Conversation on New Year's Eve

K: "While you're out, would you stop at Walgreen's and get us some hats and tooters for New Year's Eve?"

Till, pointing at his behind: "You mean THIS kind of tooter!?!?"

Merry Christmas

although it's been said

many times, many ways

Merry Christmas, to you

- Torme/Wells

Churchill

Here then, for one night only, each home throughout the English-speaking world should be a brightly lighted island of happiness and peace. Let the children have their night of fun and laughter. Let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups share to the full in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to the stern tasks and formidable year that lie before us. Resolved that by our sacrifice and daring these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent world.

And so, in God's mercy, a happy Christmas to you all.

- Winston Churchill's Christmas Eve address, Washington, 1941

Sam + Emma

Message in the blocks, left at the studio by two very adoring sisters.

Dude...

... it's just gruesome outside. 34 degrees and driving rain.

So this is what a "One" looks like on the Mellish Meter.

Natasha

Christmas with the Blue Light

I peeped Music from the Blue Light over on MonoBlog a few seasons back, and it is still one of my favorite radio stations in the Standards genre.

Every Christmas, the station morphs into the terrific Blue Light Christmas, featuring Sinatra, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Elvis, Bing and more. This is the tenth year of the Blue Light Christmas, so the music is as varied as it is deep. Keep an ear out for the music of Bert Kaempfert (composer of "Strangers in the Night" and "Danke Schoen") and Jackie Gleason, of Honeymooners fame, who was quite an accomplished bandleader.

Great stuff! Please give it a whirl this holiday season.

Ribbon Book Giveaway

Just four more days! We will be giving away a copy of the fabulous Ribbon Book to one fan on December 20. All you have to do is become our fan on facebook and post why you love Parker Smith Portraits. Winner will be announced on our facebook page.

Christmas Dresses

ReinDogs!

Corgie Love

Harlequin Great Dane

Is there anything cuter than a bug-eyed pug?

More tongue than mouth

The Amaryllis Pit Bulb

The Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, Santa, a one eyed dachshund and another who needed a wheelchair. They won a first place ribbon.

Too cold for the Whippet.

Amaryllis Pit Bulb wins a ribbon.

Gingerbread Great Danes

Snuggle-huahua

Elfin Magic

Baby F., the latest addition to our portrait collection of Atlanta's most adorable babies. :-)

Rein Dogs on a Rainy Day

Just got home from a busy day out, now enjoying a glass of $2.49 Cabernet Sauvignon (I pour it in a big fancy stem, so it feels like I spent more than I did), some Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Stars (shortbread stars, dipped in dark chocolate -- Butt. Getting. Bigger...), and some Christmas from the Blue Light (more on that later).

We were at the ReinDog event at the Botanical Gardens this morning, where all of the crazy dog owners in the ATL dress their dogs up as reindeer, elves, Santas -- even a few canine menorahs -- and parade them around the gardens. They came out in droves on a frosty, 38 degree December morning, proving again that dog owners are just a wee bit kooky.

We had a great response to our dog portrait display. Lots of very positive feedback. If I can humbly brag on myself, I think we are creating some of the best dog portraits you can find anywhere. It's one of the great joys of my life. Trust me, I'm not qualified to do anything else, so if photography goes belly-up, I'll be washing dishes (again).

After the frosty morning, I did two studio sessions, one brother-sister set of twins, now one year, and a fun, fashiony shoot with a nine-year old girl who loves Taylor Swift. Fun stuff!

Then, off to Trader Joes to make sure we had plenty of cheap wine stockpiled in case a random snowstorm hits Atlanta any time in the next two months.

I'll post some photos from ReinDog in a bit. Stay warm.

Good Puppy

Mr. Henry

Here's an old photo I just stumbled across, our late and beloved Mr. Henry (a.k.a. Mr. Cabbit), circa 1996, chillaxin' on my darkroom table. If you're a photo geek, you may recognize that enlarger as an Omega D2, a cranky old beast, now properly replaced with a Beseler MXII. Henry has his hein resting on my Ilford Multigrade filters, still in service.

Afternoon Coffee

The afternoon coffee ritual here at the studio:

1) Go to Z-Cafe, get a cup of coffee. Take two sips and then set it on the desk and allow it to come to room temperature.

2) Wait one hour. Take a cold sip, and then put it in the microwave. Hit Quick Minute.

3) Wait 30 minutes. Remember that the coffee is in the microwave. Hit Quick Minute again.

4) Repeat step 3.

5) Repeat step 4.

6) Go home for the evening and let coffee grow mold in the microwave.

You Better Watch Out

Santa might put you on the naughty list.

Baby Teeth

Ah, the two little bottom teefus that always sprout first.

As cute as it gets

It's been two years since I last photographed the M. family, and the kids are now even more adorable than they were before.

That's really the joy of children, isn't it? No matter how much you love them today, you will always find more depth in that love tomorrow.

Hope you are all enjoying your families this holiday season. :-)

Helpful Christmas Tip

If you have one of the ubiquitous ceramic Christmas trees and are in need of replacement lights and/or stars, you can find them at Dogwood Ceramics.

This is what happens

when you allow the Elves to unionize.

Walker on Santa

I think Santa has diabetes.

- Walker

Join us for some holiday cheer!

Stop by the studio tomorrow (Saturday, December 5) and visit awhile! We are having a holiday Open House from 4 - 6pm - there will be drinkies and snackies for kids and adults alike, and loads of Christmas music (like you haven't been listening to any yet!). We'll keep the playlist full of holiday songs by Ella, Bing, Perry and Frank.

If you haven't been to the new studio yet, we have moved down the street to 1095 Zonolite Road Suite B.

Christmas sweaters are optional!

Rudolph Roxx

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, the 1964 Rankin-Bass holiday classic, scored nearly eleven million viewers last night on CBS!

The thought of another generation of children being introduced to Hermey and Rudolph -- two of television's most lovable misfits -- warms my heart. Yes it does. :-)

The Kiss

Ralphie's Radio

If you've wearied of the 24/7 desecration of Christmas music perpetrated by an endless parade of human dog whistles on your local FM station, fear not. There is hope for the Holiday.

Start by tuning your dial over to Ralphie's Radio on Live 365.

Live365 is a fantastic bargain for independently programmed, high-quality internet radio. Ralphie's Radio has been a family favorite for several years now, and the playlist is freshly expanded and better than ever.

Taking his cue from "A Christmas Story," DJ Ralphie Parker has assembled a wonderful collection of vintage Christmas music dating mostly from the 40s and 50s. Think of the great vocalists like Bing Crosby (naturally) and Frank Sinatra, then add in largely forgotten vocal talents like Dick Haymes, Dinah Shore, Margaret Whiting and Jo Stafford, some Big Bands, a little pipe organ and even some Roy Rogers.

It's a terrific mix of sacred and the secular songs, devoid -- mostly -- of the daffy, novelty holiday songs that began to creep into the catalog in the late 60s. In fact, the artist of most recent vintage on Ralphie's Radio is probably Perry Como, whose last hit the #1 spot on the charts in 1957.

Ralphie's Radio is obviously a labor of love for it's DJ. Do him a favor, tune in, enjoy, and give him a shout out.

Merry Christmas, ya'll. More good listening to come.