TWO THOUSAND and THIRTEEN: TOP TWELVE SHOTS

two thousand thirteen
top 12 shots
Prada, Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, fashion, beauty, relationships,
 
 
     The year zipped by quickly.  What happened to the good old days that you see 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.  
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, fashion, beauty, relationships,
   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.
  
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships,
     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.
 
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships,
    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.
 
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships,
    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.
 
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships, Old Town Spring photography
     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!  
 
 
White dress,Cache dress,Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, Marilyn, fashion, beauty, relationships, Old Town Spring
     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.
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships, Laguna Beach, male model, actor, WWE, RAW
     It was a blast shooting Vinnie in Laguna Beach.  Click on the photo if you want to see more.  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!
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships,
      The Perfectly Pradablog 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.
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships, KS Tennis, tennis lessons The Woodlands
     Mr Sjoberg of KS Tennismade a reluctant appearance for the blog, so I could further my photography portfolio experience with the male species.
 
Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships,
     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 printy things? It’s sort of a reserved jungle kitty look.  Fun.
 
Studio Gear Cosmetics, bblogger, make up, makeup artist, Prada, Michale Kors,  Movado, Tiffany & Co, David Yurman,  Chico's, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Houston , Photography, Top Blog, Luxor Living and Style Photography Blog, top model, The Woodlands, fashion, beauty, relationships,
     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, a forthcoming book and can not wait to see what happens and where we are 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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MY CHRISTMAS 2013

      

Christmas Decor, Animal Print Christmas tree, black paint, living room

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and may God bless you all! My flu bug is fading away this Christmas morning, so I’m happy.

     I’d managed to prepare a prime rib roast, and it slow cooked itself in the over as we slept.  I was happy to see that the $70 cut of meat hadn’t dried out and burned itself, and instead was so juicy and moist, that a knife wasn’t needed to eat it.  Instead, it would just fall apart with a little probing by a fork!

     The rosemary/thyme recipe was one from a friend, Evangeleena, who is the most amazing cook.


    

      My snowman collection grew by one member this year, which is the tradition!  He’s the guy on the left with the red scarf!  They are so funny, happy and cute! I love them!


 

 After getting home from work, (yes, with the flu) I then took a two hour nap, took a lot of medicine, made our Christmas Eve dinner highlighted by the prime rib, and then rushed to the candlelight service at our church.

 

We have a very small family, so pretty much it’s just us!  It’s nice and peaceful this way.  There will be a movie date, later today, as well an an evening drive with hot chocolate and the babies, through a close neighborhood that is 100% lit up with Christmas lights!

I just wanted to drop a quick salutation to all of you on this special holiday!  Although mine is low key, that’s how we roll!

 

-SDS

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LEVI STRAUSS and TOMMY HILFILGER for HIM

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis

 

     It is a very rare event when I get my husband to appear in a post here, but I bought him this Tommy Hilfiger sweater, Van Huesen button down shirt and a new pair of Levi’s 501 Button fly jeans for Christmas, so agreeing to a mini shoot was only right!

     The last time I was able to get him to do a shoot for me was a year ago, in the Classic Levi’s Day blog post.

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis, Tennis in Spring, Texas

Sometimes, when we go somewhere, I have on heels and I am dressed up, but he is dressed for tennis.  I don’t shop for him enough, mainly because he is rather finicky, but I see now it benefits me to get him dressed on occasion!

We took the photos at one of the tennis facilities he works out of, and the landscape is beautiful for photos. It’s my secret place for when I do photography here and there.

     As for actually styling a man-shoot, it’s entirely different than shooting a female.  Their skin is different, the photos need to be more rugged…not delicate, or else ick!  I don’t think men sit up at night pouring over fashion sets, so I think in terms more of a woman trying to maintain her guy and what she might like to do for him.  I say this, however, my Pure Speculation blog post called  It’s a Fact, Bald Men Are HOT is quickly climbing the chart of popularity among my blog posts.   I tend to think I am getting a lot more male readers than previously suspected!

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis

The sweater is so cool and also looks great with a simple turtle neck or t shirt underneath.  

    He desperately needed a jean update.  The fit on these Levi’s is fabulous and kinda hot and I love the new faded wash they just came out with.

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis

While the pictures may appear peaceful and romantic, the shoot was anything but!  you know how you try to take your dog’s picture, and it’s restless?  It may be standing there still and stiff, but it’s stressed and not wanting a photo taken, occasionally looking away, and not posing how you would like?  This was that!  The good news is that at least he’s not vain at all, and I would be worried if he actually enjoyed getting his pictures done! 

     Ken enjoys vacation type, fun photos, but that’s about it! He doesn’t think it’s funny when I state that we are preserving and documenting his last ounces of youth.

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis, Stephanie Sjoberg, Ken Sjoberg, Luxor Living and Style

I shouldn’t have given him this Christmas present early, but it would have tortured my soul to no end, waiting until Christmas to see if he liked it or not! He loved the set.  I wonder what improvements I can make next?

     Also, do we want more man style blog posts? No? Let me know what you think!

 

-SDS

-December 17, 2013

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COLD PLAY

 

 

 

 

When my hands and my chest/neck area get cold, it freaks me out.  It’s uncomfortable. I don’t like it. Thin skin, perhaps?  

     One of the very few things I’ve purchased this winter, is my new black wrap.   At first I thought…well, it makes me look fatter.  However, the bottom line, is that I don’t need to care what random people may think in my daily outings.  Although I’m sure it’s nice to be thought of as perfect…at this point, I just want to be warm.

Michael Kors belt, Michael Kors bag, black saddle bag, watch, black boots, Luxor Livingand Style, blog, blogger Texas, old town spring

Michael Kors bag, belt and watch, black wrap by Croft & Barrow

     I think my husband hates it, because it’s not very sexy or flattering in his mind…and lately, he’s seen way to much of it! It still remains my fun, cold weather friend and I love throwing it on with anything!

This was a Christmas time outing in Old Town Spring, and we were attempting to enjoy the Christmas season, but it was hard since one of us was in tennis attire in 40 degree weather…and it wasn’t me.

-SDS

 

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COLOR by STUDIO GEAR COSMETICS

 

I was extremely excited to receive my very own Studio Gear Holiday color palette in the mail for review.  

    It comes with directions on where they feel the colors should be placed, and although I am typically not a direction reading type of person…I decided to follow instruction this once. For fun.

 

There were quite a few combinations you could do with the eyes, although the instructed suggestions are probably best.  The blush is a fabulous  winter color, but I also decided to use the white as a highlighter here and there!

 

 

The link to the Studio Gear siteshows a lot of neat products including brushes, lip color, concealers and skin care!  My discount code for Studio Gear is SGHOLIDAY and is good for 10% off to readers!

    

      I can’t wait to try more from Studio Gear, but now is the time for great bargains and gift buying! Check them out!

-SDS

-December 1, 2013

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