Our Products: Beautiful Photo Jewelry

Now Available: Photo Jewelry! (Available for clients as well as non-clients.  As long as you have printing rights to the image, we can put it in these jewelry pieces.)

I am so excited to add customized photo jewelry to my list of fine art products for clients.  These are available for anyone - not just my current clients.  Clients can use an image from our photo shoot - or one of your favorite images (that you have printing rights for and can email me in high-resolution).  

These pieces are so unique, and such a special way to cherish our little ones, significant others, families, pets, or landscapes.  I first saw the many pieces from this company at the Imaging USA national photographer convention in January 2012 and fell in love.  I knew that my clients would too once they could see and touch the pieces.  And I just ordered and got in my sample pieces... they are divine!

These are great to put on your "wish lists" or gift lists for grandmas, moms, friends, baby showers, and new mamas.  And men... These will score you major brownie points when you surprise the special lady in your life with this gift for Mother's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, or other holidays.

Gift certificates are available in case you aren't quite sure what your loved one would like best.  

Follow us on Facebook at "Miles of Smiles Photography by Sarah," as we'll be doing sales on these and our other products throughout the year - exclusively for our fans. 

Visit our "Packages & Products" page for all details and pricing information.  Pricing on current items ranges from $40-60, but check web site for most updated pricing.  Additional photo charms and stamped initial charms are available as add-ons. 

Oh, what a month! {Birth Announcement}

My baby girl is one month old now.  I really cannot believe everything that has happened the last 30 days has happened, but I feel incredibly blessed to have this beautiful life in my life.  She is an amazing baby, and I cannot wait to watch her grow into the person God made her to be.

Today as we were driving to church, my little (2.5 year old) boy Miles looked over at his sister and said, "I sure am glad to have a baby sissy."  That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?  :) 

Birth announcement...

Before & Afters: My DIY Transformations

I love finding little "treasures" and restoring them to be "perfectly imperfect."  For some reason, it brings me great satisfaction to take something that is old, dirty, and sometimes abandoned and then clean it up, paint it, and find unique beauty it.  I think it is the creative side of my brain that just loves making trash into treasure. 

My photography business has given me a great excuse to really dive into this passion (and to justify all the "stuff" in my corner of our garage to my husband!), because I am able to use much of what I restore in my photography sessions.  Here are a few of my DIY projects as of late.

Last summer, I was on my way home from a photo shoot and saw this chair and mirror sitting in a big pile of "stuff" along the road.  I stopped my mini-van (which is a great "stuff" carrier, by the way!) and grabbed a chair and the mirror - knowing I could eventually make them sparkle.  And sparkle they do!  Every time Miles sees this chair in my studio space, he looks at it and says, "Awwwww... cute chair, mom!"  (He doesn't even know the story behind it... he just thinks it's cute.)  :)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

 The mirror is hanging on the wall in my office, where there are all (accent) things this color (Jamaican Sea by Behr) and my other favorite color, "Peacock Feather" (also by Behr).

BEFORE: 

AFTER:

I also re-did this chair in Jamaican Sea color.  Got it (and a desk) for $10 at a garage sale last year.

AFTER:

 

More to come!  My sander and paint brushes have been busy!  Stay tuned...

My Little Sunshines

Today I was playing around with my (somewhat) sleepy 24 day old baby girl, and just as I was finishing up, sweet Miles walks into the room.  (Okay, maybe he had already messed up a few blankets, knocked over my studio light, etc.) 

He sweetly hopped up onto the newborn posing bag and says, "Hey Mom - can you take a picture of me?"  And of course... I obliged.  :)  So glad I did, because I love any chance I get to capture the beauty of this boy's eyes, personality, and sweet face.  Enjoy!

Mama Monday (urrr... Tuesday): Day 16

Ah... Day 16 of my little baby girl's life.  I can't believe how quickly she is growing and changing already.  And I definitely know why us photographers want to do newborn portraits before babies are 10-14 days old, as they get much harder to pose.  My camera and editing software have been very busy the last 16 days! 

The other day, I found the cutest ruffly yellow fabric and made Miss A a headband to match, so I had to test them out today.  :)  Here are a few of the shots that we got.

I have gotten a few props from our farm in Iowa, where I was born and raised.  This old crate is one of them.  It has been fun incorporating them into photo shoots, as they have so much history.  I'm in the process of refurbishing an old high chair that used to belong to my Grandad (over 90 years ago!), and can't wait to spruce it up and use it in photo shoots with little ones.

Enjoy little miss sunshine!

Before & After: Newborn Shot

My camera has been pretty busy the last almost two weeks since my daughter's arrival.  She is nothing short of amazing, and I am just in awe of her sweetness, and her older brother's sweetness toward her.

One unexpected (and welcome) surprise is how much time I've been able to spend editing her images.  A lot of people probably wonder where I find the time.  But if you've ever breastfed a newborn, you know how much time is spent doing so.  (If you want the math... 7-8 feedings a day x 30-40 minutes per feeding.)  And it just so happens (to my surprise) that the most comfortable nursing "station" in my home is my office chair!  And that allows me to edit while my sweet girl feeds.   (Once a multi-tasker, always a multi-tasker.)  :)

I wanted to show you something, just so no one thinks she has the most perfect, creamy, blemish-free skin like a little doll.  This is what photographers specialize in - in addition to creating your images... we spend a lot (a lot) of time editing them and making them perfect.  Enjoy this before and after...

