Reenie Rose

So Full.

2012-02-10T22:19:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's Friday already. This week has flown by in a flurry of business analysis and food. I'll get to the food later, but down to business first.

Mom and I attended The Simple Plan workshop hosted by the ladies at Sage Wedding Pros this week. We were lucky enough to spend two full days soaking up piles of business advice among an inspiring group of wedding professionals at the lovely Ritz Carlton downtown. Operations, marketing, and financials were the main topics of discussion, but so much more was learned through breakout sessions and stories of personal experience. The result of these two somewhat grueling days (the food provided by the Ritz definitely helped ease everything).....I am a luxury business determined to bring you luxury paintings! Get ready!

Our lunchtime view from the Ritz

This business "retreat" really put a lot of details into prospective, primarily that I just need to paint. So, painting is what I shall do.
I have started Vicky and Tom's painting. I'm already loving these bursts of oranges and reds! Makes the winter outside seem a little bit warmer.

Finally, the food. I am a big foodie and feel the need to mention that besides business, food played a large part of each and every day this week. Though I think a cleanse may need to take place in my near future, I would highly recommend each and every one of these fine dining experiences:

Monday- Breakfast at the Bleeding Heart Bakery; Sushi dinner at Yuzu for my sister's birthday. Happy birthday Lisa!
Tuesday- Breakfast, lunch, snacks (awesome popcorn bar), and dinner at The Ritz. I kind of want to live there.
Wednesday- Breakfast and lunch at The Ritz again (note that lovely view); dinner at Pelago in the Raffaello Hotel for Mom's birthday. Happy birthday Mom!!!!
Thursday- dinner at an event called Divine Dine + Wine featuring restaurants in the West Loop. I would recommend every single one.
Friday- cold cereal. A girl needs to give her stomach a break!

Highlight of the food fest...getting a snapshot with celebrity chef Anne Burrell!

Gotta keep up with me these days....things are exciting!!!

Who Needs Sleep?

2012-02-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

I am just coming off a whirlwind weekend and trying to get all of my ducks in a row. There are emails galore to send out, follow up calls to be made and a painting to start, but I really must share this weekend with you first.

It all started out with Indie Wed on Saturday. What an amazing day filled with wonderful people walking through, inspiration all around, tasty treats and good music. Looking back, I wish I would have taken pictures of all the fabulous vendors I admire...but when I think about the quantity of images I would have to post, it's probably best that I remain selfish and stick to just me. There were so many great things going on!

Here's a look at my booth:

I was so lucky to have several pieces on loan from my clients along with 3 bouquets recreated for me by 3 talented florists. Larkspur was paired up with Katie and Patrick's painting....

Exquisite Designs made a bouquet to compliment Sarah and Ernest's painting....

And finally, Natalie at Hello Darling recreated her original bouquet for her painting....

Thank you to such a wonderful group of ladies for all of your help in making my booth so beautiful. For more photos from this event, visit the Reenie Rose Facebook page.

So, 10 days before Indie Wed, I received an email from the Lovely Bride Blog stating I had won tickets to a bridal event....in New York. Yes, I know, who enters a contest to win tickets in NY the day after a big event, especially when that said person lives in Chicago....well, I do. And, yes, as luck would have it, I won. Thank goodness for frequent flier miles, Hotwire and a nice mom. In no time flat, everything was booked and we were going to be off to New York.

With a 7:30am flight on Sunday, we arrived in NY to attend The Wedding Party New York with Martha Stewart Weddings just in time to see Darcy Miller (Senior Vice President and Weddings Editorial Director for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia) speak about her own wedding inspiration.

After Darcy spoke, an allstar lineup joined her on stage for an open discussion panel. Take a look at these heavy hitters:

From left to right we have hostess Claudia Hanlin (Wedding Library), Darcy Miller (Martha Stewart Weddings), Amsale Aberra (Founder of Amsale), Mindy Weiss (Celebrity Event Planner), Matthew Robbins (Matthew Robbins Design), Sylvia Weinstock (Expert Cake Designer) and Peter Callahan of (Callahan Catering).
Awesome, right?! Did I mention that we were sitting in the front row for the panel discussion....even more awesome. Highlights of the day besides the front row....meeting Mindy Weiss and Matthew Robbins and having them both sign my book (Matthew Robbins' Inspired Weddings) and take my business card and spotting Martha Stewart pushing a stroller with a baby....

Darcy Miller and I after we chatted about my business for a bit.

Mom and Sylvia talking cake.

Besides the super star panel, there were some amazing vendors at the show as well....

Centerpiece by Blade Floral & Event Design. Love these colors!

Awesome cakes with realistic flowers by Sugar Flower Cake Shop.

More artwork in cake form. This beautifully intricate work is by Creme Delicious. These henna inspired masterpieces have been featured in Oprah Magazine.

The end of the event featured a Kleinfeld fashion show with the owners of Kleinfeld, Mara Urshel and Ronnie Rothstein, introducing the line.

The final dress was a $32,000 Pnina Tornai dress. It was a true showstopper. Just amazing!

After this kind of whirlwind day, what else can you do but head over to the Waldorf Astoria and check out the swag bag goodies over some tasty martinis. So, that's what we did....

More pics from this NY trip can also be viewed at the Reenie Rose Facebook page.

My Head is Spinning

2012-01-26T17:24:00.001-06:00

Things are a little crazy busy these days in the Reenie Rose camp. Despite having not painted in over a month, I have been nonstop since 2012 hit. When all is said and done, at the end of January I will have participated in 2 important events, been a guest at 4 events, had 15 vendor meetings, been to New York and back, and officially started my first painting of the new year. It will have been a good month.

So, to catch you up to speed on a couple of things, last week I participated in Thursday Therapy, a monthly networking event among the wedding community, that was held in the Crystal Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. This was a great opportunity for my peers to have a chance to view my artwork in person... and lots of it too. I was able to gather 10 of my paintings to showcase for the evening. A big thank you to all my clients for allowing me to steal back my work in order to share it with others.

Also, a big thank you to Joan of Five Grain Events and Kelly of Fleur for letting Reenie Rose be a part of this evening. We had such a good time eating, socializing and making some new contacts.

I've got to make one more plug for my 2nd event of the month...Indie Wed. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, stop reading and go purchase them HERE. You are not going to want to miss this event filled with so many goodies: 100 amazing vendors, food tastings, beer pairings, live music, wandering models, free workshops and so much more, this really is THE event to end all wedding events. The show runs from 10am until 4pm this Saturday, January 28th at the Ravenswood Event Center, 4043 N. Ravenswood Ave. There is plenty of free parking available along Ravenswood Ave or we are just a half block from the 'L'.

Mom and I have been working on my booth setup, and let me tell you, it is going to be eye-catching!

Finally, what is this business really all about...the PAINTING. I am going to be starting my first painting of 2012, and it is gorgeous.

Isn't this just the perfect piece to be working on this time of year?! The pops of color are going to make these gray days so easy to ignore. There will be plenty more details to come about this 24 x 24 inch painting. In the meantime, enjoy this image and go buy your Indie Wed tickets!

One Month till V-Day

2012-01-15T00:37:00.002-06:00

Did you know that it is one month until Valentine's Day?! Ok, so it doesn't bring on the same anxiety and panic that "a month until Christmas" brings, but it does get you thinking about those people/things that you love.
While many will start entertaining the idea of gifts of chocolates or roses for someone that they love, I prefer to swoon over the things that I love.
These days, the phrase "things that I love" now coincides with Pinterest. Please tell me you've heard of it. If you haven't, I won't lecture you about it...just click on the button to the right, start following me and go from there...trust me, it's fabulous.
Since things are held up in the painting department, I thought I'd pass on some inspiration that I have fondly "pinned" on Pinterest. Now, I've given you a month to put something together for me for V-day, so no excuses.

I love flowers.

Source: ruffledblog.com via Loreen on Pinterest

Ok, so maybe that's an obvious one, but seriously, if I had an unlimited budget, I would wear fresh flowers everyday in some fashion.

Source: claudiablonde.tumblr.com via Loreen on Pinterest

Though I try to capture the essence of a complete bouquet, I would love for a client to one day ask me for a painting of a single flower from their bouquet....and if it could be this Dracula Raven orchid, I would be the happiest girl in the world.

I love a good tea party.

Source: greenwellies.tumblr.com via Loreen on Pinterest

How adorable are these tea cups! I do love to host a good party and could totally see having one of these for each of my sassy girl friends to use and take home as a little party favor. Now, what would my cup say? Don't answer that.

I love umbrellas.

Source: google.com via Loreen on Pinterest

You can't beat a good parasol, especially if it has some character to it like these ones. They would be just darling above my tea party!

I love the color pink.

Source: thedecorista.com via Loreen on Pinterest

As girlie as I am, I never thought I would gravitate so much toward this color. Low and behold, I am a pink girl....have you seen my business cards? If I had this table, it would go in my client meeting area of my luxurious office space. Let's make it happen people.

And finally...I love food.

Source: google.com via Loreen on Pinterest

For anyone that really knows me, this is a slight understatement. I LOVE food. It would actually take up less space and time to tell you what I don't like as opposed to what I do like. I don't like these little wrinkly bitter black olives. Ok, that's it.
I did come across this sweet image and thought it was appropriate for me and my loves. It's a darling cupcake with pink frosting that is clearly saying " Love Reenie Rose"....and get working on her Valentine's Day wishlist. I'm just saying....

A Year in Review

2012-01-06T23:08:00.000-06:00

Phew, we made it through the first week of 2012.
For the past couple of weeks, everyone has been reminiscing about the past year while preparing for the year ahead of us. I would be lying if I said I wasn't doing the same. This week has been about analyzing, reviewing and planning for 2012. The thing is, we can't help but look back on the past in order to plan for our future. That being said, I am going to do my part and pay gratitude to all that made 2011 possible for Reenie Rose....it only seems right and a form of good karma for 2012.
So, here's a year in review for Reenie Rose:

Kara & Mike

Florist: Kehoe Designs

Photographer: Rick Aguilar

Rachel & Jason

Carrie & Bill

Florist: Event Creative

Photographer: Studio This Is

Kelly & Andrew

Florist: Grapevine Floral

Photographer: George Street Photo & Video

Paula Jean & Brian

Florist: Kehoe Designs

Photographer: Stuart Rodgers Photography

Laura & D.R.

Florist: Elegant Creations

Photographer: Brad Photographers and Video

Maureen & Kevin

Florist: Pistil and Vine

Photographer: Darcy Demmel Photography

Sarah & Ernest

Florist: Blumen Design

Photographer: Jaclyn Simpson Photography

The paintings are lovely, but the vendors I work with are fantastic. The people I continue to surround myself with are the ones that are helping to build Reenie Rose to it's potential.

Just think, by the end of this year, I'll have completed a full calendar's worth...and then some. 2013 Reenie Rose calendars....I like that idea. Is it too early to place orders?

Keeping the Gifts Coming

2011-12-28T11:00:00.000-06:00

So Christmas is coming a little late in the Reenie Rose camp. It's the holiday season, so why not extend gift giving a little bit longer than December 25th.

First off, I have to introduce you to the photographer behind the camera that captured Sarah and Ernest's wedding day this past October. A new find for me, Jaclyn Simpson is a photographer that I can't wait to get to know better. We already have so much in common....good food, traveling, and art!

1. How long have you been in business?
Four years (give or take)

2. Toot your own horn....what’s your specialty?
Weddings and Portraits

3. Who or what are your favorite subjects to photograph....your dream photo session?
I love to photograph people. I also really enjoy photographing great details and styled photo shoots.

4. What do you like about working in the wedding industry?
I love that I am able to be a part of one of the happiest days in my clients’ lives. I also love the community of professionals and vendors in the wedding industry.

5. When you are not working, what are you up to?
Enjoying good food and friends in Chicago or traveling.

6. Anything new and exciting coming up that we should know about? (either professionally or personally)
I am in the process of starting a completely separate and exciting new brand just for portraits.

Definitely pay Jaclyn a little visit at www.jaclynsimpson.com.

And now for the big unveiling...here is Sarah and Ernest's painting....completed!!!

There wasn't anyone out there willing to take a bold stab at the hour count on this one, so I'll give in.....a whopping 63 hours!!! I couldn't believe it either! Quality takes time.

