Doormouse Doodles

Jayme Taylor | Senior Portraits

2012-02-15T07:03:00.000-06:00

Jayme's senior portraits were actually taken in two separate shoots one week apart from each other since we had so many ideas and so much ground to cover. From pictures with her horse Danny and captures in and around Downtown Peoria to some fun "zombie" and "high fashion" shots, we ran all around Central Illinois taking frame after frame of flawless captures; Jayme was a natural model and so easy to shoot! Not even a renegade bat, rain clouds, some spooky, random, wrought iron furniture in the woods or some very interesting graffiti could derail Jayme's confidence and beauty.*

These are just a few of the photos from my senior sessions with Jayme!

*Well...okay, the bat may have scared both of us a little, but not her Mom, who moseyed right on up to it for a closer look!

Inspired by the much-loved "cows" road trip game. If you see cows,

say "my cows" and you own them; if you see a cemetery, "kill"

other people's cows by exclaiming "your cows are dead!"
My husband asserts that players' cows should also be

"dead" any time you drive past a fast food joint!

We also did some fun, "high-fashion zombie" shots, since we had the hair

& makeup for it. I personally loved the combat boots + prom dress combo!!

Visit the FAQ page for more information about the photography services I provide!

Police Public Call Box

2012-02-05T13:19:00.000-06:00

After 5+ years with the same cell phone, hubby finally decided it was time to step out of the dark ages and upgrade to a phone that actually allows him to text efficiently (unbelievable, I know!). In addition, my old phone had been acting up, not holding a charge for more than half a day, so we decided we'd kill two birds with one stone and upgrade both of the phones on our plan at the same time.

The only problem we ran into was that we both decided on purchasing the same phone, one that did not offer interchangeable faceplates; so, how would we tell our phones apart? The only logical solution is that one of our phones needed to have an easily identifiable case. More specifically, MY phone needed to have an easily identifiable case...and it needed to be The Doctor's TARDIS. OBVIOUSLY.

Rachel S. | Senior Portraits

2012-01-31T23:04:00.000-06:00

In a word, "adventurous" would be the best way to describe Rachel - so, it was only fitting that our photo shoot should embody that same fun spirit! From Eureka to Washington and Dunlap and all the dusty roads in between, we had so much fun hopping from place to place with props and outfits in tow!

Visit the FAQ page for more information about the photography services I provide!

JC Sage | Senior Portraits

2012-01-31T19:07:00.000-06:00

As is usually the case, it was difficult to choose only a few portraits to feature from this session! Jonathan was so much fun to work with and such a natural in front of the camera. For this session, we ran all around Washington and Peoria snapping pose after pose of GQ-worthy captures in only the finest Armani V-necks and Ray-Ban sunglasses! Wonderful weather and first-class styles were the trademark of this session - one that will certainly not be forgotten anytime soon!

Visit the FAQ page for more information about the photography services I provide!

I've been busy...

2011-12-28T23:14:00.001-06:00

A summary of the past several months...

Gifted:

Sold:

Snapped:

Crafted & Cooked:

Loopy wreath pattern courtesy of Lelan @ Good Gravy Designs

Pumpkin Spice Bread & Homemade Bailey's

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Doodle On!

I'm distracted.

2011-11-09T21:31:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Autumn in Illinois:

That has been the view out our back porch for the past several days; grey, rainy, cold and terribly, terribly windy. So, not surprisingly, it has been incredibly difficult to motivate myself to get anything done that really NEEDS to get done.

I'll spend a few minutes cleaning...

and then BAM!

Suddenly I'm on the couch watching hours of Cary Grant,

stuffing my face with popcorn and M&Ms. So I'll say to myself,

"Sarah, you're on the couch."

"At least get started on some Christmas knitting projects."

HOURS LATER...

...and I'm halfway through a scarf for my husband that he doesn't even need.

"OKAY. THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS," I say to myself.

"Grab Leo (my Laptop) and get some work done on those pictures.

You've had enough time to rest your eyes from the computer."

But all this pep talking is to no avail...

...because I just end up fangirling all over the internet,

making things like this (Allie Brooooooooooooosh!):

They're saying it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow.

I'll cling to that hope...

Doodling in all the wrong ways,

"Take Me Home" - An Original Song (inspired by Doctor Who)

2011-10-26T22:44:00.000-05:00

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Okay. Now that I've gotten that out of my system, allow me to share with you the new song I've just finished recording! Before you go getting all confused, I am first and foremost a musician...well, that's what I went to college for, anyway. So I so sing and play as well as my day job as a graphic designer and side job as a photographer and knitter. I am also a HUUUUGE - like, MASSIVELY HUGE - fan of Doctor Who. All of it. ALL THE WHO!!

Anyway, regarding the song: It's about Doctor Who (hence my previous fangirling); more specifically, it's about Rose and how she was left behind (the first time, that is). I wrote it two summers ago, but recently found fresh inspiration in the form of orchestration. After sitting at my piano with some staff paper and my TARDIS cookie jar for a few hours, I finally had something concrete! I recorded the piano, strings, and vocals in a night, mixed some of it, and left the rest for my genius of a husband Lucas. Lucas recorded the guitar, masterfully mixed it, and added a little something at the end (a very little something, so listen closely!).

Without further adieu........

Lyrics, Vocals, Piano, Strings & Orchestration: Sarah Doremus
Guitar & Production: Lucas Doremus
Recorded 2011 in our tiny apartment.

Doodling & Dreaming of the Doctor...

In the thick of it...

2011-10-22T17:42:00.001-05:00

Good Morning, All!

As you might have guessed by the absence of blog updates, I've been as busy as an elf before Christmas lately! Finally able to catch a breather, I decided I should sit down and update all of you so you don't think I've gone AWOL here in the land of Doormouse Doodles.

