{live.a.life.of.love}

{Photo 366 :: A Photo a day challenge}

2012-01-23T09:57:00.004-05:00

so remember when i said i was LOVIN' me some instagram & the january photo a day challenge? well imagine my excitement when my radtastic friend erin over at bringing up burns asked me if i wanted to join forces with her to come up with our own monthly photo challenges. now erin is one of the sweet bloggers that inspires me daily. her pizazz for living life to the full, loving her husband passionately, and her kiddos with the utmost attention and fun, i can only hope to one day live out that inspiration in my own life. don't even know how that girl does it all, but i love it!

we were so inspired by the creator of the january photo-a-day challenge based out of austrailia that we wanted to create our own little US version. we got to brainstorming and realized this was something so fun that we had to share with the rest of the bloggosphere, twitterworld, instagrammers, and pinaholics (yes. you know you are) out there.

so here it is! february is our start and we'll be posting one each month for the rest of this year. so jump on board and challenge your photography skills. you CAN do this! even if you don't have an iphone for instagram you can still use your photo apps and hashtag us #febphoto366 on twitter! just think how awesome you'll feel once you get through the whole year. i know i'm planning on making a blurb coffee table book at the end of this year to have it all to remember.

you can play along just for the month of February or for the rest of 2012! use our list as inspiration just for yourself, or to post each day on instagram, or blog your shots at the end of each week. whatever you choose, we hope our "prompts" inspire you to get creative with your picture taking. we will post a new list of prompts about a week before the next month begins. you can follow us on instagram or twitter to be sure and get a heads up when the new prompts are posted. (@aprilmwalker and @bringingupburns on both!)

a few things we are excited to include every month, and are eager to see your interpretations of:
Each month will start with a color. February is RED. could it be your wearing red, seeing red, hearing red, tasting red, being red, reading red, watching red, feeling red? we're excited to see!

if you play along all year, we'll work through the alphabet. february we'll take shots of the Letters A and B. could it be Apple, Author, Anticipate, Appalling? Book, Begonia, Boiled, Between? what will you shoot?

on the 15th of every month, the prompt will always be "You on 15." can we each interpret this self portrait 11 different ways this year? i'm gonna try! ... and just remember to all those who are a little nervous about this one.. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! God made you just the way you are and you're perfect!

we will try to recognize holidays and events each month with abstract prompts. february we've included ones like "Romance and Makes You Blush" for Valentine's Day, "Favorite Movie" on the day of the Oscars, and "Leap!" on the 29th. so fun, right?!

come find us on facebook too!!

{photo :: 366}

so...that's Photo366! if you decide to play along in the month of february, we'd love it if you'd blog about the challenge and link up below. that way we can come follow you and be sure to see all the pics you'll be posting. you'll be able to find others who have committed to the challenge and see their interpretations of the prompts too! we'll post a new linky each month, so by linking up - you're only committing to one month at a time. the linky is open until Feb 29th, so whenever you post, be sure and come back and link up as erin and i are most excited about seeing your pictures. above of all, have fun with it!

February 2012 Photo A Day Challenge

{music & the rest}

2012-01-22T19:30:00.001-05:00

january.22.2012

{he withdrew... to a solitary place} :: matthew 14:13

there is no music during a musical rest, but the rest is part of the making of the music. in the melody of our life, the music is separated here & there by rests. during those rests, we foolishly believe we have come to the end of the song.

God sends us times of forces leisure by allowing sickness, disappointed plans, and frustrated efforts. he brings a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives, and we lament that our voices must be silent. we grieve that our part is mission in the music that continually rises to the ear of our Creator. yet how does a musician read the rest? he counts the break with unwavering precision and plays his next note with confidences, as if no pause were ever there.

God does not write the music of our lives without a plan. our part is to learn the tune and not be discouraged during the rests they are not to be slurred over or omitted, nor used to destroy the melody or to change the key. if we will only look up, God Himself will count the time for us. with our eyes on Him, our next note will be full and clear. if we sorrowfully say to ourselves, "there is no music in a rest," let us not forget that the rest is part of the making of the music. the process is often slow and painful in this life, yet how patiently God works to teach us! and how long He waits for us to learn the lesson! :: john ruskin

{via streams in the desert}

called aside --

from the glad working of your busy life,

from the world's ceaseless stir of care and strife,

into the shade and stillness by your Heavenly Guide

for a brief time you have been called aside.

