things i love // sparkle

WE FINALLY got some gorgeous, sparkly snow this week. I mean it IS winter and all, but it has been sunny and warm and absolutely gorgeous for months. I’m not complaining for one hot second, but we need the moisture and I’d much rather see it now than in April when I want to be busting out my sandals and not pulling on my snow boots. Plus, one of the best things about Colorado is that we don’t hang on to dreary for long. The sun always comes out and lights everything up with its happy, healing warm glow. I hope you were able to bask in some happy this week, too. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

I SPENT like 5 hours the other day cleaning out the drawers and cabinets in our bathroom, purging all of the stuff that doesn’t ‘spark joy,’ like the expired makeup that’s been sitting there abandoned for a year. It took m u c h longer than I expected, but I did feel pretty great afterward. And, now I maybe have a *wee* bit of space to fit these gorgeous Among the Flowers treasures that I’ve been eyeing. Among the Flowers is a northern California small-batch skincare line that’s as clean as clean can be and just so delicate and pretty. The Raw Honey + Sugar Face Polish looks heavenly and I’ll bet it smells divine, too. It only has 4 simple, totally natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about anything grody. The Lip + Cheek Tints are also formulated with just clays, roots, petals and oils. Which color? They all look too lovely to choose.
// AMONG THE FLOWERS RAW HONEY + SUGAR FACE POLISH $25 //
// AMONG THE FLOWERS LIP + CHEEK TINTS $9-16 //

Oh, and one more thing while we’re chatting beauty… I realized this week that they’ve stopped making the perfume that I’ve been wearing for years. I like to fancy it my “signature scent,” though in real life, my signature scent is, well, um, a bit more…natural I’d say. In any case, I’m on the hunt, so if you have some recommendations for a super light, natural scent that can be my new go-to, please share. I do like a little spritz to make my sweatpants feel fancy.

THE SMITTEN KITCHEN catalog of recipes is so vast and amazing that I would normally find it actually impossible to choose just one to share. BUT, she just recently posted this recipe for Parmesan Oven Risotto that’s such a revelation, I CANNOT WAIT to try it and I couldn't keep it to myself. She’s developed a way to make perfect risotto in the OVEN instead of stirring it forever on the stovetop and I’m so intrigued. I love a good risotto, but I admit that when I make it at home, it usually comes out just a bit gluey. So this idea that you can cook it in an easy and foolproof way and have it come out perfectly creamy, but not gloppy is super exciting. Plus that butter and parm, I mean…tell me if you try it before I do!
// SMITTEN KITCHEN PARMESAN OVEN RISOTTO //

MERI CHERRY is a magical process art teacher in LA and I have been ogling her happy creations for years. I am consistently blown away by her never-ending flow of truly enchanting creativity. It’s so inspiring. In “normal times” she teaches coveted classes and camps in LA for a select lucky few. But, happy for us, she has added some downloadable classes and kits so everyone can participate in the magic. I’ve been eyeing both the Resin and Crazy Contraptions classes for my guys, especially my oldest. They’re just right up his alley. She has also paired up with Kid Made Modern to create an epic monthly Craft Club SUBSCRIPTION (be still my heart), so you can get a beautiful project and all the parts in your mailbox each month. And finally, she has also written a gorgeous book, "Play Make Create," that has an impressive collection of super fun and magical projects to do on your own. Surely there’s something for everyone with all of those awesome options. Whether for a rainy day in your own house or as an AMAZING gift for other littles you love, everyone needs a little Meri Cherry in their life.
// MERI CHERRY DOWNLOADABLE ART CLASSES $18 + art materials //

SO… ADVENTURE looks a little different these days, but I’ll take it where I can get it. On a gorgeous, foggy sparkly, snowy morning this week, I set off on an epic journey, driving 13 whole miles SE to… downtown Lafayette. C’mon, that totally counts. Sometimes a mama just needs a beautiful change of scenery and some quiet time alone in the car. Plus, I’ve realized that in addition to being a very visual person, I’m also SUPER tactile. I NEED to touch all the stuff in the store and I’m really missing that sensory element in my life. Kind of like somehow you can’t hear as well with your mask on, I can’t see as well without touching stuff. For real. Tell me I’m not alone. Anyhoo, I allowed myself a wee field trip to check out the sweetest shop on the whole downtown block called Thalken Mercantile.

