Friday, August 14, 2015

The Tidwell family : Orange Beach, AL

In a last attempt to keep summer alive we wanted to share this sweet family session from our time at the beach.

The Tidwells met us in Orange Beach in late June and wanted something simple, family oriented, and comfortable to showcase their sweet 7 month old's first time at the ocean. And so that's just what we did. He was amazing and loved every minute of the sand, especially the "trying to taste it" part! 

We hope these images will help you hold on to summer for a few more minutes!



Thursday, July 30, 2015

Kimberly + William: Oxford, Mississippi Wedding

A few months ago we had the pleasure to photograph Kimberly & William's Oxford, MS wedding! We always love a good road trip & after fueling up with a lovely breakfast and coffee from Bottletree Bakery we were ready to get to work. The ceremony was held at the beautiful Paris-Yates Chapel on the Ole Miss campus with a reception following at Woodson Ridge Farms. We loved the classic touches that Kimberly choose for her ceremony- beautiful blush bridesmaid's dresses and airy Spring bouquets. Guests enjoyed an open air reception with a live jazz band. Custom pottery ornaments in the shape of Mississippi were sweet favors for guests to remember their special day for years to come. Kimberly & William, we hope you loves these photos as much as we do & we hope many blessings for your marriage! 

Sarah & Kamin

{Florals by Ashley at The Twisted Twig}
{Photography by Spark & Arrow}

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Wood: Maternity Shoot (Helena, Alabama)

Chris & Kaley epitomize sweet! They are literally the sweetest couple you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. We were overjoyed when we found out they were having a baby & wanted us to document their journey with our New Mama Package which includes a maternity, birth & newborn session! We are finally getting around to sharing their photos with you.

Chris & Kaley, Tallulah Mae is absolutely beautiful and we hope she cherishes these images one day just as much as you do!



Thursday, June 4, 2015

The Andrews Family : Orange Beach, AL

When Whitney contacted us about a family beach session we jumped at the opportunity. Who doesn't need an excuse to escape to the beach for a day or two?!

It turned out to be the most beautiful, sunny, perfect beach day and we took full advantage of it. Enjoy this sweet family and let us know if you're interested in a family beach session of your own!


We'll be in Orange Beach most of June and would love to photograph you and your favorite people, contact us at sparkandarrowcreative@gmail.com for more info and openings!




Monday, June 1, 2015

Eclectic & Versatile: A Home/Office Style

From time to time we take a break from photography & utilize our styling experience. When this couple approached us with their living room/home office dilemma we were excited to help them solve it. As a stay-at-home mom & freelance illustrator, they needed a space that functioned as both a living space & home office. He wanted an office that was still open to the main living area but also separated from the daily traffic of the home. What would typically would be considered a formal dining area was the perfect space to create a cozy eclectic workspace.

Here's a few before pics when we had our first consultation. They had just moved into their home & didn't know where to start. 


After about a month of planning we devised a direction for this space using what they already had mixed with a few new accents as well as a custom furniture piece. 

We'll start with the living room. Here's the after!


Bright, cozy & eclectic. A place where their 4 kids could hang out and watch movies. The couple purchased a custom neutral rug which anchored the area & feels amazing under your feet. 


We added in some punchy throw pillows from Homegoods to bring some interest to their neutral couch, a side table from World Market & a fun gallery wall of art pieces they already had! These are all items that are versatile & easy to change out later as tastes change.


The mantle was the perfect place to hang an heirloom antique mirror. A few accents toned down the formality of it but still kept the look cohesive. Coffee table books from the couple's collection and a keepsake box added interest to the coffee table & are easy to move for game nights!


We moved this console from the entryway to the living area to function as a media stand. Storage baskets are filled with DVDs and help hide the cords from game systems. We added a few interesting glass bottles found at Homegoods and family pictures on top.


The office was a trickier space to work with. We needed a way to separate it form the entryway. With the help of our carpenter Brian at Fervent Design we devised an easy fix.


A large double sided bookcase functions as office storage on one side & decoration on the other and creates a "hallway" from the front door to the living area. Brian used similar trim from the home to give this piece a built-in look.


