What's in a Name?

Some of you may have noticed the lack of paintings on here recently while others may have forgotten that I actually write a blog post every now and then.  In all honesty, I'm in painting limbo.  I have a couple of clients in the wings that I am waiting to receive images from so I can get the painting party started.  In the meantime, this lack of artistry has given me time to focus more on the business side of things.  You may have heard the rumor going around town that I am updating my website....I declare this one true (the one about me having a unicorn as pet is untrue...only a magical kitty).

Updating a website is hard work, even when you've hired someone to do it for you.  With the lack of mind-reading that goes on in this world, you find yourself really having to use your words carefully to express what you truly want expressed.  From all this expressing comes a lot of self reflection and business reminiscing when you see how far you've come from that first painting your neighbor hired you to do.  Mom and I got to talking about the early days and how this whole Reenie Rose thing came about.  Something I get asked a lot is how I came up with the name Reenie Rose.  Well, I thought Mom would like to do a little explaining on that one since I'm soooo busy being a business woman right now and really, it was her doing naming me Loreen and all.  Plus, I thought it would be nice for y'all to hear from her and not me...though I've already done a fair amount of blabbing in this post.

Well, here's mom:

_______________________________________________________

Oprah, Martha, Reenie Rose....

When you hear the name OPRAH your mind conjures up thoughts of success, favorite things, and riches. Just as the name MARTHA brings entrepreneurial thoughts of crafting, cooking and home decor. 

Reenie Rose is somewhat a combo of the two. She does have her favorite things and is an entrepreneur but her claim to fame is the joy she brings to clients through her art.

Reenie Rose was conceived by my daughter, Loreen Rose Hospodar, a self proclaimed flower child and art enthusiast at a very early age. As an infant she was thought to be nick named Lori after her aunt, for whom she was named. At age 3, however, her cousin, Lauren (Aunt Lori's daughter) couldn't pronounce Loreen so she called her Reenie. That Christmas Loreen declared that the name LORI on her Christmas stocking, was NOT her as she IS REENIE! As her dutiful mom and peacekeeper, I picked glittered letters off of her stocking and re-wrote history for my little girl, REENIE!

My budding young artist made me save her treasures of bags of birch tree bark, rocks, shells, and various non-usable trinkets in my basement because she could transform them into art some day, just like Martha. Who would have guessed that after years of dabbling in various art projects and majoring in art in college that this little artist would have her own business? 

REENIE ROSE was born and has grown to be many a bride's choice for bridal bouquet preservation. To see the joy and elation a Reenie Rose painting brings to the couple is reason enough to feel successful. As her "marketing mom" I feel unmeasurable pride with every blog post, magazine mention (Martha Stewart Summer 2012 page 178), tv appearance (190 North) and finished masterpiece my Reenie accomplishes. 

To look at an exquisite oil painting on canvas of expertly detailed flowers and to have someone recognize that THAT painting IS a REENIE ROSE is this woman's (and her little girl's) dream come true.

Yep, right up there with Oprah and Martha.......Reenie Rose......a girl can dream, right?

Team Reenie Rose

The Gift of a Painting

Last week I had the pleasure of making a special delivery to a client.  It seems like the last few paintings  I completed were either shipped out of town or delivered to the gift giver to present to the couple in which I received lovely emails stating how much everyone loved their painting.  It is not often though that I actually get to play the FedEx lady and see the reaction of my painting owners.

You've seen the progress of Maria and Alex's painting, but here's a little recap:

Beautiful May wedding

Complete Reenie Rose painting

Maria seeing her painting in person for the first time

It was so wonderful to sit and talk with Maria and her mother-in-law (the oh so generous gift giver) for awhile and hear all about the wedding and how Maria came to choosing her bouquet flowers.
My paintings are just paintings of flowers until they are connected to the couple....then they become so much more.  Anyone can paint flowers, but when you connect a couple's story to the final product, that's a Reenie Rose painting.
Thank you Maria and Alex for letting me document your wedding and to the groom's parents for your never-ending generosity.

Reenie Rose + Etsy

The Olympics are over and I am adjusting back to normal everyday life.  I could transition into "Shark Week", but 2 weeks of consistent t.v. watching was enough for me.  I've decided to entertain myself with a different sort of daily offering this week....I call it Etsy Week.  After dragging my feet long enough, I have re-entered the Etsy community (thanks to my interns).  All this week I will be posting a variety of Reenie Rose items to my brand new shop page.

