Of course we love princesses and race cars, animals and mermaids, but as creative types and designers of personalized baby gifts, we’re really into cool, fun fonts.
We love the quirky monster shapes of the Monsterrific personalized growth chart and the stocky letters of the Balloon Party and Up Up Away personalized growth charts.
Working with calligraphers Lindsay Letters on the Cupcake Cheer birthday shirt and Delightful Lettering Big Brother T shirt and Big Sister Tshirt designs and Kal Barteski on the Birthday Scribbles birthday tee and Bright and Bold Big Brother T shirt and Big Sister Tshirt designs was a total blast! It’s so much fun to work with other font obsessed designers.
And we did say we like animals, right? That’s why we incorporated some into a font with the Merry Menagerie Big Brother T shirt and Big Sister Tshirt. Other fun shapes? Toys in the Kids Play Big Brother T shirt and Big Sister Tshirt.
We’re always working on new fonts for our personalized baby gifts and can’t wait to share them with you.
P.S. Don’t forget you have until Sunday, 3/1 to get 15% off all personalized baby gifts. In honor of our 4th birthday, just enter happybirthday at checkout to save on all personalized onesies, 1st birthday shirts, and big sister tshirts and big brother t shirt designs, as well as personalized growth charts and alphabet posters.
Petite Lemon in Real Life: Jenny & Max
It’s been almost one year since we started our Petite Lemon in Real Life series and boy, do they make us happy! There’s nothing greater for us than to see the personalized baby gifts we’ve created being used to mark milestones in a little one’s life. But we must admit this one makes us especially verklempt as it’s from Jenny, our newest Petite Lemon family member who recently became a mama for the very first time.
Jenny fills us in here on new motherhood:
Our family experienced the best New Year’s Day on record. This little guy joined the party just in time to ring in 2015. I can’t begin to describe the joy we felt as we held Max for the first time. It was truly a miracle that we waited a long time for. We couldn’t believe he was really ours.
He is now almost two months old and he is changing every single day. Sometimes he’ll wake up in the morning and he looks different. It’s crazy how that works, but everyone keeps telling me they grow up so fast and I believe it.
What are some of the changes you’ve noticed in his personality since he was born?
Max is a lot more alert now than when he was born. He’s starting to make new noises and discover he has a little voice. Sometimes we are surprised what little noises come from him. He is also smiling a lot more, which makes a new mom proud.
How about you? What changes have you noticed in yourself?
I’m doing well. Motherhood came with a lot of adjusting that I didn’t quite anticipate. I’m a planner so I read all the books and did everything I could to make life easier after Max came home. I soon realized that Max hadn’t read the same books, so adjusting to a new normal has been key. My personality has always been go, go, go with deadlines and projects to accomplish. Motherhood is a completely different type of go, go, go. It was hard for me to let go of strict schedules and long to-do lists each day, but I’ve learned that being a mom is rewarding in different ways. The first time he slept five hours straight, or smiled, or when he cuddles close to me in my arms is a reward that keeps me going.
Has anything been easier than you thought it would be?
I have always been one that needs sleep. I was nervous to become a mom because everyone told me that sleep would be a thing of the past. Although this is mostly true, I have been surprised how much I can do with little sleep. And, when it gets too hard a ten minute nap here and there works wonders. It’s been so long since I had eight continuous hours of sleep, I probably wouldn’t’ know what to do with myself.
You had an adorable Mustache themed baby shower we shared with readers here. What are a few of your favorite gifts you received at your shower?
I loved all the fun gifts that I received from my baby showers, but there are a few items I couldn’t live without. I absolutely love the swaddling blankets that I received. Max loves to be wrapped tight when he sleeps, so these blankets have been a lifesaver. I also loved receiving a Moby wrap. When Max wants to be close to me, but I need both hands, I put him in the Moby wrap and he almost always falls asleep. Since Max was born in the winter, I loved receiving little onesies with mitts that covered his hands. He wore those for the first month straight. Not only did they keep him warm, but they kept him from scratching his tiny face. My favorite baby shower gift for myself was chocolate, because I think every day deserves a little treat to help you make it through!
Sum up your new experience into motherhood in one word:
Adventurous! (and the adventure continues every single day)
(Caption: Here’s the sweet boy himself, dressed in one of our personalized onesies of course!)
Thanks for sharing Jenny and welcome to motherhood!
