Buying a car from shifty scandalous people...getting rejected and hopefully a trip to Retro Vixen

Hey all,

Thank goodness it's Friday. I feel completely drained today, emotionally and physically. We got the Impala yesterday, and I'm so happy we did. However, I knew when I bought it the sellers were very dishonest people. I knew I was taking a big chance. We only got halfway home when we had to pull over. The car was overheated, and the motor mount had come loose, letting all the engine contents shift. The transmission couldn't go into gear. I had only owned the car for forty five minutes, and it was already broke down.

Earlier in the day, I spoke with Danielle, an angel who works at my insurance provider. I'm with Sandy Gamble, who is a Farmer's agent located on 68th Street in the Northland. From the time Sandy has entered my life, car and homeowner insurance has become something I'm happy to pay. She and her workers really help me, treat me well, and get me wonderful rates. I highly recommend them to anyone needing car insurance.

I insured the car before I even bought it. I had the vin, because I wanted to make sure it wasn't stolen. That's how shady the sellers were. Danielle recommended I get tow insurance, and I did, making it effective as of that minute. Little did I know, hours later I would already be using it.

I will admit I cried while we were waiting for the tow truck. I was really feeling sorry for myself, and I was angry with the sellers, because I tried to get them to take $500 less and they wouldn't budge. They were not good people. They were shady and shifty.

Our good friend Matt stayed with us the entire time, and I was really grateful to have his help. Of course Chris was there, and even though he's too manly to cry, I know he felt my pain. After insurance paid $150, we still came out of pocket $125. Not too bad considering we were at mile marker 66 on I-70.

As I said, I'm still happy with my choice to buy the car, but it's going to be a journey fixing it..

I rescued this car. I just wish it was at home with me, and not at the shop :(

I knew I had to wake up early this morning to take Gabe to his International Walk to School Day. He totally rejected me and wouldn't walk with me, kept trying to ditch me and then said I ruined his day by being near him. It totally devastated me. I guess you can't blame kids for not understanding how us parents devote our lives to them. Sigh. I know we have to let go sometime, but it's really hard.

I'm hoping I'll make it to Retro Vixen to get a new dress or something before they close...I need retail therapy, lol!

Love you all, have a great Friday!

New dates for shoots, you don't need to lose weight, there's no such thing as "too old" and getting the Impala

Hi all,

I am so excited to present some news dates that are open and ready to be booked! I will post them at the end of the blog, and also in a note on Facebook. The website is still on hold, ugh, so sorry about that!

Anyways, I really want to address an issue that's been coming up a lot lately. Ladies will want to book shoots, but they feel like they need to "lose weight" first. It really breaks my heart. I know what it's like to feel bigger, I've always been a thicker girl, but we can't let it stop us from living our lives.

Since losing my dad and step-dad, I have a better understanding of how short life is. You never know when it can be taken away. We could all die anytime, with no warning at all! I'm no motivational speaker or writer, but life is short.

Being big can be just as beautiful as being thin. It's all about poses and confidence. Confidence can be faked, trust me. 

With the economy the way it is, and food being so expensive, many of us are stuck eating unhealthy foods. Some people are stuck with jobs that keep them sedentary. Being big is not something to be ashamed of. It just so happens three people I've been close with in my life are very thin. I watched them eat ten times more food than me and never gain weight. When they looked in the mirror, they weren't happy with what they saw. They wanted curves, a gut even. It's natural to want what we can't have.

I was really sick a month or so ago, and I lost six pounds from not being able to eat, or keep anything down. When I weighed myself at first I was excited to see I had lost. But that only lasted a moment, because then I thought about what I went through to get there. I don't want to lose weight that way.

I promised myself that when I got better, I would stop being so hard on my body, and just appreciate it for being healthy and allowing me to live my life. 

I hope that all the bigger girls out there will stop being so hard on themselves, and realize they are just as beautiful as someone who's thin. 

As far as ladies thinking they are too old, well that just breaks my heart too. There is no such thing! I'm almost thirty. Sixty, fifty, I don't care how old you are, you are beautiful! You deserve a photo shoot as much as any twenty year old. If you don't want to be a pinup, maybe the glam shoots are more your style. But don't sell yourself short. We are all going to get older, if we are lucky! 

Moving on...

I'm still in the process of buying the Impala. Chris and I are supposed to pick it up and exchange the moo-lah today. I am so excited! This really is a dream come true. When I think about the Impala, I swear I hear Jiminy Cricket's voice, lol. I wished on a lot of stars to get where I am now :)

Now for the dates and prices,

Glam Shoots

$50

Includes full hair and makeup of your choice (doesn't have to be pinup)

5 edited photos

Your choice of color and black and white edits

These shoots take about 2 hours.

For glam shoots you wear your own clothing. No holds barred. We all have a favorite outfit, this is your chance to really rock it with great hair and makeup! :)

Glam shoots are great for gals getting ready for a night out! For this reason, I like to schedule them on Friday and Saturday nights. What a perfect way to go show off your gorgeous hair and makeup! I am willing to do these as best friend shoots, but three girls is the maximum I can do at one time. 

Dates for glam shoots:

Friday Sept. 30th. Contact me for times. tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com. I am available any time after 3 p.m. I can be flexible, since I know Friday is a work day. But I don't want to get started later than 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 7. Anytime after 3 p.m. Contact me for times. tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com

Saturday, Oct. 15. Anytime after 6 p.m. Contact me for times. tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com

Saturday, Oct. 22. Anytime after 6 p.m.

