WOW, I’m excited…. We have so much going on this coming month. Both in the studio and with up coming events, M&M Image Design Studio is on full tilt!

Here’s is a list of the many goings on to look forward to as we close out January and enter into February and the spring time just around the corner…

Jan. 28th

Our “Love is…” contest winners will be announced. With our newly engaged contestants trying to win FREE engagement and bridal photos, the competition is heating up. Click here to cast your vote: https://www.facebook.com/MnMStudio?sk=app_210444462349311

Our winning contestant will receive FREE engagement photos and free bridals. All the “Love is” contestants will also receive a 30% discount on wedding photography packages #3 or above. Click here for information about our wedding package pricing: http://mnmids.com/pricing_we.html

Best of luck to all of our contestants!

February 1st

My Lil Valentine photo contest ends. This “cutest kid” contest is currently open to children ages 0-6 yrs, and the lucky winner will receive a free, (1) hour photo session with (3) 5×7 prints. There is still time to enter this contest by simply clicking on the following link to submit your child’s photo to win!

https://www.facebook.com/snickrdoodles?sk=app_210444462349311&app_data=5659&ref=nf

February 4th

Lil Valentine mini sessions. Schedule today for this fun portrait mini session for your Lil Valentine. With packages starting at only $25 and NO SESSION FEE, you can get professional photos made to mark this special holiday.

Bring in your little valentine for some special portraits at a special price!

Today thru February

Senior Photography. High school seniors in the 2012 graduating class can get high quality, unique professional photos for a low low starting price of only $75/session!

This is a limited “early bird” rate that will not last long. High school senior picture sessions must be booked no later than 2/28 to receive this special rate.

Want more than the basic 2012 High school senior package? Well, from now until the Feb. 28th deadline, you can also receive 50% OFF of ALL M&M Studio 2012 High School senior photo packages! Truly fantastic savings for a truly fantastic graduating class!

Packages can not be combined.

  Wedding Valentine Sweetheart Photo Special

This wedding package special discount is for one of our most popular wedding packages (package #1) for only $499! That’s a huge discount of over $275 for this introductory wedding package!

This wedding photography special is available now til 2/28, so hurry while this unbelievable deal lasts!

It’s simple. If you’re looking for unbelievable deals on your most precious and memorable moments, now’s the time to choose M&M Studio. Denham Springs official memories photographer!

It’s getting closer and closer…. Love is in the air…

Do you know someone recently engaged? Someone about to announce to the world their love for one another will soon be wed in holy matrimony?

Enter them in the M&M Studio engagement and wedding bridal contest!
Just send us a photo of the newly engaged couple and they could win FREE Engagement and Bridal photos from M&M Studio, Denham Springs Official professional wedding photography studio!

 Here’s how it works. Email a photo of the recently engaged and we’ll post it to our facebook page. From there, the couple with the most “Likes” wins!

Now, send in those pics to markm@mnmids.com.

Minimum (4) couples to validate contest.

…and get out the vote!!!

Well, well. It’s been absolutely insane around here the last 3 weeks. We’ve had so many happy faces (with maybe one or two exceptions) grace the studio this year and I wanted to take another moment to thank each and every one of you for the memories.

I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of each of your lives and to capture your precious moments. With this Christmas bearing down like a freight train, there’s still more work left to be done. In fact, with sessions scheduled up to the last minute, Ho Ho Ho will be a sprint to the finish line, as we wrap up this holiday season.

But as we get ready for the big day, it’s with a heart full of joy and peace that I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Here’s hoping we”ll see y’all back here again soon. And, if you haven’t had the opportunity to have a portrait session at M&M Studio, 2012 is looking like the best time to hang a memory or two on your walls, and I hope you’ll give us a chance to wow you, share a giggle or two and say cheese at M&M. After all, we are family!

Below are but a few of the many pics we caught recently, and I just wanted to share with y’all the joy that has been such a wonderful time had by all at M&M.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

M&M Image Design Studio can help your brand with high impact graphic design and professional commercial photography integrated into your online presence.

M&M Image Design Studio is more than just photography. Here are a few examples of marketing and graphic designs in use today.

High quality imagery will impact your marketing strategy. Let M&M Studio help you with…

• Web design graphics
• Web site design
• Social Marketing campaigns
• Sign design
• Online product catalog design
• Email campaign design and marketing strategy

Santa sessions with the Official Denham Springs Santa Photographer

We had soooo much fun with our Santa and Holiday sessions this past Saturday. Everyone was warmly welcomed and excited to see the big man himself and I think the kids, each and every…. well, mostly each one, had a great time. Below are a few of the images captured.

Unfortunately for a few who came for the late afternoon sessions, I had a little special visit I had to make to the ER for one of my children that was injured at his Granny’s house. I want to apologize to those that may have been inconvenienced by this unfortunate event. I am happy to report that after a few staples to his precious head, he’s going to be just fine.

That said, we look forward to seeing those that re-scheduled, as well as quite a few who’ve been so kind and understanding to schedule for the Santa sessions next Saturday, 12/10 from 9am til 4pm.