With this year's senior photo shoots FINALLY completed, I'm now editing the photos from those sessions and putting together the packages; I will be posting features from those once the subjects receive the finished products and I cannot WAIT to share them with you all! Every single shoot I did had something distinguishing about it - aside from the sparkling personalities of each of the subjects, that is! One shoot included zombies, one included horses, another was shot in the middle of nowhere...hopefully I'm piquing your interest! I will likely be posting them throughout November.

On the crafting front, I've recently opened my Doormouse Doodles Etsy Shop, featuring several knitted treasures as well as some vintage finds. I will continue putting items up for sale throughout the month, so be sure to check back every now and again to see what's new!

Not surprisingly, I don't have time for much else lately between senior pictures and Etsy work, so currently, those are the only things that require a mention. I'm hoping that once all of the shoots are out of the gate, I'll have time for more frequent posts about crafty & kitchen creations! So, if I survive this season, I'll see you on the other side!

Doodling Diligently,

Jack Charles | Newborn Pictures

2011-09-03T22:16:00.001-05:00

Jack was quite the curious little man at the beginning of this shoot; he knew he had company, so he wanted so badly to stay awake! Even at only three weeks, he was lifting his head to see the camera and trying to squirm his way around the "set." When he was finally coaxed asleep, he was the best little baby, allowing us to change his hand-knitted "Cutie Patooties" and move him from pose to pose without waking at all. The pictures featured in this album are just a small sampling of all the favorites from Jack's session!

Doodle On!

P.S. All of the knitted items featured in Jack's photo session were hand-knitted by me and are offered with all newborn shoots! Check back soon for information on how to purchase your own adorable newborn photo props, wearables, and more!

Tiara Dawn | Senior Portraits

2011-08-29T23:16:00.000-05:00

It was so hard to pick only a few favorites from this session! Tia was so comfortable in front of the camera and her personality shined through without any effort at all. With her friend David, her brother Logan, and her Mom Jana tagging along, the day was full of laughs! From hanging tiaras in the woods to showing her "true colors" in the form of her favorite football team's jersey, Tia and her "posse" were such a blast to work with!

Visit the FAQ page for more information about the photography services I provide!

Doodle On!

P.S. Even though you may not be the one signed up for pictures, if you're tagging along acting like a goofball, expect to become the subject of some very humorous captures!

In some cases, however, the additional subjects are willing...

I mean, come on! That's just too good to pass up!!

Geek Chic | Angie B.

2011-07-19T00:34:00.000-05:00

From hiking two blocks down a country road with a surprisingly heavy chair (much to the amusement of a pair of cross-country bikers!) to gallivanting through a summery field with a bright red umbrella, this shoot was chock-full of memorable moments! Below are a few of my favorite shots from my June session with cinephile/author/zombie expert Angie Barry.

Visit the FAQ page for more information about the photography services I provide!

Baby makes three...

2011-07-04T08:18:00.029-05:00

These are just a few of the pictures from my maternity photo shoot with Ashley & Joe Pilon. I LOVED how laid-back and fun they were throughout the session - such a joy to work with! They made all of the shots so fun and beautiful, making my primary job (capturing the moments for them to cherish forever) easy, but my follow-up job (picking a few to share with all of you) very, VERY hard. I am so looking forward to meeting and photographing their little one, Jack Charles, any day now!

Jack's Cozy Knits

2011-06-22T23:03:00.001-05:00

Today, I had the wonderful pleasure of taking the maternity pictures for my best friend and her husband, who are due July 18th. Seeing my best high school gal pal blossom with a little blessing and hearing all of her wonderful (and hilarious) stories throughout her pregnancy has ignited an excitement in my heart that is truly hard to define! Accompanying her to a sonogram appointment sealed the deal: I am officially adopting little Jack as my honorary nephew (even though he already has four biological aunts). And, as all good Aunts know, to the nephews (and nieces) go the spoils!

Before embarking on the photo shoot adventure, I gave Mommy and Daddy-to-be the first of the many homemade goodies with which Jack will be showered!!

Yes, that is a tiny, yellow airplane button! HOW CUTE, RIGHT?! The socks will certainly not fit newborn baby Jack, but they will be just the right size as the temperatures begin to cool and leaves begin to change! As for Jack's Munchkin Hat, I'm hoping to be featuring that cute little number in Jack's newborn photos that we will be taking VERY soon!

I threw both of these patterns together in the last week - the socks took about three hours total on size 7dpns, and the hat I knitted throughout the day yesterday. I plan on posting the aptly-named patterns after I see today's maternity photos through to ~~delivery~~ completion (delivery may not be such a good word here...). Keep checking back - the patterns (and maternity photos) will be up some time next week!

Doodle On!

Blissfully Blue Newborn Cardigan

2011-06-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

As promised in my last post, here is the knitted newbie cardigan I recently completed!

I plan on giving this one as a gift to my neighbors, who are expecting their first in September, but I am eying making a few more to post on Etsy. That is, after I finish the quick-knit surprise for my best friend (who is expecting in July), and a few more props for newborn photography shoots (a chunky, yarny diaper cover and a CUTE munchkin hat!).

Here's to knitting away the day!

Balancing Act

2011-06-13T22:28:00.000-05:00

Q: Have I been slacking off lately on my crafting & creativity?

A: NOOOOOO, I've just been busy doing this:

...and this:

...oh, and this:

...and DEFINITELY a little bit of this:

Yeah, I brew sun tea on my roof. What of it?

BUT, even in the midst of all the "thises," I've managed to have a spectacularly fun

photo shoot with Angie B. and finish knitting a sweet little newborn cardigan

number I plan on giving my neighbors, who are expecting in September.

So THAT'S how ahead of the game I actually am, in spite of this:

...and this:

And I promise: as soon as I'm done with THIS post, I'll get back to editing

Angie's pictures and get a post up about my more artistic undertakings!

Doodle Onwards, Internet!

(Pictures: Singing at the Cherry Festival, playing coed rec league slow pitch softball, running a 5K, brewing sun tea on my roof, dominating the sledgehammer carnival game, eying the Nemesis 360* [which most definitely is not safe, I don't care what people tell me], and murdering a few clay pigeons.)