Halloween shoots (single)
Includes Sugar Skull and Zombie
$100
full hair and makeup
one outfit
8 edited photos

Halloween shoots (group)
includes Sugar Skull and Zombie
$85 per person
up to three people
full hair and makeup
one outfit, some clothing available at the studio, more details on that when you book
5 edited group photos
3 edited individual photos

Pin-up shoots
$150
full hair and makeup, two different looks
three outfits
15 edited photos

Autumn pinup/glam shoots
$100
full hair and makeup
your own clothes
15 edited photos
I love fall, and these shoots will be taken outdoors with all the colors of the leaves. We can take them on the Park University campus, or nature sanctuary, or we can take them at the Briarcliff Nature Trail. These will be beautiful photos you can really cherish for life. I can't wait to take some :)

Dates: These dates are for Halloween, pin-up, or autumn pinup shoots. Just email me to book. tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com

Tuesday, Oct. 4 10:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 5 10:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 6 10:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 10 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 11 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 12 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 16, 10:00 a.m.

Mon. Oct. 17-Thurs. Oct. 20 10:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m.
Mon. Oct. 24 10:00 a.m., Wed. Oct. 26 10:00 a.m.
Fri. Oct. 28 10:00 a.m.

If you want a full disc of all the shots from your shoot the cost is $10. Otherwise I will just email you the edited ones :)


FYI: If you want to hire me to do Halloween makeup and hair for a party you're attending, or regular pinup or glam hair and makeup for a night out, just shoot me an email at least a day in advance. tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com. Prices will vary, but start at $20 an hour. (A steal, cause I don't take very long).

I love you all, and now hopefully I'm going to get my car! :)

This car makes me act like a nerd!

Zombie Group Shoot teasers, Impala time, loving fall

Hey all,

My goodness, what a busy weekend I had! Saturday ,instead of going to the Plaza Art Fair, Chris and I took a road trip to Marshall, Missouri. No comment on the town. I'm a KC girl fo' life. We test drove a car, it was pretty pimp. We're in the process of trying to buy it. Stressful as heck. As soon as we got the money the people stopped answering their darn phones. Ugh. Fingers crossed we will get it.

Gangster wheels will be the first thing to go. Sorry, I like my classic cars with their classic wheels.

Sunday I had a zombie shoot with a great group of friends. It was a total blast!

Here are some teasers. I'm sorry, I am so darn tired I have writer's block! There are a ton of good things I could say about Sunday. The girls were great, everything went smoothly, and everyone looked fab. The pics speak for themselves.

Love this one too!!!

Sooo many good ones!

I'm very excited to do more Halloween shoots, as well as Autumn pinup. But I always love doing just regular ol' glamorous pinup, and I would love to do a shoot soon!

If you are interested in booking any type of shoot, or have questions about pricing, just shoot me an email at tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com

I'm loving this fall weather, and if I could just get this car bought and get done with the stress, I would be even happier, lol.

Love you all!

Sugar Skull Edits, Plaza Art Fair, Zombie Shoot Sunday and Pajama Jeans

Hey all!

I'm loving the sugar skull pictures in sepia. I know the colors are great, but I like the vintage feel  the black and white type photos exude.  

Sugar skulls chillin' in the Caddy!

I'm so pumped for the weekend. I have a ton to do but it's very exciting. Saturday Chris and I are celebrating our anniversary at the Plaza Art Fair. It's gotten to be sort of a tradition. I'm going to dress pin-up, and I'd love to buy a bright pink lipstick and some bobby socks to go with my outfit. I will make sure and take lots of pics.

I might swing by the Harvest Fest for Park University. I'm not sure if Chris will want to go, since our past experiences were the dances are kind of lame...but I would love to see my friends who still attend the school.

I have a big zombie shoot Sunday with Heather, who is one of my best clients and also my neighbor, and two of her friends. I feel very ready, lol, since I've been practicing and timing myself. I'm really excited to put up my black backdrop tonight, and really just get everything ready. Saturday I will be gone all day, so I'm getting all my preparation done today and tonight.

I might swing by A to Z Theatrical on Sat. on my way to the fair...it depends.

I have to wait until next week to get the ball rolling on my website. I dilly-dallied around, and I was so confused. I have to wait until next week, when I can afford to pay Tim to set everything up for me, haha.

Since I need good security on my site, and Paypal, I would rather have a professional set it up. Sigh.

I want a website so bad, I was super stressed out yesterday. My mom took me out and got me some Pajama Jeans. Man, these things rock! I am wearing them right now, and I never want to take them off.

I love my pajama jeans! I bought them at K-Mart so I didn't get the free T-Shirt, but grey isn't my color anyway! And I didn't have to pay shipping. I know $39.99 ain't cheap, but I'm excited to wear these all winter long, since they are soft and warm.

Well, I'm at the college getting ready to tutor someone, so I've gotta go.

Love you all!

Web frustrations!

Hey everyone!

Sometimes it's tough being from the last generation not born with a keyboard and Ipod in their hands. I've been trying to figure out who to buy my domain from, and it's a process. I also need to use a site I can get into  and navigate without too much trouble.

They all want to tell you it's only two or three dollars a month, but really you have to pay for the entire year/two years up front. What if you hate using their site? Ugh. I need a website bad, so my customers have a place to go to find prices, galleries, etc...without having to look around.

