Sunshine
ISSUE NUMBER TWELVE
February/March 2016
on t h e
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C rah Sa
larius Photogra p hy
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Sunshine MAGAZINE
issue number twelve - leaps and love 2016
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in this issue (love & leaps)
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Leap Day Ideas on Page
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A delicious and romantic night at home.
Turn those cute photos of your kids into even cuter Valentines.
An insipring story on page
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Dress Up
16 30 44 54 Grey Lakes
IN EVERY ISSUE
CELEBS WITH STYLe EDITOR S NOTe A WORD FROM OUR FOUNDER WHAT TO WEAR CURENT OBSESSION WHAT S IN MY BAG
Edoughble
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m Design C e d Tan
Artist Spotlight
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We love Lauren's do have seen her style b school student to a serious hearts monochromatic lo Lauren's Runway line for evertyhing from t These piece's can be things. And it is a
ith style) Lauren Conrad
own-to-earth style. We blossom from a shy high fashion icon. We have for eyes for this ook. This look is from e for Khol's and works the office to date night. e paired with so many all totally affordable.
Ring Set & Ear Cuff: Forever 21 F21 has the best selection of chic affordable accessories. Golds and blush tones are the perfect girly touch to your Valentine's outfit.
Heels: Lulu's Add a suble pop of color with these blush pumps from Lulu's. A pointed heel is a great compliment to wide-leg paints.
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Coming Soon ISSUE NUMBER THIRTEEN
All about the Mamas and the Girl Bosses.
April & May 2016
www.thesunshinemag.com @amberfillerup stylelately.com
wash your face. and yout could be in the next issue of Sunshine Magazine. Email thesunshinemag@gmail.com for more information.
Meet the Team Lesley Dennis Music Editor
Sarah Clarius Handorph Photographer
GUESS WHO GOT MARRIED
Kristen Mott Guest Foodie Contributor
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Leann Daniel Editor-In-Chief
In high school, My friends and I were always single and we would wear black on Valentine's Day for fun. My mom was my Valentine and she was the best. I think her love for showing us love is a big reason why I still look forward to passing out Valentines and making goodie bags for friends. Now I realize how much fun love is, no matter where it comes from. Valentine's Day is focused on loving your significant other, but I think it is a great day that reminds us to show love to all the special people in our lives. With every holiday I look forward to carrying on traditions with my little guy and I cannot wait to shower him with hearts and treats and an appropriately themed outfit. This February is double the fun becuase it is also leap year. An extra day to do something adventurous. Do something we have been dying to do, but have let our fear take over. I decided to try new things, take bigger risk, and go big or go home this year. I am finding that inner adventure and taking a leap out of my comfort zone for the sake of growing and improving. Will you join me? THANKS FOR LETTING THE SUNSHINE IN.
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EDITOR'S Fuji Pro Pack Mastin Labs
Lace-Up Fla Charlotte
Hair Tie Bracelet Cuff Etsy
Wondering why I didn t think of this genius idea
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Chocolate Chip of Edoughble
(wishlist) dreaming of spring.
ats e Russe
Kensett Optical
Suede Mini Skirt Polyvore
ff the Ol' Block
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Melissa Turner Founder
Have you done anything adventerous lately? I got a shorter haircut (which I love), tried Stitchfix for the first time (also love), and tried my hand at a few new recipes (some love, some not so much). I would say that my 2016 is off to a very adventerous start! Adventure takes courage, and courage takes confidence. February brings out fluttery hearts and adventerous spirits. It's a perfect time to restart those new year promises and jump into a brand new adventure. Maybe it's love. Maybe it's a new business venture. Maybe it's travel or a new haircut. Muster up your confidence and courage this month. Take a leap! Be adventerous.
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YOUR
AD
here> We would love to feature your product in our next issue. contact us at thesunsinemag@gmail.com for more inforamtion.
