Sugar and spice and everything nice...

Gluten-free. soy-free, corn-free, sugar cane-free, PIE CRUST

2 cups gluten free flour*

3/4 cup of butter (or half butter half shortening)

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (or 2 Tablespoons Arrowroot powder)

1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup COLD water (although sometimes it takes less, today it took a little more)

 Stir dry ingredients then cut in butter, sprinkle in cold water and knead till soft, split into 2 balls and blace between two peices of wax paper and toll to fit 9 inch pie pan. Fill and bake according to whatever kind of pie filling you are using.

*Gluten-free flour mix

3 cups rice flour

1 cup potato starch (STARCH, NOT flour)

1/2 cup tapioca starch OR flour

For my friends baby shower tomorrow I decided to make blueberry

Gluten Free Blueberry Pie Recipe
Pre-heat oven to 425°

The filling:
6 cups blueberries
½ cup honey
¼ cup tapioca flour
½ tsp cinnamon
1Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter (optional because I always forget this step)

Mix first five ingredients. Set aside.

I found this ^^^ at Queen of the Meadow but only used the filling recipe as her crust recipe used corn and I am allergic to corn.

I am very excited that got to use my "pie squirrel" for the first time, thought after baking the filling juice that spilled on it's face and was completely invisible before going into the oven.....came out brown and looking like the squirrel had foraged the dessert for tasty treats. Dern rodents! ;-)

other than a messy little fur face I am so happy with how it turned out!

there is something sooo delectable about that color!!!

Dress - UO

Socks - Target?

Shoes - UO 

($7!!! THANKS FOR NOT FITTING INTO THEM, MICHELLE ;-/)

Belt - (cut up an old broken pair of suspenders and put a pin on it that says, "Dorothy", been my favorite belt for years)

In other news, The Mr. who usually TAKES me out shopping for a gift (usually with a set amount of money for birthdays or what have you) decided he really wanted to pick something out himself for my Valentine's gift.  He said he likes me in yellow (I had no idea) and went to Urban Outfitters and thought most of what they have right now wasn't really me (he's right, it's been slim pickin's for my personal style as of late) but then he saw this!!!!!  He had it all wrapped up (as seen in previous post about Valentine's Day) lovely as can be. He even got the right size!!! Man oh man, he's good!

So there you have it. Babyshowers and dresses and squirrels, that was my life today. Hope yours was equally delightful.

Lovies and licorice,

-K

All I want for my birthday is loveliness...

Soooo, not to be hinty or anything, I really don't expect anyone to follow this or actually buy me presents 

(what I really like best for my b'day is a dance party, consisting of 60's french pop and anything else I can happy feet to) this year is one of those years where everyone has a lot going on (including myself) and it's quite likely that nothing will happen for my b'day other than just hanging out with family...

Seriously, I don't need presents, I'm a pretty blessed bunny and I don't have any needs that aren't being met...

that being said, I will now out-pour a wish list long enough (or silly enough) to make your head spin.  Why? Because it's gosh darn fun!!! In no particular order....

#1

I ever so much would love to get my hands on a World Globe Lamp!  Feel free to ogle ebay as much as you like and procure me such loveliness! (and as many of such loveliness as may possibly move you!)

#2

I pretty much adore ANYTHING from The Black Apple but THIS painting in particular

makes my heart go pitter pat!!!  I also love the Terrarium painting and the Oddsfellow's Orphanage postcards (I already have the book!) And the Recipe Cards are pretty skippy too!!! Ooo, and the Nessie Painting (judge all you want, I see Nessie's existence as a viable and real possibility! ;-)) <3<3<3

#3

Pretty Much ANYTHING by Vivetta!!!  Always such loveliness, always impossible to get my grubby little mitts on...but a girl can wish can't she???  

#4 

Pretty much anything by Nadinoo as well. Eyeball candy for DAAAYS!

SEEEEEE what I mean!?!?! Gasp and delights!!!

#5 

any of these lovelies from Asos!!! I do like my little girl dresses! Is it whimsical? Then I probably like it!!!

