Stylized Portraiture » Athens and Watkinsville's most awesome portrait experience for babies, kids and families

Whoo hoo! Stylized Portraiture is the featured blog today over at Blogs of Photogs! Check it out if you’re of a mind to see more photographer blogs. Here’s what they said about us:

” Stylized Portraiture is the dynamic duo of Frankie Wylie & Heather Lickliter. They both have fabulously distinctive styles, but each SO different in their looks they achieve. I think you will really enjoy their blog, its like a two ‘fer one!They have so much info on their blog for current or future customers, it is really brilliant. I am impressed, and that is not so easy.They serve Athens and North Georgia. Enjoy!”

And today was one of those times! Seriously, I get asked all the time about photos of my kids. The grandparents and aunts are the only ones who REALLY complain, but I can handle that

See, the thing about being a photographer is that you aren’t JUST some one with a camera. You are the person with the camera, and the computer, and the bank account, and the clients, and the contracts, and the events, oh, and the vendors, and the conferences, and let’s not forget about the continuing education….oh yeah, and you are the person studying for your CPP (certified professional photographer) exam.

And then, as if that isn’t enough…..You are the wife (who fails miserably at housework), the mom (who often forgets to sign permission slips), the friend (who never seems to be available for lunch or dinner dates), and then the daughter and sister….the one thing you’ve been all your life and here lately haven’t had much time to be (hard to travel to Florida when you are booked every weekend).

And, even though I juggle all of these things and occasionally get a little overwhelmed…..I LOVE THEM ALL. I am NOT complaining….I am NOT whining….I am PROUD, I am HAPPY, I am FULFILLED! The only time I do get a little whiny with myself is when I realize that I don’t have pics of my kids…and I don’t mean NICE photographs, I mean snapshots, everyday randomness, the stuff, that when you look back over you laugh so hard b/c “OMG, LOOK at Ella’s outfit!” “Dear Lord, WHAT is on Kieran’s face?” “Umm, Aiden, are you SURE you want to wear that to church?” “Alexis Nicole Wylie, what is going on with your hair?” “Kelsey, honey…..is that face your making REALLY necessary?”

Those photos that you might not blow up and hang on your wall, but that you will appreciate just as much when they are grown. Ok, so off my little “I stink at taking pics of my own kids” pouty box…..

Today…I was just a mom…with just my camera….and just hanging out with my kiddos on their last day of school.Their last day of school *crying*……It makes me so sad that this is their last day because my little ones love school SO MUCH! They go to Faith Presbyterian Mothers’ Morning Out program. Two days a week, three hours a day. Just perfect for them. We love Faith too, I couldn’t design a better school for my kid’s personalities and needs. Every year, on the last day, they have a full out FUN DAY!!! Different stations are set up and the classes visit them individually and have a grand ole time together. Kieran and Ella were beside themselves with joy, and if I could make every day this fun for them, I certainly would. All the hard work is worth it just to see their smiles so big!!! And some randoms from the day….click on it to view it full size!

My gorgeous best friend.
We were in Augusta yesterday for another friend’s graduation from medical school. She and I were walking back from dinner (8 blocks in the stunning warm air and sun) and I spotted a backlit field of grass. She’s very patient with me and allows me to kidnap her for pictures when I want to.She is a perfect model, so we were only there for about 5 minutes total, but I love the results.

April and May are huge wedding/engagement/bridal months for us. And I can’t SHARE THEMAt least, not until after their weddings. UGH. I will have some photos coming up this week from Heather and Matt’s wedding that took place in Watkinsville, with their reception at the Georgia Center on UGA campus. I can’t WAIT to get some of those up for you to see, and some of her bridals too!!! So no, I promise, Heather isn’t doing all the work, I just can’t share yet…..BOO HISS.

I created this recipe though trial and error over about a year. I’ve been perfecting it for quite some time, but figured you might want to give it a try. I have NO clue how much fat there is in it, but it’s pretty darn tasty. I do this on nights that I have little time to cook.

What you’ll need:
Chef Paul’s Poultry Magic - Thanks to a friend for turning me on to this. It’s stunning on just about any kind of poultry. 
Adolph’s Seasoned Tenderizer - Make sure you get the yellow-capped bottle!
Lawry’s Garlic Salt - This is great for other things as well. Love this stuff.
Sweet Basil Leaves - Flavor not noticable to me, I use for the smell.
Parkay - Sticks or tub
Chicken. – Pick up some Ready to Cook, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Tenderloins that have been individually frozen. You’ll find them in big bags near the fresh chicken. You can use fresh chicken, but the frozen is easier to work with.
Pasta! I prefer radiatore or cavatappi, but shells or rotini work almost as well.

 

Ready the Chicken: Grab a plate and your bag ‘o chicken. Pick out two med-small tenderloins per person being served. Place on plate and dust the bottoms with Adolph’s and Garlic Salt, then dust the tops with Poultry Magic and Basil. Throw it in the microwave! Mine works for 1 minute per side per two filets. If I’m making for just myself, then it’s two minutes. If I’m making for myself and John, then it goes for 8. Yes, the chicken will be cooked most of the way through when you’re done. This is because it’s MUCH easier to cut up, and I’m paranoid about food poisoning.
Ready the stove: Pan for pasta, skillet (non-stick is great) for chicken. Turn the pasta pot to high, turn the chicken pot to medium or med-low if your stove nukes things like mine does. Put a pat of Parkay in the bottom of the skillet and lightly dust with Poultry Magic. If you’re making a sizable amount of chicken, wait to turn on the skillet until you’re 3/4 of the way done. Otherwise, you’ll Just have butter popping everywhere.
Chop that chicken: Cut the chicken filets into centimeter to inch sized chunks. This can take a while, so make sure to watch that skillet! Once the chicken is chopped, add it to the skillet (watch your hands for butter popping!). If you waited too long, just add another pat of butter. If you were too fast, let the butter cook a bit more, other wise the chicken will take forever to finish.
Cookin’: Lightly sautée the chicken chunks. Add some more Poultry Magic while it’s cooking. I like it to look a bit brown from the seasoning. Throw the pasta in now. Your chicken bits will be done before the pasta, but if they finish at the same time the chicken will be way too hot to eat. It needs to sit around a bit to cool while the pasta is getting done.
Prepare the plate: Grab a dinner plate (or more) and the Parkay again. Add two pats of Parkay to the plate, then throw some Garlic Salt all over the plate too. I know it sounds like we’re getting waaaaay satly here, but the blandness of the pasta will balance it out.
Grab that chicken!: Once the chicken chunks are done, throw them onto your plate with the butter and garlic salt. I like my chicken dryish, so I let it sit in the skillet until all of the butter is gone and the chicken is getting a little tan. If you let the chicken get too dry, bits of it will begin to flake off, making your pasta a pain to eat. If it’s too juicy, the whole dish will be too wet, and it’ll be really nasty as it cools.
Eat it: Mix up the chicken bits, pasta and butter. Eat! The plate sure doesn;t look like much of a recipie, but it sure tatses good. If you find it a bit bland even with the chicken bits, add a little table salt to the top and mix in. Be very careful with it though, as it can quickly become too much.
Let me know if you try it!

I just got my print copy of the Accent Gwinett magazine that the article about Mere was printed in. I managed to hold it together reading it the first time on the web, but seeing it in print and remembering the day I took the pictures day made me lose it and I sobbed all the way back from my mailbox. I miss her, but what an amazing article Tracy Ray wrote.

So see the other entry I wrote about her, check here: http://www.stylizedportraiture.com/blog/?p=279