lets get crafty

mother's day is just around the corner (3 days to be exact). but don't panic...there's plenty of time to whip up something special and heartfelt for mum before then. if you try to avoid the malls and are a sentimental sap for anything handmade, like moi, then some of these should be right up your alley:

bakerella does it again...flower cake pop cuties using leftover easter candy. i've actually made the cake balls using her recipe and the process is easy and the results yummy.

bakerella.blogspot.com/

lovely handmade tea bags with cut-out tabs a la martha stewart.
www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/mothers-day-tea-sachets-and-gift-box

vintage lace brooch by martha stewart. the lady (and her brilliant staff) is pure genius.
www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/blossoming-brooch

i can't resist this bag by posie gets cozy. i would use it at the grocery store, library, overnighters, practically anywhere....click here for directions:

rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2009/05/the-jane-market-bag-pattern-is-ready.html

flirty apron by one more moore. if mom doesn't bake, this apron might make her want to.
morganmoore.typepad.com/one_more_moore/2007/02/valentine_tree__1.html

mom might appreciate a pinchushion designed by anna maria horner if she's a seamstress. red, standard tomato pincushion, move over.

www.bhg.com/crafts/sewing/projects/wild-flower-pincushion/

a photo lantern by a field journal is a creative way for mom to display photos of the kiddies. i can see this working with candle votives or glass vases also. step by step tutorial at decor8.
decor8blog.com/2009/04/01/craft-tutorial-photo-lanterns/

you can never go wrong with breakfast in bed...seriously. and this tres chic (and simple) bed tray by ashley is the perfect accessory. check it out at design sponge.

www.designspongeonline.com/2008/07/diy-project-ashleys-picture-frame-tray.html

i think we all wish we had more time to enjoy a long, relaxing bath. give mom a chance and permission to indulge and whip up some lavender bath salts by lost button studios.

lostbuttonstudio.blogspot.com/search?q=bath+salts

i find that flowers, time spent and heartfelt notes are always welcome and preferred. a little spoiling doesn't hurt though :)

dawnie

p.s. tomorrow i'll post an easy and yummeriferous craft that you can surprise mom with for mother's day. stay tuned...

ode to blogging moms

in honor of the upcoming mother's day, i've thought about what makes certain moms i've known or come to know in some form or another, extraordinary. there are many moms that pop into mind that i'm blessed to know personally and then there are blogging moms that i've come to feel as if i know them personally through their trials, shining moments, and creative endeavors. here are a few of my favorites:

gabrielle blair

www.designmom.com

she's hip and she's a new yorker that recently relocated to denver, colorado. mom of 5 kids ('nuff said) who finds the most fantastical kid (and big people) items. she seems down to earth and yet fun- you know, the kind of mom your kids, and yourself, would like to hang out with. and look at this family photo...egads. how does one dress 5 people (correction: 7 people including herself and her hubby) with all those colors and patterns in such a coordinated and fashionable way? my daughter would be in heaven.

ree drummond

www.thepioneerwoman.com

i love the pioneer woman's colorful insights and her sense of humor on everyday little occurances on her ranch where she lives with marlboro man (her sig other) plus her punk and punkettes. this lady is funny. i mean FUNNY. and talented. she homeschools her four kids (okay, she's crazy too- ha!) and still finds time to help run a ranch, cook amazing meals for her family and ranch help, and host complete strangers/guest bloggers in her beautiful home. then she finds time to artfully blog ( and take totally artistic photos) about the above mentioned... and more. phew! just talking about it all, makes me tired. pioneer woman, i am not worthy!

anna maria horner

www.annamariahorner.blogspot.com

she's a mom. she's a fabric designer. artist. talented photographer (see above). business woman. blogger. and she's phenomenally creative. she's preggers with her 6th child (they span 18 years old and college bound to bun in the oven) and she still manages to look and exude youthfulness and manage a fabric business to boot...i think she's one of the pioneers of fabulous, modernized, hippy chic fabric and the mastermind of some equally fabulous clothing and home good patterns. i admire her balance and commitment to both of her passions- family and her craft.