We have all been there. Good intentions and high expectations for a successful shopping trip only to leave empty handed. Maybe we even had the thought that we could do it better and sell the clothes we just couldn't find in the mall. Danielle had these same thoughts and with the help of her sisters and her husband, DressUp was born. At the core of the company, Dress Up had one main mission - to show the love of Christ and to help women realize their worth. The couple wanted to make sure that each woman walking in the doors left feeling more confident and loved than they did walking in. It was this mission that shoppers began to fall in love with. After just a little over a year since creation, the brand had built a loyal following of locals, who were excited about expansion. Seven years laater, DressUp now has 14 locations and still growing!
Describe your business. We are a growing chain of women’s clothing stores. Dress Up gets in over 70 new styles every week of affordable items that we never restock.
How did you get started? We got started off of a simple idea and a need in our small home town of Dahlonega, GA. Danielle had the idea after countless failed shopping attempts to the mall that was an hour away and pitched the idea to Derrick. He loved the idea, and they opened their first store 5 weeks after the initial idea. Since then, we have expanded to 14 stores in 3 states.
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DressUp's Dynamic Duo, Derrick & Danielle. What's behind the name?
Nothing magical honestly. When opening in 5 weeks we wanted to have something simple and easy to remember—so Dress Up worked.
What do you love about your work? The thing we love most is the people. We currently employ 160+ people and they inspire us to work harder daily. We keep growing for the sake of our people and providing them a place to grow and stay for years to come.
What's the most challenging part of your work? The people. It is very hard to find people and manage 160+ people on a daily basis. But when we find good ones, we do all we can to keep them!
Describe your office.
It’s very open, fun and inviting. We keep a 100% open door policy at all times.
What Keeps you inspired?
As I said earlier, working hard for others. We love giving people opportunities and being able to build a brand that is recognizable and something to be proud of.
It is very evident that you care about your customers and employees, why is that so important to you? We have a phrase that to work at Dress Up, you need to possess 2 qualities: 1. Love people. 2. Love clothes. We believe that if you have those two things, then you will be successful and it has worked! Love people— the customers and your coworkers & obviously love the clothes that we sell. It works well for us and is so important to who we are!
Any plans for new locations? Yes, opening Huntsville, AL in a few months. We will also be expanding into TN this year and most likely 1-2 more spaces. We should have 17-18 stores by the end of 2016.
How do you spend your days off?
What are days off? Ha-ha. Derrick does anything guy related possible (golf, off roading, boating—something manly). And Danielle loves to shop and spend time with their little boy Hudson, as does Derrick.
Best advice you've been given?
Learn from others around you. We aren’t the first to sell clothes and won’t be the last. So why try to reinvent the wheel? Why not learn from others mistakes? That has helped us a lot!
Go to date night?
Well these days between a 2 year old and 14 stores, it's tough. But when we travel, we love to go eat a great steak dinner and go shopping and just hangout or drive around. We've never been much of the movie type.
follow @shopdressup on instagram.
What to W Shop all of these looks and more at shopdressup.com or at any of their 14 locations.
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Date Night
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(Be
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Your AD HErE Sunshine Magazine iis a happy place to advertise your business, brand or blog. drop us a message to thesunshinemag@gmail.com for more information.
When Fear is Fami
I’ve been frozen for almost eleven months now. Frozen in fear. It’s debilitating and it’s crippling and it’s exhausting. But, as sick as I am of it, I’m stuck. Or at least it seems that way.
Almost a year ago, my daughter was born two months ahead of schedule. I had severe preeclampsia and an emergency csection was performed to save both of our lives. I visited my little girl in the NICU every day for the longest month of my life. She was so tiny, and to me, so fragile. She had to learn how to eat and breathe on her own, and I wasn’t familiar with how to care for a full-term baby, let alone one weighing three and a half pounds. Her nurses assured me that she was one of the strongest preemies they had ever seen and that I had nothing to worry about, but I am embarrassed to admit that most of the time I didn’t see her strength. I saw her feeding tube. I saw her IV and her blood pressure cuff. I saw her heart and oxygen monitors and I heard the jarring alarms when her heart rate dropped too low. All of it terrified me. I knew she was a miracle. I knew that we were watching God form her before our eyes. I knew deep down that we were all going to be okay, but the spirit of fear that had seized me wasn’t loosening its grip anytime soon. When the day I had been praying for finally came and our little baby got discharged, I remember asking her doctor, “Are you sure she’s ready?
