Oh Land

Music + Fashion + Dance + Circus + Future = Oh Land. I heard Oh Land for the first time driving in Jason and Jessica's car several months back, and LOVED it the second I listened to "Son of a Gun." After that day I couldn't remember the name of the artist, and I just forgot about it. Thanks to Pandora, Oh Land popped up, and I immediately looked up the website.

Well, I'm head over heels now. Lady Gaga move over!

Nanna Oland Fabricious (a.k.a. Oh Land) is a Danish singer-songwriter that also happens to be a trained ballet dancer and BEAUTIFUL! She incorporates incredible performances into everything she does. She also happens to be a daughter of an organist and opera singer, so OBVIOUSLY this gal has talent. haha!

Check out her music and her gorgeous fashion photos!

Pink Preview

Here's a preview of a photo shoot that I got to contribute to for ELIZA Magazine.

This shoot was all about pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

You'll probably catch more sneak peeks along the way if you follow Eliza's blog or follow Executive Editor, Summer Bellessa on Instagram!

Photographed by Tracy Rasinski, Makeup by Heather Wilson, Styling by Alexandra Evjen, Hair by Annabelle Jones, Model Briana with Agency AZ, Scarf H&M, Makeup Sephora Breast Cancer Awareness Collection, Glasses Cinzia Designs

Pinterest Meals

I've talked plenty about how much I love Pinterest, and it's pretty obvious how it's impacted my business - I can create inspiration boards for styled shoots, for clients, hone in on my personal style, etc. What you may not know about me is that I don't enjoy cooking or baking. It's just something that tends to stress me out mostly because of timing everything perfectly. BUT there are two things that have made it more enjoyable recently:

1. I LOVE my spacious kitchen and appliances.

2. Pinterest meal ideas!!!

I have plenty of cookbooks on my shelves, but either I just don't have the right ones or I'm not selecting the best recipes because I haven't really LOVED anything I've made from them. Even AllRecipes.com has failed me plenty in the past.

So, I was reluctant to pin recipe ideas to my Pinterest board, but after seeing some super yummy meal ideas in my feed I decided to give some of them a whirl. I'm sure glad I did because EVERY single recipe I've tried has been fantastic. No joke! I'm thinking it's because people tend to pin the best of the best.

So, although this has NOTHING to do with fashion, this has completely changed my personal life and I had to share it with you. Here are some of the recipes that I have come to adore, and my husband and dinner guests can totally attest to them!

Apple & Brie Melts - Um, need I say more? With this recipe I actually use wheat bread and a bit of honey instead of apple butter.

Tastes Like Lasagna Soup - I made this last night is it's dreamy good! Instead of bits of lasagna noodles I used campanelle. It looks just like mini lasagna bites and is easier.

A Healthier Spinach Artichoke Dip - THIS IS THE BEST DIP IN THE WORLD. I love spinach artichoke dip, but it's so terrible for you. When I saw this recipe I was intrigued by it, but I thought it would taste terrible because it's less fat. NOPE! It's AWESOME! I used the Greek yogurt option and skim mozzarella cheese. Oh, and make sure to use the white wine. It really makes the dish to me. I served it with pita chips.

Lemon Parsley Chicken with Couscous - I'm Greek, so I obviously love lemon on everything. haha! I also enjoy couscous, and it's one of those super easy things that make a dinner more special over something like brown rice or pasta. It's ridiculously easy and fresh tasting.

Autumn Chopped Salad - Salads are an easy go-to for me because I know I can't screw it up. I actually microwaved my bacon to make it faster, and it came out extra crispy. Perfect!

Baked Lemon Pasta - Okay, so this recipe isn't so great for you, but it's SOOOOOOOO yummy. Another one of those dreamy yummy ones that looks super pretty for dinner guests.

I'll be sure to share more as I discover them! In the meantime you can follow my recipe pins here, http://pinterest.com/alexandraevjen/recipes-to-try/.

High School Senior Style

Being a senior in high school was one of the best times of my life. You feel invincible, on top of the world and of course SO flippin' cool. Granted, I look back at myself and just laugh at the notes I wrote to my friends, the stupid things I did that year, and what I wore for my senior photos!!! Seriously, what the heck was I thinking?! I wore ALL black and posed with my clarinet! So NOT cool! If only I had my own personal stylist to help me pick the right clothes for my personality and the camera.

Well, I'm happy to say that I've definitely learned from my mistakes, AND I'm offering my styling services to seniors as part of a high-end style experince with Melissa Jill Photography!

Melissa is not only a great friend of mine, but she was my wedding photographer back in 2007 and has since become one of the top wedding photographers in the country. Remember those pictures with my bright red pants? Yeah, she took those. =)

Recently, she has been able to grow her business and bring on Sara Nevels who is one of the cutest gals I've ever met AND a talented photographer in her own right. Along with Tina Burnham who is an uber talented makeup artist and hair stylist (she worked on the Rock 'n Roll Bridal Shoot, Marie Antoinette shoot, and did my makeup), a team of creatives has been assembled to make seniors feel like they are even COOLER (if that's possible) and ensure that they'll look back on their photos and love them FOREVER!

So, what are the specific dets?

Well, each session has four components: The Initial Consultation (Sara), The Styling Session (me & Tina), The Photo Shoot (the WHOLE team), and The Viewing & Ordering Session.

The Initial Consultation is a time for Sara, the senior, and the parents to really get to know each other. Lots of bonding takes place here. Stories are shared, questions are answered, expectations are set, and decisions are made.

The Styling Session is a phone chat with me, where I'll talk through different look options using Pinterest.com. Together, we'll discuss favorite looks and how to achieve them with the clothing the client already owns, or talk about where to go shopping to find the clothes that will achieve the looks they want. I'll also find out what the senior's hair & makeup preferences are, so that I can make sure Tina knows EXACTLY what they want on the day of the shoot. And don't worry, we have plenty of alternatives FOR GUYS to make this time worth their while too!

The Photo Shoot is the main event -- Hooray! Depending on how the senior wants their hair & makeup, it's safe to assume they'll be with us for 4 hours. Better to over-estimate than under! We plan 2 hours for preparation and 1-2 hours for the photo shoot. This also gives a little wiggle room for traveling to their location. We'll start at the Melissa Jill Photography office where Tina will do their hair & makeup and I will put together 3 outfits. As soon as the senior is ready, we'll head out for the shoot!

The Viewing & Ordering Session is the very first time the senior will see any of their images...SO EXCITING! Sara and Melissa will show a slideshow of all their images and have them pick out their favorites while celebrating with sparkling cider. Parents are required to attend, since we give an extra 25% off all of our prints and canvases if they purchase during this session. Sara and Melissa will post the photos online for friends and family to order from, but the discount is only valid for the senior at their viewing & ordering session.

Pretty cool, right?! We think so too.

For pricing information, please contact Sara, sara@melissajill.com.