our news
I mentioned we had some news that we shared with our friends in our new years card (and a special thank you to our patient friends and family who actually sat down and de-coded the card!). We wanted to share our big news with my parents and our children Bee and C on Christmas morning, so we decided to tell everyone all at once.
I offered to help my parents with their Christmas card this year and decided to do a Family Tree showing how our family is growing (there were 3 new babies in 2009). My parents have six children (I'm the fourth) and between my siblings and I there are 14 grandchildren. While I had everyone together this summer for our annual family reunion, I asked each person to stand against a wall so I could take their photo (mug shot style, with a sideways profile..). Later I traced the photos in Illustrator to make silhouettes of each person in our family. The result was a family tree chart that we printed on 10x14 sheets of paper and folded in fours and mailed out as Christmas cards.
For a gift to my parents I printed a large poster size version, framed it in a simple black frame, and wrapped it up for them to open Christmas morning. My mom unwrapped the gift with Bee and C sitting next to her. Immediately Bee and C wanted to know where they were in the chart, so my mom pointed to their silhouettes. And that's when she realized that this chart had a new addition (fourth row).
A new little baby for our family. It was perfect. My mom screamed, and the children literally jumped for joy (they've been asking for a baby for over a year now). It might be the happiest Christmas morning ever.
03.3.2010
Reader Comments (114)
I love this family tree and the silhouettes are so clean and gorgeous too! A beautiful card! And the surprise?? Awesome idea and execution! Congratulations!!!
Wow. Brooke. I love the Family Tree design (I'm going to do one, too). And I can't believe you have so many comments. You're so freaking popular!
congratulations!! such exciting news and what a fun way to share it with your family. you are simply oozing with creativity. it's marvelous!
Congratulations to you and your entire family. What a beautiful gift.
Cheers
Engracia
Just the neatest idea ever! You completely awe and amaze me...
Congratulations and blessings!
Yay! What a fun way to share the news! Congratulations!
Congratulations! What a fun way to share the news. Totally beats me and my husband playing charades with our friends and him pretending he drew the movie "She's Having a Baby." (Everyone kept guessing it right, but he kept saying no, keep guessing. When the timer ran out he yelled, "No! MEGAN's having a baby." Scream, hug, kiss.)
What a lovely way to share the news with family.
Such a gorgeous way to announce your new arrival. Beautiful!
oh my god! this made me cry. SO SWEET. You're very creative! I love it.
i love your idea! what a great way to tell the news.
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!! How exciting! and creative way to share the joy!!
What a fun way to share! So happy for you. Babies are the most wonderful gift in the world!
Greta
That is wonderful news - and an amazing way to share it. Congratulations!!!
What a clever way to tell your family. Love it. Congratulations Miss Brooke!
p.s. great poster/card
This is great! Haha I couldn't help but thinking though about 'Amy' and how funny this poster is if your the one not married without children and hoping she is the kind of sister who can think this is just hilarious and have it up in her office or something.
Congrats!
And I'm totally borrowing this cameo idea for a gift for my grandparents (because what do you give people that have been together over 60 years?)
Congratulations!!!!!!!! What a wonderful way to share the big news. :)
Congratulations! That poster is sheer genius :-)
Wonderful! Babies are the best.