If your little one has our personalized growth charts, big sister shirts, big brother shirts, 1st birthday shirts, etc., we’d love to hear from you! Please email us at buzz (at) petitelemon (dot) com and let us know which of our personalized baby gifts your kiddo has and they may be featured in an upcoming Petite Lemon In Real Life post.
Boy/Girl Shared Room Ideas
Sometimes there just isn’t enough room in a home for two little ones to have their own room or if they’re twins, it only makes sense for them to continue to share a womb, um, room. When it’s a boy and a girl though, that can create a design dilemma. Actually, it doesn’t have to. There are plenty of ways to create a shared space that works beautifully for both genders.
We’ve found some boy/girls shared nurseries we absolutely adore and chose one of our personalized growth chart designs that would work perfectly in each.
Eclectic and colorful with fun animal accents, just like the Zoo Friends personalized growth chart, this gender neutral room is equally sweet for a baby boy and girl. (Apartment Therapy)
Soft and pretty aqua with brown detailing and sweet baby photos make a shared bedroom really personal, as would adding the complementary Picture Me personalized growth chart. (Project Nursery)
We love the simple, yet colorfully whimsical nature of this room and would add pennant style personalized growth charts for each little boy and girl in the nursery. (Chic Cheap Nursery)
Have you created a boy/girl shared nursery? What colors and/or theme did you choose and which of our personalized growth charts would fit best with the design?
Nursery Decor Trends
PopSugar recently highlighted some nursery décor trends for 2015 and we chose a few of our favorites that we’re sure will become more than just a trend and will continue to be popular for many years to come.
Stylized Furniture – From super modern designed cribs to stylish poufs and settees, baby furniture is anything but infantile nowadays. Like adding a personal growth chart that complements or contrasts the room’s aesthetic, it’s about creating a custom look.
Dynamic Art – Not only does art give a nursery a bit of sophistication, hopefully it also inspires a child to be creative themselves. As designers of personalized baby gifts, we are behind this trend 1000%. (Shown: Doodle It Up personalized growth chart)
Sophisticated Color Palette – Nursery design has come a long way since the standard primary colors or simple blue and pink option. A whole assortment of hues are being used, including chic grays, graphic black and white, and shades of various Pantone Color of the Years. And of course we love it; it inspires us to have even more fun designing our personalized growth charts. (Shown: Perfect Pennant Personalized Growth Chart in Gray)
You can view the rest of PopSugar’s nursery décor trends here. Which is your fave?
And if you’re in the process of decorating a nursery, you’re in luck! From now until 3/1, our entire collection of personalized growth charts and alphabet posters, as well as personalized onesies, 1st birthday shirts, big sister shirts and big brother shirts are on sale. Just enter code happybirthday at checkout and get 15% off your entire order of our personalized baby gifts.
Confetti themed Birthday Party Ideas
Last week we highlighted some easy to decorate cakes and 1st birthday shirts that paired nicely with them to create a super simple but stress-free party for a wee ones’ big day. This week we’re continuing on that trend by rounding up some fun, festive and easy ideas using a confetti theme.
Confetti filled balloons are simply fun. Kojo Designs offers a quick how-to here.
Dress up a healthy glass of milk with a sprinkle covered rim for instant party fun. (Hostess with the Mostest)
Do birthday cake toppers get any cuter than these DIY Confetti Marshmallow numbers from Studio DIY? DIY instructions here.
The birthday boy or girl can get in on the action too with confetti patterned 1st birthday shirts. (Shown: Happy Confetti and Party One 1st birthday shirts)
This confetti sprinkle topped smash cake takes little effort, but makes a big impact. Simply adorable! (Betty Crocker)
Have you thrown a confetti themed birthday party? Did you give personalized baby gifts with that theme as well?
Decor Trend: Fake it Wallpaper
One of the newest design trends for nurseries are “fake it” wallpapers. With a white or neutral painted wall and some strategically placed wall decals a room can have a wallpapered effect but with a truly customized design. And as designers of personalized baby gifts, you know we love that!
We found some stylish nurseries that are all about this trend and paired them with our personalized growth charts that would up the design factor in each space.
