A Valentine Tea Party

The gift of motherhood is one that I shall never be able to adequately summarize. The ways in which these beautiful little people have opened my eyes to the incomparable joys of elegance and wonder in the most simple acts has been the most remarkable blessing. For many years I wanted to be able to articulate these blessings. I wanted my joy to be understood by those who did not share in our days. I tried in vain to document and relay my experiences through words and pictures, but I never felt that I could do justice to the overflowing state of my heart. What I have since come to discover, is that whether or not others can perceive my true gratitude for the life I get to share with my precious children, is no longer a matter of concern. My greatest prerogative is that my children themselves will see the light that pours out from my heart and twinkles in my eyes as I fully immerse myself in the privilege of sharing the pleasures of creating our beautiful life together.

While we share a great many of these memories and experiences, I find that I get the camera out less and less these days—but on occasion I will still document in order that these images may conjure up a whole variety of memories that include the dust of flour covering our clothes and cheeks and nose, the beauty of stamped cookies and the nostalgia of using antique cookie cutters. It’s rather a wonderful thing to watch how one set of pictures will open up a heart full of memories that hold such similar actions—time together, working with our hands, baking from scratch, and celebrating the splendor of the seasons in meaningful, old fashioned ways that connect us to the stories and characters we have come to love in our favorite books. Things I hope we will always hold dearly.

On another topic entirely, but still related to these pretty pictures, I’d like to share a short and meaningful story.

This past winter, I was granted the tremendous opportunity to accept a dream job, sharing in the incredible work of the The Village Green, as a product photographer! I am not exaggerating when I say that I had literally dreamed of this for many months. Often I have reached out to brands and shops that I love and I have acquired collaborations that have been a joy to share in. But with this particular dream, I drafted many an inquiry in my mind and never went any further. Something kept causing me to pause and wait. Then, one evening, I was stopped in my tracks as I saw the call for a remote photographer. The thrill of the possibility was so intoxicating, I put together my first resume and cover letter (or some resemblance of one) in 13 years. Just as soon as I hit “send” I suffered all kinds of self doubt, anxiety with imposter syndrome and wondering why I had even set myself up to be so sorely disappointed. Alas, I’m still pinching myself to be sure it’s real because I really did get the job!

There are so many reasons why I LOVE to be a part of this wonderful team, but one thing in particular is on my heart to share. It is the essence of The Village Green. When I’m working with their products, I feel like I am learning what it is to dive further into a world of crafting a beautiful and intentional life, embracing bygone traditions and craftsmanship, and reclaiming the value of an intentional HOME. Aspects I have long admired as an onlooker to the brand, but I find myself being further drawn into them through my work, so that I may portray an honest depiction of the spirit behind the products. It feels like such a tremendous gift when the heart of life and the heart of work come together in a beautiful harmony.

As the products come in and out of our home, we are all inspired by the beauty of each one. If it were up to my girls (and of course I feel the same), we’d purchase just about everything that I’ve photographed, though prudence beckons otherwise. But there are times when we have worked with a product that fits so perfectly in our hearts and home that I feel the value it adds is a worthy investment indeed. Featured in these pictures are products we have made our own and find a great deal of joy in: the Allium Cookie Stamp, the vintage hair bows (which the girls were rewarded with for being such splendid little models!), and while I did not do the product photography for the Beeswax Honeypot, it is one of the most beautiful and unique heirloom pieces we have had the joy of using for our tea parties and one of my favorite products in The Village Green Shop!

If you are new to this shop, I hope you’ll enjoy the many inspiriting aspects of their site, including beautiful art, wonderful playlists, and of course, a great many products that add such beauty to your everyday! And if you already love The Village Green, then I’m sure you’ll understand my elation with getting to be a part of something so very lovely!