I know my domain I want is open at this current time.

Sigh.

I'll update later today on the process after I talk with my friend Tim again...And I might ask my pal Faith for advice.

Love you all!

My anniversary, pics from yesterday's shoot, website plans!

Hi everyone,

Today is my ten year wedding anniversary! I can't believe it, these years have flown by! I really like being married to Chris. We've been through some tough times, but it was totally worth it!

Chris and I on our wedding day, September 21, 2001

This feels like longer than 10 years ago. Haha, things are so different now. 

Moving on...

I had a great time at my shoot yesterday. I've been working hard on shortening my times for hair and makeup. Everything went perfect yesterday, and we finished about two hours before I estimated we would. I was so excited I sat down and uploaded all the photos, then did a quick edit of some teasers.

I really liked how the second outfit Allyson wore was her own. She got to wear it out and about and really show off her zombie makeup. Its fun knowing that when I do makeup and hair for someone they get to leave feeling really confident and happy. It's definitely a perk of the job.

Chris was telling me that by keeping my prices so low, I might be giving the impression that I'm not very good. Like the whole "you get what you pay for" mantra. I hope that's not true. I keep my prices low because I want a lot of people to be able to do it. Please let me know what you think in the comments. I planned on raising prices by about $50 per pin-up shoot, because those are so much work and involve a lot of clothing changes and other extras. For the zombie shoot I kept the price a little lower so friends would be encouraged to do the shoots together. There is a method to my madness too, lol.

I'm calling my friend Tim, who helps me with computer issues, and asking his opinion on making my official website today. No more procrastinating it! I think it will make things a lot simpler for me and my clients. I won't stop blogging though. I like how it keeps me so interacted with people, and with my own goals and every day accomplishments.

Alan McArthur, another Park alumni, is going to be launching his website the KC Reporter in the next few weeks. Hopefully I will be doing some features and photos for him. I will let you  know when it launches, so you can check it out! I've seen the plans, and it's going to be a great news site for people in the KCMO area.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. I should be launching another Youtube tutorial soon! And I'm working on a new pinup makeup look as well.

Love you all!

Dutchess is a year old, lots to do! Youtube tutorials and missing my dad

Hey all,

I've had my cat Dutchess for a year as of this week. Here she is the day she came home. Such a sweetie. My cats are my babies :) I wuv them so...

I've been super busy getting everything lined up for this week. We just came off two birthday celebrations for my son, and this week and weekend I've got a zombie shoot tomorrow, my 10 year wedding anniversary on Wed, the Plaza Arts fair Sat and a big zombie shoot Sunday. I'm a little stressed, but just a little. It's all going to be super fun. I have to get used to living such a fast paced life! I'm a slow person by nature, I'm a Taurus after all, and sometimes I do feel like a big bull just moving all slow. But bulls can be fast when they are chasing people, and I am chasing a dream after all. Okay, enough corniness.


Moving on...

So I took Gabe to the skating party today. My mom went with me so I would have someone to talk to. I always feel a little awkward at that stuff. I get along with the moms on my block, but I never see them there. Just the uppity moms. I'm sure some of them are cool when you get to know them, but I'm sorry some just act plain old uppity. So, I go to get a pretzel with cheese. As I was carrying it to the table, the cheese spilled onto my hand and it was HOT! I dropped the pretzel. But for some reason I had no filter and totally said, "SHIT!" all loud while it was happening. Right in front of the moms AND their kids. I was like, "sorry," afterwards because I felt bad cussing in front of their kids. They just rolled their eyes and didn't say anything. I mean, really? I'm sure your kid has heard it before. Cut a girl a break. Of course, I think I was mostly upset about losing my pretzel. Pretzels are so good, especially with the cheese. Sigh.

I filmed another Youtube tutorial today. I can't wait to edit and upload it. It's about how to roll your hair on velcro rollers just to achieve body. Also I filmed how I make it into a Day of the Dead type hairstyle. I'm not sure if I will upload that or redo it. We'll see.

I hope everyone had a productive Monday!

Love you all!

I've been missing my dad a lot this month. The last couple years he was alive he came to Gabe's birthday parties. It was so nice to have him around. It makes me so sad that now he's gone, and there is still so much living to do. I wish we'd done a lot more together. That's okay though. When my dad was alive he was always kicking it and having fun. He got to do a lot of cool stuff in his life, like visiting  Jamaica, and spending lots of time abroad. I guess the most we can hope for when we die is that people still think about us and honor our memories. So that's what I always try to do.

P.S. Look at how brown my dad is, hehe! And look at my mom's copper hair! It's weird to see yourself as a baby, but I guess I was pretty cute. 

Friday night Sugar Skullz Fun, funeral yesterday

Hey all,

I had a great time on Friday night turning my niece and sister-in-law into sugar skulls. It lasted half the night because it was my first time doing them, and we didn't get started until around 9pm. I learned a lot from the experience though, and I can't wait to come back and do it again even better!

Here's a link to the Youtube video I made kind of documenting the process. The photos at the end aren't edited. Just raw! Lol.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TiffanyAprilM?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/fTEXFGEznLM

Moving on...

We went to a funeral for Chris's cousin Michael yesterday (not Mikey Harris, another cousin). It was so sad. I don't do well at funerals. Never have, but since losing my step-dad Steve and my real dad, I hate them. I could hardly even shed a tear at their funerals because I was still in denial. Now, when I go to other people's funerals all the emotions just flow through me, and it's like they died all over again. But I'm glad I went, it's good for Chris and his family to know I support them through thick and thin.

