Bye Bye Old Blog!

My new Diary (my blog) is finally live! I am so excited! This blog will still be here, but all new posts, sneak peeks, and Andi chatter will be on the new blog from now on. I might experience some "bugs" along the way (OK- so I know I will! ha!), but just hang with me. The new blog has HUGE images and all sorts of fun links. Check it out at www.andidiamond.com/blog. See you on the other side!!

The Red Elephant! YUMMY!

Hi there my beloved blog stalkers! I have a great new restaurant for you to try out....The Red Elephant Pizza and Grill! We went last night for their open house/training event. We were welcomed in to an evening of complimentary food and drinks to try out the menu and see how the staff is doing before their official opening. All I can say is WOW! It was fabulous! The Red Elephant is a fun, comfortable atmosphere that is perfect for families or a date! Everything was fresh and so good! The staff could not be nicer! So if you are looking for a new restaurant, give The Red Elephant a try! It is located at 14391 N Dale Mabry in Tampa or call 813-908-PIZA (7492). And yes, it is north of Kennedy (all you South Tampaians...ha!)- but it is totally worth the 15 minute drive! Bon appetite!

Holiday Mini Sessions

Quick update on holiday mini sessions...I still have 2 time slots left for tomorrow (Saturday, October 4) for the mini session and only 1 time slot left for the location session at the University of Tampa on Saturday, October 18. Mini session are 20 minutes and include the session, an online gallery for viewing and sharing your 10-12 proofs, 50 custom 5x7 folded holiday cards, 1 mounted 8x10, and 2 mounted 5x7's for $350. Call me ASAP if you would like to participate at 813-503-5056 or e-mail me at andi@andidiamond.com. And burrr- it's cold outside today! Ha! I do love the little chill in the air!

Update on the Chinese Gymnasts..

Well, it came out today that the Chinese gymnasts really were old enough to compete in the Olympics. Do I beleive it? Not too sure. After all, the information was received from the Chinese government (who takes gymnasts away from their families as young children to train them to represent their country). I mean..I am just saying....

A Future Gator- Meet Will!

3 1/2 months is such a fun age to photograph- especially when the baby is Will (who happens to look like he is 5 or 6 months old!)! What a cutie pie! And even better- his parents are Gators, met at the University of Florida, and bleed orange and blue! Gotta love that!! This boy is destined to greatness! Will did so well throughout his session, then reached that point- and the game was over! Sleeping baby! Enjoy your "teasers" Jen and Jack and GO GATORS!! (Saturday was a rough day for Gators nationwide...) :(

Jim and Pam- ENGAGED!

OK, so this is not an engagement session- it is Jim and Pam- from The Office...my favorite show, which premeired tonight! This show is hilarious! HILARIOUS! It did take Pete and I a couple episodes to get into it, but then we were hooked! I cannot get enough! And Jim is my celebrity crush! He is sooo cute (do I sound like a teenage girl??!!) So, here is to my fellow Dunder Mifflinites! The season is on- yippee! Oh, and check out Jan's candle site (yes, that have a website for Serenity By Jan! ) Click here- it is a riot!

Dancing With the Stars is back!

I LOVE Dancing With The Stars! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! And I am thrilled that Maks- the bad boy of the dance floor is back! So my early favorites are: Lance Bass and Lacy Schwimmer (any relation to David from Friends??), Rocco DSpirto and Karina Smirnoff, Cody Linley and Julianne Hough (OK, she is a favorite of my husband. She is adorable!), and Misty May-Treanor and Maks (moslty because I am still going through an Oylmpic withdrawl since it ended and I love Maks! Too bad they could not get Michael Phelps! ha!). So we will see what happens, but I can promise you that I will be glued. For more updates, click Dancing With the Stars.

Stephanie and Paul...expecting!