Straight out of the Camera (SOOC)

After a little editing...

What I've been up to...

The last 10 days have been nothing short of intense, life changing, amazing, sleep deprived, and did I mention amazing?!  This is what I have been up to...

Newborn Goodness...

A little ray of sunshine has come into the world,
A little ray of sunshine in the shape of a girl.

Day 3

We had our first little photo shoot today. 

She is such an angel, and in her 3 days of life has been such a good little girl!

Here are a few shots from our first session.  Avah did great and slept 90% of the time just like mommy had hoped she would!  Luckily, the most comfortable "nursing station" in our house that I've found so far is in my office desk chair with the Boppy... so it allows me to edit a picture or two while we accomplish feedings at the same time.  :)  Once a multi-tasker, always a multi-tasker.

(And just so you can see what goes into preparing and carrying out a newborn photo shoot (well, some of it, anyhow!), check out my living room.  :)  I'm so excited to have professional portraits done by another photographer of our little family on Sunday so I don't have to do the work!)

Mama Mondays: Introducing Baby Avah

I am feeling tired, but overwhelmingly, I feel so incredibly blessed.   My sweet baby girl, Avah, was born on Sunday.  She is such a reminder of God's love, and we are already so in love with her.  Labor, delivery, and our hospital stay went perfectly, and we are home safe and sound.

I feel so incredibly blessed.  

Blessed to be married to this wonderful man.

Blessed to get to watch him be a father to this little guy and this baby girl.
Blessed to get to be a mother.  Especially a mother to these two beautiful little souls.

Blessed to have my own mother here from 1,100 miles away (she even got to be there during delivery to witness Avah's birth and meet the granddaughter whose middle name is her own namesake).  And grateful for the help, encouragement, and love that she gives me that is so appreciated.  

Blessed to get to hear this little boy tell his sister (unprompted) that she is "beautiful and sweet."

Blessed to have a job that allows me to use the creativity, color, and things I have in my brain and bring them to life through photographs.  It is such a cool way to freeze special moments in time and the reason I do what I do. 

Blessed to have a God who gave his life for me and who gave me so much to live for.

Thank you all for being part of what makes my life feel like it does.

Austin Child Photographer {Meet Kyle & Curtis}

I had such a fun morning in the park with these two cute little guys!  They were so much fun to work with, and this park in Austin has never looked more stunning for portraits.  And their mama dressed them so cute, didn't she?  Enjoy a few sneak peeks of brotherhood at its finest.

To their mama: Thanks for braving the sprinkles... I'm so glad we were able to get this shoot in, and look forward to working with your cute little family again in the future.  Enjoy!  (Please feel free to use these on your Facebook page, but do not crop the watermark.)

Austin Family Photographer {The O Family}

I had such a fun time photographing this sweet family in the park late last month.  Grandma was in town visiting, so it was a fun time for a photo shoot and to also get her involved.  (And we even got the german shepherd puppy involved, too!)  :)

This was a 30-minute mini-session (the Backyard Package), and I have to say, three of the most photogenic kiddos I've worked with.  We were done in exactly 30-minutes and got so many great shots for them to choose from.  Here are just a few.

Mama Mondays: Countdown to my Cowgirl

On one hand, I cannot believe I am just a matter  days away from meeting my sweet baby girl face to face.  On the other hand, I feel like I have been pregnant for two years.  Do you feel me, mamas?  


My first pregnancy was pretty easy-breezy.  I was able to exercise throughout my pregnancy.  (I ran the fitness/wellness program at the University of Texas, so had a paid lunch break and access to all kinds of fun gym equipment just outside my office door.)  I slept pretty well other than a few weeks here and there.  I was tired, but had the ability to sit down on the couch every now and then and kick my feet up.  And then came the second pregnancy.  :)  (Again, do you feel me, mamas?)  


This time around, I worked part time at UT without a paid lunch break, much more limited workouts, did photography 20+ hours a week at all hours of the day and night and weekends, and had a very cute 2 year old boy to keep up with.  The last time I have slept through the night was 2 weeks after I found out I was pregnant.  That was in August 2011.  Ouch.  When I tell people I am ready to have a baby so that I CAN sleep again, they give me a funny look, but it's true.  When I have her here, at least I can cuddle her and know we're on a path to sleeping again.  :)  I know she will be here before we know it, so I'm trying to savor every sweet moment of pregnancy, as it truly is a miracle and it could possibly be my last one.


My sweet friend, Jessica, was kind enough to come over to my house and studio set up spaces to snap pictures for me.  I prepared some detailed plans, set ups and samples, and she brought them to life through my camera.  So grateful to her, and so looking forward to doing her baby bump (she's having a girl too!) session in a few months. 

Here are some of my favorites... The countdown to our little cowgirl is on!!  (Click here for a cute story about the pink dress.)