What's eating me today:

Some other photo business "added a photo" of Vintage Vamp Studios, and I can't figure out how to untag myself. Seriously, it's eating at me. I don't know what's going on with it. It's not my photo, none of my clients or models, and the guy is in Texas. Lord help me, I wrote on their wall and I'm trying to fix it.

Anyways, sorry for not blogging yesterday, and for being so short today. I'm working hard and shopping for the studio this weekend, and everything is going splendid! (Besides the Facebook nuisance.)

Love you all and have a great Sunday!

It rained, so location was moved to inside the Caddy, lol.

Zombie look 2 on Youtube, Ben Nye Review, Pics of me as a green zombie pin-up

Hey all!

Hey there!

I've been having a blast filming videos for my Youtube channel. My Youtube name is TiffanyAprilM, or you can just look up Vintage Vamp Studios. If that still doesn't work, you'll have to click on links from here or Facebook. Sorry, but every time I search for myself on there I can't find me, lol. I probably need a ton more views before my stuff starts popping up in the searches.

I made myself a green zombie yesterday evening and it was awesome! I did find out the hard way that Chris is not into zombie pinup at all. He just doesn't like the "scary" look on chicks. I can see where he's coming from, but I think it looks cool! My favorite holiday is Halloween and his is Christmas, but we make it work :)

Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccorSWZMVYA

I love my red shoes!

My new Ben Nye makeup kit is turning out to be one of my favorite purchases of all time! Richly pigmented colors...seriously, the best makeup on the planet. My only complaints are they are all glittery and there isn't a black. The palette rocks though (although it should for the $60 it costs)! It's worth the money, if you are going to be spending a lot of time doing glam makeup or special effects makeup.

I will always use Mary Kay skin care, and the makeup for everyday casual, but I am a Ben Nye addict for life!

Gotta go! Time with the fam, dishes, and studio arranging all await! Maybe even some special effects makeup practice!

Zombie Test Run, 2 new Youtube videos, closet overhaul and a new zombie look!

Hey there everyone!

I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning working on photos I took of Stevie Tuesday night. I love them! I learned a lot, and I'm excited to turn myself into a zombie today.

Hey there zombie sailor! Took this photo at the Briarcliff Nature Sanctuary, a place I've been frequenting since I was in grade school! It can be really creepy, so I thought it was a great spot. We ran into some exercise walkers and dog walkers, but they seemed to think we were funny and not creepy, so it's all good! :)

I learned so much from this test run. For example, where is the blood? Lol. Bought some yesterday. Also got some more black makeup. Don't worry, by the time paid shoots start, I will be an old pro! Stevie wanted her lips to stay pale. I wanted to do some red lipstick but she wasn't having it. She also didn't want a green tint to her skin. I'm going to try the green tint today, so we'll see if we like it! But man, HER HAIR LOOKS GREAT! Patting myself on the back :) hehe

I made a vid on how to cut your own Bettie Bangs. I recommend taking the plunge. They are fun, and now that the weather is turning chilly, there is no need to worry about sweaty foreheads!

Here is the link:

http://youtu.be/vTXAow1e6pA

I also made a video kind of documenting the process of making Stevie a zombie. Here it is:

http://youtu.be/FSe3sa9fEnU


I was going to go thrift store shopping today, but then I thought about my closets. Both of them are full to the brim of dresses, shirts and skirts. I'm going to do a closet haul, and see if I can't find stuff for my clients there. We all know how hard and time consuming thrift store and antique shopping can be, and I want to do zombie makeup first. So I will be a closet cleaning zombie :)

Love you all, and have a great day!

Betty Bangs tutorial, Zombie trials, B-day time, Vampire Pin-up

Hey all,

Sorry I didn't blog yesterday! I feel like a heel! Seriously, I was so stressed over my punkin's birthday. We parents take that stuff seriously. All I could think about was getting him everything he wanted. That didn't happen, but I think he liked his bday gifts.

My punkin and I.

Yesterday I filmed a tutorial on how to cut your own Betty Bangs. Just need to edit it and throw it on Youtube and then I'll post the link here and on Facebook.

Follow the link to Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTXAow1e6pA&feature=plcp&context=C336bdc9UDOEgsToPDskKDsqs0DoOV2e7rdNpnNVAz

I also did some filming of Stevie and the process of turning her into a zombie. That will be up by the weekend!

Which brings me to...

I did the zombie look on my sister Stevie. It was awesome! But I learned that tan people need their arms whited out a little, and if their legs are as tan as Stevie's, they better wear hose!

I am going to take an airbrush class very soon, and purchase the equipment. We're talking Playboy bunny stuff! You know how they paint a tux on, or a bunny or kitty. I'm not saying that's what people will want, but I will be able to do it. For now I'm sticking with a cream makeup, but it goes on smoothly, although it does take longer. The paints and products for airbrushing are more expensive, so when I start doing it I will have to figure out how much it costs me and go from there on pricing.

Just thinking ahead, lol!

I'm so excited people want to be vampire pinups too! Tomorrow I am forming my second zombie look (there will be three) and then my third on Friday. As soon as zombie looks are over, I will work on vampire ones. God, I love my job!

