happenings at naturally nina.

hello friends! i'm not usually great at promoting myself, but today i'm delighted to share some exciting new yoga and photography services i'll be offering throughout new england in the coming months.

yoga
1. introduction to yoga: 10 private lessons over the course of one month, designed to give you a basic understanding and experience of yoga asanas (postures) & philosophy. completely customized to meet your needs and goals, we will work together to build strength, flexibility and tranquility. perfect for beginners.

2. yoga for brides: as your wedding day approaches, take a moment to relax, rejuvenate and tone your body. over the course of 5 private lessons, we will work together on breathing techniques, relaxation, and strength. you also have the option of scheduling a brief yoga class for you and your bridal party the morning of your wedding.


photography
1. month-by-month munchkin: document your baby's first year by scheduling a mini photo shoot with me once a month. we will work together to come up with a fun and creative style to capture your babe's personality and growth.

2. shop, prop or etsy: are you looking for high quality images to enhance your business? book a session with me to photograph your handmade creations, vintage clothing, or other objects. styling is included.

book now
for more information, rates and dates available, please send me an email at naturallynina[at]gmail.com. book early, as spots may fill up! thank you. xo.

right now.

i am listening to norah, dreaming of trips to france, and waiting for my coffee to brew. 

this week has been a little blah. but i am grateful for decadent lunch dates with friends, late-night glasses of cabernet, smiling yoga students, and a husband who has been working from home for two straight weeks. 

my goal for the weekend: pick up my camera. you?

p.s. it is freezing here today. when the "feels like" number is a single digit-- like today--it's only a matter of time before i hide under a pile of blankets, close my eyes and pretend i am on the beach in california.


(photo credit: lesliee) 

snow day.

this morning, i bundled up and took a little walk around our neighborhood. the snow came up to my knees!

all the whiteness and stillness made me realize i could never live somewhere where it doesn't snow. i am addicted to making foot prints on untouched sidewalks.

now i'm back inside, wrapped up in a wool blanket, and watching british television. later, hot chocolate.

p.s. it snowed the day i was born, and i'm pretty sure i made an appearance that day because i wanted a peek.

scarves, snow and a new friend.

last week i had the pleasure of meeting up with hanna from ever green knits. she recently completed a beautiful "vermont shawl" and asked me to photograph it. despite the fact that it was a freezing day, (and even snowed a little) we had tons of fun.

here are a couple of my favorites:

hanna's hair was beautifully braided, and i love the contrast of the pink scarf against her jacket. she also made a green one, which we decided would look lovely against this old, rustic barn.

i love the little snow flakes. what a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. thank you, hanna!

p.s. if you're interested in my photography or styling services, please feel free to send me an email to naturallynina [at] gmail.com. my rates are very reasonable and i love working with bloggers, artists, etsy-sellers and entrepreneurs. :)

naturally nina etsy store!

friends,
i've finally set up a little etsy store featuring some of my photos. it's been a dream for a long time, so i've decided to just go for it. baby steps and all, right? :)

go have a look-see and let me know what you think. and as always, thanks for being such fabulous, supportive readers! happy hump day!

big 'ol hugs.

have a gorgeous weekend!

(lately, it's hard to separate me from my camera.)

as i type this, i am sipping some new zealand wine, watching a silly show on television, and looking forward to an evening of pure relaxation. tomorrow, i am going to take a long walk. ahhhh.

have a lovely weekend, and enjoy the cool breeze of autumn (should you be so lucky).

twenty four hours of bliss.

yesterday i had the pleasure of visiting my dear friend, (and wedding photographer) meredith, in south portland, maine. she and her boyfriend spoiled me rotten. they are not only the sweetest couple ever... but they also live in a house that looks like it's straight out of a magazine. wow.


upon my arrival, meredith served me lavender lemonade. it tasted just like the flower smells. needless to say, i finished the whole pitcher. (i'm a great house guest like that.)


every time i turned around, i fell more and more in love with their house: colorful pillows, antique bottles, flowers, vintage furniture, etsy illustrations... it was gorgeous. (did i mention they live down the street from scratch bakery?)