Should she stay longer?” The doors of the NICU were at long last opened wide for us to leave, but I’d become so comfortable there, enclosed in that small wing of the hospital, that I was scared to do the thing we were meant to do, the thing I had longed for—go home as a family. Home we went, and our daughter was and is perfectly fine. She has excelled in every way, and now is virtually indistinguishable from a baby born at fullterm. It’s me who’s not fine. I remember all too well the alarms, the monitors, the tubes and the lonely, sleepless nights without her. I obsess about her health, my heart sinks when I hear her crying, and I fear getting the slightest thing “wrong” because if I screw up some awful thing might happen. Basically, I’m a mess, and when anyone asks me why, I point back to the NICU. My paranoia understandably annoys those closest to me. Quite often, I find that I can’t enjoy time with or without my daughter because I’m too worried about her. This, naturally, creates tension for everyone around me. My family has been incredibly patient during my many meltdowns over the last year, but the thing about living in fear is that it not only paralyzes you, but everyone around you. My fear controls me, but my family experiences the bondage as well.
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written by: Sharon Early
I’ll admit it—the traumatic events surrounding my daughter’s birth have become my go-to. The NICU has become my justification for agonizing over every detail of her life. It’s not right or healthy, and at some point I’m going to have to let it go, but I have no idea how to do that. One of my favorite songs by Jason Gray says, “There’s no thief like fear.” And it’s true. Fear has stolen my joy, my peace, my sanity, my sleep, my health and my identity. Not only is fear a thief, but it’s deceiving. When you’re afraid for as long as I’ve been afraid, you swallow the lie that there is no other way to be. You cling to your fear. You justify it. You defend it. I was in tears one afternoon at my parents’ house, trying to get up the nerve to leave my daughter with them for a while so that my husband and I could have some much needed alone time. I was listing all the reasons why I was scared to leave her, why I had no choice but to be afraid even though it was destroying my life. My father, in growing frustration, was shooting down my pitiful excuses one by one. Finally, I said, “None of you…not one of you knows what it’s like to visit your baby in the hospital every single day for the first month of her life.” My dad calmly said, “Well, you’re right. But it’s time to leave the hospital.” It’s time to leave the hospital. My daughter had been given a clean bill of health and
had been discharged for several months. And I had never left the hospital. Rather than allowing myself to experience the freedom we had waited for, I turned my nose up at the miracle in favor of the terror that something, anything might go wrong. That the other shoe would eventually drop. I’m reminded of the story of Lazarus, which is found in the Gospel of John. You may be familiar with it, but the long and short of it is that Lazarus, a man Jesus loved, fell sick and died. In fact, Jesus knew he was going to die, and allowed it anyway, so that God would be glorified (John 11:4). Jesus knew the outcome; He knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, gaining all the glory from his suffering and that of his family. And even though He knew the ending would be a happy one, Jesus still wept when He reached the gravesite, knowing and feeling the pain that His children experienced as part of God’s perfect plan. The Bible says that in a loud voice, Jesus called for Lazarus to come out of the grave, and out he came. Here’s where I draw the comparison to my story. What if, when Jesus called for Lazarus to come out of the tomb, the man had refused?