Speaking of time, don't forget that you have until December 31, 2011 to book a painting at the 2011 prices. Paintings will be going up next year, so don't wait...treat yourself to a late Christmas gift! You know you deserve it!

Another Gift

2011-12-23T15:19:00.000-06:00

Is it really Christmas weekend? That just doesn't seem right. Maybe it's because of the lack of snow covering the ground with no foreseeable snow in the immediate future.....Christmas miracle anyone?

Well here's a mini-miracle/holiday gift for you....a painting update.

So the next update will be the finished painting! Can you believe it!? Anyone want to throw out some guesses on the total amount of hours put into this one? If anyone guesses correctly, a prize is surely deserved.

In the meantime, it is the holidays. Enjoy the precious gifts of friends and family and be gracious for the love that surrounds you....I know I am.

A Painting with a Plan

2011-12-19T14:40:00.003-06:00

Ok, I just can't wait anymore. I am dying to share with you the wonderful team that made Sarah and Ernest's wedding possible. Most importantly, this painting wouldn't have happened without the gracious referral from team leader Hilary Schwartz of Estera Events.

If there's any part of a wedding that I recommend the most (besides a fabulous florist), it is hiring a planner. I can't imagine relying on a family friend or, heaven forbid, my mom, to make sure everything is in tip top shape the day of my hypothetical wedding. Put it all in the hands of the professional and let the guests enjoy. I've played the part of the consultant before, and there is nothing like the joy you feel when you bring complete calm and assurance over what can be the most important and stressful day in a couple's life. Hilary is one of those people that easily makes you feel this peace when you are in her presence....imagine what she could do for your wedding day!

1. How long have you been in business?

Istarted Estera Events in February of 2010, after working the previous9 years as both an Interior Designer and Floral Designer.

2. Toot your own horn....what’s your specialty?

Givenmy background, I love to help my clients create a conceptualdirection for their event that suits their personalities and budget. We are involved in every single element to ensure a cohesive vision.We also design and produce details for the bride such as personalizedWelcome Bags for the guests, innovative Escort Card displays andunique Place Setting embellishments at the table.

3. What would be your dream event creation?

Mydream isn’t so much for a particular event; rather, I am excitedabout fulfilling my dream of increasing Estera Events’ presence onthe West Coast. Ultimately, I’d also like to do more exoticdestination weddings--especially during Chicago winters!

4. Wedding trend you love and one you’d like to see disappear?

Ilove the return to traditional details such as the ‘send off’ atthe end of the evening. As far as a trend I’d like to seedisappear--well, I have an aversion to tented escort cards. We alwaystry to push the boundaries and make things a bit more interesting forour couples.

5. Craziest request you’ve had?

We’recurrently working with a bride who has requested a ‘TennesseeCircus, Betty Paige meets Mumford and Sons’ theme for her weddingnext year. Sounds crazy – but we love it!!

6. What do you like about working in the wedding industry?

Asidefrom designing and creating the quintessential wedding day for acouple, I really appreciate the camaraderie among the vendors in thisindustry. It’s refreshing to be surrounded by so many talented andsupportive individuals.

7. When you are not working, what are you up to?

Whenam I not working! I have to admit, I love my job and don’t feellike it’s all work! When I do take time off, however, I enjoytraveling – particularly to the Bed and Breakfast owned by myfamily in Missouri (Inn at Clover Hill).

8. Anything new and exciting coming up that we should know about?(either professionally or personally)

Staytuned for a Valentine’s Day event in late January, an exclusivedinner party in February, and not to mention all of our fabulous 2012weddings!

Thank you so much Hilary!!! Eeee! I can't wait to see what Estera Events has in store for 2012! Be sure to visit her at www.EsteraEvents.com.

And now the update....

There are more to come.....

Indie Wed Ticket Deal!

2011-12-12T11:46:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday! Ah, back to the work week. I've been cranking on this painting lately and am dying to show you some updates, but I'm waiting for some ingredients to add before I post. So, instead I bring you a super fantastic deal this week....Indie Wed tickets on sale until December 16th....that's Friday folks!

Tickets are priced as follows:

* Early Bird (through Dec. 16th) = $12 per single / $20 per 2-pack
* Online (through Jan. 27th) = $15 per single / $25 per 2-pack
* At The Door = $20 per person

As you can see, the "Early Bird Special" is a really great deal (technically half off if you purchase 2 tickets). Click on the box below to get your tickets in order to pay me a visit at my booth during this fun event.

Ok, and because I am so nice and have the patience of a 2 year old, here's a little peak at my painting progress....

Trust me, there are a lot more updates where this came from. As a "thank you", you can go buy your tickets to Indie Wed now. Monday is looking up.
Your welcome.

Introducing a Blumen Bouquet!

2011-12-03T10:08:00.001-06:00

It's been gloomy all weekend, but I've found it to be the perfect weather to put up my Christmas decorations and start another painting.

You'll remember the beautiful bouquet that Blumen created for Sarah and Ernest's fall wedding that Estera Events coordinated....

Welp, Sarah and Ernest have chosen a composition...and I love it!

Isn't this a lovely representation of Sarah's bouquet....especially in a 20 x 20 inch format?

Lots of great updates to come about this one....

Whatever Happened to That One?

2011-11-28T23:47:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I managed to indulge in anything I saw fit for consumption all weekend long and now need to find a way to shrink my stomach back to a normal size. Suggestions anyone?

Feeling a bit nostalgic, I'm going to dig back in the Reenie Rose vault of projects and revisit a painting I haven't posted about in ages....

Remember this one? Well, it was a gift, and the thing with gifts is that they can get pushed down the priority scale. Knowing that I was going to see these friends this Thanksgiving, I got my butt into gear, and viola....a long awaited finished painting.

Flowers by Creations by Lily

Lately it seems that I haven't had the chance to personally witness the unveiling of a painting to a client, so it was refreshing to my spirit to witness Dani and Michael love their gift in front of me. Of course, I neglected to capture it on camera. On the other hand, I did capture something worth thanking them for....

Thank you, Dani and Michael, for providing an amazing Thanksgiving spread! I hope your painting brightens all of your days. xoxo

Beautiful Painting, Beautiful People

2011-11-28T23:08:00.001-06:00

I really and truly love all of the vendors I get the chance to work with. Never have I been in an industry where everyone is so helpful, generous, talented and basically good people. Since I work at home solo, getting to work outside the "office" with others that completely enhance my work day is incredibly gratifying. With this being said, Maureen and Kevin's painting is finished! Check out this loveliness...

Don't you just love these colors!

And now the two people that made this painting possible....and I'm not talking about the bride and groom. Because Maureen and Kevin booked their painting with me after their wedding, I had to rely on their vendors for the details. Lucky for me, I was able to work with florist Megan Musschoot of Pistil and Vine and Darcy Demmel of Darcy Demmel Photography.

If you haven't stopped into Pistil and Vine yet, go! Megan has a lovely store front with a vine covered ceiling that transports you into a wonderland of sweet smells, products and, of course, flowers galore! Though her shop and talent are fabulous, I really cannot say enough about her as a person. She is so sweet and kind-hearted that you feel an instant connection with her. There are a couple of projects we have in the making, so this certainly isn't the last time you'll be hearing about Megan.

Here are some words from her....

1. How long have you been in business?

Pistil & Vine opened March 17th, 2011 so we are approaching our 9 month mark! I have been a designer in the floral industry for over 13 years, continuing my passion though Pistil & Vine.

2. Gotta ask...whats your favorite flower?

This is a hard question but I really love....peonies! (and EVERYTHING with great texture, really!)

3. Toot your own horn....whats your specialty?

My specialty is working closely with my clients on their special events, especially weddings. I feel events represent an emotion and I love to capture that through details in my designs.

4. What would be your dream creation?

This sounds rehearsed BUT, I would have to say, doing what I do for a living, is a dream...and each "creation" is a notation, a caption, a punctuation that reflect this.

5. Craziest request youve had?

About 5-6 years ago I was asked to hop on a plane to Bermuda and in 72 hours design 5 events for 1200 people on a corporate incentive program for 10 days. "NO problem, I have my passport!", was my response. I love a challenge.

6. What do you like about working in the wedding industry?

Meeting really amazing people!

7. When you are not working, what are you up to?

Hanging with my husband, Mike and Labrador Murphy. We love the outdoors, entertaining and going to local music venues for a quick show now and again.

8. Anything new and exciting coming up that we should know about? (either professionally or personally)

We are gearing up to start hosting small floral classes for all levels of experience this winter...stay tuned for more bits on that :)

The flowers may have been created by Megan, but the photo used to create this painting was made possible by Darcy of Darcy Demmel Photography. Darcy is newer to the Chicago scene, but she is already expanding in all directions with lots of potential to be a "go to" photographer in the wedding department. She is another super wonderful person that I feel like I've known forever yet have really only met twice in person. A big thank you to Darcy for capturing Maureen and Kevin's wedding perfectly and taking the time to also photograph their painting.

Here's Darcy's voice....

1. How long have you been in business?

Eeee... I have been in the industry for about three years and I am just completing one full year in business for myself:-) One year married, one year Chicagoan, one year full time business owner. My best year yet!

2. Toot your own horn....what’s your specialty?

Color and connecting. I love meeting new people, connecting with them and creating beautiful images for their home. Color is huge for me, spicing it up as far as outfits, accessories and shoes goes is a must.

3. Who or what are your favorite subjects to photograph....your dream photo session?

Aside from a blushing bride on her wedding day... last spring I did a photo shot with my 80 + year old grandparents that have been married for 62 years.... some of my favorite images I have ever taken. Fortunately they are still here with us, but when they aren't I will hold tightly to these images I have taken.

4. Craziest thing you’ve captured on camera?

A rain storm in death valley, we should have been heading for cover but I snapped a panoramic of the storm coming in just before it started to pour... the shot was published in Southwest Magazine.

5. What do you like about working in the wedding industry?

The creativity, the magic of the day, the anticipation and excitement. It is also a bonus working with people that are excited to have this moment of their lives captured... I am creating history for these couple to pass down to their grandchildren!

6. When you are not working, what are you up to?

I am always working... they say that when you love what you do it doesn't seem like work and the hours just pass away. I truly feel blessed to do what I do and can honestly say this about myself. I am always editing, reading, studying.... and if I'm not I'm probably traveling with my husband and taking photos of him:-)

7. What is one thing that’s on your bucket list?

To photograph an international wedding, Brazil or India!

8. Anything new and exciting coming up that we should know about? (either professionally or personally)

Next year Darcy Demmel Photography will be adding another genre to our mix of portraiture which is elderly photography. If you have an grandparent, favorite aunt or uncle or special older couple that I could photograph please send them my way!!

Thank you sooooo much ladies! I look forward to posting about you again very soon!

Thank You!

2011-11-23T09:53:00.000-06:00

It's so nice to be surrounded by friends and family this Thanksgiving.

Happy Turkey Day!

Mini Maureen and Kevin Updates

2011-11-19T10:42:00.001-06:00

I wanted to give you some eye candy as a weekend treat.

Coming along.

Purplely Painting

2011-11-13T22:25:00.001-06:00

Time to introduce you to my next painting.

Maureen and Kevin were married this past October in Chicago and had the smarts to hire Pistil & Vine to create their flowers. More on the talent behind Pistil & Vine later. For now, take a look at what Maureen walked down the aisle with....

This is the composition Maureen chose after having several selections to muster through....a purplely 20 x 20 inch painting. Love the colors!

Progress has been made, and there are special things in store for this project. You'll just have to stay tuned...or send me your guesses.

Unveiling So Many Things

2011-11-11T12:25:00.001-06:00

It's the moment we've all been waiting for....the unveiling of Laura & D.R's painting. Thank you everyone for being so patient. There were a few finishing touches I wanted to add to this post before presenting it, including a new photographer I want to introduce you to.
So, here it is...

Flowers by Elegant Creations in New Jersey

There are so many amazing flowers going on in this piece with subtle hints of color that make it more than an all white bouquet.
The painting was captured perfectly by one of my new favorite photographers...Anne Truppe of Tru Studio. Tru Studio is a husband/wife team comprised of Anne and Steve and their love for viewing all things beautiful behind the lens of their cameras. Here are the answers to a few questions Reenie Rose decided to ask Tru Studio:

1. How long have you been in business?

We have been in business for just over a year!