We start out the week by posting a myriad of different sets of note cards, reminding us how important correspondence is these days (the old-fashion kind).  Which one will be your favorite...classic rose bouquets, fall colors or signs of spring?

Visit my page everyday this week for something new.  Purchase a set for yourself or for a friend to show you care.  The first customer to purchase from my new shop page will receive an additional 10 cards added to their order for FREE!  That's right...FREE.  Shark Week isn't going to give you anything free, now is it?

Artisan Wedding Fair

Oh happy weekend!  Can you feel the tease of fall in the air?  I don't think our 80 degree summer days are quite over yet, but it's nice to have a reprieve and peak into a season that, come September, most people welcome with open arms.  All this being said, it seems like perfect timing that I will be participating in a wedding fair tomorrow (Sunday).  Grab a cardigan and meet me out at the Lillstreet Art Center for their Artisan Wedding Fair.

I hope you'll join me at this amazing location where art is created, sold and inspired.  I was so impressed with my first visit there.
I still have 2 tickets to give away for free.  Leave a comment below with your email address to receive this special gift!

Also on view at this event....Maria and Alex's completed painting!  Here's a sneak peak, but you know that it is so much better to see in person!

Preserving the Olympics

Week 1 of the Olympics has passed and I admit...I am an addict.  No, really.  I've downloaded an app on my phone so I can constantly stay up to date on metal count, the schedule and top news, I've stayed up way to late to watch every single highlight and race (even 3am one night so I could watch the prime time segment I missed earlier), I pride myself on fun facts and knowledge about the Olympians, and have even found myself fantasizing about which sport I would participate in in my imaginary Olympic future (rowing, swimming or equestrian).  So you can see, I have a problem.  Thank goodness this obsession will only have a two week shelf life....I need to get on with my productivity!

In an effort to combine my infatuation with my occupation, I started brainstorming.  Ok, if I can't become an Olympian in this lifetime, maybe I can somehow integrate what I do into this piece of history.  Had Chicago gotten the bid for 2016, you'd bet your bottom dollar I'd be out on the opening ceremonies stage all lit up in LED lights and dancing around or beating a drum, passing out metals and bouquets......wait.  Bouquets.  That's it!  That's what I do.  So I've distracted myself away from the Speedos and spandex to focus on the bouquets.  Have you seen them?

So pretty!  4,400 victory bouquets have been produced by London florist Jane Packer (whom actually passed away last year).  I love the four different roses being used in each quadrant: Illios (yellow), Marie Claire (orange), Wimbledon (green) and Aqua (pink).  Separating each set of roses are the very fragrant English lavender, rosemary, apple mint and wheat.  Made to look like the London 2012 logo and symbolize all the vibrancy the Olympics bring, my thoughts were brought to all the bouquets that will be left behind post games.  Flowers in customs are frowned upon.


Wouldn't a Reenie Rose painting be the perfect way to remember one's Olympic experience?!  Yeah, there's that whole medal thing that could be displayed, but imagine one of these paintings framed in the metal color of your success.

   

So I've altered my Olympic dreams a bit.  Maybe I won't marry Ryan Lochte or row over a finish line, but I could paint the flowers of London 2012 in a way that would make any Olympian proud to hang their victory on a wall....beside their medal of course.  Go U.S.A!!!

Which Flowers are in Season for Summer?

It's August 1st.  Where is the time going?  Wasn't I just posting about fireworks like weeks ago?  Well yes, approximately 4 weeks ago according to the calendar.  Rather than dwell on the days that have passed, Geena, my intern, has put together a colorful guide to the flowers that shine during these summer months.  Let's enjoy these warm days while we have them!!


Using fresh flowers that are in season for wedding bouquets and decorations is the most economical choice and often the freshest. The following list is the availability of suitable flowers for June, July and August. I haven't heard of some of these flowers so I searched them and they are absolutely beautiful!

My personal favorite would be the Sunflower because it reminds me of summer with the gorgeous color of yellow!

A flower that I never heard of and think is interesting was the Cosmo flowers. They come in many different summery colors but the picture below with the hint of pink is my favorite. Not only do I think they're beautiful,  but I think the name is catchy...why not have your favorite drink be part of your wedding bouquet too! ;)

- June | July | August -

• Asiatic lily ... 

• Black-eyed Susan.... 

• Cosmos... 

• Delphiniums ....  

• Gladioli... 

• Columbine .... 

• Larkspur... 

• Rose ... 

• Clematis... 

• cockscomb... 

• Daisy... 

• Sunflower... 

• Viburnum...

• Zinnia...