how to choose a location for family photos...

I love sending out our annual family photo as something for my family to treasure, and also as a fun way to stay in touch with those we love who are far away and to keep them updated on how everyone has grown. Every year, as fall approaches, the hardest thing to figure out is where to take our family photos. I try to change the location every year, but still keep it close to our home and convenient for our family's schedule.

We've been using Artifact Uprising for our cards for years and love the clean and simple designs (on 100% recycled paper!) that really let the photos shine. The new foil designs this year are my favorite! So we've teamed up with them today to share my tips for choosing a great location for taking your family's photo... 

1. An indoor studio — If weather is questionable, an indoor location or photo studio guarantees it won't rain or snow during your photo session. For our first family photo ever, our friends Max and Jesse teamed up to offer 20 minute pop-up photo sessions at a local studio in Los Angeles. All we had to do was show up—no worries about props, lighting, or weather conditions.

Featured: Foil-Stamped Merry Card

2. Your neighborhood — For our 2nd year, we wanted to capture the beauty of our Los Angeles neighborhood. Ruby was only 2 years old, so we kept the location within 10 minutes of our house. Little kids can only really take photos for 15-20 minutes (maybe 30 minutes if you have an especially patient child) so close locations are helpful. Our photographer, Katherine, did such a good job capturing the simplicity and beauty of our surroundings while capturing my family's personality at the same time.

Featured: Simple Love To You & Yours Card; Foil-Stamped Happy Holidays Card

3. At home — The easiest location of them all is home sweet home. For our 3rd year, Coco had just been born and so she was a tad too tiny to take out and about. We shot most of the photos in our bedroom with the kids playing, laying, or sitting on the bed with us. They were casual, personal, and Katherine really captured the joy of our new arrival so well.

Featured: With Love Grid Card

4. A graphic background — For our 4th year, I was really into finding the coolest walls around Los Angeles. There are so many amazing murals to choose from in this city. However, I ended up going with something more graphic in texture and chose this huge wall outside of the Broad Museum. It was also an ode to my love of art and the excitement of Downtown Los Angeles (where the museum is located). Our amazing photographer, Morgan, shot these photos right before sunset so the light was natural with a beautiful glow.

Featured: New Adventures, New Year Card with Foil; Simple Hand-Letterd Holiday Card

5. If all else fails, add props — Sometimes when you take family photos, it can feel weird to just stand there and smile. We always take posed photos but then also just play and let the kids do their thing. One thing that helps loosen things up are some simple props. You don't have to turn it into a wedding photo booth, but whether it's a bunch of beach balls or a pile of flowers from your garden, props can add a whimsical touch to photos. For this year's photo, we went to a local garden and took a bunch of streamers for the kids to play with and hold. Our photographer, Morgan, checked out the garden the day before to make sure there would be some open areas where the kids could just run wild with streamers in hand. The streamers added lightness and extra color to our natural setting. 

Featured: Here's to the Good New Years Card

Hopefully, seeing all the locations we've taken family photos in the past give you ideas for your upcoming and future family photos! 

P.S. Artifact Uprising is offering a special code for 10% off their Holiday Photo Cards for Oh Joy readers. Simply enter OHJOYXAU16 at checkout by November 29th. And, tips for choosing outfits for family photos!

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Artifact Uprising—a brand I've used and loved for years. All words are my own. 

{Flat photos by Casey Brodley, flat styling by Julia Wester. Family photos by: Max Wanger, Jesse Marble, Katherine Rose, and Morgan Pansing.}

floral honeycomb decor for a baby shower...

Once you reach your 30's (or at least in my case), baby showers are like weddings and you find yourself going to one (or throwing one) multiple times a year during the baby boom that happens among your friends and family. Decor is always a fun aspect to a shower to celebrate the baby to be and we wanted to share our take on a piece you could make for a baby shower that could also be hung in the baby's room after, too!

a diy dresser for the nursery and beyond...

