Christina's Blog

Did you know that I design and create birth announcements for many of my newborn and Baby Love Collection clients?  I’ve been working on announcements for several clients recently and wanted to share a few design examples with you today.  I love creating these cards, because it gives me the opportunity to design something very special and unique that shows off a beautiful image or two from your session and makes it super-easy for you to share your favorites with friends and family in print.  Cards are professionally printed on either a satin, lustre or pearl cardstock, which provides a high-quality look and feel you’ll love.

The design process is simple – you choose a favorite image or two from your session, share any color preferences you have (maybe the colors used in your nursery or colors that coordinate with your selected images) and a general idea of the style you like:  do you want something classic, sweet, modern, or fun?  Then I create a few design ideas for you to choose from – minor adjustments can be made from there.  This same process can be used to create any type of card you have a need for, such as birthday invitations, Holiday cards, or even custom family note cards and it makes for a really special keepsake for family and friends!

These days there are many ways to order birth announcements, either from an online site or a local printer, but you are usually limited to choosing from mass-produced templates.  If you’re looking for something a bit more creative and personal, my custom-designed boutique announcements might be perfect for you!

Check it out – National “Steal Candy from Your Kids” Week is only 5 days away!  For those of you unfamiliar with this brilliantly-conceived holiday, that would be the week following Halloween.  It’s true – parents all across America have been celebrating this holiday in secret for decades (my apologies for going public with the details, but I’m too excited!)

It all started a long, long time ago when a very tired (and chocolate-deprived) Mom decided it was about time her children started paying her back for all the sleepless nights, 3 am feedings, and temper tantrums she had endured over the years.  So she dressed them up creatively in outfits that would best convey her parenting struggles – a devil costume for the most mischievous one, a kangaroo outfit for the one who was always jumping on the furniture, and a scary monster for the one who’s 3-year-old meltdowns could send anyone screaming from the room in fear.

Then she handed them each a small bag and proceeded to march them door to door, asking for candy – no one really remembers if she explicitly stated the candy was for her, but the plan worked!  Parents around the country quickly heard rumors about the truck-load of chocolate these kids hauled in that night and it didn’t take long for a tradition to begin.

So why “trick or treat”?  Theories abound, but the most-popular explanation leans on the following definitions of the words:

trick [trik] -noun

1. 1. a crafty or underhanded device, maneuver, stratagem, or the like, intended to deceive or cheat; artifice; ruse; wile.
   2. a clever or ingenious device or expedient; adroit technique: the tricks of the trade.

It’s actually quite possible that the original phrase was more like “artifice and treat.”  Dictionary.com states that artifice is a synonym of trick and that “like trick , but to a greater degree, artifice  emphasizes the cleverness, ingenuity, or cunning with which the proceeding is devised: an artifice of diabolical ingenuity.”  Sounds just like a Mom to me!  Oh, and the “treat” part is obvious, no?

So enjoy your upcoming special week with your kids’ candy and have a safe and happy Halloween.  (And while you’re enjoying that 4th piece of miniature Snickers®, don’t forget to say a quiet thank you to the brilliant Mom who conceived this crazy idea in the first place!)

I know it’s only March, but with the beautiful weather we’ve been having it’s the perfect time to start thinking about Spring portraits. As you may know, I do much of my work in the studio, and creating that “classical painting” look is definitely one of my favorites – but there is just something so magical about taking a child’s portrait outside in the Spring-time. They are free to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, and that inevitably leads to genuine smiles and laughter – and a lovely image that really captures the spirit of childhood. If you’ve been putting off having a new portrait made of your children, now is the time! The bonus is that we have a new line of custom portrait jewelry in the studio, along with our well-loved Boutique Collection and Bucket Family handbags – these are truly fabulous gift ideas for Mother’s Day, both for Mom and Grandma. It’ll be here before you know it – Dads, are you listening?

I am scheduling outdoor sessions from now until the end of May throughout the Triangle, including locations at Duke Gardens. Please give me a call to schedule your session soon!

Take a peek at the new Jewelry line, as well as the Boutique Collection and the Bucket Family bags. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call – I’m happy to give you all the details and help you plan the perfect portrait session and gift!