Taylor Lord – Snapshots & My Thoughts by Ailee Petrovic

Personal March 8, 2015

The Best of Snapshots & My Thoughts

Snapshots & My Thoughts has been my creative outlet for almost three years now, and I’ve loved coming up with new content on an almost-daily basis. I started the blog in 2012 while working as a management consultant (which is still my job – I’m just on a leave of absence!), as I felt I wasn’t being challenged creatively. My husband, Sasha, and I got engaged, and instead of pinning a bunch of wedding photos on Pinterest, I created posts with ideas for guestbooks, escort cards, bar menus, etc. The blog morphed into a platform for me to share personal anecdotes, healthy recipes, style and design inspiration, gorgeous stationery, and city travel guides. Ever since our daughter, Isla, was born in June 2014, there has also been quite a bit of baby loving on the blog!

My goal for Snapshots & My Thoughts is to help inspire my friends (which you are, if you’re reading) with designing their home, picking outfits for events, styling parties, choosing stationery, making delicious vegan desserts, or even planning a vacation. I want to motivate people to be active and enjoy the small things in life, whether that mean going out and adventuring in your own city or trying a baby product that I rave about.

In case you’re new around here, I wanted to share with you some of the highest viewed posts on Snapshots & My Thoughts. There’s quite a bit of food involved, as well as weddings and babies, and of course – travel (my favorite!). Five of my top 20 posts were various city guides, so I decided to bulk them all together. Click on each of the photos below if you want to read more!

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ If

Baby August 1, 2014

Isla’s Newborn Photos by Taylor Lord

When the doorbell rang yesterday, and Sasha came into the living room with a package, I freaked out. Isla’s newborn photos had arrived from Taylor Lord. We opened them, read Taylor’s sweet letter and immediately started looking at each photo, one by one. I love them so much. Taylor captured our happiness and Isla’s sweetness perfectly. I am absolutely terrible at editing down photos, so pardon the large number of pictures in this post, but I had to share my favorites. I love this little girl so much, and I am so happy that the Lord blessed Taylor with such an incredible talent. View Taylor’s website here and her blog here. View details about Isla’s nursery here.

PS We took these over a month ago – Isla is so much bigger by now! It’s crazy how fast they grow.

Oh, and the Trumpette giveaway ends tonight at midnight! Enter here to win a free set of adorable socks!

Announcement July 31, 2014

Isla’s Rifle Paper Co. Inspired Birth Announcements

At long last, Isla’s birth announcements have been sent! I am so relieved to have completed this major project – one which started well before she was born! I did the calligraphy on all 100 envelopes prior to her birth (thank goodness!), cut the envelope liners using this Rifle Paper Co. wrapping paper, stamped our return address using a custom stamp from Angelique Ink, and created the design for the announcement (which was printed by Czar Press). When Isla arrived, all I had left to do was update the design with the appropriate information, get it printed, have Isla’s photos taken by Taylor Lord and printed locally, add the photos to the glassine bags, punch holes, tie bows, and voila – done. Whew. Yes, I am exhausted, but so happy to have finished my second big project (first being Sasha’s graduation announcements). Baby number two will likely have an e-card (ha!).

Duplex announcement card printing by Czar Press

Ribbon and kraft envelopes from Paper Source

Wildflower Liner from Rifle Paper Co.

Isla photo by Taylor Lord

Custom return stamp from Angelique Ink

Dr. Martin’s Pen White calligraphy ink from Paper and Ink Arts

Glassine bags from JenStampz

Calligraphy and photos by me

Baby March 27, 2014

Newborn Photos by Taylor Lord

It has been a back-and-forth conversation for the last few months – to do maternity pictures or not? Eventually, Sasha and I landed on doing newborn pictures vs. maternity, for a variety of reasons – namely because if we’re going to pay for photos, I want Isla to be in them as opposed to being inside my tummy! We are going to use one of my favorite photographers, Taylor Lord, for the shoot. I could look at her blog all day long. She posted these adorable newborn photos almost a year ago – I am obsessed. First, baby Henry is too cute, and second, how gorgeous is their house?? I’m anxious to meet (and hug!) Isla after looking at these again. 10.5 weeks left!

Food August 26, 2013

Rainbow Lodge

As part of my mission to eat Burrata cheese at all of these Houston restaurants, I decided to meet a good friend of mine, Paola, at Rainbow Lodge on Sunday for brunch (99 cent mimosas? yes, please). I had never been before, but had wanted to go for ages, so jumped at the opportunity to check it off the list. As I walked in, I felt like I had in fact been there before. I quickly remembered that I recognized the restaurant because I had seen it on photographer Taylor Lord’s blog. She shot a wedding there last year, and I loved every detail. In fact, little did I know at the time, but I would end up in the same Crepe de Chine BHLDN dress! I was grinning ear to ear when I pulled up the pictures again and saw that.

The food was incredible. The Heirloom Tomato Salad was heavenly – the Burrata cheese was perfect, as were the wonderfully affordable mimosas. The 100 year old cabin home turned into hunting-style restaurant is an amazing spot for Sunday brunch or date night. The views are amazing – windows all around. The vegetarian options are definitely limited, but that’s what I expected from an upscale game lodge eatery.