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No, Lord. I’m too afraid! You don’t know what it’s been like. You don’t know how sick I was. I could get sick again. I could get hurt. I could die all over again. I just can’t do it. I’m just going to stay here. It’s too scary out there. It’s more than a little ridiculous. But haven’t I done just that? The Lord had miraculously delivered me, in the nick of time, from a potentially fatal illness. He had gloriously rescued my daughter from my failing womb. And when she was strong enough and His timing was right, He had called her out of that hospital and home with us. Only I had stayed behind. Physically, I’ve been home with her and my husband nearly eleven months now. In my mind, gripped by fear, I’ve been in that little rocking chair in the NICU, staring into that isolette at a baby much too small. The reality is that God’s plan all along was perfect. My daughter was born early by our calendar, but not God’s. He saw, ahead of time, the sickness and the suffering, and He knew the purpose of it all. He allowed the pain and planned the miracle, knowing He would take the glory. And I, in so many ways, have refused the miracle in favor of the pain. My dad’s words to me ring in my ears almost every day. It’s time to leave the hospital. Just like it was time for Lazarus to leave the tomb. Who am I to say no, to continue to live imprisoned when freedom Himself calls to me?
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It’s time for me to do what I should have done a long time ago, and that is to obey the voice of Jesus rather than the voice of fear. The voice calling me to “Come out!” instead of the voice telling me it’s safer in the dark. So much has been waiting for me on the outside. My little preemie is about to take her first steps, and so am I.
Sharon and her precious family.
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Finding music through friends is my favorite thing. And that is how I was introduced to the Austin-based indie group, Grey Lakes. Lainey sings the tunes, Trey is on guitar, Jon on bass, and Jared is on the drums. Their album, Our Blood, has become my go-to on lazy Sunday afternoons. I was so glad to be able to learn more about why they do what they do.
When and how did y'all get started? Jon: Grey Lakes got started in the summer of 2014 when I left my job and began recording with Jared. We brought Trey in to track some guitar and the experience reminded me of this C.S. Lewis quote, “Friendship...is born at the moment when one man says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought that no one but myself…’”. We realized we had a sort of kinsmanship and decided to start Grey Lakes. Lainey came on several months later and added the depth and color we needed with her vocals.
follow @greylakes on instagram
What's the purpose behind starting the band?
Is the band a full-time gig? If not, are you hoping it becomes one?
Jon: We’ve all played in different bands and played different styles of music, but were left a little unsatisfied with those experiences. Some of them were great experiences - not taking away from that but we had never experienced having such a shared artistic vision between each member of a band. Once we saw we had that, we couldn’t wait to dig in and make music.
Jon: It’s not a full time gig for us right now. We would love to focus solely on Grey Lakes, but we also believe there’s more to life than being in a band. It’s a gift to be able to do this at all, especially in light of everything else that’s going on in the world right now. So we’re just enjoying it. Right now we want to continue to make good music. Wherever that takes us is just fine.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
Who writes the songs?
Trey: We are a 4 piece ambient, groove based rock band. We are moody and our songs most reflect our sad and somber sides. You know that state of mind you get in when you’re driving for a long time, or mowing the lawn, or jogging, or sitting by a lake? I would say that is where we want our listeners to be. Lost in your thoughts. We all like that.
What's behind the name? Jared: To me, Grey Lakes kind of represents a mood. It reminds me of an overcast day, driving over a bridge and daydreaming. And that's kind of how I think of our sound.
Lainey: We all do! We went about writing “Our Blood” in a unique way. It wasn’t necessarily planned this way, but the guys wrote most of the instrumental parts first, then Jon and I added melody and lyrics. In the final stages there were a few songs where we all sat down and finished up lyric or melody bits. Currently, our writing looks like building off ideas one of us may have and experimenting together – it’s a fun process!
What keeps you inspired? Jared: Movies, music, nature, painting. Lately I've been obsessed with this podcast called, “The Off Camera Show”. It's a guy who interviews actors about their process and stuff. I find it very inspiring. I also enjoy documentaries about painters.
check out their website for more info on shows and merch: www.greylakes.com
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Do you prefer recording or playing live? Trey: I prefer live. I like the energy that happens live. It's like the collaboration comes to life in a way that we can reproduce over and over again. Especially when things happen spontaneously. When I listen to music, I always envision what it looks like live.
What's the most challenging thing you have faced as a band? Jared: Our sound involves elements that are new to us, which has brought certain challenges as far as transferring our sound from the studio to a live setting.