For those of you who've signed up for zombie pinup, I am on the lookout for clothing. I'm going thrift shopping tomorrow. I'm hoping to get some one-size-fits all stuff. But my advice is look at your own closet and brainstorm. If you have any Sunday dresses, or old prom dresses, we can make them pinup. Throw some fishnets on and false eyelashes plus my special effects makeup and you will be a zombie pinup, lol!

By the way, if you want a gash or slit throat/wrists, I will need you to bring it. You also need to bring a pair of false eyelashes. Not too Halloweeny, just long and black, the thicker and more glamorous the better. I did some research at Party City and the gash kits are about three to four dollars. I will happily apply it, but you'll have to bring it with ya. But special effects makeup comes with the deal!

So excited to keep on working!

I'm still booking for pretty much everything, so shoot me an email if you are interested! tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com

Zombie, Halloween, Theater Supply Store Haul coming soon! Found the camera cord...

Hey everyone!


What a busy morning I've had so far. No appointments today, but it's ended up being a good thing. I'm going to purchase my special effects make-up after a long research process.

I'm so excited for my zombie shoots, I could burst. If you've already signed up, you will be getting an email soon. If you haven't, what are you waiting for????!!!

I checked out Party City yesterday on my way home from the bank because they had a sale sign. Big surprise, didn't see any sale stuff, lol. But I did get a great pair of vintage-style sunglasses! Pics coming soon! Also saw those cheapie Pink Ladies jackets. I wanna nice one! How cute would it be to have a pink ladies jacket to wear this fall? And I have pink Chuck Taylors. Yessir!

Back to Party City. They are nicely stocked in everything but zombie makeup. That sh*t is already gone! And it's only September 13th! Hopefully they will get more in before Halloween, or else I guess people will have to go to the Halloween store.

Party City has a few great aisles of affordable wigs and accessories for people building their own costumes. I saw a vampire cape I died over, but my budget puts my family and clients first, so I just got to admire it.

They have zombie leggings in all sizes right at the moment. They could be very cute. I don't know if they go with my shoots, however, since my zombies are also pin-ups. They are glamorous, yo! Not creepy or punk rocky. However, I would love to do a sort of Amy Winehouse zombie make-up look. I hope that's not in poor taste. I love her music and I was always a fan of it and her style. Plus, I don't judge people for being addicts. I know how awful it is for addicts and their families from personal experience.

I'm going to the theater supply store in Waldo and I'm soo excited. I will film a haul for Youtube as soon as I get home and show you my loot.

My punkin's birthday is tomorrow. He will be 11! When he gets home today I'm making him a zombie. He's really excited, lol. I will definitely post pics of this also! :)

I found the camera cord to Chris' new camera. I was tangled up with my curling iron wire. Oopsy. Chris was just happy I found it, lol. I'm going through my make-up artist kit today and really streamlining everything. I'm also going through my hair stuff. I'm going to time myself doing the zombie makeup so I can get really quick. I'm also designing diagrams of the different looks and contours for each model's face. I do put a lot of thought into it!

For now I'd better go! I'm finishing photos for a client from last week so I can take them to her.

Love you all lots, and I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

Glamour Shoot Special... $40.00 this week only!!!!

Hi all,

Wouldn't you love a beautiful head shot like this one of Megan? How about 5? Would you pay $40.00? :)

I woke up this morning excited and jumped out of bed. It's kind of weird, but that's how much I enjoy what I'm doing now. Last night I kept thinking, "I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning." I feel so grateful for everything I have, and the weather is so gorgeous it makes me feel even better.

But enough about me. I really want to spread my good mood around this week, so I'm having a crazy special for Vintage Vamp Studios.

This week only, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday:

I am offering the Glamour Shoot Special for $40.00!!!!

This includes, hair, make-up, head shots, and 5 edited photos.
You wear your own clothing. You will only show from the waist up. (I don't advise wearing white unless you are dark complected).
These shoots only last 1.5-2 hours.
You leave feeling and looking fabulous!

These are photos you can use on your Facebook, Tumblr, etc. Print them off and give them to family for Christmas, or just because you haven't given them a photo in a while. Really do something special for yourself, you deserve it! These photos are perfect for a teenage girl. I am very familiar with making hair and make-up age appropriate :)

Here are the specific times:

Tuesday: 11:30 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 11:30 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 2:30 p.m., 5:00 p.m.

Just email me at tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com to make an appointment. No down payment necessary.

I would love to see some new and familiar faces!

You have a choice of color and black and white photos. For example, you can have me edit 3 color, 2 black and white, etc.

You can purchase a disc with all your photos from the shoot for $10.00. Otherwise, I will just email you the 5 edited photos included in the $40.00 deal. You have up to a month to purchase the disc, if you can't afford to right away.

This is such a good deal, I hope some of you take advantage of it! Tell a friend :)

Just a reminder: The full pin-up shoots with all the stops will only be $100 for those who book before September 16th! You have to make your appointment by then, you don't have to do your shoot by then :)

I have to raise the price to $150.00 for the full pin-up shoots. I hate raising prices, I feel like a tax man, but this is what I'm doing to help support my family. I have to put their needs first, and only charging 100 bucks isn't enough.

But, if you book by Sept. 16, you still get the $100 price :)

And Autumn pin-up is only $100.00! I still have Oct. 23rd open.

And Zombie pin-up is only $85.00! I still have three slots open for Saturday, Oct. 1, and two slots open for Tuesday, Sept. 20. That is next Tuesday. Just think, you can be an adorable zombie on Facebook for the entire Halloween season. So cool!!!! And perfect for groups of friends! I will add more zombie dates if needed, but you have to let me know right away! :)

Love you all!