When Paul got to their photo shoot, I asked him what their baby's name was going to be. He said Pizanno (I think?!). Uumm, OK I thought. Must be a family name, right? Ha! He said that Stephanie wants to keep it a secret but that she craved Italian food all throughout her pregnancy, so Baby Pizanno is what they are calling him in the mean time! That makes me laugh! Staphanie and Paul were my first couple who had the "honor" of being photographed in my new studio space! I was super excited (they probably thought I was nuts...but an additional 10 more feet by 17 more feet is HUGE to me! HUGE!!) I was so happy to really be able to move around without stepping on myself! I could have done a dance I was so happy. (It's the little things in life, right?!) OK, enough about me....back to this adorable couple! Stephaine had to re-schedule; her original session was supposed to be 3 weeks ago. All I could think was- she is this small now...three weeks ago her tummy must have been a tiny little bump! And she is almost 36 weeks!! I looked like this at 7 months! So great to meet you both. Can't wait to photograph Pizanno (hopefully he will have a different name by then...). :)

Laura and Bruno- Engaged!

They met on a plane on they way back to the US from Italy. Their seats were not next to each other...but one of the other passengers was kind enough to swap seats. They felt the connection immediately. Laura and Bruno knew it was true love. So they got married downtown....a month later! And now they are preparing for the "real" wedding (which I get to photograph next month!) Here are just a few of my favorites from our engagement session (which I guess I could technically call a "marriage session"? Ha!) Can't wait for the big day, Laura and Bruno!!
These two are so beautiful- and so photogenic! It was definitely a hot evening, but even as we melted we got some hot shots!
Bruno tried to act all shy....but I knew he had an inner super model! Work it, Bruno! Work it!!

Meet the M. Family!

Meet the M. Family- Shea, Brent, Madeline, Morgan...and Chloe! This session has been a long time in the making and I am so glad that we were finally able to get together! Shea was referred from one my very first clients- Melissa H. She was so excited for our session- as was I! Her girls are adorable!!
And just too sweet!
My favorite out takes: Just look at that face! Hysterical! Do you think she is over it??!! ha!

And what do you get when you mix a photo session with a 2 year old, a one year old, and a dog? Some laughs! That's for sure!



It was so great to meet you, M. Family! Can't wait for you to see the rest!

My Studio Renovation! YEAH!

The studio demo has begun! (and thanks to my hubby for grabbing these snapshots with his point-n-shoot camera). So here is a run down of all the fun "stuff" that comes along with renovations and demos.
Day 1-4. Some of Pete's staffers tore down the old garage door and put up siding on the outside. The they hung those awesome french doors (which will get painted one of these days)!
Day 5. It rained, and rained, and rained...and flooded the room. About 2 inches of water. So that was not too good. Fortunately no water got into the other side, which is currently my working studio.
Day 10 and 11. All dried up and ready to be emptied! This building was constructed in the 1920's...and I think some stuff from back then was still housed on this side! ha! There was alot of junk in what I used to lovingly call "the dungeon". My mom and Ethan were great helpers. (Though I am not too sure if Ethan helped or just made things messier- but he had fun!) Here is how the rest of the day went: empty out as much junk as we could, scrape up my legs, get attacked by mosquitos, cover everyone in Off and sunscreen (probably would have been better as step #1), knocked over the beautiful pedestal (and broke it) that was supposed to hold the sink in the bathroom that will eventually be built), curse, sweat, install subfloor, knock down wall between current studio and "the dungeon", sweat some more, bring dry wall and wood scraps out to the curb, continue sweating, step in poo, curse some more....done for the day.
Lots more to get done, but at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! My next scheduled studio session is in 1 week- plenty of time...right??!! fingers crossed.....

Love Chocolate??

