Happy Holidays from Nashville, mamas!

Today I wanted to share holiday card tips in a Q+A format, as well as some actual shots from our family shoot. Holiday cards can be unnecessarily tough and expensive to execute, and they shouldn't be! With these tips and some photo inspiration, we hope the day is anything but that. This year, we hope your Christmas card photoshoot is a fun and celebratory event that serves as a snapshot in time of your family, especially your kids as they grow. With that, we take Christmas cards to heart and hope these tips help you get the most out of your holiday cards this season!

How did you choose a suitable holiday card setting? 
I did the research, narrowed it down to my favorite kinds of photos then set out to make it all happen. First, I scoured the internet, aka Pinterest, looking at holiday card inspiration. Through this search, I found that my favorite cards were those: 1) taken outdoors and those 2) at Christmas tree lots/farms. Outdoor photos utilize natural light and with my limited knowledge of photography, I knew that outdoor shots make the best, highest quality images and are the most natural-looking. As for the Christmas tree idea, I 100% knew I wanted the photos taken at a Christmas tree farm. I mean, how cute, right? Plus, none of us had been to a Christmas tree farm with the exception of my husband. 
The trouble was accessing a farm without a ton of people walking through shopping for trees while we were trying to take photos. I googled Christmas tree farms and ultimately came cross the gem that is Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm, which offered holiday card photoshoots during the week (rather than the weekend when the Christmas tree shoppers were present). Not only that, but the farm provided several different setups for photos with Christmas-oriented props. It couldn't have been a cuter, more fun place to take photos.
My recommendation for choosing a holiday card setting is to do something that embodies you and your family, that'll make a fun outing for the entire family! I knew that driving out to a Christmas Tree Farm all dressed up would make for cute photos, and an amazing adventure/family outing, most importantly. This made the entire experience fun and very natural, which makes for great photos!


How did you get the props?
Again, these were included in the shoot. We paid $40 to take the photos at Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm and got to use all of the props/stations for photos. 
Before I came across Country Cove, I was at the point that I was literally going to go to Michael's and buy some props for a shoot at our house. Instead, I recommend searching for a venue that has props already in place. If you can't find that, focus on the setting and bring a few Christmas decorations lying around the house, maybe a wreath or a star, or something!

How did you decide on your holiday card outfits?
I say dress it up, keep it timeless and be totally you. For my family, I started with me (the only person who cares what they are wearing). I knew I wanted to wear a plaid dress. Once I found my dress, I honestly selected everyone's outfits around mine. I found my dress on Revolve. Highly recommend. You can find my outfit/makeup details HERE. 
For outfits, I recommend selecting the most important outfit first, and then coordinating everyone's around it. For instance, if you KNOW you want your oldest son to wear his navy striped moose sweater, then use that, and plan everyone else's around that. 
I also recommend mixing and matching prints and playing off of a color scheme (but not matchy-matchy). I wanted to wear plaid, but didn't want everyone to be wearing plaid. I simply played off of the plaid print when selecting the boys' outfits. I did the same thing with color. We all wore some shade of red, but all different.
If you don't want to spend a ton of money, I recommend focusing on shirts/tops. That is what I did. I took it as an excuse to buy the boys new holiday shirts (except Ryan because he doesn't care ha!), which they needed, and they all wore old pants. Jeans are always a go-to for family photos; a nice shirt with jeans, and you can't go wrong.
Last point, I also played off of the setting. Because we were taking photos at a Christmas Tree Farm with GREEN trees, I knew I wanted our outfits to be RED, which contrasted nicely with green and are also the perfect Christmas colors. In addition to the colors contrasting and because we were at a Christmas Tree Farm, I kind of wanted a lumberjack vibe. Thus, Lincoln is wearing a maroon/grey flannel button-down, V is wearing a bear shirt, and Ryan is in a brighter red flannel. I wanted us to look nice but not overly dressed up; like we were going out to the farm to cut down our tree, but a little nicer :)


