How Travel Inspires Our Designs!

As one of our newest collections (Adventure journals and cards!) were beginning to come together earlier this year, it suddenly struck us how much our company ethos and aesthetic are shaped by a love of travel and adventure (you can see it in our Ocean collection, our new Outdoors and Adventure collections, and so much more!). Read on for a bit of insight into the Cardtorial design and production process, the many ways in which our work is inspired by travel, and Yvonne’s strongly pro-vacation stance. Then let us know how your travels shape you and your work!

 

 

YVONNE, OWNER
As a society, I feel that we’re often focused so much on doing what we think we need to be or should be doing. Travel / vacation allows me to find that space where I can think about what I actually want to be doing. It’s in that space that I can be my most creative self, find inspiration, and just get into the flow. Ultimately that comes from any vacation time, any time away from work, not just while I’m traveling. For me, that often involves surfing [pictured above]!

My parents are from Hong Kong, and because of our international background, I was lucky enough to visit a lot of other places at a young age, which really affected me and sparked my interest in travel. Travelling to new places peaks curiosity in a way that our day-to-day lives just don’t. To me, curiosity is what keeps life fun, what makes it worth living; travel is a quick fix to get myself out of a routine and stay curious.

 

 

KRISTIN, ACCOUNT MANAGER + PHOTOGRAPHER

This is a photo of the NYC skyline taken from a park in Brooklyn! I went to school in upstate New York and went into NYC any chance I got. Even now, though I’m back in LA, I try to find an excuse to take the trip out to New York as often as I can.

I find it to be a very freeing place to be – though there’s always something going on, it’s still very easy to be completely anonymous. As an art major, I found it to be a great place to be creative and explore, free of judgement. And, as someone who was really into street photography, there’s always something to shoot.

 

 

KAYLEY, OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE
This picture was taken during a recent trip up to Santa Cruz to visit my friend, Megan! It was a super fun trip and I was really happy to visit her. Travelling up north is something my family and I have been doing my whole life, but it feels like I enjoy and appreciate the trips even more as I get older. We even have specific places we always stop at on the drive up (like Pea Soup Andersens in Buellton — we love their pastries!). During this last trip, Megan and I decided at the last minute to travel up San Francisco to visit one of our mutual friends for the day. He was super excited and surprised, and we had a great day exploring San Fran.

Travelling is a great way for me to feel inspired. I love the feeling that even if I’ve visited a certain place many times, there will always be new things for me to see. I also love having the experience of being introduced to new places by people who live there! Megan took me to Saturn Cafe in downtown Santa Cruz for the first time, and now it’s one of my favorite spots.

 

 

LIZ, DESIGNER
Springtime in New England is always re-energizing. It’s like the slate has been wiped clean after a long winter (usually very long). Animals start coming out once more and new plants emerge. The air is sort of cold, but crisp and smells like pine. Nothing is better or more creatively refreshing than springtime in New England. (This photo is from a trip to Massachusetts that I took earlier this year to attend a wedding!)

 

MADDY, CUSTOMER SERVICE + MARKETING MANAGER
I’ve always found that I come up with my best ideas at exactly the moment that I stop trying to think of them (which I think it a pretty common experience). I’ve never been able to fully turn off my brain (to say the least), but travel at least allows me to refocus my attention, away from day-to-day responsibilities and towards the planning of a trip or the experiences of a new place. I’m not originally from Los Angeles, and lately, my trips are almost all back home to spend time with my family! They begin with a six-hour red eye back to the East Coast (not my favorite thing), but are filled with time spent wandering around our amazing local farmers market, relaxing on the beach, and hanging out with my parents (all some of my favorite things). These restorative trips—where I have nothing to do but relax, run errands with my parents, and read books—ultimately make me a more creative person. I think there’s truly something to be said for vacation making you a better person, and I’ve been really lucky to find that calm, creativity, and joy in my trips home to the mid-Atlantic.

 

Follow us on Instagram @cardtorial and be sure to stay tuned for more fun here on the blog!

How to be the best wedding guest ever!

