Jack's Party in the Park

I can't believe my little nephew Jack turned 3 this May! My sister Sarah threw the most adorable Party in the Park, and I just have to share some pictures. She's so amazing! At what point am I too old to say I want to be just like her when I grow up?


"Lunch in a Box" - pasta salad, fruit salad, pretzels and juice boxes


Jumbo chocolate covered marshmallows


Jack's proud aunts


The adorable birthday boy and his adorable mom:


Aunt Kiki and Uncle Brenty


I'm sure there will be more details on Sarah's Jack and Izzy blog in upcoming weeks. Check it out!

New Product - Thank You Postcards

I'm adding a new product to the Etsy Shop this week! Introducing... Thank You Postcards! I got the idea from my good friend, Elizabeth. After having her son Henry in December, she was showered with meals, gifts, and extra help. She asked me to create a photo thank you postcard so she could send a quick "thanks" to family and friends. It was such a great idea that I decided to create some for my shop as well.

These Thank You Postcards are perfect for the busy mom. The starter note on the back makes sending your appreciation quick and easy. Not only are they great for new moms, but they are also ideal for birthday parties, baby or wedding showers, or housewarming parties. The possibilities are endless!

The cards come in three styles: Fun Retro, Sweet Stripes and Modern Circles. Each style has several color options, so check out the listings to see more!

Wedded Bliss

I know some people roll their eyes when it comes to weddings - the unnecessary stress, hassle, and expenses. Silly little details, bridezillas, drama, and the ever-expanding budget. I get that - it is just one day. But despite this, I can't help myself. I love, love, love weddings. I love the little things that make the day personal to the couple. I love pouring over the colors, flowers, rings, dresses, and cakes. But what I love most is this tangible feeling in the air. When you look around and feel that all of THIS is taking place to celebrate one couple's love and commitment. It's hard not to get absorbed in these thoughts as I design wedding albums. The joy and excitement are written on every picture. As I design a couple's album, I feel like I am sharing this amazing day with them, like I am right there at the wedding cheering them on. Of course I love the detail shots and the ceremony pictures and the getting ready chaos. But my very favorite shots are the stolen moments between the newly-pronounced husband and wife, glowing in a way only a bride and groom can. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the romance of it all!

I recently designed an album for the talented Amanda Pappas. She is a pro at capturing these defining moments. The bride and groom looked so sweet and it was obvious that they were really enjoying their wedding. I love that! Here are some spreads to share. Enjoy!

photography by Amanda Pappas

Blog Books

One of my very best friends had a beautiful baby girl on St. Patrick's Day. Throughout her pregnancy, Jess did an awesome job updating her blog with pictures and stories. Even though we live in different cities, I really felt like I could share in her excitement and anticipation. Reading the updates and seeing pictures of her growing belly made me even more thrilled for little Lucy's arrival.

As a gift to the new mom, I decided to design and print her blog as a book. I did this a couple years ago for my sister-in-law when she was pregnant with the twins. I just think it will be so cool for these kids to go back and read how excited their moms were for their arrival, and how much they were loved even before they were born.

Here are some pictures of the blog book I created for Jess:


Blog books don't have to be limited to pregnancy blogs - imagine baby's first year blog books, traveling blog books, engagement blog books, cooking blog books. If you spend all this time documenting your life, won't you want to cherish it in a hard copy some day? A blog book allows you to share your adventures with future generations - isn't that an exciting thought? If you are interested in making a blog book, let me know and we can discuss custom pricing. Don't let your stories be lost in cyberspace - create a lasting heirloom!

Featured on NBC Los Angeles

Happy Friday everyone! I have some great news to share this morning. As you may remember, I've been selling these subway signs in my Etsy shop since December. I started out with the Cincinnati signs, and eventually designed NY and Toronto signs as well. Yesterday I released my newest creation, the LA Subway Print. A few hours later, a freelancer for NBC Los Angeles contacted me to ask if she could feature the print on nbclosangeles.com. Of course I was more than happy to oblige!


You can check out the NBC Los Angeles post here. Thanks to Alysia Gray Painter for featuring me. This Friday is off to a great start!

Trip to Raleigh

As promised, here are the pictures from Easter weekend in Raleigh. Brent and I were so excited to visit his family and meet baby Hailey. Even though it was a short trip, we packed it full! We had a picnic at the park, an Easter egg hunt, a b-day party for Savi, and even time for the adults to chat around the fire pit.

Here's little Hailey, a little over two months old. Isn't she the sweetest?


And here's Hailey's big sister, Savi. This picture cracks me up. She really didn't want a family Easter picture!


Brent and I on Easter morning:


The whole Kruithof clan together! I just love this family!

Happy Easter...a day late

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend! Brent and I got to visit his family in Raleigh. It was so good to see everyone again, and to meet our newest niece, Hailey. Unfortunately I left my camera in Raleigh, so it will be a couple days before I can put up pictures of the trip. But I do have a couple pre-Easter pictures to share.

Before we left, I made some Easter goodie bags for Brent's family. Each bag had a little something inside - candy for the adults, chalk eggs for the girlies, and wrist rattles for the babies. The tags were personalized with their names and a vintage Easter postcard image.


I also used similar tags on the Easter bread I made for my family and neighbors. Zucchini bread is one of our favorites!


On Palm Sunday we did a little Easter egg dying at Sarah and Garret's. We had so much fun! Here's Brent's masterpiece:


Jack's masterpiece:


Noah couldn't dye his own eggs this year, but he sure did look festive in his "Chicks Dig Me" shirt. He is such an easy going little guy!


Here are the finished products. I think we did pretty good!


Hope for all had a joyous weekend too! Easter in Raleigh pictures coming soon...