Senior Portraits | Katie D.

2011-05-17T21:18:00.001-05:00

On the one humid, ninety-degree day last week (followed shortly by a rainy, forty-degree day - hooray for Illinois), I had the pleasure of photographing Katie D. for a "Supplementary" Senior Portrait Session! She had already taken her formal senior portraits, but wanted to do something a little more unique that she could take along with her forever.

The package included a CD with .jpgs of each picture for unlimited personal use, a DVD slideshow of the shoot set to music, and eight complimentary 4x6s (pictured in the black protective sleeve with a simple white ribbon).

I had so much fun photographing Katie - she was truly a natural in front of the camera! In our pre-shoot meeting and on the day of, she kept reiterating how much she "needed" me to pose her; the truth is, though, that once she got behind the camera, she fell into the poses all on her own! Even in the sticky heat of the afternoon in downtown Peoria, Katie managed to look cool and collected and her genuine smile sparkled in every shot. Here are some of my favorites from our session:

Visit the Doormouse Photography site for pictures from other photo shoots and more information about the photography services I provide!

Doodle On!

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!

2011-05-08T21:20:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I finally got the chance to make a cake for my family instead of just showing them pictures of all the cakes I've made on my blog! My Dad's birthday fell on Mother's Day this year, so my Mom, Dad, and brother came down in the afternoon to celebrate the double holiday. Since my Dad's so into NASCAR, I decided to make a NASCAR cake (and card...oh, and that was the theme of the gift, too. Actually, let's just say that I decided to go ALL OUT NASCAR.).

My whole family absolutely loved the NASCAR cake! Dad kept asking me if the NASCAR logo on the top of the cake was bought, even after I told him *exactly* how I went about piping in all the detail. "It's like an art project," I told him, "Except the cake is the canvas." To which he responded, "I believe you wrote the 'Happy Birthday, Dad!', but everything else is....WOW. You sure you didn't buy it? wink wink"

Haha good ol' Dad - always knows how to compliment!

And don't worry, everybody, Mom wasn't forgotten!

For her, I got one dozen beautiful roses that smelled so good!

IN UNRELATED NEWS...

1) Since hubby and I moved to a new apartment, we had to go to the DMV to update our driver's licenses and vehicle registration. While I was there, I was asked twice if I was there to take my driving exam. TWICE. I am 24 years old. Either I look much younger than I assume I do, or girls these days are looking much older than their actual age...I think it's a little of both.

2) Hubby and I along with our friend Angie decided to play The Mustache Game the other night to the horrible, terrible movie "The Curse of King Tut's Tomb" (or "The Curse of King Tut," depending on if you're going off of the title the DVD case or the title in the opening credits). The Mustache Game as we play it consists of taping a mustache on our TV screen and laughing hysterically whenever the mustache lines up with a character's face - it helps to ease the suffering of some of the B-movies we watch. The mustache I drew for the game the other night WAS. ABSOLUTELY. EPIC. So I couldn't just throw it away, right?! Common sense told me that there was only one place the 'stache could call home:

Dalek 'Stache...AWAYYYYY!

Boogity, boogity, boogity!

Timey-Wimey TARDIS Cake

2011-05-01T21:37:00.000-05:00

To celebrate April birthdays AND the two new episodes of Doctor Who,

my friend Angie and I had fun baking a TARDIS cake!

(A TARDIS is the Doctor's vehicle in which he travels through time and space. The name is an acronym meaning Time and Relative Dimension in Space. Yes, I am a meganerd.)

With my brand spankin' new apron tied tight, I was ready to rock and roll!

The cakes were a white mix dyed a timey-wimey TARDIS blue tie dye.

I smoothed the butter cream with a patterned paper towel to give the base just a touch of texture (and because I had nothing else).

After the cake was assembled and frosted, and the butter cream was crusted and smoothed, Angie and I took turns piping in some of the detail work.

...and here's the finished product!

I know it's not correct dimensionally (two too few panels, etc), but I think it's the cutest thing ever! As Angie pointed out, it's very cartoony and looks like something wee!Amy would have drawn and kept with her collection of Raggedy Doctor things!

VWORP! VWORP! Hurry and eat it before it disappears!

Angie (left) and me (right) posing with our finished product, which tasted just as good as it looked!

After the cake was done and the guests began to arrive, we moved into the living room with TARDIS cake and Sonic Screwdriver Punch to watch the first two episodes from the new season of Doctor Who, which absolutely blew my freakin' mind (see also: I am so stinking afraid of being alone ANYWHERE anymore! Stupid Silence!!).

TO VICTORY, Doodlers!

<-- This is the awesome birthday gift that Angie got for me STRAIGHT FROM LONDON!!! It now proudly hangs in our entryway in all its 16x20" glory!!!!

A "Dazzling Diva" Birthday Party

2011-04-11T18:04:00.003-05:00

My little sister-in-law Molly's birthday party was this past weekend, but because of all the planning and preparation, it feels like it's been going on for weeks now! Last year, we set the bar pretty high in terms of birthday party festivities, so we were worried this year wouldn't compare. Thankfully, though, Molly's very own disposition served as wonderful inspiration for this year's theme: "Dazzling Divas."

We sent out pink and zebra-striped invitations designed by yours truly:

I even conquered yet another layered cake (this time even more elaborate than the last two!) with HOMEMADE buttercream frosting and some pretty intricate piping!

The bottom tier was half chocolate and half white,

the middle tier was all chocolate, and the top tier was all white.

Each tier consisted of two layers frosted with a homemade buttercream frosting (Recipe: Winton's Snow White Buttercream) and smoothed using the Viva method

(which is quite possibly THE neatest thing ever).

After the cake was frosted, smoothed, and assembled, I piped in the zebra stripes.

Next came the ribbon and monogram 'M' for the middle tier and a thin black line

to divide the middle and top tiers. In true diva fashion, diamonds of

several different sizes adorned the top of the cake.

My mother-in-law and I also made tissue paper "poofs"

to add a little pop to the activity/eating area.

