PNW | What makes us click

May 31 2016

not all who wander are lost.

It’s that time again when the moving trucks arrive, all our belongings are packed and we move onto another new exciting place. New adventures. New friends. New places to explore. Lots of stress. Lots of excitement. All mixed into a few months.

This summer my family is packing up and moving to the Portland, OR. Wayne got a great faculty position at a small university…so if anyone is looking to geek out and take a biology course…I know a great (and super cute) prof. We will do our best to ‘Keep Portland Weird’!

Melissa and her squad are headed off to sunny Palm Springs, CA. David got a great hospital management job down there, so if anyone needs…oh wait…his job is similar to Chandler Bing…no one knows what he ACTUALLY does…but it’s very important, I’m sure. I am anxiously awaiting the gorgeous photos Melissa will take and hopefully post here of the beautiful and unique scenery down there.

Vanessa is slaying it in Regina (although we keep pestering her and Erica about moving down here!). She has full-time work at the hospital as a Cytotechnologist, great friends and an amazing closet of clothes! I’m pretty sure her part-time job is trying out coffee shops and brunching….who’s jealous!? I AM!!!!

We have an amazing group of readers and we love sharing our lives and photos with you all. We appreciate you checking out our site, all your comments and private messages. That being said…with all the craziness of moving we need to take a break from posting for the next month or so. Just until we get our feet on the ground…and unpack the camera gear!

…so…if you have any great spots in Regina, Palm Springs or Portland that you recommend we check out…Post in the comments! and remember to follow us on Instagram: @melissapetaysphotography and @vanpetays

Tagged Eugene, Fashion, lifestyle bloggers, moving day, Palm Springs, Photography, PNW, Portland, regina, seattle

Dec 17 2015

1 Comment

portraiture

The ‘B’ Family {Maternity}

Our family has enjoyed getting to know Brian + Carla since we have moved to the Seattle area. They have been our go to people for where to go, how to get there, where to eat, + what sights to see. So basically our own personal google or yelp, not to mention house/dog/babysitter!

By the way they treat each other and those around them this child will be born into a home of great love + respect. I have no doubt they will be incredible parents and I can’t wait for it to be my turn to help them out!

Tagged Eastside Photographer, Lincoln Park West Seattle, Maternity photography, Melissa Petays Photography, PNW

Oct 06 2015

4 Comments

smashin' fashion

Melissa’s Runway to Reality {Second Edition}

We were thrilled to hear the response on our last Runway to Reality post + decided to go for it again after this recent runway season. Never ones to turn down an opportunity to shop, we’ve spent the last few weeks watching the racks for some of this years runway trends. Inspired both by Fall/Winter 2015 + Spring/Summer 2016, here are a few I thought I’d visit this season.

The Crop Top with a little Print Blocking thrown in: The crop top had its moment in the sun…or so you thought. With this genius trend you can transition it to fall/winter. Keep it in your closet for some extra shelf life by pulling it over tunics, button ups + dresses. To be honest I wasn’t much of a crop top girl this summer but now I wish I had a few more to play with!

I also experimented with Print Blocking. Thanks to inspiration from We, the Timeless, I have had a little foray into print on print with my husbands dress shirts + ties. Now I’m ready to accept the challenge and pull more looks together with already-there pieces in my closet!

My inspiration: MTMzMjMyMDY4MTcwNjYzOTQ2 My version:

Victorian Blousing: Crisp lace, high collars + bows as seen from Monique Lhuillier, Alberta Ferretti + Philosophy di Lorenzo. Not much of a frilly or romantic girl, my first thought is ‘Pass!’. So because I favor more of an edgy look, I paired the blousing with suiting. To further this trend imma gonna hit the racks again in search of a blouse with a big floppy bow.

My Inspiration:
My version:

Poncho/Cape: So. Many. Ponchos. The selection out there is endless right now. Fur, fringe, belted, printed, take your pick! The tricky part is proportion. Being the height of an ant, I tend to drown in them so when I found this one at Anthro it had to come home with me. Oh, + how cute would it be with a big bowed Victorian blouse as seen below?!

My inspiration:
fall_winter_2015_2016_fashion_trends_capes_ponchos
My version:
nyfwss16_092715_0260b

Tagged crop top, edwardian, fashion trends, high collars, lace, layered crop top, NYFW, PNW, poncho, print blocking, print on print, runway to reality, Seattle fashion, shopping, Spring 2016, victorian blousing

Oct 02 2015

1 Comment

portraiture

The ‘S’ Family

When you move to a new area there are just some people who make the transition a lot easier. Meet one of the families that has been a saving grace since I stepped foot in the PNW. I enjoyed having these sweet dimpled faces + their parents in front of my lens the other morning. With her little girl creeping up on the one year mark, this mom is very well aware of how quickly time is passing. Here we are at the Snoqualmie River to document their family at this very busy stage!
Sanchez_091415_0080e There was no way this little guy was gonna let his mama get thrown into the water!