My hands have been busy

Made combs for W's wedding, styled some hairssss and had a few requests to make some little girls feel very special. 

and it's been feeling good. 

A Weekend Well Spent {green tea & ivy}

....worked hard this weekend to fill the shop with some new things, now that Spring is here!

Even though the hours of hand cutting and stitching pass so quickly, I can saw its worth it when i actually FINISH something.

Would it be silly if I walked around town wearing my own creations? Talk about all dressed up with no place to go. :) 

All available for purchase in my Etsy Shop. 

frilly willy

It's a really good feeling when you make something with your own hands and you can't believe that you made it. It's been a while since I had made any combs (not since Carol's wedding) but I had these really fluffy ivory flowers attached to a long stem (kind of like a freesia or a hollyhock, but not quite...maybe even a lisanthus). They were just so pretty that I was inspired. It's kind of embarrasing to admit that sometimes I'll look at both of these pieces for long periods of time and think "WOW. I made that and I REALLY LIKE IT. REALLY like it."

I know its not quite for everyday, but I'm still hoping that some brides will come along and sweep them away. Thought I might be sad to say farewell as I wrap it up and take it to the post office. I can just see it now.

 {ellie dream}                                               {marry me juliet}

{marry me juliet}

Both are available in my etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/greenteaandivy

{and if you message me with this blog post, I'll even give you a free shipping code!}

a million places at once

I had a very busy weekend....lots of little projects that I'd alluded to early this week.  But its an amazing feeling to be so productive. Not to mention less maddening to lay in bed and have less on my mind.

Well, the biggest project I worked on was opening an Etsy shop! I had a lot of mixed feelings about it over the past year even though I had the amazing opportunities to work on projects for both Steph and Carol.

I received some very timely encouragement (a big hug goes out to Cathie Hong) so I decided to make the jump and just give it a shot. Spent some time this weekend designing some BRAND NEW pieces.  I have added them to the shop so please check it out. If you have request for a custom item, please let me know. :)

 Please visit me at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/greenteaandivy

Thank you so much for your support. <3

A cup of Spring

Early in February, my OC pals {a.k.a. Liz's bridesmaids} had a request - enough greentea & ivy pieces to give away as favors at Liz's bridal shower! Considering the special opportunity to bless one of my long time friends, I took a deep breath and agreed - I'm sure I was a little on the crazy side of my brain for thinking I could put together 50+ unique clips and brooches (especially with mike & jen's wedding being right smack in the middle of it). However, thanks to my roommate, Sarah, we finished them all (as well watched an array of movies) in two weeks time! It was a wonderful opportunity to share the love - and I would do it again if I had the chance. :)

Jules also had a special request: purple & gold headbands for the bridesmaids.
Though initially it was a challenge to come up with something lovely yet matching the Lakers theme for their wedding, I was MORE THAN HAPPY to incorporate full love for my favorite team in a greentea & ivy project!

Something special for the bride - a big fluffy peony for Liz.

Some of the other pieces...about half were brooches and half were clips

I had a contest running for facebook fans this past week asking them what their favorite part of getting ready for a wedding was. Out of all the ladies that replied, Yuna Park is our winner. :) Congrats Yuna! Please send me either a facebook message or an email at courtlynn.photography@gmail.com with your address and indicate if you would like to receive a pair of ranuculus hair pins (red, gold, white or pink) or a white peony hair clip.

Lastly, as I mentioned... Happenstance has been lookin' just a little different around here - and that is thanks almost entirely to cathie hong! Ever since she started her new blog, Ampersandity, I have been won over by her craftiness on a daily basis... talk about a quick learner - she's a quickly budding calligrapher/graphic designer/stylist/photographer and I knew she was the perfect person to design the new logo I had in mind.

Her penmenship is gorgeous and easygoing...just a touch of whimsy. I'm hopefully those are
words can also describe courtlynn photo in due time as well. :)

Cathie is also up for other projects if you are interested in hiring her
(which I recommend...I would have her write everything for me, if I could :D)
Check our her blog for more details!

bringing two into the world

February2010 is ready to wrap up and i realize that I did SO much this month.
so much but I enjoyed the fact that this week felt like smooth sailing...

i had 4 hour engagement shoot last week and fulfilled my biggest greentea & ivy order to date {60 individually different pins & clips!}

But the week before that I went through a process that felt a bit like i had brought two new babies into this world. I guess in a way, i kind of did...


{the creative process for Shin-Yu wedding}


While i had introduced greentea & ivy via my blog, I got incredible feedback for my 6 individual pieces for stephanie's bridesmaids. It meant so much to me that people were genuinely impressed by my handiwork - ESPECIALLY the bridesmaids. I was a bit nervous about how they would be received because these gals really didn't have much input in the design. Steph sent me a photo of what she wanted and after a short interview, I clarified the colors and feel that they could have. I never wanted to create 6 identical combs and i'm thankful that Steph gave me the freedom to use my judgement. It was fortunate that I had knew all of her bridesmaids - the first evening was spent reflecting on each bridesmaid, their sense of style & skin/hair tones and I jotted down my list of gals, what colors I would be using (lime green, white, gold and plum) and identifying the dominate color in each comb. Figuring out the angles of the comb in every which direction took the longest time but after I had finished #3 I had found my groove.




