Lunch with Heart

Hi Friends,

After a successful virtual fundraiser this Mother’s Day, I was overjoyed to join some of my fellow MOMS heart MOMS collaborators in a box-packing luncheon for Welcome Baby USA.

Welcome Baby is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support new mothers in need. By providing boxes of essential items to hospitals and institutions in underserved communities, they ensure that new mothers across the country are able to provide for their baby despite financial need. These boxes contain critical supplies needed for the first month of life, including sanitary items, grooming items, and clothing.

The founders of Welcome Baby, Sarah Steinhardt and Juliet Fuisz, took on an incredible responsibility born out of their own post-partum experiences, and I am honored to give back alongside some of my favorite mom-founded brands.

From left, Neha Ruch of Mother Untitled, Sarah Steinhardt of Welcome Baby USA, Sally King McBride of The Letter Nest, and Lauren Phelps of Phelps Studio; Photo by Briar Rose Photo Co.

Our beautiful event was hosted at the home of Neha Ruch of Mother Untitled. By providing a space, we were able to gather and pack boxes together.

The boxes were enhanced with special donations from mom-founded brands: soft bibs from Weezie and Timo and Violet, and Naghedi pouches as special gift for mom.

Timo and Violet Bibs

Weezie Bibs

Naghedi Pouches

We also engaged in watercolor painting, led by Sally of The Letter Nest. The hand-painted cards were added to the boxes with positive messages for the receiving mothers.

The event’s refreshments were generously donated by mom-founded companies. Stocked by Three Owls catered the event, Well provided water, Sophie James provided wine, and Maman provided sweet treats and favors to take home.

Stocked by Three Owls

Well Alkaline Water

Sophie James Wine

Maman

Thank you to all of the moms who came out to participate, and all of the companies that donated. The event was a major success due to generosity and love!

Moms Heart Moms; Welcome Baby USA; Phelps Studio; Mother Untitled; The Letter Nest; Stocked by Three Owls; Maman; Sophie James; Well; Lake; Weezie; Naghedi; Timo and Violet

Donate to Welcome Baby here, and learn more about Moms heart Moms here.

Photos by Briar Rose Photo Co.

Love,

This page contains affiliate links. Any commission I make through these links will be donated to Welcome Baby

SOUL STORIES

Dear Friends,

I am delighted to introduce a new series of commissioned work: Soul Stories.

Soul Stories are large, mixed-media sketches on toned, cotton paper. Like my Big Little Moments sketches, these are loose and expressionistic with less emphasis on the face. While Big Little Moments are small, Soul Stories start at 22x30 inches. Their larger format allows for exploration in individual play, sibling scenes, and parent and child moments. They aim to capture the energy and emotion of a caught moment.

Julia + Goldie, 2024

Mixed Media on Toned Paper

22 x 30 inches

Brothers, 2024

Mixed Media on Toned Paper

22 x 30 inches

MAGIC MAKERS

Hi Friends,

I recently chatted with my friend Hannah Weil McKinley at InKind Magazine for their eight issue. We talked about motherhood, magic, and intention. To read the full article, Issue No. 8 is available for purchase here.

I am lucky to be partnering with InKind this month in the MOMS HEART MOMS virtual fundraiser. To learn more about the initiative, read on here, and stay tuned on Instagram for a special giveaway featuring a generous contribution from InKind.

To subscribe to InKind’s brilliant publication head to their website and to get a sneak peek of their magic check out their Instagram !

With love and gratitude,

InKind Issue no. 8, www.inkindmagazine.com/products/issue-8

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A few excerpts from this conversation

YOUR STORY

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! As we head into 2024, I am so thankful for my amazing clients and tiny, beautiful subjects that allow me to live a life and career beyond anything I could have dreamed.

The most rewarding part of my work is listening to your stories and immortalizing them with my art. As I plan for the future, I have a few exciting projects I will be working on in the coming months and years. You are my inspiration, and your stories fuel my creative work.

Y O U R S T O R Y

What is your Big Little Moment? The “in-between” seemingly insignificant everyday moments that seem little but are incredibly big to us as parents. It could be something as small as a made-up song or a quirky ritual. It might be a single sentence or a short story. These moments are almost impossible to capture, even with a camera, and live only in our hearts. Maybe it’s something from your childhood that inexplicably lives with you after all these years.

If you have a #biglittlemoment you would be willing to share with me, please email studio@laurenphelps.com for an opportunity to be featured (anonymously or with your name included - it is your choice) in one of these major future projects.

If an artwork is produced (sketch, painting, etc.) inspired by your big little moment, I will send you the original signed artwork to keep as a gift of thanks for sharing your moment with me. The delivery timeline is not defined, as these are major lifelong dream projects that will take some time.

To submit your Big Little Moment, please reply here to studio@laurenphelps.com

I N S P I R A T I O N

"I used to dread the frequent night time wake-ups of the younger years and countless hours of lost sleep. But now that they are so few and far between I really embrace those middle of the night taps on my shoulder. I find myself just lifting up the blanket and welcoming their little warm bodies into my arms, breathing in their smell, listening to their little heartbeat all the while knowing how fleeting these little moments are”.

”When my oldest was 4 and we were snuggling in bed, she said: “You were out there in the world and I picked you. Wow, I thought there was no one like that and I picked you.” She melted my heart and reminded me how close children are to the source. I’ve kept a diary of all those little wise magical moments. I treasure them. It’s in the tiniest moments that my children prove to be my greatest spiritual teachers”.

“There’s something about that moment every morning when I open the door to my daughter’s room and there she is, waiting for me with a big smile on her little face, so excited to start the day together. There’s nothing quite like it in the entire world”.

Thank you for your love and vulnerability.

With love,