SENIOR PICTURES ~ KANKAKEE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER

With the unseasonably warm temperatures...now is the perfect time to schedule your spring senior pictures on-location. Please contact Doves Photography by Bridget #815.468.3505 for more information.

SPRING GREEN WITH ENVY {MANTENO PHOTOGRAPHER}

I have been so inspired & "green with envy" by all of the "spring green" in the gardens, I took a little photo safari in my yard to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Have a lucky day!

A Cameo Re-Creation

As I continue rebranding and reinventing my new "Doves Photography by Bridget" studio from my previous "Doves Photography Studio"......I have never been more stressed AND yet happy, all at the same time!!!

Yes, it has been tough learning to do EVERYTHING on my own.  I don't have that partner to rely on for moral support, or if I need to take a day off, or to bounce business decisions off of.  Every day I am faced with another fear I must overcome.  My skin grows thicker every day.  Yet, I am doing it!  Not always perfectly, but if I make a mistake, I certainly won't make the same one again.  But that is all part of my transformation as I begin this newest chapter in my life and career.  There is no greater satisfaction than to realize at the end of a crazy day, that, "I did it all on my own."

I have truly enjoyed sowing the seeds of all of the ideas I've had in my creative head.  My previous business partner used to say, I had so many ideas, she thought my head was going to blow.  And at times, I think it is going to blow!

One of the MANY ideas I've had sitting on the back burner for some time is my, "Cameo Re-Creations!"

I have been drawn to bridging my portrait work with vintage pieces and interior design.  It is still a work in progress, but I have been purchasing vintage finds from estate sales, garage sales and flea markets.  That is how I found these lovely 100 year old "A Cameo Creation" frames.  I had seen some on-line, but didn't want to pay full price, because I knew I wanted to re-purpose them.

I started reconstructing and redesigning my first one.  Then, I consulted with a very special client on my idea.  She instantly purchased the product, in the promo stage, and said she had to have it!

I then went back to the studio and began constructing this one-of-a-kind piece for her.  I meticulously cleaned, prepped and painted the frame with a high gloss white paint.  I then shopped for the most perfect pink velvet to coordinate our favorite portrait from her daughter's session.  I then began re-creating what I call, "A Cameo Re-Creation."

The very best part of course, is the portrait of my client's baby girl.  The art work was printed to custom size to fit the 100 year old treasure.  And to top it off, I told my client that I wanted to glitter paint the portrait to make it even more fabulous!  I couldn't be happier that she was willing to step outside of the box and just have fun with portraiture.

When my vision became a reality and I stepped back to view this precious, glittery creation for the first time...I thought to myself, "BRILLIANT".  To have a client that is willing to trust and allow me to just go for it and create the vision I had in my head is more rewarding than anything I've done in my career.  There is no work more complete.

And when my client came to pick up the final piece, she cried tears of joy!  Nothing says "thank you" more than a client being emotionally moved by my artwork.  I LOVE this piece so much, it was hard to part with.  But to know she is graciously hanging it in her baby's nursery, is like hanging a piece of my work in a fine art gallery.  I cannot wait to visit her home and nursery to take an interior portrait of it on display.  To me, a portrait is not complete without one-of--kind framing displayed as wall art!!!

I am now going BANANAS over these "Cameo Re-Creations" and cannot wait to begin two more.  I absolutely LOVE working independently and focusing on the small details.  As my mom used to say, "It's all in the details.

Vintage Inspired DeCoupage Eggs

So excited to share my latest craft...Vintage Inspired DeCoupage Eggs.  I've been "dying" (pun intended) to create these darlings for, oh, about 2 years now.  Finally found time to make some as gifts for Easter and my NEW "B Chic Boutique".

Made this purple egg as a hostess gift for my aunt for her Easter dinner.  Auntie's kitchen is lavendar, so created this w/ a plastc egg I purchased on sale at the craft store, glitter, scrapbooking stickers, ribbon remnants from my mom's sewing stash, an antique button, a craft nest that I had laying around, a vintage pastry tin I recently puchased, along w/ some pussy willow buds (sort of looks & feels like a fur wrap).

I've been making them in all different colors,sizes & from unique things I have laying around my craft studio.  I've made many of them using vintage Easter Greeting post cards & family portraits!!!  I am having so much fun with this craft!!!

Heirloom ~ Kozi Chairs

So much going on in our home studio!  I haven't been able to blog since...oh...Christmas time.  But things are moving along and I wanted to share an "after" photo of one of two very precious heirloom side chairs that we inherited from my husband's late Grandma Kozi.

When we were graciously offered the chairs, I could see the potential in them, as well as a link to our family history, for our newly renovated home.  I kept visualizing them in front of our fireplace, with some deep red ~ GORGEOUS ~ peacock inspired material I had seen on some parsons dining chairs (that we could never afford).  I immediately began a search for this material on-line and was determined enough to find a couple of yards!

Well, this AMAZING material, and these two BEAUTIFUL chairs have been sitting in our storage for about two years now.  In an effort to get all of our "stuff" unpacked and in place, my "Use It-or-Lose It" new year's resolution, I got to work and finally finished them!!!

I am SO in love, love LOVE with these chairs!  They make me smile whenever I walk in the room, as they turned out better than I ever imagined!  The best part is, we now have a piece of our family history, along with some really great stories to go along for our sons.  They sit in them and refer to them as our "Kozi Chairs".

I'm Dreaming of a Peacock Christmas

After 4 years of dreaming, designing and collecting...we were finally able to decorate our new "peacock" inspired Christmas tree.  When we renovated our 1863 home from 2008 to 2009, we added an octagon turret room with cathedral ceiling for a Christmas tree just off our family gathering room, near the fireplace.  That is how much we LOVE Christmas and decorating our home!  Last year the tree wasn't possible, as we were still unpacking and settling in.  But this year it has been such a joy to see all of our hard work and vision become a reality.  The highlight of this tree is it's rotating stand.  What a pleasure to see the tree from the curb, as well as from our kitchen and dining room, next to a roaring fire.  We certainly re-built this house with Christmas in mind.  Christ is the center of our home...along wtih some peacocks!

The Great Pumpkin Patch

My favorite pumpkin patch of all time...."The Great Pumpkin Patch" of Arthur, IL.  My family and I are planning our second visit there in a few weeks.  I just had to share the attached link after it was featured on "The Martha Stewart Show" yesterday.  So blessed that this collection of unique heirloom pumpkins and squashes from around the world are just a few hours from my home / studio!  A must see ~ you will not believe your eyes.  A photographer's paradise!  http://the200acres.com/