Lori Danelle

So I've got this cousin. And she's pretty great. She's a part of so many of my childhood memories. We spent hours playing "house" in grandma's dress-up clothes, creating imaginative worlds under the large blue-berried pine tree outside grandpa's house, annoying our parents to death singing a little ditty about a China Doll for hours on end, and cheering for each other through grade school, high school, college and now "real life". 

Lori is a cousin, sister, daughter, wife and mommy to two beautiful little girls. If that weren't enough she's also an artist and one of the most driven and creative women I know. While her talents and creativity cover many areas of her life, a passion that she's really excelled in is paper cut art.

If you follow Ashley Ann then you've seen her "Bittersweet" work here (towards the end of the post). If you love unique and out of the ordinary gifts you've seen her here. If you've been to my house lately you've seen her here:

I was so honored to get this extra special piece from her...

Lori has a special place in my heart. So do flapjacks. : ) Flapjacks were a special treat growing up. A recipe (while really not unique to anyone) that I hold near and dear due to the sweet family that it came from. My great-grandma made them. My grandma made them. My mom made them. And now I make them. And, judging by Taryn's ecstatic reaction anytime I say I'm making them, she'll be making them for her kids one day too.

Hand-cut precision work. That's a lot of hours with an exacto-knife!

Very delicate. So special. Makes my heart happy every time I look at it.

On my dream wish-list for someday is this amazing piece of art:



Of course, I'd probably get our names. : )  Those are personal, actual, individually unique finger prints! You send one in. She blows it up. Then painstakingly cuts them out. I'm in awe.

Since we're making a wish list go ahead and add this one:

Oh, ok, this one too:





Stunning!

If you can't tell I'm crazy proud of Lori and all that she's accomplished and can't wait to see where the Lord is taking her and her family through her pursuit of her passions. It is a joy to see her go after her dreams and to stand alongside her in prayer and celebration.

Go visit her site here.  Make sure and pin your wish list items!

Now I'm hungry for flapjacks....