Red, White & Chambray

we had to go to this pretty place to "help" daddy with some scenery photos for a painting he's working on.
as soon as we got there, i had one kid dancing around about to pee her pants, another kid peeing on a rock, and another child peeing in her pants (nope, i'm not naming names...but she's kinda little and her name rhymes with bofeeya) all in all, a grand time.
we're off to a parade today then maybe we'll head back up the canyon for some more family togetherness, that is, if the parents don't go crazy first!

chambray rompers: old navy, ross

chambray shirt: old navy

red shirt: downeast

tan shorts: thrifted

red sandals: kohls 

linking up with Lindsey for what i wore wednesday

have an awesome, safe, dry panties type of 4th of July, mmmkay?

Snap Conference

My name is Danielle
and I'm no longer a conference virgin.
You guys, i went to Snap Conference
and it rocked my socks!
I can't wait to do it again.

to be honest, i spent a lot of the first day wandering around lost and lonely.
i went back to my room, teary-eyed and texted my hubby.
his advice?

don't hide your awesomeness, let your awesomeness shine.

best. advice. ever.
so, i had to step out of my comfort zone
and introduce myself to people,
ask if I could sit by people,
just start talking to people i didn't know.
it was weird at first.
i thought everyone had come there with a friend,
that everyone already knew each other & i was the odd man out.
but, it turns out, a lot of people came not knowing anyone.
and they were stepping out of their comfort zone, too.

walking into Snap Conference the thing i most wanted to get out of it was to get to know other people like me.
people who love to create, to blog, to share
I met so many people!
I walked away from Snap with a lot of awesome friendships.
but, i also walked away with more than that.
I hadn't really considered the classes beforehand.
but, the Snap Conference classes were really amazing.
Things like, how to grow your blog, SEO content, Facebook rules & regulations, networking, how to photograph...
there were a lot of amazing classes!
I think my favorite part of the conference was getting to know some of the "big" bloggers,
and realizing that they're just people, too.
Some are shy, some are outgoing, some are talkative & reach out to others, some are slow to get to know others...
they're real people.  with their own personalities- and it was great to meet them :)

meeting Jessica, of Allora Handmade (and the Queen Bee Market) was a highlight

no, i cannot smile regularly when i'm around Gussy, it's too exciting! ;) and, of course, she just looks adorable!

who knew that me and Mandi from Vintage Revivals would be fashion TWINS?

Alissa from Rags to Stitches is super nice and a good peacemaker :)

Heather from Glitter and Gloss is sooo much fun to be around and super nice!

i <3 these two girls so much! Jenna and Heather from Just.Lovely.Things seriously, 2 of the nicest girls you could ever meet!

Jenna striking a pose :)

Kristen Duke taught me how to take the amazing photo of her ;)

the 2 Jacqui's, and YES, they both spell their name that way! Jacqui, aka Crafteemcgee, and Jacqui of Baby Boy Bakery They both know how to rock a cute outfit!

I was so lucky to get to sit by these girls at dinner! Lindsey (linking up with her today for WIWW!:), Jessica, Alissa, and Gussy

my awesome, amazing room mates!! Cindy and Shelby!

I luv these girls! Carrie and Caroline

I would go to Snap again in a heartbeat,
the weather was awesome, the facilities were gorgeous and amazing...
(Cindy may have a pic of me literally hugging a tree, they were so gorgeous!!)
but, most of all, the people were amazing!

 Until next time, Snap...

Downeast Basics Giveaway!

When my aunt visited us from north carolina
we took her to all the best places northern utah had to offer
we took her to the best restaurants
the best shopping
the best recreational activitites

and ya know what she said her favorite things were when it was all over?
rock climbing with us
and shopping at Downeast

ive gotta say, one of those things is my favorite thing to do, too...
(but i'm freaky-deaky scared of heights, so i'm gonna let you guess which one i'm referring too ;)

when downeast contacted me to do a review & giveaway for their new spring line
i just about peed my pants was super excited because i really do love their clothes
anyone who knows me in real life knows that i own about 57 of their half sleeve tees in all the colors that they offer, they're my "go-to" item any day of the week

so, i now own the timepiece dress from downeast in the color atmosphere
and i couldn't be more thrilled
it's uber comfy
and with it's neutral color i can add all my favorite colorful accessories

 jeremy was so kind to take me to the middle-of-nowhere and photograph my pretty new dress
i added a coral ribbon belt ($2 hobby lobby)
pretty feather earrings (jc penney)
mint tights (from we love colors)
new shoes (TJ maxx) (i LOVE these shoes, they're super comfy, too!)
necklace & ring (gifts) (my grandma made the awesome turquoise necklace!!:)

