Andrea Dozier Dayton Wedding & Lifestyle Photography

Confetti’s Website |Â Confetti Dayton Facebook Page | Confetti Dayton Instagram

Jaclyn - June 23, 2014 - 4:31 pm

That is so exciting!!! I can’t wait to see it – I bet it will be wonderful (as always)! 🙂 I just got my first opportunity to use my marketing “knowledge” with a small business – exciting but somewhat nerve-wracking at the same time – I’m sure you can relate! I’m lovin’ this weather too and soaking it up as much as I can before I start my last quarter of school…time sure does fly by! :S

May 16, 2014

Confetti Card & Party Store in Downtown Dayton, Ohio

It’s funny how we can spend so much time in one place in a monotonous schedule. Next thing we know, it’s been six years & a lifetime since we’ve gone back. I spent the bulk of my time at Sinclair in Building 13 as a Visual Communications major cutting paper with X-ACTOÂ knives, sketching design ideas, & being introduced to designing Flash websites (yes, I laugh now). My capstone project, the one thatÂ spanned a few quarters, was a fictitious card shop-Â Kismet. I’ve always enjoyed selecting clever greeting cards & unique stationeryÂ for my dearest friends & family. Creating an imaginary shop about cards seemed fitting for my portfolio project. I could have never guessed that years later I would return to this city block as a photographer taking pictures of a new (real) Dayton card & party called Confetti.

When I heard that my friend, Briana was openingÂ Confetti, I knew it was going to be a place I would love. It is coincidental that it is just blocks away from my beloved Building 13.Â I passed Sinclair today very proud & a little sentimental to be a product of our city & that I’ve found my niche in photography. I believe it is another kind ofÂ Kismet.

Briana is also a wedding photographer from Dayton & we met through Facebook. I noticed she was always helpful & polite with other photographers, so I emailed her. That same morning, she had decided to email me. Within five minutes we both received messages from each asking aboutÂ meeting in person. We laughed and feltÂ that a coffee dateÂ was surely meant to be!

Briana’s shop, Confetti, is a new boutique card & party shop located on 42 W. Fifth Street inÂ Dayton. When I walked in, it felt like every piece she chose was meant for me. Briana calls it aÂ shop “that feels like a tangible Etsy,” and I completely agree. You can browseÂ beautifully designed paper goods. Her specialty is also in stylish party supplies, including beautiful fringed oversize balloons. My only regret is that we did not play Katy Perry’s BirthdayÂ for our sessionâ€¦Â

Confetti Shop in Dayton, Ohio by Andrea DoziÃ©r

Loved being part of the “before” opening day excitement. Watching a friend chase a dream is a beautiful thing.

I saw this pretty dress hanging up & when she asked if it was ok to put it on, I very enthusiastically gave her a yes. IT IS PERFECT.

Confetti is located on 42 W. Fifth Street in Dayton, OH. It is right next to Spaghetti Warehouse, on the street level. It is so cute, right?

From Briana: AtÂ Confetti, we believe that every day is a celebration and that everyone deserves to be celebrated. The shopÂ is a modern card and party boutique, full of the most delightful baubles to help you share a little joy with those you love, and featuring the work of independent artists from Ohio and across the country.Â We offer a well-curated selection of both modern and vintage cards and stationery, stylish party supplies and decor, beautiful wrapping paper and gift bags, small gift itemsâ€”and, of course, balloons!Â ConfettiÂ is committed to helping you create your vision for your special event by sharing party-planning tips, creating custom decor, and hosting workshops and classes on party-related topics, like card marking, DIY decor, holiday wrapping, calligraphy and more. – BrianaÂ

Â Â Did you happen to catch Confetti’s opening at Urban Nights last week? Let us know what you think of the shop!

TheÂ beautiful lettering on her Confetti signs throughout the store were done by local Dayton artist Suzie Richardt.

You can check out Activated Spaces to learn more about the inception of Confetti.

If you are a local small business and would like a session in your space, connect with me at

hello@andreadozier.com to get in touch!

