TOP TWELVE SHOTS OF THE YEAR 2013

 

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     The year zipped by quickly.  What happened to the good old days that yousee in movies in which people had time to sit around outside on the patio, drink tea and gossip?  I need time like that.

     There were a lot of photos taken for the blog… probably thousands, but these are the ones I am choosing to highlight.  

 

Michael Kors, Movado, Jessica Simpson shoes, David Yurman, Prada Glasses, animal print top, white blonde hair, over 40, Old Town Spring, Luxor Living and Style,fashion blogger, lifestyle blogger, Luxor Magazine, Texas Top Bloggers

If you click on each photo, it takes you to the original blog post to see more. I choose photos of people, since that is one of my passions.   If there is a photo of me, my husband took it, which is a miracle/fluke, but it’s included because he does help and when we are not rushing, it’s fun for us.

  

 

 

I try to use other people at times, for the blog.  Although it my site, I try hard not to shove my grill front and center of every photo or post.  

     The blog is about beauty, fashion, relationships, travel, life and basically my vision of the universe and my passions.  It is not about me.

 

I chose to include my shoot with Jennifer, because I am so proud of the make up artistry, styling of the shoot, photography and editing.  Not only that, she’s so nice and we had fun, and will be working together again.

 

Photography helps to release a creative facet of myself, and to be able to style a shoot, and do all the cosmetics artistry and hair, is a plus.

     I love the photo of me and my husband above, because we were having a great night, going to dinner and a concert. I like how you can see us, but you can’t.  It’s more the idea of a couple that is portrayed.

Animal Print hat, Prada, white blonde, Texas, Old Town Spring, Luxor Living and Style, Houston Top Bloggers, stylist, MUA, Photography in The Woodlands

 

I am an animal print lady.  I love my cheap, new hat in this, and I love that we are at a place we like to go together.  This picture is the true me. Throwing on a hat, lipstick, glasses and ear bobbles, and BAM!  

Prada, glasses, Michael Kors, Marilyn Monroe, Luxor

 

This was interesting.  Blogging the same look daily isn’t any fun, so it’s nice to step out a little.  It turned out sort of Marilyn.

 

bald actor, New York men,

 

It was a blast shooting Vinnie in Laguna Beach.   What I learned was that it is entirely different photographing men than it is women.

    They want to look good, but you don’t want to take away from the manliness by over softening with filters.  He’s a very masculine type guy, and I wanted to enhance that. His little pet Sabatino helps to show his sensitive side, however!

 

The Perfectly Prada blog post was one of the first of the year.  This is the point I decided to just be myself, take pictures and create style how I want, and not try to meet typical expectations.

 

     Mr Sjoberg of KS TENNIS USA made a reluctant appearance for the blog, so I could further my photography  portfolio experience with the male species.

Full body shots are hard to shoot, when you’re an average person.  Sitting down usually doesn’t help matters either! However, it was a lovely Saturday night at church, it’s in focus, and did I mention I love animal print things? It’s sort of a reserved jungle kitty look.  Fun.

 

Part of the fun of running your own blog venture, is the opportunity to work with various brands.  

     This shot was part of a STUDIO GEAR COSMETICS post, and there will be more from them to come, but it’s so much more difficult than it looks to photograph makeup artistry, so I was glad they were pleased with the outcome.

     I have deals pending with other types of companies, and can not wait to see what happens and what is going on a year from now! Thanks so much for reader and follower support, and I wish everyone the best possible for 2014!

-SDS

-December 31, 2013

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TWO THOUSAND AND TWELVE: TOP SHOTS

 

     This year was rather odd.  The events forced me to recognize beauty in small, daily things.

     There is nothing more beautiful than the early morning smile of my Jazzy sitting in the flowers enjoying the morning sun.  Jazzy is a low maintenance, simple being and I wish everyone could know her. She was a fabulous investment!

This was a lovely yet simple, and everyday crane pondering what to do next with his afternoon.  He made my walk in the park more beautiful.  My only intent that afternoon was to quickly walk the dogs to ease my guilt for not spending enough time with them.

This was a fun attempt at my very own first fashion post on this site   featuring Levi’s jeans and we had a blast together on this day being silly!  This will be a forever memory.

The Woodlands, Texas is where I call home.  This is the Woodlands Waterway.  The shot is taken from a bridge on a walk after lunch.

     Peace and relaxation at home has been the focus of our spare time this year.  This shot was taken on Halloween night as we watched movies and waiting for the bell to ring with trick-o-treaters. Beauty in the simple times.

Black Beach in Hana, Maui took my breath away.   I think of going back often and it was hard to take a bad photo.

Seven pools in Hana, Maui.  Breathless. Imprinted onto my soul!

This is my absolute favorite Hana picture.  This one lane bridge was artistic, simple, extravagant, scary yet comforting…all at the same time.

Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Living and Style, Houston blogger, California Road Trip

This shot was taken during our California Road Trip.  We literally could stand there for hours and just breathe. What is life? Life, to me, is about sharing moments such as this.

     The scenery out the window of a romantic dinner facing Fisherman’s Wharf, on the last night of the California Road Trip.

Alcatraz, California travel, blog, Luxor Living and Style

     My “Alcatraz and a Bird” shot from the first day of the California Road trip.  Alcatraz is so sad to me for a variety of reasons, but whatever the case, this photo stirs emotion. History, regrets, sadness, nostalgia…all things Alcatraz.  While I am sure that two zillion tourists have snapped 22 zillion photos of Alcatraz, this is mine.

     I adore this photo of my new tree with animal print ribbons and bows!  I love putting my personal spin on things, and Christmas  is no different!