2. Toot your own horn....what’s your specialty?

Bringing out people's emotions and documenting it in an artistic yet honest and true-to-life fashion.

3. Who or what are your favorite subjects to photograph....your dream photo session?

People who are completely in love, who are fun, quirky, and have an appreciation for art and design. We love to have a good time, and always love working with people who don't take themselves too seriously and can laugh along with us.

4. Craziest thing you’ve captured on camera?

Somehow we always seem to put ourselves into compromising positions while on shoots. For example, Anne ended up in a pothole one time and Steve dove into a pine tree. We do our best to capture these very 'professional' moments for our private collection. :)

5. What do you like about working in the wedding industry?

We have been so impressed with how open and collaborative everyone in the industry is. It's refreshing to be surrounded by such talented, driven people. In regards to our clients, we enjoy having the opportunity to meet and work with various types of people. We love working so closely with our couples and have even made some great friends!

6. When you are not working, what are you up to?

Well, we are a bit of workaholics :) but, when we finally tear ourselves away we love to make French Press coffee, go hiking and enjoying the outdoors, traveling to new places, creating design projects, decorating our apartment, and cooking together - food pretty much rules our life, especially pizza!

7. Anything new and exciting coming up that we should know about?

Now that our wedding season is finished, we are looking forward to having more time to shoot for ourselves. We have been dreaming up shoot concepts to continue to push ourselves as artists and keep things fresh. You'll have to stay tuned!

Thanks Anne and Steve! I'm looking forward to many more opportunities to work together!

Before I forget, the answer to last post's mystery image of Paula Jean and Brian's painting plus print...

Print on the left; painting on the right

Pretty close, huh!? Something to keep in mind when looking to fill some wall space. Prints are a great, affordable option and still very unique....not many people own prints thus far.

On that note, happy weekend to everyone and happy Veteran's Day to all those that have and are currently serving our country so bravely. We owe so much to your service. Thank you.

Seeing Double

2011-11-03T23:35:00.000-05:00

It's almost the weekend, and this week has seemed to pass by in a whirlwind of business activity. I have so many exciting things to share but need to contain myself and share the good stuff in small doses. I know everyone is just dying to see Laura and D.R.'s painting finished. Well, I have news....it is finished....but no sneak peaks just yet. The painting is slumbering in my studio drying and getting ready for it's photo shoot tomorrow with a new photographer I will be introducing you to. So, hold tight. Patience.

In the meantime, I have a different photographer for you. You see, with each painting I finish, I am now going to be introducing you to another great talent. The wedding community is so gractious and helpful that I figure I might as well share the love while also getting a minor perk out of the deal....my paintings photographed professionally...ready to be printed in a heartbeat.

First, we go back a bit. You'll remember Paula Jean and Brian's painting:

Again, with the love of the wedding industry, this couple was referred to me by the always wonderful, Kehoe Designs. As a "thank you" to Kehoe, I am providing them with a print of the gorgeous bouquet they created. In comes Kenny of Nakai Photography. He graciously volunteered to take the photos of this painting so it could be printed just as perfectly as the painting was painted. Now, you tell me....which is the print and which is the painting?

Click to enlarge

Pretty close, huh? I'll let you leave your guesses as a comment below, and we'll revisit this answer in my next post. In the meantime, meet Kenny. He is an award winning photographer located in Lincoln Park where he shares an amazing studio with florist Vale of Enna. Kenny is just the nicest guy with a pile of talent on top of that. I'm so excited for him because he is getting married next year and is now playing the role of "the client" in his own industry. Can you imagine being a photographer and having to choose someone to photograph your most special day? All I could say to Kenny was "good luck".

Here's what Kenny had to say to a few questions asked by Reenie Rose:

1. How long have you been in business?

I just completed my 5th year in the wedding business! 3 yrs going full time

2. Toot your own horn....what’s your specialty?

I definitely strive to be creative - but at the same time keeping it authentic, beautiful and timeless.

3. Who or what are your favorite subjects to photograph....your dream photo session?

I love photographing people - couples in love, families, children...anything where there's emotions

4. Craziest thing you’ve captured on camera?

I spent time volunteering my time with a non-profit - and I was in Japan 1 week after the Tsunami. It was crazy to see houses upside down in the middle of a field. Or to a whole neighborhood leveled...only the foundations remained.

5. What do you like about working in the wedding industry?

I love the wedding industry- because I get to capture special moments for couples to cherish forever. They are photos they will look at...their kids will look at...and their grandkids! What a privilege to be such an intimate part of their lives!

6. When you are not working, what are you up to?

I am recently engaged myself! So I am enjoying my time w/my fiance as well as wedding planning! Just like my clients! =) I definitely have more empathy for those in the wedding planning process!

7. Anything new and exciting coming up that we should know about?

I am looking forward to doing more family portraits here in my photography studio! Newborns, toddlers, and generational photos! I found a new passion for portraits and I can't wait for the new year!

Well I know the holidays are coming upon us, and I'm thinking about Christmas cards. Isn't it obvious....family photo session with Kenny! Oh, and a Reenie Rose print in some nice gift wrap.
Thanks so much for sharing with us Kenny! Definitely go checkout more of his work right now.

2 Weddings, 1 Update & a Birthday

2011-10-28T23:09:00.000-05:00

It's Friday evening, the St. Louis Cardinals have won the world series and I feel like I've finished day 1 of my work week. This past weekend / the beginning of this week all run together as one extended jumble of wedding activity and celebration. I guess this could be one of the benefits of owning one's own business....the work week starts and ends according to me.

So, if I back track a bit, the first wedding of the weekend was for a new client of mine. Sarah booked me back in June when Estera Events recommended I "preserve" her fall wedding bouquet. Happy to do so, I've been waiting for the unveiling for months! Drum roll please....

Ta da! Amy at Blumen put together a fabulous bouquet of color, texture and character. I've taken a look at some of the compositional photos I've taken, and all I can say is that this is one photogenic bouquet. No matter what Sarah chooses, she's going to have a stunning painting at the end of this process.

Speaking of stunning, wedding number 2 took place on Sunday with not only a gorgeous bouquet but a bride fit for Hollywood. My best friend Abra tied the knot with Peter, the man of her dreams, at Salvage One in a most elegant affair.

Isn't she beautiful! Her flowers were such a compliment to her style. Bravo to Carolyn and Natalie at Hello Darling for taking Abra's vision and bringing it to life....with only their initial consultation...no mockups. That's talent.

Of course, Abra and Peter will be receiving a painting as a gift.....when things settle down a bit. I get one year to produce a wedding gift...right!?

In regards to paintings already in progress, Laura and D.R.'s is coming along. I anticipate a finished painting this weekend!

And finally, the thing I wasn't going to mention, but could actually use some imput on....my birthday. Yes, I celebrated my 30th birthday this past Tuesday...with much reluctance on my part. My friends and family, however, had a surprise in store for me and forced me to acknowledge this new decade in my life (thank goodness wine was involved). I'm slowly coming around to the idea of 30, but could use some support and advice. Any words of wisdom for this single, 30 year old living in the city, running her own business?

Laura and D.R. update

2011-10-16T23:32:00.000-05:00

I've been cranking on this painting these past couple of days and have made some progress. Take a look...

Back to Canvas

2011-10-12T18:03:00.001-05:00

Back to bouquet paintings. Seems like it's been awhile since I've sat in front of a canvas. My plan is to crack down on the next one because there is a lovely lineup of paintings to follow.
So, here she is....

Stats: 16 x 20 inches
           Ivory bouquet of roses, calla lilies & orchids
           Bride and groom- Laura & D.R.
   Wedding location- New York, NY

Checkout the full shot of this cascading bouquet! I think I've alluded to the fact that it has a cascading feature in the composition chosen.

Next post, some paint on this puppy. Anyone want to place a guess on how long this one will take me?

The Great Michigan Adventure

2011-10-05T00:37:00.000-05:00

6 days, 3 cities, lots of job connections. I just finished up my whirlwind weekend of visits with friends and work work work in Michigan. When I return to Michigan, I can't just stop in one place and do one thing....no, I feel the need to hit up anyone and everyone in the area. The triangle visit started in Kalamazoo where I reconnected with some friends (one of which is getting married and has interest in a painting). From there I headed up to beautiful Traverse City for a most interesting project.
First of all, check out the color show currently going on in this state. The commercial has got it right with the whole "Pure Michigan" campaign.

I am so lucky to have the greatest of friends to stay with when I visit Traverse City. My old college roommate and the rest of her family welcome me in with open arms and make my stay extra special every time. Plus, this is the view I have from their house....you can't get this from the local hotels.

The main reason I ventured up north was for a specific painting project. I was hired by The Inman Company to paint haunted mansions at 2 different casinos. Now, this is a little off the Reenie Rose beaten path, but I love these opportunities that give me a challenge and allow me to use my skill in a totally new way.
So, 2 haunted mansions, 2 casinos, 3 days.....talk about a challenge. The first part of the process was to paint all of these cutout pieces to place on the facade. Because these were houses that people would not be able to go inside and experience, the outside had to have a special character to it.

To go into the complexity of this project would take too long, but let's just say that a team of 5 of us came together and created an unbelievable display at these two venues.

27 hours of my time spent at Turtle Creek Casino and here's the result! Everything with gray paint was done by my hand.

Love the Adam's family!!

Once Turtle Creek was finished, we moved on to casino #2...Leelanau Sands. This one was smaller, but just as intense. We got to the casino at 3pm and worked until 11:30pm. It was like sprinting a marathon.

I'm so proud to have been a part of this project and want to thank Shane of The Inman Company for allowing me to be a part of it....despite what my aching body is now saying.

From Traverse City I headed to Grand Rapids to visit with another couple of friends, enjoy GR's new found glory...Art Prize and speak to a couple of illustration classes at my alma mater, Grand Valley State University. What a fabulous end cap to a weekend filled with lots of driving, art and hard work. Enjoying artwork around the city and speaking to students about my business made me realize how lucky I am to be doing what I am doing. When business and pleasure blend together without boundaries, it's such a blessing. On that note, I leave you with an image from Art Prize of a mural currently in the top 10 to win. I voted for it.

Changing Seasons

2011-09-21T11:37:00.000-05:00

Last weekend marked the end and beginning of a few areas in life. For starters, it was the last weekend of summer. So long to the dog days of feeling leisurely yet eager to enjoy the limited sun-filled days. Welcome Fall and the crisp air you bring. Here's to apple cider and projects to complete before the holidays hit.

Farewell to the single life; hello to the married life for Bobbijean and Andrew! Big congrats to these two friends that tied the knot this weekend. They had a lovely day for their wedding and it couldn't have gone more smoothly. Doesn't the bride look just stunning!?

A pat on the back to me as I got to see my completed aisle runner laid out, ready for action.

When I was approached about this project, my first thought was that it fell into the category of unnecessary luxuries. Having seen it completed in its rightful setting, I know that it was essential to define the look of the ceremony. Thank you Bobbi for having such a beautiful vision for your wedding and allowing me to be a part of it. To come.....a painting of her bouquet!

Speaking of bouquets, there is an ending and beginning in that department as well. I have finally finished Paula Jean and Brian's painting. 55 hours of manual labor, and perfection is the result.

I love how this painting is so different from all my other ones....composition, color, detail....check out that necklace! Welcome to the family little painting, welcome to the family.
Stay tuned for the beginning of my next painting. Take a guess at what color bouquet I have lined up!

Starts and finishes, endings and beginnings. Does this change of season bring anything new to you or complete another chapter of your life?

Reenie Rose Retreat 2011

2011-09-12T21:25:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I indulged in a rare opportunity. I participated in the first ever Reenie Rose Retreat. Ok, so this sounds much fancier than what it really was. Basically, I went up to my family's cottage in Wisconsin and spent the entire weekend plus a couple extra days by myself working. Sounds like any typical day at home, right? "What makes this so special?" you may be asking yourself. Well, for one thing, whether or not anyone else in the family is up, my dad usually is here soaking up every morsel of time that he can before we close it up for winter. Thanks to a wedding this weekend, cottage was minus dad. Secondly, my cottage is located among a plethora of other cottages making this a very social atmosphere (impossible to work in). The docks came out Saturday morning and everyone bolted. Ghost town. It's never been so quiet here. Thus I am in the middle of ruralish Wisconsin on a lake enjoying being close to nature and being pretty productive.