What's the best and worst advice you've ever been given? Jon: Best advice - Seek to understand before seeking to be understood. Worst advice - Just do whatever makes you happy. Lainey: Best advice - Write even when you don’t want to write…keep showing up! Worst advice - Follow your heart. Trey: Best advice - Consider others more important than yourself. Worst advice - Always do what’s best for yourself. Jared: Best advice - Everything is an audition, so don't treat any gig like it’s a blow off. Worst advice - Do what makes you happy.
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If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be? Jon: Jeff Tweedy from Wilco. Lainey: Justin Vernon. I love his writing. Collaborating on a duet with him would be dreamy. Trey: Daniel Lanois. Jared:Tom Waits.
What do you do when you aren't making music? Jon: I work for my Dad’s company doing some sales, account management, social media, etc. I love to play basketball and golf. And I’m also, believe it or not, getting into gardening. I actually just built a little garden in Lainey’s back yard and am excited to start growing some stuff soon! Lainey: I’m into leather working. I spend some time producing goods at a local shop. You might see some leather merch start popping up at our shows! Trey: I love to run or read. I like monotonous things like mowing the lawn or practicing guitar. I work at a church in San Antonio. Usually working with the musicians from church. Jared: I watch movies, eat, sleep, do laundry, drive back and forth.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why? Jon: Man. That’s hard. I’m going to go with Amnesiac by Radiohead. Because I’ve been listening to that album for years now and I learn something and hear something new every time I listen to it. It hasn’t worn on me in the least.
Lainey: Probably Bon Iver’s self titled album. It’s not one I listen to incredibly often, and not my favorite album ever, but it’s one that I listen to when I don’t know what I want to listen to. It seems to fit well with whatever mood/ emotional state I’m in, no matter what that is. Trey: Kind of Blue. It’s a good balance of sad and energy. I always just feel good when i hear it. Jared: Sonic Nurse by Sonic Youth. Because each song is a journey.
Favorite concert you've been to? Jon: I had the pleasure of seeing The National at Moody Theatre a couple years ago. The emotional punch of their live show hit even heavier than their records. I was blown away. I may or may not have cried. Lainey: Sigur Ros! Trey: Dawes at Stubb’s in Austin. I am a relatively new fan of theirs, but I am totally bought in. Taylor Goldsmith always improvises his solos and has so much energy on stage. Plus they hired Duane Betts for this tour! I mean he is the son of a legend! It was so cool to hear his father’s (Dickey Betts from the Allman Brothers) influence in his playing. It fit so well in their sound. Jared: Blonde Redhead.
Favorite venue you've played? Jon: Dosey Doe - The Woodlands, TX. Intimate, Texas vibe. Feels like home to me. It’s also 40 minutes from where I grew up so that could be why it feels like home.
Lainey: A tiny little boathouse on the coast of Norway – part of a festival a few years ago. Dreamy! Trey: The Parish - Austin, TX Jared: Bowry Ballroom - NYC
Top 3 favorite musicians. Jon: John Coltrane, Thom Yorke, Chris Wood Lainey: This is ever-changing…James Taylor, Justin Vernon, Civil Wars Trey: Dick Dale, Nels Cline, Jonsi Jared: Thurston Moore, Billy Martin, Bill Evans
Purchas Lakes' n e Grey e Blood." A w album "Our vailable on itune s now.
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Backyard D
Date Night
Menu: grassfed summer sausage raw milk cheddar cheese gluten free rye bread spread with a local jalapeno cream cheese and apricot jam mixed greens with a simple chicken salad drizzled with a fig balsamic from San Saba, Tx heart shaped marsh mellows dipped in dark chocolate organic cabernet
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Salad:
-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts from pastured chicken, defrosted -1 bunch of local, organic carrots, cut up (I used carrots from my Johnsons Backyard Garden CSA share) -1 bunch organic green onions, cut up -1/3 cup slivered almonds -1 tsp salt -1 tsp pepper -1/2 cup homemade mayo [homemade mayo- whisk together 1 pastured egg, 1 tsp garlic, 1 cup avocado oil, 1 TBSP lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste] RECIPE: 1. Cut up chicken breasts and cook on a skillet. 2. Place cooked chicken in food processor until shredded. 3. Combine shredded chicken and homemade mayo. 4. Add in carrots, onions, almonds and salt and pepper.
photos courtesy of Fawn & Fellow.
