Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas 2010!!!

As we finish our last minute preparations for the holidays, we wanted to pause to wish you all a very merry Christmas! We also wanted to share with you a small sample of the images we captured during our Santa Mini-Sessions way back in October (which, at the time, seemed so strange to be capturing holiday portraits when Halloween was around the corner!)What fun we had that day! It is just one of our many great memories from 2010-and we can only imagine all the great stories, images, returning families, new babies, new friends, and adventures that await us in 2011! Keep posted on the blog as we will share many of these with you all! Thanks for following us! Happy Holidays from Melissa and Robin

Loving Life!

This happy 4 year old and his awesome parents came to the studio for their family portraits-they have recently moved back to the Twin Cities from the East Coast and decided it was time for a family portrait! Dakota is a fun loving 4 year old that dazzled us with his gorgeous eyes and adorable smile-what a charmer! We were lucky enough to go outside even though it was November in Minnesota (literally, 2 days later we got hit with our first snow storm of the season!)We are glad they have chosen to be back in Minnesota, although with our recent blizzard, we hope they are still glad to be back!! Hang in there...spring is only 4 months away!

Double Dollar Day is back!!!

It was so popular last year, we decided to bring it back!! Double Dollar Day is Tuesday December 14th from 9:30am-12 noon!! Just in time for the holidays,
we are offering double dollar gift certificates for one day only!

Amounts available are $100, 250, and 500. Here's how it works: buy a gift certificate for 250 and it's worth 500, buy a gift certificate for 500 and it's worth 1000. How cool is that?!
Available ONLY Tuesday, December 14th, 9:30am to Noon.
A limited number of double dollar gift certificates will be available for each amount. Call or stop by the studio during this time for your double dollar gift certificate and have it to gift wrap and hide under the tree! 651.334.9838

Here's the rules:
Can be used towards your portrait order only, and does not include the creation fee
Can only be used for upcoming sessions
Session must be completed by July 31st, 2011
Not valid with any other offers. For example, double dollars cannot be used in conjunction with baby collections, toddler collections, diva parties, silent auctions, or other gift certificates.
Has no monetary value and is non-transferable
Have wonderful, merry, joyful, comforting, bright holiday and happy new year!
Miroslavich Photography is a full service boutique photography studio located in St. Paul, MN -- where eyes dance, dimples dip, and hearts skip. We specialize in relationship portraiture of babies, children, families & pets. For the most up-to-date information check out our blog at www.miroslavichphotography.blogspot.com or give us a call. We love to chat!

Two boys, a baby girl and a whole lot of fun!!

These three cuties are regulars on our blog over the years and we LOVE when they come visit us at the studio! Baby sister Eleanor is now 6 months old (yes, hard to believe-she is incredibly tall but then again, she has tall genes!!) and is the princess of the family. Big brothers Brennan and Davis love entertaining her and making her laugh! It was easy to see that Eleanor has daddy wrapped around her finger-precious! I am sure the holidays will be full of fun at their house-i can only imagine Christmas morning!

An afternoon at the river!

The last time we photographed this delightful brother and sister, it was summer on the river...days of playing a the edge of the water, sundresses, climbing trees and sunkissed skin. This time we enjoyed a gorgeous fall afternoon exploring the riverside...playing in the leaves, raking, cosy clothes and rosy cheeks from the crisp, fall air. However, what was still the same was the adoring relationship between these two siblings. They may be a little taller and wiser, but you can still tell how much they enjoy each other's company.

Look at me! I'm 6 months old!

It seemed hard to believe it was time for Jax's 6 month session back in late September, but it was! Jax's family kindly invited us into their home for this photo session and we were pleased to go on location to their beautiful new house! Jax and big brother, Jose (who is now a big 3 year old!), loved hanging out together (and a little jumping on the bed!)and we could see how precious their relationship as brothers has become! Of course, we fell in love with Jax's nursery and how talented Mom is with decorating. It was especially nice for us to be in their home to create such special memories for them!

Before we know it, Jax will be turning one! Stay tuned for those images in a few months.....

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I wanted to let you know that we have chosen the recipient of our Thanks & Giving give-away for 2010. It is such a hard decision, and each nominated family is so incredibly deserving. A very hard and heart wrenching decision for us, but one we know from past experience brings incredible joy.

I want to thank each person who took the time to write in a nomination. I know everyone is “crazy busy” but taking a moment to give your time in writing a nomination is such a wonderful gift of time and thought. We are hoping the family we have chosen will share their story here with you too. It is inspirational. Theirs is reminder to make the most of what you have and make memories that you can take with you for a lifetime.

Through all the hardship that families experience it is impressive to me the strength and love each family gives each other by being together. Our hope is to capture that strength, love and togetherness in photography and share it with others, so that they too might be inspired. Give joy where you can in someone else’s life. It is amazing! A special thank you to Suzi and Carly, who nominated this year’s recipient, your gift is amazing!

I hope you have a wonderful, safe holiday and enjoy the time you get to spend with your loved ones. I know I will!

Now … please pass a huge dollop of WHIPPED CREAM and a tiny piece of pumpkin pie. Isn’t that the point of pie? It’s just an excuse for the whipped cream! Yum!

Thanks & Giving 2010 Nominations

We are so pleased to report that we have received great nominations of families again this year for our Thanks & Giving gift of custom photography over the past couple of weeks. Melissa and I have been reading each heartfelt nomination and it is going to be a tough decision. Nominations close this Wednesday November 24th and the winner will be chosen on Thursday November 26th, Thanksgiving Day.
Just to review, we want to know who they are, and want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography. $2000 worth to be exact. Whether it's canvas or a book or multiple wall prints, it's in your power to give them the artwork and heirlooms they deserve this holiday season. The person who nominates the winner will receive $500 in portrait credit! What better reason to show some love could there possibly be?
The Rules: You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. The nominee must be able to come to St. Paul for a studio or location session. Tell us who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve a gift of photography. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself. Please put "Thanksgiving Giveaway" in the subject line and email the full story to: melissa@miroslavichphotography.com
We can't wait to read the entries!
Open your heart to someone this holiday season - and thanks for giving us the opportunity to open ours!

