Babies, baby photos and DIY projects for babies are a constant here at Brit HQ. Whether it’s the fact that so many of the women that work here are new-ish mamas or that we can’t get enough of all the new baby names popping up in pop culture, it seems that we’ve all got babies on the brain. Today, we’re pumped to share 9 creative baby photos ideas that capture those touching moments between parents and their babies. PLUS, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to frame them, in partnership with JOHNSON’S®.
Part framing 101, part celebration of those beautiful early moments of touch with your baby, this project is all about highlighting love between parents and babies. Many parents don’t even realize it, but baby’s touch to a mom can be just as impactful as mom’s touch to a baby. As part of their Mother’s Day and Father’s Day campaigns, we’re partnering with JOHNSON’S® to celebrate beautiful moments of reciprocated love. Though your baby may be too young to make you a handmade pop-up card or serve you a delicious breakfast in bed, it’s the simple touch, hug or kiss that’s all you need to feel unbelievable amounts of love and bonding. Follow the JOHNSON’S® campaign by checking out the #SoMuchMore hashtag on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and by taking a peek at the video below.
If you’re a mom, a dad, an auntie or an uncle, we’re betting you’ve got hundreds of photos of the little ones in your life saved on your phone or camera. The trouble is, most of us don’t take the time to actually print and frame those special moments. Before we get to our framing 101 tutorial, we’ve rounded up 9 creative photos to inspire your own newborn photography. Through creative settings, colorful props and quirky setups, it’s fun to dream up all the different ways to capture the bond between parent and child.
Capture a Family Moment
First off, we’ve got a snap from our founder Brit’s first set of family photos with her son Ansel. Though this photo is part of an official photo shoot, we love the candid nature of this shot. (via Brit Morin)
Beach Day
I think we can all agree that being tossed in the air by our dads was one of the best parts of being a kid. (via 100 Layer Cake-let)
Hipster Baby FTW
We love the fact that this mom and babe are making the same exact face :) (via Katelin Holloway and Ben Ramirez)
Boho Babes
She’s your mini-me, so why not go for a matchy matchy photo shoot? So cute. (via Hey Mcki)
Mama Bird
How amazing is that t-shirt? This mama’s got her hands full! (via @thestorkandthebeanstalk)
Family Portrait Series
This family has set out to take a portrait every week for a year. We love the idea of turning this series into a full on wall art installation with every single photo printed and framed and there are so many different moments of touch and love illustrated here. (via @thestorkandthebeanstalk)
Giggling Dad and Son
The look of pure joy on the faces of these two dudes is incredible. (via Olivia Rae James)
Mom and Baby Snuggles with the Pup
And finally, this tender moment with mom, baby and pup makes us feel all the feels. (via Barefoot Blonde)
Now that you’re feeling sufficiently inspired, it’s time to get to the DIY! Follow along to see how we turned our founder Brit Morin’s first set of baby and family photos with her son Ansel Morin into a triptych of wall art.
Materials:
– mat board
– frame
– photos
– tape
Tools:
– box cutter
– cutting mat
– pencil
– ruler
Instructions:
1. Cut the mat board down to fit the size of your frame. We traced the glass that came with our frames to get the right dimensions.
2. Trim your pictures to the appropriate size. Determine what size rectangle your photos will fit into.
3. Measure that rectangle in the center of your mat board. You’ll know it is in the center if the two side borders, along with the top and bottom border, equal the same measurements.
4. Lay your photos in the large rectangle to determine the placement. Remember that you are working on the backside so the images will appear in a reverse order.
5. Use your ruler to measure the appropriate size rectangles in the larger area. Cut out with the box cutter.
6. Tape your photos to the mat board and place back into your frame.
How adorable is that photo of little Ansel?!
Cut your mat board to the appropriate size for your frame. We used the glass to find the correct measurement. Mat board is thick and sturdy so your normal X-acto won’t cut it ;) You’ll need to grab the box cutter for this one.
Print and trim your favorite photos of your little one.
Determine the size rectangle that all your photos will fit into. We had one 8-inch x 10-inch photo and two 3-inch x 4 1/2-inch photos, so we decided to create a rectangle that measures 11 1/2-inches x 10 1/2 inches. Lightly draw this rectangle onto the back of your mat board. Jot down some math to figure out the measurements to make sure your rectangle is in the center of the board.
Place your photos in the rectangle to figure out how you want them to be displayed. Remember that you are working on the backside of the mat board so your layout will be flipped when you see it from the front.
Make sure everything is as even as can be. We went with a half inch border between all photos. Now this part is important! Don’t measure exactly to the height and width of your photos or they will fall out of the mat. When creating measurements mark 1/16th or 1/4th less than the length or width of the photo.
Cut and pop those rectangles out.
Grab some tape to adhere your pictures in place.
Cute as can be!
If you can master the three-photo mat collage, then a simple single-photo mat will be no problem for you!
For more unconventional ways to snap pics of your little one, check out this roundup of creative baby photo ideas!
Keep snapping photos of your precious little one and switch them out as he/she grows older. Just pop off the backs, remove the tape, and voila — you’ve got brand new wall art!
It’s amazing to capture these moments through photography but it’s also important to know the power of your loving touch nurtures baby’s healthy development, something that isn’t so tangible to see. When a child expresses their love for you though touch, you realize the moments you shared with them have turned into much more than you imagined.
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
You X Ventures for Unsplash
Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
Kobu Agency for Unsplash
You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures