Where to Begin?

Crystals can be overwhelming when starting out, especially when you realize they have metaphysical & healing properties. Like, whoa! But getting started is as easy as just acquiring what calls to you..

I learned by slowly purchasing about 20 different types and sizes of tumbled healing crystals as I started my orgone pyramid journey. I studied a crystal encyclopedia while holding crystals in my hand to feel their energy and different vibrations. I learned about energetic chakras and how crystals can aid in their realignment.
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Build Trust Through Intuitive Experience

I began meditating and connecting with clients’ spirit guides and would see the exact color of crystal needed to aid in their healing. I would ask my spirit guide for confirmation of what I envisioned and would get chills (my truth meter) when correct. After clients received my pyramids and confirmed these healing crystals and the included detailed analysis of each crystal were needed for their current situation, this slowly built up my certainty in my gift and confidence.

Alas, when introducing an audience to a brand new metaphysical item and new age modality of healing, it can take time to trust not only the product, but the artist as well. I have had many clients not know where to begin either for themselves or for a loved one’s gift. They come to me with a specific problem or intention and ask for guidance and a crystal consultation. It is in that moment of intuition that I am able to build their trust.

Intuitive Accessories

​I took another leap and decided to get into jewelry making, specifically crystal bracelets with a clasp fitting, to make it even easier for those curious about healing crystals to slowly dabble and familiarize themselves with crystals’ properties and vibrations. Wearable healing jewelry still upholds the crystals’ metaphysical properties and allows people to incorporate crystals in their everyday style. Simple, but elegantly stated, you can dress these bracelets up or down. They are perfect for everyday wear or a family photo session! Each strung bead is energetically programmed with its specific intention and each bracelet is handcrafted with love. 

You can stay connected, learn more and follow Ashley on her journey on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.

​Becoming a photographer is really interwoven with the story of how I became who I am today. Through creating our family I found myself through the art of photography. So, let’s start from the beginning shall we.
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From FL to TX
I was born in Florida, where my fondest memory was of daily beach visits. In high school I moved to Texas and continued my stay through college in Lubbock. GO RED RAIDERS! There I got a degree to teach science and met my forever best friend and now husband and father to our three children.
 
We moved to my husband’s Texas hometown and there I taught high school science for eight years. I loved it! I am passionate about science, so I felt like I got to teach what I loved. But the best part was the feeling I got from making a difference in the students’ lives every day.
 
And I can’t leave out that I had my dream wedding on a Maui beach with the perfect dress and the perfect man. It was simply amazing!
 
CO Bound
We felt Colorado calling us! My husband had lived in CO for a short stay and our vacations kept bringing us back to this colorful state. When we decided that it was time for the next chapter in our lives, Colorado felt like a fresh start. I love getting to live in a state that has all of the seasons. And you can’t beat having the mountains just a short drive from our Northern Colorado home.
 
Shortly after moving to Colorado, I had my first little girl. Like any other new parent, I wanted to experience everything. I had the privilege of staying home with her while my husband worked. I took many photos of her myself, but we decided to invest in professional photos for her first year and that is where I fell in love with newborn photography.
 
Finding My Next Passion
During my first born’s newborn photo shoot, I was amazed by the photographer. She made it looks so easy. My little one was overwhelmingly precious all wrapped up and placed in these little sets.
 
I already had a camera that I had been playing with before my daughter was born. I fell in love with the beauty within the newness of babies. Their innocence, how quickly they change. I became passionate about capturing these moments to help them last forever.

Getting Started
I put a lot of time and energy into learning the art of maternity and newborn photography. Through online courses, hours perfecting the art of shooting and editing, newborn safety courses, and mentoring with an awesome newborn photographer, I am very confident in my craft. However I am continuously learning.
 
The Studio Experience
I created my own private studio so I can do what I love most in a place that is 100% a result of my creative nature and inspiration. From having a relaxing and comfortable space for parents, to the backgrounds, lighting, props, sweet outfits for the littles — my creativity and focus on the whole scene really shines.
 
There is so much to learn as a studio photographer. Lighting is everything! Where, how strong, if natural light is also coming in, big set, small set, backlighting, shadow lighting, moody lighting. It’s a lot to learn, but it is also all in my control.
 
I enjoy a lovely outdoor family shoot too, but I really love getting to pull from all my skills to create the studio experience for my clients.
 