INGREDIENTS:
Marsh mellows
-1 cup local raw honey -1 cup filtered water - 1 tsp vanilla extract -beet root natural food coloring (optional) -dark chocolate (for meltin and dippin) -3 TBSP grassfed beef gelatin RECIPE: 1.Combine honey and 1/2 cup of water in pan on stove. Stir and heat until it gets to a roaring boil. (220 degrees) then set aside. 2. Combine gelatin and remaining 1/2 cup water in large mixing bowl. 3. Pour hot honey mixture into bowl of gelatin while blending with hand held mixer on low. Once combined slowly increase speed to high and continue to mix for 10 minutes until fluffy mellow consistency begins to appear (add in optional coloring at this point). 4. Pour mellow mixture into pan lined with parchment paper and stick in fridge for 2 hours or 4 hours on counter to stiffen. 5. Cut mellows into squares or have some fun with cookie cutters once hardened TIP- Dust mellows with coconut flour or cacao powder to prevent form sticking together.
Kristen Mott Kristen is passionate about supporting local farmers and using simple, quality ingredients with no BS in her cooking. After living on a farm for a year she now manages a natural food store in Arlington, Tx called Farm to Fork Foods that provides REAL food for REAL people and is an integral part of the slow food movement in the greater DFW area.
Valentine's Date Do something fun and adventerours like going to a theme park, taking a hike, go on a zipline tour. Subscribe to datebox.
A romantic night in. Dinner for 2?
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photos courtesy of pinterest.
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treat your guy.
Who says the guy has to do all the work on Valentine's Day? This year treat your guy to a fun filled day or romantic night. Get real crazy and do both. Take the pressure off your man today and break those traditions. It will be fun. We want to see what you come up with. Post your pictures to instagram and use the hashtag #sunshinevalentine. He deserves it.
Get your guy tickets to a sporting event. A weekend getaway at a unique airbnb.
Go see a movie at the drive-in.
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The box was cool and fun, but spending time getting to know my husband was the highlight of my night.
#Getdatebox
photo courtesy of Sarah Clarius Photography
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Rana and John are two cookie dough lovers who were "alarmed and saddened by a series of news reports a few years ago describing how cookie dough companies were having to recall their popular ready-to-bake cookie doughs." So the pair decided to enroll in some classes and do something about it. Insert Edoughble. The cookie dough you can eat with no guilt and no fear of getting sick. This cookie dough is not meant for baking, so grad a spoon and dig in.
Describe your business. I make small-batch, eggless cookie dough meant just for eating raw ! I only use the highest quality ingredients from the butter to the vanilla beans and Belgian chocolate. I have fun with the flavors, creating one-of-akind combinations that taste amazing!
How did you get started? In 2009, a large food manufacturing brand had to recall millions of tubes of their cookie dough as tons of people fell ill from eating the raw cookie dough. That's when I realized I am not the only one who likes to eat raw cookie dough! I decided this was a product I wanted to be able to buy at the grocery store, but I wanted to take it a step further, given my culinary experience, and use only the finest ingredients to create flavors you can't buy in stores. My husband and I were in graduate school at the time and we wrote the business plan for Edoughble and won the business plan competition! We launched 5 years later after we saved up enough money and realized there will never be the perfect time to start a business.
Rana & John, the husband & wife "dough-founders" of "edoughble."
What's behind the name? We just made up a word! It is Edible Dough so it is a pun on the word Edible. It is pronounced Edible and spelled eDOUGHble. Get it?!