#6

Anywhere - A Travel Guide

I desperately want to make these part of my belongings...I tried to purchase them this last month as a Valentine's Date/Gift for The Mr. and myself but they were all sold out. I scoured the interwebsicle for it and couldn't find it anywhere, I went to save a pic and link it and found THEY ARE FOR SALE ONCE MORE!!! Take this as a hint from the birthday fairies that these are meant for ME! ;-)

#7

Anthropologie gift card.

Silly, is it? Impersonal you say? NEVER, SAYS I!!! I cannot tell you how much fun and mileage I get out of gift cards! (Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Target, etc. are also lovely) To be able to go into Anthropologie and find a trinket in the clearance area is ALWAYS fun!!! I can make that gift card last FOR MOOOONTHS! I bide my time till I find something truly worth it, then I acquire said treasure completely free of guilt because not I but YOU got that special thing for ME! <3 Never underestimate the power of gift cards to the right places!

#8

Lula Magazine Subscription, or just a single Lula Magazine....so hard to get one's hands on!!! I own a solitary copy (Issue #8, coincidentally enough) due to a friend's kindness in acquiring one for me several years ago, it STILL brings me delight every time I open it!

So there you have it! I'm sure I'll think of other things later...for instance, practical things that excite me in spite of their practicality...ie: lemon zester (let's be honest, it may be for cooking but "ZESTER" just sounds like food magic!) pickling crock, Le Crueset cookware, tart tins, etc. Things like that make me all twitterpated with glee!!!

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And now,

TO BED WITH ME!!! I'm off to sail in that wooden shoe with Winken, Blinken and Nod! 

Lovies and letterpresses, (OOOO, I'd also like a letterpress!!!)

-K

We OTTER make out...

(we OTTER make out was for The Mr. ;-))

Soooooooooooo, some people are Grinch's about Christmas and some are Grinch's about Valentine's Day...

As most major holidays roll around I find myself giddy with delight, ready to vomit glitter and poop lace all over everyone and everything. 

Fourth of July: AMERICA HISTORY AND FIREWORKS!?!?!!? SHINY THINGS??? CELEBRATING OUR LOVE OF FREEDOM???

SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!

BIRTHDAYS: A REASON TO PARTY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND CANDLES ON A CAKE!?!?!? SHINY THINGS!!! CELEBRATING OUR LOVE OF A SOMEONE???

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

CHRISTMAS: JESUS' BIRTHDAY AND PRESENTS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND GLOWING CHRISTMAS TREES?!?!?!? SHINY THINGS!!!!!! CELEBRATING OUR LOVE OF JESUS AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY????

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

EASTER: JESUS RESURRECTION AND DYEING BRIGHTLY COLORED EGGS!?!?!!?? BRIGHT COLORS AND SHINY CUPS OF FOOD COLORING!?!?!?! CELEBRATING OUR LOVE OF JESUS AND HIS SACRIFICE

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Valentine's Day is no different for me, if I have a reason to remind people that I love them and make them glittered bits of paper and gluten-free, sugar cane-free, soy-free, corn-free delicacies!?!?! SHINY THINGS, TASTY THINGS, AND LOVELY LOVING LOVE!?!?! I LOVE LOVE and LOVE LOVING THINGS! Stars and garters, IT'S THE BEST! Hipsters may loving hating things and being miserable, cynics may scoff, even those that are in loving relationships may poo-poo Valentine's Day under the reasoning, "You should be loving EVERYDAY of the year, not just V-Day", and I heartily agree.....BUT

BUT..............

We should appreciate our best friend everyday but that doesn't mean I'm not going to show up to their birthday party! We should be excited about our freedom everyday, but that doesn't meant I'm not going to enjoy putting up a flag, going to a parade with my lovey-doves and lighting a sparkler with The Kidlet. Traditions are wonderful things that bring joy and connection. Hallmark, and other business may try to capitalize on such things and make some money off of it (which IS annoying and sad at times...on the flip side, at least people have jobs because of it) but WHY OH WHY should we let the things we dislike ruin the things we LOVE!!!  

