I don’t have access to the internet on my laptop (who the eff doesn’t have wireless internet these days?!) so I have to do this hilarious round about method of uploading photos to my iphone and then uploading them (slloooowly) to flickr and then getting on an ancient computer to blog them, so apologies for the delay. We’re at Billy’s uncle’s place and it’s full of dead animals, fake animals, and did I mention dead animals? I’ll get a better areal shot of one of the walls later. I’m a little sad because it’s quite cold here, I wanted to go swimming in the pool or work on my tan to last me through the winter, but I guess cold is better than super hot.

Anyway, having fun and excited to go on a road trip tomorrow. At certain angles I feel like I’m on Mars.

Today is very busy. I will have to implement a no internet rule for myself for the day, so I’ll be signing off now and just share with you two songs I’m in love with right now that I found on the latest Urban Outfitters mix – which are always so good, and free. Vivid Youth by Pastels & Tenniscoats, and Feel It All Around by Washed Out. So good.

Tomorrow morning I’m going to Phoenix for the rest of the week, and because I didn’t want to leave you hanging and didn’t get my act together in time to line up guest bloggers, I decided to be a dedicated blogger and take my laptop with me to do a “Bits Of My Vacation” live all week! A few photos a day, hopefully. Who knows what may get in my way, but that’s at least what I’m planning. So stay tuned!

Open studios (pies were a huge hit and looks at that boy up there in front of his amazing piece! So proud), a rainy Saturday – the Morgan Library Museum (love), kinokuniya notebook splurge, pizza and friends. A sunny Sunday – PS1 (amazing shows up right now, do go!) packing for vacation, Where The Wild Things Are (I’m having mixed emotions about it! So lovely but maybe too sad) It was a busy weekend that went by too fast. There are still so many things to do before leaving tomorrow morning, eek!

Schrödinger’s cats, originally uploaded by mll0ll.

This is definitely one of those Fridays where I’m kind of in shock that it’s here already. That’s a good thing.

This weekend I plan to eat tiny pies, make necklaces like a mad women (I’ve been procrastinating, which is not pretty), see Where The Wild Things Are (debating IMAX vs non-IMAX), and pack pack pack as we leave for Phoenix on Tuesday morning, and I know Monday is going to be one hell of a late night at work.

I’m plotting something fun for next week on here while I’m gone. Or at least it seems fun in my head – stay tuned! Have a great weekend!

ps. every time I think of tiny pies, I get Tiny Dancer stuck in my head. I sang, “hold meee closer tiny pieeeee!” all night last night.

The Gap is so hit or miss, but I just picked up this awesome flannel shirt – it’s super soft, really well made, and a cute boyfriend-style fit. I’m always looking for a good flannel each fall that’s soft, but not too warm. I’ll warn you though, it fits really big – I got an XS and I’m hoping it shrinks a bit when I wash it, but the loose fit is pretty cute, especially with skinny jeans (actually, wearing it with anything else might make it look awful.) Just thought I’d share as I currently would like to live in this baby.

I can’t believe I really did it, but I made 36 tiny pies last night. Tonight is open studios at Billy’s school, and because it is a trek to get out there, I thought that maybe the promise and reward of tiny pies would be nice for our friends. I LOVE pie. More than I probably should. I make it often, but usually with a frozen crust, because then it’s quite possibly the easiest thing on earth. But you can’t be lazy with tiny pies, you have to make the crust, and this was my first crust making. I made a 2.5 batch from the original recipe, which worked perfectly to make 36 – 18 apple pies, and 18 pumpkin pies. I probably could have made a few more, but I ran out of filling, patience, and energy.

They aren’t pretty, but they’re cute, and after some testing – delicious. I need to learn how to crimp the edge of the crust better. My internet was down (ah!) so I couldn’t look it up online besides tiiiiiny photos on my iphone, so they look a little wonky. The pumpkin pies were kind of hard to make because I used silicon muffin trays, so carrying them to the oven was a hilarious act. The pumpkin filling rose like cute buttons, and then collapsed – looking like what Billy described as something dirty I will not repeat here – but the pumpkin pies are MORE delicious than the apple! I just used the basic recipe on the back of the pumpkin can, and just increased the cooking time a little – 20 minutes at 425, and then 15-20 at 350. For the apple, I would highly recommend you use more sugar than is in the original recipe. I basically put all the apples in a bowl and coated them with sugar and spices until you couldn’t see the apples anymore:)

Thank you to Kimberly for sending me some tips on how she made her pies recently, and of course to Andrea for sending this recipe to me in the first place! I’m pretty sure I’ll have no problem making these babies disappear. It was A LOT of work (4 hours!) but I did take on making a lot, and damn they are yummy.

Update: I completely forgot to mention that the crust wasn’t too hard, but not the easiest thing ever. I don’t own a food processor, and I forgot to get a pastry blender before the cake shop by me closed, so I froze the butter and then grated it on a cheese grater (medium size grate), and then mixed the dough with my hands like a CHAMP. I had the best cramp in my hand ever afterward, and dough in very strange places, but it worked! Wendy was very excited to sit by me and lick up any stray butter.

Wouldn’t this vintage cheese dish be perfect to make a little terrarium with? It would great to display anything inside, really. Tempting, indeed.

Some of my flickr contacts are making really mad at myself for not spending more time with my film camera. Next week we’re going to Phoenix and I am going to use that baby like it’s an extra limb.

clumsy bird, girl hulu, moxiee

My friends over at DwellStudio started a new series on their blog called “How You Dwell”, showcasing photos of how customers use their bedding. So far myself and Jenna of Whimsy & Spice are featured (good company to be in as I slightly worship Jenna), but you should submit (info at dwellstudio.com) your own photos as well if you own DwellStudio! (I’m looking at you, Andrea Wallace.) Ever since I worked for them it’s the only bedding I own, and it’s downright amazing. I knock people down for stuff at their sample sales. I just got my lucky paws on the linen edge sheets and let me tell you – it’s like slipping into butter at night.

Thanks ladies, for including me!

The amazing Postal Press 2010 Specimen Calendar is out today! Alyson sent me some sneak peeks last week and it was hard to keep the excitement to myself until today. I love that you can trim the dates off the bottom and are left with a beautiful print to hang up. It’s incredibly lovely and I cannot wait for it to come my way.