ArtCafe Photography, LLC

06/02/2020

ArtCafe Photography, LLC's cover photo

06/02/2020

I'm sad. I'm at a loss of words. Can we be better humans? Please?!

06/01/2020

If you are a part of our ArtCafe family, you know that we've been here for you over the past months. Just not in person. Today we are opening our doors again and join many other businesses who've been closed for almost 3 months. We are so excited to welcome you back and make your portrait dreams come true again. Unfortunately we missed some maternity and newborn sessions, but tried our best to coach you through taking your own photos. We've rescheduled milestone and family sessions and I can't wait to pick up my camera again.

😷 While safety was always a priority, we did put some rules into place to protect your family and ours. You'll find more info here:

https://www.artcafephotography.com/artcafe-photography-reopening-safety-guidelines/

We can't wait to see you soon!

05/31/2020

While drama isn't my thing in real life I do like some drama in my photography and art. What do you prefer? Light and airy or some drama?

Have a drama free Sunday!

#dancers #fineart

05/25/2020

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." - Cynthia Ozick

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Remembering...

on Memorial Day.

05/20/2020

How's everyone doing? I hope you and your family are safe, healthy and in good spirits. I know it's not been easy for many to adjust to working from home while homeschooling the kids, social distancing, long lines in grocery stores to find necessities, etc. On the other hand, it's been wonderful to see how neighbors cheer each other up (from a distance), how businesses collaborate to support each other, and how families help local small businesses by purchasing gift cards and products or getting takeout from local restaurants.
😷😷😷
Currently it looks like we’ll start heading back into the world on May 29th. We are planning on reopening our studio on Monday, June 1st, unless the current stay-at-home order will be extended. We’ve put a variety of safety policies into place that follow the official Phase 1 reopening guidelines. Look here for more details:

https://bit.ly/3e0AtBh

😷😷😷

We can't wait to see you in person - at a safe distance.💛

05/11/2020

Happy Monday!

05/10/2020

Mother's Day 2020

Who needs a
SUPERHERO
when you have
a MOM?

05/08/2020

Do you know those days where you just can't bring yourself to do the things you should be doing? Today is definitely one of those days for me. I need to create. And this session is way overdue to edit anyway. I was torn between doing my regular painting or giving it a vintage look. Which one do you like better? I think I prefer the vintage feel now that I look at them side by side. 🤔

05/01/2020

For our last day of animal facts and coloring pages I chose a fox that I recently photographed in our backyard. Isn't he cute?
Here are some interesting facts:
- Foxes live all over North America.
- They are the smallest member of the dog family.
- They also have many similarities with cats like vertical slit eyes, retractable claws, and hunting skills.
- Foxes are carnivores, which means they eat meat.
- They don't live in a pack. They live and hunt alone.
🦊🐾
See the first comment for the coloring page. I sized it to fit perfectly on a regular copy paper page. If you can't download it from here feel free to message me your email address and I'll send it out that way. I'd love to see some finished pages in the comments! Enjoy!

04/30/2020

Today is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. Since we adopted our kitty Celeste 2 years ago, I thought it's a good day to talk about cats.
- Cats are one of the most popular pets in the world.
- They spend a large amount of time licking their coats to keep them clean.
- Baby cats (kittens) can purr when they are only two days old.
- Cats have an amazing night vision and can see six times better than humans.
- Cats of all ages love to play and chase.
- They sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day.
🐾🐈
See the first comment for the coloring page. I sized it to fit perfectly on a regular copy paper page. If you can't download it from here feel free to message me your email address and I'll send it out that way. I'd love to see some finished pages in the comments! Enjoy!

04/29/2020

Today let's talk about turtles. Meet Eddie! He's an Eastern Painted Turtle and has been with us for almost 15 years. Here are some facts:
- Painted turtles are brightly marked.
- They grow to be between four and ten inches long.
- They live in ponds, lakes, marshes, and in slow-moving rivers that have soft, muddy bottoms. (Eddie lives in a tank and goes for walks every now and then. 😉)
- They spend the majority of their time swimming and the rest of their time eating and basking in the sun.
- A group of turtles is called a 'a bale of turtles'. (I had no idea!)
📥
See the first comment for the coloring page. I sized it to fit perfectly on a regular copy paper page. If you can't download it from here feel free to message me your email address and I'll send it out that way. I'd love to see some finished pages in the comments! Enjoy!

