apple pie

There's nothing in the world I can think of better than a piece of homemade apple pie a la mode. I don't even like pie that much. I pass it by at the bakery. I don't order it at restaurants (even my favorite ones) and apples aren't even my favorite fruit. That being said, last summer my mom taught me how to make the perfect pie crust and since then I've been obsessed.

 I spent the summer and fall making fresh fruit pies and the winter making chicken pot pie, and pecan pie. 

My favorite part about pie is that it brings back so many nostalgic memories. Everyone has something they only like when made by their mother, and mine is pie. And besides the nostalgia, I'm making new memories with my girls. I announce I'm making pie and I get a resounding "YAY!" which feels pretty good. It's guaranteed that at some point one of them will wonder into the kitchen and ask what I'm doing. Why do you sift the flour? Why do you use ice water? How do you roll it out? What is that red thing for?

(side note: the red thing is my favorite pie-making tool. For whatever reason, putting foil on my crust just doesn't work for me. I either have to squeeze the foil down so tight that I mess up the crust, or I'm too light-handed and the foil won't stay on. My "Tan don't burn" is a life saver. You can get one here.) 

I get to share these pie-making memories with my girls, and I know that pie may not be their favorite thing either, but when they come and help me in kitchen like I helped my mom, then all of a sudden it is. Needless to say, it makes all the effort worth it.  

forest friends

i've been whipping up a whole batch of owly key chains. or maybe i should call them key cozies? regardless, i dropped them off at t.la.re to find new homes.

i just love digging through my wool tub {yep, i have a tub full of wool fabric. bonus: it's all upcycled!} and picking out new patterns and creating their little faces.

and then i decided to branch out and try some other woodland creatures. 

like hedgehogs:

and foxes. i do love foxes: 

cute sidenote: a few girls at school/work saw my owl last week and fawned over it. one girl said, "i wish i had keys..." it was adorable.

anyway, i've made about 20 now and think i'll be taking a break from my wool tub.

so if you live in manhappanin' ks you can go snag one for yourself! otherwise you'll have to wait until monday, when i surprise you all and give one away! {along with a bunch of other goodies!}

sound good? 

our little get-away

so maybe most people don't consider visiting family a "get-away" but our trip to my big sister's house in new-mexico-but-almost-colorado was just that.

we got to spend some quality time with her and my brother-in-law, but my little nephew is always the highlight {sorry big sis, he's just a whole lot cuter than anyone else i know}

and these two together? hilarious. {and extra adorable}

we're already planning on visiting during spring break. even if we have to hitchhike there and back!

goodbye hair helmet

i got a haircut!

can you tell?

well, that's ok, not many people noticed. and really, it looks exactly the same from the front. i just got the weird mullet-y part in the back cut off. 

and why don't i have a picture of the back, then? and why are the photos so far away, you ask? well, after struggling to take a decent photo myself, i asked husband to step in and take the photos. the thing is, i get really awkward. so it works better if he doesn't stand so close. it limits my deer-in-the-headlights look which can quickly turn into cranky-wife face. longer distances are better.

{also, this is my mom's vest. she made it in college and i love it.}

creative camping equipment

husband and i like to camp.

or at least we used to, before we moved to kansas where the summers are stiffing hot and the cool fall air is full of toxic pollen.

so, sadly, all our backpacking stuff sits in a box, way in the back of our closet. 

 {photos from backpacking in the u.p. with these guys} 

 but i have found new uses for some things, such as our head lamp. i get up for work much earlier than husband, so to avoid having to pick out clothes the night before {yuck} or stumbling around in the dark without ever finding a pair of clean underwear {double yuck} i'm using the headlamp. it's pure genius.

and now i'm thinking: fondue party in the living room floor with our camp stove? there may be something to that....

lover boys

whoa boy!

here

 i don't spend much time hunting down new music. husband does that. and he enjoys doing it, so i'm always being introduced to different music. 

a couple weeks ago he found the punch brothers, and there has been little room for anything else on my playlist ever since. oh yes friends, i can't get enough of their bluegrassy sounds and great harmony. i could go on and on, but i'll just let you listen for yourselves.

