Mother of Beauty | An Interview on Black Eiffel.

I have exciting news today, friends! About a month ago I received an email from the author of one of my favorite blogs. I've been reading Black Eiffel almost as long as I've been blogging. The author, Rachel is highly respected and admired for her original and thought provoking content. And her Music Monday posts? They're a highlight of my week. 

I was honored to read in the email that Rachel wanted to include me in a series of interviews by women she finds inspiring. In my interview I share my thoughts on raising five children, keeping balance and my creative process. 

This occasion called for some new images of me with my children. The last time we attempted was a year ago when Oliver was still very much a baby.

One sunny afternoon Lindsay stopped by to play photographer. Unfortunately, the children were more interested in romping around the yard but somehow Lindsay managed to get some shots that I'll cherish forever. The pictures are a good representation of what life is really like right now in my life. Living with five children isn't posed. It's spontaneous, playful and sometimes it's chaotic.

You can read the interview here on Black Eiffel. Thank you, Rachel for including me.

Images by Lovely Lindsay.

Hope for Sweet Clara.

Look at that darling face! This is the youngest daughter of our dear friends. Her name is Clara and she is just barely two. On Monday Clara was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that has started to spread to other parts of her body. She is currently receiving radiation treatments two hours away from home and is expected to begin chemotherapy before the week is through.

Clara and my Oliver are the same age. In fact, when they were just wee babes her mother Natasha and I may or may not have arranged their marriage (remember that, Tash?). All week our little family has been praying for this sweet girl, her parents, extended family + the physicians who are tending her. And then I got to thinking about you and this space. I thought about the powerful force that the Internet can be for good. It's not merely here to inspire us with lovely images, tutorials and DIY's. It's here for babies like Clara who need prayers from the faithful. It's here so Clara's parents can feel the love + support of so many who are rooting for them. The Internet is here so that we can comfort those that stand in need of comfort.

I'm asking that of you today. Please-pray for Clara. Pray that her tiny body can handle and respond to the treatments she is receiving. Pray that her parents will feel the love that is being sent their way. Pray for her three older brothers and older sister-that they will feel love and comfort too.

There has been a fund set up in Clara's name. If you're able, I know her family would appreciate your donation.

You can read updates on Clara's progress from her faithful mother right here on her blog.

Thank you, dears.
xo.

Funky Vintage Lovely Giveaway!

The winner of the pillow cover + earrings from Funky Vintage Lovely is:

Congratulations, Sarah! You will be contacted by April shortly.

Spring is the time of year when I look to spruce things up. Fresh pillows, a couple new things for my closet, maybe a new accessory or two. Simple additions that get me excited for the warm days of summer that lie ahead.

April from Funky Vintage Lovely understands this philosophy as well. Today she is generously offering up a birds and branches pillow cover with coordinating pair of bloom earrings! You pick the color combo. Yellow + Gray or Red + Blue. Which will you choose?

Giveaway Guidelines:
-Make one comment on this post to enter.
-Giveaway closes Tuesday, May 31st.
-Winner will be chosen via random.org and announced on Wednesday June 1st at the top of this post.

While you're waiting to see if you're the big winner, check out Funky Vintage Lovely's Pretty Little Lovelies Club. I think a membership would make a fantastic graduation gift. Just imagine, a sweet little package delivered to her dorm room every month for 6 months! Sounds like just the ticket to help ease homesickness, doesn't it?

Can't wait to snag a some Funky Vintage Lovely treats of your own? Simply enter DANDEE10 at checkout and enjoy 10% off your order from Funky Vintage Lovely until June 1st.

This is a sponsored post. If you have a shop that you think would be a good fit for Dandee and are interested in sponsorship, I'd love to hear from you! Email me at dandeedesigns@gmail.com for more information.

Two by Two | Favors for Twin Boys.

A friend recently gave birth to twin boys + asked if I would help her with a project. She wanted a little thank you gift to give to guests when they popped in for a visit, brought a meal or offered some other kind of service to their family. These little babes are children number five + six respectively and she knew keeping up with thank yous would be difficult this go around. 

