I don’t want anyone to panic but in reality the 2009 holiday season is just around the corner !!   

Once again it’s time to plan for your annual photo Christmas Cards & Christmas Portraits.  Your friends and family will rave about how unique and upscale your holiday cards are.  See below for all the details…and then call today to schedule your session!

Important note:  These “mini” holiday portrait sessions are limited to those clients who have completed or will be completing their custom portrait investment session at Dandelion Wishes® Photography at any time during the 2009 calendar year.

We are pleased to announce our FREE session and FREE 8×10 portrait winner for March!  Congratulations to Chris & Tori S. of Warrenton, Virginia!  We are excited for them and can’t wait to meet their little girl in person!!

This month, there were just 12 entries - these are great odds ladies!!  So… get out to Dharma & Leopold’s Children’s Chic Boutique  in Old Town Warrenton and enter for the April drawing!  And remember, if you entered last month and did not win, you are welcome to continue entering each month until you do!!

Below is what the drawing box looks like….go in, find it and ENTER!!

Click Here…  or, on the  { Website }  link in the menu bar above to view our main Website and Artistic Portrait Galleries ! 

Link to our new { Blog }.  If you are a returning friend or client, please replace any  { Book Marks }  to our blog with our new address/url.   Here’s what you need to do…

1. FIRST…   go to your bookmarks or favorites folder and DELETE our old link. 
2. Click Here  to be directed to our new link.
3. Drag the new link from your address bar into your bookmarks or favorites and you’re done.

Important… make sure you delete the old link first.   

Dawn & I appreciate your frequent visits to our blog and pray that you enjoy the images here as much as she enjoys capturing them.  See you again soon. 

Thanks,

Roger 

We’re so pleased to announce that Denise M. of Warrenton, Virginia is the winner of our February drawing!  This month there were only 15 entries - what great odds!!!  So… get out to Dharma & Leopold’s Children’s Chic Boutique  in Old Town Warrenton and enter for the March drawing!  You could win a FREE session and a FREE 8×10 too!!! 

Just a quick reminder!  There are only two days left to enter our February drawing for a FREE session and a FREE 8×10 portrait!!  All you need to do is visit Dharma & Leopold’s and fill out an Entry Form and drop it in the Drawing Box!  See this link for more info!  If you don’t win this month…be sure to enter again in March!!

Last year I joined a local camera club in Warrenton, VA and have really enjoyed making some new friends there!  This month our club was asked to provide a selection of their work to be displayed outside the conference rooms at the Fauquier Hosptial.  Each photographer was allowed to bring three framed images or portraits.  I had a hard time deciding on which three to bring from the studio  ~  below are my final selections.  Do you recognize your little one there?? 

As you can see, my choices were of my favorite little subjects…newborn portraits and baby portraits.  If you are expecting, please visit both our Maternity~Pregnancy and Newborn~Baby pages of our website for more information on these very special sessions.    

There are many other beautiful and diverse images of nature, travel and human interest on display – very much worth popping by to see!  If you are in the Warrenton area, I would encourage you to stop by and take a peek.  Our work will be on display through mid March.  You can find the display by going in the main entrance and following the signs to the Conference rooms.

Content of this post has been moved to our Parent Resources section.

Happy New Year to you all!!  A big THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by Dharma & Leopold’s Children’s Chic Boutique in Old Town Warrenton, Virginia to enter their Christmas drawing!  The drawing prize included BOTH a free outfit from the boutique brand Le Top and a complimentary mini portrait session w/free 8×10 of choice from Dandelion Wishes Photography!  

So, (drum roll please!) and a  BIG CONGRATULATIONS to the lucky winner ~  Stacie G. of The Plains, Virginia!

I wanted to invite you all to come to Old Town Warrenton where the streetscapes are nostalgic and return you to the days that “used to be”.    

Christmas comes to old town on the first Friday in December with an Illumination Walk, in which Santa lights Old Town!  Then he heads to GumDrop Square and Santa’s Secret Workshop.  Every Friday night in December prior to Christmas, all the shops will stay open late from 6-9 p.m. and there will be fun for the whole family, both young and old!  Listed below are the times for all the festivities! 

Friday December 5th @ 6 p.m.

• Lighting of the Mosby Museum
• Illumination Walk and the Arrival of Santa
• GumDrop Square Opens: 7-9 p.m.
• Horse Drawn Hayrides ~ Refreshments ~ Shops open late ~ Live Nativity ~ Carolers ~ Entertainment   

 Friday; December 12th & 19th @ 6 p.m.

• GumDrop Square open from 6-9 p.m.
• Horse Drawn Hayrides ~ Refreshments ~ Shops open late ~ Live Nativity ~ Carolers ~ Entertainment   

Enter to win a FREE boutique brand “LeTop” outfit & a portrait session with us…

Dandelion Wishes Photography™ is partnering with Dharma & Leopold’s Children’s Chic Boutique in Old Town Warrenton to offer an awesome prize drawing for one lucky participant!  The drawing for a FREE boutique brand LeTop outfit AND a FREE portrait sitting & (1) 8×10 portrait with Dandelion Wishes Photography in that outfit! 

