family
Alright, if you know me well you know I LOVE donuts. I mean, eating another one from the Donut Vault is on my 30 Before 30 list! So, that should tell you that Sheri and I are meant to be friends. After all, her blog is called Donuts, Dresses, and Dirt. (Love that alliteration!) Sheri is another lovely soul I met through the blogging world. Someday we'll visit a fancy bakery and chit chat over delicious treats. Until then, we have social media. :) Anyway, you all will love Sheri! Her writing is so engaging, not to mention her delicious homemade creations! Make sure to check out her blog and tell her I said hello!
Tell us a little bit about you and your blog...
Hi all! I’m Sheri Silver and I’m SO thrilled to be on Lacy’s blog today! I’m a landscape designer, mom to 3 wonderful children (ages 21, 16 and 3) and writer of the blog Donuts, Dresses and Dirt. I call myself a “lifestyle writer and expert mom” but what I really love to do is share what I love to do. After 10 years of owning my own landscape business I was itching for a change. There were other areas in my life that I felt equally passionate about, yet had no “voice”. So the blog was a natural outlet for those passions. It’s where I share recipes, baking tips, shopping “finds” and my adventures in New York City (both by myself and with my husband and kids). I also write about parenting 3 kids of such very different ages, give gardening advice and promote causes that are important to me.
Why do you blog?
I blog now for very different reasons than when I started. I started blogging to give a voice to other passions that I had beyond landscape design. But it soon turned into something very different, and very big. Basically, I have never worked harder on anything in my life, nor loved it so much. I’ve discovered that I enjoy writing and taking pictures much more than I ever anticipated. The community I’ve become a part of – the blogging community – is the most welcoming, supportive and lovely group I’ve ever worked with. The joy and satisfaction I get out of the relationships I’ve cultivated – mostly with women whom I’ve never actually “met” (like Lacy!) has been gratifying beyond compare. The comments I’ve received – from total strangers – about how much they love my writing/photos/baking advice – is thrilling, to say the least. I blog because, at a “later in life” stage I’ve discovered the joy that reinvention brings – and I wake up every day wanting to do it again.
What's your best advice for writers?
As I still struggle with accepting that I am, indeed, a “writer” (note the use of quotes here), I’m reluctant to say. But I can share what I strive for in my own writing. The best way for me to write is to sit down and just let it all pour out. I don’t worry about form, structure, sequence, etc. I just try to get the thoughts for that particular post out as organically as possible. THEN, I start “sculpting”. Moving blocks of copy around. Tightening up the sentences. Deleting unnecessary or repetitive phrases. And then I walk away. When I come back, I read it again with fresh eyes and pay very close attention to grammar and spelling. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of this last part. The funniest post, with the greatest photos/recipes/tips can be undone when there are grammatical errors and typos. It’s unfortunate but people DO judge on that sort of thing and so it pays to be attentive to the details. Finally, I read the post out loud. This seems a bit odd at first but hearing the words flowing outside of your own head can be a great clue to an awkward sentence or misplaced word or two. Try it and see!
How do you and your family "live on love?"
The one thing I believe in, more than anything when it comes to this topic, is this: home is a haven. No matter what the outside world brings (mean kids, a bad grade, a broken promise or a skinned knee), when we step inside that door we are safe. Secure. Loved. So it is imperative that we all “buy into this” and love and respect each other. We are a team – from the oldest to the youngest – and we take care of one another. In a world where so much is unpredictable and out of our control, a loving home is something I take pride in providing for my family.
Hi all! I’m Sheri Silver and I’m SO thrilled to be on Lacy’s blog today! I’m a landscape designer, mom to 3 wonderful children (ages 21, 16 and 3) and writer of the blog Donuts, Dresses and Dirt. I call myself a “lifestyle writer and expert mom” but what I really love to do is share what I love to do. After 10 years of owning my own landscape business I was itching for a change. There were other areas in my life that I felt equally passionate about, yet had no “voice”. So the blog was a natural outlet for those passions. It’s where I share recipes, baking tips, shopping “finds” and my adventures in New York City (both by myself and with my husband and kids). I also write about parenting 3 kids of such very different ages, give gardening advice and promote causes that are important to me.
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| Sheri is speaking my language! S'mores made from SCRATCH! |
I blog now for very different reasons than when I started. I started blogging to give a voice to other passions that I had beyond landscape design. But it soon turned into something very different, and very big. Basically, I have never worked harder on anything in my life, nor loved it so much. I’ve discovered that I enjoy writing and taking pictures much more than I ever anticipated. The community I’ve become a part of – the blogging community – is the most welcoming, supportive and lovely group I’ve ever worked with. The joy and satisfaction I get out of the relationships I’ve cultivated – mostly with women whom I’ve never actually “met” (like Lacy!) has been gratifying beyond compare. The comments I’ve received – from total strangers – about how much they love my writing/photos/baking advice – is thrilling, to say the least. I blog because, at a “later in life” stage I’ve discovered the joy that reinvention brings – and I wake up every day wanting to do it again.
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| THE BEST BROWNIES |
As I still struggle with accepting that I am, indeed, a “writer” (note the use of quotes here), I’m reluctant to say. But I can share what I strive for in my own writing. The best way for me to write is to sit down and just let it all pour out. I don’t worry about form, structure, sequence, etc. I just try to get the thoughts for that particular post out as organically as possible. THEN, I start “sculpting”. Moving blocks of copy around. Tightening up the sentences. Deleting unnecessary or repetitive phrases. And then I walk away. When I come back, I read it again with fresh eyes and pay very close attention to grammar and spelling. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of this last part. The funniest post, with the greatest photos/recipes/tips can be undone when there are grammatical errors and typos. It’s unfortunate but people DO judge on that sort of thing and so it pays to be attentive to the details. Finally, I read the post out loud. This seems a bit odd at first but hearing the words flowing outside of your own head can be a great clue to an awkward sentence or misplaced word or two. Try it and see!
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| Image via Sheri Silver - A Matter of Trust |
The one thing I believe in, more than anything when it comes to this topic, is this: home is a haven. No matter what the outside world brings (mean kids, a bad grade, a broken promise or a skinned knee), when we step inside that door we are safe. Secure. Loved. So it is imperative that we all “buy into this” and love and respect each other. We are a team – from the oldest to the youngest – and we take care of one another. In a world where so much is unpredictable and out of our control, a loving home is something I take pride in providing for my family.
Get in touch with Sheri!