I was happy to help, but really uninspired with the selection of twin favor ideas online. Think peas in a pod. That's pretty much all google was giving me.

I decided to go with a "two by two" theme. Simple cellophane bags were filled with animal crackers then topped with a custom card with the boys birth date, names and weights.

The darling (and perfect!) red and blue wave pattern is from Fresh Memories Studio. It's part of the "Nautical Collection" and really pulled everything together, didn't it?

Stories I've Only Told My Mom.

Sunday was a long day. Sitting in the pew at church with 5 children has become increasingly difficult the last couple of weeks. My baby doesn't understand what it means to whisper, big kids kicking one another assuming I can't see, a toddler crying over a purple crayon that is missing from the bag- my eyes slowly filling with tears of frustration. For some reason while I was sitting in that pew this Sunday my mind went back to this e-book. I remembered how I still wanted to read it. It was waiting for me in my inbox + I imagined there would be words of wisdom within it's pages. Words that would teach me something that I could apply to this. The stage of loud children, crying fits and teary eyes.

Last night after the cozy brick house was quiet, I snuggled up in my bed with Ryan's iPad and read every essay inside Stories I've Only Told My Mom. Some of my favorite bloggers shared such intimate moments I found myself tearing up again. Feeling so grateful for this motherhood experience. For the lessons learned and the perspective gained. Heather Spohr's essay alone is worth the $4.99 price. It's a touching account of losing a child and I wept through most of it.

Grab your copy of Stories I've Only Told My Mom right here on Amazon.

Connect.

One thing all bloggers love to do: talk about blogging, of course. Lindsay, Randi and I have planned a little blogger's social and we're really hoping you will come. It's going to be casual, me with my Izze and wooden dandee cards in hand- waiting to make some new friends. I would love to meet you, "talk shop" + connect. 

Will you join us?

Weekending.

I did everything on my list this weekend which almost never happens.

I used a pedicure gift certificate I received for my 30th birthday 5 months ago.

Why did I wait so long?

Ryan started building our chicken coop! While he was working away I snatched a sticker from one of the pieces of lumber and stuck it on his back. 

It was still there when he went to the grocery store 7 hours later. 

The guy in line behind him had a good laugh.

The children played in all of our fallen dogwood tree blossoms. . .

. . .and then had cozy coupe races in the back yard.

Owen snapped this picture of me and my favorite polka dot dress with my favorite 3 year old.

I think it's cute that she's standing just like her mama.

Other highlights: Abby + her best friend giggling in the back seat, Easton's AAU basketball team finished up the spring season undefeated + Sam and I discovered the joy of late evening walks.

Shapes + Colors Memory Game.

Lately Audrey has been pointing out colors wherever we go.  Ba-lue! Lellow! Wed! I made this memory game with her (and her toddler friends) in mind. It's perfect for little ones learning shapes + colors. 

The last memory game I created was cute and tiny, but not appropriate for little hands. This version was made with the same kind of wood discs + wool felt. Two of my favorite materials.

To make one for the toddler in your life you'll need:

12- 1 1/2" wood discs
wool felt in 6 different colors
Heat N' Bond

To begin, simply adhere Heat N' Bond to the wool felt. With the paper backing still attached to the felt, cut 2 shapes from each color. Next remove the paper backing and iron the shapes to the wood discs.
Tip: make sure your iron is on the "no steam" setting. It took about 25 seconds of direct heat for the Heat N' Bond to adhere to the wood discs.

For Audrey's game I used primary colors and simple geometric shapes. 

This is a simple + quick project that will bring your children hours of educational fun. Yay!

What's In Your Makeup Bag?

Spring is the perfect time to take inventory of your makeup bag. Decide what's working, what not and possibly discover some new favorite products + colors. The lovely Hannah of Sherbert Blossom has just started a new series that gives readers a peek inside bloggers makeup bags. It's so fun to see what products + brands others swear by!