Besides working on my monster of a painting, I had another project to work on....

My little cottage is blessed with a huge dining room table perfect for feeding large amounts of people and "craft" projects that would be ten times trickier in my 800 square foot condo. Knowing my talents with a brush, a friend of mine asked if I would paint an aisle runner for her wedding this coming weekend. Having access to this table space and being without a kitty that would find yards of fabric a fantastic playground, I took on this generous task.

75 feet of golden swirls. I'll be sure to post the more professional looking pictures after the photographer captures this masterpiece. Looks like I just added another line to my wedding resume...bouquet painter, day of coordinator and aisle runner visionary. Who knew!?

Reenie Rose Retreat 2011 = success. I kind of don't want to go home and back to reality. Like the screen porch I am working on, this place has a way of filtering out the bugs. Life just seems more simple here. It could possibly be because I am choosing to ignore a bunch of things and stay focused on the task at hand...painting. I somehow have to transition back without going stir crazy.
I was always good at playing pretend as a kid. Maybe I can adapt that into my real city life by pretending that the street traffic and sirens are crickets and piles of "to do" lists are the piles of leaves that will soon be ready to play in. Think this will work?

Reenie Rose Craft Corner

2011-09-02T11:19:00.001-05:00

I am forever inspired by all of the creativity out there and often find myself thinking, "This would be a really great idea for a business." One business at a time chica, one at a time. While I can't start a new business every other week, I can at least hold onto these ideas for a rainy day or that crazy phenomenon called "free time". Ha!
There's this great site that is slowly growing on people, and I imagine it to be just booming by the end of the year. Have you heard of Pinterest? I am grateful to this site that allows me to organize all of my virtual inspirations onto "boards" in an orderly fashion that I can repeatedly return to for a mental reawakening.

I recently found a couple of fabulous ideas that just happened to appear around the same time and actually worked together to create an "aha" project for me / a possible source of income.

Check out this amazingly talented girl that is creating wallpaper out of stickers!

I love this since I was an avid sticker collector in my youth and continue to stare at end caps of stickers whenever I encounter them. Ah, the joys of playing with stickers...pealing and placing, pealing and placing.

Then this idea popped up on Pinterest and everything clicked.

Source: spearmintbaby.com via Loreen on Pinterest

In between painting, I sometimes will have another project of sorts come up. Sometimes it's a job that strays away from the tight bouquet painting, and other times it's a craft that allows my mind and wrist a break from any brushes. These two ideas above afforded me the perfect project for a baby shower I am co-hosting this weekend for a childhood friend. Having played school and traded stickers as kiddies with this lovely friend, I just knew the perfect gift for her. My two inspirations had a baby of their own, and viola....

Isn't this just the cutest for a baby's room! I was having so much fun digging through my old collection and reminiscing about a good "trade" that I had to stop myself from creating the whole alphabet. I can't wait for mama Hannah to see this. I'm hoping it will remind her of all the good times we had as kids and how the simplest things like trading stickers brought so much joy to our childhood. Boo to video games, yeah to $1.00 packets of stickers!

So back to that whole business idea. What do you think about placing this idea on Etsy? I could see monograms in blue and pink flying off the shelves. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but I think it's a neat idea and would love to hear your thoughts.

In the meantime, there are still paintings to be completed and paintings to come. Here's a glance at the progress of my current business:

How ironic that I get the entrepreneurial bug this weekend. Enjoy your Labor Day!

Painting Update

2011-08-28T21:39:00.000-05:00

I've been putting some quality time in to my current painting and thought it was time for an update. Once this is posted, it's back to the brush to continue filling in the blanks!

End = Beginning

2011-08-16T22:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I delivered a painting, and today I start a new one. I'll be honest though....this next one scares the begeezus out of me. Just take a look...

Lots of flowers with many petals and a linked necklace chain to boot. This should get exciting.

Just like a coloring book......

A Complete Weekend

2011-08-06T23:49:00.000-05:00

For those of you late night viewers...or early morning ones that are catching this in the a.m., I have a Sunday deal for you. I will be participating in an event Sunday, August 7th from 4pm-7pm at the Loft on Lake (located at 1366 W. Lake St. in Chicago). CS Brides Luxe List vendors (including myself) and many other luxury wedding industry professionals will be featured during an evening of bridal bliss and extravagance as LOVE ROBERT unveils a sneak preview of Atha Sharod Bridal’s “The White Collection – LUXE.

I will be painting live and picking up where I left off on Dani and Michael's painting while displaying my latest masterpiece...Kelly and Andrew's painting. On Friday, my work day ended with the completion of this piece, and I am so happy with the final product. Here's a quick shot I took of it before packing up for the weekend.

If you are available this Sunday, I encourage you to stop by the show to take a look at this piece in person. For super discount tickets, use the discount code "vendor" to enter the show for only $5! Tickets can be purchased here: http://athasharodbridal.eventbrite.com/

I hope you'll visit me painting away and take advantage of all the fabulousness this event has to offer.
Cheers to finished paintings and sunshine weekends!

Switching Wedding Gears

2011-07-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

I am working a wedding all day tomorrow as a day of consultant for a friend of a friend who is also going to be ordering a painting of her bouquet. Pictures of the wedding to come, but in the meantime, I wanted to get a quick painting update in for those faithful viewers, wink wink.

Mystery Florist

2011-07-24T11:36:00.000-05:00

This painting is looking like a mystery trying to be unveiled. We know we've got calla lilies, but what else?!

Last fall I introduced you to Grapevine Floral. Well, Trish has done it again and completed another gorgeous bouquet that was found painting-worthy...yes, this is our mystery florist! You may remember the beautiful bouquet she created for Karen and Brandon last year....

Karen and Brandon's painting

Grapevine Floral is located in the northern suburb of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, where Trish and her team continually produce some of the most beautiful bouquets I've laid my eyes on. I love her sense of color and texture. Even an all white bouquet looks exciting! Check out some of her other creations....

Gorgeous, right!? I'm hoping to eventually have a whole gallery of Grapevine Floral paintings! Now, wouldn't that be amazing....

Turning the Heat Up

2011-07-18T17:08:00.000-05:00

The heat is on here in the Reenie Rose studio. Ok, rather the ac is blasting to combat the outside temperature, but there is a momentum going on inside that I am not loosing track of.
This next painting is for a client that has won the award title of "biggest Reenie Rose fan" because she consistently says the nicest things to me about my work. Painting after painting she continues to be a cheerleader unlike anyone else in my little Reenie Rose circle. I hope I can continue to enrich her life with a painting for her daughter and son-in-law. No pressure, right?

Onto the next one....

Don't you just love these dahlias!? I have a couple of yellow and orange ones growing in my flower boxes this season but the color of these purple ones is just stunning.

The sketch! In my next painting update, I will unveil the mystery florist behind this dynamic bouquet. Time to get started!

Hee Hee Hooo

2011-07-13T18:42:00.000-05:00

72 hours of labor, and a painting is born.

It's funny when I finish something of this magnitude (it was a 30 x 30 inch painting....biggest one yet for Reenie Rose). While I am working on a painting, I definitely step back and observe my work, but it's not until I complete it that I am surprised at what has been produced. This painting was so incredibly striking to me and I just couldn't get over that I actually painted it. I found myself just sitting and staring at this piece or walking past it to take another look. How did my hand do this?

Now I've never had a child, but I imagine it is a somewhat similar feeling. You know the process for the most part and have an idea of what the outcome will be, but the first time you look at your baby, it's pure magic. I guess I kind of see myself as a surrogate mom bearing a child for another couple. My paintings are my babies that I can stare at and ogle until it is time to pass them off without any strings attached....hoping to maybe run into them again one day. Is this a weird comparison? Do you think other artists ever look at their art and are boggled by their creation?

I wonder, is there something you have done that upon stepping back from it, you were completely amazed at your own abilities? It's crazy how we can surprise ourselves without even planning on it.

Wildflower Update

2011-06-30T10:13:00.000-05:00

Look at what popped up on my canvas yesterday....summer.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2011-06-22T13:31:00.000-05:00

It's a weird weather day outside. One minute the sun is out, the next we are swept up in an unexpected down pout. With these erratic changes, I thought for sure I'd be able to see a rainbow outside whilst I sit and paint in the dryness of my studio. Low and behold, one was sitting right in front of me....

Anniversary Season?

2011-06-16T11:00:00.001-05:00

With wedding season also comes anniversary season. I figure, if you don't catch me the day you tie the knot, I have a lifetime of chances for you to redeem yourself with an anniversary painting.
This next painting is just that....a BIG one year anniversary gift.

Photo courtesy of Studio This Is

Last year, I attended the lovely wedding of my former boss and gallery owner, Carrie Secrist. This year, I am creating an extremely special painting from her hubby. There are so many great things about this painting...1) it's a painting for a gallery owner/art lover....perfect; 2) it's my biggest piece yet....30 x 30 inches....perfect; 3) just take a look at the colors....perfect!!!

I've already sketched this bad boy in, and the details to come are going to be incredible. This should be a very interesting project...it barely fits on my easel!

Ivory Finish

2011-06-08T01:30:00.002-05:00

Jason and Rachel's painting is finished! Jason will be able to give Rachel her anniversary gift in time and dry by June 16th. Something to think about gentlemen, if you are giving a painting as an anniversary gift (which I just love by the way)....make sure you allow enough time for me to paint it and actually let it dry for a bit. What a fantastic way to say "Happy Anniversary"!

On another note, the all ivory bouquets always amaze me when I finish them because they are anything but ivory. By definition, the color white is "Reflecting to the eye all the rays of the spectrum combined; not tinted with any of the proper colors or their mixtures." When I produce an ivory bouquet, it eventually does wind up having a whole rainbow of colors running through it. Just when I think I have a simple white bouquet to paint, I find a challenge I never expected. What are you thoughts on an all ivory bouquet?

The Start of the Finish

2011-06-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

This is a beginning of the day post. My plan....to finish this painting today. Stay tuned for another post soon!

Weekend Happenings

2011-06-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

Holding true to my promise of actually keeping up with the progress of my current painting, here I am writing to you with an update. I was lucky enough to work at Magnificent Milestones on Saturday...painting! While the storm rolled in and out, I sat in the front window and got some work done.

I think this painting would actually look really pretty in this space with all of the soft tones.

In other stories of Reenie Rose, I met with another florist last week that I am just loving! Kelly Marie of Fleur is a seasoned veteran in the floral industry. She's been in business for almost 10 years now and plays hostess to the cutest boutique in Logan Square. Every time I've been in there to see Kelly, I say good-bye to her and then find myself lingering around for a few minutes after to take in all the goodies she has lining the barn-wood walls.

Love, love, love her work....and she's pretty great too! Fingers crossed on creating a painting of one of Kelly's beautiful bouquets in the near future!

Back in Time for June

2011-05-31T22:22:00.000-05:00

Has anyone been wondering where on Earth I have been?! To all of the worried faces out there, have no fear, I am back. While waiting for a few paintings to come out of limbo, I decided to take my summer blogging vacation a little early and skipped over the whole month of May....well, I am slipping this post under the wire.
This month has been full of busy things going on for Reenie Rose though. Here are a few snippets:

My family and I attended a wedding in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, at the beginning of May to start the month off with a tan. I love weddings, but a wedding in Mexico is a double bonus when it has spectacular weather and good friends attending. Congratulations to Hannah and Jason...and thanks for having a destination wedding!

Upon returning from Mexico, mom and I got down to business and attended an all-day seminar hosted by Estera Events. The New Black seminar featured Ann marie Houghtailing of The Houghtailing Group who shared with us a plethora of valuable knowledge about sales and growing ones business. I am so excited for some of the leaps we are going to be taking and expect to have a lot more paintings to update you on in the near future.

Speaking of paintings, I've put my Dani & Michael painting on hold to work on a new project. Jason came to me this month wanting to get the perfect anniversary gift for his wife....a Reenie Rose painting. With his anniversary fast approaching (June 16th), I received a few images of his wife Rachel's bouquet and quickly got to work sending Jason a variety of compositions to choose from.

