May I Have More Mindee? - Epilogue
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| Mindee's final set of the "May I Have More Mindee?" event was such a hit! |
"Thank you! From a girl who was never a fan of her feet, and hesitant to even do one set, I have so much fun and fully enjoy reading everything the fans have to say. Way to boost a girl's confidence!"
- Mindee; 5K Club Interview
June is now upon us and the second of two major events on Soles of Silk has concluded. The first event, "Melani's March to 1K" took place in March and saw the entire month dedicated to Melani. It was the first time I had ever had the same model published to the site for four weeks in a row, with five total sets making it onto the site during the event.
In May, however, that record was shattered, as Mindee likes to do. Her event, "May I Have More Mindee?" had her published for five consecutive weeks, but saw 10 total sets make it online. Each one of those weeks featured a double feature, which resulted in 721 new photos being added to the site. Not only did the event focus on Mindee's photos, it also featured a few milestones and notable moments as well.
Week 1 - May 2, 2018 (Sets 1 & 2)
Week 1 began with perhaps the biggest milestone, Mindee joining the 5K Club (see blog: "5K Club - Mindee's Footography"). Being the only site original who still regularly shoots for me today, Mindee has been my "rock," so to speak. As we've both stated numerous times in blogs and her interviews, this was something she never expected when she began this journey back in 2004. She never imagined she'd even shoot to begin with. Now my blonde haired, fun loving pal can't wait to have her shoes off and my camera in front of her playful feet. You all are a big reason for that too, which she stated in her 5K Club Interview, which was also published to the site during Week 1:
"Thank you! From a girl who was never a fan of her feet, and hesitant to even do one set, I have so much fun and fully enjoy reading everything the fans have to say," Mindee said. "Way to boost a girl's confidence!"
With such a milestone, I only thought it right to allow Mindee to pick which set of hers broke the 5K mark. Her choice of her over 40 unpublished sets she had to pick from - the Booby Trap stockings set (above, left). I loved those stockings and that shirt was oh so fun! She picked a great set for her accomplishment.
The second set of the week was also one Mindee selected. She asked someone very special to her which set she'd like to see and they picked the one on the playground. Naturally, I loved the pick since Mindee's feet were nice and moist on that muggy day at the playground. And one day, that "special someone" will probably join Mindee in lots of sets.
During Week 2 of this event Mindee was able to celebrate, in photos, something that no other model on the site can - Mother's Day with mom (above, left). For the second time, Mindee was seen showing off her pretty feet next to an equally alluring pair of feet - Shelby's. I knew featuring this pairing would be the perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day and boy, did people ever love it on Instagram (@SolesofSilk).
"They are both beautiful," said krazylegzz22.
"Nice soles. Like mother, like daughter," stated prettyman1989.
"They are both pretty. Their soles are both awesome. Mom and daughter combo, so cool," said mikecon74.
Since I picked in the set with her mother for Week 2, I let Mindee pick what set would accompany the main feature. Her pick was the Crayon themed set. This set was one of my favorites that I shot with her last year. I bought all those socks that you can see piled under her heavenly feet from Halloween store after Halloween when everything was on sale. Since there was five different colors, Mindee went to the nail salon prior to this shoot and got her toes painted those same exact colors, which you might have already noticed. Mindee was in love with this pedicure and I absolutely was too. I think I'm going to ask her to do several more multi-colored pedicures in the future. She's done several with a toe or two being different, but this rainbow was wonderful.
Week 3 - May 16, 2018 (Sets 5 & 6)
Week 3 was the one week of the bunch that I didn't have any holidays, or special plans for what to post. I told Mindee to pick both sets for this go around and the two that she picked were ultimately loved by so many people.
The Twinkie Smash set was so fun to shoot, and snack on before, during, and afterward when we shot it. How I had never shot Twinkies after all these years is beyond me. Mindee, as always, pulled it off and her feet look so damn good with the yellow sponge cake and thick, white cream, coating her soles and globbed up between her playful toes.
The second set was another one that I liked because of it's theme - sneakers and no socks. When Mindee and I shot this set I had asked her to bring a bunch of things from home because I wasn't sure exactly which sets to shoot. Mindee, knowing how much I love her feet coming out of sneakers without socks, insisted on shooting this one. I sure as hell wasn't going to argue. I'm glad we got to include the set during this event and know we're going to be doing plenty more sneakers/no socks combos in the future.
Week 4 - May 23, 2018 (Sets 7 & 8)
With Week 4 happening just prior to Memorial Day, here in the United States, Mindee could be seen sporting her American flag socks in the main feature for the week (above, left). I had been holding onto this set waiting for a patriotic celebration. Having this entire month to focus on my site's most well known model, it was as good of a time as any.
