Let me start from the beginning. Shelly from Vegetarian Ventures sent me message a few weeks ago. I was so excited to hear from her – like spew-tea-all-over-my-computer-monitor excited. Her blog was one of the first ones I discovered in my quest for yummy veggie foodie things and over the years I’ve watched her work go from absolutely beautiful to over-the-top gorgeous. Her posts are always killer creative and it’s been my dream to meet her in person. So when she told me she was headed to North Carolina for a food photography & styling workshop it hardly took any convincing for me to buy a ticket.
The workshop was hosted by Eva and Carey along with Molly and I just can’t say enough wonderful things about these beautiful talented people. So cool to meet this inspiring bunch after years of following them on the internet – they’re all even more amazing in person! Every morning at the crack of dawn I heard them rustling around the kitchen like little mountain fairies or something. They whipped up the most amazing breakfasts – biscuits with mushroom gravy, roasted brussels sprout and ribboned asparagus hash, custardy french toast, granola with yogurt and a different flavored baked oatmeal everyday! Like magic the table was set and styled in the most beautiful way with hand-picked flowers, the cutest little wooden bowls and knives made by Carey’s dad and this pottery which I’m now obsessed with. After breakfast we got to work – I took my camera off automatic for the first time ever and just tried to soak-up every bit of knowledge and inspiration that was coming at me nonstop. In between learning, styling and shooting we went antiquing, fly-fishing and ate… a lot. The Sunday dinner was hosted by Jacob from Snap Pea Catering. I still can’t decide which course was my favorite but I can’t get this black bean, onion jam toast out of my mind. I had such a blast with the other attendees. Jordan, Rebecca, Patty and Kelly, it was so fun standing on chairs with you, playing around with 30 second exposures in the moonlight, roasting marshmallows a bit too long – then eating them. Thank you all for such a wonderful time, I know I will remember it for years to come.
it was sooooooooooo much fun hanging out with you, grace!!!! i am SO happy we got to meet and i am craving those linzer cookies 🙂 amazing photos!! xoxoxo
yayyyaa! Molly! So fun hanging out with you! Hope we get the chance to do it again sometime!
it looks like you had such a good time! your pictures look fabulous! I can’t wait to hear all about it!
Thank you Kelly! Can’t wait to tell you all about it!
We love your photos, Grace! Thanks for posting about the weekend. Glad we could play a small part in it.
Thank you so much! And thanks again for sharing those cute cocottes with all of us!
Love all these photos! They are gorgeous, my beautiful Grace! Looks like you had a wonderful weekend 😉
I hope one day I can meet you in person too 😉
Oh Olivia! I would love so much to meet you in real life! You’re the sweetest! 🙂
It looks like you had an amazing time! And your photos are gorgeous 🙂
thanks so much kristie!
These photos are capital G Gorgeous! Looks like an amazing event.
Thank you so much Nicole!
Ok, I have been meaning to leave a comment for too many days now! But anyway….GRACE, wow, this photos are beautiful!! I love love love them all, especially the shot of the citruses. 🙂
It was so great to meet you! The whole weekend was amazing, and I’m so glad you were a part of it, and had just as much fun as we did. (And thank you so much for bringing to delicious cookies and thanks to your mom for the amazing soap [it’s awesome]!) ♥
Carey! Thank you so much – for everything! You and Eva are amazing hosts, organizers, teachers, stylers, cooks, friends – everything! You guys went all out and I had such a blast! So happy I got to meet you!
OMG, I FINALLY let myself indulge in this post, and I’m so glad I did. I am envious beyond all shades of green that you got to be there, in person — like the real, live flesh — with all of this beauty! I love Asheville, but experiencing it with such a fantastic group of talented ladies must have just been over the top. And your photos — I mean. I loved them already, but GORGEOUS. Yay yay yay!
yay yaya ya! Thank you Emily! Gah, wish you could’ve been there too! When I got asked which blogs I follow yours was the first one I blurted out! 😉