Small star decals shine against a gray wall in this travel themed room with pops of aqua and red. The similar colors in the Vintage Circus personalized growth chart complement the nursery’s décor. (Project Nursery)
This nursery’s décor, with lots of bright colors and golden bee wall stickers, has a fun, sunshine-y feel. The yellow Design for Minikind personalized growth chart would add an extra dose of vitamin D quality style. (The Beetle Shack)
This sweetheart of a nursery is just so adorable we can’t decide if we’d pair the Picture Me personalized growth chart to complement the colors and shape of the puffs and paper lanterns or go with the All About Love personalized growth chart to match the heart decal “wallpaper” and make that theme even stronger. (Project Nursery)
Building shaped wall decals in a mix of brights and pastels turn a nursery’s wall into a make-believe ready space. The My Town personalized growth chart with its search and find characters would add another element of creative fun. (image via Brit + Co)
We love the “fake it” wallpaper trend for nurseries and had fun coordinating our personalized growth charts with each room. Which is your fave?
DIY Quilt Project
Time flies. And when you have kids, it’s like our fearless leader Paula says, “It’s supersonic!” That’s why we wanted to offer a DIY quilt project to help you hold onto memories of your little one’s favorite baby clothes, like personalized onesies, big sister shirts, big brother shirts, or 1st birthday shirts. These quilts will become cherished keepsakes that will be used for years.
Below are the supplies you’ll need, as well as the instructions.
Supplies
-Old baby clothes
-Scissors or cutting knife
-Ruler
-Cutting mat
-Sewing machine
-Pins
-Thick thread or yarn to tie baby quilt
-Fusible web
-Additional fabric for the back of the quilt
Instructions:
- Wash and dry all your fabrics and baby clothes.
- Iron any baby clothes and fabric pieces if necessary to make it easier to work with.
- Determine the size you want for your quilt squares and be sure to add a ¼” for each square for a seam allowance. Use a cutting mat and scissors to cut baby clothes into squares. Tip: When cutting up the baby clothes, be sure to incorporate the small ruffles, lace, icons, buttons, etc. to help remind of your baby in these clothes. It makes a great addition to the final quilt. Be sure to fasten buttons or snaps down securely.
- Trim fusible web to the size of your quilt squares and iron fusible web to the back of your squares (see fusible web packaging for additional instructions).
- Lay quilt squares out and determine what pattern you want then sew the pieces together in rows first and then sew the rows together to make quilt. Tip: Use a sticky note or piece of tape to number the pieces and rows. This will help you keep everything in order as you sew.
- Lay the back piece of fabric out (right side down) and lay the sewn quilt squares on top (right side up). Trim fabric to size for the quilt leaving enough fabric around the edges to allow you to turn and finish the quilt (about 4 – 5”).
- Pin quilt to the back piece of fabric. Use a needle and yarn to tie quilt. Tip: It’s easier to tie the quilt in the center of each square versus the corners of the squares.
- Fold fabric around the edge of the quilt, pin in place, and sew around edges to finish the quilt.
The Benefits of Siblings
Have you seen Real Simple Magazine’s new Instagram account @WomenIRL? It shows those not-so-perfect, messy moments we all experience but rarely share on social media and it makes us love Real Simple that much more. Another reason to love this resource of smarts and simplicity? Their recent article, “Why Siblings Are Good For Your Health.” As creators of big sister shirts and big brother shirts, not to mention parents and siblings ourselves, this scientific research reminds us that even when the two (or three or more) of our kids are fighting each other or working together to drive us up the wall, it’s all totally worth it.
You can read the whole article here, but here’s a quick overview of the benefits:
Having a sibling may make you more selfless.
(Shown: Something to Say Big Brother T shirt; Tweet Tweet Big Sister Tshirt, Over the Rainbow Big Sister Tshirt; Taped Up Big Brother T shirt)
They may improve our mental health.
(Shown: Under Construction Big Brother T shirt)
They make us happier.
(Shown: Bold & Bright Big Brother T Shirt, Big Sister Shirt, and Little Brother Tshirt)
Siblings keep us physically fit.
(Shown: Super Big Brother T shirt; Kids Play Big Sister Tshirt; Colorful Big Sister Tshirt)
They could help you live longer.
(Shown: Delightful Lettering Big Brother T Shirt and Big Sister Shirt; I LOVE You Pick tee)
So thank you to our own siblings and parents for making us better people, and one day we think our little ones will thank us for their siblings too.
Classic Decor: Rocking Horses
We love identifying great trends in nursery design and pairing personalized growth charts with rooms that utilize those trends, but there’s something to be said for the classic décor accent that never goes out of style. The rocking horse is a can’t-go-wrong piece of furniture that not only adds a charming accent to nurseries, it also will offer hours of enjoyment once baby is big enough to ride it.
We’ve rounded up some adorable nurseries that feature the timeless rocking horse and chose one of our personalized growth charts that would work well with each room.