Our Creative Producer & Stylist, Julia, has had this dresser in her home for over 10 years. Her husband purchased it as his first "adult" piece of furniture. It's moved with him through several different apartments and now finally into his current home with Julia and their baby Zealand. Hoping to bring new life to the old dresser, Julia wanted to "Oh Joy it up" by refinishing and repainting it for her baby's room. 

See how this dresser transformed from a drab antique to this modern and playful piece... 

my favorite mini swimwear...

With summer almost in full swing, I wanted to share a few of my favorite swim pieces for the little ones...in a range of price points, from indie to mass brands, and for both boys and girls.

01. Little Adi + Co. swim trunks, 02. Crew & Lu, 03. Minnow Swim, 04. Bumby by Marysia, 05. Platypus Australia sunsuit, 06. Target rash guard (in stores), 07. Marimekko for Target, 08. Minnow Swim brief with Tiny Cottons tee, 09. Snapperrock sunsuit, 10. Bumkins swim diaper and wet bags.

{Photos by Casey Brodley, flat styling by Julia Wester}

the best moments are the everyday moments...

When people ask how we get such great photos of our kids, the answer is simple: we bring our camera with us almost everywhere and we capture everyday moments. Today, I've partnered with Artifact Uprising to share some of my favorite, everyday moments and how you can capture them, too.

You might be saying, "Well, Joy, you're a blogger, so that's easy for you to take pictures all the time!" Sure, my mindset is a bit different because I am so used to documenting life. But it wasn't originally easy for me to do. Lugging around a camera can be a pain in the butt and sometimes you just don't want your picture taken. But I realized that when we get over those hurdles and just make it fun to capture the everyday, you will never regret it. It's kind of like exercise. It may seem like a pain to go through the steps to make it happen and it's easy to just not do it, but the result is well worth it. My kids can look back at photos of themselves just enjoying life. It doesn't have to be just a birthday party or just a family vacation. My favorite photos in this layflat photo album are of everyday moments like going to the park or playground and just spending time together.

Don't forget to get IN the photos, too! Often parents are too busy taking photos of their kids or chasing after them or trying to get their attention for the photo that they don't want to be in the photo. This photo above was taken at brunch on a Sunday while we were waiting for our food. There was nothing glamorous about where we were or what we were doing, but when a baby has cheeks like mine does, they need to be kissed. I'm working on a wall of some of our favorite family photos and this framed print is one of them.

This is one of my favorite photos that Bob took while we were visiting our parents back in April in Philly. We were in my parents' backyard and my dad was taking Coco around to look at the flowers. It wasn't a grand moment. It wasn't a special occasion. It was just normal life. Yet that sweet moment captured tells such a big story. I can't wait to give this framed print to my dad for Father's Day.

To recap, here are a couple tips for capturing the everyday:

1. Bring your camera with you everywhere. At first, it will seem more like a pain then it's worth. But once you get used to capturing more of life, it will come naturally. It helps to have something smaller that won't be a pain to lug around (even an iPhone works!). But once you get into the habit of it, it becomes second nature.

2. Get in the photo. It doesn't matter what you're wearing or what your hair and makeup look like. Your kids think you look amazing no matter what! And someday, when your kids look back on these photos they want to see their parents (and grandparents) in the photos with them, too. 

3. Capture those moments and then put the camera away. You don't have to be taking photos all day long, but bring it out during certain moments where it just feels right. You can never shoot too much and with kids, you often have to shoot more to make sure you get a good shot. And then stick the camera in your bag, soak up those moments that pass too quickly and enjoy life!

P.S. Two fun things...

1) Artifact Uprising has kindly offered 10% off any item with code OHJOYFD10 valid through June 1, 2016. AND...

2) You can enter your email address in the box below to enter to win $250 credit with Artifact Uprising towards a photo gift for your Dad/Husband/Grandpa for Father's Day. Entries close on May 31st at midnight.

UPDATE: Congrats to Courtney S. from Vancouver BC, Canada for being our winner this time!

