I was in San Miguel last year when I happened to be in the main square as a wedding ceremony had ended and the Callejonada or wedding parade was starting. Being a wedding photographer, it was instinctual for me to pull out my camera and start shooting this fun part of the day (don't worry, I made sure to stay out of the actual photographers way).  

Mexican culture is so rich with traditions and celebrations. Weddings are a huge celebration where religious customs are highly regarded. The sacrament of marriage is a serious event, which is why so much thought is poured into a wedding day and the celebration is extended to include friends, family, and even the whole town.

One tradition that is practiced in some Mexican weddings, especially colonial towns, is a wedding parade which happens following the ceremony. The couple comes out of the church followed by the bridal party and the wedding guests. There's usually a mariachi band to accompany the procession, playing lively music so the guests can stop and dance along the way. 

Joining in on the walk is a donkey beautifully adorned carrying tequila to serve the wedding group. The wedding party walks with little shot glasses around their necks so they can enjoy tequila in celebration as they walk. This is like a pre-reception filled with lots of laughter, happiness, dancing and drinking. 

The Callejonada (wedding parade) is an amazing tradition where the whole town comes out of their homes to celebrate and have fun with the newly married couple as they head to the reception. 

I'm so glad I was at the right place at the right time to capture these shots.

---

SIGN UP

Join the mailing list to be the first to know when there's a new collection launch, exclusive promotions, blog posts, and to get a behind-the-scenes look as Karina travels to capture work for new print offerings. 

I'm doing a series on my San Miguel Collection prints and am collaborating with interior stylist Mylene Raspado. I'm hoping to make it easier for you to picture these fine art photographs in your home. 

The first feature is the VINE taken in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Mexico is a biologically diverse country. San Miguel is on a plateau near the Lerma River giving it beautiful vegetation that grows freely along many of the town's buildings.

A new year means putting your holiday decor away and bringing a fresh look to your home. I like to start with one space at a time. This print would be perfect in a living room.

A living room is a space where you spend time with company enjoying a glass of wine after a good meal, or where you can curl up on the couch with a good book. A print like this can add fresh fresh pop of color to your room, allowing you to feel energized and inspired. Especially during these winter months, the promise of spring and new growth is always welcome.

I love how you can use the pink in this print as the base color and work to add lighter tones or even darker tones to pull a room together.

Where to find this style:

Rug : WEST ELM Rani Rug - Multi

Throws : WEST ELM Belgian Flax Linen Twill Throw

Planter : WEST ELM Mid-Century Turned Wood Leg Planter

Light Fixture : WEST ELM West Elm + Rejuvenation Cylinder Sconce

Couch : WEST ELM Axel Leather Sofa

Pouf: WEST ELM Moroccan Pouf

Chair : WAYFAIR Adrian Armchair

Ottoman: WAYFAIR Henson Round Ottoman

---

If you're looking to start in a smaller space, another place this print could add a sense of invitation, is the entryway. I'm planning to re-do our entryway this year and I'm looking for ways to add a warmth to the environment as I invite people in. 

If you have more neutral subtle decor already, this print can be used as the main pop of color in your space. This will easily invite attention to the art piece adding happiness and warmth to your space.

Where to find this style:

Pillows: WEST ELM Colorblock Woven Overlay Pillow Covers

Table Lamp : WEST ELM Lens Table Lamp + USB

Chair : WEST ELM Mid Century Show Wood Chair

Throws: WEST ELM Solid Metallic Knit Throw

Planters: Spun Metal Standing Planter

Side Table: WEST ELM Gem Cut Side Tables

Ottoman: WEST ELM Storage Ottoman

Coffee Table: WEST ELM Copper Clad Coffee Tables

Rug: WEST ELM Dynasty Rug Dusty Blue

Sofa: WEST ELM Leon Wood Frame LoveSeat

---

Let me know if you have any questions about this design mood board, or this specific print. Send me an e-mail or leave a comment below. 

---

SIGN UP

Join the mailing list to be the first to know when there's a new collection launch, exclusive promotions, blog posts, and to get a behind-the-scenes look as Karina travels to capture work for new print offerings. 