 

Wedding season is on! You’ve put together your go-to wedding look (Cute, but comfy. Fun, but not too memorable — this dress has six weddings to attend this summer!), booked your tickets to each destination wedding, and are ready for some good times with friends and family. We’re here (with the help of some of our Instagram followers!) to pass along a few tips to make sure you’re the life of the party and finish out the next few months with the ultimate title: World’s Best Wedding Guest!

 

1. RSVP ASAP! Whatever you do, don’t lose that invitation. The sooner you RSVP, the happier the couple (and their florist, caterer, baker, event planner…..etc.) will be!
2. Along those lines: don’t assume that you’ll be able to bring a plus one if your invite wasn’t addressed to “and Guest.” Sometimes your friends want an intimate wedding or inviting more guests simply isn’t in the budget, and respecting their decision is key. Plus, meeting new people at weddings is the best! 
3. Send a card that won’t get lost in the mix. In the months preceding the big day, at the reception, and in the weeks after, the newlyweds will be inundated with cards. Be sure that your well wishes don’t get lost in the shuffle with one of our unique wooden greeting cards. The sustainable, American-sourced wood will set it apart and make sure it last forever. Add a custom engraved message, from you to the love birds, for an extra special touch! 
4. Mail your gift directly to the address provided on the registry, preventing any worries about lost presents or the inconvenience of making sure gifts get to the right place on the wedding night. Plus, less for you to carry when the party starts!
5. Aim to arrive at the ceremony about 30 minutes before it’s set to start. And whatever you do, don’t be late! No one wants to walk in when the bridal procession has already begun (we’re shuddering just thinking about it!).
6. Pick the perfect gift! You know and love this couple—make sure they see just how much with a present only you could chose for them. Was the bride an English major when you met in college? Our I Carry Your Heart wooden keepsake box is the perfect literary-inspired place for her to store trinkets, cards, and photos from the wedding. Does the groom have an amazing green thumb? We suggest the fun Desert Garden or lovely Floral Heart designs, in that case!

 

 

We took to social media to ask our Instagram followers: what makes an amazing wedding guest? We had so much fun reading through so many awesome responses! Here are some of our favorites:

 

“A great wedding guest will take lots of photos and make a surprise wedding book as a gift for the newlyweds. I also suggest that when you see the bride, you quietly ask her, ‘What can I do for you right now to help you enjoy this day?’ Really, it works!” — Marian, Pennsylvania

 

[For that lovely surprise photo book Marian suggested, we happen to have the perfect albums! We suggest customizing the cover with an engraved message, like the couple’s names, wedding date and location, or a meaningful quote, to make this sweet surprise extra special.]

 

“My wedding guests were awesome in conducting a surprise flash mob by learning my favorite song in American Sign Language (I’m deaf).” —Kay-Yun, @blunarwhale, California

 

“I think an awesome wedding guest should never leave the dance floor empty, to see people enjoy their wedding would definitely make the bride and groom happier.” —@nurdandemir, London

 

“RSVPs on time and shows up on time. Abides by the dress code.” —@politalabonita, Oakland, CA

 

“Take pictures! When you’re the bride, you don’t get to hang out with people as much as you want to, so seeing other people’s pictures is so much fun. It’s like reliving the best party from everyone else’s perspective.” —Kimmie, New York City

*Some quotes were edited for length and clarity.

12 Creative Ideas to Fill Your Baby Memory Book!

 

Your kids are napping and you finally have a moment of peace and quiet. It’s time to grab your Baby Memory Book and flex those creative muscles! The only question: what are you going to fill this family keepsake with? We put together 12 ideas of creative, fun, and meaningful things to include in your Baby Book, crowdsourced from the Cardtorial team and our own parents, to help make sure you don’t miss a thing from baby’s first year of life! 