Missing camera cords and Youtube drama!

Hey all,

I took some exciting photos and videos of the Riverside Red-X Car Cruise Friday night. It was so fun, and I saw the Phantoms of the Opry, a local band, for the first time. They were awesome so I bought their cd. I tried listening to it but I wasn't really in the mood. But I'm glad I have the cd for car shows, parties, and of course photo shoots. The music is fun for when you're in a Rockabilly mood!

Anyways, Chris has a new point and shoot camera. It's a Kodak, and I have to admit I really like it! Sometimes I'm scared to take my good camera to events because I'm afraid it will get wet or dropped or stolen, etc..Sometimes you just want a camera you can stick in your pocket. Unfortunately, we lost the cord already. After one day. I think a troll took it. Seriously, we have a photo studio in our home. Our home IS the studio half the time. Our house is clean and picked up. I honestly have no idea where that darn camera cord is!

Moving on,

I've worked my butt off of Youtube videos this weekend. Honestly, I know they are supposed to be fun, but editing them is tedious, haha.

Youtube has a program to prevent copyright infringement, and it picked up one of the songs and immediately took the video down.

I was a little freaked, but it turns out you just have to email them and appeal and they will turn it back on. By the time I did that it was already playing fine, it just had information on The Sapphires under the video. It must have been their song "Who do you love?" that caused the trigger. Oh well, no harm no foul.

Here is the link to the vid that caused the uproar. It's a tutorial on my "doll make-up" look :)

http://www.youtube.com/user/TiffanyAprilM?feature=mhee#p/a/u/2/kYmQHPcIEG8

Making these videos is time consuming. Maybe it's because of all the broadcast journalism training. If everything doesn't flow right, I start freaking out. For my favorites video, I pretty much left everything in. I figured, why not? Those are just for fun, and strictly for people who want your opinion on products.

Link for fave vid one:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TiffanyAprilM?feature=mhee#p/a/u/1/QTjVeIq868s

Link for fave vid two:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TiffanyAprilM?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/rURKcdnOZeU

I think you will all really like the Victory Roll tutorial, at least I hope so! I filmed it in the studio, so the background is a lot brighter and prettier. You can see better!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzl1SV1PfUs

I'm off to clean my car since the weather is so nice. I look a mess today, lounge pants and a baggy tee. Sometimes you need those bum days to recharge. At least that's how I am!

Going to buy special effects make-up next week. Excited!

Love you all! If I find the camera cord I will post pics later today! :)

Zombie pin-up dates, Halloween, Autumn pin-up, Glamazon shoots, continuing my $100 special for kitchen, vintage house shoots, and Riverside Red-X car cruise

Hey all,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday. I know I am very excited to attend the Riverside Red-X Car Cruise tonight from 5-8. I don't know if we can get there right at 5, since Chris usually gets off work at that time, but we will definitely be there!

We love our Caddy! Can't wait to take it to Riverside tonight :)

It's a great place to bring kids, and they have cheap hot dogs, hamburgers and soda pop. When the weather is lovely like this, it just adds to the fun. The last time we went there were not a ton of cars, so the more people we can get to show up, the better it will end up being! It's good to support these local events I think, so they will keep having them! :)

I know everyone has been waiting patiently for dates on Zombie Pin-up! Here they are:

Zombie Pin-Up

Sunday Sept. 25^th

10:00 a.m.

Saturday Oct. 1^st

10:00 a.m.

Rain day/alternate day Saturday Oct. 15 

10:00 a.m.

These shoots will take every bit of 4 or 5 hours.

Zombie Pin-up Shoots will run a little differently than normal shoots.

There will only be one outfit.

We will travel to the site as a group.

3 girls per shoot. If you want to book with your friends, and you need a special date, I can book separate from these dates or we can use the alternate day.

If these dates sell out immediately, we will try to accommodate and schedule more shoots.

We will take individual shots, as well as group shots.

Girls will arrive, get make-up done and then go into wardrobe.

Individual costs:

$85.00 a person 

Includes:

Zombie Make-up/Pin-up make-up

Pin-up Hairstyle and Hair Accessories

Some wardrobe choices…we will discuss specifics after you book.

Props and transportation to site provided

5 edited photos per individual

3 group photos 

8 edited photos total!

Extras:

$10.00 for a disc of all photos from the shoot, if you don’t want to pay for the disc, I will email you your edited photos.

I’m also going to offer 8”10 prints for 10 dollars a sheet (They will be high quality paper and ink prints)

If you want more edits, we're talking $20 a photo. They take me a few hours to edit, so that's a big steal!

FYI: If you want to book a couple shoot as zombies, I am down. But we will need to schedule it soon. I'm not going to include guys in the girl group shoots, because that could end up awkward (unless you are all friends and everyone is okay with it). If you want a couples shoot as vampires, Frankenstein and wife, etc...I am down. But you need to contact me so we can brainstorm a firm date. And to discuss specifics.

The bottom line is I love Halloween. I am willing to do pretty much any Halloween type shoot we can think up together. The price will depend on what all is involved, but don't sweat it, it won't be too sky high.

Autumn Pin-up

October 22, 23

10:00am, both days

Depending on demand,  more dates may be added later.

These will be individual shoots.

4 hour shoot.

