Mom gold: the silhouette version

I've been searching for someone to make a silhouette print of my girls for MONTHS. I just got it stuck in my head that I had to have one made and now here we are. It happens. And then a few short weeks ago I stumbled upon @dapperanddarling_ on Instagram and my prayers were answered! First I couldn't believe how pretty they were...and then as I started clicking and reading every page of the website (dapperdarling.com) and found myself saying things like these are seriously watercolor? How quickly can I get this made and hung on my wall? How do I choose which wreath detail I want? Turns out I couldn't choose and I ordered the plain old black and white, no wreath. (But that's not entirely accurate, I actually stuck true to my deep love for grey and got the charcoal color. And it's AMAZING, but more on that later.)

....and then I saw the necklaces! And then my cart runneth over. #noregrets

So here's the gist of it: according to the site, each silhouette and every tiny detail are "hand illustrated using pen and digital paper to captured and enhance characteristics from the lips, noses, and hairstyles as well as eyebrows and jawlines, all of which help define a persons’ personality and make it look more like them. We take the traditional silhouette illustration and then digitally overlay it with hand painted watercolor washes to create a piece of art that brings the love and life of your child." Amazing. YES PLEASE.

The process of sending in your pic is super simple - I did my whole order using my phone. And taking the pics was way easier than I thought it would be. I gave Belle some pancakes and then sneakily snapped her pic. And for Rosie I just sat her on a bench sideways in front of the wall in our playroom and that was that. Word to the wise, for girls with longer hair past their collar bone, they recommend putting hair up in a pony or bun, and they're right. It looks way cuter that way. They offer other tips for getting the perfect shot here (click the Upload Your Photo tab for tips).

Another reason why I love this company/website: they're a small business, a team of 6 moms/husbands/wives/adorable people to be exact. And they're very responsive and accommodating and overall just a joy to work with. I even responded to the proofs by asking if they could make Rosie's hair look "less mullety" and Belle's to be "less messy" and they worked their magic in a matter of hours and sent me a new proof that was perfection.

Here's what I sent:

And then I checked the mailbox every day until it all arrived. Which was pretty darn fast. Now I just have to buy a frame, figure out where to hang this beauty and I still need to decide on a wreath because I want individual silhouettes for the girls rooms now, too. Because of course I do.

The finished products:

Pictures are one thing. Believe me, I'm a big picture taker and memory book maker. But nothing says childhood keepsake quite like a simple silhouette. It's more than a photo. It's the little flips in their hair, and Rosie's chubby little under-chin. Belle's messy pony and those lashes. Can we talk about those lashes? Separate from a picture, it holds memories that only I can see because it was just me and them there in that moment. I see sprinkle pancakes and Belle watching the birds outside our kitchen window while I snuck over to snap her pic. And Rosie laughing and saying "cheese!" while I tried to get her to stop turning toward me and to look straight. And it's the pic right before the final one I used where she was sucking her thumb and holding her lovey, rubbing it on her cheek. Oh, how I wished I could capture all of that in a silhouette....but instead it's in my memory and mine alone. And while everyone sees this beautiful final product, I see all those other details. And for me, that's the real gift. That's what I will see hanging on my wall for the rest of time. That's mom gold right there.

*this is not a paid endorsement.