AND, last but not least, I put a girly twist on "Pin the Tail On the Donkey," which I call "Dazzle the Diva!" I drew a cartoon girl on a large piece of cardboard, hung it on the wall, drew and cut out accessories, stuck some double-sided tape on the backs of said accessories, and let the girls blindfold each other, spin, and smack the accessories on the diva at their leisure. They ended up doing it a few times each!

Thankfully, the whole day went smoothly and was a complete success! The girls loved the games and activities, they didn't turn their noses up to the homemade frosting, and they had plenty of extra time to play Barbies and be girly on top of the birthday festivities.

Now I just need to find my next excuse to bake an elaborate cake...

Doodle On, Divas (and Dudes)!

Easter Excitement!

2011-03-29T13:29:00.002-05:00

From angel food cake to lilies and chocolates and the sweet smells of spring, Easter has (through the years) become my favorite holiday. This is not only because of its religious significance, but also because its more secular and gift-giving traditions within my family have become some of my favorite memories! When I think of Easter gifts, I think hula hoops, Skip-Its, Styrofoam airplanes, bubbles, those Velcro and scoopy catch games, giant play balls, School House Rock, cassette tapes, wiffle ball bats, jump ropes, and all of the inherently "Easter" candy.

Every Easter, my brother and I would receive just a few of these long list of items from the Easter Bunny (which as a kid I always thought was a terrifying concept. Unlike Santa Claus, I never stayed up to try to catch a peek of the Easter Bunny). A new tub of bubbles, bubble wands, a giant play ball (to replace the one from last year that was always worse for the wear), a chocolate bunny, and a variety of candies nestled in plastic eggs and hidden in nooks and crannies around the living room were always waiting for us Easter morning. Then, there was usually one more thing for each of us specifically that we had to find during the egg hunt - usually another small outdoor game or toy like a pink velcro catch mit for me and a green one for my brother or, sometimes, School House Rock or music cassettes. I still remember the one year my brother Matthew got "Best of School House Rock" and he didn't know or remember what it was. He was so excited nonetheless - like...ridiculously so - which is a source of endless entertainment for us even now, so many years later. I got the Celine Dion tape that included the song from "Titanic" that year. I wore that tape down until it wouldn't play anymore. I LOVED Celine Dion.

[I was going to include the hilarious video of my brother's "School House Rock" reaction here, but OHMYGOODNESSHOLYCRAP I CANNOT FIND IT!!! Luckily it isn't the only copy; the other one, however, is on VHS at my parent's house, so it will take some time to locate the correct tape let alone where it is on said tape. Maybe I'll post the clip Easter morning...]

Even when I was much older and home from college on Easter break, my brother and I still enthusiastically took part in the traditional plastic egg hunt in order to procure the delectable spoils of Easter - jelly beans, robin's egg candies, and pastel M&Ms. And for a moment, the only thing we cared about was being the one to find the most eggs - not because we got to keep what was inside (we always split everything equally), but because that was really the only way to justify partaking in an egg hunt at 19 and 22 years old: "It's for the competition."

Now that I have an almost 7 year old sister-in-law and a 7 month old nephew, I finally have someone on whom I can dote during my favorite celebration! I always used to walk by the "Spring Spreads" at Target and Walmart with a sort of pang of sadness because I didn't have any reason to even consider purchasing a bright pink Skip-It or giant Styrofoam airplane with stick-'em-yourself decals; now that I'm a big sister-in-law and aunt, though, the tides have turned. Now I can make them empty tomb rolls, read them the children's version of the Easter Story, and start weaving wonderful memories of playing catch with the Velcro catch mitt and tennis ball until the Velcro just won't stick anymore.

Simply saying I'm excited really doesn't cut it...

Doodle On!

Hi. My name is Sarah, and I'm addicted to baking cakes.

2011-03-18T13:20:00.001-05:00

It is true. When I fall in love with something, I don't mess around. Below are pictures of the cake I made last night for a co-worker's birthday...

The cake is a "party chip" white cake (basically Funfetti) with a creamy, whipped frosting.

I am proud to announce that this marks my very first successful square tiered cake - nothing like the Easter debacle of 2008 (which, by the way, if you still have that dreaded picture, Mom & Dad, please send it my way; time heals all wounds and now that I've conquered cakes, I can laugh about my previous EPIC failure!).

Doodle On!

Piece of Cake!

2011-03-15T00:07:00.000-05:00

It may not yet be spring or feel like spring, but that doesn't mean that I can't be springy in spirit! (See also: I HAVE FINALLY *OFFICIALLY* REDEEMED MYSELF IN THE CAKE-BAKING DEPARTMENT AND I DIDN'T EVEN BREAK A SWEAT! BOO. YAH.)

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law's birthdays were this past week, so the families all got together over the weekend for a nice little joint birthday party. Seeing as how my cooking and layered cake-baking skills have improved ENORMOUSLY since my last, overwhelmingly exasperated entry on the subject, I offered to bring the cake. I know what you're thinking: it's only been five months since I owned up to being not-so-hot in the kitchen; certainly this was just a matter of ill-placed confidence! But with the Doremus household dinner menu including such items as 'Homemade Chicken and Dumplings' and 'Pineapple Ginger Pork Chops' with 'Garlic Orange Asparagus', and with several layered cakes under my belt, I feel like I own my kitchen now!

I chose to make a three-layer dark chocolate fudge cake with whipped vanilla icing. Thankfully, the cake baking wasn't a disaster and went off without a hitch. In fact, the cake went over quite well in both the looks AND taste departments!

I even had enough leftover batter to make a few cupcakes!

Now the weather just needs to catch up to reflect my spring fever...

Doodle On!

It's Bigger On the Inside

2011-03-08T20:17:00.001-06:00

I finally got my Christmas gift from my best friend...you know, because it's March (and no, she's not a bad friend; she had to order it from overseas & it took forever to get shipped). So, I am pleased to say that I am now the proud owner of a TARDIS cookie jar!

