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Home: Arapahoe Acres- for sale

It has been ages since I have photographed a home in our old neighborhood.  Arapahoe Acres, if you don’t already know, is the first post 1950’s neighborhood to gain historic status.  Once you see a few of the exterior and interiors of the homes, you will see why.  I have several homes highlighted in my Arapahoe Acres category.

This home has been owned and inhabited by a sculptor and his wife, an esthetician.  They have created a haven in their backyard and the home itself has so many unique features for an AA home.  A mud room/laundry and an attached garage are just a couple details that may only be appreciated by those of us who didn’t have these amenities.  Also, they blew insulation into their cinder block.  Huge!  I only wish we could move back.  We miss our MCM hood and home.

mid century modern exterior, yellow door, brick and wood

mid century modern yard

This yard is a haven. So green and lush.

mid century modern yard

small but mighty, these two adorned trees give much needed mid-summer shade.

mid century modern exterior, paint and brick

I am so drawn to the lines and scale of Mid Century Modern home.

mid century modern kitchen

I really like the creative way they kept the original ceiling while adding task lighting to the kitchen. bravo.

mid century modern bedroom

mid century modern bathroom, mosaic tile, mahogany bathroom vanity

This original mahogany below sink cupboard can be found in many, if not all, of the homes in Arapahoe Acres. I refinished ours. It is a detail worth saving or adding if your AA slanted cupboard has been removed.

mid century modern furniture and front room

mid century modern fireplace, brick fireplace

Our Street: Backyard Concert

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We have great neighbors. There is often something really cool or fun happening on our street. Not always, but enough to start a photo log here in the blog-sphere.
Every summer our neighbors host a backyard concert. This year they somehow booked Paper Bird, whom we once saw perform at Red Rocks. A local band. The party this year was a lot larger and louder… with the occasional power issues. Which made for some intimate, acoustic performances. Truly lovely and I only wish we could get our act together to host a backyard concert too. I have a running list of who I’d like to play in our backyard. That list is nearly never ending.

"paper bird"

Paper Bird didn’t let a little power glitch get in the way of their set. The show must go on!

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of course he found the storm drain.

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My little man exploring the rocks in the yard. It’s a lovely yard.

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The lights really added so much to the concert this year. Well done!

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These kids enjoyed the music… and got bored too. But I think they mostly had a good time.

Paper Bird backyard concert

really beautiful and just a perfect evening. No rain

paper bird backyard concert

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The Broadmoor: Family Portrait

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You may have heard that the rain in Colorado this summer was epic.  Who knew that the week of the 4th of July would be so wet!  I know the rain wasn’t part of their vacation plans and it took us a little extra finagling to get this shoot to happen. I had never been to The Broadmoor Resort and it took my breath away.

family under a tree at the Broadmoore Resort, color photograph

I was so excited to meet Lisa Algert, and her family (of course).  Not only is she a talented photographer she is also a health nut, which I love.  It is always nice to meet another photographer whom I’ve only known from afar (that’s code for FB).  We got to chat after the shoot and I am so grateful to her for her bit of encouragement with my image transfer work.  She even gave me some tips on how to help my boy with celiac.  I hope San Fran is treating you well, and bringing some sunshine to make up for Colorado’s lack.

extended family portrait by the pond at the Boradmoor Resort

We began near the pond in the center of the Broadmoor complex. That place is expansive and quite beautiful… even with the low clouds obscuring the mountains.

family portrait by the pond at the Broadmoor Resort

Cutest girls.

b&w photograph of sisters under a tree at the Boradmoor Resort #stacieannsmith

They were brave and climbed down to this spot near the pond.

B&W photograph of a mom and son in front of the Broadmoor Resort

Pre-teens love a good hour with the camera in their face. Can’t you tell? I love this grimace/smirk

In the Studio: Vanity Fair Cover Shot

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Some of you may know what Vanity Fair is, and have caught a cover or two while in the grocery line. I took inspiration from those covers (I always imagine Annie Leibovitz behind the camera) when I was asked to photograph a large, glamorous family portrait this rainy summer. We were worried about the rain… and if it wasn’t raining- the heat.   So we planned to photograph inside and split the large group into smaller groups.

Have you ever seen a more beautiful group of people? I think not!

Vanity Fair Style family portrait, in studio, near Denver, Colorado

Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi

Friends, fun and home.  That is my absolute favorite thing to photograph.  I had the chance to visit my beautiful friend Ann Madden this last weekend.  She is probably one of the funniest people I have ever met.  Not only did I spend time with her, but my other two friends, Katy Tuttle and Kim Turner Smith, joined in on the fun.  We all went down to visit Ann and explore Bay Saint Louis and enjoy her gallery, Smith and Lens.  We each had a couple pieces in her show, Wonderland.  Really I wanted to see this place for myself.  It did not disappoint.

Family portrait, yellow house

Cutest family ever.

yellow house, front porch, kid with a trombone, #stacieannsmith,

The trombone made great noises.

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This is my favorite kitchen. I have photographed many kitchens and have never come across one with so much character and warmth. I need to spend more time in the south.

southern kitchen, beadboard, rustic, aprons

A story in every inch of this place.

girl brushing hair getting ready to be photographed

and art everywhere

girls bedroom full of art, #stacieannsmith

dreamiest kids room.

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photograph between drying drop cloths, black and white, #stacieannsmith

The drop cloths pulled us all in. It reminded me of bit of the corner Penn built… a lot less controlled. Much more imperfect, but still cool.

 

sisters on back porch, #stacieannsmith

So much greenery everywhere. Palms and lush, tropical foliage everywhere I turned. I want this porch and the light just makes it over the top.

photograph of a girl on backyard swing

So much energy. Donuts eaten before photographing guaranteed laughter and movement. I highly recommend sugar before a shoot… only if you can keep smiling with the crazy that follows.