It’s hard to believe that our little munchkin will be turning 2 in just a couple months. Where did the time go?! No, honestly. I know it sounds so cliché but I am constantly in awe of how quickly Quincy has been growing and learning and how easily I can sometimes forget when even the littlest yet still significant moments happened in the past 22 months. Just the other day, I was looking through photos on the computer – of moments captured during his first few minutes in the world, his first laugh, his first taste of real food, and his first steps. I was immediately overcome with heartfelt nostalgia and a sudden determination to get those photos off the screen and into something tangible and personal. So after sorting all of my most lived photographs by month, I created 2 gorgeous soft cover photobooks on Artifact Uprising, my absolute favorite destination for high quality photo prints. And of course, they also inspired me to add another personal touch – embroidery! It’s just a little something that makes these prints and books that much more special. So follow along as I show you how easy it is to do. And, stay tuned after the jump for a giveaway with Artifact Uprising that should not be missed . . .

You’ll need:

• Artifact Uprising soft cover photo books or prints
• tracing paper
• pencil
• thin needle
• thread

I love using Artifact Uprising’s soft cover photobooks, photo cards and square prints because of the unsurpassed quality as well as the fact that they are printed using a wonderful, matte textured 120lb paper. It durable and a dream to stitch by hand or machine. And if you’re worried about potentially ruining the cover of your soft cover photobook – something you spend time and money to create, you can always experiment with a single square print to acquaint yourself with the process. But trust me when I say it’s nearly impossible to mess this up!

Start by drawing your design on a piece of tracing paper. If you don’t feel comfortable with free hand drawing, you can print a design and then trace over it with the tracing paper. Lay the design on the desired spot and tape it down with removable, paper friendly tape like washi tape. Use a thin needle to pierce holes along the outline of the design. Remove the paper and tape.

Thread the needle with a long piece of thread. Triple knot it at the end. Push the needle from the bottom of the cover or photo.

Push the needle down through the second hole and back up the third hole.

Now slide the needle under the first stitch and back down through the third hole. That is your first chain stitch.

Thread the needle up the fourth hole, slide it under the second stitch and push it through the fourth hole.

Continue stitching until you’ve reached the end of your pattern or design. If the thread runs out you can just double knot it and start with another piece – coming up from the backside of the paper. Once you’re finished, double knot the thread and trim away any excess.

And that’s it!

A tip: with lines that intersect, you can continue the chain stitch by just threading the needle under the connecting stitches.

And that’s it!

I can’t wait to carry on the tradition of creating a photo book for each passing year. I also love the idea of taking handwritten notes and jotting down quotes now that Quincy is saying the darndest things!

With Mother’s Day around the corner, we’re partnering with Artifact Uprising to giveaway a $250 gift card so that you, too, can make memories tangible for yourself, your own mom or any amazing mamas you might now. Just sign up below to be entered – the deadline is April 27th. Good luck!!

ENTER TO WIN A $250 GIFT CARD FROM ARTIFACT UPRISING