It's that time of year where you might be scrambling to pull out an awesome dessert as the host of a family dinner. Or if you're a guest, you want to bring something more unique than the typical sugar cookie doused in red and green sprinkles. Well I have a great idea that could really impress your friends and family this holiday season: Arroz con leche (translated: "rice with milk"). It's pretty much the Mexican version of rice pudding.

All in all, it's a big bowl of deliciousness. 

It can be eaten as a hot dessert (which is what I prefer) or cold in the morning as breakfast. With only 5 ingredients, it's pretty easy to make. 

I searched google for a recipe that I thought looked familiar, but there are SO MANY versions of arroz con leche that I decided to make up my own. I don't know if it's "right," but it's simple and it tastes good, so I'm sticking to it. 

Gather your ingredients: (serves 8-10)

5 cups of milk

1 cup of short-medium rice

2 whole cinnamon sticks

7oz La Lechera (half can)

7oz Sweetened Condensed Milk (half can)

*optional 1/4 cup golden raisins

 

Now what?

I'm all for the super simple instructions, so I'm going to lay it out plainly for you. 

1. Pour 2 cups of milk in your pot, add cinnamon sticks, and add in your rice. 

2. Bring to a boil, then turn heat low so it will simmer. 

3. Let the rice cook and soak up the liquid. About 10-15 minutes.

4. Add 1/2 cup of milk and stir, letting the milk absorb into the rice. Let your liquid content get lower.

5. Repeat #4 until you have 1/2 cup of milk left. Stir occasionally.

6. Add your last 1/2 cup of milk, along with La Lechera & Sweetened Condensed Milk let it soak up while stirring occationally for another 5 minutes.

7. You want it to be creamy with some liquid to it, but not like a soup. The right consistency is a soft pudding-like rice. Similar to a risotto. Keep in mind that more liquid will evaporate as it cools.

8. As you let cool you can take out the cinnamon sticks, and stir in a handful of the white raisins.

*refrigerate the leftovers...if there are any.

There are so many versions that honestly you can adjust to your own liking. This dessert is good hot OR cold. It can be an after meal dessert OR breakfast. Let me know if you have a favorite passed down version. I'm always so interested in the other ways people make the same dish. 

Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you enjoy lots of time with your family and friends!

---

Join the mailing list to be the first to know when there's a new collection launch, exclusive promotions, new blog posts like this one, and to get a behind-the-scenes look as Karina travels to capture work for new print offerings. Right now there's 10% code for subscribers, so what are you waiting for? Put in your e-mail below. 

Photo from: Disney/Pixar

This Thanksgiving I was so excited to take the family to see Pixar's newest film 'Coco'. I first heard about it in October, when I saw an ad on a billboard while driving Elena back from ballet class. I immediately looked up the trailer (well once I got home...not while I was driving) and started reading up as much as I could about this new movie coming out. It was then that I decided this would be our holiday movie. It had the promise of being amazing. I was super proud that this was actually a thing, but skeptical, due to the possibility of them "messing it up" by making it super Americanized. 

Regardless, we went to the theater on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Now I can confidently say, I LOVE this movie so much, but here are the TWO main reasons why:

1. The main character is a great role model for my son. 

I go out of my way to make sure I empower my daughter. I'm always looking for books, movies, youtube videos, shows, anything that will inspire her in her talents and character. 

Sometimes I forget to do the same for my son.

When 'Elena of Avalor' came out last year I went a little crazy in my excitement that Elena not only had a Mexican Disney character that looked like her, but had the SAME name. 

My son doesn't usually mind, and even encourages Elena in everything she does, but I do go out of my way to tell Elena how proud I am of her, and it breaks my heart when he asks, "are you proud of me too mom?" 

So when I saw that Miguel, the main character resembled my son, I built up the hype for him. And this character did not disappoint. There have been many times Disney's representation of male roles is to be macho and more of a muscly tough guy. However, Miguel is a little boy who is passionate about following his dreams, shows compassion for his family and his stray pet. And, while he's strong, you can see the process he goes to understand the difference between right and wrong. The love he has for his family is true to Mexican family values, and that is who I want Elias to aspire to be. Compassionate, humble, passionate, and loving. 

