Stone Mountain

This past weekend Michael, Dusty and I went hiking at Stone Mountain State Park. We took the Stone Mountain loop trail, which led us to a beautiful view of the summit.

We also took a detour off the trail to the 200 foot Stone Mountain Falls! Visiting the state parks in North Carolina is one of my favorite weekend past times. Earlier this summer, I blogged about a trip to Crowders Mountain State Park, but I have been to quite a few other state parks in NC and have loved them all.

Do you enjoy visiting the state parks in your home state?

xoxo 

Emily

Learn to Make a Wildflower Crown

Hello! I'm Back!

I thought the best way to get back into my blogging groove, would be to share my favorite summer project with you. A wildflower crown!

Over the summer I went on a two week camping adventure with my family to Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada. I have been visiting the island ever since I was a little girl. My family even jokes, calling me an "Island Girl" because I just love it so much. The island is truly a magical place, full of crystal clear fresh water lakes, breathtaking hiking trails and small historic towns to discover. One of my favorite activities is going on botany excursions all over the island with my dad. My dad enjoys photographing all sorts of plants, wildflowers and wildlife. He has a website dedicated to showing off his photos(perverdonk.com) and is even recognized in a few Ontario wildflower books. While my dad explores with his camera, you can usually find me collecting all the colorful flowers to create a wild bouquet.

Flower crowns have become such a craze lately, they are popping up all over the internet. I think they are absolutely stunning and making one of my own has been on my to do list for a while now.

Here it is, my first attempt at creating a flower crown. Enjoy!

I began by collecting a few varieties of wildflowers, I mostly chose them by color so I could create a unique crown. Don't forget to bring along a pair of scissors or gardening shears, some of the stems are tough to break with bear hands!

Once I had a nice assortment I began assembling my crown. I used yarn I had on hand and tied the flowers together piece by piece forming a circle.

Make sure to measure the crown while you piece it together. I made the mistake of not measuring and my crown was a little bit too big!

After I had my flowers tied together the way I wanted them, I used the yarn and wrapped it around and around, making sure my crown was secure. Next I added the finishing touches and filled in a few holes by simply weaving in a more flowers!

There you have it! A beautiful wildflower crown!

Now grab some scissors and yarn, take a peaceful hike, pick some wildflowers and get crafty!

xoxo 

Emily

Summer Vacation

Summer is one of my favorite seasons! The days seem longer and there is always something exciting to explore. I have decided to take a little summer vacation from A Doodle Dose. I love this blog and sharing silly photos with you but right now soaking up every second of sunshine sounds better than sitting in front of my laptop for hours(though I do really enjoy wasting hours blogging). Dusty and I are getting ready to go camping in Canada for two weeks and I am working on an awesome photography collaboration that you will get to see next month!

So don't you worry I will be back in August, maybe even sooner, to share all of the summer adventures Dusty and I take together. Also, make sure you follow me on Instagram, I will still be posting all sorts of photos there! @emilyverdonk #dustythedoodle #emilylovessummer

Stay tuned... I hope everyone is enjoying summertime as much as I am!

xoxo

Emily

Loving Lately

Hello friends! Wow, summer is here and I am loving every minute of it. I know I have been quiet here on A Doodle Dose the past few weeks but let me tell you, life hasn't been quiet at all! It is just the beginning of summer and I am already having the time of my life, making new friends and trying all sorts of new things. I thought it would be fun to catch up today and share a few things that I am really loving lately. Enjoy!

Dusty and I are obsessed with these new dog treats from Earthy Dog Delights! Dusty has allergies and sometimes I struggle to find treats that are both healthy and delicious. These treats are just that, every time he hears the bag crinkle he jumps for joy!

Since I have been on a little blogcation of my own the last two weeks, I really enjoyed this post from one of my favorite blogs, Brewed Together. I agree that taking a break from your to do list every once in a while is a good thing.

I LOVE this Tropical Pineapple Bunting Crochet Pattern. I don't have any yellow yarn on hand but I have been dying to make this super cute pattern. A trip to the craft store for some yarn is in store for this weekend!


Okay so you know Michael and I love trying new craft beer. We have recently been using an app called Untappd. It is so much fun! You check in all the different beers you try and you can see what beers your friends are drinking as well. You can rate each beer and even earn different badges and points for trying certain types of beer! If you love craft beer you should definitely try this app!

Last but not least, this is just awesome from Oh Happy Day!

xoxo 

Emily

Bark in the Park | BB&T Ballpark

Happy Friday! Last weekend was a busy one! Michael, Dusty and I were lucky enough to explore Charleston, South Carolina and visit the new BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte. We went to Bark in the Park so Dusty got to come to the baseball game with us! It was great seeing all the other puppies and enjoy the game!

Though I love fun filled weekends, I also love lazy ones. This weekend we only have plans to hang out with a few friends and watch an unhealthy amount of Orange is the New Black(We love this show!). I am looking forward to laying low the next few days. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

xoxo 

Emily

My First Sewing Project

Guess what? I finally broke in my sewing machine! My parents got me a brand new machine for Christmas and I haven't had a chance to use it until now. I made a very simple maxi dress. It was super easy and the perfect way to break in my machine. Unfortunately I don't have the pattern to share, but I plan on sewing a lot more and sharing all my projects with you! Yay!

I would really enjoy making a quilt, but I have no idea where to begin. I have been saving a few ideas in a Pinterest board, you can check them out here. Have you ever made a quilt? I would love some tips if you have any!

xoxo

Emily

Charleston South Carolina in Pictures

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our visit to Charleston, South Carolina this past weekend. Enjoy!

The Spanish moss was beautiful!

Photo-bombed by Dusty the doodle!

xoxo 

Emily

A Book for Dog Lovers

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2014 was to read at least one book each month. Six months into the year and so far, so good. I have been participating in The ABM Book Club and reading a few books on my own as well. I thought it would be fun to share a book with you that really tugged at my heart strings. A Dogs Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron was the first book I have read in a long time that I could not put down, finishing it in just two days! I laughed, cried and hugged Dusty a thousand times while reading it. I recommend this book to any dog or animal lover out there!

Written from a dogs perspective, this story is about one dogs search to find his purpose in life, or many lives as he is reborn as a puppy over and over again. This dogs unique outlook on life and humans is so wonderfully portrayed, it really makes you wonder just how intuitive our pets really are.

I truly enjoyed this book, if you have a dog or any pet you will definitely be able to relate to this story. Next on my reading list is the sequel A Dogs Journey. Happy reading!

xoxo

Emily 

Crowders Mountain

Growing up, my family was always taking little day trips around Michigan. I loved the fact that we could drive an hour or so and be at a beautiful crystal clear lake or explore a funky city. There was always something new to see and do. I think that is one thing that makes living in Charlotte still feel like my home in Michigan, the adventures are endless. Charlotte is in such a perfect location, in just a few hours you can be at breathtaking mountains or the salty ocean. Yesterday Michael, Dusty and I were up for some thrill seeking, so we took a short 40 minute drive outside of Charlotte to Crowders Mountain State Park.

We hiked up the Rocktop Trail, which was about 1.4 miles(not very far, but it was all up hill and very strenuous!). Once we got to the top and had time to catch our breath, we were blown away by the view. It was beautiful! We found a nice spot in the shade to relax for a bit and take in the scenery. If you looked close enough, you could see the Charlotte skyline, which I thought was way too cool!

It was a great day for hiking and just what we needed! Do you have any day trips planned for the summer?

xoxo

Emily