04/28/2020

For today's art class I made some squirrel coloring pages. Look at the photos for color reference.
And for science class here are six squirrel facts:
- Squirrels are rodents.
- There are around 280 different species of squirrels.
- Most squirrels are small and have big eyes and bushy tails.
- Their large eyes help them skillfully climb trees and avoid predators.
- Squirrels eat mostly nuts, fruits and seeds.
- Squirrels are born blind.
There are many more if you do a Google search.
🐿🍏🌳
See the first comments for the coloring pages. I sized them to fit perfectly on a regular copy paper page. If you can't download it from here feel free to message me your email address and I'll send it out that way. I'd love to see some finished pages in the comments! Enjoy!

04/27/2020

I miss photographing all those little and not so little people in the studio. A lot! To not get rusty I though I'd introduce you to our furry, feathered, and reptile friends in and around the house. You already met Celeste a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday I watched our backyard birds waiting for the rain to be over - American Robin, Cardinal and Blue Jays. While uploading the photos I thought about turning one into a coloring page for your kids. Art class anyone? Or they can look up the bird and read about it. Does that count as a science project?
🐦🙂
See the first comment for the coloring page. I sized it to fit perfectly on a regular copy paper page. If you can't download it from here feel free to message me your email address and I'll send it out that way. I'd love to see some finished pages in the comments! Enjoy!

04/23/2020

Remember our Easter Fundraiser? A big thank you again to the participating families! We raised $350. Yay! Together with Kevin and Jered from The Ashburn Pub we planned and delivered meals to the hardworking first responders at Inova Loudoun Hospital. Thanks to everyone who made this happen! 💕

04/16/2020

This is what life with Celeste looks like. Exactly two years ago we signed the adoption papers with Tails High, knowing that Celeste is diabetic. Nobody knew where she came from - she was dropped off outside of a Pets Mart - or how old she really was. We were told that she would most likely never be adopted since she's not a kitten anymore and she has health issues. Heartbreaking, I know. So here she is, definitely a handful, but the sweetest little thing we could have ever asked for. There are new health issues popping up on a regular basis, but thanks to Dr. Wiechmann Loudoun Cat Care and Whimsy Boarding & Boutique we hope that Celeste will be with us for a long time to come. Happy "Celeste Adoption Day" to us! 💕🐾

04/13/2020

ArtCafe Photography, LLC's cover photo

04/12/2020

Happy Easter! Wishing you sunshine, smiles and giggles, and lots of sweet treats! 🐇

04/08/2020

Just a quick update on our Easter Fundraiser for the nurses and doctors at Loudoun Hospital. We are off to a great start! Thanks so much to the families who have contributed so far. I'm enjoying creating the Easter portraits. Cute kids and cute bunnies, what can be better! 🐇
My goal was to purchase gift cards from local restaurants, but I've just learned that the hospital is not allowed to accept gift cards. They are able and very excited to coordinate meal delivery and I'm working with them to make this happen. I'll keep you posted!

04/07/2020

Happy birthday, LeeJ! While birthday parties are certainly a bit different this year, I'm sure you're having a great day with your family. 🎈

04/06/2020

What ArtCafe Photography Is Doing & How You Can Help - Art Cafe

Today is Monday...just in case you're as confused as I am lately. 😀
Just a quick reminder that our Easter Fundraiser is in full swing. If you are interested in an Easter-themed portrait of your child please contact me as soon as possible. You'll find all the info here:

https://bit.ly/2XfU23k

A few people were wondering if this is an actual photo session. No, it's not. Our studio has been closed for the past weeks and I am NOT participating in taking "porch portraits" or any other things that you may have been reading about.

It's also not necessary that I recently photographed your child. Even if you've never been to our studio I can make this happen for you. 🐇

Three weeks ago, we chose to close our doors to do our part in protecting the families we had planned to photograph, in addition to protecting our own family. While the announcement last week of the closure of all non-essential businesses until June 10th weighs heavy on our hearts, we need to do wha...

04/03/2020

ArtCafe Photography, LLC's cover photo

04/03/2020

ArtCafe Easter Fundraiser

Get a fun Easter photo of your child and help give back with to the hardworking doctors and nurses in northern Virginia.