and last but not least:

stephanie nielson

www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com
my favorite. stephanie nielson is a blogger from utah, and lives with her doting husband and 4 young, beautiful children. i love the aura of her blog; it's like stepping into an anthropologie catalog- all dreamy and artfully documented but so personal. i may be speaking to the choir, because many know about stephanie and her husband already, but stephanie was in a plane accident that burned 80% of her body and 30% of her husband's. i had admired her blog pre-accident for her devotion to her family, her perspective on life, and the simplicity and creativity that she diffuses into her home all in the name of her family. now that admiration is 100 fold for her strength and humor through this trial.


so, here it is...my favorite mom bloggers. what are yours?

just dandy

each spring, the kids are on the lookout for the first dandelion of the year. this year lana lou hoo spotted the first one in the yard. she was so excited she was beside herself.

then as we all know, before you can say 'holy dandelion', the little buggers pop up everywhere. like overnight.

some people call them flowers and some people call them weeds.


we think it's a matter of perspective.

hope your weekend is grand!

dawnie

craving...

ripe strawberries.

a sunflower field.

summer thunderstorms.

a good, long bike ride.

chalk sessions with the kiddies.

ice cream.

coney island.

the beach at sunset.

and all things summer...

p.s. find these scrumptious photos on www.etsy.com:

strawberries- eternal images

sunflowers- art of whimsy photo

summer rain- wood and pixels

bicycles- dripstick

chalk- sheena lu

ice cream- the block store

coney island- gallogirl photos

sunset surf- aaron overstreet art

daffodils

the daffodils have finally come out to play.

happy, sweet friday!

dawnie

little thank you's

i went into my kids' school, just like every wednesday, and look what happened!

i was bamboozled by some 20 pretty cool first-graders and one talented teacher.

actually i am embarrassed to say that i was 10 minutes late (without a good excuse) and as i walked through the door, mrs. polglaze stopped the kids from whatever they were doing. in a snap, 20 pairs of eyes were focused on me. my first thought was crud, i am going to be made an example of how not to be late...

instead, i was rewarded with this...

and this...20 sweet and thoughtful cards.

i so love their artwork and the touching things that they wrote. i think this picture looks even better than the "real" version of me.


and this picture cracks me up: forget about carrots...here's the easter bunny pointing to some chocolate chip cookies instead- er, they are cookies right?


and this is the 'after' pic of me once i polished all those chocolate chip cookies that the easter bunny made.


all this just for doing something that i enjoy and feel blessed to do. their appreciation and kindness made an already sunny day brighter. i plan to pay it forward.

it's amazing what little thank you's can do.
dawnie

bug love

ever since i was a wee lass, i've coveted my cousin brad's '68 black convertible bug. funny, i don't remember ever actually riding in it although i did get to cruise in his sister's ghia-what great fun too!. i do remember longing, hoping one day that i would own my own convertible bug...maybe even have brad's beetle one day. i think i held a funeral the day brad broke up with his girlfriend and she relinquished custody of it and bye-bye bug... what a lucky girlfriend.

i got over my heartbreak (kinda) and so did brad, and i figured one day probably when i was old and gray and had some cabbages to throw around, i'd own one. mind you, not one of the newer, slick, easter-egg hued bugs you see zipping around town, but the older-quirky-rumbling-retro version.




i didn't have to wait too long. christmas 2008 to be exact. see the mr. above? he's so sneaky...

and here she is...world, meet madam blueberry!

last friday, the first 70 degree day of the year, we were finally able to dust her off so she could make her debut. we packed the kids, the dog, turned the top down, and headed to the park (the long way, of course) for a picnic. i feel a little embarassed to say it, but we felt a bit like celebrities, as we puttered along, sun on our faces and wind blowing through our hair. people stopped to look, wave, honk, smile, and we even got one thumbs up. now i know that it wasn't us that was garnering all the attention, rather the car, but it was fun to pretend we were famous.

speaking of kids, here are the rascals. i think they did their share of waving and had a fun time in the back seat enjoying life and having fun. i'm pretty sure they will put this somewhere in their memory files, hopefully in the happy section.

i know i definitely will. it was every bit the wait and more.

cheers!
dawnie


p.s. first picture of the black bug is by gl0ri.