Clara is officially six months old today, which means we’ve reached the halfway point our weekly photo project (you know, the one with the fabric backdrops and photoshopped onesies).
At 12 weeks in, we broke down the “how to” behind the project right here, so this post is just more of an update – since we’ve now accumulated another three months worth of pics. Here’s a snapshot of the first 25. You can check them all out up close here on Flickr.
It’s hard to believe that we’ve taken 26 weekly portraits already. And thankfully we still look forward to our Friday afternoon appointment with the camera, some fabric, a white onesie, and our model. We worried that we’d regret the weekly decision and wish we opted just for monthly pics, but we actually look forward to Friday photo shoots and whatever facial expression adventure Clara will take us on each week. Whether it’s yawning…
…deviously twirling an invisible mustache…
…or even breaking out a ballerina costume to celebrate Halloween (pointed toe and all).
And in the affordable but meaningful holiday gift idea category, even though there are still 26 more photos to go before we hit our one year mark, we plan to package the collection-so-far in a little photo album Christmas present for the grandparents (I realize I sort of just gave away what they’ll find under their tree, but they’ve gotta know it’s already coming). And once we amass a full year’s worth of weekly pics, we’ll do a fancier hardbound book version for everyone (using Shutterfly or Kodak or something).
Oh, and lately we’ve been thinking that we may carry on the tradition past the one year mark because we’re enjoying it so much. But we’ll probably scale things back to just monthly photos at that point. We can only afford/use so much fabric after all. And speaking of all those swatches, from a DIY quilt to framed art or a fabric bunting, we’re so excited to repurpose all of the fun textiles we’ve been collecting thanks to this little daughter documenting project of ours. Can’t believe our baby girl is already half a year old. They grow up so fast.
Heather says
Such beautiful pictures!
Love the quilt idea! I am actually working on one for my son right now. There are tons of scrappy ideas in blogs right now!
Something like this would be fun: http://www.filminthefridge.com/2010/11/10/a-finished-starburst-quilt/
Or this: http://www.filminthefridge.com/2010/11/12/weekend-plans/
bindc says
That tutu is so stinking cute!!!! If we have another kid, I am soo doing this project.
Michelle says
My baby girl is just about one month older then yours and I’m in the same boat… where the heck has the time gone… I love what you have done with the weekly photo sessions. I’ve done the monthly ones but i wish i did some weekly ones.. maybe next one. :)
Diane says
OH! That face!
SWEET BABY FACE!!!
*Swoon!*
i know you have made arrangements already but I have a cutie of my own for you to consider!!
Nicole S. says
Ooooohmygoodness – add me to the hundreds in the Clara fan club. That bald-headed baby girl is soooooo cute!
Lark says
Six months is so much fun! It is so wonderful to watch them discover new things and have new adventures. Enjoy this precious time…
hi-d says
Pure Sweetness!!!
Carol Adams says
That litlle Clara Girl is a cupcake if I ever saw one. Precious!!!
Michelle Brock says
Clara is absolutely, ridiculously cute!!!
Kate says
Clara is just too cute! She has sparkly eyes. =)
Liz says
Blurb is a good program/company for making a photo book. I did a blog post a week for my first daughter (and am working on doing it for my 7 month old!), and Blurb’s software let me pull in all of my posts and pictures from the site. A little editing, and I got a beautiful, hardbound baby book. http://www.blurb.com/
Laura says
My mom made me a quilt to take with me when I went to college and it is now the most treasured thing I own. I think it would be great if you saved all that fabric for a down-the-road gift like that!
Lorrie says
Clara is an adorable baby girl!
My daughter and I were both very bald until almost 12 months of age.
The upside is we both have a thick head of hair now.
Good things come to those who wait!
Roshni says
amazingly cute!! Just love the ballerina pose!!
Cherry Baby says
I commend you guys for being able to pick ONE picture of clara per weekly shoot. We do a monthly photo shoot for a son and I can never narrow it down!
Jane says
Hello- I have been toying with the idea of buying photoshop, and since my list of reasons to buy it has reached the tipping point – particularly after seeing this fun use for it, I’m going to bite the bullet and get it. But I had a couple questions, what version of photoshop do you have? Did you take a class, or teach yourself to use it? And lastly, what, if any of the “add-on” packages to photoshop do you recommend?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jane,
We have Photoshop CS2 Version 9. Love it. We both learned photoshop in high school & college (we’re geeks) but you can definitely teach yourself. As for add ons, all we use is basic Photoshop so that’s all we’d recommend. Good luck!
xo,
s
Michelle says
Too cute!! Just curious, are you always going to have her laying down or will you start during sitting up pics?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Michelle,
We’ll definitely have some fun with different poses as she gets bigger!
xo,
s
Reenie says
Oh my…..I love to see all of her expressions ~ she is adorable :)
Krista Haws says
Happy Half Birthday Clara!!!!