So Rewarding
I LOVE this job because every day children grow and develop into who they will become in the future. I get capture the before moments and the new moments, tiny features and small details.

​Getting the perfect shot for my clients fills my cup. I know it means so much to me, but I feel over the moon when my clients tell me how much it means to them.
 
What’s Next?
Future plans include a stand-alone studio space with a full-service boutique. I’d love to have a selection of products so my clients can leave my studio with exactly what is going to go straight onto the walls in their homes.
 
I’m also learning how to create more dramatic studio shots for my maternity clients. Amazing dress shots, working with shadows and black and white. It’s such a gift to get to capture the beauty of pregnancy as well.
 
I know these dreams will become realities in my future because I have already made the dream of Amber Sullivan Photography come true.
 
I've told you my story; now let me help you tell yours!

​During the winter of 2019 I shared that we were expecting our third and last baby and I was so excited to book my first ever maternity and newborn photography package. Then it was April 2020. The month that never seemed to end for most of us, but for me it was speeding by. I was getting closer and closer to the baby’s due date and the unknowns of delivering a baby during a pandemic.
 
I had purchased the maternity dress for my photo shoot months ago. As I grew large with child I wondered if that beautiful dress would even still fit. I knew that our early April photo shoot date had to be canceled. There were just so many unknowns back then. Information was still quickly coming and changing. But I couldn’t let go of my wish to have this one last opportunity to document my pregnant body and I shared my feelings publicly with the Northern Colorado Moms Blog. Thanks to the encouragement of the women in my circle and my precious photographer a new date was set for May for an outdoor shoot.
 
I got dressed, did my hair and put on makeup for the first time in months. And then a fierce rainstorm blew in and persisted until the light was almost gone. I could have taken it as a sign that this was not meant to be, but instead I stood in front of our pond in our backyard and had my husband capture a few shoots with wet feet and fading light. Amber graciously offered to edit the photos my husband captured as we organized a new date yet again.
 
When the new date came, I got to dress up, do my hair and makeup again. I felt beautiful. I got in my car to drive to the scenic spot and everything felt new. This was my first ever maternity photo shoot. It was my first time driving in weeks. And it was one of the first times I remembered to take with me my now trusty face mask. New and different.
 
The whole experience was lovely and so memorable. The location Amber picked out was perfect. The light was beautiful. The water glistened. Amber helped to ease all my awkwardness with guidance on how to pose. The conversation was so needed and comforting that even if we were six feet apart, I felt close and seen.
 
When I got back in my car, I didn’t want to go home. I had been home for almost three months at that point outside of a grocery pickup here and there. I looked back at the water where I had been made to feel like a queen and I took three deep breaths. Amber did more than document my third and last pregnancy for me that day. She gave me space to breathe.

Healthy Sleep Habits From the Start

If your little one is less than three months old, or if you are expecting a new baby and want to get off to a great sleep start these new born sleep tips will be very valuable.
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You will be teaching your baby healthy sleep habits right from the very beginning.
As a Certified Sleep Sense™ Consultant, I help families safely get their babies, toddler and older children sleeping through the night.  

​Newborn Sleep Goals:

Goal #1: Independent Sleep Skills
One of the most crucial elements for teaching children to fall asleep and stay asleep is helping them develop independent sleep skills.  It is important that you avoid teaching your baby to rely on a sleep prop. (feeding to sleep is the most common). Keep your baby awake during feeding is key.

Goal #2: Full Feeds
Encouraging full feeds during the day by creating an Eat. Play. Sleep  schedule.  Newborn babies (up to 3 months) will need to take 4-5 naps a day.  These naps should ideally be between 1-3 hours.  Most newborns should only be awake for 45-60 minutes before it is time to take another nap.

Goal #3: Consistent Bedtime Routine
Establishing a consistent bedtime routine from day one  is a great way to help your baby organize days and nights, which leads to consolidated nighttime sleep more quickly.  One of the best things to signal that bedtime is near is a warm bath.

Example Bedtime Routine

1. Bath
2. Pajamas
3. Feeding
4. Kisses goodnight and into crib or bassinet awake

Capturing the Special Moments

I try to capture all the smiles and special moments with my children. The camera on my smart phone is pretty darn amazing. But I'll admit that the pictures that I take will never be professional quality. They are cute, candid and special to me, but to get that quality that I want to print and send out to our friends and family near and far, I knew I needed to lean on someone with the right tools and experience.