That being said, I entertained myself THOROUGHLY making glittered animal pun cards, winged hearts, and potato stamp cards (with The Kidlet) and dropped them off to friends and mailed to family as a surprise "Hey, you're the tops and I am so fond of you!" Yes yes, I SHOULD call or text everyone on a regular basis and I'd like to think I am pretty good at doing that with at least my mum and dad, sisters and closest friends...but WHY can't I enjoy one day a year that allows a full grown woman to scamper around, covered in glitter and decked out head-to-toe in red and pink!??! 

So there is my rant of the month. I LOVE LOVE and I hope you do too! I hope your week was lovely and should you be disappointed about what you didn't get from whomever I am so sorry. I used to be in that boat too but I got fed up with being glum and jumped ship!!! I'm now careening about in a leaky little skiff where I craft to my heart's content, and I row in my glitter-waves covered in lace and instead of thinking, "what am I going to get?!?!?!" I think, "WHAT WOULD ____ LOOOOVE!?!?!" I totally forgot about presents when The Mr. handed me a box this last week and was totally taken aback by the lovely yellow lace that greeted me! It was the cherry on top of a lovely day with lovely friends.  I know it stinks to be disappointed, I'm not trying to be preachy, it's just something that has helped me so much with contentedness (something I am always needing work on) but seriously, try to forget about what you might get and just enjoy the giving...sounds overly-simply and sermony but (like all GOOD sermons) it's just the truth and it's truth that sets us free.

Lovies and glittery-lace and love and loveliness,

-K

THE STRAWBERRY WINDOW!!!

FINALLY!!! After all the years of hemming and hawing about starting an Etsy shop...

THE STRAWBERRY WINDOW 

is FINALLY OPEN!

There are several more style listed in the shop so please feel free to peruse!  For the record, after all the extras of boxes for shipping, time spent posting, time spent shipping and handling, etc. We have come to realize that the current price isn't accurate (it takes a couple hours to cut, embroider and assemble each piece, plus cost of supplies, plus cost of packaging, plus time spent in line shipping, etc.)  I so wished to keep it under $20 but we are now aware of how improbable that is.  So, for our shop opening we wanted to offer the price we opened with for a couple days, should there be some folks planning on purchasing.  But, make a note, as of Friday the prices are going to change. Thank you for your support, your help, you encouragement and your consideration.

Have a lovely day, may your life be rose-colored, like looking through a strawberry-tinted, stained-glass window.

Lovies and lacewings,

-K

Dryads and Nyads and Fauns and Fairies

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Sooo, I'm alive!  Ended up being the nastiest bout of strep I've ever had the misfortune of catching. I was in bed for a week. It was miserable. I wanted to beg someone to hit me over the head with a hammer. I hope, hope, hope you never catch strep throat as bad as that. I've had strep before, every couple years I get it and manage to knock it out in a couple of days (Colloidal silver works WONDERS with strep) but it didn't work this time and it went systemic and long story short...sick sick sicky sick. :-P

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, the shop will open Monday. God willing. I could have gotten so much stuff done for the shop what with being bed ridden but my head was pounding and I didn't want to touch anything that any other human being might ever come into contact with. I felt like a leper.  Soooo...Monday at noon The Strawberry Window will open on Etsy. Thank you for your support, your well wishing and for hanging in there.

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In other news, here are some other pictures from a while back that Miss Josie Farrior took of my lovely friends T. and Miss LB.  and myself.  We went back to the one of the places she took us to for our family photos. (Also something I need to post more of) and we dressed up in slips, curtains, sheets, dresses, pipe cleaners, snail shells, Spanish moss, feathers and more...  It was a perfectly lovely day and I wish we could dress like dryads all the time. Also, I'd like a real Narnia Wardrobe please...since we are wishing and my birthday is coming up.  Make it so! ;-)

Lovies and forest living,

-K