Jason chose this 20x20 inch composition for his painting:

So simple and perfect with ivory calla lilies and roses.
The painting has been sketched in and will be close to completion by the beginning of next week.

Besides new paintings, new friends have been made as well. I will elaborate more on their work at a future date, but in the meantime, be sure to get aquainted with these fabulous vendors:
-Salvage One- Checked out this venue for a NY friend of mine thinking of getting married in Chicago. It's an amazing antique/unique extravaganza that is able to house events with a fun style.
-Citygirl Weddings and Events- Once known as Events by Sharokina, Citygirl is a new name in wedding planning with plenty of experience to back it up.
-Stacey Shapiro- A calligrapher with over 20 years of experience, Stacey's website might be only one page, but her talent and personality are infinite.
-Sarah Drake- You have probably heard her name all around the wedding industry for her stunning invitation line and monogram gifts, but getting to know her as a person is such a treat.

Sorry if you felt neglected throughout the month of May. With Jason's painting getting started, and a couple of others waiting in the wings, you'll be sure to hear more from me in June. Can you believe it's June already?! What are your plans for this month?

Royal Wedding: Flowers, Flowers, Flowers!

2011-04-29T16:38:00.000-05:00

The wedding world is a buzz today with the long awaited Royal Wedding of Prince William and Katherine Middleton. I did not wake up at 4am to watch the wedding live since I will be attending a viewing party this evening filled with hats and tea...and Guinness, but I have been watching and reading clips about it all day. What an exquisite event. The pageantry, tradition and modern take were so beautifully put together that it has me wanting the fairytale even more now.

Of course, I have to talk about the flowers....
Kate hired English floral designer, Shane Connolly, to produce the classic English garden ambiance for the big day. Check out these 20 foot tall English Field Maple trees that were specially brought in and potted to line the aisle in Westminster Abbey.

The trees will be replanted in the royal family gardens post wedding. What a great way to keep a piece of your wedding around for the kids to enjoy.

How about Kate's bouquet?! So sweet and simple. It complimented her Grace Kellyish dress so perfectly.

Kate has a fondness for the meaning of flowers and took special care to incorporate flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers. Her bouquet included the following with their meanings:

Lily-of-the-valley – Return of happiness
Sweet William – Gallantry...and so adorable. If only every guy had his name in a flower.
Hyacinth – Constancy of love
Ivy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection
Myrtle: the emblem of marriage; love.

Going a step further, there were even sprigs of myrtle from the plants that were used for both the Queen's wedding bouquet in 1947 and Queen Victoria's bouquet from 1845. That's putting a lot of history into one little spray of flowers which leads me to wonder, what will happen to Kate's bouquet when the fanfare has faded?! Instead of tossing the bouquet to all the single ladies at the reception, the bouquet will be returned to Westminster Abbey to be placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. But, what happens after that?! Personally, a lovely painting would really work well with the tradition of painted portraiture that royalty loves to line their walls with. My paintings are palace worthy, right?! Too bad Kate and Will plan on living in a quaint cottage without all of the gilded gold walls. A Reenie Rose painting wouldn't be a good fit. Ah, guess I'll just have to wait till Harry ties the knot!

Coloring Flowers

2011-04-25T00:10:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend, and for those Chicagoans, a non-rainy day. I did not color any Easter eggs this year, but I have been painting a lot lately. I think this painting is so appropriate for the season....doesn't it look like a bunch of colorful eggs emerging? The pinks and yellows scream spring to me....now if we could just get the weather to catch up.

April Event Wrap Up

2011-04-18T11:11:00.000-05:00

Last week was my final lap of my April event marathon. A big thanks to Weddings 826 for hosting the event and having me partake in it. I met a lot of really wonderful brides and reconnected with some of my favorite vendors (Larkspur and Dilly Lily).
Now I just have to ride this event wave and see what happens...

Weddings 826 owner, Suzi, and myself

April Event #4

2011-04-13T23:06:00.000-05:00

The finish line is in sight...well, for now at least. My final event for April is tomorrow (Thursday) at Weddings 826 from 5-7pm. I've opted not to paint at this event due to my fear of being surrounded by so many WHITE dresses. Though not a messy painter, I always seem to get paint somewhere; I just couldn't risk it.

This event is going to be lovely and full of all things floral. Larkspur and Dilly Lily will be supplying the actual flowers while James Ciccotti shows off his bridal shoes and floral accessories, and we all taste treats by Flour Cake and Pastry. I will be accompanied by a couple of my paintings that will hopefully draw in all the prospective brides attending. I may name drop the 190 North gig here and there. As a matter of fact, I'm going to drop it one more time on the blog for those that missed it. Now you don't have to watch the whole show to see my gig....

Super Sunday

2011-04-11T18:02:00.000-05:00

While all of Chicago was out and about enjoying the beautiful 80 degree day yesterday, I was continuing my marathon run...indoors. Do not take this as a bad thing. I was among some warm, sunshiny people that made painting indoors rather enjoyable.

April Event #2 found me at Christine Noelle Designs for their Bridal Bouquet Trend Show. Look at the lovely setup they had with treats from Sarah's Pastries & Cookies.

Painting inside really wasn't so bad either since I was flooded with sunshine while sitting in the window. I've never had such good lighting to paint with at an event before!

Love my new little promo pieces. They are flower pens!

Big thanks to Leslie, Tori and Christine for their support and kindness throughout the event. You ladies were a complete delight!

April Event #3 is out in the world now. Yes, my 190 North episode aired last night and couldn't have been any better. If you missed it, I know it will eventually be available for viewing on the 190 North website. Thank you to everyone that has sent their praises to me already. The compliments have raised my feelings about the whole thing from nervous and embarrassed to completely proud. Yay! Taking Reenie Rose to the next level!

April Event #3

2011-04-09T22:31:00.000-05:00

Halfway there! This is more of a special reminder than an event listing. Set your dvr's (or vcr's in my case) for tomorrow night (Sunday) at 10:35pm (Chicago time). The episode featuring Reenie Rose will be on the show 190 North on WLS-TV ABC. I'm excited and nervous for my tv debut, so keep your fingers crossed that I (my work) shines.

April Event #2

2011-04-08T18:19:00.000-05:00

A quarter of the way through this event fest marathon. As promised, I am reporting back to you about last nights Spring Bridal Bash at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. It was quite a lovely event with good food, music and people. Check out these beautiful tablescapes by Botanicals....

Here's my cute little setup...

There were so many great people to talk to last night that I didn't get very far on my painting, but that's a good thing, right?

Now for April Event #2....
This coming Sunday, April 10th from 1-5pm, I will be painting on site again at Christine Noelle Design. The studio is hosting the Bridal Bouquet Trend Show which will feature the top 10 bridal bouquet trends for the spring season. I stopped by the studio today to check it out, and let me tell you, it is a stunning space that I am truly excited to work in. Here's the invite:

click to enlarge

Keeping a nice steady pace with these events. I hope I'll get to see you on Sunday, but if not, stay tuned for tomorrow's post for another special Reenie Rose viewing reminder.
Happy Weekend!

April Event #1- Spring Bridal Bash

2011-04-07T11:53:00.000-05:00

The first two weeks of April are packed full of events and happenings for me. It feels like I'm running a mini-marathon and each event is a mile marker....guess that means I'm only running a 4 mile marathon? Eh, who's keeping count. I guess the marathon challenge I'm giving myself is to blog about the event I will be participating in, and then write a "post event" blog the following day with info about the next event, and so on and so on.

The first event is tonight (Thursday) at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum from 5-8pm. I will be painting on site during the event that will be featuring a slew of Chicago's top vendors. LOLA Event Productions has put together a fantastic spread that includes a few of my favorite vendors: Botanicals, Foodie Registry, Take the Cake and Toast & Jam.

Click above to view the full invite

I mentioned that I will also be painting at this event. My new project is a gift for a couple that is very special to me. Michael, the groom is a childhood friend of the family that is practically like a cousin to me, and Dani the bride is the sweetest girl I know....literally. She is a baker in the St. Louis area that has started her own business creating custom cakes, cookies and cupcakes. Being a part of the wedding industry is a special thing, and Sweet Pea's Cakes is certainly going to make it's mark as a go-to bakery vendor.

Back to the painting....Dani and Michael's bouquet painting is just sketched in, but painting starts tonight at the Spring Bridal Bash. My plan is to have an update of the painting and event posted tomorrow. Got my running shoes on and I'm hydrated....bring on mile one!!

And Spring is Here!

2011-03-22T00:11:00.000-05:00

It's official...spring is here. Though the weather outside is still trying to decide what it wants to do despite the calendar date, I have succumbed to the season and brought it into my home.
Look at these fabulous blooms! Nothing screams "SPRING!" like fresh tulips.

Another fabulous bloom.....Kara and Mike's painting is finished! Kehoe Designs continues to produce a stunning bouquet that replicates perfectly into a painting.

This is a good start to spring!

Spring is Blooming!

2011-03-14T21:05:00.000-05:00

Spring is just around the corner! Kara and Mike's painting is starting to really bloom....pretty yellows and citrusy greens. Fresh and ready for spring!!!

Lights, Camera, Action!

2011-03-03T17:19:00.000-06:00

This week has been a whirlwind of meetings and making great contacts for some fun things to come. Perhaps the most exciting thing for Reenie Rose to date happened this Monday. I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag too soon for fear of jinxing the whole gig, but it's official...I am going to be on the tv show 190 North on abc!!!!
For those of you non-Chicagoans that don't know about about 190 North, it is a local abc news affiliate that focuses on Chicago entertainment, trends, and style. It's on Sunday nights at 10:35pm, and yours truly will be a part of an episode airing April 10th!

I am so excited (and a little nervous) about my feature on the show. It was a fabulous experience though being involved in a scheduled tv appearance (not just me being filmed eating a taco for the camera...see about 40 seconds into this segment).
My segment consists of a special interview with my good friends Natalie and Mike who own a painting from me, as well as some time spent in my studio....being interviewed, painting, looking busy and whatnot.

BIG thanks to Natalie and Mike for taking time out of their day to sing my praises. I know they'll be a great addition to the segment. Another BIG thanks to all of my painting owners who were nice enough to let me steal my paintings back for this. You'll get to see a bunch of my work on this show thanks to all the support.

More BIG thanks to the 190 North crew. Holly, Eva, Colin and Mike were all so great and easy to work with. Though we were in the comforts of my own home, I was still a little nervous about the whole thing, but they made it so easy for me.

And, finally, BIG thanks to my mom. She pulls out a winner yet again by contacting 190 North in the first place. Thanks Mom.

With all of this going on, I didn't want to forget about Kara and Mike's painting too. I got a few brushstrokes in during the taping of the show, so you'll get to see the painting in it's early stages.

You know I'll send out another "Tune in to 190 North" announcements when we get closer to the date....so, stay tuned!

Events!

2011-02-22T23:51:00.000-06:00

This weekend was chalk full of events in the wedding industry....ok, I exaggerated a little there. I attended 2 and it felt great to be encompassed in the wedding world again.

For starters, I had the pleasure of painting at Magnificent Milestones on Saturday. Big thanks to Kara for giving me this opportunity to meet some people and get some work done all in the same boat! Check back later this week to see my painting progress.

On Sunday, my mom and I headed to the Trump Hotel & Tower for An Evening of Bridal Luxury put on by C.S. Brides. We dined on the fine food made by the Trump catering and sipped Dom Perignon while perusing the lavish tablescapes created by Heffernan Morgan and Botanicals. Check out some of these arrangements...they're gorgeous.

We were also treated to a fashion show of the 2011 bridal collection by Vera Wang. Oh Vera, how I'd love to own one of your dresses some day.

My "assistant" and I had a lovely night networking with some amazing people and being around some of the finer things in life. A night like this may be considered "business" for many, but for us it was pure loveliness. Cheers to that!