Which is for the storage of biscuits (cookies) only. Nothing else. Only biscuits.

So, in light of my newly-acquired awesome kitchen item, I HAD to bake a batch of cookies to have an excuse to open and close the lid every once in awhile for the awesome TARDIS sound effects (which to some people may sound like an I'm-not-sure-what dying, but to me sounds MAGICAL!)! After taking a random poll on Facebook, I ended up going with the suggestion of Snickerdoodles; but with no cream of tartar, I had to take to the internet for an alternative recipe. I ended up finding one from a neat little blog called eat me, delicious. The result was perfection!

Crispy on the outside, soft buttery sweetness on the inside! And luckily for me, my TARDIS cookie jar is bigger on the inside to hold all of my cinnamony-sweet creations!

Snickerdoodles
(Found on eat me, delicious - from Martha's Holiday Cookies 2005)
Makes about 20 (or 40 if, as in my case, you make the balls smaller than suggested)

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs

2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Put butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.

2. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 20 (1 3/4-inch) balls; roll in cinnamon sugar. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

SNICKERDoodle On!

The Oh-So-Magical Beard Beanie

2011-02-22T20:20:00.001-06:00

It's official: The Longtin siblings are "all grown up!" My younger brother - my only sibling - turned 21 this Valentine's Day. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I did what any half-decent older sister would do for her little brother - I knitted him a Beard Beanie in order to complete the transformation from "whiner" to "wino."

Swap out the bottle of sparkling white wine for an axe and you transform yourself from "wino" to "mountain man!" That's the magic of the Beard Beanie; it's just so darned versatile!

Even Matthew's girlfriend Mandy was excited to get in on the action!

After all the fun I had knitting this Beard Beanie (I seriously could not contain myself as I began knitting the beard and mustache portion!), I will DEFINITELY be making many more in the future. Maybe even a few Baby Beard Beanies. I'm fairly certain that market hasn't yet been cornered...

Doodle On!

T-Shirts and T-Virus

2011-01-20T22:33:00.001-06:00

Yeah, you heard me right. T-Virus, as in the virus that caused the zombie outbreak in Resident Evil. Now, I may be exaggerating a little (I still haven't tried to eat my husband), but I sure have been FEELING like a zombie lately. After staying up all weekend for Operation Snowball, my crippled immune system failed to protect me against the colds and stomach flu strains that it seems everyone in Illinois has been sharing.

A steady diet of Jello, 7UP, saltines, and acetaminophen has helped this fast and furious flu crawl by just a little more quickly, but the cold is still holding on strong. At least now I can finally expand my food choices to fun and exciting options like minuscule amounts of peanut butter spread across toast, ~~Powerade, and plain oatmeal.~~ (UPDATE: Okay. I MAY have jumped the gun a little on expanding my diet.)

I still have a ton of the aforementioned foodstuffs, though. Puh-lenty to go around...

ANYWAY, what I've been meaning to post for many days now are the t-shirts I made for me and the hubster to wear to this year's Operation Snowball, which was an amazing success - perhaps the best Snowball yet!

1) Inspired by a bit Eddie Izzard's "Dressed to Kill" show, the front boasts the easiest question to answer: Cake or Death?, and the back features a squirrel COVERED in makeup!

2) This was intended to be a Dr. Who shirt, with "I <3 <3 DW" splashed across the back, but alas, I bought the cheap t-shirt iron-on thingers and the back didn't stick. BUT, I still got this awesome bow tie shirt out of it!

3) "It came out of nowhere!" As far as I know, shirt.woot! was the originator of this AWESOME graphic, which I redrew and ironed on to a t-shirt for my nerdy husband.

4) "I CARE ABOUT THIS ALOT." If you haven't heard of Hyperbole and a Half or her hilarious take on common internet misspellings, stop reading this and head over there IMMEDIATELY. You can thank me later. (^_^)

Doodle On (AND STAY WELL)!

Christmas Gifts 2010

2011-01-02T14:09:00.004-06:00

The Holidays are officially over and all of the gifts have been dispersed,

which means I can finally share some of them with all of you!

For Hubby's brother and sister-in-law:

A photo book of all of the pictures from the photo shoots I've done with baby Asher.

For the littlest Doremus, Asher:

A homemade, knitted sweater; irresistibly warm and cuddly!

For my brother's girlfriend, Mandy:

A very colorful, very "Mandy" matching scarf and hat set!

For my and hubby's close friend, Angie:

An Avatar: The Last Airbender Aang beanie!(the ORIGINAL Avatar-not that

M.Night Shamalamadingdong crap that came out this past year...)

And lastly, for my brother, hubby's brother, and two of our good friends:

In addition to their other gifts, I also gave them a copy of this Christmafied,

vectorized illustration I did of everyone's favorite cartoon death metal band,

Metalocalypse! (complete with mace turkey and a jello mold...naturally.)

Now, I must admit that, as fun as these projects were to make, I am glad that

the Christmas season is over so I can experiment with new things, like:

Happy New Year!
Doodle On!

Brothers | Christmas 2010

2010-12-28T21:29:00.005-06:00

Last-minute gift ideas sometimes prove to be the best. These are a few of the pictures I took of brothers Ryan and Jon that they loaded onto a digital frame and gave to their Mom as a Christmas gift - a gift I think any parent would treasure!

Doodle On,

UPDATE: I've been told that the gift did indeed receive the desired reaction. :)

Valley of Devotion | December "Snowto" Shoot with Cara Murdoch

2010-12-07T13:57:00.005-06:00

A day after Central Illinois' first substantial snowfall, two arguably crazy individuals decided to brave the elements in pursuit of a beautiful photo. It was cold, yes, but the light off the snow made these pictures entirely worth working through the cold! These are just a few of the shots from my shoot with Cara.

Doodle How You Desire (even if it means getting cold!),

Doctor Who Baking Party

2010-11-09T22:15:00.000-06:00

My two friends and I got together this past weekend for a nice girls' night Doctor Who cookie baking extravaganza. The end results were almost too pretty to eat!

