Hillebrand Photography Blog » Unique. You.

I’m a couple of months late on the year and a half session, but hey, I do the best I can. The weather is FINALLy shaping up around here and it was so lovely to photograph my darling daughter in the warm, spring sun. It’s hard to believe that she’s almost 2! Time is certainly flying by just like everyone says it does. As usual, Lil Miss lacks no good thing in the wardrobe department largely in part to one our wonderful clients who generously donates her amazing hand-me-downs and an incredibly talented grandma who can knit/sew/stitch/create just about anything under the sun! Pictured below is a darling dress that she made from one of Gabe’s old shirts (Pinterest idea) and yes! Legwarmers!! Lil Miss is a full fledged toddler now with all kinds of personality. She’s still our somber-faced girl for the most part, but every once in a while, you’ll get a big toothy smile, a kiss blown your way, or a wide-eyed “What’s that?!” Here are a few of my favorites:

To link to the full gallery, click here!! It’s password protected, so contact us if you’re interested in viewing.

We’re in the “calm before the storm” of wedding and portrait season. This means I get to blog some personal projects that I’ve been putting off for months! Like Lil Miss’s Christmas present: A DIY play kitchen! This was so.much.fun. I’m an avid DIY-er and when I saw this idea on Pinterest, I could not resist! Come hell or high water, I was going to make an entertainment-center-turned-play-kitchen. Of course, I couldn’t do this alone. Dear old dad, the usual innocent victim of my spontaneous DIY ideas, came along to help. (And let’s face it, there’s no way this thing would’ve happened without him!) After combing through page after online page of people who had gone before us in building a play kitchen, I had a plan and dad had the skills to make it happen. There were many late nights, sore backs, and red wine. It was all worth it because ta-daaaaaaaaaaa!!! We now have a pale turquoise, 1950s style kitchen complete with bead board backing, a “window” featuring a lake that I camped on when pregnant with baby girl, real vintage stove knobs that actually turn, a custom-made oven door that hinges open (still needs a rack inside), sink, faucet from another play kitchen, chalkboard and magnetic painted fridge and freezer (we will add more shelves as she gets bigger), and a sweet little pantry with a vintage glass knob. Look at how stinking cute this thing turned out to be:

A little before and after (excuse the junky before pic, it’s a screenshot from the ad on Craig’s List):

The work process went a little something like this:

So dang fun!!! Can’t wait for Lil Miss to grow into it a bit more. We have many tea party years ahead of us.