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Artifact Uprising—a brand I've been using and loving for years. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and original content like this for Oh Joy.

{Photos by Mary Costa, styling by Julia Wester, personal photos by Joy and Bob Cho}

a bedtime kit DIY...

If you’re a parent, you know how special bedtime can be for you and your little one. For me, it’s a time I get to wind down for the day and prepare my kids for their night of restful slumber.

To make the bedtime routine a little easier, today, I’m going to show you how to make this super cute and functional Bedtime Kit to keep in your nursery, bathroom, or even to give to take to Grandma’s house. Watch our newest video to see how to transform a simple canvas bin into something special for your babe's slumber...

{Photo by Casey Brodley, video by Jenner Brown}

a mother's strength...

When I was in 5th grade, I had a favorite snack at a local cafe that I would get pretty regularly. My mom would drive me to the cafe, wait in the car right in front, and I would pop in and buy it to take home and we'd be on our way. I had probably gone to that cafe multiple times a week for months. But one day, I went in for my usual snack stop-in, and the cashier at the shop had some of his friends hanging out while he was working at the register. They were a bunch of high school teenagers which in itself was intimidating to a 10 year old. While I was waiting for my food, I heard them making sounds about me like "ching, chang, chong" over and over again. For an Asian American kid struggling just to fit in, that's pretty much the worst thing you can hear. Tears started flowing out of my eyes and I ran back to the car leaving my food behind. I got into the car with tears streaming down my face and told my mom I just wanted to go home.

She asked me what had happened. I didn't want to tell her and only said I didn't want to go back there ever again. I finally told her about what had happened, and she replied, "Wait here. I will be right back." When she came back, she got the food I had left behind and she said, "He won't bother you again". It took me a while to want to go back there but when I did, the guy apologized to me. Still to this day, I have no idea what my mom said to him.

My mom is one of the most private and non-confrontational people I know. But in that moment, any worries about confrontation or her broken English completely went away. She did what moms do...she made me feel like everything was going to be okay and did her best to ensure that I would not get hurt in that way again.

It's amazing how much more inner strength you gain once you have someone you want to be strong for...someone you want to protect. Like all those mothers who somehow lift heavy objects that have fallen on their child or that warrior that comes out of you if anyone attempts to hurt someone you love. Inner strength doesn't mean that you aren't scared or that you know exactly how things will turn out, it's that you know things will be okay at some point in the near or distant future. You project that strength to those around you so that they, too, feel assured and okay with whatever obstacles (big or small) they may be facing.

As we approach Mother's Day, I can think of so many times my mom has been strong for me throughout my life in both big and small moments. Have you seen this P&G Thank You, Mom video? This really captures the ways I want to be strong for my children and makes me think about my own mom and all that she did for me. It will make you cry but also make you appreciate the strength of your own mother and inspire you to be that for your own children today or someday in the future...

Happy Mother's Day to all you amazing mamas out there!

This post is in partnership with P&G. All words are my own.

how motherhood has changed me...

I try not to get all "Ma, ma, ma" (that's like "blah, blah, blah" but for mom things) here on this blog. But every so often I do enjoy reflecting on what's hard, nice, or just unexpected about this stage of life I'm in called Motherhood. I recently got to preview the new movie, Mother's Day, that comes out this weekend (do you know how much I love ensemble casts?!?), and both the humor and errors of motherhood in the film made me reflect on how I've changed since welcoming my first nugget 4.5 years ago.

I know that being a mom isn't for everyone, but for me it's made a big difference in how I see myself, how I present myself, and what I care about. Here are a few examples...

I worry less about what I look like and worry more about being a good person. I can't tell you how much time I spent in my 20's obsessing over my soft and squishy not-so-flat stomach. I was so self-conscious about it and envied girls who could wear bikinis and bare their mid-driffs. Now, my mid-section is even softer and squishier and covered in stretch marks. But I don't care at all. It's the product of carrying my children. Ironically, adding to my imperfections made my insecurities about it go away. Now, I try and make sure not to litter on the street. I make sure I am extra polite to people I come across during my day. And I try and give people the benefit of the doubt and hope that driver cut me off because he had a bad day. I worry about other stuff, but my squishy stomach is not one of them.