     These were my personal top blog shots for 2012 and I can’t wait to see which photos I can take in 2013 and would love to share with you!

-December 28, 2012

-SDS

-SDS

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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH


 
 
 
     Merry Christmas to everyone!  This has been a busy month with work and family in town and it’s all finally coming to a head.  Today is the day for Christmas and Hanukkah actually occurred December 8 – December 16th this year.
 
     
     With the sad and tragic events in today’s world, it forces us to sit and reflect on what we do have to be grateful for in our imperfect existence.
 
     
     One of the Christmas events my husband went to involved some of his tennis clients.  One older woman gave him a hand stitched snowman ornament that took my breath away and reminded me of how much things had changed. 
 
      I imagined this snow man to have taken her a minimum of 10 hours to sew, so I’d wondered how many others she had made.  I wondered what she was thinking as she sewed his mouth on, as well as the beading on his hat.  The newer generations spend and spend and I found it meant so much more to receive something that took a person 10 hours to create.  He loved it and noticed the intricate details as well, so I wanted to post it here.
 
 
      After attending the candlelight service at our church last night, we came home, shared a hot chocolate and wrapped a few presents. (The ones my husband had wrapped, he’d also taken a big black marker and written the names in huge letters across the front of the packages before I had a chance to stop him. Ugh! Not pretty! However, at least he wrapped them! 
 
    
     Additionally, in these times of political correctness, in which “Happy Holidays” is used in the workplace so as to de-God America and show tolerance to other religions by squashing out our own, let me be perfectly clear.  Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. This is America and it is Christmastime.
 

 
 
 
-December 25, 2012
-SDS
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INCOGNITO WITH CARLOS

INCOGNITO with Carlos

Carlos Santana shoes, Houston bloggers, fashion blog, Stephanie Sjoberg, stylist, Luxor Living

shoes by Carlos Santana, bracelets by Brighton, necklace by Tiffany & Co.

     

     While it is true that I have an Apartment Locating business, I also work in the beauty industry for a cosmetics company in management and have spent years working in higher end fashion management. This means, that I wear make up daily.  


     

     So many times, I have gone to visit a new apartment community to take pictures or just check it out before referring a client and the office staff members are usually amused that I bother to dress up or do my hair and this is because they say that most locators are very, very casual.  I want to be taken seriously so I dress professional when working every day.


     

     That all being stated, on a free day off with no cosmetics or apartment work…I do not always want to wear a face full of drama!


     I’ve decided a bright lip makes up for no eye make up, and fun and casual clothes have always been my thing.  This is me.  This is a casual day of grocery store shopping, a quick lunch and a brief hour at the park with my husband.


     

     Anyone who knows me, knows this is my favorite hat!  It makes life so easy to throw up a pony, throw on a hat and glasses and go!  These are my Incognito days.


     

     The shoes are new from Carlos Santana and they are extremely comfortable and the name is actually “Extreme.” I love the suede look for winter.

 

    Platforms are the best when wanting some height and comfort and these are so comfortable they are my new casual shoes!

-December 20, 2012

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CRAZY TEXAS WINTER

CRAZY TEXAS WINTER  

The Woodlands Waterway, dogs, Chihuahua, Jazzy, Luxor Living

     

     The most ignorant thing I recall in recent years, was forcing myself to go to an interview with a Regional director for a company one December in The Woodlands, Texas and on that particular day, it was 85 degrees outside.


   

     As we sat outside at the Starbucks cafe, I found it insane that she was dressed “season appropriate” in a fake fur vest, corduroy pants, and a long sleeved turtleneck.  While I did play the game, and wear a typical black interview suit, I couldn’t agree with her about her views on dressing season appropriate. 


   

      Her take was that we would sell tons of thick cords, turtlenecks and fur vests…if all the employees would just wear them to work.

       In her mind, we would all pretend it was cold and sales would be great.  I, however, was of the mindset that her corporate office would be intelligent enough to allocate the appropriate clothing to the appropriate states.

    Flash forward to the present, and again, years later, I find myself in a beautiful 83 degrees in Texas on a day in December, so I chose to wear shorts.


   ring by David Yurman, bracelet by Tiffany & Co., bag by Michael Kors, top by Francesca’s

       I believe I will most likely have on a leather jacket tomorrow, when the weather changes overnight and it is 50 degrees again, however, when I dress I respect the weather conditions and not what I am told it is time to wear by the “Machine.”

    In the meantime, we had a nice day which included lunch on the waterway with Jazzy and the rebel Bella, and it felt like a small 3 hour mid day vacation, hence the casual-ish attire!


     The black sheer top with gold collar bling, and winter white shorts both came from Francesca’s and the pearl necklace is from Charming Charlie and of course the shoes are from Pink & Pepper !

 

-December 9, 2012

-SDS

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MOVIE NIGHTS: War Horse

MOVIE NIGHT REVIEWS for Luxor Living and Style , personal bloggazine
    This movie came out to theaters last year at Christmas, and neither one of us had any intentions of seeing it.  I do not like movies where I will have to be sad, and quite honestly the advertising looked cold and boring to me.
 
     My dad called and pretty much demanded that we go to see it immediately and reluctantly, we did.
 
     War Horse was an amazing film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on a novel by the same name which came out in 1982.  The nutshell, is that a boy and his horse were separated by war and the movie follows the journey of both.
 
     It is an amazing film in as far as the visual production, artistry, unfortunate realism and heartthat is portrayed.
 
     This is a top quality film that will stay with you forever. It’s a total must-see, however, watch it with a friend because this one is a total journey to be shared!
-December 7, 2012
SDS
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