How did you find your photographer?
This is funny. I actually went on Instagram and searched the hashtag "#nashvillephotography" and clicked on the best looking photos. I then emailed those photographers. One of the photographers I emailed was a Belmont University student, who told me that his photos didn't show well on IG, so he recommended his friend, Merritt Ellaine. Merritt, who took the photos in this post, is an EXTREMELY talented photographer (you can access her site HERE). She is also a student at Belmont University, studying photography. I looked at her IG and she is AMAZING to say the least. Not only that, but she is sweet as can be. 
Thus, when searching for a photographer, consider out-of-the-box options. Sometimes you can find people on IG or even students at a local university, who won't charge $1,000 for a holiday card shoot, but are just as talented. I also recommend choosing a photographer who is friendly/nice to work with. I mean, you are taking family photos, this person should be able to make your kids laugh. They should also make you feel extremely comfortable. Sometimes holiday card shoots can be a-wkward. Choose someone who makes the shoot fun for everyone, and who you feel comfortable around! The best photos are the most natural.
​Last point on this, be sure and take note of the type of filters that your photographer uses. You can tell the type of filter by looking at the image and assessing the type of "vibe" or "mood" that the photos give off.  Think Instagram filter. What filters do you like? Do you like a faded look? Do you like a bright/colorful look? Do you like black and white? Do you like deep/moody colors? Do you like a bright skyline? Again, the final editing schematic gives the photos their overall vibe and mood. You can see that our photos have a colorful, yet sepia tone to them, emphasizing the warm sky line. To me, Merritt's editing is perfect. Pay attention to the way your photographer edits and if you want a particular "filter", show them examples.

What time of day should I take my photos?
The time of day you take your photos is almost as important as the photographer you select. If you take your photos when the sun is too bright, your photos will end up overexposed. If you take your photos when there is not enough light, the photos will be too dark. The key is to take your photos earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon - when the sun is just right.
For fall/winter shoots, aim for a shoot before 10am or after 4pm. For spring/summer shoots, aim before 9am or after 5pm. 

How do you get your kids to look at the camera?
​We were lucky and Merritt actually brought two of her sweet friends to the photoshoot. They clapped and cheered to make the boys look at the camera. They also bribed Lincoln with candy and cookies (which I fully pioneered and encouraged). Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
In hindsight, I wished I would have brought a bright toy for the baby and some treats for Lincoln. The bright toy would have been a focal point for the baby and the treats would have allowed Lincoln to get an instant reward after smiling!
I also recommend taking some shots in which the kids aren't looking, but instead you are just "being" with your family. Some of my favorite photos are candid. Maybe you won't use this for your card, but they are the best keepsakes.


What is your biggest recommendation for holiday cards?
I have two recommendations: 1) again, do something this is totally representative of your family, and 2) make it a fun outing. Starting with the former: do something that embodies your family... My sister-in-law's friend uses a photo of her kids crying hysterically while sitting on Santa's lap. She uses this photo for her Christmas Card every year and it is the funniest thing ever. It embodies her and her family in a fun and unique way.
For my family, (or mainly me ha!) it is important that we take the photos seriously - meaning putting in some effort. Personally, holiday card shoots are so much fun for me; it is the time of year where mama gets to shine and I can execute my inner creativity. I live for the planing and the details: the setting/location, photographer, makeup, hair, outfits, etc ... literally, it is what I am passionate about as a mom and there are only so many opportunities for me to do things like this throughout the year. Therefore, I had fun with it and I'm not ashamed to say that I take holiday cards seriously... because that is me! Aside from me, me, me - I knew I wanted it to be adventurous and something we'd enjoy doing. In saying all of this, I am thrilled with how the photos turned out and how representative they are of our fam!
In sum, I think it is always authentic to do what suits you and your family. If you are a funny family, do something funny. If you are a family that likes to get dressed up, do that. If you like outdoor adventures, do that. If you don't care, do that! Christmas cards are a reflection of you and your family, it is best to do something that you feel comfortable doing and something you'll remember as totally YOUR family!
Lastly, make the photos FUN. Holiday photoshoots can either be a pain in the you-know-what or they can be one of the highlights of the year. One recommendation to make the shoot fun is to make it a fun outing for your family; maybe something you've never done before, like adventuring to a Christmas Tree Farm. By making your photoshoot fun, it'll make for great photos and will be something you always remember.

The SoundBub by WavHello is one of my favorite products by far! We use it everyday to soothe Banx to sleep. We play the white noise all night and if it's fully charged it will last the entire night without the battery dying. I love how compact and soft it is. It makes on-the-go ultra easy. And Ollie actually acts as a bluetooth speaker, so I can play any music for a little interactive playtime with B- it's incredibly useful. I literally take little Ollie the owl everywhere we go, and I'm thinking about getting one more to keep in the car so I don't forget him! I don't particularly like using my phone for white noise unless it's for emergencies (AKA a screaming baby). Keep the phone a good distance from baby is a good idea due to radiation. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHY.
Some of the best features include:

1. Plays white noise
2. Clips to stroller, carseat, and crib
3. Has 30.60.an 90 min timers OR continuous play
4. BLuetooth capability- plays musics, etc.
5. Records voice messages, lullabies, and stories. Download Voice Share Mobile App for FREE

Number 5 is by far the most unique and fun feature because it allows anyone, say grandma and grandpa, to download Voice Share on their phone and record a little message or song so baby can listen and recognize their voice at ANYTIME. I just LOVE this!

