I might need these.

Generally, come fall/winter I purchase a cheap pair of knit gloves and cut the fingers off to wear at work so that I can have warm hands and keep typing.

(Yes, I do tend to look a little hobo-ish.)

So maybe this year I'll splurge (I'm not kidding when I say cheap gloves. think $1.) and purchase these lovely things.

image via elde

Such a cheery, warm color. They might just be perfect for me.
If you like them too, or want to see her other offerings, you can find them on etsy in this shop full of beautiful hand knitted goodness.

Now I'm off to the beginning of a fun, crazy & very full weekend! Fall festival at the girls' school!!

xoxo Lori Danelle

My new favorite sweater

source anthropologie

Picked up this sweater from Anthropologie this weekend. . .and it was on SALE!!!!

It is definitely in danger of becoming my most over-worn item of clothing this Fall & Winter.  :)

You can still get it online, but I think the yellow version is the only one with most of the size options.
I do love the yellow. . .can I get two of the same sweater?

xoxo Lori Danelle

Go look. Now. :)

If you haven't seen this yet, go!!

This oh-so-creative-Mommy takes pictures of her daughter napping.
"I do that," you're thinking to yourself. But no, you do not do it like this!!

Please go check it out. . . and for those of you will little ones, take some inspiration away with you! I wish my Littles were still little enough!! 

Mila's Daydreams

Sweet Dreams. . .  :)

xoxo Lori Danelle

If you have a preschooler:

My friend Jenny over at Southern Institute for Domestic Arts & Crafts is hosting a special series called Preschoolers 101. Really good stuff so far, so if you have a little one, head on over!

Jenny is a Mom of 3. Her middle child just happens to have been born within a week of Big Sister and her youngest within 2 months from Little! Her oldest, and her only girl, is 7 and Big thinks she is the coolest. Needless to say, this lady has a little bit of experience on the topic. And it couldn't come at a better time! Nate & I have been scratching our heads a little on the best way to handle our emerging little independent person. So far, I'm not sure we're handling it so well. . .So join me, and lets head over and pick up a pointer or two!! Maybe I'll manage to get a perfectly well-behaved 3 year-old yet!!!! Or at least understand why she's acting the way she does!!

xoxo—Lori Danelle

Quick! Someone have a birthday!!

Because I have to to try these cupcakes!!!!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes?!
A girl doesn't have a fighting chance around those!

You can find the recipe at Annie's Eats.
And if you find an excuse to make them before I do, please tell me they're as wonderful as I imagine!!

xoxo—Lori Danelle

My Daddy's Daughter

My Dad makes stuff.
His jet boat his senior year in shop class.
Our house.
Oh, the house. A source of angst & immense pride.
And absolutely beautiful woodwork.

He made the most amazing raised paneling throughout the entire house. Very intricate.
He loves wood.
So being that I am his daughter, I inherited the gene. But somewhere it got morphed a bit. While I am in awe of the work he has done in the house, it's not my style. I like my wood old & worn in.

So when I saw this earlier today on Design*Sponge, I knew I had to share it with you!


This furniture is from koff designs and is made from reclaimed & recycled wood! I want one! (go to their site for even more pieces!)

I'm not a big fan of pristine & I love to imagine the history and stories that got a piece of wood to it's current state. I love when it's been worn absolutely smooth. Plus, it's nice not to have to worry about messing up the table with a 1 & 3 year-old running around. Any dings would just add to it's charm & keep the story going!

AND!! Ever since seeing this pallet bed over at Ashley Ann's (this whole room makes me swoon!), I have become increasingly enamored with furniture made from pallets!


I happen to have daily access to as many pallets as I can carry. . .OK, more than that. I think I can only carry 1. . .and know for a fact that at least 1, if not 2 pallet beds will be added to a certain room in my house in the coming weeks. ( We've out grown the crib as demonstrated here. ) These pieces, however, make me want to continue on with the theme.

How many pallet derived pieces do you think I can have in my house before it starts looking like a junk yard?

xoxo—Lori Danelle

Rain, Rain. . .You made my day??

This weekend we finally got around to celebrate my 30th birthday. The girls stayed with Nana, and Nate and I had a busy weekend doing whatever it was that made me happy in that moment. :)

The big thing I had planned was to go to the Main Street Festival in one of the suburbs here. Always a lot of fun, tons to see, beautiful houses to look at if you wander off the square, good food & music. Only on Saturday we were expecting storm after storm with high chances of tornadoes.So of course we went anyway. We got there right when things got started and it was already raining. The vendors were bravely setting out their wares and tying down their tents. Umbrella in hand, I kicked off my shoes, waded through puddles and checked all the fabulous stuff, laughing at myself and the rest of the crazies.

However, within an hour everyone packed up and called it quits on the day. It was really kind of odd to be in the festival space without the festivities. But we did get to see everything we wanted to see and hit all the antique shops my heart could handle. And got very, very wet. But somehow that just made the day more special. I couldn't keep from grinning.
(sorry for no pictures. didn't think my camera & a rain storm went well together.)
We did see one thing that I just have to share with you. Sarah Kaufman has the most amazing oil paintings!!!


I wish I could have taken one home with me right then. Her style is so whimsical and dreamlike. Takes me to that magical little girl place in me that I don't think will ever fully grow up (nor do I want to!!).


Her prices were reasonable, and I loved how she popped her head into the tent while we were browsing to inform us she was just "tying down the tent to keep it from blowing away." She seemed plucky. :)


So hopefully, before too long I will have one of her amazing paintings hanging in my house!! Preferably one of the really big ones, but I can go with a smaller one if I have to. ;)

But head over to her website and check out all her other paintings! You'll LOVE them. Promise.

xoxo—Lori

You've Got to Check this out!!!

I just found this paper cut artist via the Design*Sponge site. Her name is Julene and check out the rest of her site for some truly amazing work! So much detail and such clean impeccable lines! She's definitely done this once or twice!

I'm absolutely giddy with excitement!!!

First off, I WANT ONE for my very own!
Second, I want to give it a try!

In college, between mocking things up for my graphic design classes and the handful of "stencils" I've made for other classes & projects, plus the insane amount of packaging mock ups I've done at work (I previously worked in the packaging department of my company and you would not believe the number of fake packages one has to produce for any number of reasons before the final version makes it to print!!), I've come to be pretty handy with an Xact-O knife.

Plus, I'm just insane enough to find this FUN!

So sooner or later, and sadly, with my schedule, probably later rather than sooner, you'll be seeing an attempt from me.

Until then, perhaps I'll just tide myself over with buying one of hers.



****UPDATE****
Julene just posted on her site that she will soon be selling limited and lasercut runs of her most popular pieces in her etsy store! (Read: hopefully in my price range!!!)

YEAH!!!!