$100

Includes:

1 outfit

Hair, Make-up

Transportation to location of our choice

10 edited photos

My entire life I have been fascinated by the changing colors of fall leaves. They are so beautiful, and make the perfect photo op. You will cherish these photos for life, I guarantee.

$10.00 for the disc of all photos, and prints will be available for purchase.

Glamazon Shoot:

For those lacking the moo-lah for a full shoot, but wanting to treat themselves.

$50.00

Includes:

Hair and make-up (doesn't have to be pin-up)

5 edited photos

For this shoot you need to wear an outfit of your own that you love. You can also bring a jacket if you like. (For those throwback 80's/90's glam shots, lol)

Disc of all photos available for purchase for $10. Prints available for purchase.

My current special for my kitchen studio/ vintage home shoots will continue for those who book before Friday, Sept. 16. 

$100 

3 outfit changes

2 make-up looks 

15 edited photos

These are only head shots! You can have gorgeous photos like this for $50!!!

Discs with copies of the entire shoot are $10. Prints available for purchase.

Christmas Packages coming soon!

Love you all!

Email me to book or for any questions you might have:

tiffanyaprilmiller@gmail.com

Vintage Vamp Studios featured on Pin-up Post, all I need is a camera and a dream!

Hey all,

Funny thing is, the cat is actually biting her...but don't worry, she's family so she won't sue, lol :)

I am so excited to announce one of my models was featured on Pin-Up Post today. It's the model in the photo above, but a different pic.

Here's the link to the website:

http://www.pinuppost.com/

Here's the link straight to Stevie, in case you don't make it there today:

http://www.pinuppost.com/post/9942030463/model-stevie-hendrix-photography-vintage-vamp

I am so crazy proud. I sent the photo in a while back, so I was afraid maybe it wasn't sexy enough for the site, or she just didn't like it. But I guess I just had to wait my turn, lol. This makes me feel wonderful, words can't describe how happy I am.

The truth is, when you are just starting out, and I'm sure this is true of any business, you feel like there are all these things you NEED right away. You NEED a ton of clients, you NEED a ton of expensive editing programs, you NEED to have a full studio and every prop or product known to man. But as you move along, you realize you can make do just fine with what you have. Getting established doesn't happen overnight.

When I took this beautiful picture of Courtney I had nothing but a camera and ideas. I didn't have a studio yet, just my vintage house. Heck, Vintage Vamp Studios didn't even have a name! I had no idea I was heading down a path that would make me insanely happy. So thank you Courtney, who does happen to be a friend also, for your confidence in me, and willingness to pay me for photos, make-up, hair, etc. I'll never forget it!

I've come to the point where I'm really just enjoying my journey. I go antiquing on the weekends to find vintage clothing and items for the studio. I attend car shows and meet lots of people (of course taking their picture if they say yes, lol).

Do I see a Mexicali shoot in the near future? Yes I do, Mr. Sombrero! Saw this at the Brass Armadillo, granddaddy antique store.

Even before I checked my email and found out my photography was featured, I totally had an epiphany earlier today. It happened as I was putting on my socks to work out (random, I know). I was thinking about my first photo class and the presentations we all gave. This was a class of 30, so I learned quite a bit about different photographers. I chose David LaChapelle, because I love the way he constructs a photograph. There's always so much going on. Anyways, I remembered that many photographers only had point and shoot cameras, and film to work with. And their end result was beautiful. Awe-inspiring.

I know, David LaChapelle has a ton of money to make things happen at his shoots. But he's also got something money can't buy, the ideas and will to make them come to fruition. He really pays attention to who his clients are. He figures out what will work for them, and for him. This is definitely one of my favorites! 

I came to the realization you don't need a bunch of crap to be great. If you love what you do, and you keep trying to make your clients as happy and comfortable as possible, things will always be great and just keep getting better. Then, you will end up having all the things you thought you NEEDed anyways, lol.

:)

Paying bills, missing the days of pagers (beep beep), editing Greaserama photos and loving family and fall weather

Hi all,

Well, since coming back to reality, I paid our bills, lol. It's funny how easy to put off paying bills is. You never know whether to be depressed your money is gone, or happy you are responsible and will continue to have utilities, insurance, cable, cell phones, etc. It makes me long for the days of pagers and American Cable Vision. Before Time Warner and At&t became the mogul companies there are now. Sometimes I miss being able to go somewhere without a cell phone. It's like you can be tracked every second of the day. I can't decide if I like it or not, lol.

I had a great shoot today, and I'm excited to share the photos when they are done in a fews weeks.

I edited some photos for Jennifer, one of the pin-ups I met at Greaserama. She was so sweet. I did one color, and one black and white. I'm in love with the black and white one. I'm such a sucker for black and white, lol

I love the pretty colors.

The black and white one knocks my socks off. Especially with all the shadows...the dress is billowing nicely. The only thing I would change is people in the background, but it was a car show after all, hehe!

I would have rather taken the photo with film and developed the film and prints myself. You'd be surprised how much control over photos you have in the darkroom. And the prints always have such rich tones. Sigh. I miss having access to the darkroom at Park University. But I'm happy to say I'm over my brief sadness at not going to school anymore. When I got to spend Monday fishing with my family and relaxing, instead of slaving over homework, I knew I'd made the right choice not to go to grad school.

