Art Prints

Yes, we do sell our Art Prints.  To view our Art Collection, visit our facebook page.  Call for more details.

Sentimental traditions

Here are some charming ideas to incorporate into your wedding day to make it extra special for those who are nearest to your heart.

Mother
A double frame makes a wonderful gift for your mother. On one side, use a picture of you and your mother when you were a little girl and on the other, a picture of you together on your wedding day—hugging, getting ready together or something like that. For an extra-special touch, have the frame engraved to read, “I’ll always be your little girl.”

Father
If you wear a blusher veil, it is traditional to give it to your father after your wedding day, as a memento of that moment in your lives. A shadow box is a cute way to display this gift, along with a portrait of you walking down the aisle or having your father-daughter dance during the reception.

Fiancé
Secretly do a boudoir portrait session in your bridal lingerie and frame your favorite portrait. Hide it for him to find on your wedding morning with a little love note. This will be a wonderful surprise for him to enjoy that day and for many years to come.

Maid of Honor
A framed portrait of you together on your wedding day with a necklace or a gift card to a spa is the perfect thank you to your maid of honor. Have each bride’s maid sign the sole of your shoe before the ceremony for good luck. Whoever’s name is darkest by the end of the day will be married next.

Best Man
An engraved flask, a box of cigars or a nice set of cufflinks are all thoughtful gestures to give to the best man in your wedding. Be sure to get a portrait of all the groomsmen and the groom doing a toast. This makes a wonderful framed gift to give to each, along with a handwritten thank you card.

Flower Girl
An engraved locket is a wonderful gift for your flower girl. Alternately, a charming music box would also be cherished for years to come. Take a picture with your flower girl, and wait until her wedding day to give it to her, along with a heartfelt message about how proud you are to see her grow into a beautiful woman.

Future Children
Save a few bottles of wine from your wedding (depending on how many children you plan to have) and box each one up with a picture of you and your husband on your wedding day, as well as a heartfelt, handwritten message. This makes a wonderful gift many years down the road on your children’s wedding day.

Anniversary
Save the top tier of your wedding cake and freeze it until your one year anniversary. This makes for a wonderfully romantic memento from your wedding day.

For that big 25, use one of those bottles of wine that you set aside for your kids, if you have extras!

For your 50th, go to the place you were married and renew your vows in front of your closest and most dear family and friends. Be sure to save your shoes, veil and dress, wrapping them in linen and storing them in an airtight, watertight place. If you don’t end up renewing your vows in them, a daughter or granddaughter might love to wear it again.

Changes of the seasons

It amazes me how different a place can look when the only thing that changed was the season.  I have gone to this beach 3 times now this year to take this picture.  It is really kind of cool.  Here is the comparison:

Friday

So, on Friday we drove up to York to do a portrait.  On our way home, we made a whole bunch of stops to take pictures.  Here are some from that day.

Clean for Spring...

So, I got a cleaning 'itch' yesterday, so I figured I may pass on some information.  :)

First, go through your house in sections. Go through all the bedrooms. Gather clothes, toys
and housewares that are no longer being used. This is also a great time to store winter clothes
and get out warmer weather clothes. Then do the office, kitchen, storage and garage. Organize
as you go. Once you have done that, sell anything you can through consignment stores, have a
yard sale or donate it to Salvation Army or Goodwill.

Use your sale money to hire someone to deep clean your house, OR…
Start high and go low. Do the upstairs rooms first, then go down. Start with walls, shelves and
fixtures and then do the floors. This is a great time of year to target tile, crown molding, ceiling
fans, baseboards, blinds, windows, screens, doors, light switches and out of the way corners
and nooks.

Be sure to dust and clean your picture frames. If the glass needs to be polished, be sure to
remove it from the frame to avoid damaging your portraits. Use a clean, cotton cloth and some
glass cleaner. For dusting, use furniture polish or a damp cloth. This can really extend the life
of these products and make them look new.

Move furniture to get everything clean and then steam your carpets or clean and wax
hardwood floors. Have your grout cleaned, either professionally or rent a steamer and do
it yourself. For smaller areas, grout can even be cleaned by hand with some rubber gloves,
grout cleaner and a sturdy brush.

Change your home’s air filter. You’ll be amazed how much dust and dirt can build up over the
winter.

This is a great time to check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace
batteries, if needed.

Pressure wash your decks, driveway, and even your home’s siding, if needed.
If you have a pool, have it cleaned and stock up on chemicals and a water-testing kit.
Fertilize and irrigate your lawn. Prune trees and shrubbery and get ready for any spring
gardening you might want to do.

Remember – This doesn’t have to be a one-person job. Recruit children, husbands and friends
to help you get this done. A neighborhood yard sale is one way to make cleaning and decluttering
fun. This also doesn’t have to be a one day or even one week process. Take your
time, make a to do list and check things off when you can. The finished result will be worth the
effort!