Our next-door neighbors are new to the ‘hood. Somewhat. They moved here in June, and it already feels like they (and we) have been here forever. Their two kiddos are hilarious and so cute. Jude adores them, and I think it’s mutual.

Anyway, Joanna, their mom, is so nice. She’s a budding photographer, and she shoots some awesome portraits. Her daughter’s school does a big fundraiser auction every year, and for the first grade class item, Joanna shot individual portraits of every first grader. She wanted to do a big canvas with everybody’s picture on it, and that’s where I stepped in. I was happy to volunteer my time, and she was great to work with. She wanted a giant layout – 36×48 – with every kid’s photo on there, in a tasteful design. Joanna had it printed on canvas, and the final result was jaw-dropping. I cannot tell you how pleased I was with how it turned out.  I’m hoping she’ll shoot a great picture of it so I can have it for a portfolio piece. Plus, she also had a smaller version printed so her daughter can have one for herself. Too cute. And what a great keepsake!

So it was such a sweet surprise when I opened my email yesterday and found a gift certificate from her to Dogeared Jewelry, one of my absolute faves. I ordered these little lovelies, and I cannot wait for them to get here.

Joanna, thanks for letting me be a part of your project! I’m so excited about how it turned out, and I hope it raises lotsa money for the school!