I really love what I'm doing, and as long as things keep going as well as they are (fingers crossed) I should be able to live decently. That's all I ask for. I don't care about being rich. I'm so happy right now. I'm just doing what I love. And I'm spending time with the people I love. No thank you, I don't want some demanding ass career I have to put over my family every day. I've had those jobs. No freaking way! I'm tutoring at the community college again, in addition to my photo business, and I love it. It's nice to be able to help people grow as students. Whether they are 18 or 45, I don't care. I just like helping them. Of course, I only do it one day a week, haha, so I am pretty refreshed when I go in, and still have energy when I leave. And I love my co-workers. I think people can do just about any job there is, if they like their co-workers.

It's so hard to find out what you want to do with your life, lol. It only took me 29 years, haha.

Moving on...

Fall slapped us dead in the face here in KCMO. I can't believe how cool the temperature has been. I've actually been cold a few times!

I'm happy to say I'm prepared for Halloween this year. I've got a sexy witch costume. I'm so excited, I've never been a sexy witch before. It doesn't take much to make me happy when it comes to Halloween. I love it so much.

Which reminds me I need to set firm dates for Zombie Pin-Up. I'm thinking three girls, four at most...It's going to be so fun, not all yucky. They are going to be cute zombies. I don't want to give it away. I deliberately  haven't looked at any other photographer's work, because I want my shoot to be totally my own vision :) But here's a hint, think Sally from the Nightmare Before Christmas. She was so pretty, but still creepy with all those stitches. And of course there will be a cemetery involved.

That's all for now, love you all! Enjoy the fall :)

Whatever you do, don't think about this! WINTER!!!!

Back to life, back to reality...

Hey all,

Ah, Greaserama is over until next year. That means I need to get back to work, planning more shoots and making new personal goals. One of which is to keep blogging everyday! :) I hope you enjoy all the pics from the show, they are in my facebook albums on my "like" page. They are all taken by me and so far unedited. Just pure undiluted talent, lol. J/K

Today was a day for getting back into routines. Chris and I had an exciting weekend, what with spending Saturday and Sunday at the Boulevard Drive-In for Greaserama. Sunday was so fun, it definitely made up for the rain and discomfort I experienced Saturday. I wandered around meeting random people, taking their photos, and handing out my business cards.

The cards contained my facebook link, www.facebook.com/vintagevampstudios.

Also, some had my blog address, so if some of you readers are people I met at Greaserama, welcome!

Meeting lots of adorable pin-ups was definitely one of the highlights of Greaserama this year!

I think the lesson I learned this year is not to get my hopes up too much, and to be practical. Also, I learned that when its over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, riding on the highway in the Cadillac with the top down (black interior) is not a good idea. I was over-heated when we arrived and had a total panic attack. Luckily, it started to rain and that cooled me off a bit. But I was still grumpy and being a nightmare of a wife. Chris put up with me, thank god we've been married so long. It wasn't the kind of behavior a "boyfriend" would have put up with, lol. 

I almost got caught complaining in somebody's Youtube video around the 6:05 mark...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTyrAFvS8x0&feature=share. 

Moving on...lol....

I really had my hopes up for looking super pin-up on Saturday at Greaserama this year, but most my make-up melted off, or got rained off. Thank goodness for Melissa from Retro Vixen and her kind heart. She let me use her liquid eyeliner when mine got rained off. It wouldn't have been such a big deal if I wasn't wearing false lashes. Yes, I think false lashes have lost their appeal to me, haha, at least for outdoor car show hot-as-hell weather. 

Melissa from Retro Vixen. She is so sweet and really pretty. Thank god for her shop, it's one of the only places I can find pin-up clothing in my size (12/14)

Little old melted me and my husband Chris. I arrived in cute pin-curls, that hairstyle is what I ended up with. Le sigh. This is Saturday of course, lol. Kind of the day from hell a little bit, but fun too...in a camping sort of way I guess (not really lol).

I'm really happy my niece Samantha was able to attend both days. A lot of my family and friends didn't get to go because they couldn't afford the 10 dollar cover, or were just unable to go for other reasons. I missed them all, but I stayed busy. Wearing my vintage firefighter jumpsuit was soo comfortable! I wore a wife-beater under it and belted it at the waist. Ahhh, if only I could be that comfortable everyday, lol.

My niece Sammy and I at home base, aka "the caddy." :) This is Sunday.

I got to see Faith and her Evil Pawn Jewelry crew. I'm so thankful to have met her. Faith is how I found out about Greaserama in the first place a few years ago, lol! I love all the pics I took of her. None of them are edited, but they are so colorful and pretty just the way they are!

EPJ in the house!
http://www.facebook.com/EvilPawnJewelry

I didn't spend much money this year, even though I was packing. I ended up buying supplies for our home base, and food. But that's okay. I did manage to get myself a little pendant and antique chain from Squirrel Design Company. I love it so much! My little hair bows were just from Hot Topic. I also got a bottleneck pendant that says "Hotrod Hellcat" and a pair of skull bobby pins for 10 bucks from a random vendor. Pretty awesome if I say so myself!

I love my new necklace from Squirrel Design Company. Those gals were so sweet at Greaserama. I love their stuff!

The Squirrel Design tent...everything looks pink :)
http://www.facebook.com/squirreldesigncompany?sk=wall

I hope I'm not missing anything important. I was very happy some of my friends/neighbors got to attend.

If you're not from Kansas City, I highly recommend making the trip to Greaserama next year! It's worth it!

So long Greaserama, see you next year!

P.S. If you ever want to snatch one of my photos, go right ahead. Just make sure and give me photo credit. Mwah!!!