If you would like to get in on the fun, you have another chance because we’ve asked if Santa could make another special visit to the studio and he let out a hearty Ho Ho Ho! and assured us he’ll lash up the sleigh for all the boys and girls who didn’t get an opportunity to let him know what they want this coming Christmas.

We welcome you to join us and remember, there will be door prizes and LOTS of fun, so we’ll see you December 10th!
Merry Christmas from M&M Studio!

Getting ready for our busy weekend schedule wirth Santa’s annual visit and playin with a few shots for marketing. We’re all getting excited for this holiday season and we’re looking forward to all of our new customers as well as all those that will be returning!

Because our seasonal holiday schedule is filling quickly, now’s the best time to book your holiday session, so give us a call or schedule via our facebook site…

This year we’ll be doing some unique things for our Santa / Family sessions with some fun door prizes and an entry to win a beautiful grand prize drawing for everyone that has scheduled with us. Hint, the dog is a PRIZED Dalmation!

With a fresh look update, I’ve been working on a new look with better functionality on the M&M photography website. Much more to follow, but this is the overall new look and feel of the www M&M spot.Note: This has not been tested on Android devices, so feedback is welcomed. It does display and function well on iDevices and all other browsers have been tested. Users may need to update their Adobe flash player to view…

In addition, the home page will automatically redirect you back to the blog… for now

go to: www.mnmids.com/homescreen.html

We’re taking a brief break in the holiday studio preparations to remind you about the fantastic savings on our holiday photo and Santa photography sessions the following Saturdays, December 3rd and 10th and throughout the holidays.With Santa session packages starting at only $25 and special savings on Family Holiday photography, tis the season to save on the memories.

Now’s the time to book, sessions are limited. Just click here to book your Santa photos and to save your select spot for family photography this holiday season at M&M Photography Studio.

Family Photography and Holiday Photography

Tis the season… the Holidays are upon us. Now’s the perfect time to get your holiday photos for family greeting cards in plenty of time for the Holiday rush.

FAMILY PHOTO SESSIONS NOW BOOKING

Family photo sessions are now booking in studio and on location beginning, 11/12/11 thru the holidays. On location sessions are pre-paid and require a minimum of 48 hrs advanced scheduling within a 30 mile radius of the studio.

This year, you have literally an unlimited selection of greeting card styles to choose from, because every greeting card is designed for you and your photos in the studio. See a greeting you’d like somewhere else? Just let me know and a custom made greeting can be handcrafted just for you, guaranteeing your greetings will be one of a kind!.

SANTA’S COMING SANTA PHOTOS NOW BOOKING

In addition to the greetings, we are proud to have Santa coming by the studio, this coming Sat, November 19th! Book your Santa sessions now, because they go SOOOOO fast.

And everyone that books a Santa or Family Holiday session will be entered into our drawing to win a GIANT Holiday prize!

We’re so excited to begin our holiday sessions and we hope to see you soon!

This delicious little fall dessert is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. This dish has been building in the back of my head for a couple weeks now. Developing from a few items I’ve been having fun making and eating…. Cranberry sauce with ginger one day, then ginger snaps for dipping in the cranberry sauce, and finally…. THIS!

Rarely do you find the crust of a cheesecake or pie to have a more standout impact than that of the actual filling. Here though, the crust actually takes center stage with the pie filling (in this case a standard cheesecake) and a spice topped tart cranberry sauce. This is a rather hearty dish best served with some spiced rum or hot totties!

Food photography today’s ingredients.

GINGERBREAD CRUST:

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 tbsp. Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces

1 tbsp. unsulphured molasses

2 tbsp. cold water

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Sift together, flour, brown sugar, ginger, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and baking powder. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a pastry cutter, or food processor, till crumbs resemble cornmeal. Drizzle the molasses and water over the dough, mixing with your fingertips until the crumbs of dough begin to cling together. Gather the dough, together and knead it into a ball. Press it evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

FILLING:

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the filling, beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until light. Gradually beat in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add lemon juice. Pour into crust; Bake at in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Turn oven off; let cake stand in oven 2 hours. Remove from oven; cool. Pour remaining topping on top; refrigerate overnight.

This recipe is from my earlier YouTube post for cranberry sauce recipe:

Delicious with some ginger snap cookies or as a topping for cheesecake.

Made with fresh pears, oranges and grated ginger!
(1) bag cranberries (12 oz.)
(1) Persimmon, pealed, and diced (optional)
(1/2) cup each, brown sugar and white Sugar
(2) oranges, peeled and sectioned
Zest of orange
(2) bartlett pears, peeled, cored and chopped
(1/4) tsp star anise
(1/2) cup ea. orange juice and water
Pinch allspice
Pinch clove
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch cayenne pepper ( optional)

All ingredients into pot, bring to boil on high heat.
Reduced heat and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes, and listen to the berries popping ( optional)
Let cool in fridge for 3 hrs – 4 days.
Serve on vanilla ice cream warm, cheesecake, as dip for ginger snaps ( my favorite) or as a side with your favorite fall meal.