called aside --

perhaps into a desert garden dim;

and yet not alone, when you have been with Him,

and heard His voice in sweetest accents say:

"child, will you not with Me this still hour stay?"

called aside --

in hidden paths with Christ your Lord to tread,

deeper to drink at the sweet Fountainhead,

closer in fellowship with Him to roam,

nearer, perhaps, to feel your Heavenly Home.

called aside --

oh, knowledge deeper grows with Him alone;

in secret oft His deeper love is shown,

and learned in many an hour of dark distress

some rare, sweet lesson of His tenderness.

called aside --

we thank You for the stillness and the shade;

we thank You for the hidden paths Your love has made,

and, so that we have wept and watched with Thee,

we thank You for our dark Gethsemane.

called aside --

o restful thought - He doeth all things well;

o blessed sense, with Christ alone to dwell;

so in the shadow of Your cross to hide,

we thank You, Lord, to have been called aside.

{happy.restful.sunday}

{loving me some instagram :: jan photo a day challenge}

2012-01-10T15:06:00.002-05:00

if you follow me on instagram or twitter then you've probably seen some of my posts over the last 10 days dealing with #JanPhotoADay. for all of your non hashtaggers... i'm sorry. that's all i will say about that. anywho, i've been LOVING this challenge (check out the photo below)

i've realized recently.... scratch that. i've none forever, BUT that i absolutely love my iphone camera. love as in like i never take another camera with me unless i'm shooting weddings type of love it. i love being able to see something that i want to capture right then and there and i'm grateful that i can do so with my iPhone.

{finding beauty in the everyday is life giving for me}

when i saw the photo below from a fellow instagramer, i knew i was on board and i've loved seeing so many other people playing along. i love the spontaneity of instagram, but it's been fun to have a prompt each day to spur on my creativity behind the ~~phone~~ lens. it makes me keep my eyes open a little wider to the world around me and has me thinking "what am i going to shoot today?" it adds a little more purpose to my everyday shooting and i get to share a little bit of my life with you too.

sooooo if you're on instagram (and for those of you none iPhone users, rumor has it that instagram is working on an app for other phones to debut shortly) come play along with us!! today is day 10 so you still have 21 more days to play... and who knows?? ... me and bringing up burns may have a little something up our sleeves for the remaining 11 months of 2012.

{happy shooting}

2012-01-08T17:12:00.001-05:00

"we do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit" :: e e cummings

{some.recent.almond.leaf.wedding.shots}

2011-12-26T20:36:00.003-05:00

just wanted to share some of my recent

wedding shots with almond leaf studios.

{enjoy}

{aw}

{taco.soup :: a.winter.favorite}

2011-12-23T16:54:00.000-05:00

this is one of my all time favorite crockpot recipes

and is super yummy for anytime during the winter!

taco soup

1 lb. ground turkey or beef, browned and drained

1 medium onion, chopped

2 (15oz) cans kidney beans

2 (15oz) cans pinto beans

2 (15oz) cans corn with their juices

1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes with their juices

1 (14oz) can tomatoes with chilies (rotel), with their juices

1 packet taco seasoning

1 packet ranch dressing mix

sour cream and cheddar, for garnish

the directions

use at least a 6-quart slow cooker. put the browned meat (i used turkey) and onion into the slow cooker.

drain and rinse beans, and add to the cooker.

add the corn and tomatoes.

stir in contents of the seasoning packets.

cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. ladle into bowls.

add a handful of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream to each bowl before eating.

enjoy!!

{happy.friday}

{noah & allie}

2011-12-22T11:50:00.004-05:00

just because it makes my heart happy

{and the Project320 giveaway winner is... }

2011-12-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

thank you ALL for your generosity to Project 320 this year.

without you there would be no well!

the winner of my prize bundle is...

{CONGRATS & MERRY CHRISTMAS!}

{Glory be to God :: A Clean Water Well will be built!}

2011-12-19T09:40:00.002-05:00

{image borrowed from bringing up burns}

hey girl,

WE DID IT!

that's right... through your kindness & generosity Project 320's $5000 goal to build another clean water well was met last night! through your prayers, donations, and love, a village of God's beloved people will now have clean water. their families will live longer. they'll be able to love longer, fight disease, and have LIFE... and i pray have it abundantly with all the clean water they could ever hope for!!!

i'll announce the winner of the giveaway later today, but i just wanted to share the great news of a well fully funded! ... and of course a little ryan gosling makes the news much more pleasing to the eye! haha. "hey girl" has taken on a whole new meaning this week as we've twittered and giggled over this. gotta love some good laughs mixed in with generosity. can't beat it!