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What do you love about your work? I love making an incredible product that everyone is familiar with, but taking it up a notch and making fun and unique flavors and using better ingredients than grocery products use and even better ingredients than I keep at home! I want to be able to go to any store and buy a tub of cookie dough I can safely eat. This is a new dessert category that I am introducing ! The challenge is rewarding. I also love hearing directly from customers who get to sample it at a grocery store demo or who order it online or receive it as a gift and say "oh god, this is dangerous!"
What is the most challenging part of your work? I started the business knowing nothing about food manufacturing or e-commerce so pretty much everything is incredibly challenging as I jumped head first into an unfamiliar industry. I just knew I made an incredible cookie dough (I actually can't eat any other cookie dough anymore because no other dough is made with such fine ingredients!).
Describe your workspace/office. My office is my home kitchen! I take over the kitchen table but that is for the office work! My production kitchen is a tiny manufacturing space full of packaging, stickers, cookie dough ingredients and big mixers.
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"What keeps me inspired is the vision and goal to get Edoughble in every cookie dough lover's refrigerator as the perfect indulgence."
What keeps you inspired?
What is your favorite flavor?
What keeps me inspired is the vision and goal to get Edoughble in every cookie dough lover's refrigerator as the perfect indulgence. I thought of the idea of edible cookie dough as a dessert in 2009 when nothing like this existed and it has been so crazy growing over the years and getting my idea on grocery shelves! What keeps me inspired is knowing how far Edoughble has come and, more importantly, knowing how much further it can go!
I love this question and I love not having a favorite flavor. While I enjoy eating the cookie dough by the fingerful (shhhh, don't tell!), I love eating it with ice cream and I like to pick new ice creams and pairing them with different flavors of cookie dough. Like, Mint chocolate chip ice cream with cookies n' dream or salted caramel gelato with chocolate chip cookie dough or strawberry shortcake ice cream with birthday bash cookie dough. I could go on and on...
What are your most popular flavors? Chocolate Chip Off The Ol' Block is the most popular. It is the flavor people like to try to make sure I am making cookie dough that tastes like cookie dough before venturing out to try more novelty flavors. A few more popular flavors include Birthday Bash (because everyone loves those rainbow sprinkles!), Cookies N' Dream and S'more Please.
follow @itsedoughble on instagram
How do you spend your days off?
Best advice you've been given?
Having my own business comes with its own perks but I do not have days off. What I do have is an hour here and there some days during the week when I get to take my 2 year old to a dance or music class or feed my 6 month old a bottle and read her a story. I also try to always be able to put the girls to bed. John and I love cooking dinner together on week nights as we unwind from the day and we love spending time outdoors with the girls on weekends.
Don't dream about success, work for it! Success is a series of small wins and does not happen overnight. It comes along with obstacles, discomfort, perseverance and passion. I have just begun this journey and I learn so much every day as I push the brand out there for people to try and love!
Go to date night? About 2 months ago, my husband, John, and I decided we HAD to set a scheduled date night twice a month. While we eat dinner together 7 nights a week, we are often exhausted, rushed and back to work once the girls go down. This date night gives us time to re-connect and talk about fun things. I look forward to it:)
Try your first batch today! Order at www.edoughble.com. Find out how to get 15% off your order over on @sunshinemagazine instagram.
DIYeasy & adorable
(VALENTINES)
Use a sharp edge, like a box cutter, to slit an opening for candy. Create the opening around the hands to make it look like your sepcial valentine is holding the candy.
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, urself o y f be o er you n a c t ev .I o m t o o h h ap t...w u already e e s p o r Cho hild, you s are, yo your c e n r c o u n a yo . Ch ect photo e s o o ch perf a roll. e h t r have came
Add graphics with your favorite app. We recommend "Rhonna Design" or "A Beautiful Mess." Make it fun and personal or add a cheesy pick-up line. Print on cardstock and cut.
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5
things to do on
LEAP DAY 1. Play Leap Frog. 2. Do something you've been too scared to try.