I Hit Book Now!

In my five+ years being a parent, I had actually never booked a studio photo session. I saw that Amber was advertising Spring Mini Sessions and the backdrops looked so sweet. So, I took the leap. I hit "Book Now" and I'm so glad I did.

You see, this will be the last spring that I will be able to refer to my children as "my girls." Come this summer we are due to have a boy join our crazy town USA. The sweetness, sisterhood and expressions that Amber was able to quickly capture in less than 30 minutes are absolutely priceless!

Getting Picture Perfect

My five-year-old and two-year-old felt so special getting to pick out an outfit from Amber's studio closet. They were filled with all the twirling magic delight! And I was relieved as a hot-mess mom that I didn't have to rush out to get spring outfits for them before the photo shoot.

A combination of the atmosphere and Amber being such an amazing mom herself, my girls, to my surprise, were great listeners and took Amber's direction without question. She kept them engaged and moving so they didn't get bored and Amber was quick to respond when a particular pose just wasn't clicking for my girls. She never pressured them to pose a certain way, just gave friendly suggestions that made the girls want to try.

You Never Know Until You Try

So, if you are like I was and not sure what a Spring Mini Session at a photographer's studio is all about and if it is worth it, let me encourage you — it is invaluable! All it took was some clicks to book and 30 minutes of a Saturday morning.

And now I have these precious memories to welcome in the spring season. This may become an annual tradition! Although next year it might look very different with a boy in the middle.

Care, Love and Pride
I am changing the way breast milk is seen by establishing a professional service with heart and soul. I place the utmost care and love into each piece I create, and treat them with respect and care for which they deserve. I take pride in creating these lifelong keepsakes.

Hand crafting such a special piece of art isn't just about placing materials together, it's about you and what makes your journey unique. It's about celebrating your goals and capturing the most amazing moments. The moments in which you may have had to overcome fear and struggles with such determination as well as the sweet, nurturing moments you never want to forget.

Your story matters and should be captured with love. “Inspired by life, handmade with love.”

What would these pearls represent for you in your journey? Let us know in the comments.

​Connect with Mother Nature on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.

No matter how grateful we may be, new or experienced, strongly supported or strongly solo, pregnancy is hard. Here’s the good news, self-care is trending. It’s no longer shunned to follow the airline rules in everyday life of putting your oxygen mask on first before helping others. But how does that translate when the other is growing inside of your very own body?

Learning from past pregnancies

I’m currently pregnant with our third child. It was unplanned, but let’s get real, so was our first and we kinda love her to the moon and back. So after the hardest first trimester I’ve ever experienced, I’m ready to show myself and this sweet growing bump some serious loving care.

First
During my first pregnancy I was so busy with my career in New York; I do remember having fun dressing my growing body, highlighting the miracle that is motherhood, but I also remember being so focused on work that I didn’t really pay much attention to my body until my back pain was so bad it became a challenge to walk.

Second
I definitely learned from this and during my second pregnancy, now as a stay at home mom, I took my daily exercise time seriously and prioritized it like a champion. Also during that time I was adjusting to moving cross-country, starting an early intervention journey with my first child and buying a home. So, no, no stress at all. I know I could have managed that stress better.

Third
So, what’s on my wish list this time around? All the self-care and love practices! However, after 36 years I thankful have learned to be a bit more practical and move out of the all-or-nothing mindset. So, here are the top five must-do’s to show myself love during this pregnancy. Because if I can count my must-list items on just one hand, they are more likely to happen.