I don't know about you, but I gave birth to Edward Scissor Hands! Without these little mittens, Banx would scratch the heck out of his face when he was 0-3 months. We tried various mittens, but these were the best by far because they actually stayed on!
Some of the best features include:

1. Soft and Safe Fabric- Machine-washable, 70% bamboo/30% organic cotton blend is breathable, naturally antimicrobial and environmentally sustainable
2. Adjustable velcro straps- for easy application
3. Breathable- Allows enough room for baby to stretch his fingers- Most mitts I tried confined his little hands or were very difficult to get on him.
4. Functional Design and Pretty- you just can't go wrong

Goumi Kids was created by two rockstar moms. They are making life much easier for new moms as well as well as helping to support communities around the globe by donating 10% of their sales to families in need. I think I want to be their friends. : ) Now go get yourself these amazing little mitts and check out the rest of their wonderful products at goumikids.com. You won't regret it. ; )

I'm completely in love with my Kindred Bravely Organic Cotton Nursing and Sleep Bra. If you know me, I'm a huge proponent of anything organic- especially when it comes to sleepwear since we spend much of our time sleeping and with chemicals, or not, from clothing directly on our skin. Baby benefits from this, too! The crossover keeps my large and in charge boobs separated when I sleep and makes for easy middle of the night feedings with a simple and easy pull to the side movement. 
Some of the best features include:

1. Comes in six pretty organic colors
2. ​Made For Comfort- has no underwire
3. Functional- can be used for sleeping support, pregnancy, nursing, post surgery, yoga- you name it.
4. Beautiful Design- I feel sexy in it and provides enough support without being tight while I sleep
5. Ultra Soft and Stretchy Organic Fabric- even my husband loves it! (90% Organic Cotton, 10% Spandex).

I highly recommend this bra, mamas!! And I want it in every color. GAH!
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They even make it simple for you to start your diaper journey. They offer 3 different variety packs at 3 different price points- the Mega Mom, the Newborn Babe, and the Prepared Parent. And for a 4th option, you can customize your diaper pack. Winning! And just think how happy your baby will be when you find the perfect diaper and without breaking the bank. Mama and daddy like!

Basq NYC has the perfect Stretch Mark Butter. And if you are looking to prevent them, try their 9 Month Stretch Essentials Kit for your pregnancy or that of a friend. : )

Well isn't this just the strangest/coolest invention ever?! If you're anything like me, you highly dislike wasting your precious milk. Milkies Milk Saver saves your milk while you are nursing/pumping the other side. It is a simple design that easily can go with you anywhere. Instead of leaking through your shirt or soaking thru your nursing pads, the Milkies Milk Saver "saves" your precious milk. It may seem a little ridiculous and you're probably wondering the same thing I was..."It can't be THAT useful. Well, when I gave it a whirl, I realized just HOW MUCH milk was actually being saved! Now that's worth it right there! The patented container can hold up to 2 ounces of milk and the protective lid prevents the milk from spilling. 

Hay hay mamas!

With Christmas literally around the corner, now is the time to begin planning your family holiday cards. While there are many details involved in planning Christmas cards, I wanted to focus on mama today. God only knows we deserve to be pampered for all of the hard work that we do. Why not make the pampering scheduled on the day that you can show it off? On your holiday card, of course!

Thus, in this post, I will be talking about MOMMY'S holiday card look: how to look and feel your best for your holiday card photos. This year, I felt amazing and beautiful (despite being heavier than I normally am), and you know what, I deserve to look and feel amazing. I work my booty off as a mama and a lot of the time I don't get to dress up or be pampered as much as I would like to. Therefore, make this day not only about your family, but also about you. You deserve it, girl.

In this post, I will share an overview of my holiday card:
​

• Makeup
• Hair
• Outfit
• Nails
• Exercise + Nutrition

If you know me personally, you know that I am passionate about makeup and pretty much wear a full face of makeup daily, so I figured I'll start by sharing my favorite holiday makeup routine.