Downeast has agreed to giveaway any item of your choice to one of my lucky readers!
to enter this giveaway
your first entry should be a comment telling me what you would want from Downeast if you were the winner..
there are lots & lots of other ways to enter, 
let the rafflecopter be your guide...
this is my first time using rafflecopter, so hopefully i know what i'm doing ;)
good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

my ruffly, frilly, orange and lavender, vintage, thrifted blouse

i've always kinda been into wearing vintage clothing
my favorite pair of pants in the ninth grade
was a pair of thick green and blue bell bottoms
(& this was 1998-so they weren't really "in style" per se...)
but ya know, if ya love something wear it, right?
i may have also rocked a pair of faux leather pants during that same time period
but there is no proof...

i mentioned the other day that i found a shirt at a thrift store
(that was almost as cool as Dia Frampton's, remember? remember?! yeah, prob. not)
when i found it it was about 4 sizes too big
and i had to hem it in on the sides and shorten the sleeves
& it's L.O.V.E.
i paired it w/a skirt because i was going to a church function
but i'm sure this would be uber cute with dark denim.

shirt | thrifted

skirt | thrifted

tights | target

shoes | tj maxx

earrings | pretty little me

(yay! finally found something to wear with my pretty little purple flower earrings!)

ya know the WWJD bracelets?
well, every time i shop i think WWEHD?
What Would Emily Henderson Do?
is that weird?
it never steers me wrong..
not in fashion...
and definitely not in home decor.

bashed over the head with signs

well, geez...
sometimes ya just need to be bashed over the head with a sign from above
in order to receive it, right?

I found the best ticket deal to hawaii after searching & planning for weeks.
delta was holding this itinerary for 24 hrs,
after which, it became obsolete.
so, we thought about it overnight.
thought & prayed
and decided to book the flights.

when i entered our credit card #
it resulted in a "terminal error"
i was in a panic
because the deal was expiring during the error

i called delta, begging them to extend the deal another 7 minutes while i re-entered my credit card #
"sorry the deal is over
but, i can look for a similar deal for you"
longest minute of my life.
i was pretty sure i was out of luck
no more good deals to be found.
luckily, she was able to find a deal for us
only $20 more.

best news ever, right?
but i tried to pay for the tickets over the phone
"sorry, this credit card was denied"
"sorry, this credit card was denied"
"sorry, this credit card was denied"
every.time.

you see...
last fall i lost my credit card.
well, it was lost for a few hours & then found.
but, in the mean time, i cancelled the card.
didn't know if the card had fallen into the wrong hands or whatnot.

discover card sent us replacement cards.
but i never bothered to activate them
i don't usually use credit cards anyway
plus we had an american express card
if we had to use it

fast-forward 7 months.
there was some weird activity on my american express card
i don't remember buying flowers in canada over valentine's day
(umm, it's 'cause i didn't...)
so, what better thing to do
than cancel that card?

I just didn't even realize that we were credit card-less..
until i tried booking our flights to hawaii.

i tried everything in my power to buy those tickets before they expired again
i had plenty of money in my checking account
and presumably several thousands of dollars allowed to be spent via credit
but alas, no credit card number, no tickets...
i even have a debit card that they could have used,
but the bank puts a limit of $1000/day
(for our safety, of course)
& by the time i thought of calling the bank to expand that limit
it was 5:15
and the bank was closed.

so, we considered borrowing a credit card
& writing a check to whoever would be so kind...
take a loss, considering all the "points" or "miles" we'd earn.
but, we decided after being bashed over the head with signs,
that we would just wait until our new cards came in the mail
& then try again to get tickets.

nobody knows what lies ahead for each of us
but i do know the God directs our paths.
i may never know why we weren't supposed to buy those tickets yesterday
but i know we weren't supposed to buy those tickets yesterday

and...
since i was on the phone with delta or credit card companies all day yesterday
i didn't have a chance to post my what i wore wednesday...
so, happy belated wednesday, friends...
may your signs be bashed over your head
(it is, arguably, the best way to receive them)
and your credit cards be active ;)

dress- Old Navy
jeans- H&M
shoes- Kohls

oh, and, if you're still here...
just thoughts i'd let ya know,
i'm loving all these photo tips
from ruche
they're worth a look-see
:)