Merry Christmas friends!

{aw}

{my.favorite.things :: project.320.giveaway}

2011-12-12T11:05:00.000-05:00

{LET'S.GIVE.WATER.FOR.CHRISTMAS}

{IT'S.GIVEAWAY.TIME}

31 Bits, beautiful prints, paintings, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" music, and more!!! it's all here for the taking!! a few of my favorite things! some are handmade and some are just awesome, but all are to support Project 320! A campaign started in 2009 by some of my blogging friends to give Water for Christmas.

All items listed below are ONE prize bundled

together for ONE lucky winner!!

{here's how to enter}

1. visit the Project 320 charity:water campaign

2. Here's how it works. Give $10. $20. $100. Whatever amount you feel led to give. For every $10 donation you make, you can leave one comment to be entered in the giveaway. $20 = two comments/entries. $100 = TEN comments/entries. Use your entries all for this giveaway, or spread them out and enter a bunch of them! Click HERE to see all the other giveaways. It's up to you on which giveaway you enter and how much you give.

3. Once you've made your donation, come back here and leave a comment with this information

- How many entries you made to the campaign and want to leave on this giveaway

-Your name and please make sure you leave your email address so I can contact you if you win

You have until Sunday, December 18 at 9pm

(pacific time) to enter.

THAT'S IT!!

so without further ado... here's the bundle of goodness you are entering to win!!

(a total value of about $360!!)

every single bit of this fabulousness could be yours!!

1. Handmade by the beautiful women of Gulu, Uganda in Africa, the 31 Bits jewelry is just stunning.

The Navy Thicket bracelet picture below is item 1 in the giveaway package. ($26 value)

2. One 11x14 "African Skies" print from my trip to Uganda this past January. You too can have another little piece of Africa for your home! ($50 value)

3. Oh how I love Christmas music!! One CD of Dave Barnes' "Very Merry Christmas".

Yes... it will make your Christmas a smidgen more merry! ($10 value)

4. One GORGEOUS handmade "quarry checkered infinity scarf" handcrafted in Ecuador by the artisans from Noonday Collection. It is made out of acrylic and hand-woven on looms. The scarf wraps two to three times around the neck. One size fits all. ($58 value)

5... and who doesn't LOVE the Pioneer Woman?!? This might not be handmade, but P Dubs will definitely give you some great instructions to make some handmade goodness in your own kitchen that your family is sure to love! One "Pioneer Woman Cooks" cookbook is a part of the giveaway bundle. ($27.50 value)

6. One lovely Moxxi print is a part of the bundle is well. Arin of Moxxi has a beautiful eye for design and her prints bring so much happiness into your home! One print of your choice from the Moxxi collection is included in the giveaway bundle. ($25 value)

7... and don't tell me you don't love some Harry Connick Jr!?! One "Harry for the Holidays" cd is included in the bundle... maybe for you to play and dance around your kitchen while you cook some holiday yumminess... just sayin' ($10 value)

8. "Make your kitchen smile" :: One Roodoodle is headed to the lucky winners house to decorate your walls with it's bright colors and witty lines. These colorful paintings are the handy work of Michael Haun, also the mastermind behind Storyrealing.com. ($70 value)

9. I couldn't help, but include a little awesome gift card to Mountain Khakis! Buy something for the man (or woman... for all you gents out there) in your life or keep it all to yourself. Pants, hoodies, shirts, hats, and more! One $30 gift card is included in the giveaway bundle. ($30 value)

10. Two necklace pendants of my own version of the messy nests.

Handcrafted by yours truly. ($30 value)

11. One print of your choice from Mod Memento's shop! My friend B has a love for family, photography, mamahood, and design... and she combines ALL that for some fab prints!! ($20 value)

12... and last, but certainly not least... what would a giveaway be without some coffee! One $15 gift card to Caribou is in the giveaway bundle!

{so how fab is that?!?}

Even more fabulous is that for every $10 entry, you're giving Water for Christmas and that my friends is the most important thing of all! I just wanted you to have something wonderful for your generosity during this Christmas season!!