Like Crocuses in Snow, A Painting Pops Up

2011-02-15T18:19:00.000-06:00

Happy Belated Valentine's Day.....but wait! I've decided to continue the love into this weekend! Come out to Magnificent Milestones this Saturday, February 19th from 11am-5pm to receive $100 off your bouquet painting when you sign up that day. I will also be working on my newest painting on site.
It turns out that Magnificent Milestones owner, Kara Underwood, not only admires my work, she wants a painting of her own! Check out her beautiful bouquet below:

This is such a citrusy fresh bouquet to be working on as we anxiously try to sneak up on spring. It is suppose to be warmer this weekend, so there's no excuse not to stop by and visit me! Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Painting!

Magnificent Milestones is located at 472 West Erie St. in Chicago. Please contact the paperie at 312.951.8300 if you have any questions about this event.

Magnificent Milestone

2011-01-27T14:34:00.000-06:00

While winter is still in full effect in Chicago, evidence of spring is starting to sprout up here and there....at least in the wedding industry. A couple of weeks ago, I became another add-on to an amazing boutique that just opened up in the River North area...Magnificent Milestones. Specializing in custom stationary, Kara Underwood has opened "a paperie with a Chicago accent" featuring her own stationary design, as well as fun gift items for a wedding or just the everyday passerby. I am so excited to be a part of Kara's new endeavor.

The grand opening on January 13th was packed with support and shared enthusiasm. Capturing this event and also supplying all of the beautiful floral accents was one of my favorite Chicago florists...Hello Darling. Check out Natalie's recent blog post on this event featuring the shop, her fantastic florals, and an always appreciated blurb about Reenie Rose.

Working with vendors like Natalie and Kara is such an amazing experience. It's wonderful how we can work together on a professional level but then push that aside a bit and come together to support each other at a more personal level. I wish Kara all the best and know that the three of us entrepreneurial ladies will be working together sooner than you can say "Time to paint Kara's bouquet!" Hmm....do I see a foreshadowing to a future post?

New Projects for the New Year

2011-01-11T23:16:00.000-06:00

It's week two of 2011, and now that new year's resolutions have expired, I am ready to get back in the blogging game and start the new year out on a positive note. Big plans are in the works for Reenie Rose this year, but in the mean time, I'm keeping busy with a variety of other projects.

This weekend I found myself in Chesterfield, Missouri painting among bottles and bottles of liquor. Yes, I said liquor. Good friends of my family have started a new venture in their lives and opened up the Saint Louis Wine Market and Tasting Room. With all of the wine bars around Chicago, I have yet to be in an establishment that gives me the same feel as I have in this shop. Maybe it's because the owners are like family to me, but there's something so warm and welcoming that is going to have customers becoming regulars.
Since the wine bar has only been open for about 6 weeks, it is still a work in progress. I was brought in this weekend to spice things up a bit with my handy painting skills. Besides adding a few key phrases to the shop, I also took their bathrooms to a new level by painting some faux stonework. Check out my work and the beautiful space...and if you are in the area, definitely go grab a glass or two of wine.

My mom applied her eye for design by adding the vintage display to the top of The Cellar.

That's a nice looking bathroom.

Happy new year and may 2011 be your best year yet!

Lucky Number 100

2010-12-29T00:44:00.000-06:00

It's the end of 2010, and I'm going out with a bang. Turns out, this is my 100th post! In less then 2 years, I have managed to share the in's and out's, ups and downs of Reenie Rose in 100 different blurbs. I consider this a major accomplishment since I am not an avid blogger in the blog world, nor am I someone that needs to write for writings sake.
Postings for 2011 will continue to be updates of current projects along with additional tidbits of info about all the lovely people I get to work with. I'm hoping to add some spice to the mix as well with a couple of special, noteworthy findings here and there and (fingers crossed) some more press.

Speaking of press, the new Chicago Social (CS) Brides just came out, and yours truly has another ad in the magazine (check out page 283). Bigger news yet is the article that was written up in the "Wed Dossier" section on page 100! Huge thanks to CS for featuring me in this issue and writing something so perfect about my business that I'm sure brides will start flocking my way.

This will likely be my last post of 2010, so I want to wish everyone a happy new year! 2011 is bound to bring wonderful things....just you wait and see! Cheers!

Do Not Open Till Christmas.....Nevermind

2010-12-21T22:38:00.000-06:00

I've kept quiet about Christmas secrets long enough that I just can't wait anymore! One surprise was a special gift for a friend, and the other is a gift that can be yours! I'm just bursting to share them!

I haven't been able to post anything about the first gift until now because I didn't want to spoil someone's Christmas gift. It is the perfect example of what the holiday season is all about....giving to those we love. My friend Shelley, gave her boyfriend Tony a gift I love! Well, it was a painting by me, but there was so much more to it. Tony is a little tricky to buy for, so Shelley went with a gift he couldn't not like....one that he practically created. Shelley chose a picture that Tony took on their trip to Paris and asked me to make something that Tony has been asking for forever....a painting by me. Here is the original photo:

And the painting that Tony was thrilled to finally receive....

Shelley won major brownie points with this gift this year, and I was so happy to be the one to help her out with it.

Now for the gift that you can get to say thank you to all those who gave to you this season:

I've decided to make my paintings available to everyone...in the form of a greeting card. Any painting can be shared and comes in a box of 25 for only $30. You'll need to send some "thank you" notes after the holidays have passed, so be ready with something thoughtful. Send me an email to place your order today (info@ReenieRose.com).

Thank you to everyone that has been a part of building Reenie Rose this year. I am so grateful and look forward to another prosperous year in 2011. Happy Holidays!

Santa's Little Elf

2010-12-06T23:26:00.000-06:00

I'm on a quest to create Christmas gifts for clients....before Christmas, and I've got one down! Yes, Stephanie and Russ's painting is finished! Though I may be the elf that created this beauty, there is a whole team of elves generously giving this painting as a gift. I always love this idea of a group gift, and this time of year is no exception. With all the stresses of finding the perfect gift, I think it's great when a handful of people can put their heads together and alleviate each others worries. No worries this season, only togetherness.

It's the season of giving, but my next gift can't be opened till Christmas!

Tacos for Turkeys

2010-12-01T11:59:00.000-06:00

You may have noticed that I took a little siesta from blogging.....well I did, literally. My family traveled to Mexico for the Thanksgiving holiday where we dined on tacos and tortillas for the very American holiday. The resort was very generous though and indulged our traditions with a lovely Thanksgiving feast that made us all gracious for this food heavy holiday, as well as, the fact that we could be in such a tropical place this time of year.
So, now it's back to reality which does include snow and work. I didn't have time to post before I left, so here is the current update on Stephanie and Russ's painting. It's so appropriate for this post....a little bit of fall color with a burst of the tropics.
I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday, wherever it was spent, and is as thankful as I am for all that we have.

Flowers are Popping Up

2010-11-14T15:30:00.000-06:00

I've been steadily working on my newest painting, and I thought it was time for an update, as well as some more info on this painting.

The flowers are slowly starting to emerge on this piece that contains Stargazer lilies, stephanotis, ivory roses and mango calla lilies created by Flowers by Christine located in Bartlett, Illinois. Christine was such a delight when I met her to take the photos. Owning her business for 25 years now, Christine prides herself on supplying the Bartlett and Bloomingdale area with quality floral arrangements and personalized customer service. Her shop is a haven of flowery smells and beautiful gifts for any holiday or occasion. If you are in the Bartlett area, I highly encourage you to stop by and visit Christine and all the fabulousness in her shop.

Indian Summer

2010-11-06T21:08:00.000-05:00

Can you believe that just last weekend it was Halloween?! We are in the thick of fall where the colors are changing all around us. This was evident in the bouquet I shot last weekend for my next painting. I was delighted to see some fall color in a bouquet I am calling a representation of an Indian Summer. It has the autumn look with the mango calla lilies, but then there is this burst of bright pink from the starburst lilies that remind me of the summer that has past.

The stephanotis have these fantastic large rhinestones in the center of them giving the bouquet a little "bling".

I am so excited to start this painting that I have already sketched it in! I've got the painting bug, and after my last one, this will be a great breather.

In my updated posts, I'll let you know who this secret florist is and the generous folks giving this painting as a gift. Happy weekend!

A Masterpiece!

2010-10-18T23:05:00.001-05:00

And, end of day. Yes, I have finished Katie and Patrick's painting! 55 hours later and this puppy is complete.

I'm very excited about this piece. For one thing, I love that this painting is being given as a gift to the couple by a group of friends. I wish more people would do this...not just because it would give me more business, but because I think a gift like this would steer away from the lame registry / awkward cash gift that usually happens at weddings.
Secondly, this bouquet stands out from many of the other pieces that I have done. It has such a wide variety of flowers and colors that created heavy detail and complexity that I am happy to have in my portfolio collection now.

A big thanks to the vendors that gave me so much to work with. Nature's Touch in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan created such a stunning bouquet while Widdis Photography captured it perfectly and provided me with the images to use for the painting. Since this wedding was in Michigan, and I was not able to attend it, the gift of having such beautiful images of a fabulous bouquet provided for me was priceless.

Congratulations to Katie and Patrick! I hope your painting is a reflection of the beautiful marriage you will have. Cheers!

Quicky Update

2010-10-18T10:06:00.000-05:00

The start of today...

Growing Flowers

2010-10-13T23:57:00.000-05:00

Just a quick update....

See How I'm Fairing

2010-10-11T09:25:00.000-05:00

I've been putting some quality time into Katie and Patrick's painting and it's coming along quite well. What I've noticed about this one is that I tend to be gravitating toward the smaller brushes. The flowers are so small and the detail is kind of crazy. It's coming alive though....

You may be wondering what the little blurb is in the bottom right hand corner. Well, let's just say that was the result of me painting on site at the Lemont Art & Music Fest. It was a terrible cold and windy day. Not much painting was done because I was on wind patrol most of the time, and painting in gloves is not ideal.
Thank you to all of you that came out to warm my spirits. That was the best part of my day!

It's a Doosie!

2010-10-01T01:04:00.000-05:00

Now that I've finished Christine and Mike's painting, it's onto the next one, and like my title states: "This one is a doosie!" A generous group of friends has purchased a Reenie Rose painting for a lovely couple, Katie and Patrick, whose bouquet turned out to be a whimsy of wonderful things....it even has a butterfly!

I've sketched in this piece though it looks to be a chaotic group of lines that I will have to play detective to.

Visit me this Saturday at the Lemont Art & Music Fest to watch me paint in person outside in the chilly fall air. I'll need some warm support to assist me in this piece!

Fall Fair Fun

2010-09-28T10:59:00.000-05:00

This Saturday, October 2nd from noon to 5pm I will be participating in the Lemont Fall Art & Music Fest. My booth is #10, so stop by and see me painting my newest bouquet painting! My plan is to start it today, so get a sneak peak at the fair.

Happy Anniversary x 3

2010-09-27T00:03:00.000-05:00

A year ago today, Reenie Rose experienced something that was a little bit intense....3 weddings in one day. So far you have seen 2 of these paintings, but today I bring you number 3. I post this with some embarrassment since it has taken me a full year to complete this final painting from the trio day. It has been the painting that I work on in between jobs, and since business has picked up, I found myself finishing this painting a day before my 1 year deadline. Thus, I present to you Christine and Mike's painting. A big thank you to them for not thinking I was a bad friend that blew off their wedding gift. No, on the contrary, I've put a whole years worth of love into this piece....wink, wink. Happy 1 year anniversary to Christine and Mike!

and Happy Anniversary to Natalie and Mike!

and finally, Victoria and Zak!

Hot Off the Press

2010-09-18T10:52:00.001-05:00

While at a Sox game last night (where they lost...boo), someone sent me an email that lifted my spirits. They were complimenting me on an article they had read about me. Having given the interview a couple of weeks ago, I had almost totally forgotten that an article came out in the Lemont Met/Reporter yesterday featuring myself and Reenie Rose! At this point in my career, press like this is huge for me.....even in Lemont's little paper. Click here for the full article.

It's practically fall now, and in the midst of trees changing color and flowers being reduced down to your autumn mums, I received this lovely gift. No, someone did not give me an orchid. Rather, my beautiful little friend here has decided to rebloom for me. Orchids are a tricky species (and my green thumb isn't as bright as I'd like it to be), so when a rare occurance like this happens, I definitely call it a gift.
Happy weekend!