What I Wore

Blogging to you on the road as my hubby shows his art at a show in salt lake city
While he works the girls and I go shopping, of course!
Yesterday we went to the planetarium, and hit anthropologie, forever 21...
Today we're going to the aquarium, h&m, some antique shops...
Later this week we're going to the zoo, ikea, target
All the good stuff we dont have where we live
(don't ask me how we survive without a target)

earrings by the lovely Pretty Little Me

Skirt| thrifted
Shirt & sweater| Downeast
Tights | We Love Colors
Shoes | Target

Hope your week is great, me thinks mine will be!

xo-Danielle

Just Breaking in the Mattress (plus a Giveaway!)

It's mandatory, for me atleast, that while doing this on a bed, you have to have your mouth wide open in every. single. shot. ;)

dress: Downeast

tights: We Love Colors

headband: Sugar Blossom Boutique

necklace: Pretty Little Me

When I found Pretty Little Me's Etsy Shop I fell completely in love!  I'm so excited she's doing a giveaway here today!  Everything in her shop is just so pretty! I bought this pretty cuff and ring for a Christmas present and kept the necklace for myself! 

Katherine of Pretty Little Me has such beautiful headbands, earrings and adorable bobbi pins, too :)  It's all so uberly awesomely pretty! and another thing I appreciate about her shop is her great photography.  Visit her Etsy Shop, you'll be glad you did!  

Everything in there is pin-worthy!

Katherine is offering one lucky reader this pretty little necklace. Wouldn't it be an awesome surprise if you found out you won this necklace on Valentines Day??

 I wanted all you guys to have the chance to get to know Katherine a little bit so, she's the first to take part in my new 20 questions series!! yay!!
So, the 20 questions series goes like this... I ask someone cool 20 questions so that you can get to know them better. simple, right?
Here we go!
Here's Katherine, isn't she beautiful??

Hey, I am KatherineMW.  I like my church. i really like my husband.  I like to travel. I like laughing, and I think I am funny (because one of my sisters tells me I am). I like putting puzzles together with my children.  I like photographing glimpses of my life as the days go by. And I feel more like a cute mom with a pair of pretty earrings on. 

*Do you have children?

I have 2 children.  Grace is 5 and Willis is 3.  Yes, my kids are Will and Grace!  They are both family names, but also very significant to their entry into the world.  There were complications with both my labors.  During the wee hours of the morning, after a long, restless night of “labor” with my daughter, my nurse was comforting me, telling me all would be well and that because we were in a hospital, my baby would be saved by the Grace of God.  After my nurse left the room, I turned to my Lance and said (of course while bawling), “We are naming her Grace.”  And it fits perfectly.  My son’s labor came with additional complications, resulting in moderate cerebral palsy.  My sweet son had no signs of life at birth, and needed to be fully resuscitated.  From the very beginning, my son has had a very strong will, so it stuck like glue.  I love my children, being a mother is complicated and tough and amazing, especially of a child with special needs, but I would not trade my life for anything.  I am blessed.

*what one word would you use to describe yourself?  Faithful.

*what's your favorite color?  Green.  Or maybe peach.  I have always loved the color green, and I like to wear the color peach.

*Which do you prefer hot chocolate or coffee?  Nestle hot chocolate.

*if you could have a super power what would it be?   Hmmm. I would love to magically change bodies – I would love to heal my son from him physical ailments!  I would also change my body and give me the right size curves where I want them.  And I would love to give and have wings, so we could all fly.

* what one word would you use to describe your business?  Feminine.

*which do you prefer the beach or the mountains?  I prefer the beach, but my fair skinned family should really be in the mountains.  One of our favorite vacation spots is Glacier National Park.

*favorite season?  Spring.  So refreshing and new.

*favorite pizza toppings?  My favorite pizza is italian style margarita pizza.  Settebello in SLC is my fave.

*night owl or early bird?  Both.  I stay up late working on Pretty Little Me or editing photos for my photography business, but then I get up at 5:45 every morning to walk/jog – that is my therapy. 

*favorite TV show or movie?  I love Parenthood.  Oh man, so real. 

*what is your guilty pleasure?  Sex in the City reruns on TBS or E, so the naughty parts are censored.

*what is your favorite phone app?  Instagram.