With Easter coming up soon and so many families unable to take Easter photos this year, I’m offering something special to give back to the community and help put smiles on faces.

If you are interested in an Easter-themed photo of your child, including bunnies, baby ducks, and baby chicks, I’d be happy to make this happen for you. This is not a photo session. We will create a composite using an existing picture of your child. All I’m asking for in return is a donation ($25 minimum) to support the local nurses and doctors at INOVA during a time when they are putting their own health and the health of their families on the line to help fight this virus.

You’ll receive an invoice from our studio, and I will donate 100% of the proceeds. I'm planning to purchase gift cards from local restaurants for the first responders at Loudon Hospital. All proceeds go directly towards providing meals for healthcare workers, and also help small local restaurants at the same time.

https://bit.ly/2V4ELj0

04/02/2020

Today is DAY 7 of our Photo Scavenger Hunt. It's going to be a bit more difficult since it's the last day. Have fun! 🔍

Solve the riddle and find the item:
1. What has to be broken before you can use it?
2. I'm tall when I'm young, and I'm short when I'm old.
3. What begins with an E but only has one letter?
4. What has a neck but no head?

04/01/2020

It's DAY 6 of our Photo Scavenger Hunt. It should be an easy one. 🔍

Today we'll look for something that:
1. lies flat
2. sits
3. stands
4. moves

03/31/2020

Three more days to go. Today is DAY 5 of our Photo Scavenger Hunt. 🔍

Either inside the house or outside find something that:
1. smells great
2. tastes good
3. makes you happy
4. makes you laugh

03/30/2020

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Today is Monday and DAY 4 of our Photo Scavenger Hunt.

Walk around the house and find the letters of your first name. Have fun!

03/29/2020

It's DAY 3 of our Scavenger Hunt. I'll make it a bit more difficult today. First we need to solve the riddles before taking a picture of the answers. Have fun! 🔍

1. What has a ring, but no finger?
2. What has arms and legs, but no head?
3. The more I dry, the wetter I become.
4. I have a face and hands. I don't walk, but I move around.

03/28/2020

After all the thunderstorms and rain last night we're staying inside for our DAY 2 hunt.
Walk around the house and find the following colors:
1. white
2. yellow
3. red
4. blue
Let's see some colors on this gray day!

03/27/2020

Today is DAY 1 of our Photo Scavenger Hunt!
We're going outside in the backyard or neighborhood (practice social distancing) and find the following:
1. a pebble or small rock
2. a stick
3. a flower
4. tree bark
Take a photo of each item with your phone, make a digital collage in a collage app, and post the collage right here IN THE COMMENTS of this post. Have FUN! 🔍🏃‍♀️🔍🏃‍♂️

03/26/2020

Tomorrow will be he first day of our Photo Scavenger Hunt!

How Do We Play? It is easy!

Each day I will post the prompt for that day’s hunt right here on Facebook.
I will also post on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/artcafe_photo/
and on our blog
https://www.artcafephotography.com/blog/.

Your kids need to complete each challenge and create a collage image in one of the apps I mentioned yesterday.

Share their photo creations here on our page IN THE COMMENTS under the daily prompt. Let’s fill our news feed with positive and fun things our kids are doing. I can't wait to see many great creations tomorrow!

03/26/2020

What a fantastic (and delicious) way to support our local businesses!
#SupportLocal

Let us drop off the romance at your door!

Starting on April 2! Purchase yours now to be early in the queue!

https://divinewineva.checkfront.com/reserve/?item_id=894

03/25/2020

I hope everyone is getting excited about our Photo Scavenger Hunt! Here are a few more details. 🔍

Every day, for 7 days, there will be a different challenge/hunt that your children need to complete. All they need is a camera phone or a tablet with a camera and a collage app downloaded and ready to go. I use an app called PhotoCollage, but there are many free ones and it doesn’t matter what you choose. 📱

This scavenger hunt is meant for kids of all ages. Even parents can participate! At least I’m planning on going on a hunt. ;). I do encourage your older children to help the younger ones out and each of them complete their own collage. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

More details tomorrow. Stay tuned!

03/24/2020

ArtCafe Photography, LLC's cover photo

01/21/2020

It's National Hugging Day. While I think every day should be hugging day, maybe just give your kids an extra tight squeeze today. 🤗
#NationalHuggingDay