My How a Town Has Grown

2010-09-15T22:52:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's nice to step back in time and revisit where you've come from and celebrate it. What brought you to where you are today and how far have you come?
This coming weekend, I am taking a trip down memory lane, back to my hometown and back to some good old art. After many years, Lemont is opening its very own Art Center, and I am honored to be a part of it.

I invite everyone to attend the Grand Opening reception this Saturday, September 18th from 7pm-9pm where 2 of my pieces will be exhibited until October 2nd. I'll post pictures of the event and my pieces at a later date, but I'd much rather have you come out and support how far Lemont has come with their appreciation for the arts. This is where I grew up and first discovered that I had a smidge of talent. It's kind of funny how things can come full circle......Lemont was the place where I started my art, and now I'm helping Lemont fuel its own Art Center. Huh.
The Lemont Center for the Arts is located at 1243 State St., unit 101 in Lemont, Illinois.

Tipping Cake

2010-09-09T00:03:00.000-05:00

You know the saying "When it rains, it pours?" Well, that kind of happens with me and blogging. Either I'm scraping for something to share or I have a pile that's tipping over. I currently have a pile gathered, but I'm just going to pull a couple of things off the top and spread the rest out for later.

It's Wednesday, and I am just now getting the chance to report on an event I participated in a week ago. I was lucky enough to be a part of the White Luxury Event at Weddings 826 last week to celebrate their annual event and owner, Suzi's, 5th anniversary. Champagne and white Russians were being passed around while brides wandered around all of the beautiful items Weddings 826 has to offer and mingled with vendors sharing their bridal services.

Besides myself, there were some fantastic vendors in attendance that are worth mentioning and passing onto those around you....

-Chicago Avenue Salon- I met Sarah who is not only an incredibly kind and worldly individual, but is also the salons' lead Educator.
-Dilly Lily- I've been wanting to get in touch with this acclaimed florist for some time now, and it just so happens they provided all of the floral touches at the event. Gorgeous!
-Poetic Weddings- I was at a wedding this past weekend (more details about that shortly) and one thing was confirmed...a videographer is a must! Dad's home video skills just won't cut it.
-Sine Qua Non (SQN Special Events)- A hidden gem! With over 10 years of experience in the event planning industry, Beth Bernstein and her business partner have created some absolutely beautiful weddings worth taking a look at.

Big CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU to Suzi for allowing me to participate in such a special event. I can't wait to work with her again.

In other news, I've updated my website with Karen and Brandon's painting. You've seen the painting, and I've thanked Trish at Grapevine Floral many times, so now it's time to mention the photographer. Wes Craft at Modern Image Studio graciously provided me with some fantastic shots of Karen and Brandon on their big day. More of his work is likely going to show up on my website here and there, so keep a look out for some beautious images.

And finally, a Labor day weekend filled with love. My family drove down to St. Louis to attend the wedding of Dani and Michael.... very close family friends. This cute pair is a culinary delight: Michael is a sous chef and Dani is a baker. Together they are sweetness that was beautifully symbolized by their four tiered wedding cake that Dani had a hand in creating...lots of flowers were made.

Bouquets tossed aside, can you think of a better gift to give this couple to remember their day? I know I can.....

The Best Part

2010-08-30T09:45:00.000-05:00

One of the best parts of creating a painting for someone is giving it to them. I'm not usually present when a gift is given, but getting to see the client's reaction is always great.
For Karen and Brandon's painting, I delivered it to Pam and was delighted to see how pleased she was with the final product.
This weekend another painting unveiling took place miles away in Boston. Pam and her husband went out to Boston to visit Karen and Brandon as they begin their married lives going to grad school in Boston (congrats to them). I received a wonderful surprise this weekend when Pam text me a photo that made my day....

This is why I do what I do.

Past and Present Events

2010-08-24T22:48:00.000-05:00

Summer is winding down, but Reenie Rose is heating up! I plan on filling my schedule in with lots of events in the next few months to promote my paintings and all of the happiness they can bring to a couple....kind of like the Santa of weddings.
This past Sunday I participated in a bridal event right in my neighborhood at a super fun place called Flirty Girl Fitness. I added a twist to this event and attempted to paint live to better illustrate what I do. I say attempt because one of the fun things to take advantage of during this event were the free pole dancing classes. I might have taken a few notes.

There were only 2 other vendors working this event with me and they definitely deserve special mentioning. Be sure to check out their sites:
-Foodie Registry is a great option outside of the typical registry box.
-at studio features fantastic photography by Amaris Granado.

September 1st will be another event for Reenie Rose at an adorable boutique in Lincoln Park called Weddings 826. Stay tuned for a post about this White Luxury Event.

Floral Field Trip

2010-08-17T11:17:00.000-05:00

Karen and Brandon's painting has been on a field trip this past week back where everything started....Grapevine Floral. The painting will be on display in their lovely studio through this week, so be sure to swing by and take a look.

Thanks to Trish for being so supportive of my work. I can't wait to make her a painting that she can house there permanently!

Summer Painting Finished...

2010-08-02T20:12:00.000-05:00

But, no worries, summer is still continuing on. Yes, I have finished Karen and Brandon's bouquet! Soon after the painting's showing on this blog, it will be carted off to the florist that originally created the bouquet....Grapevine Floral. There my painting will sit for a month for all the brides to see. If you are in the Lake in the Hills area, be sure to stop by and see this colorful piece in person!

Summer job

2010-07-25T18:02:00.000-05:00

Is anyone else having trouble working during this lovely summer weather we've been having? I certainly am, but have forced myself to put down the sunscreen and pick up a paint brush. It's a good thing Karen and Brandon's bouquet is bright summer colors....a little bit of sunshine in my studio.

Extra Extra, Read All About It

2010-07-13T23:51:00.000-05:00

It's time for an update, and I have some fun things to share. Last month I attended the Lemont Art Walk to promote my mural at The Inn at Smokey Row along with some Reenie Rose art. Turns out it was a very beneficial night for all parties. Here's a couple pieces of press that where published in our local papers:

Click here for the full article.

In other news, I've started the painting for Karen and Brandon that is being gifted by Brandon's mom. This is such a summer time bouquet to be working on....the colors are fantastic.

I got a little excited to paint and forgot to take a "before" photo....see my dabbles of color in the upper left corner. Oops!

If you don't remember what the original bouquet looked like, check back to the "Time for Everything" post on May 17th or just check back soon to see the flowers emerge!

Hello Darling Painting Finished!

2010-06-24T22:37:00.000-05:00

I just finished the bouquet painting for Hello Darling, and I couldn't wait till tomorrow to post it because it turned out so beautiful. When I say things like this, I don't feel like I'm bragging....my process is a team effort. This painting wouldn't be what it is without the artistic talent of Natalie, owner of Hello Darling. She both created the bouquet and took the photograph with no composition cropping on my part. I can't wait to see this piece in her lovely studio. Before it heads there though, it will be on display tomorrow night (Friday, June 25th @ 6:30pm) at the Lemont Art Walk. Please come out and see this piece in person...it's so much better in person. Cheers to a finished painting and art walks in summer!

Eventful and Events

2010-06-19T00:35:00.000-05:00

Two fun bits of news to share in both of my camps, Reenie Rose and Reeniebeans.
The first bit is the most exciting for me cause it's a big leap for Reenie Rose. I've taken out an ad! In this June's issue of Chicago Social Brides magazine, I have a half page ad featured. Chicago Social Brides is a local magazine that focuses on the luxury end of the wedding business. With a very targeted audience, I am hoping to bring Reenie Rose to the attention of readers with an eye for something special. CS Brides is a free publication and can be found at most wedding related businesses. If you can't find it somewhere nearby, check it out online at their digital edition (hint: I'm on pg 253 & 264). Below is the ad, but to actually be able to view it in something that someone else has produced is really something. Go check it out!

The other good news is that I will be participating in the Lemont Art Walk taking place next Friday (June 25th). My Smokey Row mural will be featured at none other than The Inn at Smokey Row. I am so excited for the inn to finally receive some public recognition....and if it has to be done at my expense, well, I guess I will deal with that. If you are in the area or wish to check out good old Historic Downtown Lemont, come by the inn and visit me. I will also have the Hello Darling painting on display in its finished state (to be completed this week). This is a great opportunity to see a Reenie Rose painting in person. I hope I will get a chance to see you there!

Enjoy the weekend and the real start of summer!

Which project first?

2010-06-14T11:15:00.000-05:00

Summertime is just a burst of energy for creative projects. There's spring cleaning that brings on remodeling updates, wedding season and this urge to think outside the box...fresh and new. Thankfully, many of these ideas have come my way...all at once. Between blog posts, I have been trying to organize all of my projects while visiting friends, enjoying the start of summer weather and, a must mention, the Blackhawks winning the Stanley cup (yay!).

A couple of weekends ago, I took a trip up to Traverse City, MI to visit some old college friends of mine for a girls weekend. To kill two birds with one stone, I also had a painting project going on. You may remember my involvement in the TC Parade of Homes last year where my surfer mural and flower baby's room were featured. This year I am graciously being included again by my good friends, Dean and Tricia Adams of Bay Area Contracting. The room I worked on was somewhat of a different project for me since it involved a more mature approach while still getting creative. The homeowner's 21 year old daughter wanted something unique for the wall behind her bed. After tossing around different ideas about painting on the wall, it was decided to paint on canvases instead to bring some dimension to the wall. Below is the final product. I hope to be showing a fully decorated room shot in the future (I'll be back up in TC for another mural this summer!).

On going projects include the Hello Darling painting, Brandon and Karen's bouquet painting, and (new to the list) a portrait for Father's Day. Stay tuned for full updates on these projects as they progress.

Time for Everything!

2010-05-17T15:40:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel like there is never enough time? I know I'm not the only one out there that feels like time is never on one's side. It's amazing that whether you're in the past, present or future, time is always flying by. Time is the theme of this post. I'll start with the future, and work my way back.....

For all of those future weddings I am going to book, I am continuing to work on the painting for Hello Darling. I am approaching a section that I've not quite encountered with my other pieces before. The succulent in the center has so much yummy texture that I will likely surprise myself with the process and result. I love surprises!

On to the weddings of today.... This weekend I made another fabulous florist connection. As luck would have it, I made this connection because of a new painting I will be creating for a family aquaintance. It's a mother to a son gift, and I couldn't be happier with all of the pieces involved that go into making a Reenie Rose painting come to life. First of all, let's go back to the fabulous florist.
This past Friday, I drove all the way up to Lake in the Hills (in traffic) to find some fresh talent in the Northwest suburbs. Grapevine Floral has newly relocated to a space that covers about 4,000 sq ft where the creativity has room to spread out and grow. Trish was an absolute gem to work with, and I'm really looking forward to starting a working relationship with her and her clients. I think this is the start to a beautiful friendship.
The other super great part of this wedding puzzle is the bouquet itself. It is a gorgeous arrangement of COLOR! No offense to the all white bouquet brides, but when I get a bouquet with some eye-popping color in it, it is a joyous occasion.

And, finally...the past. Today marks the day that my wonderful parents have been married for 35 years. They are the people in my life that make all of this possible through their encouragement and constant support. When you are working in the wedding industry, accomplishments like 35 years of marriage make any aspect of the business so much more worth it. Thank you to my mom and dad for making everything so much more worth it.

Hello Painting!

2010-05-09T12:43:00.001-05:00

I just started a painting for a wonderful florist I have mentioned at least once before....Hello Darling. Natalie at Hello Darling has offered to house a painting of mine front and center in her studio. One of the things that is going to be so special about this painting is that it is a bouquet she created and photographed. It's really unique.

Here's a look at the painting started.

This painting will be the first thing you see when you walk into the Hello Darling studio. It will be a great reflection of the beautiful work that Natlie creates...as well as the work that I do.

Stay tuned for additional updates , as well as, a May wedding coming up!

I'm back....though I was never really gone

2010-05-01T15:03:00.000-05:00

I have been somewhat M.I.A. lately due to a side project that I took on. I was graced with the joy of creating another mural. This time, I only had to travel back to my hometown of Lemont to paint...quite convenient for stopping by my parent's for Mom's home cooking and a dip in the hot tub after a long day's work. Lemont's best kept secret is slowly being unveiled (if I have anything to do with it). The Inn at Smokey Row is a lovely bed and breakfast that has been in its location of downtown Lemont for a little over a year now, but nobody seems to know about it. To liven the place up a bit and give guests a little more than a place to stay, Sue and Gary, owners of the inn, asked me to paint a mural in the hallway entrance. You can see that the initial look of the entrance was not quite as inviting as you'd hope for.