{SO GO GET TO GIVING WATER FOR CHRISTMAS}

{Project 320 :: Charity Water}

"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

: matthew 10:42

{project.320}

2011-12-12T10:05:00.002-05:00

the beautiful bloggers that never fail to inspire me on a weekly basis, two years ago began something during this Christmas season that i absolutely LOVE. they wanted to do Christmas different. they wanted to step out in faith into something that without God, would fail. they wanted to do Christmas different. check out this video with just a few facts and a challenge to think different about Christmas as we know it...

and so in 2009 these bold ladies stepped out in faith and started
{project 320}
they took their passions and creative talents and combined them with others'... and through this crazy blogging world raised enough money to build not one... not two... but THREE wells in communities in need of clean water over the last two years.
now if that's not a wonderful Christmas than i don't know what is!

so keep an eye out the next week (or if you'd like to join in the fun) at
project320.blogspot.com
to see what wonderful goodies are there to bid on!

check back this week for
the giveaway i'm hosting!!

all donations go to charitywater.com and provide a lot of love and
CLEAN water to beautiful people around the world!

{aw}

{a groom & his gentleman}

2011-11-29T14:27:00.001-05:00

one of my favorite shots from wedding season...

gents in light suits.

old, rustic barn.

sun ring happening on it's own...

yes please.

(view full post here)

{be present}

2011-11-22T13:49:00.001-05:00

ohhhh mexico.

i spent last wednesday through sunday in sunshiny mexico. it was absolutely fabuloso. i had the incredible opportunity to travel with almond leaf studios for my first destination wedding where we also got to enjoy a little vacation and relaxation. it was exactly what i needed after this fall of insanity and i'm so grateful for my time there.

last week also got me thinking a lot about being present. when you have the opportunity to check out of your so-called reality and just think for a while, it's amazing what your brain can come up with.

{be.present}

this has continuously popped into my mind over the last few months. i have a tendency to zone out, distract myself too easily, and not. be. present. i don't want to live selfishly like that any longer. all my days in mexico i tried my best to be present in the moment, soak up all of God's magnificent creation, the sun on my skin, great people all around, and just be.

it can be challenging to be present and honestly sometimes it feels like an art... one that i tend to fail. i make excuses. pick up my iphone too easily, get bored, my insecurities creep in about what people around me think about me, so i check out. i leave the present and try to drift off to lala land... then i had an epiphany... if you're on the receiving end of someone checking out and not being present, it can really, really hurt. it can feel as if you don't matter and in no way do i ever want to make someone feel that way and take their friendship or relationship that i've been blessed with for granted. life's too short.

no more i tell ya. i'm challenging you (and myself) to be present this week. (side note :: i know you can't be "on" 100% of the time so i'm challenging you to be aware and make your best effort) think about the many, many things you do have to be thankful for, even if your current circumstances aren't the best. make the best effort you can with the people who you have relationships with even if you see them everyday. your friends. your family... aren't they the ones we can easily NOT be present with because it can be so familiar? nurture those friendships and family relationships this week. discover even more about the people around you, the life that you live, and be present.

{happy.tuesday}

{some.recent.almond.leaf.wedding.shots}

2011-11-15T15:44:00.001-05:00

Here are a handful of my recent shots for Almond Leaf weddings.

there are many more where those came from and maybe some day i'll get around to posting a few more. until then...

enjoy!!

{aw}

{a.few.thoughts.on.pain.and.forgiveness}

2011-11-11T10:23:00.001-05:00

i felt the bitterness creeping in... things had not gone my way. in my mind i had been wronged, forgotten, shoved to the side, received the short end of the stick... yet again. what i thought was going to happen the way i wanted it to, did not. my hope was shattered falling all around me in little tiny pieces. at first the pain was all encompassing and suffocating. i couldn't breath, didn't want to move, didn't want to think, and didn't know what to think for that matter. it hurt and the pain went deep. it gashed open a wound that i thought had healed only to go even deeper this time around. the wound of rejection was not new to me, but this time it hurt far more than i ever remember in my life. i allowed that pain to paralyze me, question if God was truly hearing my prayers, if He cared, and my light shined a little dimmer in those days to follow...

they say time heals... and i have to think that's true. in the last few weeks i'm starting to feel again. feelings other than deep sadness or pain. feelings of restored hope and joy while i hear the Lord gently whisper in my ear "I am with you" as i begin picking up, one by one, those shattered pieces of hope that surround me.

