I’m Back, B*ches!

I was thinking about, how when I wrote this post, that I would need some witty intro line like ‘hey, remember me’ or ‘gosh, I haven’t blogged in so long my website is dusty, har har’. But then I can to my site and logged in, and realised I had forgotten my password. So  this, in fact is my opening line:

Hi, I’m Kate, former blogger who cant even remember how to access her own website.

I realise that too many of my (sporadic and poorly spaced out) posts have started like this, so it’s also made me realise that A) I need to get my writing ass into gear and B) I’m sorry. I’ll try harder. All 3 of my followers tell me they miss my content.

So where does one begin after an almost 1 year hiatus? Everywhere and nowhere. I guess in a way my re-emergence from the fog means that my next few posts may be more of a (what the fuck?!) life lately than anything specific. So here goes:

It has been a hell of a year. In the last 13 months my husband and I both lost our jobs, started our own businesses, had a baby, renovated (twice) and then because I clearly didn’t have enough going on, I bought a business. So whilst some of that was super good, it has also been a really really terrible year. An Annus horribilis as Queenie would say.

I can’t get into the work front but let me just tell you, to be out of a job the first week you go back after having a baby is pretty much the biggest kick-while-you’re-down thing that can ever happen to a gal. I realised, recently, that I’m suffering from PTSD and am trying, every day, to remind myself that I am freaking awesome, capable and talented. Sounds pretty arrogant, but I need to start building my own confidence up. As with all sad stories though, it had a happy ending, and I finally had the push I needed to take my photography business to the next level. So I’m thrilled that Kate Rankin Photography is doing so well, and amazed that people keep booking me and using me and it really is the other love of my life. I love t so much, that when I was approached in January to buy a posed newborn business, I jumped.

On 1 March I became the official owner of Slumberings photography, and as I type this I am still sitting in a puddle of wee (not my own) glowing after having just shot a twin newborn session in my brand new studio.

The business, although wonderful, has come with a lot of additional stress. Not only have I had to get funding to buy the business, but I’m also loaned to my crotch hair on building debt and other-fun-stuff-that-comes-with-renovating. It’s been a long journey but I am so so happy to finally have an amazing little studio and office and a home for all aspect of my photography (come visit, I have good coffee;))

On the family front, Piper, the baby I told you about when I last blogged over a year ago, is already 14 months. This little spunky, wild eyed feral child has turned my life upside down and inside out. She took everything I thought I knew about parenting and blew it to smithereens with 8 months of no (and I mean NONE) sleep, dramatic flairs and tiny pint sized diva meltdowns. To say I love her is an understatement. She has climbed under my skin and into my heart and absolutely changed the way I feel about the world around me. Someone told me that she was sent to earth to teach me a lesson, and whiles I have no idea what lesson is, I do know that in her short 14 months she has made me more patient, more exhausted and more of a mom than ever before.

Carter, my angelic now 4 year old is just the most amazing child. He is the calm to her crazy and the brains to her bossy. My little big man makes me so proud with his intellect, thoughtfulness and eagerness ot learn. They always say that children are different but these 2 kids are polar opposites. yet it works. I think he has come to accept that his sister is the ruler of the Rankin roost, and he is merely her plaything and food-bringer. My sweet child.

Oh, and on the family front, because I clearly hared any sleep I was getting or any free time I never had, we got a puppy, Pixel. I have always wanted a Pointer and so I applied to a few rescue groups as I desperately wanted to re-home a dog. Three times we were approved, and then denied when a re-homing position became available – due to us never having owned the breed before. It was heartbreaking meeting a future dog and then being told he wouldn’t be yours. So we got Pixel from a farm in White River, and he has matched my daughter in character, busyness and attitude. He is wonderful (and so fucking naughty we threaten him with the SPA several times a day. (Rupert and Bella are still trying to make up their minds, though)

 

So that’s it, really. Apologies if you clicked through looking for dramatic anecdotes and hilarious stories – but there is just so much going on that it’s almost impossible to out down into just one post. Make sense?

Next week I promise to write about asshole friends, bad parenting and too much wine 😉

I can guarantee that I will be back here, way more often, and hopefully this Stella will get her writing groove back soon

Thanks for the love, friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Win a Kate Rankin Photo Shoot Valued at R2500!

It’s my birthday week (25 again!) and I’ve decided to reward one lucky person with an awesome prize – a professional photo-shoot from Kate Rankin Photography – AKA me 🙂

For those of you who have followed my photographic journey you will know that it’s one of my greatest loves, and to be able to give a shoot away just makes me so happy.