 

1. A list of popular songs, movies, and TV shows, and current events from the month of your baby’s birth. Tape the front page of the newspaper from the day of her birth within the book’s pages!
2. Your scratchwork of names you almost named him. (Fun fact: three of the women here at Cardtorial were almost named Hannah…but our parents changed their minds at the last minute! Clearly a pretty popular name for Millenials!)
3. Your cravings and favorite foods from this pregnancy — the weirder the better! Pickles, sauerkraut, olives… whatever it is, it’ll be a fun anecdote to look back on someday.  
4. A bundle of letters written to your baby from her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, and close family friends.
5. The answer to this adorable question: do people say you look more like Mommy or Daddy?
6. Describe in detail the moment you realized you were pregnant — what was going through your mind? How did you feel? How did you share the news with your partner? And tape in those ultrasound photos, if you have them!
7. A list of your baby’s favorite foods each month! Sweet potatoes & bananas might not seem like super exciting content, but trust us—it’ll be adorable to remember your little one’s favorites in a few short years.
8. The titles of some of the books you read them early in life. For an avid reader, being able to look back on their earliest favorite books will be precious.
9. Their first work of art— whip up some edible finger paints, a safe way for your little one to explore their artistic side. Since paper is probably going to get ripped up or eaten, let her paint on a safe, easily cleanable surface, then simply place a piece of paper on top of the creation, smooth, and peel away to save their first masterpiece. Very cute for any future art school graduation announcements!  
10. Some of your favorite “Congratulations!” cards and notes from loved ones. You’ll receive tons of them, but a handful will be particularly moving and deserve to be saved.
11. Your hospital band!
12. A description of your baby’s first laugh. When was it? What were they laughing at? How did you feel hearing your little one express pure joy? This might seem like a simple one, but trust us: it’s going to mean so much in the years to come!

 

Follow us on Instagram @cardtorial for more on our new Baby Memory Books, and be sure to stay tuned for fun here on the blog!

 

Meet our brand new Baby Memory Books!

We’ve been so excited to introduce you to a brand new member of the Cardtorial family, one of our favorite products ever: our Baby Memory Books!

We put a great deal of love, time, and care into designing what we believe is the perfect Baby Memory Book for you and your family! Each handmade book features one of two adorable cover designs — Dear Little One and May You Grow. The forty pages inside are filled with thoughtful prompts and designated spaces for family photos and trinkets. One of our favorite parts? A super charming, yet totally modern hand painted watercolor design, which graces each page of the book.

Our Baby Memory Book is super customizable, making sure that each book is completely personal to you and your family (even if this becomes your go-to keepsake for each of your kiddos—you’ll always create a totally unique keepsake about and for him or her!).

We wrote the prompts to be super open ended—if you’re the type of person who feels right at home with a glue gun in hand, there’s a ton of room to be creative with what you write and include in your child’s book. However, we also created something fool-proof (AKA great for the mom who has never even thought about visiting the scrapbooking aisle!).

Helping you preserve memories and celebrate the people you love most have always been two core tenets of our design philosophy here at Cardtorial. Creating a book that allows you to preserve your child’s earliest memories—a true selfless act of love, in what can often be a very chaotic time of life—felt like a truly natural fit for us!

Our hope is that this Baby Memory Book becomes a treasured family heirloom and a meaningful gift for your child in the next 18, 21, or even 30 years of their life and beyond…a book of memories to last many lifetimes!

Follow us on Instagram @cardtorial for more on our new Baby Memory Books, and be sure to stay tuned for fun here on the blog!

MOTHER’S DAY LETTERS TO MOM: PART IV

Mother’s Day is this weekend, can you believe it? Oh, how time flies!

 

We’re so happy to bring you our fourth and final installment of our Letters to Mom series! We asked 11 awesome moms to share a letter to their own mother or a mother-figure in their life, celebrating what makes their family unique and what lessons they hope to pass on to their own children. We’ve been so moved by the incredible tributes to mothers, mother-figures, and children that these wonderful women have shared with us. Thank you for following along and being a part of a campaign so near and dear to our hearts!

 

And, remember to follow us on Instagram for even more fun!