3. Watch the movie "Leap Year." 4. Propose to your guy. 5. Go to Ireland.
photo courtesy of @lovinjustin via instagram
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(artist spotlight)
What's behind the name? I chose the name Tandem Design because A. I love two-seater bikes and B. my goal is to work together and really journey with a client to help them make connection to their clients. As I branched out and created an Etsy shop, “Tandem Print Shop” seemed to make sense.
What do you love about your work?
This is Hailey and her cute little family. She is the designer and creator of Tandem Design Co. and Print Shop. She has a passion for creating and a love for design. Her work is beautiful and original. From web design to wedding invitations, inspiring words to Mean Girls quotes, Hailey's work is worthy of all our favorite emojis and more.
Describe your business. I have a graphic design company that focuses on branding businesses & creating hand lettered art prints.
How did you get started? I have always loved to create things and to connect with people. After several friends commissioned me to brand their businesses and make custom art prints for their homes, I decided to branch out and create an etsy shop.
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I love that everyday I get to hand letter and paint as a job! (it totally feels like a dream) I also love hearing someone’s vision for a custom piece and helping it come to life.
What's the most challenging part of your work? Embracing imperfection is one of the most challenging parts of design for me. It takes a lot of risk to share with the world something you’ve created and I feel like I’m learning daily to let go and just allow myself to be inspired.
Describe your workspace/office. I started out with an office space in an industrial building , which was fun, but as a “hybrid” stay at home mom/entrepreneur it got complicated packing up all my art supplies & traveling back and forth. So I recently moved into a home office and I love it. I try to keep the walls uncluttered and the windows open to feel inspired by nature. My favorite part about it is that all of my supplies, pens, and watercolors are in one space, so I can flow easily from one project to another.
photos courtesy of Sun7Studios.
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What keeps you inspired?
How do you spend your days off?
Everyday I try to spend an ample amount of time outdoors.
I spend my days chasing the cutest toddler, spending time with my hubs, and doing anything a grandma would enjoy (crocheting, bingo, etc.).
What made you decide to open an Esty Shop? I was doing lots of commissioned pieces for friends and I decided to branch out and make that part of my business.
What is your favorite way to create? I love to start with ink and paper or watercolor, and many times, my vision for the piece changes in the process.
Favorite project you've worked on so far? I recently had the opportunity to design for a non-profit based in Kenya to design products such as throw pillows and totes. Their mission is to employ and empower women, selling handmade products. I have a real heart for empowering women through design & entrepreneurship so getting to collaborate on this was a dream!
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Best advice you've been given? “Have the courage to share what you create with the world, and do everything in love.”
Go to date night? I love date nights! Sometimes it’s as simple as watching Netflix and sharing a meal after we put our little guy down for the night. We also enjoy little getaways in eclectic cities. My husband and I both love trying new foods, and may even be considered “foodies.”
follow @tandemdesign.co on instagram.
Current Obsession: [FUJI INSTAX MINI]
1
(what's in my)
bag
with Kristen Mott 2 1. Vital Proteins Collagen-a collagen powder, made from grassfed cows, that can be added to any hot or cold liquids and is completely flavorless! Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and a true superfood that many are unaware of. It promotes youthful skin, hair, nails and keeps your bones and joints healthy. 2. Lavanilla Healthy Deodorant in LavenderFREE of petrochemicals, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oils, silicone, synthetic dyes, sulfates and parabens. This is the BEST natural deodorant I have found! I will never cheat. It really works, even running a marathon type sweat. 3. Hair Tye- I can never have too many! 4. Doterra Lemon Essential Oil-I add to my water for an energizing and metabolism boosting zing. 5. Doterra Essential Oil Rollons- Intune (focus blend) and Past Tense (headache blend). 6. Burt's Bees Almond Milk Hand Cream- a rich cream made from mostly almonds that keeps my hands from getting chapped and it only takes a little. 7. Notepad- I am such a lister! I make lists throughout the day fore EVERYTHINGgrocery list, restaurants I want to try list, new outfit combos list, recipe ideas list and so on... 8. Flask- I fill with "necessary" liquid to make it through THOSE days.
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Thanks
for letting the
sunshine in.