2010 Ornaments have arrived!!

New this year!!!!

We are so excited with this very special offer for a limited time! For anyone who has ordered portraits, we are offering new, beautiful, cool holiday ornaments. Recently, we had the opportunity to create exclusive Miroslavich Photography designed holiday ornaments. They come in three holiday-inspired colors: Winterberry Red, Birch White and Garland Green. Each are hand-painted and slightly distressed and PERFECT for any Christmas tree at the ideal size of 4"x4". Since introducing them earlier this fall, they have been flying out of the studio.

They are available for $79 each or $195 for a set of three. If you want your portraits to be amazing holiday ornaments this year, please email robin@miroslavichphotography.com. They make great gifts too! Orders for ornaments need to be placed no later than Tuesday November 23, 2010 for us to guarantee them to be ready by December 16. Keep them for your tree or give them to grandparents as a gift. They will be the talk of your holiday decorating! We love ours and might even put up the tree a little early this year to show them off!

Thanks & Giving 2010

It is time to give!
We started Thanks & Giving last year with a challenge from a fellow photographer - to give the joy of photography to a family in need.

This holiday season are giving you the opportunity to give once again. If you are a client or friend, please join us by nominating someone in need. You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, has someone in their family that is terminally ill or someone who is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love and beauty.

After receiving many deserving nominations last year, each with a poignant story, we selected a family who was experiencing a difficult hardship. At the time of the nomination, the family had been hit with devastating news that Matt had gastric cancer. In his early thirties, with a beautiful wife and two darling daughters, Matt was fighting hard to live life to its fullest. We photographed their family in late December at the studio and created beautiful portraits of them to cherish forever. It was truly an experience that we will never forget and changed us in ways we could not have imagined. Unfortunately, Matt passed away this August after a hard fought battle with cancer. We know that his memory will live on forever and we are pleased to know that his images and their portraits will forever be treasured in their home.

We know you know someone to nominate. We want to know who they are, and want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography. $2000 worth to be exact. Whether it's a beautiful canvas, or an art book or multiple wall portraits, it's in your power to give them the artwork and heirlooms they deserve this holiday season. The person who nominates the winner will receive $500 in portrait credit! What better reason to show some love could there possibly be?

The Rules:
You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing our services. The nominee must be able to come to St. Paul for a studio or location session. Tell us who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve a gift of photography. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself. Please put "Thanksgiving Giveaway" in the subject line and email the full story to: melissa@miroslavichphotography.com

The winner will be announced on Thanksgiving Day ... get nominating!! We can't wait to give another family an amazing, beautiful experience!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season - and thanks for giving us the opportunity to open ours!

Sharing Talents

How do photographers create images of their own families? Seriously? This is a question I have been pondering for quite awhile, and then I met Tera of Tera Windfeldt Photography, and the answer was clear! Earlier this fall Tera and I met with our families in tow and photographed each others families in a beautiful park. I am thrilled to have created portraits of her wonderful boys. And in return I have beautiful family portraits of my own family and me with my girls. The most important thing I learned from the experience (besides that I cry when I see my family captured so beautifully too) is that every parent should have portraits created of themselves with each of their children. It is something we do, but oh it is so special to have. I loved how Tera's oldest son is now almost as tall as she is, and the middle son is silly when he is around her, and the youngest - what a cutie pie! She will always have her with each of her boys and I will now have me with my girls. I know I will treasure it. Thank you Tera!

Class of 2011!

Senior portrait season is starting to wind down for this year which always makes us a little sad! We get to meet the BEST seniors every year-not sure how we luck out?! We loved getting to know Brenna during her senior photo session with us earlier this fall: the clothes, the make-up, the cool accessories, the natural modeling talent, the giggling! What more could we ask for? I honestly think Melissa and I had as much fun as Brenna! Brenna was a blast to photograph and she was up for anything! Which meant we could explore some really cool spots in downtown Saint Paul. It will be exciting to see where Brenna's future takes her-Good luck, Brenna!!!

Who is looking for a little Flamenco Dancing?!?

One of our clients, Deborah Elias, is pleased to be offering Flamenco Dancing lessons here in Saint Paul! We highly recommend checking it out!


New classes starting November 3rd
with dancer Deborah Elias
Wednesdays, 7 to 8:15 pm
at SweatShop Health Club
167 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul
$15 per class
No experience necessary!
Flamenco is not a partner dance, so come alone
or bring your friends!
For more information or to reserve a spot
visit Deborah on Facebook
or call 651-224-2075
Deborah Elias has taught flamenco for over 10 years with Zorongo
Flamenco Dance Theatre, the University of Minnesota, and the
Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, and performs with Zorongo
Flamenco Dance Theatre, Fuego Flamenco, Michael Hauser,
and her own group, Deborah Elias Danza Española.

Buddies...

Edison and Lucas are brothers but more than anything else, you can tell they are good buddies! Each have their own unique personalities which shone through at our session. We asked them each to bring something to the session that reflected their personality and interests. Lucas brought a baseball bat to the session-clearly a baseball fan! And Edison brought a model airplane that he had built himself-a future awaits him in engineering, we think! We had a fun time with the session-and they even were a part of the naming of the "schmermer"-next time you are at the studio, ask Melissa to show it to you!!