 

 

“Growing up, I didn’t know my father, but I was lucky to be raised by strong women. My mom and grandmother have always taught me to be brave in the midst of life’s challenges. I couldn’t have asked for better role models for my dear girl. Mom, thank you for teaching me strength and courage. I already see these qualities developing in Emma; she is unyielding, fearless, and passionate! I hope to fill this memory box from @cardtorial with photos of Emma’s childhood adventures and love letters from me.”  –Arriane, of @arriane

 

 

“I’ve been blessed with a mother who has the biggest heart. Growing up, she would always read and sing to me. A favorite song was, ‘You Are My Sunshine.’ She’s always stressed how important it is to read and sing to the little ones to stimulate their brain. This is something I’ve always tried to make sure I do with my children every day. Having the opportunity to give her grandchildren and watch her open her heart and show my babies so much love has been the best.” –Sheila, of @sheilamadrigal

MOTHER’S DAY LETTERS TO MOM: PART III

With less than one week until Mother’s Day, we’re so happy to bring you our third installment of Letters to Mom! We asked 11 awesome moms to share a letter to their own mother or a mother-figure in their life, celebrating what makes their family unique and what lessons they hope to pass on to their own children.

 

Follow us on Instagram for even more Mother’s Day fun!

 

 

“To my Mama—

Where do I even begin??? Do I begin with what a strong beautiful woman you are inside and out? Do I begin with the all of the memories I hold so close my heart from growing up and you are always in them? Do I begin with you supporting me in times you probably were not 100% sure about?

Thank you for trusting me in all of those moments. All of those times have shaped me into who I am today and this life that I am living. You are the best of the best and I am so lucky to call you mine. You have taught me more than you will ever know and I am thankful for that every day. Also, it makes my heart so full that Riley loves you just as much as I do. I won the mom lottery and I hope you always know that! I love you Mama!” —Jules, of @lawnparty

 

 

“My darlings, my prayer for you is that you love others with all your heart, as Christ first loved us. That you stand firm in what you believe in and fight for what is right. That you know that you were fearfully and wonderfully made. I pray that you are a light to all the darkness around you. That you choose kindness over anger. And that you know you always have a place to call home. My arms will always be open. My ears will always be there to listen. I’ll wipe away your tears and help you fight your battles. I’m so proud to be your mother and call you my own. My greatest privilege is loving you and your father and being your mama is my greatest joy. ✨

🌿 Memory box is from Cardtorial that I’m filling with letters like this one above to give to my children when they are grown ✨” —Julianna, of @my_wildflowers

 

 

“Before I had Oliver, I thought I knew what being a mom would be like. What I didn’t expect were all the late nights taking care of a sick baby, surviving off only a few hours of sleep every night, the worry, the fears & most of all, the indescribable love you have for another human being. Even though I was grateful for you, Mom, I didn’t realize the sacrifices you made for us & the love your mama heart felt. So, Mom, everything I am, you helped me to be & for that, I am forever thankful for YOU. This beautiful frame made from alderwood is from one of my favorite shops, Cardtorial! Every item is truly meaningful & perfect for Mother’s Day.”  —Lisa, of @darlingnightingale

 

 

 

 

The Cardtorial Mother’s Day Gift Guide is here!

She’s your best friend, your confidant, and your #1 fan…and all since day one! We love Mother’s Day here at Cardtorial, so we rounded up some of our favorite gift ideas for your mom or a mother-figure in your life. We found something for every mom—each and every one of our suggestions comes from a fellow small business, and has been tested and checked out in person by our team, so you can feel good about your purchase! Read on to find something great…but just a warning to our Cardtorial team moms: maybe sit this one out until after May 13th (AKA Mother’s Day this year!).

Photo by @raising.little.women

I Carry Your Heart Wood Box [pictured above]
Your mom is a collector. She still brings out baby photos, kindergarten artwork, and souvenirs from family vacations whenever you visit—you name it, your mom keeps it. She’s the family historian at this point! So what’s the perfect gift for the mom who collects everything? A beautiful, handmade wooden keepsake box to store it all in…you can even customize it for an extra special touch.