Clockwise from top left: Angie, me, Angie and Ashlee, and me.

I must have washed my hands forty times because of the stupid icing

pouch thingys that refused to cooperate with my child-sized hands.

I've decided that from now on, if I plan to make something this adorable, I'm going to make it in a format that can be kept forever; my heart broke a tiny bit when Hubby took the first bite into my beloved Dalek!

I think some Doctor Who Christmas ornaments need to be made this year...hmmmm...*wrings hands conspiratorially*

Doodle On!

M&M | Matthew & Mandy

2010-11-09T12:45:00.002-06:00

A few of the pictures from my fun shoot with Matthew and Mandy:

They're such goofballs! Capturing the moment is so easy with these two - truly a joy to shoot.

More Doodles Later!

Hat #4: My First Commissioned Hat

2010-11-08T22:48:00.002-06:00

Only four hats into my new obsession and I'm already taking orders!

Unfortunately, I won't be able to see the "finished product" of the

hat as worn by baby since it's being given by somebody else as a gift,

but I'm excited about the expansion of Doormouse Doodles!!

Doodle with Joy!

Dalek Costume: The Making Of

2010-11-08T21:52:00.001-06:00

1) LEFT "ARM": Straightening out a paint roller takes skill as well as a healthy dose of trial and error. DO NOT USE YOUR LEG AS A TOOL TO STRAIGHTEN METAL UNLESS YOU HAVE ELEPHANT LEGS. I had a weird line bruise for a week.

2) RIGHT "ARM": From drab...

TO FAB!

Quite possibly the fanciest plunger you've ever laid your eyes on, no? ...Okay, second to this one.

3) HEAD LAMPS: I illuminated the head lamps with some cheap battery-operated "tea light" candles. Just pop the "flame" off and TADAAA! Cheap battery-operated LED.

I turned on the tea lights and hot glued them to the headband the night of the event. I hot glued the cups on top of those for a nice, even illumination.

4) SENSOR GLOBES (the half-ball shapes on the Dalek's lower casing): I used child's play place balls for these and no, I didn't steal them from Chuck E. Cheese - I bought them from Walmart. ;)

Once they were all cut in half, I took them outside and spray painted them all gold.

5) THE LOWER CASING (aka the skirt): The skirt took an evening to make. I ironed the pleats in the fabric, sewed, hemmed, cut, and TADAAAA! A wearable skirt of which I could be proud! The gold balls were hot glued on thereafter and managed to stay on the entire night.

Homemade costumes + Photoshop=INSTANT AWESOME.

Autumntime Snapshots

2010-11-02T11:08:00.001-05:00

Layered Cakes: A Labor of Love

2010-10-16T22:57:00.000-05:00

I've never claimed to have any amount of actual prowess in the kitchen (save for my French Toast and Pumpkin Pancakes), but I've always been able to manage the simple baked goods fairly well. Cookies? Breads? Brownies? Bring it on. Fish, chicken, pork, etc? Yeah, that took about a year and a half of practice to work out the kinks and I'm definitely still learning (luckily my husband's an excellent cook, otherwise we may still be eating like a couple of college kids). In the field of baked goods, though, when it comes to layered cakes, I pretty much run away screaming and hide beneath the kitchen table. I have NEVER (until recently) had good luck with layered cakes.

I still remember crying over shoddy icing at 2am before Christmas at my parents' house (which was, by the way, the first Christmas after getting married - talk about pressure). I was so frustrated that I ran out through the snow to the car and drove around for a half an hour looking at Christmas lights...in my socks and jim-jams. When I got home, my husband was up washing dishes and preparing desserts. He gave me a big smile, a kiss on the forehead, and told me to go to sleep (cue the "awwww" here). The end result was me in bed and my husband whipping up a fruity Jello AND raspberry crumb bars AND doing all of the dishes. I have the best husband ever.

Anyway, recently I decided to suck it up and try again. The result after much research and the right recipe? Perfection! BEHOLD: My first-ever sort-of-okay-looking-but-definitely-delicious-tasting LAYERED CAKE!!!

The cake was a simple white recipe held in place with strawberry jam in the middle and iced with a whipped topping. Put all of that together and you get crisp and cool perfection!

Since I had so much luck with that recipe and it was eaten so quickly, I decided to try my hand at another layered cake. This Chocolate-Caramel Cake recipe ended up being a little off in terms of icing consistency (the "icing" was soupy and formless without added powdered sugar) and a touch rich for my taste.

See the swirly pattern in the icing and the formlessness of the side of the cake? That was on account of the warm caramel drizzle the recipe told me to pour on top of the kind-of-still-in-spite-of-my-best-efforts soupy icing...making it warmer and soupier. Honestly, this may as well have been some sort of cakey-carmelly bread pudding. Clearly one of two things occurred here:

1) The individual responsible for recording the recipe was drinking the booze from the rum cake they were supposed to be making next, and therefore misunderstood the directions from the individual dictating, or,

2) The chef was drunk in the kitchen. Probably more likely the case.

In any event, my husband will eat anything that tastes good regardless of how it looks, so he is very content with dessert for the next week. Hopefully all of this trial and error will better prepare me for Christmas this year, where I hope to reprise my role as "cake-bearer." Additionally, this year's pumpkin harvest was MUCH better than the last (huzzah, Morton, IL!), so that means pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving (both things I can make with my eyes closed)!

Toodley-doodley-oo!

This Pumpkin Could Definitely Be More Sonic....

2010-10-10T15:57:00.005-05:00

Yesterday marked the annual Oktoberfest out on the Longtin family farm - a tradition that's been going on for 16 years now! With games, copious amounts of food, marshmallow roasting, and a large variety of other shenanigans, my favorite part since the first-ever shindig (when I was all of seven) has been the pumpkin carving. There's nothing quite like lighting the candle just after sunset to see how your artwork turned out - to see your vision come to life in the darkness!

