All my kids have hearts for heads. It’s easy to find them in a crowd.
I did this project last year and I just LOVE the way it turned out! The hardest thing about it is getting your kids to sit for the photo. Now, we could talk a long time about the horrors and comedy of that, but let’s imagine (meaning suspend all fact) that the photo taking goes off without a hitch (and pigs fly, right?). Well, if that part can get worked out, the rest is easy! 😉
Baby #1.
Alrighty!! There are a ton of ways to achieve this “DAD” photo and I’ll offer those suggestions at the end of the post after I tell you how I made this one.
I bought the CHEAPEST wooden “D” and “A” I could find, which meant thin and unpainted. I don’t know why I did that, but at the time I was SURE I had white paint at home and could save some pennies doing this myself. I was pretty WRONG. I had a little bit of paint at home, but it wasn’t enough to fully cover the letters. So, what we now have are some letters we will call “shabby chic”. Basically, the letters look shabby and the kids make them chic. 😉 (Kids, look at that compliment!! Now go do some laundry for me.)
Heart Head Baby #2
Awww, my oldest boy gets his very own letter! LOL! The other 2 shared the “D”. That’s right! If you’re going to be cheap be VERY cheap. I bought one D and #1 baby and #3 baby shared it. DON’T DO THIS if you’re going to take a group shot…unless the kids call their father “DA”. Then you’re cool.
PHOTO TAKING … I took the first photo with Super Daughter on top of the swingset. Photo #2 is part of our front porch. Yes, I’m so totally Southern, with rockers included. Wait until you see photo #3. I have some explaining to do. 😉 Overall, I’m suggesting you take photos you’re comfortable with. There was no reason for me to dress the kids up in their Sunday best and take some serious photos. DH would like it, but it just wouldn’t be us. I like these fun shots from different parts of our yard and home. You do what you like!
Hey, we’ve seen that “D” before! Yep, Baby #1 was Holding it! Poor Baby #3. He even gets a hand-me-down “D”. LOL!
WHAT is Baby #3 wearing, you ask? Hmmm…uh…his pajamas. Why didn’t You Make him change, you ask? It’s the middle of the day of course I MADE him change! Yeah, before this photo was taken his pajama pants didn’t match his pajama shirt. So, I made him change into MATCHING pajamas. I mean REALLY, what kind of a Mother do you think I am? 😛
THE PAJAMAS…Baby #3 loves pajamas. I could have made him change into shorts and a shirt, but why? I’d rather look back at this photo and say remember how baby #3 always wanted to stay in his pajamas? That’s something I now find charming…’cause I’m gettin’ old and baby #1 is driving. You get to a point where you cherish the things you think you’ll always remember…because you realize…you sometimes do forget the little things after a while. Sniff. Sniff. So, I say let them wear their favorite stuff. Take pictures that are relevant to your life. Go YOU!
My Imperfect “D”
You can find the letters at your local craft stores. Look in the wood working areas.
My Imperfect “A”
These letters worked fine no matter how they looked. You know what? You can even repaint them and use them again! You could cover them with paper. You could do all kinds of cool painting on them. Make it your own!!
MORE IDEAS:
BE CHEAP: Cut out letters using a cereal box (for stability) and cover with paper or a Sharpie.
Buy the unpainted “D” and “A” and color them yourself, they’re cheaper…if you already own paint.
Want to save time? Buy the already painted and finished letters.
You can take each photo, line them up and have them printed as one sheet. That way you don’t need a 3 mat frame. This also works if you want to spell something longer, like “Father”, “Grandpa”, “Poppy” or something like that.
If you want all your kids to be in one photo, you can’t get away with only buying “D” and “A”, unless they call him “DA”. 😉
Save your letters and do this again next year!! The kids age progression with the letters will be beautiful. Ok, let me cry now. I can’t believe how big my babies are getting. Sniff. Sniff.
HAVE FUN!! WHATEVER YOU MAKE WITH PHOTOS OF YOUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES, NEPHEWS, COUSINS, ETC… CAN’T HELP BUT BE BEAUTIFUL!!
BE BOLD!!! CREATE!!
What an awesome idea! I love the way this turned out!
I have three kids and I have a white finished letter ‘A’ and ‘D’ that I bought to hang in my kid’s room three years ago. It pays to procrastinate 🙂
I’ll have to try this for next year. I don’t have it in me to try and get my 1 year old to sit still for a picture AND hold a letter 😉
I hear ya! If you do get the 1 year old to hold a letter, you better snap that photo fast! LOL!
~Joy~
Joy this is a fabulous idea… I will have to do this sometime. I think I commented about this before, but I just want to tell you how much I enjoy reading your posts. You absolutely crack me up… and I always leave your blog inspired but more importantly, I leave with a smile on my face. Thanks for brightening my day! Lori
Thank you Lori!! 😀
~Joy~
This is a brilliant idea, this is the sort of thing I used to love doing with my 4 kids when they were young.
Kim xXx
Thanks for a great idea!!!
OMG Joy you are just hysterical! LOVE your site!! I found you through Capadia” blog.
Kathi
I used this idea for my DH on Sunday! It turned out great and he just LOVES getting pictures. Thanks for the idea! I also got him a dremel for Fathers Day which is a great tool for scrapbooking lol