(high five, I just used the word “inception,” in a post)

After I finished photographing her shop, I was thrilledÂ to get my hands on some goods for my dearest friend!Â Â â™¥

4 comments

Briana {Confetti} - May 16, 2014 - 10:28 am

Oh, dear Andrea–thank you so much! These are so lovely. I will always cherish having these memories of the crazy few days of getting this dream off of the ground–it all looks so beautiful through your lens!
alli - May 16, 2014 - 2:30 pm

What an adorable shop! I love how you captured both the space and owner. Will have to visit it someday. 🙂
Andrea - May 18, 2014 - 9:16 am

You are so welcome Briana! It is a beautiful place you have created & I wish you all the best!
Andrea - May 18, 2014 - 9:16 am

Alli, I thought of you while I was there! You would love it, please come back soon! 🙂

May 1, 2014

Skin Food by Aubrey | Organic & Handmade Skin Care

This next project has been a refreshing & creative journey that I’m really excited to share with you.Â Aubrey & I went to high school together, and I met her through fast pitch softball. I’m not going to say how long ago that was, but now we both have kiddos playing baseball in our hometown. 😉

When she started introducing her handmade Skin Food, I was thrilled to get on board & photograph her beautiful products. I love that her decision to start making her lineÂ came out of her desire to give her massage clients a better experience. She uses natural ingredients to achieve amazing results. She also uses them for herself & herÂ four children, so you know that she stands behind her organic oils & soaps. I’m inspired by her hard work and the way that she has not only conceptualized each & every one, but also makes everything herself! When you order a package, she is the one who assembles it & ships it to you.

In her words,

“I began creating and crafting soaps and lotions when my sister was given a soap kit for christmas, I was twelve. I have evolved from kitchen kits to kitchens dedicated to my craft.

Skin Food was born years ago while I was making oatmeal baths to soothe irritated skin and coffee masks to tighten a tired face. I use SUPER FOODS, butter, herbs and oils to create Skin Food. I have formulated and perfected recipes to soothe, cleanse and restore skin and their ailments. I have spent endless hours researching ingredients, their origins, how they are cultivated and their benefits in relation to the body, nutritionally and applied topically. I have become the go-to for mothers, fathers, and peers often asking questions such as what can be used on their baby’s rash or to soothe their irritated skin. Do I have an alternative to a natural deodorant? What do I use on my skin? I began making and sharing my products with family, friends and clients. I have been touched by Skin Food stories and knowing a scar is a little lighter a or a rash is now gone. It allows me to put positive thoughts and good intentions into every batch made. I have fallen in love with my Skin Food. I have fallen in love with the results! I am in love knowing what I am putting on my body and my kids bodies is just as good as what I put in it.

She also shares some great skin care tips & information on her Etsy page, in the “about” section.

You can find Aubrey’s Skin FoodÂ on Etsy here.
She also posts on Facebook, here.

Since launching her Etsy shop last month, she’s had well over 100 sales throughout the world! If you are local, you can stop in & purchase items atÂ her Indigo Massage Salon, located in Vandalia next to Warehouse 4 Coffee Shop.

Don’t you think herÂ products make a unique & thoughtful Mother’s Day gift?
Speaking of that, you can get your favorite mama a gift card for a portraitÂ session with me.
Email me at hello@andreadozier.com for more details! Â â™¥

1 comment

Briana - May 2, 2014 - 8:57 am

These are so beautiful!!

February 13, 2013

DIY Mini Photo Canvas | Wedding Photo DIY

Happy Valentine Eve.

I’ve been inspired by all the Pinterest pins about DIY canvas photos using Modge Podge glue and swore I’d make one someday.
Of course that never happened.
After I came across mini canvases with easels at JoAnn Fabrics a couple years ago, I thought it would look great in a petite version.
It’s a sweet little project that requires minimal planning, and is perfect for your wedding or engagement pictures.

Check out Mark & Jenn’s entire wedding post, here.

Materials:

Mini Canvas – I’ve come across them at JoAnn Fabrics & Walmart. Walmart sells them in sets with the wooden easels, JoAnn lets you pick and choose them separately. I recommend getting them separately if you’d like to pick up more canvases than easels or want a variety of sizes.
Easel
Modge Podge & Old Paintbrush
Scissors or X-Acto Knife
Ruler
Awesome Picture

First, I measure the canvas to make sure I order the correct size photo print.
Mine were 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches, so two fit just perfectly in a 4 x 6 print.

I used InDesign to set up a 4 x 6 inch document and resized my images to fit inside two 3.5 x 2.5 rectangles.
I’ve made these several times as gifts to friends & family, and I always order at least two extra prints.
Just in case the knife slips while I’m cutting or some other little disaster.

Cut the photographs to size.

Line up the photograph on the canvas that it will be glued on top of.
Make sure it is a good fit and doesn’t need trimmed {sometimes the canvases can be irregular shapes or my cutting is not quite perfect}.

Lay the trimmed picture on the canvas.
You have a moment or two to slide it around and set it so that it is centered.
Use a tissue to press the image on the canvas gently.
Leave it alone and let it dry for about five minutes.Using a paintbrush, brush a layer of the Modge Podge glue on the canvas.

