Audrey the Covergirl!

So on July 20 I received an email from someone at the American Heritage Girl council office and it says:

"Kirsten:
I have received a message from the Cincinnati Enquirer looking for an AHG girl 7-10 yrs for a cover shoot for the Our Town magazine.Please read the message below to see if you would like to have your daughter participate in this.Please let me know your answer asap.

Thanks

Angie Cornett

Events Coordinator

Heart of America Council

American Heritage Girls "

The message from the Enquirer said:

"Hi Angie,

I’m wondering if you can help me out. I’m working on The Enquirer’s Our Town magazine, which comes out in West Chester and Mason every other month. We’re currently working on the Sept/October West Chester issue. For the cover, which is a fall theme, we are going to have a woman who does Face Painting create some pumpkins and such on a girl’s face. I’m looking for someone who would be willing to bring their daughter downtown to our studio on Wednesday. I’m flexible on the time. I’m looking for a girl in the 7-10 age group. Do you know someone who would be willing to do this? No pay, but they get a cover shoot! The catch – she has to live in either West Chester or Liberty Township. It might be easier if it was someone who kids tie their hair back in a pony tail.

Thanks.

Liz Dufour

Photo Editor

Cincinnati Enquirer"

Now why Angie forwarded this to me I have no idea. I'm not sure I even know who Angie is or how she knew I had a daughter that was between 7 and 10 years old .....

But I emailed her back and let her know Audrey would be THRILLED. Audrey has always been my most social child. Audrey has loved having her picture taken ever since I can remember.

We waited and then we got this email from Liz:

"Kirsten,

Thank you so much for agreeing to let your daughter be on Our Town cover. We want to shoot this tomorrow in our studio. What is a good time for you? I was thinking around 10:30 am. We’re located at 312 Elm Street. We’re across the street from Paul Brown Stadium. You can park in the building. Pull a ticket and bring it with you so we can stamp it. Does Audrey have a jeans jacket she can bring? Or some other long sleeve solid color shirt? It’s a fall cover, so we don’t want summer clothing. "

I looked through Audrey's clothes and had her try on a few things. Wouldn't you know it, her long sleeved shirts that still fit were mostly pinks, yellows, and greens and then a few white shirts. BUT a friend had a jean jacket that she said no longer fit her daughter so she brought it over. The night before I went out shopping and didn't find much in fall colored shirts but I did get some khaki pants she could wear. I figured we'd do a white shirt, the jean jacket and then the pants.

That morning we wake to pouring rain. Oh joy. Me and three kids navigating downtown Cincinnati in the rain ..... But we made it there in plenty of time (thank you God and the GPS). In fact we were early. We were supposed to be there by 10 and we got there at 9:30.

We went up to the newspaper office and they took us to a room where we could wait. While we are waiting we can hear a police scanner running in their overhead speakers and I say a quick prayer to the effect of "Dear Jesus, please don't let some crazy shooting or stabbing be broadcast across the scanner while we're in here waiting...."

A little after 10 the face painting artist arrived and by about 10:30 or so she was getting started on Audrey's face. This was when I learned that Audrey was not just going to be a kid in the cover, Audrey IS the cover. It's just her!!!! WOW! It was amazing to watch the artist. I wish I had pictures of the process but I didn't want to be flashing away behind her and mess her up. It took her almost an entire hour to finish but man was it cool looking.

When they were all done the artist offered to do a little something on Amy and Allison's faces as well. Amy agreed but Allison was not too keen on it. Amy opted for a cool butterfly around her eyes.

The photographer took pictures of Miss Audrey for about 30 minutes, maybe a little less. It was so fun. Everyone involved referred to Audrey as "the model" and "our little model'. Oh my gosh - she ATE IT UP!!!! It was so fun watching her! Then he offered to take a picture of Audrey and Amy together and said he might include that photo on the inside of the magazine. Too bad Allison didn't go for the face painting, then I might have had all three of my sweeties in a magazine! Oh well ...... At least Allison had fun running around the news room: