I’m undoubtedly a mama-razzi. I struggle with being fully present in those moments of transcendent joy and the ever pressing urge to document and encapsulate forever. The spontaneous moments are always among my most treasured photographs, and the forced photo shoots usually evoke this level of epic cooperation:
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| Don’t forget to smile kids! |
I had it all planned. I made Adrian a bow-tie in the wee hours of a post Saturday night out on the town. Lucia chose her favorite Pocahontas boots, a dress was agreed upon, and I even got the boy to wear matching shoes. We drove to a darling tree farm in Westchester NY and the mama-mandated-pre-Christmas-tree-cutting-Holiday-photo-shoot began.
It manifested into the following Holiday card photo options:
When I finally stepped back and stopped directing, the organic goodness came through – as it always does – and oh, did I try to capture it.
As I sat down to review my photos a gracious request to test out minted appeared. It was all so serendipitous as I’ve been swooning over a minted birth announcement that I recently received. Details like scalloped boarders, rounded corners, envelope linings and luxurious card stock get me particularly excited. As do the gorgeous designs and beautiful typography that minted has to offer. Their website is bursting with loveliness, sourced from independent graphic designers all over the world.
I chose to put my precious littles on the Block Printed Mistletoe Holiday Card, designed by Katharine Watson in VT.
I think it’s perfection.
Minted is spreading their joy with a giveaway for a $75 credit! In addition to Holiday cards, minted also has party decor, stationary, calendars, art prints, business cards and so much more. To enter, visit the Rafflecopter below, a winner will be selected in one week. This giveaway is open worldwide (however international shipping costs are not included). Good luck and thanks so much for visiting!
I received complimentary Holiday photo cards from minted. As always, all opinions are my own. Special thanks to Tessa at minted for her outstanding customer service and for providing me with images at lightening speed.
Viva la Violette
I LOVE your photos of your darling kids! I hope I win.
the pictures and your commentary cracked me up!
love the photos of the kids…….. debbie jackson
djackson1958 at hotmail dot com
love this site!
Awesome giveaway—the pictures are adorable!!!
Julie
julieruffrogers@gmail.com
Each and every one of those photos is priceless! Adorable. And what a fab giveaway!
Stop by my blog and leave some comment love {or become a new follower} towards the Cans For Comments event! Tell your friends 🙂
http://nuggetonabudget.blogspot.com/2012/12/cans-for-comments.html
This is TOO cute! Your kids are beautiful & these are the best holiday outfits EVER!
Such a cool Giveaway! I would love to win:)
Haha, love the pics, they are just too cute 🙂
Haha….these so look like the pictures at our house! I'm always glad there's not a camera around to catch my embarrassing reaction. (Patience is something I have, but not in gross supplies. :p)
I cannot even tell you how much I enjoyed this post. I go through this almost daily as I try to capture photos of my twin boys. One of them is always looking wonky or slightly possessed. I often take photos on rapid fire in the hopes that ONE of them will turn out right.
Your holiday card is awesome. Really wonderful. Everyone who receives it will love it for sure!
Kerrie
http://www.familyfoodandtravel.com
It's difficult but entertaining to try and capture, right? Thanks so much for you kind words and for visiting. Best of luck!
Thanks for the giveaway!!
adorable kiddos
adorable kiddos
Awesome giveaway!
Your kids are adorable! Thank you for an awesome giveaway!
Thank you so much for the fantastic giveaway!
I'm a paper lover and minted is so high end. Thanks for the chance to win a great giveaway. Your blog is great.
Minted products are really amazing. My cards already came in and the quality is super luxe. Best of luck and thanks!
Love the pictures!!!
Beijos, Ana
thanks for a great giveaway
Omg adorbs kids! Live the bowtie! Thanks fit the giveaway : )
Adorable kiddos!!
Ashley
shopjinx@gmail.com
I love your pictures! I am obsessed with their outfits!!
Thank you so much for this giveaway!
Great giveaway and lovely photos!
Your pics are beautiful. Now that my boys are bigger, as I look back at pics I notice that the ones I love the most are the spontaneous ones.
I would love to use this gift card to buy christmas cards!
Thanks for the giveaway! I love your photos – so cute! 🙂
I like all minted products and i want to be a winner!
Minted products are amazing, really. Good luck Rusu!
thank you sooo much for the awesome giveaway!