I focus more on “today” than “one day”. Sure, I set big goals for my career and I have dreams of buying a dream home or going on great trips. But I used to spend way more time thinking about the future than living in the present. Yes, life is short and we don't know how long we'll be here. But also because I've realized that every day is full of magic and simple things, and those are the moments you remember someday when you get old and reflect back on your life. I'll remember our weekly trips to the farmer's market or our picnics in the park. I'm better now at opening my eyes to all the treasures of life happening right now.

I don’t care what strangers think about me, I care what my family thinks about me. I used to spend so much time making sure I came across in just the right way...to COMPLETE STRANGERS. I worried that the guy at the take-out place thought I was "too Asian" because I ordered the Chinese Chicken Salad for my dinner. I used to put on make-up just to open the door for the UPS delivery person. Why did I even care? Now, it only matters to me what the people close to me think. Was I being too short with my husband during that moment of stress? Did I handle the situation with Ruby correctly where I was both firm but loving? Did I remember to tell my parents I love them the last time we FaceTimed?

I appreciate time to myself more than ever. I used to spend a ton of time by myself with endless hours to do whatever I wanted. I didn't realize how precious and rare that time would someday be. I love my kids and their constant energy, but sometimes this Mama just needs some time quiet time to myself. Now, I revel in that trip to Target to buy toothpaste after the kids go to bed, the quick moment when I can get a latte at my local coffee shop all by myself, or even just getting an eyebrow wax where I can lay still in the quiet (even if hair is being yanked off my face). It feels like the most luxurious treat!

Are there ways that motherhood has changed you? I'd love to know...

P.S. If you like feel good comedies, check out Mother's Day which comes out in theaters tomorrow (starring Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts & Jason Sudeikis). I went from cracking up to bawling my eyes out within a matter of an hour.

*This post is in partnership with Open Road Films. All words are my own.  

{Photo by Bob Cho}

a mix & match nursery...

As a mother of two, I know how important it is for a baby's room to feel happy and inspiring for a baby, but also cozy and inviting for parents as well. Take a look at our newest video to see how we transformed a room in multiple ways (from girl to neutral to boy) using the mix-and-match bedding and decor in the Oh Joy for Target Nursery Collection!

P.S. You can find all of the pieces in the video right here! And if you have any questions about out-of-stock items, please see our weekly updates here.

// CREDITS //
Brought to you by: Oh Joy + Target
Creative Direction: Joy Cho
Video: Jenner Brown
Music: “Beautiful“ by Emily Kopp
Production and Styling: Julia Wester
Production Asst: Casey Brodley
Graphics: Angie Stalker
Hair & Makeup: Danielle Walch

dressing the babe / spring stripes...

Spring is here! My friend, Jen, has this AMAZING bougainvillea wall in her backyard that is so full and lush right now. So I thought it would be fun to take Coco and do a "part 2" of this post with Ruby from last year. Kids love bougainvillea because when they fall to the ground, they dry up and sound crunchy under their little feet. Coco didn't want to leave...

I will never tire of a good maxi dress. I wanted to dress it up a bit so I added my go-to vintage gold belt to give it a more polished look. 

Mama outfit / 1. dRA dress, 2. vintage gold belt, 3. Target hat, 4. Bryr sandals, 5. Akola necklace

There's honestly nothing cuter on a baby girl than a little romper. Ahhhh! And this one, has crotch snaps which I can seriously appreciate for diaper changes!

Babe outfit / 6. Pausch romper, 7. June & January hair clip, and 8. Zuzii shoes.

How is my little munchkin getting SO big?!? 

{Photos by Casey Brodley, outfit styling by Joy Cho, flat styling by Julia Wester. Coco is 17 months and has a mind of her own.}