Jill-Smith-celebsI flew to Los Angeles this past week as a designer and volunteer representing Tiny Prints, who launched their partnership with Baby2Baby. Baby2Baby is a non-profit organization that provides low-income children, ages zero to 12, with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves.

Tiny Prints sponsored the Baby2Baby Mother’s Day Playdate, a magical morning full of fun for 40 children and relaxation for 40 moms.
Jill Smith B2B_TP overallGarlands of gorgeous flowers were strung to welcome the guests. Yummy sandwiches, salads, fruit and more were beautifully prepared and presented for nibbling, but the cotton candy machine and chocolate fondue fountain got most of the attention from the little ones. Moms indulged themselves with manicures and personally designed flower bouquets. Meanwhile, children got their faces painted, applied fun “tattoos” and danced to the beats of a live DJ.Jill-Smith-girl-paintingJill Smith painting activityThere was also an art room! My “job” was to help the children paint a portrait of their mothers on canvases. Seeing them in smocks, with their canvases on easels, brought the biggest smile to my face and from what I could tell, the faces of everyone else too. I always find it fascinating to watch children explore their artistic side. I gave a few instructions – how to hold a palette and use the paint and brushes, and from there it was all up to their own imaginations. I was awed by the children’s creativity. Some were very literal, right down to matching the exact color of their mom’s shirt and eyes. Others were silly and interpretive, painting colorful hair and using heart stickers for their mom’s cheeks. All of the children started off a little reserved, but by the time they painted the skin, you could see their sense of pride in their artwork. The children were so kind and polite, all such little bundles of happiness. We had fun, so much fun! I was grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community as an artist, designer and mother.
Jill Smith B2B_TP-portraits02
When the time came for the children and moms to board the buses back to their schools, all of the volunteers (including celebrity moms Molly Sims, Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie) got to help with the most important job of the day — handing out personalized gift bags to each mother and child. The children’s bags were full of fun toys, colorful Nikes and essentials prepared exactly to their individual needs. They received warm jackets, pajamas and numerous outfits in their sizes, sleeping bags, healthy snacks, organic toiletries, books and art supplies. The moms received a sturdy tote bag with stationery and water bottle.
Jill-Smith-celebs-02Thank you, Tiny Prints, for inviting me to be a guest at this sweet event. Really, really thank you. And thank you also to the wonderful ladies at Baby2Baby for dreaming up this special day and working so hard to make it a reality. I know so much effort went into it. Seeing how much good came out of one distinct, unique vision was amazing to experience firsthand.Jill-Smith-3-girls
If this is a cause that inspires you, a portion of every Tiny Prints’ birth announcement purchased on their site will help provide more than 3,000 new cribs to Baby2Baby families. So, if you or someone you know needs a birth announcement, head over to tinyprints.com and place an order.

More photos and information from Tiny Prints.
More information about how Baby2Baby serves families in need.

Photography by Getty Images for Baby2Baby
Event décor by Peggy of Fire and Crème Kids
See the invitation to the event which I designed here.

Supplies we used:
16” x 20” canvases, paint, brushes, tempera paint sticks, palettes, easels, various stickers, washi tape and markers