Category Archives: Sweet Threads

Sweet Threads: Cherishing Every Stitch Of This Precious Life
Personal Posts by Andrea Dozier

I started this weekend with a trip to Indiana for a photography workshop, then a beautiful wedding Saturday, downtown fireworks Sunday,
and now a day to attempt to regroup!

Last night we chose convenience over good seats, so I grabbed some fireworks photographs from a few years ago to post today.
They are special to me because it was in the beginning of my relationship with photography and my husband Rocky tutored me on how to shoot them.
He had worked in a local camera store for about seven years & occasionally did his own (film) freelance photography before joining the Air Force.
My questions usually began with picking up one of his beautiful photographs & saying, “How do I make it look like this?”
Then he would deconstruct his process & I slowly learned how to shoot like him.

When I look at these, I think about how many questions I used to ask him, but how fun it was to understand something that was so personal to him.
I’m so lucky I had such a patient teacher.

And yeah, I totally slept with him.

We perched out at the Dayton Art Museum last night…

I went into labor July 4, 2010. Damian will be a year old tomorrow!

This last firework photo is from a Navy Love Shoot I did this past winter…

I hope your weekend was filled with beautiful weather, fireworks, sweet goodies, & someone to love.

Happy 4th of July! ♥

 

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  • alli - July 6, 2011 - 8:48 am

    been enjoying all of your posts lately, Andrea! happy birthday to Damian, what a sweet little guy and I’m glad you + your family had a great weekend.

  • Michelle March - July 7, 2011 - 6:35 am

    Oh, I love the cupcakes with the sparklers!! What a cute idea! Great shots of the fireworks. So glad you had a wonderful time with your family. 🙂

  • Jaclyn - July 8, 2011 - 6:30 am

    LOVE the fireworks…mine turned out better on my camera…haha can’t believe Damian is one…crazy how fast time flies! hope your week is wonderful and you have a great birthday party for him! miss you…:( so weird not being on facebook all the time, but i need to live life in the real world…;) i’ll try to get your number from josh this weekend and maybe we can meet up when things slow down a bit. 🙂

Here is a little preview of a post I’m working on about my little trip to Indiana this week. PASS is a new way of sharing wedding images digitally to clients that I am really excited about (brought to you by Showit drag & drop website builder mastermind, David Jay). As a bonus, designer Promise Tangemen, wedding photographers Zach & Jody Gray, & designer/photographer Kevin Swan also gave insightful talks. It came at a really good time for me & I loved that I was able to feed the designer & photographer inside of me. Since I used to be a graphic designer, I have done 100% of my own branding, website, logo, & design. It’s challenging to play both roles but so rewarding to feel that I’ve left my own fingerprints on every aspect of my work. Now I’m inspired, excited, & ready to see how what I’ve learned translates to my own wedding photography business.

I have a wedding today (Saturday) but plan on being downtown at Riverscape for fireworks Sunday night! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend celebrating such a splendid holiday! I can’t wait to light some sparklers with my boys & I hope I can get my hands on some fresh sweet corn! ♥

 

{Although having braces as a teenager made me a life-long cut the corn off the cob kind of girl}.

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Here is a little peek at a DIY Ribbon Chandelier I’ve been working on for my office:

I recently worked on a shoot with Wanda from Sugar Maple Weddings & Events, and she had created a ribbon backdrop that inspired me to find a way to add it to this room. After a little research, I found one from The Sweetest Occasion blog that had me sold on creating my own DIY Ribbon Chandelier.
It was an easy, inexpensive, way to add color + texture to my office. All you need is an embroidery hoop & a variety of ribbon, lace, or fabric.
I love that I can change the ribbons for different seasons or party themes {& still salvage the existing ribbon for other projects}.
#Winning.

Rocky was in San Antonio this week for a BMET {Biomedical Technician} conference. I went there very briefly to see him graduate basic training in 2005, but I’d love to go back & explore the city with him {especially to photograph it}! I love Spanish architecture & all rich history in Texas. I’m so happy he was able to catch up with some old Air Force friends from various parts of his career. Some of them went to school at the same time he did, others worked at the same base, & some served in Afghanistan with him. The boys & I have been trying to be patient, but it’s definitely “can’t sleep like a kid on Christmas Eve exciting” to know that he’ll be home soon!

Kevin & I are scheming about surprising Rocky at the airport with cupcakes.