THALKEN IS the creative love child of Hana and her husband, William, who have made a beautiful tiny space with delicate handmade jewelry + candles + artwork, plus a really lovely curated little collection of other small-batch home goods and self care treasures that would make wonderful gifts. They even had a little stash of gorgeous Mortar and Stone Ceramic goodies, which are nearly impossible to get your hands on. I picked up a few things for my own sweet Galentines (Obvs, I can’t show you them yet) and *maybe* a little something for myself, too (one for you, one for me only seems fair). It was all a really lovely, peaceful little respite for a very few brief minutes and well worth the journey if you’re in the area (they also have curbside pickup and ship nationwide). It totally satisfied my need to see and touch beautiful things IRL (in a very safe-feeling environment, of course). And while you’re in Lafayette, stop at the Tip Top Savory Pies window and pick up a yummy savory or sweet pie for the cherry on top of your totally epic journey.
//THALKEN MERCANTILE IN LAFAYETTE, CO //

I JUST discovered the Smartless podcast and am totally hooked. Does everyone already know about this and nobody told me? Old pals Jason Bateman (heart emoji), Will Arnett and Sean Hayes surprise one another each week by bringing on a guest that’s a mystery to the other two. Honestly, I could just listen to those 3 banter like all day anyway, they’re so dang funny. But when you add in people like Kamala Harris, Megan Rapinoe, James Corden, Stacey Abrams (fave episode so far) and on and on with the great lineup, I’m there for it. It’s pure entertainment. I mean, I’ll tell you upfront that when you’re done listening you still won’t know how to assemble a space rocket or anything, but I CAN almost guarantee that you will have laughed out loud or learned something a bit quirky about their guest that you didn’t know before. And that’s enough for me to keep showing up. Now I’m desperate to watch Arrested Development in its entirety from the beginning because I totally missed that bandwagon when it was on IRL. What other awesome podcasts are you listening to that I don’t know about?!
// SMARTLESS ON APPLE PODCASTS //

sweet distraction

MY LITTLE guy was NOT feeling home school Monday today. He lost steam mid morning and staged a full boycott. So we took a little break and made some valentines to tuck into our Love Bombs. I got out ALL the stuff and we had fun creating some imperfect, perfectly heartfelt cards for our friends (shield your eyes local friends, it’s supposed to be a surprise).

I ESPECIALLY love his red guy with the giant heart eyes. You can’t really go wrong if it’s made with love. Here are some of the materials we used and some that we’d *love* to add to our collection in case you need to freshen up your supplies. Now back to making volcanoes out of PlayDoh for science! Check out the Gift Guide to Art Supplies for Kids + Teens for TONS more creative supply ideas. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

// 1. Meri Meri has the cutest stickers // 2. Yellow Owl Workshop has adorable Rubber Stamps // 3. Pipsticks has TONS of amazing Valentine Stickers // 4. Ooly has the cutest art supplies for ANY time of year // 5. All the cute Heart Washi Tape // 6. Heart Doilies are super fun // 7. Make lots of valentines with these Paper Cut-Out Hearts // 8. Rhinestones add ALL the sparkle // xo

things i love // launch

Wow, that was a week. It feels like the light was turned on; like the sun came out. The collective feeling of hope and strength that’s emanating feels so good (please please let us hold on to it). The world met Amanda Gorman and will now never forget her words and her exquisite, mesmerizing reading of them. My son is already studying her poem at school and I’m so proud that his rad teacher seized this moment to teach the kids about the power of language. I heard Amanda Gorman interviewed and she said she doesn’t draw inspiration from pictures, but from snippets of phrases and words, which is so fascinating to me because I’m such a visual person.

And, in other *slightly* less profound news, it’s almost Valentine’s Day! If you missed my posts about Love Bombs and Galentine’s Day, check them out for some awesome gift ideas. And if you celebrate the day with your sweetheart and need a little help choosing THE perfect thing, reach out, I’d be so happy to help give them heart-eyes on the big day.

Here are a few things that caught my eye this week. I come across too many awesome things along the way not to share them, so this is a little expansion of the “things i love” section of the website. Let me know if there are categories of things you’d like to see more of in future. And thanks for hanging with me, lovelies. xo

This Mushroom Cauliflower Rice from Primavera Kitchen is so good and satisfying. I have made it a few times and it has never disappointed. It's really savory and hearty, like healthy comfort food, and it’s super easy. I usually serve it as a side, but you could easily add some protein or put an egg on top and make it a full meal. You can also sub brown or white rice if you prefer - just add the cooked rice to the skillet at the end and skip the broth (this time I actually used Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice, which made it crazy quick!). I have her Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil recipe pinned for when corn comes back in season, it looks so YUMMY.
// PRIMAVERA KITCHEN MUSHROOM CAULIFLOWER RICE //

