About Amy

Weekend fun

This is going to be a fabulous weekend! Be sure to head down to Liberty Belle in the bottoms. I was down there earlier today and spied some real treasures. I fell totally in love with this green and orange rocker but Keith is adamant that we don't have the space for yet another chair.
The kids have headed out to see Puss in Boots with daddy and I'm waiting for my girlfriends to come on by. We are on our way to a friend's farm for a wonderful ladies sleepover. So excited.
Happy weekend!
Amy

Slushy

The kids are off school today and we've been taking it easy. We attended an amazing fall party last night hosted by some of our favorite people. Needless to say we're wiped out. Gotta rest up for trick or treating.
We made cider slush this afternoon with our nearly unused-had it for thirteen years-icecream maker. It was delicious though Sophia thinks it would be even better spiced. I totally agree.
Now we're watching some Coraline. Creepy stuff- the kids are a little freaked out.
Happy Halloween!

A day at the farm

Last weekend we headed to our favorite pumpkin spot- red barn farm. It was a perfect fall day.

catching up and breathing in

you know when you let too much time go between visits and it just gets harder and harder to call that friend?  that's how i started to feel.  how do i just pop back in?  just like this i suppose.

this is how yesterday smelled...extra spicy pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips

it looked like an almost clean house...i even felt motivated to plan a pretty project!

i didn't have the right color of thread so i hopped on my bike and headed to the dime store.  it was a beautiful ride.

we went to see these guys at the general store & company.  i'll share some pictures of our recent treasures.

and i spent time with this lovely lady.  

ah, now that wasn't so hard.  it's good to be back.

crafts for the not-so-crafty

my hip little crafty club is starting up this friday!  hooray!  it took a miracle, but we managed to find a night we could all gather together for cocktails and artistic adventures.  i've so been looking forward to it but still can't nail down a project i'd like to bring along.  i have so many in my lineup but feel like i should choose something i can actually complete.  

one of our friends claims to be "not-so-crafty" as so many do.  i thought i'd also come up with a few ideas for the craft-doubters out there.  remember, hand-made does not have to be perfect and does not have to look "country".  some of my favorite, simple ideas:

*a fantastic pom pom wreath.  bleubird featured a great diy a couple years ago here.  it is so simple!

*the humble paper chain.  i seriously love paper chains, especially those made with pretty vintage papers.  currently the kids' rooms are adorned with brightly colored chains.  

*embroidery, embroidery, embroidery.  i believe everyone can embroider. my favorite patterns come from sublime but your kids can sketch a few patterns for you lickety split.

*crazy, unique, handmade cards featuring all types of paper ephemera. just start collecting receipts, tickets, tape, junk mail, old magazine clippings...

*statement jewelry made from old brooches and clip-on earrings 

for more ideas, these are some of my favorite resources...

the lonely sock club

and for the fun of it...

don't you love those sedaris kids?

amy

clicking my heals

my boots came!  my boots came!  my camera remote went dead but i still had to snap a few pictures of my pretty new boots.

there's nothing in my wardrobe i wear more than a good pair of boots and these fit the bill.  i'm so excited!!!

red is such a cheerful neutral don't you think?

good thing these are sturdy.  i don't plan to take them off anytime soon.

your red-heeled friend,

amy

in general

thought i'd share a couple shots from my general store & co. shopping spree.

the collection of jonathan adler pieces is fantastic and the coffee table books...oh the coffee table books!  i treated myself to an incredible necklace (picture coming soon), the kids to an awesome todd oldham "kid made modern" craft book, and all of us to a new charley harper print.  i am saving my pennies for an adler pillow, a pendleton national parks blanket, and an acrylic-encased bug.  my home will thank me for it.

amy

around here

this is how i've been feeling lately...

yep, a little jabba-ish.  it's not a weight thing, it's a sluggish thing.  i blame it on trader joe's coming to town.  way too much prepared foods, cheeses, salt, crackers, wine, chocolate...too much of all my favorite things.  so starting today, i'm taking charge.  i am detoxing.  no alcohol, coffee, animal products, wheat, corn, dairy and sugar for at least a week (or as long as i can stand it).  i'm not very good at being hungry though so we'll have to see how it goes.

so far today i've had a bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and a banana.  i am easing myself off coffee so i did allow myself one cup.  shortly after, i was starving so i had an apple with a glob of peanut butter (i've since purchased some almond butter).  ravished by lunch, i had a brown rice tortilla stuffed with black beans, tomatoes, and arugula, drizzled with some olive oil and lime juice.  it really was delicious and filling.  now i'm drinking a cup of  super antioxidant tea.  i'm not much of a tea fan but thought i should try to fully embrace the process.  

my skin will be glowing by tomorrow, right?

any tips or super-satisfying foods i shouldn't miss?  

wishing something else was in this cup,

amy

brilliant friend, a new shop

this is my dear friend mike.  i joke that mike gets me into lots of trouble when we're together.  he is a brilliant host, an incredible designer, a top-notch dancer, a generous mix-master, and he just opened his new shop in old overland park.  

his home is the most beautiful i've ever been in...seriously.  he is unbelievably talented, and lucky us, he's sharing it all!  he owns the general store & co. at 7922 santa fe.  you can read more about it here.

you must do yourself a favor and check it out.  buy lots of fabulous things. and say hello to my friend.

amy

love letters

do you read gala darling?  if you don't, you should.  she's a fashion blogger cut from a totally different cloth.  she is also one of the most unique and positive writers i've read in a long while. today she posted 100 ways to be a love letter to the universe. it's a fun list to read through and think about.

when camping on lost lake, oliver fashioned a fishing pole from a stick, a long blade of grass, and a leaf.  he didn't catch any fish but he did pull out a lovely flower petal just for me.

amy