You can enter this awesome drawing by visiting the boutique on any of the three Friday nights in December.  Drawing to be held on December 19th!!  Entries can be made by either making a purchase of any dollar amount OR by bringing in a can of cat food or a box of large dog treats to their store for the Fauquier SPCA.  The SPCA has lots of furry friends that need our help of support and loving homes! ♥

(Portrait sitting will take place in January 2009 after your LeTop outfit has arrived. Weekday session and a signed Model Release are required.)

The children’s boutique is located right on Main Street in Old Town Warrenton so while your strolling through nostalgic Old Town one Friday night, you must pop into the boutique, make a purchase and/or donation and enter this awesome drawing!

Hello to you all!  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by your families and/or friends.  

Just wanted to make mention of an important deadline for any of you who are still contemplating ordering some last minute Gift Portraits or extra Christmas cards… 

The last day for all orders is December 5th.  Any orders received after that day will not be processed and submitted until January 5th, 2009.  Because we are trying to meet a tight delivery, all orders must be paid by credit card as there will not be time to wait on personal checks to clear.  Remember, do not send me your credit card information in an email.  You are welcome to send me your order via email but for security reasons, all credit card numbers need to be over the phone! 

Thank you!

I had the priviledge of working with a wonderful local business to come up with a theme and design for their December Christmas & holiday advertising.  It certainly helped that they brought the most adorable little models into the studio for their ad session…including a furry one named “Lulu”, too! 

This darling and upscale boutique is located right on Main Street in Old Town Warrenton and has the most amazing clothing and creative toys you will find!  The children looked completely adorable in their holiday outfits – available for purchase at the boutique.  If you are still looking for that special outfit for family Christmas parties or special holiday portraits, then a stop into Dharma & Leopold’s Children’s Chic Boutique is a must!

Yes, Christmas is just 10 short weeks away and I can hardly believe it!  It is time to start giving some serious thought to having your photo Christmas Cards and personalized Holiday Cards created.  It may seem a bit early but it’s really not at all!  In fact, creating a custom card for you, submitting it to the printers and getting the finished product delivered to you can take 2-4 weeks!  We want to be sure you have them in plenty of time to get them addressed and mailed to all your friends!

Many times clients are unsure of what to have their children wear.  I have loads of suggestions and ideas to share.  Call me and we can discuss some fun alternatives to the “typical” photo Christmas cards.  Santa is also available to join your child in their session!  Ho Ho Ho!!!

Our Christmas sessions are very limited and must be completed by November 7th to ensure a timely delivery of your cards.

As an added benefit, you will be able to purchase any additional gift portraits of your choice at our reduced “Create Your Own”  (”CYO”) prices! 

Last year, we personally had SO MANY compliments on our family’s photo Christmas cards – it was amazing!  The cool thing was it was like giving a small gift portrait to each person on our list!  In fact, many of our family and friends left them sitting out all year!  The quality and design is truly upscale to anything you have seen!   Call the photo studio if you have any questions or would like to see samples.

Calling all Team “Fan-atics”!!

Do you love the Washington Redskins?  Or, their rival, the Dallas Cowboys?  “How ’bout them HOKIES” from Virginia Tech?  Maybe it’s the USC Trojans or UVa Cavaliers – “Wahoo Wa” - that make you shout!  What about the Maryland Terps, WVU Mountaineers, George Mason Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens or Orioles, Green Bay Packers, Washington DC “Nats” Nationals or Wizards, Chicago Cubs or Bears…no matter who your favorite team is…BRING YOUR KIDS AND ALL THEIR TEAM GEAR TO THIS EXCITING EVENT!  GO TEAM GO!  

You will not want to miss out on this awesome once-a-year Limited Event! Call the portrait studio to schedule your appointment today as sessions fill up very quickly!

• Only $30 reserves your 20 minute “mini” session
• Choose from six different portrait packages ~ from $99 to $248
• Choose from two framed multi-image Wall Art pieces ~ from $199 to $385

Don’t miss out on your chance to capture your kids showing their team spirit!

MAKES A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR

THE TEAM FANATIC IN YOUR FAMILY!!!

And, $10 from every session will be donated to The Smile Train!

The Smile Train is a charity that I recently found that has become very near and dear to my heart. They are the worlds leading cleft lip and palate charity and 100% of the donations they recieve goes towards corrective surgeries for children all over the world. It only takes $250 for a surgery to give one child their smile!

So, come on moms & dads - join us! Not only will you be getting awesome portraits of your little fans…you’ll be blessing other parents by giving their little one the smile they have never had!

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Win a FREE Gina Alexander Photobag!

A $150 Value

In conjuction with our “Go Team Go” Event, we’re having a drawing for a FREE Gina Alexander “My Everything” photo handbag with your favorite “Go Team Go” image on it!  YOU could win a bag just like the one pictured below!!

Here’s How You WIN

Do you have 5 friends you think would love to join us for this special event? If so, send us their names and email addresses and your name will be entered into the drawing one time for every 5 friends’ names & emails. So the more friends you refer, the greater your chances to win!