M.Greenwood Jams
To taste M.Greenwood Jams is to love M.Greenwood Jams! We had the chance to sample a wide variety of this talented, super sweet mother/daughter duo’s offerings, and we were so impressed by every flavor. With both sweet and savory options, their unique creations are the perfect gift for a foodie mom, maybe even one who’s hard to shop for. We recommend Summerberry (one of their most popular flavors, made with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) or Sunshine (made with carrots, orange, and tumeric). Yum!

Botanical Frame
We’ve all been there: it’s the night before Mother’s Day and you realize you totally blanked on a gift. You run to the drugstore, grab a cheap frame, and print the first family photo you can find. Not this year! You know your mom deserves the best. Instead, take time to find the perfect photo, to show off in a beautifully engraved frame made to last as long her love for you. With 14 frame designs to choose from, there’s a pattern to fit any mom’s style!

Mama Elephant Greeting Card
Did you know that elephant families are matriarchal? That means that moms lead the herd! We bet the same is true in your family (because it’s true in ours, too!). Celebrate the leader of your herd (your mama, of course!) with this super cute card.

P.F. Candle Co. Soy Candles
One of our longtime favorites, there’s a reason P.F. Candle Co. is a classic: we have yet to meet a single person who doesn’t LOVE their scents and cool design aesthetic. Whether your mom is a Teakwood & Tobacco (a musky, bold scent) or Amber & Moss (clean and bright) kind of lady, she’ll love their soy candles, reed diffusers, or room sprays.

Big Dipper Greeting Card
Do you live far away from your mom? It can be so hard, we completely understand! Let her know that you’re always thinking of her—no matter the distance—with this beautiful keepsake card.

Made in Mayhem Jackie Wallet 
Want to gift your mom with something she can use every single day? We suggest the Jackie Wallet by Made in Mayhem, a handcrafted leather goods company based right here in California. And since you probably know how we feel about customization here at Cardtorial (…we LOVE it), we think it’s super special that you can have your mom’s initials embossed on any item for an additional $10.

Ranunculus Journal
For the mom who has a way with words…or simply needs a lovely place to jot down her to-do lists, our Ranunculus journal is the perfect gift. Featuring an elegant floral design that fits any style, this wooden journal is built to last through even the most furious brainstorming sessions.

Gopi Shah Handmade Ceramic Mug 
If you want to give your mom something that’s totally unique and will last a lifetime (but still doesn’t break the bank), we’ve found it: a set of handmade mugs (we love the Speckled Crisscross design) from Long Beach, CA-based ceramicist Gopi Shah Ceramics. Special enough to make her daily coffee ritual feel indulgent, this mug will serve as a reminder each morning of your love and appreciation for her. (And another important feature for busy moms: they’re microwave and dishwasher safe! Woo!)

Zoe Comings Jewelry
We love Zoe Comings handcrafted, ceramic jewelry; it’s dainty enough to be worn everyday and for every occasion, yet unique and lovely enough to make the wearer feel special. Each necklace and pair of earrings feels like a small treasure, but at an affordable price point, making them the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

Mother’s Day Letters to Mom: Part II

With only three weeks until Mother’s Day, we’re so happy to bring you our second installment of Letters to Mom! We asked 11 awesome moms to share a letter to their own mother or a mother-figure in their life, celebrating what makes their family unique and what lessons they hope to pass on to their own children.

 

Follow us on Instagram for even more Mother’s Day fun!

 

 

“I pray that Oliver and Maribelle will remember these moments spent in our little home. That they’ll remember the times we stopped to see their Lego car or to read a new library book, all curled up in this bed, putting their happiness before social media. That they’ll remember the way we apologized and hugged it out when times got tough or feelings were muddled. The times around our tiny dinette when we sang together and laughed through shared meals. That they’ll think back fondly of when we spent time parked in their grandmama’s yard, learning to ride bikes, or at memom’s drinking tea and exploring their property. Simple bits of our days that add up to something bigger — the threads holding together our family values. This wooden box is a place to house those reminders of what we hold dear, adding to it through life’s adventures.” —Demi-Brooke, of @demibrooke

 

 

“With Mother’s Day around the corner, I wanted to take a moment to thank the two women in my life who have been a model of some of the greatest qualities I hope to emulate as a mother & pass on to my babies. I’ll never find the words to do these women justice, but the mother I am today is greatly influenced by both of them.