We love the simple, clean lines of this nursery with beautiful shades of blues and a sleek rocking horse. The patterned 1 to 10 personalized growth chart would make an ideal addition to the space. (Lonny)
This soothing nursery has a nice touch of whimsy with its owl accents and adorable rocking horse (or is that a rockin donkey?). The Woodland Fun personalized growth chart would fit nicely into the mix. (Project Bambino)
Modern and minimalist, this nursery gets a dose of sweetness with a classic wooden rocking horse. The Design for Minikind personalized growth chart would complement the overall graphic look of the space. (Project Nursery)
A fluffy sheep rocking horse sets the tone for this restful feeling nursery with pops of cool aqua against relaxing neutrals, which reminds us of the Picture Me personalized growth chart. (Spearmint Baby)
No matter the style of a nursery’s décor, there’s a rocking horse that would complement or perfectly contrast it. We like to think the same can be said of our personalized growth chart
One Little Word 2015
It’s that time of year where we reflect on this past year and we take time to think about what we’re looking forward to in 2015. Since 2011, our team has taken a break from working with our line of personalized baby gifts to focus on the one word that best describes what we hope our year will encompass. You can read the previous posts here and continue on below to hear from our leader, marketing team members, and of course a few of our super talented designers of personalized growth charts, big sister shirts, big brother shirts, 1st birthday shirts, and more.
Paula
Last year, Paula chose the word EMBRACE and this year, she’s choosing the word YES.
“It’s simple. Say yes to what the year brings. Be open. Say no to certainty so you can say yes to new adventures and YES to what’s in store!!!”
Jenny
This is Jenny’s first year with Petite Lemon and her first year joining us with our One Little Word post! Jenny’s word that best represents 2015 is GROWTH.
“Growing always gives us the opportunity to be better. However sometimes, as good as it seems, growth does require its fair share of growing pains, and those growing pains certainly weren’t an exception. As a somewhat recent homeowner, my husband and I have spent countless weekends working to grow our house into what we feel comfortable calling home. We’ve moved 2 tons of dirt in a 24-hour period (thinking about that still makes me tired), planted a garden, built retaining walls, and removed trees. Through this entire process we’ve grown closer to neighbors, friends, and each other.
I’ve also grown in my career. After spending 12 years in the same industry, I made a change that has provided growth for me at the exact time it was needed. And lastly I’ve experienced a growing belly. My husband and I are so excited to welcome our first child into our growing home in just weeks. As I look back over the year, some of these growths were not sought after, but certainly helped me grow into a better me.”
Noelle
Last year, Noelle’s word was PATIENCE. This year, Noelle’s word is BALANCE.
“People always ask if women can have it all – a career, a relationship, and motherhood. I think that’s all possible, but the real question for me is, how do you keep it all in balance so one thing isn’t overtaking everything else? It’s not easy, but I think this year I need to focus on myself a little more and by making sure I’m happy and healthy, my family and my career will follow suit. That’s my hope for 2015!”
Catherine
In 2014, our dear Catherine chose the word Direction to focus on for the year. This year, Catherine has chosen the word ESTABLISH.
Ih-stab-lish
- to make secure or permanent in a certain place, condition, job, etc: to establish one’s usefulness, to establish a house
- to create or set up (an organization, etc) on or as if on a permanent basis: to establish a company
- to prove correct or free from doubt; validate: to establish a fact
Hillary
In 2014, Hillary’s our creative director, selected the word LEADER. This year, Hillary chose the word SIMPLIFY.
“This year I am all about simplifying. Simplifying my home. Simplifying how I work. Simplifying my wardrobe, etc. As I have been thinking about this over the last couple weeks I am so excited to get going on this. To me simplify can take on many different meaning, de-cluttering, downsizing, focusing on what really matters, etc. I feel like if I keep Simplify in mind this year, I will have more time do the things I love to do…spending time with my family and being creative.”
Jessica
For 2014, Jessica selected the word LOVE. For 2015, Jessica’s word is LIGHT.
“When I look back at my previous words, Faith, Adapt, Choice — and I go back to last year’s post, I reflect back on my feelings of how I felt that I’ve been searching for a solution for change. To fix myself. Last year I figured out that I don’t need fixing. I have value and worth as is. I made the shift and moved into a place of love. And now, I’m moving on to a place of light. To feel light, to spread light, to be light, to share light.”
So while we work on spreading joy through our personalized baby gifts, we’re also hard at work on ourselves and our families. Sound familiar? What’s your One Little Word for 2015?