2. The depiction of the Mexican culture around the holiday Dia de los Muertos is authentically amazing.

I was blown away by the color, and representation of the little Mexican town. Even in the Land of the Dead we see references to iconic Mexican artists. It was the little details that helps this movie reach several generations of the people who watch it. 

Especially in this political climate, the timing of this movie couldn't have been better. It's very encouraging and gives Mexican's pride of the culture that is being attacked in the media. I launched this new business to share more about my culture through art and stories. Since watching this movie, I've been even more encouraged and proud to have made this shift. 

I've found some great articles since Coco came out. People are realizing how representation matters, and how inclusion in hollywood has been huge. It's even inspiring to see how the movie 'Coco' came to be.

This is my current favorite animated movie, which is saying a lot because being born in the late 80's I've seen them all starting with 'The Little Mermaid'. 

Things to think about before seeing 'Coco'

It is a very emotional movie. I wanted to cry in the first 10 seconds of seeing Mexico represented so beautifully on the big screen. The whole story is about a family's bond even after someone dies.  The concept of death, specifically family member's deaths is the whole premise of the movie. 

SPOILER

The plot twist involves deception and murder. These thematic elements could be a bit strong depending on how your child processes things. My daughter Elena is extremely sensitive and empathetic. She cried through the last 20 minutes of the movie. Once the villain was revealed she could barely contain her empathy for Miguel, the main character. She sat in my lap and cried. I insisted she finished the whole movie so that she could have the piece of mind that it ended on a positive note. She also has a hard time thinking about death especially when it comes to family members (really, who doesn't) but still, week's after she's seen the movie, it's still hard for her to process it all. My son on the other hand, who is two years younger was perfectly fine the whole time and really enjoyed the movie. 

Let's take it back 20 years and talk about how I'm still traumatized from the scene where Simba watches his father Mufasa fall to his death. And come on, Scar blaming the murder on Simba, that's just cold. The Lion King is a movie I probably won't let Elena watch because she's so empathetic, but I also think the difference between people being vengeful and murderous is a little harder to take in than animals doing the same thing. So be prepared to possibly have some hard conversations with your kids about death.

All in all, this movie is AMAZING. I can't wait to watch it again, and again, and again. 

If you see one animated movie over the holidays, make it this one. And then leave a comment below to tell me what you think. 

---

Join the mailing list to be the first to know when there's a new collection launch, exclusive promotions, new blog posts like this one, and to get a behind-the-scenes look as Karina travels to capture work for new print offerings. Right now there's 10% code for subscribers, so what are you waiting for? Put in your e-mail below. 

Have you been staring at that blank wall for far too long in your home? Maybe it's that wall in your entryway, but you've been waiting for the perfect piece to greet your visitors. Or what about that little corner of your office that you just haven't gotten around to filling.

Well I want to help.

I pour my heart and soul into every framed print I send out. Not only do I travel to Mexico to take the pictures in each collection, but I then come back and frame each one myself.

Here is how I put them all together.

First of all, I work with a local printer to bring you a high quality photo print. There's a lot of vibrancy in my photos and I want to make sure the paper and the ink are just right to make the images look their best; as if you're looking right at the moment I captured through a window.

Then I get to work framing it. 

There are several steps to putting it all together. I use a drill to make all the holes I'll need. Then I lay down the acrylic, place the mat in, insert the print exactly centered, cover all layers with a white board, and finally, put the spacers in to secure it all. We want the print to be snug. 

To finish the frame, I cover the whole thing with dust cover Kraft paper.

I then install the hardware you'll need to hang your piece. I choose to use a wire hanger because it's easier for you to make sure your frame is straight when you hang it.

I'm a one-woman show, but I'm really loving being able to be part of each piece of the production. It makes my perfectionist heart happy. 

Have you checked out the first collection from San Miguel Mexico? You might just find that piece you've been waiting for. And I assure you that it will be put together and sent to you with gratitude and love.

---

Join the mailing list to be the first to know when there's a new collection launch, exclusive promotions, new blog posts like this one, and to get a behind-the-scenes look as Karina travels to capture work for new print offerings. Right now there's 10% code for subscribers, so what are you waiting for? Put in your e-mail below.