This Oli & Carol collaboration with iconic Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada is just the cutest AND a portion of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to pediatric cancer research, which is such a win-win. The bright heart can be used as a bracelet or teether or toy for your littles and Oli & Carol is a gorgeous Barcelona-based company that you’ll feel great about supporting. It’s run by two beautiful young sisters who use sustainable, 100% natural rubber to create their adorable bath toys and then hand-paint each one using food-grade dye. And if that isn’t enough to sell you, the sisters also use a portion of their proceeds to fund a school in northern India. I just love it when I find a company that makes super high quality products AND does good in the world. You’ll also find their awesome toys in Bubbles & Joy subscription boxes.
// HEART BRACELET BY AGATHA RUIZ DE LA PRADA FOR OLI & CAROL $18.99 //

I learned about this facial oil from Lisa at This Organic Girl (if you don’t follow her, you def should, but prep your wallet because you’ll want ALL the things!). My skin is pretty sensitive, so I’ve been keeping it super simple for the last few years. But Colorado’s 300 days of gorgeous sunshine and dry air take a serious toll on a mama’s skin. So I took a chance on this super natural not-at-all-oily facial oil and I AM IN LOVE. In just a few days of morning and night use, I can totally see and feel a difference in the hydration level and look of my skin. My cheeks feel like I’m back in the PNW, all dewy in the middle of January. That’s a serious feat. The Essentialist is a Canadian company that’s dedicated to minimalism in every way, using only natural, sustainably sourced ingredients. Plus they’re Leaping Bunny certified, which is, well, essential as far as I’m concerned. Now if I could get my over-washed sandpaper hands to feel like my face, I’d be all set.
// ESSENTIALIST DAILY RENEWAL FACIAL OIL $110 CAD //

Our whole family loved Wolfwalkers on AppleTV+. The animation is truly stunning and magical. It’s so layered and has incredible movement and depth and so much beauty that I want to go watch it again just to see the details that I missed the first time. And the touching story is also gorgeous. Even if you don’t have kiddos it’s well worth a watch (and it might be a bit dark for super little littles), it was just a real pleasure. They also have a graphic novel that’s equally stunning.
// WOLFWALKERS ON APPLETV+ //

If you follow along with me, you might’ve seen a post earlier this week about 10-year-old Dana and her awesome non-profit, Cookies 4 Cures. Dana bakes cookies to raise money to help fund research into rare pediatric diseases. One of Dana’s sweet friends and fundraising recipients is little Sophie, who loves to dance and has a super rare condition called MCTO that will basically slowly cause her bones to dissolve. Yeah, let that sink in for a minute. There are only around 30 other people in the entire world with this same condition, so it’s just not the focus of a lot of attention or funding. Taking action on behalf of their beautiful daughter, her parents started the non-profit, Sophie’s Neighborhood, to raise money and awareness in hopes that research will catch up and help find a treatment for Sophie and other extra special kids like her who have similarly rare devastating genetic illnesses. Please check it out and help or give whatever you can. And, Dana will is baking some sweet Valentine’s Day cookies for another pop-up on February 13th at Santo in Boulder, so grab a bag of homemade treats for a friend and bring double smiles while you do some good.
// SOPHIE’S NEIGHBORHOOD //

Portland-based artist and illustrator, Lisa Congdon, crushed it this week. She was asked by the Biden Inaugural Committee to recreate the official invitation in her own sunny, happy, bright style and it is truly awesome. She also has a new book coming out in March and I already preordered it because I know it’s going to make me smile. “You Will Leave a Trail of Stars” is a collection of her inspiring, magical artwork, quotes and advice and it looks like a spectacular gift. I’ll def keep you posted on that one, I’m happy to take one for the team.
// YOU WILL LEAVE A TRAIL OF STARS $15.95 //

Hey! Just a heads up that this post includes affiliate links that could earn me a small commission, but rest assured that I stand by all product recommendations 100%. Questions? Reach out, I’m always here for you. xo

inspired // GF snickerdoodles

I can’t think of a better way to roll out the welcome mat than with a plate of warm freshly baked cookies. Plus, I’m just a bundle of nervous pride, excitement, hope and emotion today, so in an effort to channel all of those feelings somewhere, I made a batch of snickerdoodles for President Biden and Vice President Harris (wow, it feels good to finally say that). Or… at least in their honor. I know that the Vice President is an avid home cook and strong believer in the power of food to bring people together; a sentiment I humbly and emphatically share, so it seemed like the best I could do today from my kitchen. My little one snatched a ‘doodle while they were cooling and said “these cookies are amazing!” So that’s endorsement enough for me to think that even the amazing VP might like one or two as she sets off to change the world.