Probably more for us than him. Any reason to eat a peanut butter cupcake works just fine for us. ♥

 

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  • postcards and pretties - June 28, 2011 - 9:45 am

    that is so cute, Andreia!! Can’t wait to see the end result 😉

  • alli - June 28, 2011 - 9:59 am

    so cute! I tried making one of these but got carried away w/colored ribbon + streamers and it just looked weird : ) yours is adorable! I love the simple color scheme and the addition of lace.

  • Michelle March - June 28, 2011 - 12:22 pm

    So pretty! You’re so crafty, I love it!

  • Debbie @ Bridalhood - June 28, 2011 - 12:31 pm

    Lovely!

  • kimia kline - June 29, 2011 - 3:53 am

    this is gorgeous! what a crafty idea 🙂

  • Soil Mates | Engagement Photos in a Vegetable Garden & Organic Wedding Reception Inspiration » Andrea Dozier Wedding Photography based in Dayton, Ohio - July 6, 2011 - 12:19 am

    […] had this beautiful ribbon backdrop, that inspired my own DIY Ribbon Chandelier for my […]

  • Belkis H - July 6, 2011 - 7:35 am

    absolutely adore this!!!! might have to give it a try!

  • Chrissy - August 12, 2011 - 6:09 am

    I adore this lace and ribbon chandelier. I’m making one last minute for my wedding next weekend. I’m going to hang it over my bride and groom table! I’m curious of how long each ribbon/lace strand is?

  • Andrea - August 12, 2011 - 10:04 pm

    They each vary, about 22,” (including room to tie them to the hoop). 19″ after they are tied. Good luck, and CONGRATULATIONS Chrissy!! 😀

  • {amy k.} - February 18, 2012 - 11:41 am

    i love this, so gorgeous!!

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We needed to get out of the house, so on Sunday I took the boys shopping. Kevin found the toys at Pier 1 and uncovered a “ribbon stretcher.” I absentmindedly told him to put it back. Then I remembered how much I enjoyed getting them from my elementary school.One day a year, they had a fundraiser in February. I remember getting these little toys specifically from that mini carnival. There is something surprising & mystifying about being able to swat people with them & reach them without being in arm’s reach. My brother Steven & I pretended they were swords as we walked home in the snow. We hit each other with them until they ripped.

I wanted Kevin to experience the phenomenon of having one. All for one dollar.
I love Hydrangea bushes. Rocky planted a row of them for me & I stare at them often. I always remember that line from “It’s a Wonderful Life” and they feel so legendary.

I was distracted from the boys for a moment & turned around to this adorable scene. I took this before I changed the exposure & it was really dark. I had to include it though. This was such an honest moment, I will treasure it forever. Probably more because if I would have stopped to make sure it was exposed perfectly, I would have missed it.
I put these last two photographs together on purpose. By the end of the night, after baths, both of them ended up crying over something. It was humorous to look back & see quickly their little moods changed so drastically. Definitely had long phone call with Rocky & a little wine after they finally went to bed.

That man I’ve been missing all week comes home tomorrow.
We are all so excited. It feels like Christmas Eve around here. ♥

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  • Anna of IHOD - August 17, 2011 - 6:26 am

    Andrea,
    So just discovered your gem of a blog here and had to say how beautiful your family is. The smiles are precious!

    So happy your husband comes home! Have a wonderful week!

It’s been overcast & rain clouds have been flirting with us most of the week. 
I don’t mind it so much. 
Grey skies are calming. 
It kind of feels like fall & that isn’t so bad.
It matches my mood. 
This morning’s walk was almost called off due to some light rain,
but we decided to go ahead & stick it out.
I talked Kevin out of his shark flip flops & he slipped on his old boots.
I let him borrow my umbrella.
I think I need to get him his own sometime.
We live in a little circle where the homes are small but we have generous yards.
Kevin adores helping Rocky take care of ours.
When I spotted a weed whacker sitting by someone’s trash, I contemplated whether to let Kevin take it.
I like to repurpose & all, but I’ve never felt the need to take something that was set out for the trash.
Especially something that looks so much like a piece of trash.
 It was clearly broken & the blades removed. 
But then I knew how thrilled Kevin would be to have one to use alongside his dad.
I can buy him shiny new toys but after the thrill of opening the box, there’s not a lot of interest.
After he toted it home & I saw his eyes shining, I knew I did a good thing.

Rocky is spending a week staying next to the River Walk in San Antonio.
I am jealous, but if someone had to stay in one of my favorite cities & eat delicious Mexican food… 
I’m glad it’s my very best friend. ♥
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