Kristen says
I love it! Such a great idea! I just wanted to let you know I just had a book made on blurb.com and I am sooooo happy with how it turned out. Very high quality, professional and affordable! It was actually a blog turned book, but there are so many different possibilities! Can’t wait to see (in 6 months) the finished product!
Christina says
OMG! Where have the days gone!?
Leanne @ Simplicitlee says
Oh my godddddddd the one of Clara with the evil mustache is precious! It melted my heart!!!
Julie says
When you said she was “twirling an invisible mustache” I think I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard!
Elizabeth says
If Clara is anything like my 9 month old, Whitney, she won’t be holding still for longer than .5 seconds on her back much longer! Makes for exciting diaper changes for sure ;)
Meg says
She is SO big now and has the best personality!! I just love her forehead wrinkles :) :)
erin m. says
oh my gosh!!! she is so cute and so expressive! i love the mustache one.
Kim Lives Healthy says
Cutest baby ever – you guys could make a calendar like those Anne Geddes photos and sell it!
Chelsea says
So cute! I think it would be fun if you repurposed a little bit of each fabric into a quilt for her first big girl bed.
Carrie says
I agree with Chelsea! That would be so neat! And then take a picture of her laying on it of course! :)
Tanya says
Happy 6mth Bday to Clara! She is so gorgeous! Congratulations. I wondered if you have a name/designer for the pink skull Halloween fabric please? I am in love with it & would really like to hunt some down.
Fab idea, u guys are so good at creating traditions/keepsakes/memories etc… We don’t have any of those things in our family yet, other than millions of pics, even though my kiddies are 2 & 5, & you inspire me to take the time to acknowledge our days & celebrate them in a more permanent way.
Being terribly disorganized & the polar opposite of your type A personality Sherry, probably doesn’t help lol! Any tips on how u remember/keep track of all this little traditions & when to add to them, where u have stored them etc…? Do u write it all down in a planner or something?
Thanks guys!!
Tanya from Perth, Australia xx
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tanya,
We don’t actually know the name or the designer, but we got it at JoAnn fabrics, so maybe you can call them and describe it so they can help you hunt it down in Australia? And as for traditions, I do jot notes in my dayplanner (keeping one master list with each month and things we’d like to do helps- then I make notes in my new dayplanner each year when I get it). I also keep some seasonal decor (like the holiday ornaments and the thanks jar we frosted) in tupperware to store in the basement that’s labeled by season, so when I take the bin out it’ll be impossible not to remember to put those things out each season. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Samantha says
This is the best idea. I’m totally gonna do it with my baby when we have one.
kyla says
These would be cute if you set them up like you did in your previous office in postcard form…
Jen K says
I love your photos and wish I did the same for my little guy. I just posted about his first birthday party. There is a birthday bunting that I made, you might want to try making one using all the great fabric you have left over. Just an idea…
http://www.eatplaylaughoften.blogspot.com
Erin @ Where Beauty Meets Function says
I have really enjoyed the weekly photo op and watching this little stinker grow up!!! :)
I am always fascinated by her overly expressive facial expressions!!! She is such a doll! :)
Halley (Blunder Construction) says
She looks absolutely cute as a button in this one! I can’t believe how many photos you have already. Don’t you think she’ll start and protest once she hits the teen years? “Come on mom, do I really have to wear the onesie? Can’t we take a regular photo for a change?” :)
Tanya says
Thanks Sherry! A day planner is the key i see, and organising by season/occasion. Time to get me some plastic tubs and a 2011 Day-Planner! Although theres lots of info in the archives, I would love to see more posts on your organising tips, tools, systems etc. As they say – if you want to learn more about something, ask those who succeed at it!
Amanda says
LOVE these pictures! Can’t believe how quickly she’s growing! I’ve loved what Nicole Balch on “Making It Lovely” (I think my reading her blog is your doing, LOL) has done with her monthly Eleanor shots, too….an idea if you move to monthly!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes- we love Nicole’s monthly shots! We’ll probably stick to the fabric backgrounds even after Clara’s one, but we love how you can see Eleanor grow while the chair provides the scale in Nicole’s picture project. So cute.
xo,
s