after a feast of risotto, panzanella, and blueberry honey mead, i snuck up to my own little loft space to sleep for the night. i slept like a baby and dreamed about the ocean (which is incidentally, just down the street).


then, this morning, meredith and i strolled around cape elizabeth and chatted about life. it was one of the prettiest walks i've been on in a long time.

meredith, thank you so much for having me. and simon doesn't know this yet, but we're moving... pronto. xo.

photos from my weekend.

hibiscus lemonade: tart and refreshing.

a walk around cambridge: stopping to look at all the bright colors.

thin crusted pizza: oodles of veggies and fresh basil.

a slice of berry pie and two forks: an afternoon with a friend.

gorgeous macaroons: the daydreaming about paris hasn't stopped since.

a gift for a special friend: as much as i loved wrapping it, i'm even more excited about what's in it.

how was your weekend? :)

love in the afternoon.

i stumbled on this engagement shoot the other day and literally swooned. this couple is so sweet, and everything about the photographs just radiates happiness and peace.

enjoy...

their eskimo kisses are my favorite! to see more from this engagement shoot, visit here.

(photos by wirken photography)

photos from san diego.

hello friends!
sorry for my absence the past couple of days. i missed you!

my trip to san diego was wonderful, but i forgot my camera cord, so i couldn't upload my pictures. oops! but here they are now, along with some little stories about our adventures. i hope you are all having lovely weekends and i am excited to get back to my regular posts next week.


i had a lot of work meetings in cafes... which meant lots of coffee and cute surroundings. i am also secretly thrilled that my best friend is now addicted to coffee too... it's just one more thing we can do together! ha.


when i wasn't working, i didn't hesitate to put my feet up. i slept in every morning, and curled up on the couch at night. sometimes it feels good to make relaxation a priority.


one evening we ate dinner at buonissimo. it was one of the cutest restaurants i have ever been to, and the food was amazing. (and when i went to the ladies' room, my friends told our server about this blog. i blushed.)


this sweet bike was in the courtyard of the restaurant. it made me want to set up a similar display at our wedding, but it's terribly impractical. but maybe i should just do it anyway.


and finally, i saw these purple flower bushes on the ucsd campus and fell in love. does anyone know what they are called?

we also went shopping, went to ginseng yoga, laughed hysterically, played with friends (and a baby) and talked about everything and nothing. good times. :)

now, tell me all about you. what's new? what did i miss?

bikes, fountains, buildings and elephants...

here are just a few more photos from our trip to chicago... i've been experimenting with black and white. let me know what you think!

a rainy day in boston.

just a few pictures from this very wet day. :)

some day i will learn to take pictures of things other than coffee cups.

remember how i recently told you i want to learn how to take better pictures? well, i have a secret... my father is a photographer. and i've always been curious about photography, (and love looking at his work) but i've never really spent much time on it.

you're probably thinking i should have him teach me, right? yes, but he lives in norway, and we only see each other for short visits here and there. and we're usually too busy talking about life and drinking wine to focus on photography. :)

truth be told, i was hoping it would just come naturally to me. maybe it's genetic, right? hm, maybe not.

every day i'm so inspired by all the artists, designers and photographers in the blogosphere. i love it when bloggers share bits and pieces of their lives through photography. you are all so talented!

so, i'm curious, do you have any tips? tricks up your sleeves? genius recommendations for where to begin? thank you!
xo.

p.s. simon and i both recently got mugs with our initials on them from anthropologie. aren't they fun?

little nina.

i was looking through old pictures recently and stumbled upon these funny ones.

the first one is me and my dad when i am eight months old. apparently i am learning how to kiss! (i love his sneakers.)

the second one is my sister and me when we're four and seven. i'm the one on the right. i love how strawberry blond our hair is-- if only it was still like that!

a door desk!

door desk noun. [dohr desk]

1. a door taken from the architectural remnants of a north carolina plantation home, then topped with glass and placed on wooden stands.

2. a genius and sustainable idea.

3. the place where our lovely wedding photographer edits her magic photos and sends me sweet emails.

isn't this just the coolest? i'm inspired.

(all photos and door desk by the fabulous meredith perdue)