I know I do! So when my client, Donna Williams, PhD, told me about her new business, I was intrigued. She is an independent distributer of Xocai...healthy chocolate! Imagine that? Then I tried it..YUMMY! This chocolate is high in antioxidants and is made with the acai berry (plus the blueberry and concord grape!). Here are 7 reasons to eat healthy chocolate:

1. Deliciously decadent Belgian chocolate

2. Highest tested level of antioxidants

3. No refined sugare, milk, or preservatives

4. Curbs cravings for sweets and snacks

5. Diabetic and heart friendly

6. Can contribute to healthy weight control

7. 90% of us eat chocolate....Just trade bad for good!

If you would like to try Xocai, please email Donna at Donna@NeedMyChocolate.com or visit her website my clicking Need My Chocolate. If you would like to chat with Donna about becoming a distributer (and making some great money!), give her a shout!

Obama Dines at Roy's!

How cool is this? My friend Jayne sent me this picture. She is one of the marketing directors for OSI (Outback) in CA. (Sniffle, sniffle...she moved from Tampa over a year ago after working at Bonefish.) Anyway, hours before announcing the Joe Biden VP nomination, Barack and his family dined at Roy's Chicago. He is a big fan and has dined regularly for years. He also spent Father's Day there. This is the first time the paparazzi followed him. Nice pic if I do say so myself! His faves: short ribs and butterfish and of course- the Hawaiian Martini! (And BTW- this is not a "Vote for Barack" thing. Just thought it was neat....) Oh, and if you have never dined at Roy's, you should! It is yummy! Click Roy's to check it out.

The Closing Ceremony....

Well, it has been 17 days of excitement!  I do love the Olympics- and gymnastics and swimming rocked my world!  Volleyball was pretty fun to watch, too- but my heart was with Michael, Nastia, and Shawn!  I have not had time to post my recent options since we have been up so late every night watching- so here is my quick recap:

Micheal Phelps- AMAZING, truly amazing!  The fly?  It was a nail biter. We were screaming!  And the 4 x100- does it get any more exciting?  Lezack was almost a body length behind- he is an animal.  The team was just incredible.  I am definitely a Phelps Phan!  (How can you not be??!!)

Gymnastics- Lastia got robbed on bars.  But I am so glad Shawn on beam.  She is too cute.  I would love to go to London in 2012.  OK, so if you can get me tickets- free portraits sessions- for life! ha!  Time for bed- I have 17 days worth of sleep to catch up on....

Welcome Sophie Rose!

Sophie Rose is finally here. Though I swear her mommy just told me she was pregnant...time does fly- doesn't it?! At just 10 days old, Sophie is already a super model (yes...newborn sessions should happen as early as possible- preferably at 7-10 days old, when they are still all "curly"). And being a model is tough work- especially for mommies and daddies, who get pee and poo showers! ha! Congrats Helen and Tony and Olivia- so happy for the F. family!
:) A

It's Holiday Time....Already!

I can't believe it- but it is time to start thinking about the holidays already! Those of you who were with me last year (my first holiday season!!), know how it goes (and thanks for being on the ball and scheduling your holiday session already!). For my newbies, this is the drill- my holiday cards ROCK! They are 5x7 or 5x5 folded on a heavy cardstock linen or watercolor paper. They are totally customized (images, colors, fonts, text) and will definitely WOW your family and friends! You can either schedule a new session or use images from one of your sessions this year. Your session MUST be scheduled by November 1 to guarantee your order in time for the holidays. I am considering a holiday mini session for clients who already had a session this year- I will keep you posted!
To view some of my holiday cards designs, click here:
www.andidiamond.com/HolidayCards

A Ride over Baghdad!

One of my recent wedding clients, Laura G., just emailed me this picture of her new hubby on his first helicopter ride over Baghdad! And her her words..."Isn't he just too damn cute!!" Thanks for protecting our country, Patrick! Come home safely- and soon!!

It's a Jewelry Party!