PRODUCTS​
SKIN/FACE

• Primer: ​MAC Prep + Prime
• Foundation: Clinique Super Balanced (no SPF) AND Mac Studio Face + Body
• Concealer: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer
• Mineral Powder: Laura Mercier Mineral Powder
• Bronzer: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish
• Blush: MAC Powder Blush "Peaches"
• Cheek Highlighter: MAC 'Mineralize' Skinfinish

EYES

• Eye Primer: MAC Eyeshadow Brule 
• Eye Shadows: MAC Warm Neutral Times 15 Eyeshadow Palette
• Eye Liner: MAC Black Liquid Eyeliner
• Mascara: MAC 'In Extreme" Dimension - 3D Black Lash' Mascara
• Fake Eyelashes: MAC 36 Lash
• Eye Lash Glue: Any; I like MAC best. Duh

EYEBROWS

• Eye Brow Kit: Anastasia Beverly Hills Five Item Brow Kit (If you haven't colored in your brows, talk to someone about this kit at Nordstrom. I can't live without and it literally change the shape of my face. Amazing.)
  • Includes: Brow Shadow, Brow Brush, Brow Mascara + Tweezers

​
LIPS

• Lip Liner: MAC Redd Lip Pencel
• Lipstick: MAC Chili Lipstick
  

  4.  Apply eye shadow primer over the concealer (on eyelid all the way up to eyebrow). 
​
 5.  Apply eye shadow. I generally do a lighter, shimmery color on my eyelid. Blend. Then I add a darker, warm/brown color to the crease of my eye. Blend that in by making somewhat of a "V" shape, blending the crease and along the outer lash line, slightly with the color on the lid. Add one more color, slightly different but maybe in between the other two colors. Apply to the crease along that bone and down along lash line. ​*See image below for a similar look.

8. Apply lashes. Start by putting a dollop of lash glue on a tissue. Then trace the fake eye lash against the glue. Don't apply too much or too little glue. Be sure to apply a decent amount to corners of lash, especially (this is where the lash tends to fall off first, if at all). After applying glue, wave the lash in the air to dry for about 5 seconds, then bend the lash in a curved motion for flexibility, and apply. Be sure to apply lashes as close as you can to lash line! 
​
9. Apply remaining concealer to the bottom of eye and blend with a brush. I usually tap in a repetitive motion. *See image below for under-eye concealer application technique.

10. After you apply your concealer and have your eyes almost complete (with the exception of mascara and under eye liner/shadow), you will then do your foundation. I mix two foundation together - see the "PRODUCTS" list above for reference. I always use a blush and blend a decent amount, especially for family photos. I do more coverage than a daytime look. Blend foundation all over face, but be careful NOT to blend too much into where you have your concealer. You want a brighter look around your eyes, and a darker foundation look surrounding.

11. After you apply liquid foundation, I go in with the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder to set the foundation. I do this with a big, loose brush. Again, I am careful not to blend too much of this into the "concealer" parts of my face.

12. Next, apply bronzer. You will need to know how to contour!!! This is very important to bronzer application.  Contouring shapes your face and really makes your cheekbones and other sexy parts of your face "pop." I highly recommend learning how to contour. See the below image for more info. The "contouring" part, or where you apply the bronzer is along the darker dots. I use MAC Mineralize Bronzer. Using a brush, I make round motions along the designated areas you see in the photo. If the bronzer looks to "stark", you can go over it again with the powder brush to blend.

13. Apply blush. I used MAC Powder Blush in the color "PEACES". I apply blush by smiling in the mirror and putting it on the round part of my cheeks, slightly above where you contoured with the bronzer.

15. Next, apply a highlighter to your cheekbone in a sideways "V" shape - along your cheekbone (above blush) and up to your eyebrow. Highlighters make ALL the difference, girlfriend. Don't skip this step. See below for more info on where to apply a highlighter. I use MAC Mineralize Skinfinish. It is the BOMB highlighter. I also apply highlighter down the top of my nose (lightly), on the tip of my nose and around the top of my lips. Sometimes I also apply to the inner corner of my eyes, just under my brows and to the center part of my forehead AND maybe even the butt of my nose. Man, I love highlighter.

16. Next, do the eyebrows. This is also a very important step because eyebrows shape your face. I plucked the heck out of mine and almost NEED to color in my eyebrows everyday. Watch a brow tutorial if you need to and look at the above images (and on Pinterest) for eyebrow inspiration. Below is the basic idea. I could do a full post on brows - so just look it up this time around!