 

Dear Mom,
Your sense of independence & intuition have forever served as an example of what a woman is capable of. When the days are long with my husband away at work, I channel your strength. I think, ‘What would my mom do?’ & I feel empowered. I don’t know how you managed to do everything you have done in your life while raising three children, for many years on your own, but I am forever in awe of you. In my spare moments, I tap into your entrepreneurial spirit & thrive in my creative outlets. You have taught me to maintain my own identity & to seize my talents. You take risks, act with bravery & follow your heart; I hope my babies can learn those same traits from me over the years. Thank you for being the strongest woman I know.

 

Dear Mother-In-Law,
You are the epitome of devotion & nurture. You have taken me in as your own daughter & have taught me many things about motherhood. You encourage me to savor & embrace all the moments of motherhood. When I’m feeling exhausted I hear your voice in my head ‘remember the lasts’ & I am reminded that one day my heart will ache for the time I am living in now, to have one more opportunity to rock my baby to sleep. You are tirelessly at the service those you love, from your hospice patients to your family. You have taught me, through your actions, that nothing in life is more valuable than time spent with loved ones. I aspire to love others with the same depths that you do. Thank you for raising the man I call my husband & for welcoming me into your family with open arms.” —Brittany, of @brittanyviklund

 

 

“Mother’s Day is fast approaching (how is it already mid-April?!) and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the mother figures in my life. So when Cardtorial asked me to write a bit about my mother, I was happy to do it! She has taught me so much by her example of giving, hard work, and unconditional love. All traits I hope I will be able to pass down to my children. I still can’t figure out how she home-schooled five of us and still kept the house running smoothly!”  —Marlys, of @mama_endo

 

 

 

How we’re celebrating Earth Day!

Here in the Cardtorial studio, we have pretty diverse (and strongly held!) opinions on a wide variety of topics. Generally, a day doesn’t go by without a pretty rousing debate on one thing or another (we’ll never forget The Great Sparkling Water Debate of 2017). But, something that we all have in common is our appreciation for the great outdoors and an understanding of the importance of preserving and taking care of our natural resources for the generations to come. From long days on the beach, to weekends hiking in the desert, we’re so appreciative of the time we get to spend disconnecting with technology and reconnecting with the Earth. So to celebrate Earth Day, we each took time to reflect on the moments we’ve spent in the great outdoors and how they’ve enriched our lives.

YVONNE, Owner
Sometimes we get so caught up in our cities and on our computers that we forget HOW important and crucial it is to preserve and take care of Mother Earth! I often think that if we all took time to be in and connect with nature, maybe it could help us (as individuals and as a world!) mellow out and connect with each other, too! Our natural world is beautiful and inspiring. We just need to take the time to appreciate it and be in it! My hope for the American consumer is that we are all a little more thoughtful about consumption out of respect for our precious resources. I surf almost every morning before heading into the studio [photo above], and my time in the ocean is so much to me – it offers community, presence, and grounding in nature. It fosters my emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.

KAYLEY, Operations Associate
I took this picture in Malibu Creek State Park; it’s one of my favorite places to hike since it’s never too crowded if you go early enough! Hiking is one of my favorite ways to take time for myself and to de-stress. Spending time in nature is something that has always been important to me and my family, and I feel lucky that I live in a place with such beautiful parks to visit.

KRISTIN, Sales Channel Associate, Account Manager + Photographer
This photo is of me being super excited at the Grand Canyon! My friends and I love to plan an annual trip together, to do something a little more “outdoorsy.” In 2016, we hiked the Grand Canyon and it was truly an experience I’ll never forget. Being there really forces you to consider the sheer power of nature, and how lucky we are to be able to experience it.

I also feel very lucky to live in a place like California – we can visit forests, mountains, deserts, or oceans by driving for just a few hours. We have so much to explore, right here in our own backyard!