What awesome pictures and giveaway!
Julie @ Naptime Review
http://www.thenaptimereview.com
Your children are so adorable. And their outfits are simply darling!
Thanks for the chance to win.
Adrian is soooo cute!!!
But Lucia…SHE IS SOMETHING ELSE!!!
Thank you very much for the chance!!1
Thanks so much and best of luck!
Beautiful pictures!
The photos of your children are wonderful! Such adorable children! 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway!
Great giveaway thank you for the opportunity to win.
Aw your kids are way too cute!!
Great giveaway 🙂
Cute kids!
Minted has such beautiful cards. Love them
great for phtos of gand kida
Cute kids!
Would love to make a calendar of pictures of my 1st grandchild – a beautiful little girl.
I liked the outfits your kids were wearing – very sweet! terri.moore30@yahoo.com
Would love to make a calendar of pictures of my 1st grandchild – a beautiful little girl.
I liked the outfits your kids were wearing – very sweet! terri.moore30@yahoo.com
Beautiful pics!! Thanks at the chance to win such a great prize! Happy Holidays!!
wonderful giveaway
Adorable! With three of my own, I am no stranger to the dreaded holiday photo shoot! We skipped it this year and opted to use a family photo taken over the summer instead 🙂
Brilliant idea! Good luck!
Such cute images!!! Just wanted to let you know, in appreciation of my readers and commentors, I posted this today: http://www.bigaandlittlea.com/2012/12/top-commentors.html. Do come over and check it out!
I could definitely use this giftcard! I need to rush order some Christmas cards!
Thanks for the giveaway!
great photos! Thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Loved that you shared all the 'real life' photo shots! It would be great if you shared this post with Picklebums.com Real Life Wednesday link up, it fits perfectly! She even did her own blog post with the photos she'd never show! And dared us to do the same! It was great!
OMG, what great pics. I love the “too tight hugger” one.
I do too! Best of luck.
Great pics! the kids are really cute in every angle!!!!
Love this!
Your kids are so cute & photogenic! Thanks for your wonderful blog. I've entered your contest as well. thanks!
Your kids are so cute & photogenic! Thanks for your wonderful blog. I've entered your contest as well. thanks!
Beautiful photos! thank you so much for this generous giveaway. happy holidays!
those are beautiful cards
Pictures are beautiful and creative.
so cute
I just love candid pics!!! I find kids' photo shoots to be somewhat boring and calculated…you can really see how much character your adorable kids have in these pics!!
Thanks Lisa and good luck!
love the pics!!! the kids are soooooooo cute 🙂
I love the pictures. I also love books. Thanks!
mysticmisha at hotmail dot com.
Love those pics of those delicious kids!!! Happy holidays!!
I love the pictures! I try to hard to pose my kids and it never works so we have alot of tongue wagging neck hugging pictures. I love them. 🙂
I love this program. Your kids are darling.
I only have 1 and I can't get photos that nice! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway.
Isn't that how it always happens ?? The natural, let'em do what they want photo's are always the best and 90% of the time, as parents, we never have our cameras handy.
I can't agree more Rebecca. Natural is always the best!
The kids are absolutely adorable! Natural is always best – our little guy has the worst looks when we tell him to smile lol!
Hope I win! Great blog!
Cute kids 😉
The pictures are amazing! I would love to have pics of my kids looking that adorable! I want that bowtie for my son!
So adorable and I love her boots. Those are so cute. Happy Holidays Monica to you and your beautiful family!
Thanks so much Bonnie! Happy Holiday to you too. xx
I love these pics YOur children are beautiful
sweet photos 🙂
Great pictures
Great photos thank you for the giveaway.
Merry Christmas thank you for the giveaway
Good luck to everyone!
emilywells10@gmail.com
Kids are so cute- great giveaway 🙂
What cute kids and great photographs!!! I would love to win this giveaway! Thanks for the chance!
this pic is comic but i like you this !~
great stuff at minted !
Thanks for the giveaway!
Minted has such fantastic items and your kids look adorable – it really is a wonderful way to capture their growing up.
Minted products really are fantastic. I still can't get over the quality of the cards that they sent me. Good luck!
Thanks for the giveaway! The pictures and your bambinos are cute!
I love their holiday cards!
the pictures are adorable
The boots are adorable, my Grand daughter would love them. The kids are really cute. Merry Christmas
they are so cute!!