Easy enough for a two year old to do.
Ha. He was jealous that I was making a mess so I invited him to join me as a bribe to keep him happy until I finished.

I like to make mine with a little bit of texture to mimic a painting.
I do this by painting on the front of the image.
It will feel scary to brush white Modge Podge on your photograph, but it won’t stay that way.
The glue goes on white and dries clear.
My personal rule is that I like to make sure that skin on faces is clear, and I use more texture on the outer edges.
I added a tiny bit of glitter dust to my family Christmas picture canvas and a friend told me her daughter made one with a lipstick kiss!

Thanks to Mark & Jenn for stepping out at sunset of their Cincinnati wedding so I could capture that gorgeous moment of them!

Prints $.45

Canvas $1.00

Easel $1.00

Modge Podge about $8 {you will only use about a teaspoon of the bottle}

Here’s a bonus image of one I made a year ago for my husband. I scanned an old photograph & had it reprinted.
Love seeing his Grandma holding him next to my kitchen sink!
They are great gifts for guys & you can make a few at a time so that you can switch them out seasonally.

Here is a little behind the scenes video I made with the Vine App of this process:

This is definitely not a new concept, but I hope someone feels inspired! â™¥

Find me on Vine // Instagram // Pinterest // Facebook // Twitter
@AndreaDozier

5 comments

alli - February 13, 2013 - 1:40 pm

Absolutely love this! I always want to buy those little canvases at the store. The one with the old photograph is perfect. : )
Andrea - February 13, 2013 - 6:28 pm

Thanks Alli! I was so drawn to them too, they are so versatile & adorable! One Christmas I made several of them with vintage photographs like this for gifts and it was so fun. Also love how easy it is to add new ones each season!
eric von lehmden - February 18, 2013 - 8:41 am

That is so cool. I work with Canvas Press (we print photos onto canvas) and it is always great to see people’s creativity and enthusiasm for putting their own photos on canvas. Let me know if we can ever help with a project of yours or just give us a shout to chat about what we do. Great post!
Ault Park Summer Wedding Pictures in Cincinnati Ohio | Mark & Jenn » Andrea Dozier Wedding Photography based in Dayton, Ohio - March 6, 2013 - 11:33 am

[…] and Forks: jessicaNdesigns Table Thank You Cards: WeddingsByJamie You might remember them from a Mini Canvas DIY I posted in February, check it out […]
Collin - May 1, 2013 - 11:12 pm

You have shared an excellent DIY Mini Canvas for Wedding Photo, i like this unique idea, many thanks for sharing this great DIY project..

how to find and appoint a good wedding photographer
http://makeyourideasart.com/photography/how-to-find-and-appoint-a-good-wedding-photographer/

January 15, 2013

Pink Smoothie

I sometimes wonder if Iâ€™ll ever be a good blogger.
Not for lack of content or words, but in practice & discipline.

Fingers crossed Iâ€™ll try.
That is, try to collect myself & make it easier to combine letters with pixels.

Iâ€™ve been shooting a lot more with my phone.
Itâ€™s interesting how it challenges me to take the very simple elements of photography to a more inspired format.
The limitations become stepping stones to achieving in-camera satisfaction.

Light & composition are vital, as they ought to be.
I feel less pressure & travel lighter.
As youâ€™ve seen through the last sporadic posts, Iâ€™ll probably use it a lot more to keep up with non-commissioned work.
I canâ€™t tell you how many DIYs, recipes, or moments with my kids will be trapped on hard drives that will never be shared publicly.
Not because I canâ€™t access them, but because after I shoot & edit tens of thousands of pictures,
I amÂ completelyÂ unmotivated to touch my own.

Here is a little treat Iâ€™ve been enjoying this week.

Itâ€™s so nice when you stumble across a recipe & realize you can make it with what you have on hand.
Even if you must sub a few things here & there.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie with Coconut Milk brought to you by my iPhone 4 & Afterglow App.

I love love love Instagram & saw this recipe from @KaraGarberâ€™s feed, {you can also find her blogging atÂ B. H. Storm & Co.Â }.

I just caught up on Season Two of Downton Abbey & since I watched it in one week, I feel lost without more episodes.
I also have a tendency to hear myself think in a pathetic mimic of a British Accent.
Someone please tell me this is a normal side effect.

I hope itâ€™s not too early to start seeing hearts for Valentine’s Day. I’m not opposed. â™¥

Find me on Instagram by @AndreaDozier, or online atÂ http://instagram.com/andreadozier

3 comments