Mindee really wanted to do this set during our "Suite Feet Week Saga," back in May 2017, and only got to shoot it because she came back to bail me out the day following her scheduled shoot. We did this one while we waited for Alice to come by for a team up (see blog: "Suite Feet Saga, Part 4 - Mindee"). Mindee was so happy to get it in after we weren't able to do the day before. It was the final solo set Mindee did during the "Suite Feet Saga" before Alice arrived. I can't wait to post that set one day, but let's not get off topic!
The second set of that week, oddly enough, ended up being the very first solo set Mindee shot during the "Suite Feet Saga." It wasn't intended as I let Mindee pick the second set for the week. I didn't even honestly think about it until I was doing the update the night before, but it made for a neat tie in. Weird how things happen like that. People, however, loved Mindee's choice. A set so simple, and one that wasn't even planned, is often one that so many seem to love. Mindee stated similar in her 5K Club Interview.
"I honestly think the best photos come from the last minute choices we make. I love it." she said.
Week 5 - May 30, 2018 (Sets 9 & 10)
The final week of this event allowed me to do something that I thought would be the perfect way to cap off not only this event, but Melani's from back in March as well. For the first time ever, a set with the both of them has been published to the site. I've shot three thus far and all of you have been asking to see them for months.
Naturally, I teased this set in the weeks and months leading up to Week 5 by posting the two of them together, with this very set (above, left), on the site's splash page, and Twitter (@SolesofSilk) account. Needless to say, that only heightened everyone's wish to see this set on the site even more. Once it was finally published, people also had a lot to say about this pairing on Instagram.
"You're killing me Smalls! You're killing me!" said ibuysox.
"Love that duo. So much!" a.andorno commented.
"Mindee and Melanie MMMMMFFFFF," wrote charles_ramirez.
I also decided to save this set for the final week for two more reasons. The first being that my birthday was at the end of that week and I thought it would make a good present for myself to have to go through that set to get it ready for the site. And lastly, I thought it would steal the show. What surprised me, however, was the sheer amount of love Mindee's solo set got from this week. I thought it would be lost in all the hoopla of the Mindee/Melanie pairing. It actually might have even shined a tad bit brighter!
Once again this set was picked by Mindee, with me picking the duo set. She picked yet another one of our spontaneous sets that we had no plans on shooting. We planned an evening downtown for a couple of sets and dinner to discuss an upcoming trip we had. We walked around downtown for a few minutes and found our spot. She sat down and then showed off those perfect feet in front of an old boat that was being restored in a dry dock. Neat background, but Mindee's feet were so front and center, it's not hard to see why this set gathered so much attention on Instagram.
"Saving the best for last, I see. What a month. She's amazing," usblues commented.
"Mindee looks elegant here. What a nice shot," wrote bill_the_weird.
"OMG! That smile and those wrinkles!" ibuysox said.
Barefootgapeaches echoed the comment, "Her smile and her feet... I'm speechless!"
My favorite comment from this entire event, however, came from Hot_cake777 and was made regarding this set. "Hollyyy faawkk," he said.
With all 10 sets now on the site, and a few new models set to make their debuts in the month of June, I'd like to make note of Mindee's current photo count of 5,695. This leaves her only 305 photos away from joining the 6K Club. Will she get there before the end of 2018? I am certain of it! That would also mean a new record. She'd be the first model to join two different K Clubs in the same calendar year. If anyone would do it, it would be Mindee.
Thank you for all you have done, once again, Mindee. Although I have said it countless times, you are one of my best friends and I'll never grow tired of spending time together, whether doing stuff for Soles of Silk, or not. When it comes to the site, however, I have so much to be thankful for when it comes to you. Thanks for all the photos and videos (your favorite) you've done and will continue to do. Thanks for getting so many of your relatives to shoot for the site, including: Marcy (cousin), Mariah (cousin), Rilynn (sister-in-law), and Shelby (mom). Thanks for getting your friends to shoot as well, including: Emerald, Noelle, Reese, and Rein. Thanks for all the time you took doing the 10 interviews you currently have on the site, with more, I'm sure, to come. Thanks for all the times you stepped in some food, mud, or weird substance and had it squish between your angelic toes for some photos. Thanks for all the times you stuck your feet out in public, when people walked by wondering what the hell we were doing. Thanks for the countless times you let me rub your feet, sometimes for an hour or more, although I would like to recommend that you're long overdue here. Thanks for all the days you took off work, put family aside, or took time from your always busy schedule to go on a trip with me where we shot lots of photos. Above all else, Mindee, thanks for being there for me over and over again. No one has done what you have and that's why no one will be celebrated the way you just were. You deserve it!
And for all of you fans of Mindee's out there, thanks for all the support in making my good friend love doing this so damn much. You read how much you boost her confidence and eagerness to keep doing this. For that, I can't thank you enough. In attempts to say thanks, however, I leave you with this sneak preview of the set I spoke of above with Mindee and Alice side-by-side. Talk about another model you helped to realize just how beautiful her big size 11 feet truly are. This set is one I can't wait to share one day.
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| I leave this teaser of Mindee & Alice together as a way to say thanks for all your support. |
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