*what is your most embarrassing moment?  Eeek, too embarrassing to put on the www!!

*what's your favorite ice cream flavor?  Limited edition Amaretto Almond Crunch, by  Haagen-Dazs.  Seriously, heavenly flavor, and so silky.  Dang, I need to go buy some more.

*how did you meet your spouse?  Church.  Nothing fancy, but so happy we ended up together.  He’s so awesome, he is my rock.  I really like my husband.

*what's one food you can't live without?  I really love food (dangit!), I could do without mushrooms however, they are the yuckiest!

*what was the happiest day of your life?  when my house is clean and my kids are happy and my work is done . . .  no,  i don’t think I have had just one happiest day.  I have many happy moments I lock in and continue to create with my family.

*favorite sport?  I am not an athlete, at all, but I do like watching college football with my husband.  Oh and I do kick lance’s butt in Wii bowling.  I do enjoy yoga and jogging, if I get off my behind to do it!

*name one item on your bucket list . . . I have never written a bucket list for myself.  But a few things I am hopeful for are . . . to go on a mission with my husband someday, have my own craft room – that is all white and pretty, become a runner, have more children, take my family to Disneyland and create something that will magically wash and dry and fold all my laundry!

Isn't she fun??!! It's been so much fun getting to know Katherine, be sure to enter this giveaway!! To enter:

{giveaway:}

Mandatory: you must be a public GFC follower of this blog (1 entry)

{additional entries!}

additional entries - keep in separate comments to count as individual entries!

- visit Pretty Little Me and tell us your favorite item (1 entry)

- heart Pretty Little Me on Etsy (1 entry)

- be a public GFC follower of Katherine's blog (1 entry)

- like Sugar Blossom Boutique and Pretty Little Me via Facebook (1 entry)

- follow Katherine and myself on Pinterest (1 entry)

- blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveaway and include its link (1 entry)

feel free to use this tweet if ya want:
Oh man, I hope I win this pretty valentine giveaway with @mysugarblossom and Pretty Little Me http://bit.ly/xqeyIn

{wanna order something right now?!}

use coupon code LOVE2012 for 20% off of your Pretty Little Me order! 

Giveaway is open to ALL Sugar Blossom Boutique readers thru February 13th.

Winner will be announced on February 14th, just in time for Valentine's Day!

good luck!

xo-Danielle
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

oh, happy day

Happy Groundhogs Day.  

I hope he doesn't see his shadow.  

Today is also my sister-in-laws wedding day.  I've kinda been banned from talking about her wedding, which is too bad. But, I can say we're excited because Sofia gets to be the flower girl.  I'll be sure to take lots of pics...we will be wearing these dresses we got for Christmas because the wedding colors are peaches and creams and golds (I think...)

I hope the little flower girl can handle it, because she tends to get nervous in front of large groups of people.

My contribution to the wedding is the bride's headpiece.  Her wedding dress has pearls across the chest so she wanted pearls in her hair, and again, peach is one of her colors, and she requested the feathers.

 Here's hoping for an eventful, happy day!
xo-Danielle

wiww

Years ago, Jeremy gave me this awesome wool coat for Christmas...i've worn it every winter since then and always get a ton of compliments.  It has all of my favorite colors, turquoise, grass green, grey, and it's all embroidered with a beautiful floral, kinda cherry blossomy print.

This is the outfit I wore to help out in Swede's class.  I was thinking that the dress would be kinda flattering because with the puffed sleeve and the flared skirt it might give the illusion of more of an hourglass figure...then i saw the pics *sigh* yeah, my optimism turned into a sigh.  oh well.

dress: Kohls

jeans: target

shoes: target

Now, for some  really cute stuff! 
Swede and Ingrid were my photographers.

This is what i typically look like on a stay at home type of day, although usually my hair's in a ponytail.  I'm a typical jeans and a t shirt type of girl most days, and I definitely wear my pretty grey slippers around the house all day long.  Just keepin it real!
Ingrid made me this beautiful, and practical necklace.  (it's a red crayon taped onto a super large elastic and i love it tttthhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssss much!) when I told her I was going to put a picture of it on my blog her eyes lit up and she was so excited! So, Ingrid, this is for you, baby girl!

this is my "i got a package from Victoria's Secret today look" ;)

I'm not the only one with an "i got a package from Victoria's Secret look" am i??

shirt: Down East

jeans: Target

slippers: Kohls

necklace: Ingrid

xo-Danielle