Being a new(ish) mom to a 7 month old, I wanted a fun way to document his monthly milestones for his first year. I decided to create a Kraft paper background that I would handletter each month with how old he was and what he was into that month. Using only a roll of Kraft paper and a sharpie, I handletter everything the day before and then on his monthly birthday I lay him on it and take some photos. I’ve been posting these photos on Instagram with their own hashtag which allows me to quickly see how much he’s changed from month to month, which has been my favourite part of the project so far. It’s a simple project for anyone who is looking for a fun and unique way to document their baby’s growth and it’s something that will be great to look back at for years to come.

Materials

• Roll of Kraft paper
• Sharpie
• Baby
• Props (optional)

How to make it

Step 1: Each month, keep track of what new things your baby seems to be into. I usually make a note of them in my phone so that I don't forget anything when the time comes to create the background for that month. Write down as many as you want because you can just narrow down the list later.

Step 2: Purchase a roll of Kraft paper (can be found at Dollartree, Michaels, etc) and a black sharpie or other marker. Of course you could substitute these materials to match your own taste if you wanted to. For example you might want to use a roll of white wrapping paper instead of the kraft paper or you may want to use a different colour marker or a different medium all together, like paint. Just keep in mind that you will want to use materials and colours that will photograph well.

Step 3: The day (or a couple of days) before your baby's monthly milestone, unroll the Kraft paper and start lettering. You can refer back to the list that you've been creating (from Step 1) and pick 3-5 of the best ones depending on how much space they take up. I usually do it lightly in pencil first just to plan out where I want everything to go. I leave a space to the left of my handlettering to place the baby on, but you could also do it on the right if you prefer. Just keep it consistent from month to month.

Step 4: On the big day, just dress your baby up in a cute outfit, gather any props that you might want to include and place your baby on the handlettered background to take your photos. I lay mine out on top of a carpet so that baby is on a soft surface. As your baby becomes more active, you will probably have a harder time getting him/her to stay still so photos might start getting a little more interesting, but still cute nonetheless!