With that having been said, I am especially proud of this year's endeavor: a Dr. Who carving. With nothing more than a scraper (with which I managed to slice open my thumb), 3 of those cheap-o pumpkin carvers (all of which I managed to break), and an idea (original pattern can be found HERE), I tried my darnedest to make David Tennant come to life.

(Sadly, at the stroke of midnight, there was not a reverse effect; my David Tennant

pumpkin carving remained a pumpkin...but the carving still looked pretty cool!)

I was in good company when it came to my geekhood:

From left to right: Mandy Reimer's "Iron Man," my brother Matthew Longtin's "Pac-Man,"

my "Tenth Doctor / Tardis," and my husband Luke's "Fractal Geometry."

All in all, the company was inviting, the food DELISH, and the weather beautiful and warm; nothing like last year, when the cold weather sent many home early and pumpkin carving resulted in near-frostbite! So, here's to all of you WHOligans and Whovians out there - this was for you! There will certainly be more Who-related projects to come as the Christmas season tries to sneak up on us. I can't wait to show you Luke's and my Halloween costume! This will be the first time in forever he's excited and willing on his own to dress up without any coaxing from his always-festive wife. ;)

Doodle On!

My Photo Shoot with Casey Doremus

2010-10-09T10:29:00.003-05:00

My photo shoot with Casey Doremus was admittedly a bit of work, what with hauling his drum set and ladders out to the middle of a field and all, but in the end, the vision came together and it was more than worth it! Here are a few shots from the day:

Doodle Away!

Crafty Creations: My First Two Hats!

2010-10-05T09:12:00.003-05:00

After six scarves and nothing but row after row of garter stitch, I decided it was time to take the next step in my journey through the world of knitting: hats!

HAT #1: I chose the MollDoll (6yo sister-in-law) as the recipient of my first-ever hat because I knew she would love it and wear it even if I screwed up! I decided to keep it simple with a self-striping yarn for the bottom and plain pink throughout the top. I also flipped the stitch when I changed from the circular needle to the double-point needles in order to give it a sort of tiered effect.

I also included an "Operation Snowball" warm fuzzy poof above the self-rolling brim for a little flair. The yarn I used was stretch-friendly, so it even fit on my adult-sized (though small) head, and will grow with her until she inevitably wears it out!

HAT #2: Now that I know how to knit something other than scarves, I'm a bona fide knitting machine! Naturally, a first-time aunt has to dote endlessly on her niece/nephew (in this case, nephew), so my second hat was for my seven week old nephew Asher Cody (you know - the one whose newborn pictures I did!).

Hat #2 in the bag! Seed stitch brim with a simple, garter stitch body.

Sloppy star for baby!

It even has a little room to grow with him...

"Thanks, Aunt Sarah, for my AWESOME hat!"

"What, MORE pictures?!"

"Pshh...whatever. It's just a hat, Aunt Sarah."

Doodle On!

Asher Cody | Newborn Photos

2010-09-07T13:50:00.003-05:00

It was so hard to pick out only a few of my favorite pictures from this shoot! Little Asher was so relaxed and easy-going throughout the session, the lighting was picture-perfect, and the blankets warm and fluffy!

3 Easy Ways to Prepare for Senior Portraits

2010-08-29T20:53:00.001-05:00

Cooling temperatures and changing leaves mean prime picture season for high school seniors across the Midwest. So, with the “big shoot” right around the corner, how should parents and teens start planning for a successful sitting?

Do Your Research

From photographers and props to poses, outfits, and location, there are various variables that you can adjust to make your senior pictures as original as you! Do you have props you’d like to include – an instrument, vehicle, pet, or something from your favorite sport or pastime? Maybe you’re looking for an original location to add pop and personality – a theater stage, a scenic skyline, or perhaps that old covered bridge outside of town. Find places and poses you like and start from there to find a photographer whose finished products fit your desired style. Keep in mind while preparing that, while the internet, with its wealth of information, is an excellent place to start, it should by no means be your only resource. Seniors from previous years whose snapshots you enjoyed will have the inside scoop – both the good AND the bad about their experiences with particular studios as well as the finished products.

Ask the Right Questions

Once you’ve honed in on one or two photography studios, be prepared to ask plenty of questions – and the RIGHT questions – to close the deal with your perfect fit. Senior pictures these days are a lot more personalized than they were years ago, when the cookie-cutter “place your fist under your chit, tilt your head, and smile” pictures were the norm. This means that there is a lot more preparation on the part of the subject AND the photographer. Because of this, many studios will set aside time to discuss your ideas and answer questions before you even schedule the shoot itself. While pricing may be the most obvious factor in your decision, the guidelines each studio has in place for senior portrait taking overall will affect the realization of your vision. Your questions can be broken down into three overriding categories:

1) The Day of the Shoot - How many outfits are allowed in a sitting? Are pets and props allowed? Are shoots constrained to a specific location or will the photographer travel (reasonable distances) to areas of the subject’s choosing? What is your rain date policy?

2) The Waiting Game - What is the turnaround time for proofs? Can you edit out my mole/scar/birthmark/(insert what you see as an “imperfection” here), whiten teeth, etc. AND does that service add more to the end cost?

3) The Finished Product - When is payment due? How long after I approve the proofs will I receive the prints? Do you offer stationery (e.g. Graduation Party invitations) or project (e.g. photobooks, calendars, magnets) packages as well? What is the skinny on photo rights? Do I receive prints only or will I receive digital versions as well?

Those last two topics go hand-in-hand and are perhaps the most recent developments in the world of photography. Years ago, before the era of internet and home computers with high-quality photo printers, studios would maintain the rights to photographs in order to continue to make a profit off of reprints, since only they had access to the original negatives to make duplicates. And, while some studios still try to stick to that general rule (by, for instance, not offering CDs of the high-quality original files), many have altered their focus to provide a more customer-friendly, multimedia product. Many even offer a DVD slide show, prints, and a CD of the raw files with a photography release statement at a fairly reasonable price. This allows you to post your photo on Facebook, make as many reprints as you want, and have entire creative freedom with your portraits. If this is something you expect in the final product, then you may be able to narrow down your options considerably from the start.

