My MawMaw, Betty Jean, married my PawPaw, Ray Calvin, in 1945.

They lived on a small farm in Arkansas, and together they had 2 children, Calvin, and my mother, Jean. My siblings & I spent the summers with Maw Maw & Paw Paw- the days were filled with picking blackberries, completing crossword puzzles, and baking. The smell of summer was always a mix of chocolate chip cookies, apple & pecan pies, and coconut cake. In 2008, our MawMaw left us for glory. Like most, we feel the weight of this loss especially around holidays. And though she was no longer with us, not having her pies at Thanksgiving or Christmas was not a reality we were willing to face! To keep the memory of her alive within our family, I took the role of pie baker at every family gathering. I began documenting my baking & home life on Instagram and found that more than a few friends (and strangers!) showed interest.

I hope my work serves you well as both a resource & inspiration in making your homes a little more like that small farm in Arkansas.