and keep your fav IG pics with you and definitely shows your creativity.  Even sweeter... the creators of this, Casetagram, also have an app so that you can design on the go! As a designer who loves anything design, this is HELLA GREAT! I'm downloading this baby right now! (photo courtesy of Dutchess Roz)

5. I don't know what the hayle this is, but it's so damn creative, that I had to share it!  (via Front & Main on their feature of blogger Dabito of OldBrandNew)

6. Letter perfect wall art:  As a mom, photographer, designer and teacher.... I LOVE THIS!  What a creative way to show off your little one and help them learn the first letter of their name! (via Mom Click)

7.  Picture frame clipboard:  This one is simple, easy and has multiple uses!  Take one (or more) clipboards and simply clip your picture to it.  How easy is that?  No fuss, no mess and can be so creatively organized.  Want to spruce it up?  Paint them all a nice white to give more of a mat feel. (via Crap I've Made)

love your life: the purpose

When I decided to close my portrait business and NOT launch a new start up I'd been working on, those who had been along for the ride were confused.  I was too... at first.  It wasn't a decision that was made lightly to close a business I had been building for 2 years and another I'd been spending 6 months on to launch, but never would.  For some reason, I just wanted to focus on being free.  So, I figured, I'd free...lance! ha!  Then I felt like I should just focus on blogging and let things grow from there.  Well, I'm still in that space, but now I know why.  

I want to help people love their life! Why?  Because for such a long time, I haven't.  I've been miserable, unhappy, unmotivated, blah blah blah.  And yes, I was actually feeling those blahs.  I just didn't love the life I was living.  And it was all my fault.  So, I decided to change it.  And you'll see that change through this blog and my exploration of finding a life I love (more) and enjoying my simplified self.  

In the midst of it all, I was getting inbox messages on facebook, emails and even texts from people I rarely interact with, telling me how much I was motivating them to pursue their passion and dreams.  They were giving me praise for the work I was doing and how hard I was hustl'n.  Yeah, I'm now embracing the fact that I'm a "hustla".  *cue the music*   *shrugs*  

DING!  Light bulb moment!  I'm not doing this just for myself, I'm doing it for you....and you... and you....  This energy was put inside of me to help other people love their lives as well!  

HAVE MERCYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!  We've hit a home run ladies and gents!  Up to bat....  This new KICK ASS life we're all going to start living.  (For those who are already living that life, hats off to ya!  Hit me up so I can showcase you to the peeps out there!)

So, this blog is going to be everything it needs to be to help all of us (yes, I'm talking to myself, too) live a life we ABSO-SMURF-LY LOOOOOOOOOOVE!  The time is here.  The time is now.  We ARE going to do this!  We are going to live a more balanced life.  We are going to live a more creative life. We ARE going to live a KICK ASS LIFE!  That's my purpose.  That is it.  Plain and simply.  To live a beautiful, wonderful, amazing existence and I will...and SO WILL YOU!

 [side bar: Future blog posts will be about creative people and things I find.  Posts about things you can diy to make life a bit more efficient and budget friendly for you.  Posts about tech stuff that will help your business be more balanced and kick ass, which will ultimately do the same for you! Tutorials, motivation, etc etc etc etc.  REMEMBER: Whatever it takes to aid in this quest of a life we're going to love!]

NOW... follow my directions:

1. Stand up.

2. Get your diaphram (I think I spelled that wrong) ready.

3. SCREAM FROM YOUR GUT......

I HAVE A KICK ASS LIFE AND I WILL LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, now sit down and stop acting cray cray! ;-)

xoxo,

Sabrena

one kick ass announcement

You ever had that moment in your life when you KNEW that you had to make a CHANGE? *I really want to break out into MJ's "Man In the Mirror" right about now*

Last week I came to a beautiful, wonderful, amazingly simple decision.  I decided to make a major change in the way I do business and the way I live life.  For years, I've been working on being an entrepreneur and doing things my way.  I've gone from being a mom, to a photographer, to now a designer and blogger (well, I've been blogging for years but never found my stride with it).  So many things have been in transition for me, with simplicity being at the root of it all.

For a few months, I've been following several blogs rather passively.  Blogs on design and lifestyle photography.  Picking up inspiration and learning what I could use in my work and ways to hone in on my craft.  In my pursuit of knowledge, I came across Lara Casey.  Lara resides up the street (not literally but close enough) from me and does amazing work with her brand on all things southern.  The one thing that caught my eye the most though, were her goal sheets.  I'd had mine for a while and decided to start working more in-depth with them last week.  I had been so passive....

That's until I came across two exercises in particular that broke me down and woke me up to some truths about myself and what I've known but not accepted for quite a while.  The things I've gone through in life, the steps I've taken as a business owner, the blogs I've read over and the journey as a creative have brought me to this moment in time.  This moment of simplicity.

When I named this blog Simply Sabrena, I did so because it was kind of catchy.  I didn't realize it would be so foretelling of who and what I truly am and how I want to live my life.  So, I've made some major decisions.  Some of which you won't know for some time, but I hope you'll stick around to find out about over the next year.  My first major decision and HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT (cue the drums) I've been talking about over the last week over on facebook, is......

I am officially CLOSING Sabrena Robinson Portraits and I will NOT be launching The SR Collective.  Go ahead, GASP! CRY! SHOUT OUT IN PAIN!  lol

I decided to be true to myself and my life I'm geared towards living.... one of simplicity.  Because this blog has been at the heart of a lot of plans I've been having, I decided to make this my home for photography, design, branding, teaching and life.  It's basically.... Simply Sabrena.  :)

What does this change mean?  Will I still be doing photography? How about design?  I know..... SOOO many questions are running through your mind! (insert sarcasm lol)

It simply means that I'll no longer have a formal business in the way it was.  I'll now take on projects and freelance work.  I'll still be taking on photography sessions and branding work, it just will be as a freelance creative.  Does that mean things won't be professional?  Quite the opposite!  It means I can FOCUS on ONE direction in my brand and how I work.  I won't feel or be so all over the place.  I will simply be me!  I'll do things that feel organic to who I am.  I'll be able to work more freely than by some standard I've set up in my psyche about what having a "business" means.

What this also means, is I'll get to start working on something I've been digging deep to do for some time.  Designing stuff for kick ass gals!  Right now, my etsy shop focuses a lot on business types of things, but it too, will change.  If you're kick ass female, you'll love what's coming!

Why this direction outside of freelance work?  Quite frankly because I want to create things I love and that are very much who I am.  I'm lucky to get that with my photography and branding clients because I like to tailor things to them specifically.  I want to have something I can look at and laugh about, give a high five to and say HOT DAMN when it's all over and not worry how "professional" it comes off.

So welcome to my new home on the internet highway.  My all-in-one stop for those things I love and love to do.  My passion will reside here and it will be very clear who and what I am.  It feels so damn good even writing this!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far and for those who will come along for the ride.  I don't make promises, however, I will say.... You won't be sorry you did!

Welcome friends.....

xoxo,

Sabrena