Our favorite part of this space is the gallery wall we created in the office of the husband's work throughout the years. The round piece is from an antique illustration table.


Fun, creative accents throughout the office are just what he wanted. A different look from the living area but still working aesthetically as one space. The perfect place to spend time with his family while doing what he loves everyday.


Vintage wingback chairs we're spruced up with fun pillows & books were artfully arranged on the bookcase for easy access.


We loved making this space work for this sweet family & love a good challenge. Seeing the final product come together is always fun for the homeowners & us!

We would love to help you with your space as well! Contact us at sparkandarrowcreative@gmail.com for a free in-home consult & quote! 

(Styling & final photos by Spark & Arrow.)

Monday, April 27, 2015

Creative Collaborative: West Elm Birmingham + Oli.O + Birmingham Breadworks

This month's Creative Collaborative with West Elm Birmingham is one to satisfy your taste buds. We teamed up with Oli.O and Birmingham Breadworks to bring you a taste of what our city has to offer as far as specialty food goes.

Nestled in Mountainbrook Village, Oli.O is family owned and operated. They specialize in selling premium olive oils and balsamic vinegars imported fresh from around the world. They opened their doors in November 2013 to offer a novel way to bring healthy eating to your table without sacrificing taste. Importing their Extra Virgin Olive Oils from both hemispheres provides their customers with the freshest product available and their Aged Balsamic Vinegars come directly from Moderna, Italy. Stop by and take advantage of the free tastings & meet this adorable family!


Birmingham Breadworks is a partnership between renowned baker Corey Hinkel & engineer Brooks Taylor. Their bread is best known by the regulars of Pepper Place farmer's market and is fast on it's way to becoming the talk of the town. Most of their breads are simply flour, water & salt which means you known what you are getting. No preservatives & all natural. That's the way it should be. Compound that with their support for the local community and you have a solid business model. We loved spending an afternoon in their simplistic space for this month's shoot. The worn plaster walls were the perfect backdrop to our Tuscan-esque inspired dipping party.


As we gathered products from West Elm for this shoot we wanted to keep things simple & let the food be the star. We choose a palette of whites, grays & blacks with wooden accents. A simple, yet refined look for any style. Foraged greenery added a nice touch against the plaster walls. Wine served in a glass carafe from West Elm ensures you are getting the best sip of you favorite red.


Working with the Oli.O staff we selected four options for dipping. Two were olive oils, Organic Garlic and Herbs de Provence. The other two were Picual olive oil paired with Fig balsamic & Lavender balsamic. To give guests an easy way to distinguish between the varieties we asked artist Amy Stone to create custom labels. Coffee stained paper and her beautiful writing were the perfect combination. Sprinkles of lavender & herbs de provence also added a nice touch as well as a clove of organic garlic. 


Breadworks paired fresh loaves of a French Baguette, Sourdough Batard & Farm Boule to compliment the tastings. Not only beautiful but these loaves also smelled divine. Cut into pieces or served whole with the option of tearing, they are delicious any way you decide to display them!


Amy Stone not only made beautiful labels for the oils but she also went above & beyond and created a custom art piece for us! Her watercolor drawings are organic & fresh just the way we like it!


We hope you swing by both of these fabulous Birmingham stores when you get a chance & after grabbing some treats from them West Elm Birmingham can help you find the perfect pieces for your next gathering of friends like we used here. To shop this look, simply click on the links below for product information!


7. Acacia Plates 8. Textured Dip Bowls 9. Long Wooden Tray (Contact store.) 

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Mary-Katherine : Senior Portraits : Oak Mountain, AL

It's that time of year again! You know, when all the babies are all of the sudden grown up and about to graduate from high school. That's right, it's senior portrait time!

We know it's hard for all the moms out there with seniors, but we love getting to spend time with these soon to be independent kids hearing about their future plans. Here's a sneak peek of Mary Katherine's gorgeous session and not pictured, her crying mother!  

Enjoy! 
Spark & Arrow