No. 0005 // Instax Print Hack
And my favorite new latte in The Hamptons.
I went to Brooks Institute (RIP 🕊️) for photography, and honestly, that's where my instant film obsession started and never stopped. In school, we shot on Type 55 Polaroids — they smelled weird, were hard to use, never lasted long, and were, somehow, completely perfect. There's something so addictive about finally cracking a medium that's actively working against you.
Back in the day, it was extra compelling to have a photo appear right in front of you, especially when a normal print took days. Instant film felt like a magic trick.
And IMHO: digital photography didn’t kill that magic. Not even a little.
The whir of the camera motor, and then — pop — it just slides out. Like a toy! A very fun, very whimsy-inducing toy. (I said what I said.)
Since becoming a professional photographer with frequent kids as subjects, I’ve used Polaroids — and yes, “Polaroid” became the word for the whole category of instant film, like Kleenex or Xerox — in all kinds of my photography sessions, as a distraction, as an add-on. But in 2026, instant film has been genuinely optimized, and I think Fujifilm’s Instax line is absolutely brilliant for kids.
Okay, yes, Instax film is lowkey robbery, not gonna lie. But the cameras are genuinely so cute, everyone from toddlers to full-grown adults loses their mind using them, and watching a photo develop in real time will never not be a serotonin hit.
My favorite part is that you can hand the instant print to someone to take home, but first, photograph it with your iPhone! They get to keep the print, and you keep it forever. Best party trick going.
The only problem: you will end up with a towering stack of Instax prints and absolutely no plan for them. An album works, technically. But let’s be honest — albums live on shelves. Hard to remember to open them.
What if you put them on your wall instead?
I just made an Instax frame using some old wrapping paper I had lying around, and I’m going to show you exactly how.
If you try it, let me know! I’d love to see yours, and I’ll post a few in a future issue. If you’d like to get all the supplies for it, here’s the link. I listed some awesome solid-color wrapping; I’m especially into the matte silver. (You’ll also need a pencil, scissors and wrapping paper of your choice; link above to what I picked!)
LAZY VERSION: If the above feels too onerous, pick up these cute colored frames!
Eadem Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm is the softest, smoothest shiny gloss I’ve found in a while, and it has this ridiculous applicator shape that I absolutely love. Plus, I learned about it from someone IN THEIR TWENTIES, and I’ve since noticed many youngish people sporting this poufy pout-glosser. Good products often go viral for good reason, not just “because it’s cool”, though safe to say, this gloss is cool.
Instax mania (photo of the craft I'm working on, in the IG video above!)
I’ve been thinking a lot about this article. I’m not a shoe girl. I’ve always been a handbag girl. But even I’ve noticed lately that I really… don’t need one? I pretty much just always have my phone, and my purse stays in the car. But as my friend Lauren aptly observed, “we millennials hold FAST to our designer handbags”, don’t we? I certainly did for a long time.
I’M SO SORRY, but I really do love the smaller bubble of the “private equity water”, the viral influencer-peddled Loonen Water. It’s got a less-agro mouthfeel than my beloved Pellegrino, and I truly would buy it again. HOWEVER, overall, the taste of Pellegrino keeps it my #1; despite the bubble size, because the mineral flavor is top-tier.
5. Where to buy the prettiest and most unique peony roots, like this “Angel Cheeks” variety I grew on Shelter Island and transported to Sag Harbor. And yes, this photo is of my actual hand holding actual peonies I grew and was on my way to deliver to a friend.
6. The book I’m dying to read but haven’t yet: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. It’s a biting, suspenseful satire about "tradwife" internet culture, toxic narcissism, and the performance of womanhood. Gulp! The premise of an influencer sent back in time alone is worth a go, but I’ve heard so many people recommend this book that I feel extra compelled to add-to-cart.
I just found out that Charlie and Sons turned part of their luxe, massive plant nursery into the most gorgeous coffee shop — there’s a greenhouse to sit in, an adorable little shop attached, and it’s giving Secret Garden (a book I loved!). Run, don’t walk, and get the $8 Olla latte. Trust me on this one. All the Instax I used in today’s Six Pics and the Instax frame project were shot there in the garden.
That’s all for now! Would you heart this post if you liked it? Next week I’m writing about how to gather and organize inspiration for work and life. If you have a burning desire to tell me how you do this, comment below, and I’ll add it to the post! It’s going to be such a fun one.
Hugs!!
Ana
Long live the handbag! Also Yesteryear was fabulous. You must read. And then, let’s discuss!
I love all the instax discourse...I also have a mountain of printouts I need to do something with, they are such fun moments from favorite events. I ordered a nice album with instax sized pockets, but then I realized that we also have some of the standard polaroid size, and thus far I have not found an album that works for both sizes which is so annoying so I'm going to put everything away in a box and not think about it for a while.