I use a recipe from Mile High Mitts. She’s a fellow Colorado mama so she knows how to bake at altitude. I’ve made this recipe several times and never been disappointed. It’s included here for easy access, but you should check out her site for more sweet high altitude baking recipes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup softened butter or coconut oil

• 1/2 cup sugar + 1/4 cup for topping

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1- 1/2 cups GF flour (I use King Arthur Measure for Measure)

• 1 tsp cream of tartar (or 2 tsp cornstarch in a pinch)

• 1 tsp cinnamon + 1 tbsp for topping

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment

• In a large mixing bowl, add your softened butter or coconut oil, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the brown sugar and beat with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until creamed together

• Add the egg and vanilla and lightly beat again

• Add the flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the bowl and gently mix them together before stirring it all into the butter mixture. Stir well to combine.
  Note! In my experience you will end up with a dry crumbly mixture in the end. It’s ok if it doesn’t look like proper cookie batter, trust me.

• On a small separate plate or bowl, mix remaining cinnamon and sugar together

• Using your hands or a small cookie scoop, pack the mixture together to create little balls (I just pretend it’s play doh) and roll them all over in the sugar mix

• Place them on the baking sheet and give them a little nudge to flatten just slightly

• Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are browning but the center is still not set

• Let them cool and then gobble them up with crumbs flying like Cookie Monster

While my cookies will obvs never make it to the White House or change the world like the amazing Madam Vice President surely will, there is one inspired girl in Boulder who IS making a huge difference with her cookie baking, proving that a GIANT heart, determination and a bake sale actually can make the world a better place. Cookies4Cures is a non-profit dreamed up by an awesome 10-year-old baker with a heart of pure gold. Dana started making cookies to raise money for research of very rare (and totally devastating) pediatric diseases, like SMA and MCTO, and has raised more than $100,000 so far “one cookie at a time.” All of the proceeds go to support amazing organizations like Sophie’s Neighborhood to help fund research and give these beautiful kids a fighting chance. Dana bakes adorable (and delicious!) cookies and charges people “what makes your heart feel good.” How awesome is she?! She and her cookies actually COULD end up at the White House some day.

I have SO MUCH hope today! Between Dana and Kamala and the utterly mesmerizing young poet, Amanda Gorman, and JLo, I am confident that we’re on track to do great things. Hug a bad-ass, inspirational girl or woman in your life today and look forward with hope toward a bright future for everyone. xo

homemade almond granola

A DEAR friend has just had surgery and my first order of business was to bake her favorite homemade granola to tuck into the care package I’m putting together for her. There are a million recipes out there and countless ways to customize granola to your liking. I use a modified version of My Gluten-Free Kitchen’s Almond Granola. It’s nourishing and delicious and just really satisfying. I have made a few adjustments to the original recipe along the way to reduce the sugar and bulk up the nutrients, but if you like a sweet granola, her recipe is awesome as-is. My little guy gets super excited when I bake a fresh batch and devours it by the fistful. Here’s the recipe in case you know someone who could use a little extra nurturing [or a kiddo who needs a snack]. xo

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups rolled oats (I use these because they’re GF, but any rolled oats will do)

• 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds

• 1/2 cup Trader Joes Honey Roasted Sliced Almonds (or similar - they’re the secret weapon!)

• 1 tbsp flax or chia seeds or both (I use this blend)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (more if you’re a cinnamon lover)

• 1/3 cup butter or coconut oil (or whatever oil you like)

• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

• 3 or 4 tsp vanilla depending on your vanilla love

• 1 cup of dried fruit (I used dried wild blueberries this time, but use anything you love)

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 300

• Line a full-sized baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick

• In a large bowl, stir together oats, flax or chia seeds, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter or oil and honey or syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until all the butter is melted and it’s all combined. Once it comes together and simmers for about 30 seconds, remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

• Pour the hot liquid mixture over the oat mixture in the bowl and stir well, paying special attention to the little seeds so they don’t all end up in a heap at the bottom of the bowl. Spread the granola on the baking sheet. Bake at 300 until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. Give it a stir once or twice while it’s baking so you don’t end up with a solid sheet of granola.

• Transfer the pan to a rack and if you want to add in dried fruit or shredded coconut, mix them in now. Cool granola completely.

• When cooled, you can either devour it all in one sitting or put in an airtight container. Or wrap it up to deliver to friends.

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