MADDY, Customer Service + Marketing Manager
There are few places that make me feel as calm as the beach. Growing up, it was always one of my mom’s favorite places, and her love must have rubbed off on me. Even things that bother some people about beach trips—the sand you can never fully get off of your skin, the hot, mid-summer sun, the perpetually freezing ocean water—bring me such joy. There’s just something about that salty sea-air scent that immediately relaxes me and makes me feel like a little kid again.

LIZ, Designer
My husband, Joey, and I went on a trip to Iceland in October 2016 (where he later proposed on the edge of Glacier Lagoon). In this photo, I’m at Gullfoss (meaning ‘Golden Waterfall’). It is one of the most amazing “views of the forces and beauty of untouched nature” I’d ever seen. The water comes from Iceland’s second largest glacier, the Langjökull, and has a total depth of about 32 meters, which is about 105 feet.

JESS, Studio Assistant
I don’t really get out much these days because of my early school schedule, but getting to see the sunrise everyday as I drive into the parking lot at 6 AM is pretty worth it!

We’re writing Letters to Mom this Mother’s Day!

This year, the Cardtorial team has decided to celebrate Mother’s Day by doing something really special: writing good old fashioned letters to our moms! For such a seemingly simple gesture, we believe that a heartfelt note can bring so much joy to a person’s life. Our mothers have shaped, supported, and loved us. Now, we hope to share just how much that love and support has meant to us through the years.

We are so excited to partner with some of our favorite moms to share their stories, as well! We asked 11 incredible women to share a letter to their own mom or a mother-figure in their life, celebrating what makes their family unique and what lessons they hope to pass on to their own children. We’ll be sharing these letters on our Instagram and here on the blog all month long!

In the month ahead, we hope you’ll join us in taking a moment to slow down, reflect, and ask yourself: what would I like to thank my mom for, and what did she teach me about motherhood? What do I hope to pass on to the generations to come? Let’s make this Mother’s Day especially meaningful, by thanking the woman or women in your life who made you the person you are today.

Keep reading for just a few of the many beautiful letters and photos we’ll be sharing this month. (Get those tissues ready!)

“The bonnet she wore when her head was too tiny for a hat, the booties she wore when tiny socks wouldn’t stay on her little feet. A picture of me pregnant with her in our first spring together, the first peonies dried from the first spring we spent with her earth side. Will she still be able to pull fragrance from them when she opens this box as a woman? To see how much her mother loved her, and loves her still? If you, Mom, taught me anything, it’s yes, she will know instantly. She will also know what you taught me: that a day spent among flowers is a day never wasted, that telling her she looks perfect even when she’s been sobbing is always the right choice, that telling her she is smart before anything will always empower her, and that knowing when to apologize for not being perfect will always let her see how adored she always is, always will be. That I will be her safe space, forever.” —Nina, of @foxrun

“My little women, I pray you’re always brave enough to stand up for what’s right, even if it’s not the popular thing to do. May you love yourself as much as I love you. Embrace what makes you unique, special, and beautiful. Be confident in knowing that they were fearfully and wonderfully made. Be kind to everyone. Know that all that I am, all that I do, is for you. My love for you is unconditional and immeasurable, but somehow I’ll love you more tomorrow. Had I seen one second, a single glimpse, of your beautiful faces as a young girl, I swear I would have spent every day thereafter finding my way to you. Being your mama is all I ever wanted to be.” —Belinda, of @raising.little.women

“One of the most beautiful things about becoming a mother has been the way it has deepened my relationship with my own mom. Through not only the shared experience of raising children, but also our shared loved for my babies (her only grandbabies!), we’ve been able to connect on a deeper level than ever before. It’s been such a privilege to enter into motherhood with her love and support through the emotional roller coaster that is parenting! From the moment I first held my son in my arms, I knew my life was changed forever, but I had no idea about the beautiful side effects his birth would bring. My hope is that with each month and year that passes—and now as we have a new baby girl added into the mix—my relationship with my mom will continue to strengthen and blossom. What a gift it is to have her in my life!” —Natalie, of @natalieborton 

Follow us on Instagram @cardtorial to read Letters to Mom all month long, and be sure to stay tuned for more here on the blog!