**PLUS**

Refer 10+ friends and as a thank you gift, you’ll receive your choice of a 5×7 portrait or (8) wallets from your “Go Team Go” session in addition to your drawing entries!!

Every parent who schedules a “Go Team Go” session can participate! Here are the “guidelines” for entering the contest:

• Schedule your session today ~ you must attend the “Go Team Go” event and purchase the minimum $99 package to participate.

• Send us the names and email addresses of 5 friends ~ your friends must have children living at home and live within reasonable driving distance of the Warrenton studio…no California or Washington state friends please!

• The friends you refer must be new to Dandelion Wishes Photography ~ not already be on our email newsletter list. If you submit a friend who is already on our email newsletter list, we’ll notify you right away so you can provide an alternate friend.

• All friends’ emails must be recieved by midnight Sept. 10th, 2008.

• Drawing will be held and the winner announced on the blog on Sept. 15th, 2008.

• Winner must choose one image at the conclusion of their “Go Team Go” session for their “My Everything” photo handbag ~ delivery estimated at 4 to 6 weeks ~ no cash value.

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Referral Rewards:

As our valued clients already know, we love referrals! Referral Rewards are earned when your friend(s) complete a full custom portrait session with us. Because our Limited Events are specially priced promotions with their own unique rewards and contests, referral reward credits cannot be earned for these “mini” sessions.

However, should any of these same friends schedule and complete a regular custom portrait session in the future, you WILL receive $50 worth of print credits for referring them to Dandelion Wishes Photography!

And remember…if you currently have any print credits, they are redeemable at any time so be sure to bring them to your session and use them towards the purchase of any of the Portrait Packages or Framed Wall Art pieces above!!

I am so excited to share with you a photo of “The Monroe” collage that we are offering to all of  our Mom & me clients!  You will be able to choose your favorite four images in either vivid color or classic black & white photography for your collage.  The collage itself is 10″ x 10″.  It will be delivered beautifully framed from your choice of over 40 of our Classic frames.  

“The Monroe” is such a great size…great displayed on the wall or nestled in an easel and set out on a tabletop or desk!

You will be able to see both of these examples in the portrait studio on the day of your scheduled session!

Moms, please join us for…

You won’t want to miss out on this very special Limited Event!  Call the portrait studio to schedule your appointment today as sessions fill up very quickly! 

• Only $30 reserves your 20 minute “mini” session 
• Choose from six different portrait packages ~ from $99 to $248
• Choose from two framed multi-image Wall Art pieces ~ from $199 to $385 

Don’t miss out on your chance to capture timeless images of you and your child together.

And, $10 from every session will be donated to The Smile Train! 

The Smile Train is a charity that I recently found that has become very near and dear to my heart.  They are the worlds leading cleft lip and palate charity and 100% of the donations they recieve goes towards corrective surgeries for children all over the world.  It only takes $250 for a surgery to give one child their smile! 

So, come on moms – join us!  Not only will you be getting beautiful portraits of you and your children together…you’ll be blessing another mother by giving her little one the smile they have never had! 

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Win a FREE Gina Alexander Photobag!

A $150 Value

In conjuction with our “Mom & me” Event, we’re having a drawing for a FREE Gina Alexander “My Everything” photo handbag with your favorite “Mom & me” image on it!

Here’s How You WIN

Do you have 5 friends you think would love to join us for this special event?  If so, send us their names and email addresses and your name will be entered into the drawing one time for every 5 friends’ names & emails.  So the more friends you refer, the greater your chances to win!

 **PLUS**

Refer 10+ friends and as a thank you gift, you’ll receive your choice of a 5×7 portrait or a set of 8 wallets from your “Mom & me” session in addition to your drawing entries!!

Every mom who schedules a ”Mom & me” session can participate! Here are the “guidelines” for entering the contest: 

• Schedule your session today ~ you must attend the ”Mom & me” event to participate. 

• Send us the names and email addresses of 5 friends ~ must have children living at home and live within reasonable driving distance of the Warrenton studio…no long distance friends please!   

• The friends you refer must be new to Dandelion Wishes Photography ~ not already be on our email newsletter list.  If you submit a friend who is already on our email newsletter list, we’ll notify you right away so you can provide an alternate friend.

• All friends’ emails must be recieved by midnight July 6th, 2008. 

• Drawing will be held and the winner announced on the blog on July 8th, 2008. 

• Winner must choose one image at the conclusion of their “Mom & me” session for their “My Everything” photo handbag ~ delivery estimated at 4 to 6 weeks ~ no cash value.

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Referral Rewards:

As our valued clients already know, we love referrals!  Referral Rewards are earned when your friend(s) complete a full custom portrait session with us.  Because our Limited Events are specially priced promotions with their own unique rewards and contests, referral reward credits cannot be earned for these ”mini” sessions. 

However, should any of these same friends schedule and complete a regular custom portrait session in the future, you WILL receive $50 worth of print credits for referring them to Dandelion Wishes Photography!  

And remember…if you currently have any print credits, they are redeemable at any time so be sure to bring them to your session and use them towards the purchase of any of the Portrait Packages or Framed Wall Art pieces above!!