Remember That You Get OUT of It What You Put INTO It

If you don’t do your research, if you settle on the cheapest available option, or if you don’t ask about something in advance, both your experience and the end result may not be quite what you’d expected! While you may end up satisfied by just winging it, proper preparation greatly decreases the odds of unwelcome surprises during and/or after your shoot. As with many things in life, you get OUT of it what you put INTO it!

So what are you waiting for? Start researching and get ready to have fun and let that winning personality shine! And, as always, DOODLE ON!

Still have questions? Contact me directly at doormousedoodles@live.com. Don't worry, I won't bite.

Anticipation | Cody Thomas & Kimberly Ann Doremus

2010-08-21T08:46:00.001-05:00

Some of my favorite shots from the maternity photos I did for Kim & Cody Doremus!

Luthy Botanical Gardens | Peoria, IL

My Husband is Officially a Luthier

2010-08-08T02:28:00.000-05:00

The following are pictures we did of Luke's finished (finally!) handmade guitar. Took just as long to make as it does a bun in the oven...with some labor pains, as well! ;)

In his own words: "My handmade guitar is finally completed. Many thanks to Gary Bray for giving me guidance. I never would've undertaken this project without him. Not only does the guitar look good, but it sounds good too. Now I just need a name for her..."

Now I just need to find out a way to peel him away from it...

Serial Number: 1

Is June Over Yet?

2010-05-26T00:33:00.009-05:00

With weddings and work, gigs and gifts, June is by far going to be the busiest month out of the summer for me and my husband. As a result, pretty much all of May was structured to prepare for the hellish schedule to come. Now that June is only a week away and I'm finally fairly decently caught up, I have a little bit of time to breathe and share what I've been doing "doodle-wise."

I've done SO much work since my last project posting, and I want to share it all! To keep the posts concise, though, I'll organize the projects as best I can and post them one at a time. For this post, I'll be sharing the gifts I made for Ms. Angie Faye Barry.

1) THE EVIL RED: A Zombie Wine inspired by this gem. I couldn't afford (or find) the real thing, let alone guarantee she'd like the wine inside, so I decided to take my own little spin on this idea. What resulted was the best gift I've ever given. (Seriously.)

The report in the case file was the synopsis of the movie 'The Evil Dead' personalized to include three additional characters (Angie, my husband Lucas, and me) and set in the early 1900s. Pictures supposedly collected and cataloged by Dr. A.F. Barry and the Faculty of the Department of Zombie Research were also included in the case file.

All things considered, this project didn't take that long to make. By far the hardest part was trying not to confuse the first and second Evil Dead movies, which are very nearly identical in storyline.

'THE EVIL RED' ZOMBIE WINE FTW!

2) CAKE OR DEATH? T-SHIRT: Inspired by Eddie Izzard's bit about the Church of England. The squirrel on the back is from this bit. Ang LOVED it, and now my husband wants one of these, too, so a bit more masculine version of this shirt is in the works.

Up next: Cricket (Darts) Scoreboard

Until then, Doodle On!

A Name, A Hobby, & A Cup of Coffee: The Story Behind "Doormouse Doodles"

2010-04-06T21:51:00.007-05:00

The name 'Doormouse Doodles (misspelling intentional) was inspired by my husband Lucas, our friend Josh Marshall (also known as "The Greatest Person in the World"), and my Mother, and fueled by a 50-cent cup of coffee. But, to fully understand the name, you have to know a little more about the history.

See? I've always been a shutterbug...

As a child, I always had a vivid imagination. It began as Picasso-esque stick figures drawn on my Mom's recipe cards and developed into something a bit more sophisticated (but just as whimsical).

I was constantly hosting family parties (with EXCELLENT invitations!), making posters for me and my brother's meagerly successful lemonade and slushy stands, printing off our once-in-awhile digest The Longtin Times , and checking out books from the library to help fine-tune my drawing and crafting skills. I shared my Mother's love for doodling and all things fun, colorful, beautiful, whimsical, and wonderful.

My love for all things artsy fartsy found a real-world outlet during a summer internship (doing graphic design for a small but mighty PR firm out of Chicago), where I did absolutely nothing related to my major (music business) and felt more creatively fulfilled than I had in years!

I learned that there reaches a point when constantly writing half-finished songs and competing with every musician around you becomes wholly unfulfilling. When I reached that point, I needed another form of creative expression with which to release the mind-mucking tension.

After that summer, I continued doing multimedia work (mostly for friends & past co-workers) under the name 'Little One Productions.' My works included political pieces, various album art projects for myself and others, promotions & marketing ventures, and one VERY BIG undertaking: MY OWN WEDDING.

Countless gig posters and wedding stationery projects later, I decided to take my art "on the road." Though I believed that the name I had been working under embodied the nature and very spirit of what I did, a simple Google search led to the discovery of low-budget filmmakers by the same name. So I was back to square one.

This is where Lucas, Josh, my Mom, and a 50-cent cup of coffee come into the picture. Whilst ruminating on a number of name ideas over a morning cup of coffee, it suddenly hit me: MY NAME! Well, not MY name, but the cute nickname that 'The Greatest Person in the World' has always had for my husband, whose name I inherited on our wedding day: Dormouse (or Mrs. Mouse, as Josh calls me).

Sidenote: Dormice are ADORABLE!!!

When that nickname was coupled with the favorite pastime handed down to me from my Mom, the new name took on a life of its own.

Doodles are more than just scribbles on a page - they're the ideas flitting around in our heads. They're the pictures of random old, dilapidated walls (right, Dad?). They're each of my mish-mashed, stuffed creations. Doodles are the inspiration behind the art.

The name "Doormouse Doodles" embodies the spirit of each of my creations, incorporating not only my own inspirations, but also the personality of the individual for whom the 'doodle' is made.

And to think - all of this was bred from nothing more than a name, a hobby, & a cup of coffee!

Doodle On,