The value of the shoot is R2500 and can be for pretty much anything – family, newborn, kiddies party, maternity, couple, engagement… you name it! Have a look at my website to see the sort of photos I take, it may just give you some inspiration.

It’s really easy to enter:

  1. Like KateRankinPhotography on Facebook
  2. Like KateRankinPhotography on Instagram
  3. Comment on either the Instagram competition post or the Facebook competition post and tell me what shoot you want
  4. Share the Instagram or Facebook post

Then, cross fingers and toes and vaginas (if you’ve had a baby and pee when excited) and wait until 27 January when the winner is announced… on my birthday!

The Ts and the Ts

  1. Shoot to take place in Johannesburg Northern Suburbs. Should the winner be residing elsewhere he or she to make their own way to the shoot/venue/location
  2. Shoot has to be booked and claimed before 30 April 2017
  3. Winner will be drawn at random
  4. Only those who follow competition mechanics will be eligible for the draw
  5. Winner consents to having his/her photos published on my blog and Facebook pages
  6. Shoot duration will not last longer than 2 hours
  7. Shoot details will be at the final discretion of the photographer

Good Luck!!

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Win a Photoshoot Valued at R2500!

“Please take a photo of Carter and me”.

This is something I ask my husband atleast once a day. Why? Because I have no photos of my child and I together. (slight exaggeration, but you get the point). I am always the one snapping the hundreds of people holding my baby, and capturing those tender moments between him and someone who isn’t his mother. I must have several thousand photos of my husband with the kid, and a few thousand more of my dogs, grannies, friends, friend’s kids and friends babies with my baby. Hell, even my domestic worker has her own album on my iMac.

Every now and then my husband does remember to take a photo. Unfortunately it’s generally at 5 am when Carter is lying in the bed next to me, when there’s dried snot on my cheek, my face is puffy and lined from sleep, and I look like this:

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Arsehole.

It may be the wannabe photog in me, but there are atleast a dozen moments throughout the day when I’m perfectly posed for a pic. TAKE MY PICTURE YOU IDIOT I want to shout as I’m lovingly gazing into my baby’s eyes, he’s gazing lovingly back and there are fucking violins playing in the background. But no, unless I ask someone nicely to snap a pic, it wont happen, and even then the moment is undoubtedly lost when I get a forced “Ok look up at the camera and say cheese!’.

So, it is with muchos excitement that I’m running this competition on my blog. This one’s for all the moms who took the time to wash their hair and apply makeup in the hopes that someone would snap their pic of them and their baby…and then were asked to hold the camera and take a photo of someone else.

My good friend – and photographer extraordinaire – Clair Fraser from Fraser Photography (you may remember her for our engagement shoots) recently did a photo shoot with me and Carter (and the dogs, but they are incredibly needy, so I’ll let that one slide). I adore these pics so much, and just love how Clair is with the babies behind the scenes. Carter had an absolute blast, and to thank me for it he delivered a gigantic poonami from hell later that day, but I digress.

Clair has kindly offered to giveaway a photo shoot, valued at R2500 to Rupert Approves readers. And if you’re anything like me, then luxuries like personalized photo shoots are almost impossible given the price of nappies, formula and wine. Three vital things needed when raising a child.

Even better – the shoot isn’t limited to a newborn – it can be anything from maternity to a family lifestyle shoot. So, if you’re feeling bad because the last time you updated your family album was in 2012 using an old Instagram photo, then this is the competition for you.

I know you’re busy (washing your hair and putting makeup on and all that) so entering is really simple. All it takes is 3 easy steps:

  1. Follow Rupert Approves.
  2. Like Clair Fraser Photography on Facebook.
  3. Comment on this post and tell me what shoot you would like to win (Maternity, Newborn, Baby, Cake Smash, Toddler or Family Shoot)

The winner will be drawn and announced this Friday (7 August) at 7 pm.

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 The Ts and Cs

  • Winners must make their own travel arrangements to and from the studio, based in Fourways, Johannesburg.
  • Prize is not transferrable
  • Prize must be redeemed before 30 November 2015
  • Photoshoot categories are limited to: Maternity, Newborn, Baby, Family and First Birthday Cake Smash
  •  Entrants must abide by competition mechanics listed above in order to qualify

*update*

Congratulations to Mellissa who has won this amazing prize! To everyone else, thank you entering. Clair from Fraser photography has kindly offered a 10% discount to everyone who entered – simply quote the word ‘Rupert Approves’ when booking your shoot through her. The discount is valid for any shoot until the end of the year.

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