Keep yourself glowing while you’re growing

1. Move your body, eat well. You’ll hear this plenty from your health-care providers, but it really makes a difference in your mental and physical health when you focus on your diet and exercise during pregnancy.  Strive to move your body daily, meaning breaking a sweat every now and then. Think of your nutrition as fueling your whole health. This could be as simple as daily dance parties to your favorite tunes or a 10-minute prenatal yoga session at home with YouTube. Remember when it comes to eating mindfully your most important utensil is your table and chair.
2. Treat yo’self monthly. As your body changes, so do your needs and wants. And this is happening rapidly. Every few weeks or so brings on growth, change and new symptoms of pregnancy. Budget in monthly treats to honor your strength through all of this change. See a prenatal chiropractic, book a prenatal massage, change up your hair style, get a mani-pedi, maybe even invest in a monthly BumpBoxes subscription. Whatever speaks to you, make it a priority to treat yourself at least once a month.
3. Sweet dreams sleep. So, this one was a lot easier to sneak in during my first pregnancy when I didn’t have little ones waking me up early in the morning and refusing their naps in the afternoon. I’ve also found myself with major pregnancy insomnia this time around. Once my mind gets going, there’s just no going back to sleep or napping. So, I’ve learned to fiercely protect my sleep by going to bed early when I’m tiered, asking for help so I can sneak in a nap when I’m sleepy midday and practicing bedtime rituals just as I would with my kids. But instead of bath, book, bed, it may look like aromatherapy, tea, Epsom-salt baths, meditations and journaling.
4. Dress up and celebrate. Put those date nights on the calendar and treat them like a doctor’s appointment. This is the time to celebrate more often with your partner and friends. Not sure what to wear? Don’t worry because your mom tribe has got your back. Because this pregnancy was unplanned, I had already donated all my past maternity clothes. A simple ask on my local mom’s Facebook group turned up tons of cute, new-to-me maternity clothes. In fact, I go so much of an abundance I was able to donate four boxes of clothes to our local charity, Stork Support of Northern Colorado.
5. Book a maternity photo session. I didn’t invest in a maternity photo session during my first two pregnancies and I so wish I had. Each pregnancy has been so different and I really wish I had those special memories made everlasting with a professional photo shoot. Sure I took the monthly bump shots from home and I do enjoy looking back at those photos. But let’s be honest, the lighting is terrible, my clothes are whatever and the focus is just on the growing belly. I really want to celebrate my whole body and capture something special. So, this time around I was thrilled to find Amber Sullivan Photography and grab up not just a maternity session, but also a newborn session while I was at it. I’m so excited and I look forward to sharing with you all the beautiful photos that I know will result. 
   

What are your favorite self-care practices while pregnant? Let us know in the comments.

 Who else is over this heat and ready to see some fall colors?! I am excited about Fall Family MIni Sessions this year as well! I will be starting the weekend in Arvada at Standley Lake, and ending it in Timnath. 

$135 - 20 minute sessions and 8 digitals. 

Saturday is the day I will get to see all of my Denver area families! Make sure to book fast so you get your spot! 

This will be my first year doing fall family minis at this location. I hope to meet some new faces from around NoCo! 

Summer is just about half way over! Ready for the kiddos to head back to school? This will be the first year of kinder for my oldest and she is super excited to start school.  My middle child, Evie, will be starting her first year of pre-k as well! These are very exciting times and it can go by so fast, it's important to document them! So get your kiddos in for photos! 

​ To book your session, follow this link: ​Back To School Mini Sessions

Annual Back To School mini sessions will be set for August 10, 11, and 17th. Various times through out the day will be available. I love that I get to see my kids on the same backdrop year to year. You can really see how they've grown. You can also get some photos of the siblings together in this photoshoot. Each time slot can have up to 3 kids. For additional children, we will book two time slots. It will be an additional $15/child. You will also get an extra digital for this as well. 

These mini sessions are for any child going into school or daycare for this next year. 6 months and up! We can accommodate any age as long as they can sit mostly by themselves. We will get individual photos and sibling photos, serious and silly photos. You will get a gallery 1 -2 weeks after your session to choose your 3 digitals with the option to purchase more. 

This is the 3rd year for my back to school mini sessions and getting to watch some of the kids grow is so awesome! It is amazing how many changes there are in one year.

 To book your session, follow this link: ​Back To School Mini Sessions

You will be able to choose your date and time. Then be on the look out for an email containing the contracts and your invoice. I am looking forward to seeing you and your family in the new studio! 

I am an animal lover! I have two dogs and a cat at home and know they are always part of your family unit! So why not include them in your photos? When you look at your photos hung up on your walls in the future long after our furry friends have passed, wouldn't it be nice to have them in those pictures so that our kids can truly remember them? Pets are allowed in my studio for this exact reason! Here are a few photos from this families session! =) 

This is an awesome addition to a one year shoot. Who doesn't want cake for their birthday?!? We smash the cake and then hop in the bath tub to clean off!

The faces are always priceless! Little Beau didn't know what to think when his cake fell over! Even though, the first thing he did when he saw his cake was grab it with two hands and take it! Haha! 

Happy First Birthday Beau!