With a couple coats of paint and some Lemont history research, a once dreary stairway got a total makeover.

Kind of tough taking pictures of a stairway wall, but you get the idea. There's a cute little downtown scene on the bottom right, a showcase of the many steeples up top and an old canal depiction of the "Smokey Row" days on the bottom left.

You can see that I also gave the stairs some life....Lemont limestone!

Now that I'm back from my blogging hiatus, I'll be sure to not leave such a huge gap between this post and my next one. Stay tuned!

Spring is Here!

2010-04-03T21:28:00.001-05:00

Did I specify which weekend I was going to finish Natalie and Mike's painting? I didn't think so, wink wink. Well, it is finished, and that's what counts. It really couldn't have been finished at a more perfect time. Tomorrow is Easter and spring is here. This painting encompasses both of these times of year....it is a blossoming pastel piece of sunshine. I am so excited about this painting for a couple of reasons. For one, I'm always happy to finish a gift and finally see the couple's reaction. Unfortunately, Natalie and Mike won't get to hang this piece quite yet because I plan on having it "tour" for a bit....first stop, Smitten Boutique. This will be such a refreshing burst of color for them to have this time of year in the store. If you have a chance, please stop by to not only check my painting out in person, but to see all of the fun items they have for any occasion.

I need to thank a couple of people for helping me out with this painting since I was not able to attend this wedding or take my own images for it. First of all, Montano Grant did a stunning job creating such an elegant bouquet. I couldn't have asked for anything better to paint. I've kind of been on a "white" bouquet trend lately, so to paint something with so much color was incredibly refreshing. Secondly, the photos used for the painting were taken by Jon Fedele. Quite honestly, this painting would not have happened had he not captured this bouquet perfectly for me. I am so appreciative of his help, not only for this project, but for future projects to come (yes, you can have a beautiful painting created without me there!).

So, "yay" to spring and bright bouquets and wonderful vendors and colored eggs! Happy happy Easter!!!!

CS Brides Event

2010-03-26T12:33:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the honor of attending a lovely event hosted by CS Brides magazine, thanks to my favorite ladies over at Smitten Boutique. The event took place in the newly remodeled ballroom of the Ritz Carlton and featured decor by Heffernan Morgan and a Vera Wang fashion show.

There were definitely a couple of highlights to the night. First of all, I was so lucky to run into so many wonderful people. Besides attending with the Smitten ladies, I also got to reconnect with Natalie from Hello Darling (who I will be creating a painting to feature in her showroom), Catherine from Birch Design (meeting in a couple weeks), and Amanda and Aubrey from Ladi Events.
With such a classy event put together, there is bound to be some celebrity to the event. We got a small dose with Jillian Harris from the Bachelorette. You may remember that she is engaged to Ed and they now live in Chicago. What a perfect place to be if you are planning a wedding...so many great connections and people to work with. Think Jillian would want a painting?

*Aubrey, Amanda's bride, Jillian and Amanda from Ladi. Cute ladies!

My plan is to finish Natalie and Mike's painting this weekend....wish me luck!

Spring is here?

2010-03-22T14:10:00.001-05:00

It's been awhile since I last posted, and a couple of updates are overdue.
First of all, lots of thanks to Tying the Knot for showing my painting at the Hinsdale Wedding Walk. Despite the dreary weather, the day was well attended. I'm hoping those Hinsdale couples will find that they just can't live with out a Reenie Rose painting.

I have also started a new painting! This one is for Natalie and Mike whose wedding I was not able to attend in St. Louis, MO. Natalie's flowers are going to produce a wonderfully colorful spring painting. Now, let's just hope that spring actually comes along!

Finished Painting and Friends

2010-03-06T16:12:00.001-06:00

Besides adding the Hinsdale Wedding Walk to my website, I have also added a new painting. Yes, Jami's is finished!

Now a special thanks to those who made this painting possible....sounds like sponsorship. The fact of the matter is that I was not able to attend this wedding, so I required a bit of help to make this painting come to life. First of all, there was the florist who created this gorgeous bouquet....Richard Remiard. Located in Chicago, Richard Remiard has been creating masterful events for almost a decade now.
I have Clark Photographics to thank for capturing this bouquet so elegantly and giving me something to work with. With two locations (Buffalo Grove and Chicago), Clark Photographics has kept busy photographing special events since 1987.

Both vendors were so reliable and easy to work with. I was so lucky to be able to produce a painting so effortlessly. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Enjoy the painting and be sure to visit the sites of these vendors.

Hinsdale Wedding Walk Scheduled

2010-03-05T09:16:00.001-06:00

It's slightly short notice, but this Sunday, March 7th, I will be in the Hinsdale Wedding Walk showcasing my current painting at Tying the Knot. A few years ago, I had the lovely opportunity to work for Tying the Knot. They were my first introduction into the wedding world, and I have them to thank for my continued attraction to weddings and everything I learned in the consulting part of the business.
Come out to Hinsdale this weekend from 1pm-4pm to enjoy walking around in the sunshine and getting a scoop of weddings. I'll be showing Jami's FINISHED painting, so stop by to view it in person. It's not finished yet, so I've got to get painting!

Olympic Spirit

2010-02-20T12:33:00.000-06:00

The Olympic Games enter our lives every 2 years (every 4 years for both summer and winter games), and every time they come around, I feel like it is a great gift to be totally wrapped up in. Basically, I become obsessed with the Olympics and try to soak up every competition and heart-wrenching story I can without letting the rest of my life totally slip away. This absorption has thankfully slipped into my painting and has found me attacking it with an Olympic resilience. Power through! Go USA! Go Me?! Ok, maybe not quite like that, but I'd like to think that my tear-streaked montage would include me doing wrist curls at the gym, enduring hours at the easel with beads of sweat at my brow and my life story told out in segments of hard times....bangs, braces and perms. I'll hang my flag and wait for my podium moment. Until then, here's Jami's painting....

Flowers for Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T22:18:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! What an appropriate time to talk flowers and update you on my latest work. The painting I am currently working on is from a wedding that wasn't a friend or a family member, but rather a total stranger. Yes, a stranger. This is an instant where my mom wouldn't frown upon me talking to strangers. It's really a very exciting painting to be working on. I was not able to attend the wedding, but instead had to work with the bride and groom's florist and photographer to receive images to work with. I owe them a big thanks for helping me out. More on who these special people are at a later time. For now, here's a look at my progress.

More flowers to come....always more flowers. Keep the love blooming this Valentine's Day!!

Flowers for Flowers?

2010-01-28T23:28:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I received a delightful surprise....flowers! It's not everyday someone sends you something so unexpected. I thought to myself, "Hmmm, I'm not dating anyone and haven't done anything extraordinary lately. Who could these be from and what have I done to deserve them?" Well, it turns out that they were a "thank you" from my dear friends Rachel and Brian whom I created a painting as a gift for their May 2009 wedding. What a nice idea though....you give someone a rememberence of their flowers, and in return they grace your day with the real thing (I do only deal with the 2D version the majority of the time).
Are flowers even given much anymore? I say forget giving flowers for Valentine's day this year (unless it is in the form of a painting) and just send flowers any old day. It's amazing what a few blooms can do for one's day. Thank you Rachel and Brian!!!!

Yeah,, 2010 Post!!

2010-01-23T11:48:00.000-06:00

We are more than halfway through January and I'm just getting to my first post of 2010. Better late than never I guess.
I was a sitting duck for awhile waiting to get confirmations on a couple of paintings. Slowly they have trickled through. So, the painting I started yesterday is for my friends Christine and Mike whose wedding was back in September (the 3 weddings in one day extravaganza). The flowers were a gorgeous variety of fall colors. Below is the composition I've chosen for the painting....

I've sketched the painting in and am ready to go. Stay tuned for updates on the painting along with details about the florist and the photograph that have been apart of this process.

New Year, New...Everything

2009-12-31T18:32:00.000-06:00

It's funny how we wait for the new year to come in order to make change in our lives and a bunch of resolutions that will have disappeared before the snow. On the contrary, this coming of the new year does arrive conveniently at the same time I'm looking to make some changes with Reenie Rose. For starters, I will be gaining an addition to my one-woman-show staff. Some lucky contestant will join me in an internship to help jump start some real business this year. While I start a new painting, my intern will be on the look out for new opportunities. This will leave me a lot more time to get some work done without being pulled in so many directions.
There will be a severe decrease in friends and family freebie gifts as I anticipate a boom in business with the help of my intern....sorry to those out there hoping for one. New people will be met and and relationships will be shared. Additional details will be spiced up too....my website, my activities and my blog. Everything is going to get turned up a notch.

So, as I toast to the new year by sipping a glass of champagne and gazing at my final painting of 2009, I extend to everyone a very happy new year filled with wishes being made, dreams coming true, and much prosperity. Cheers!!!

Into a New Year

2009-12-30T23:15:00.000-06:00

It is the eve of New Year's Eve and I thought I'd post before the grand finale post of the year which ~~should be a finished painting.~~....will be a finished painting. I will save all of my many words of wisdom for later and leave you with this image of another rung in the ladder of Victoria's painting.

Christmas Cheer

2009-12-24T15:55:00.000-06:00

Here's a little holiday gift..an update on Victoria's painting.

Here's wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Victoria Update

2009-12-19T17:55:00.000-06:00

Here's a little update on Victoria's painting progress. Enjoy the weekend and be sure to finish up all your Christmas shopping!

The Beginning of Victoria's

2009-12-15T23:13:00.000-06:00

You may remember back on a day in September where I had 3 weddings going on....one that I was in, one that my parents where going to and one for a friend. Today I introduce to you "the wedding my parents went to".
Victoria and Zak were married in a Northern Chicago suburb on a farm. I was able to see Victoria's bouquet the day before the wedding to capture the chosen composition below.

I've now started the painting and have it all sketched in and ready to go!

Mary's is finished!!!

2009-12-08T12:39:00.000-06:00

I realize I implied in my last post that I would be showing additional posts on the progress of Mary's painting, but instead I decided to just finish it without any of the fluff in between. Mary's painting is a great example of how much life a painting can bring to an all ivory bouquet. The colors and contrast that come out of it really make it a piece of art. The added sparkle of the brooch and rhinestones are an extra bonus.
Next on the list....all of my September wedding gifts....

Thankful for Painting?

2009-12-03T09:49:00.001-06:00

My last post came before Thanksgiving and just before I was leaving for NY, so it's been awhile. To update you, my NY visit was lovely. Alana and Ben loved their painting! Better yet, the wet painting arrived perfectly! It even got to ride business class!

Here's a pic of Abra and me at Peter's exhibit. Definitely take a look at the images from his Underground Entrepreneurs exhibit....it was an amazing experience.

Thanksgiving has also passed. I hope everyone enjoyed a plentiful holiday while giving thanks for everything we are so lucky to have. I know I've been very lucky this year. Thank you to my friends and family that have been so supportive this year.
Now that I have had some down time, it's back to the work routine and Mary's painting. Here's a look at it after working on it a bit yesterday.

I can tell the snow is coming soon....and so is lots more painting.

NY Challenge: Day 7.....And Finished!

2009-11-19T11:25:00.018-06:00

Whew, I feel like I ran a marathon. 7 days, 47.5 hours and a 20 x 20 inch painting is finished. The painting turned out amazing, and I am so excited to personally deliver it to Alana and Ben in New York. Let's just hope that having a fan on it for another 10 hours will dry it a bit more.

The main reason I am going to NY is for Peter of Mozar Photography's photo exhibit this weekend. You'll remember that Peter took the photograph of me for my website. The exhibit is a colaboration between photography and music. His work will feature photos of NY street musicians, and during the opening, the musicians will be performing. It should be a fantastic experience. I will be sure to report on the exhibit and painting presentation....a very exciting weekend!

NY Challenge: Day 6 1/2

2009-11-18T09:09:00.000-06:00

I only got a couple of hours in yesterday after working a full day at the jewelry company. It's getting close!

NY Challenge: Day 6

2009-11-16T23:46:00.000-06:00