I shared the contents of my makeup drawer (I don't use a bag unless I'm traveling) last week with Hannah and her readers. Although my makeup regimen is pretty basic there are a few things I would hate to live without.

p.s. I took a little trip to the makeup counter this past weekend and updated my blush + lip color for spring. I'm currently loving Bobbi Brown blush in "Nectar" and "Golden Nectar" shimmer lip gloss. Do you have any favorite colors/products I should know about? I'm currently on the hunt for a great moisturizer, what's your favorite?

The Kind Diet.

For the past few years I've been on a bit of a food discovery journey. Reading lots of different books, watching documentaries and soaking up every bit of information I can get my hands on. One recent read, The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone, has opened my eyes to some great new foods and recipes.

Alicia is Vegan and while I understand the thought of giving up meat and dairy can sound blasphemous to some, Alicia shares information in her book that will help you make healthier food choices regardless if you live Vegan or not. 

My motivation in purchasing this book was to discover new recipes to feed Audrey (who has dairy sensitivities) without neglecting her the nutrients that dairy offers. In reading, I also found myself learning even more about the power of foods like beans, whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, and alternatives to recipes that call for butter + chocolate chips.

There are some wonderful recipes that you must try. So far, we're especially loving the Hearty Pinto Bean Stew pg 170 + Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups pg. 183. And look at those cupcakes! Can't wait to try those.

What about you? Have you read The Kind Diet? If so, what did you think?

Weekending.

Last week was pretty quiet around here, wasn't it? Sorry about that friends. Blogger + I were having issues but I have to admit, when all was said and done the little break was nice. 

This weekend was stormy around these parts. I loved it!

On Friday (to celebrate being one week closer to summer) the children ate ice cream cones on the back porch.

We had a "Little Critter" marathon.

Question: Do your children love Little Critter as much as mine?

Audrey helped me in the kitchen.

I practiced my pie baking skills.

Thanks to your suggestions I feel like I'm improving.

 I still have some tweaking (practicing) to do before I share what's working for me...

(p.s. It was apple)

New Sunday afternoon activity: watching multiple "Mormon Messages" on You Tube.

This one and this one were our favorites yesterday.

Other highlights: Ryan and I enjoyed a Friday night date by the river which lead to discussions of 'why we need a boat', soccer is officially over for the season(!!!), and a set of new white sheets were purchased. Have I ever told you about my obsession with crisp white sheets?

Summer Essentials.

I was hoping she would pick red.

But how can you ignore HOT PINK!

We bought both.

What do you consider summer essentials?

Comic Strip Coloring Pages.

Owen's in a really fun stage right now. Drawing is one of his favorite past times and the pictures he creates always make me smile. I love that he has found a creative hobby that he enjoys but unfortunately he would rather draw than practice his writing. I've been thinking of ways to try and get him excited about story writing and yesterday it hit me. Comic strips!

This morning while he was at school I created a simple comic strip template for him to enjoy. The box sizes are perfect for his age (6 years) and give him plenty of room to draw a scene and include speech bubbles.

If you have a budding Picasso too, you can print off the comic strip coloring pages here. 

Weekending.

This weekend brought the end of soccer season (only one more tournament to go!), 

family time in the yard + a lovely Mother's Day. 

Audrey + Oliver wearing their Saturday clothes, preparing to follow Ryan around while he mowed the lawn.

My patch of Lily of the Valley is beginning to bloom. 

Abby's new obsession: tether ball!

Ryan made whole wheat waffles + smoothies for my Mother's Day breakfast.

Currently, this is the view from our front window. So colorful.

Other highlights: Yesterday after church while Ryan was at meetings and the babies and I were napping, the big kids folded three loads of laundry as a Mother's Day surprise. I was so happy (and thankful!) I nearly cried. I'm lucky to be their mother.

Happy Mother's Day.

So much to love about this photo. 

Our old boat, the river, just our little family. 

That blond? Still sassy. 

That baby? Still happy.

That mother? Still as beautiful as ever.

Wishing you all the loveliest of days.

This very moment. . .

This sunny day has all of a sudden turned gray. It has me aching to crawl into my bed, put on a pair of spripey socks + watch You've Got Mail.

All three boys need haircuts bad. Like, their hair is growing over their ears and down their necks- bad.