Punch Brothers - New Music - More Music Videos

Punch Brothers - New Music - More Music Videos

nothing but lots and lots of love for these guys.

and in not-music-related news, i'm so glad everyone seems to agree

with me on yesterday's post. the frames no longer work and i 

need to go bigger. so i'm working on a new project.

i'm also waiting not-so-patiently for the fall issue of manhattan

magazine to be printed! i've seen the article, and i can't

wait to see it all together. it's just too bad no one in

manhattan will get to read it because i think i need

a couple hundered copies all of my own!

paper and design love

i wanted to post a couple adorable new items i've gotten recently.

 first is the sukie iron-on book {from my mom} technically i got it for christmas, but she temporarily lost it until a couple weeks ago when she finally gave it to me. 

 a notepad style book with 30 iron-on transfer pages by british design studio sukie.

 

such cute designs! i've got so many projects planned, i'm excited to get started.

i bought myself this stationary set yesterday. because i decided i needed a treat. 
and it has cupcakes and mustachios- how cute is that?! 
plus, i always stock up on {and make} cards and such, but i don't have any plan ol' stationary so i've had my eye out for something irresistible.

designed Blanca Gòmez. you can see her other {very cool} work at her web site Cosas Mínimas 

 i can't wait to send out some of these cuties!

frog collection: miniature edition

i've mentioned a couple times that i collect frogs {mainly vintage frogs} it's something i've done since i was a little kid. and now i'm finally getting around to showing off my little nerdy collection. these are just the small ones, stashed all over my apartment. {i may have missed a few...} 
large to small

vintage ceramic frog- this year's birthday present from mom 

silver pin- birthday present from mom, way back in high school

 definitely the prettiest {although it's tarnished right now}
it's on display when i'm not wearing it

h

hand-carved wooden frog- christmas present from a childhood friend, way back in middle school. i don't know how i've kept this tiny guy for over 10 years, but i love his red tongue

  hand-crafted silver charm- bought by me from a bazaar in santa fe, way back in high school

one of my all-time favorites. he plays the violin! and i just love all the detailing

silver used-to-be-an-earring tiny frog. i have his brother floating around here too, but he still has the post attached. i wore these everyday my sophomore year of high school

and all together, for a little size reference

i

i've had more over the years, but i only keep the ones i truly adore. 

i feel like i just let my dork out a little. do you collect anything? or am i all alone here...

i got to kansas city on a fridee...

husband and i went to kansas city this past weekend. i used to live there and still call it my favorite place- there are just so many things to love about it! 

we had a wonderful time, and even though kc isn't known for being a pedestrian-friendly city {it's pretty spread out} we decided to walk everywhere possible. seriously, my legs are sore!

we started at the nelson-atkins art museum {a personal favorite}

{view from the back steps}

{i remember before the shuttle cocks went in. i think they give the whole place a touch of whimsy}

the bloch building is an addition that was in the early construction stages when i left, so i was anxious to see it.

{

{at night}

 {interior}  

 from there we walked down to the plaza. 

i love it there. 

it's gorgeous. 

they it "the city of fountains" because they're everywhere! and all the tiles and moldings were imported from italy. it's got definite character.

{this is probably the most famous- the nicholas fountain}

 {photo here}

 my favorite stops: anthropologie, betsy johnson, and barnes & noble {i know, i know, not nearly as exciting as the first two, but i'm seriously having a hard time without a nice big book store in town} 

 we stopped for lunch at balsano's {a little italian bistro} for quiche and gelato. delicious! 

from there we went on to westport, where we had dinner at the jerusalem cafe {i think i died and went to heaven there. i had forgotten just how good the food is. i want to swim in a vat of their hummus. for reals.} and shopped a little more, like at this adorable little store i made husband go to. {opened by two sisters- how cute is that?}

 we ended our time in westport at tea drops.

i just love bubble tea! and i just hate how you can't get anything like that here....

well, anyway, i can see i'm rambling on a bit. but did i mention that it's one of my favorite places? and i think we're going back next weekend too :) i love to take little adventures with my hubby. and i love to share them with you, too <3

violin music

i love the violin. 

i love playing it.

i love listening to it.

i love classical music, but even more than that, i love a band with a good string section.

like some of these randomly selected favorites

and there's more!

you thought my birthday posts were over? oh no. i haven't shown you all the awesome stuff i got yet! i hung up all my wonderful cards. {and no, i don't think it's excessive to have two banners in the same space}

"j" and "a" block letters, owl necklace, and earrings from the in-laws {i'm in love!}

ceramic frog {i heart frogs} and necklace {made by mom} from mom: 

birthday cupcake goodness from in-laws {i believe i have previously mentioned my affinity for cupcakes}

and what birthday is complete without a package from your bestie?!

{this is just a peek; more to come monday}

i am one lucky girl.