necessities.

One of my favorite parts of traveling around is finding new little hole-in-the-wall places! This shop I went to was recommended by a friend who said I would love it, and she was right!
So I couldn't even think about how claustrophobic I was because I was to excited! This cute shop, Necessities
was a gem indeed!

This shop was stacked top to bottom with amazing antiques! Jewelry, clothes, fabric, dishes, baby carriages, wedding apparel!
every corner was like a new adventure of old, amazingly preserved stuff! I was in vintage heaven!

I was very impressed with this store that I asked the owner if I could photo-stalk her shop and post a blog about it! She gladly agreed!

















We also went into the sweet place called Smith's Market! Lot's of local and organic foods, as well as bulk/grab-n-go candy! it was great!

follow the yellow brick road...

...to Kansas!

this past week we've been in Robert's home town, middle of Kansas! We were the talk of the town, the big kaboom. Not only have we had gobs of people stopping their big huge enviornment killing trucks by, but they've all been pulling out their snappy little camera phones to click a pic!


[similiar to this one, but this lady asked to take a picture, and interview us!]


I bought some organic cauliflower this week at the grocery store because it was actually really cheap! I thought...what could I make with this beautiful little white broccoli?! why not try to make "faux-mashed potatoes!" so I did!


[so this...]


[became these!]


[i was thrilled!!! mashed cauliflower!]

Also exciting this week, we are officially an RV! this is great news for us! Being an RV not only makes us really awesome, but we can now park more places, and our insurance is a bit cheaper then just a "bus" which helps with this massive contraption! I was thrilled to witness this robing!








in other news this week, I made some mean Black Bean Brownies! They turned out great! the first time I made them, I skipped the eggs and went straight for a few bananas, but they weren't the best, kinda "too" gooey. [if that's possible] but the second time I only used eggs, no bananas and they were fabulous! Gobbeled up at an event I went to this weekend! Also, the recipe [which only makes this size pan!]




1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs [or 3 bananas!]
3 tbs. coconut oil
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch of celtic sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract [gluten-free, if need be!]
1/3 c. raw honey
1/2 bar of raw cocoa nibs or dark dark 75% or higher chocolate chunks [optional]

oven: 350 degrees
grease an 8x8 square baking pan

combine black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, and honey in a blender[or food processor if you have it!] blend until smooth; pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.
3.Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.

can i have s'more?

this week started off right with a new engagement and a birthday! all to this one special lady!

[my new-ish sister-in-law Jessica]

as seen in this picture, she is blowing out some sweet cupcakes! this brings me to my baking adventure of this week!

Jessica mentioned this past weekend that she liked s'mores....

so what better thing then to mesh my favorite 1 handed specialty and an all-american classic treat!

so, I give you S'more cupcakes!



first I made a graham cracker crust with ground up graham crackers, melted butter and some sugar!



then I put the crust into cupcake pans and put chocolate chips over the crust to bake for a few minutes.
[not pictured, but the next layer was a Ganache!]



[then I made a chocolate cake batter and baked it, then topped it with some homemade marshmellow frosting!]




[then we torched them! to give them that fire baked taste!]




[happy birthday jessica!]



[this is the apron that Robert and I made for Jessica's birthday gift! paired with some homemade blue earrings, and she was a happy camper!]



[so was my hubby, with these decadent cupcakes!]



side project this week: painting the outside of the bus! looks great!

summer love.

recently i've been experimenting with making simple dresses for myself and adding some fun accents to make them more personal. well after getting so much good feedback from other people, i've started my own little clothing line [or what i like to think :)] and i have been making some pretty little frocks out of recycled fabric. a little apprehensive, i put these little sprouts out at a festival last week and sold 1/2 of them! and i've got 4 online orders. so encouraging!












i've also been doing alot of baking, when I can!
my sweet niece Maiah turned 10 a few weeks ago and I got to prepare some food for her birthday party and make a sweet jumbo cupcake! it was a blast! I also go to dress up at the White Queen!





[mini french vanilla cupcakes with lavender icing and my famous banana bread!]




[my hubs playing main stage at a festival and below, mewithoutyou playing in nashville!]




[so now we are out on the road in the bus, driving endless miles. love this view]

bittersweet bailey

this is a bittersweet post about my sweet, spicy, darling, amazing bestie bailey! I am so blessed by her relationship. Our friendship was sprouted from a tiny seed that was planted when we were 15/16. Ever since that one day when she heard me sing a Colbie Cailat's "bubbly" in Japanese, we were sworn as friends, until now, we are 21 and 22 and I am so proud of this girl!

[listening to colbie cailat's "bubbly" while reading this post, makes for a more dramatic read]

[bailey and I at cabana, hillsboro village. ladies night. also, big girls night, she had just turned 21 a few weeks prior]

bailey and I used to live in the same room in a charming little house in east nashville. We shared a room! People say not to live with good friends, especially best friends, it'll ruin your relationship. Not us.

[on the porch of our old house.]

one gloriously bright weekend we spent the whole day at the pool. I never spend the whole day at the pool! Partly because of my sad sun allergy, and I hate being in full sun all day, but the drinks and the cool roof top pool, looking over all of nashville made it so worth it! and being with my Bailey!

[on this same weekend, I went home with swollen feet because we went to a swing dancing get together at Centennial park in Nashville.]

[this girl is golden]

[she stood beside me on my wedding day]

[girls date night for margarita's at Pueblo]

[late night free root beer floats at sonic one night. little did we know it was the sketchy one, and I left my house in my bathing suit.....]

[this girl is amazing. she gets me]

Bailey Todd is a once in a life time friend. You meet someone like this and you cherish her forever, she doesn't float in and out of your life like some people, she is always there. We can go months without seeing each other, but once we give that first hug when we are reunited, it's like we've been next to each other for all that time. She knows how to make you feel like you are the most important person in the world whilst talking to her. Her reasoning is sometimes weird to me, but that's another reason that I love her so dearly. Often, while in a sticky situation, I find myself saying "how would bailey deal with this?" I am so amazed at her willingness to forgive and let things go, something I think we all need a little more of in our lives.

Bailey is leaving on January 2nd from New York and flying to Botswana for 5-6 months. Like I said, this is a bittersweet post. I am thrilled, and excited for this huge, amazing opportunity for her, whilst being selfish and sad that she is going. I am worried she will never come back, but I can't say I blame her. I know she will meet amazing people and impact their lives as she has done mine, certainly. I love you bailey todd and I will never forget the wonderful woman you are, the amazing friend and the importance you have had on my life thus far. I hope you never forget that I will always be here for you, I will fly to botswana for your wedding (maybe?) and I will hold your hand when you deliver your babies, whenever those days come, I am there. I love you.

bailey will be posting from Botswana on her newly listed blog: you can take a look and read it here! enjoy!

ps holiday note:

also, a year ago today I created the most exquisite gluten/dairy and sugar free banana round bread! yeay for me!