After reading through all of your helpful comments on how to make a pie crust (you guys are the best!), I'm feeling motivated. Maybe this weekend I'll give it another shot?

I'm wearing a new favorite nail color. It's called "Tangerine" by Essie. You sort of need to own it. It looks great with a powder blue top and khaki pants. Trust me.

Happy mother's day to all of you mothers, hopeful mothers and mothers at heart. I love you. And if you + I were neighbors I'd show up at your door with a little treat. Probably chocolate. Because you deserve it.

Image of me + my chicks by Lindsay.

Share What You Know | Pie Crust.

I love the Internet for a lot of reasons. The feeling of community, the friendships I've made, the sharing of ideas + skills. Lately, I've been pondering how powerful that last one is. It's amazing that someone in a little town in the middle of no where can post something (an idea, a recipe or a tutorial) that has the potential to reach thousands.  

This is a little experiment. If I ask a question, will you share what you know? 

Confession: I am a pie crust failure. I've tried all the "no fail" recipes I can get my hands on. How did they turn out? Failure. The crust is too thick, not flakey, too sweet. But that's not all. I can't seem to get the crust from it's nice floured surface into the pie plate without it cracking, splitting, completely disintegrating in my hands. I need your help. Your advice. Are there products that I should have? A special rolling mat, perhaps? Do I need a food processor (because some recipes say you do.) Do you freeze your butter? Can you link me to your favorite recipe?

My hope is that you will teach me what you know. The comments you share will not only help me bake a lovely pie for my family but will help other pie failures too (surely I can't be the only one.)

So, what can you tell me about pie crust?

Some Things.

Today the sun is shining and the wind is nothing but a breeze. It's far too lovely of a day to miss but I have some things I've been dying to share with you. I'll keep it short + sweet.

First. I was asked by Real Beauty to contribute to an article titled "33 Best Mommy Blogger Beauty Tips." It was fun + I loved reading the tips from the other (much more fabulous) bloggers like Joanna of A Cup of Jo, Leigh of Marvelous Kiddo, Sally of Shim + Sons, Melissa of The Lil Bee, Joni of Lay Baby Lay, Zachary of Raising Colorado + Jules of Pancakes and French Fries. Great line up, right? Read the article at your own risk though. It had me adding a few things to my wish list.

Second. I'm happy to report I've finally updated the "Projects" + "Parties" tabs underneath my header. I'm hoping this simple change will help make finding some of my favorite tutorials + parties easier for you. There are some good things tucked deep in my archives and I like knowing that those posts are a little easier to access now.

Third. It's been about 5 months since I made the switch to my new dot com. I've been running a little experiment in Google Reader since then and have found that if you are still subscribing to my old url (dandeedesigns.blogspot.com) you aren't seeing my updates until far later than if you were to subscribe to the new one (www.dandee-designs.com). Generally, Google Reader is updating the new feed 3-5 HOURS SOONER. Are you ready to make the switch?

Hope you're able to enjoy some spring time weather today too, friends. Meet me here tomorrow?

Inspired By:

Geometric Shapes.

on everything from earrings,

to art.

to TOMS,

Lately I've been drawn to the lovely patterns simple geometric shapes can create + the beauty in one singular shape on it's own. So interesting to look at, wouldn't you agree?

Images: Elisa Shere Jewelry, Puffed Peonies via Paper Crave, TOMS.

Weekending.

Spring is stealing my heart. 

On Saturday we finally planted our garden.

Question: can you grow raspberries in a raised garden box?

We went on a date.

 Owen relaxed in the shade with a  juice box + his new sunglasses.

Audrey + Oliver hauled their little camp chairs from the backyard to the front porch to watch our neighbors sprinklers. It was super cute until they pulled up every single pansy from my pots.

Ryan read aloud from The Price We Paid as we were winding down Sunday evening. We have been asked to join the youth from our church on a 20 mile trek this summer (in August!) and the experiences shared in this book are helping us prepare. Have you read it?

Other highlights: We let our little chicks out to roam around the sunny lawn then spent 20 minutes chasing them down, I baked banana bread, all the time spent outside has left the cozy brick house neglected. I'll be paying for that today.