I LOVE jewelry! So when my client, Cynthia Fortunato, told me about the new line she was carrying, I was all ears! Her line is called Inspiranza, http://www.inspiranzadesigns.com/, and she is the only rep in Tampa! The line specializes in unique handmade sterling silver jewelry with semiprecious stones and pearls. I encourage you to look at her line OR stop by her OPEN HOUSE party on Friday, August 22 starting at 10am. AND...bring your old gold (you know that old ring from your high school boyfriend? that lone hoop earing??) She will have rep there to buy your old gold! You might even want to consider hosting an Inspiranza party or becoming a rep yourself. Please contact Cynthia at 813-732-4294 or via email at cmfortunato@verizon.net for more info. Hope to see you Friday! Tell her Andi sent you!

Olympic Outrage.

Well, more Olympic controversy! I have to admit that I was very mad last night that Nastia Liukin was not sharing the gold medal on top of the podium with He Kexin of China. After all, their routines scored the exact same! There is definitely a flaw in the scoring system- and as a gymnastics judge, I feel confident in that! My heart broke for Nastia- however, she did claim the biggest metal of them all in Olympic gymnastics- the all around gold! It just seems that the Americans are getting ripped. Did you see vault event finals? Alicia Sacramone's vault not only soared over Chenf Fei, but she landed on her feet!! When I judge, if you don't land on your feet first, the vault is a void- a zero! Seemed to me that not only did Fei fall, but she did not land feet first. I honestly thought she was going to get a void vault- and then she medals?? There is a problem here! Whew- glad I got that out! Anyway, way to go team USA! Can't wait for balance beam finals tonight! And am I the only one staying up all night, every night, watching the Olympics? I gotta get some sleep! ha!

Baby on Board!

Ohh, to look this good when you are 5 days shy of giving birth! ha! Helen was such a trouper. Helen is a great friend of mine- and was one of my first maternity "models" when I started my business. This time we had our session on location in her home. Keep your eyes posted for her newborn pics soon!

And thanks for your patience while I was on vacation these past few days. I will return all calls and e-mails asap! We had a great time at Palm Coast- I will post some images soon. And of course, I will post some more Olympic updates and opinions, as well!

More Olympic Updates...

Are you loving the Olympics??? I sure am! Gymnastics update- the men's team took bronze. Pretty impressive, especially considering that this was the 1st Olympics for all of the team members, and they lost 2 of their best veterans...the Hamm brothers. The women's team struggled a bit, but still managed to grab the silver (amongst controversy that the Chinese competed with under aged girls). I am sitting here watching swimming- with my laptop..well, on my lap- just as Michael Phelps has won yet another gold metal- in the 200IM. The man is incredible! He has 26 individual world records. And he just seems so darn nice! Pete and I are talking about how we want to be in the Olympics- ya' think it might be too late?? Ha! Maybe Ethan will be one day- he is as obsessed with it right now as we are- and he is 2!! More Olympics to come...I'm lovin' it!! Did I mention that already?

And a shout out to all the Gators in the Olympics!! So far, we have athletes competing in swimming (Dara Torres, Ryan Lochte, amongst others), women's basketball, baseball, women's soccer, and tennis. More Gators to come...it's a Gator Nation!!

Olympic Update....

The men's relay was AMAZING!  If you missed it, you have to go online to see a re-cap!  I had goose bumps watching as Jason Lezak (the anchor) charged to the wall- starting the lap almost half a body length behind the French (who had been smack talking the US---in your face, France!)  The team shattered the world record with a time of 3:08.34.  Truly awe inspiring!  Michael Phelps (above) lead the team with an American record in the first 100m, bringing him that much closer to 8 gold metals!
On the other hand, it was a rough start for the US Women's Gymnastics team as we struggled through the prelims tonight.  Injuries, falls, out of bounds...lots of disappointments for our girls.  But, I am confident that we will come back strong- and after the pep talk seen here that the team gave each other, it looks like they can- they know they can- and have to- do better!  Overall, some very impressive gymnastics.  Ethan did a few flips on the couch in celebration!  GO USA!!!!