{the finished products, packaged & ready to go!}

I breathed a sigh of relief when Veronica (the GORGEOUS maid of honor) came up to me at the wedding and told me how much she liked it...followed by cindy and diane. {hi guys!} But the cherry on top of the cake and the most meaningful compliment came from my nearest and dearest, non-girly, no-frills naomi - when she said that she would even consider wearing her comb (the first one out of the bunch) AGAIN. Voluntarily. There really were no words to convey my surprise. :)




Veronica makes it look sooooooo good!




Naomi's best wedding look, in my humble opinion, to date.


I've decided against making an etsy site (at least for now), I was able to find another solution - I made a facebook fanpage for people to contact me and place custom orders. I've already had an incredible response {31 fans & counting} and two giveways. Become a fan on facebook if you want more greentea action.

My second baby wasn't something that I was really planning on doing right then and there in this month. I had thought about it numerous times over the past two years but my mom helped me conclude that it wasn't quite the right time.

Looking on back on everything that happened this year {still haven't written that post about my amazing birthday which tells the whole story...}, and in response to opportunities I've had to shoot, I thought I'd take a chance and make the leap...

and finally make my own website.

That's right...there is now OFFICIALLY a http://www.courtlynnphoto.com/

{a screenshot of the landing page}

Can I just tell you its terrifying at times? Worrying that others might think "What's this girl doin'? She's not a real photographer!!" was the first thought I kept battling as I was making it...
I had so many insecurities that I told people about it s l o w l y even after it went live.
But you know what....I'm gonna try it out. I'll see what happens and be ok with it! I'm gonna keep doing what I do.

So if you would be so inclined to check it out, {and see the shots that I love the most in one place} head over to http://www.courtlynnphoto.com/ and let me know what you think!

Have a great weekend friends!

more green tea & ivy adventures

a lot of people saw the absolute MADNESS at my house the past two weeks, but few know why...



the mission: create 6 different pieces for Stephanie+Tim's wedding.





i'll post the completed mission later this week...but here's a sneakpeak for now. :)

P.S. For more news and photos, and what is currently for sale, you can become a fan of greentea & ivy on facebook!

introducing Green Tea & ivy!

So continuing from yesterday...

i discovered the craft fair at UCSD not long after completing the pieces for Randy & Elaine's wedding. I toyed with the idea of selling fanciful sashes and headbands since it is the beginning of the Christmas season, and well in advance of the wedding season.

Long story short, I was put on a waiting list for the craft fair about 1.5 weeks before it was to take place. Two days before I actually got INTO the craft fair and had to go into a frenzy trying to make as many peices as possible in two days, considering that I didn't have anything already premade. Basically starting off from scratch as I tried to narrow down my ideas, but fully inspired by several hours in Anthropologies, Michaels & Joanns...what else would you expect but an all niter before setting up shop @ 6:30 AM on a wednesday morning?

So what did I actually make?

Oh just some hair clips:

{These goldie clips were the most popular item at the craft fair!}


Malia {modeled by both jules & chelle - this large magenta marigold piece is one of my favorites- just the right amount of island flair. I also made a brooch with pearls piled in the middle. I think I have to make another one for myself!}


"Olivia" headband. :) {Named after you know who. :)}


The Kristen headband {a unique blend of lace and linen. One was snatched up by my sister who decided to pair it with jeans today. I myself paired it with my favorite brown sweater, a golden plaid shirt and my brown boots.}



Penelope Sash {A blush pink peony on a satin gray sash. I LOVE the color combo. Very soft and romantic.}


Midnight Rose Sash {More of a deep magenta in a silk garden rose...but against a navy satin sash, its actually pretty! I'm not a fan of pink but these two colors just seem to balance each other so well.}


Elizabeth Ruffle sash {chiffon, linen ruffles on gray ribbon. Simple but intricately handsewn.}


Lauren Ribbon Sash {A giant magenta flower on a gray satin sash. I couldn't help but picture it with a simple little black dress.}

So it was a great experience that I'm glad I had. Thanks to the support of my roommates who gave me their feedback and encouragement by want to buy like ALL of my sashes and hair clips and Joyce Kaj who turned out to be the perfect assistant to manning my table at the craft fair. While I'm still tossing around the idea of making an Etsy shop, I consider my accessories shop Green Tea & Ivy "off the ground". (Not the most original name but it was something I coined when I first thought I would have a fashion line one day...back in when I used to puffy paint tshirts in 8th grade.)

Contact me if you want to order anything you see here OR if you have something else in mind. :)

Crafty Madness continued

Not long ago (actually the week before my vacation) I participated in my first craft fair @ UCSD...it was pretty exciting!

Well exciting and kind of scary as well. What inspired me to put my handmade pieces out there?
It all started with my birthday present to Olivia (which you might remember me making here)


That first project was really really fun. Little did I know there was more to come.
Since Olivia was going to be a flower girl, Angela (Livy's mom) suggested to the bride (my buddy Elaine) that maybe I could make some head pieces for her flower girls.

So i multiplied my headband efforts by three and made very slightly different variations of silk hydrangea petals handsewn with pearls and gold beads in their centers for Elaine & Randy's cutie flower girls. Though I was running tight on time in delivering them, I had to take some photos documenting project #2. Macbook to the rescue!



Now, not about me but how about those flower girls?

{photos by James Lim}


{photo by orange turtle photography}

so I was really excited about the possibilities of making more pieces like this. Read on tomorrow to see what I actually made for the craft fair and what's currently available!