17. Go back to your eyes and you'll notice you'll need something under your eyes. I always go in with a lighter color eyeshadow to set the concealer and to make my eyes pop. I generally use Brule from MAC or some other lighter beige/white color. I also put the shadow on the inner part of my lower eye lid. Next, apply a darker shadow at or just under (depending on your eye shape/what look you're going for) your lower lash line. I used a brown shadow. I apply it from the outer corner of the eye, and not all of the way in. If you apply too far in, it'll "close up" your eyes. I like a doe-y, bright-eyed look, so I avoid the inner corner of my eye.

18. Next, apply a light coat of mascara to the top (you have lashes on so you don't need to overdo the mascara). Also apply a decent coat to the bottom lashes.

19. Now for the lips. Apply the REDD liner, tracing the outer shape of your lips. I always color in the corners of my lips both on the right and left side, upper and lower. Then I add CHILI to the center of my lips. Be careful not to apply red lipstick too early because it may bleed. I applied it literally right before we got out of the car. 

Presto, Gorgeous Mama!

I won't get into details about hair because everyone has different hair. All I know is that I wanted to make a statement with my hair this year. Like I said earlier, I don't often get to dress up and "go all out" with my hair and makeup, so why not have fun? Thus, for our holiday card shoot, I wore extensions. My hair isn't this long normally and having lost a ton of hair after birthing my son, V,  I wanted to add back some volume and length.

When I use extensions, I use clip-in extensions. For this shoot, I used two large strands. Before I put the extensions in, I washed and blow-dried my hair. I then put in rollers (not hot rollers -- yet, just regular rollers) to the crown of my head to add some volume. I wore these around the house while I played with the kids. Before I started my makeup, I then put in hot rollers, just to the crown of my head. If you can't tell, I really wanted volume.

After I took the rollers out, I added the extensions in, then used a thicker curling wand to lightly curl the remainder of my hair. I wanted a loose and natural wave. At last, I added Euphora Hair Spray. Ummmm, it's the best hair spray ever. It keeps the shape and doesn't weigh down your hair.

Funny story. I tried to convince Ryan, my husband, to do a pajama Christmas Card shoot. He totally denied me, saying that he wouldn't be caught dead doing a serious pajama shoot in the middle of a Christmas tree farm. Don't worry guys, I'm going to get him to do it, eventually. Anyways, because he denied my pajama idea, I needed something to wear so I went shopping. Yep, that's what he gets :)

I found my entire outfit online. It is so much easier to shop online than to go to the store. With kids it is nearly impossible to have an enjoyable and successful shopping experience, and I also find it is harder to find the things that I need in the store.  

If you are in the market for a holiday outfit, Revolve has the absolute cutest stuff and the most variety of options. I knew I wanted plaid, and they had like a zillion options. I also wore Spanx under my dress, just to keep it real. And, I wore the Lagos pearl earrings that the hub got me for my bday. Below are my outfit details:

Get your nails done! Not sure about you, but I feel so much prettier and more glamorous when I get my nails done. True story, I took BOTH boys to the nail salon with me the day of our holiday card shoot. I was desperate. I hadn't gotten my nails done in months and really, really, really wanted to feel pretty. I gave Lincoln my iPhone and played one-handed with V and also held him some of the time. The guy doing my nails also ended up holding him for a period of time. Serious. They were so nice and it was so worth it. Mama needed a mani/pedi. I chose a warm grey color; did gel on my nails and regular polish on my toes. Y'all, it makes a difference. Do it.

Since I went through postpartum depression/anxiety, I have gotten really into exercise. And not just walking/running here and there, like full-on hardcore exercise. It makes me feel like a million bucks and works wonders on my mind. Not only is it good for my psychological well-being, it also gives me energy like you wouldn't believe. I have come to know and love hardcore exercise and I highly recommend that you exercise on days that are important to you. Because why? Because you will feel your best.

For me personally, our holiday card shoot was important for many reasons. It is a memory that I will remember forever. We took the kids out to a magical Christmas Tree farm and created once-in-a-lifetime memories. I wanted to feel good and I wanted to have energy. The number one thing that helps me achieve those feelings is exercise.

In addition to mentally feeling great on such an important day, I wanted to look good and exercise helps me achieve a nice glow and literally makes me look/feel happier - which ultimately shows through in photos. 

Last but not least, try and eat healthy a few days before the shoot. You'll also want to ensure that you eat healthy the day of the shoot. I opt for green smoothies. Another important part of looking and feeling healthy is hydration. Drinking enough water will make you feel good, give your energy and also help you GLOW. If you want that beautiful glow, drink up!

Courtesy of Half Bake Harvest.