Long time, little Blog. Sorry about that. Life is just extra busy these days as is my business – so that’s pretty neat. :) Unfortunately, Blogging my sessions falls on the back burner.

A few quick notes about booking a birthday/cake smash session with me so it doesn’t get lost at the bottom:

1) I am currently scheduling sessions this Summer and beyond. July is mostly 100% booked for full birthday packages and cakes but I can probably squeeze a cake smash *only* in on a day I am already shooting. Please contact me ASAP. Please do not leave a comment under this entry as a way of inquiring about a session. Either directly e-mail me at gina@ginamillerdesigns.com or use this contact link.

2) I have put together a big spread of ALL of your background options for a portrait session (the part of the shoot before the cake comes out!) If you have a session already booked with me and want to peek, drop me a line! It will help us better plan what coordinates with your little one’s outfit. I always send out your background color options for a cake smash when we’re chatting via e-mail but if you need/want to see those as well, just ask!

3) I am going to be working on a NEW collage design and a NEW “One Year Old Fun Facts” design in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

4) Don’t forget about your storyboards and thank you cards! Check this album for lots of samples.

I’m going to share little CJ’s session today which I thought was adorable! I loved the backdrop we paired with his plaid overalls and then his Mickey Mouse-colored cake smash was perfect! Check out his storyboard. His parents ordered a copy and requested the Disney font. Love it!

Have a super day!

Doodled banner used above designed by Kate Hadfield.

I am having quite the busy week over here! 7 sessions in 6 days and a little bit of everything at that: newborn boy, newborn girl, birthdays, sibling studios, cake smashes and if the weather cooperates tomorrow evening, my very last family session. The kids have had their usual lacrosse, swimming, soccer, computer programs. The older two had their Spring concert last night (this year we have a member of chorus and a member of recorder ensemble). It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and we put together goodies for the teachers. I was also in charge of putting together a scrapbook for Andrew’s 3rd grade class.  Like I said, busy busy busy.

Two important things:

1) Please be patient if you’ve e-mailed me this week. I plan on returning all of those e-mails over the next 24 hours. If you sent your e-mail earlier than that, please re-send. Sometime they get lost in cyberspace.

2) FB is being a real bummer and showing my posts to something silly like 295 out of 1500+ people. :( I will not show up in your newsfeed if you don’t interact with me on my page! Please take the time to comment on an image you like or even just clicking LIKE here and there should do it. Thanks!

I took some photos of the new plants around my front yard yesterday. We finally got around to planting some new stuff out there a few weeks ago and my rose bushes took off. One pink and one red. Looking at the photo above, I keep getting a quote in my head of my new favorite show Duck Dynasty. Hilarious! Does anybody watch it? Sooooo funny! I put a quote on my FB from Uncle Si the other day and I’ll share it here too. Here’s your Friday advice from me. ;)

“You can smell the roses but hey, smell them quick, or a bumblebee is liable to nail you”. – Uncle Si

Take time to smell the roses this weekend, Jack! Happy Mother’s Day mommies!

It’s International Scrapbooking Day – a day to get creative and preserve those memories for future generations. What could be more fun that that?

Here are my new releases this weekend. My entire shop is 30% off! Go. Shop. Create. Enjoy!

**CLICK HERE FOR MY SCRAPBOOKING SHOP**

p.s. Follow my GMD Facebook page this weekend for lots of giveaways!

Ava’s cake smash turned out incredible! I wasn’t sure I would find mint green balloons at the last minute but I did, and they matched perfectly! I love that we put her on light gray. It’s so different and really allowed her skin tone to pop. We’re family friends with Ava’s family and were invited to her first birthday party. As part of her gift, I had her cake smash collage printed at a generous 16×16 size and mounted on foam board. I bought a pretty easel to display it on and Mom set it up at her party on the cake table. This makes a really cute visual for the party guests to look over. Ask me how you can get one for your party as well! (**Since my turnaround time hovers around the 2 1/2 week mark, your session needs to be scheduled at least 3 1/2 weeks before the party date in order to ensure this is ready for your celebration).

Happy Birthday Ava!

Contact me to book your cake smash today!

I got so many great shots of this little princess. She was so cooperative – can’t beat that! Mom brought along the miniature ballet slippers and I got to test out my brand new crown. I am in love with the first image! The cropping was a creative liberty I took to pair with the quote. I gave Mom the un-cropped version as well on her disc. ;)

p.s. I love putting little girls on blue!

Great seeing you again Kim!

Emma was such a sweet pea. I have used this white picket fence drop numerous times now, and every time I finish editing a shot with it I fall in love all over again. Isn’t it realistic looking? I loved Emma’s gray paired with it.

Happy birthday cute girl! It was a pleasure meeting you. :)

Kenley ~ what a beauty! We completed her session in a solid hour! She was a champion sleeper. We actually spent the second hour trying to wake her up for some open-eyed shots (to no avail). Guess I can’t win them all. ;) She was so good though, and let us dress her up and use lots of different blankets and color combos. I just love the way her gallery turned out!

Thanks for allowing me to capture your little princess Kristy!

Have a beautiful day!

I was putting together a new collage of thank you cards for my Facebook page and though that it would be great to share them here as well. This way when a client tells me they are unsure of what color scheme or “look” they are going for with a smash, there will be a visual landing point where I can send them to gather some inspiration. Check out all of these awesome colors!

{clients} A sample cake smash collage and thank you card are included in your finished gallery when it is sent over! These items are not included on your disc unless purchased. 9 out of 10 clients end up ordering the collage as a 12×12 print, a matted piece of art to display and/or cards for a birthday party. All of the work is done for you!

**Please keep in mind that all colors are subject to change based on what your little one is wearing, skin tone, hair color, etc. I use a mixture of natural and studio lighting for birthday sessions so the end result regarding the way smash papers are photographed is based on our actual session and cannot be 100% accurately determined ahead of time.**

Even though I’ve shared these as I’ve shared each client’s session, here’s a good sampling of the storyboards alone ~ another great visual tool when deciding what you want YOUR cake smash to look like!

(note} Balloons come with Birthday Package A – not the cake smash when booked alone (Birthday Package B). You may bring them in yourself if you wish, along with any other banners, cake toppers, etc.

Please, no large props for cake smash sessions. It takes the focus off the child + cake.

Interested in booking a cake smash for your own little one? Contact me today!

Have a SWEET day!

Bella ~ what a little sweetheart! Usually when a shoot starts, I tell Mom to “Bring him/her over to the backdrop and we’ll see what they do”. Because really, we just don’t know. Will they laugh right away? Will they cry and find the camera lady scary? (Hey, it happens). Bella kind of just sat there for a moment and then once we started clapping and cheering for her, she was ALL smiles. She loved the attention. Adorable!

Did you know that this little girl is one of my clients who lives furthest away? Her, her mommy and her daddy traveled all the way from Maryland for a newborn session last year and Mommy & Bella came back this year for birthday photos. I’m honored!

Have a beautiful day friends. I’m lifting up some additional prayers today for those affected by the tragedy in Boston.

Nora was the sweetest little girl! She wasn’t too crazy about the cake smash portion of her shoot but gave a really big grin when her big (3 year old) sister walked in mid-shoot, and I love the joy I captured on her face. I was also happy to bring out my flower garden backdrop. Didn’t her fact photo turn out adorable on there?

p.s. How funny is Cheerio cake?! We’ll try any and all tricks to get you to put your hands in that cake. ;)

Happiest of birthdays to you Nora. So happy to have met you and your family.

Have a sweet, sweet day!