He has eased my pain through the love and gentle care of family and friends. in those moments that i allow myself long enough to be still and push through the pain... in those moments of quiet and solitude with Him... i am overwhelmed by His presence.

i'm reminded today that through this pain there is growth, there is personal renewal, there is perseverance, and i'm a better woman for that. more "me" than i've ever felt before.

...but one thing was missing.

my heart was still holding bitterness. it would creep in at times and make me angry, but i did my best to stuff it away trying my best not to deal with it. trying to focus on what was right in front of me... all the goodness in my life... but the bitterness kept rearing it's ugly head, taunting me. and then a light turned on.

forgiveness was needed.

be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving

one another, as God in Christ forgave you

-ephesians 4:32

my heart was definitely not tender. some days it felt in knots made of sadness and anger, but God would not leave me that way... and oh conviction how wise and sweet you are. i had not forgiven. i was holding that grudge in my heart and it wasn't going to go anywhere until i dealt with it face to face. i wasn't punishing the other person, but punishing myself living day to day with the bitterness.

forgiveness called. i answered in my heart and took a step forward in mending and making things right. today is a new day and i walk forward in confidence that God knows what's best. today is a day full of hope and joy. hope for a future that will most definitely bring more pain, but i rest in knowing that my God will not leave me, nor forsake me. He is here and He loves me far more than i can fathom.

grace is amazing and far beyond my understanding, but for that mystery...

i am grateful.

"forgiveness unleashes joy. i brings peace. it washes the slate clean. it sets all the highest values of love in motion. in a sense, forgiveness is Christianity at its highest level."

-john macarthur

HELLLLOOOOO blogosphere!

2011-11-02T14:27:00.001-04:00

HELLLLOOOOO blogosphere! promise i'm alive. apparently when i told you i was taking a break i also meant a break from blogging... and i can't lie... i've kind of enjoyed it. i had some "me" stuff to work on and even though i'm real on here, i honestly was tired of hearing myself whine! BUT i've been learning lots about life, love, friends, community, self discipline... and running away from all that at the same time. oh life... you're funny.

so a quick recap on the last few months of my life via instagram. honestly it's what i had to use when i stopped and realized it's been almost 3 months since i've blogged last and thought ... "what have i been doing that made time fly??" so here goes...

oktoberfest, baby showers, beautiful skies, asheville weddings, lots and lots and lots of weddings all around town, birthday cakes, new fun cameras, friends with new babies, jewelry making, mad men watching, enjoying fall, saying good-bye to our family dog lily after 13 years... yeah. that was sad.

there's lots more where that came from, but right now my heart is still processing a lot of life. i'm doing my best to relish and be grateful for all the blessings that are right and front of me and trusting the Lord to guide my steps forward.

and thank you pinterest for reminding me of this today...

{happy.november.to.you}
aw

{taking.a.break...}

2011-09-12T09:49:00.002-04:00

i did the "unthinkable" last night. i told facebook that we needed to take a break.

*gasp*

quite a few times in the last week i found myself on the deactivation page and realized last night i just needed to go through with it already. after i clicked that link it was honestly a cleansing, freeing feeling. i needed a break from the social monster that facebook can be. in some ways it just takes up too much of my time, is a distraction, and if i'm totally honest i just need to protect myself and my heart during this season i just entered. heart break is no fun i tell ya, but i still rejoice that God is bigger!

i'm actually excited to be off facebook. not saying that i won't return one day or that facebook doesn't have some great benefits (for a nosy person! i kid, i kid, but let's be honest...) i'm excited to truly remain engaged with my wonderful close friends around me and not just on facebook. face to face, cups of coffee, exploring the true art of conversation.

(me happy with my new, trendtastic hair feathers... that i love)

sorry facebook, but the real life, present life, right in front

of me is just too good not to miss out on because of you.

you make me focus too much on the bad and i think

it's better if we take a break...

{see.ya.when.i.see.ya}

{tis.so.sweet.to.trust.in.jesus}

2011-09-09T15:25:00.001-04:00

a remake of this old hymn came across my pandora in the wee morning hours last week as i was waking up in my over sized chair in my kitchen, cup of coffee in hand. these 7 words of this song stuck out so vividly to me and i rolled the words around in my head as it continued to play.

this has been something i've been speaking over and over to myself constantly the last few weeks. it's a truth i've needed to sink in during this season...

it's on my chalkboard above my sink...

remembering daily the sweetness that is trusting in Him...

hearing that and believing that to my core...

knowing His plan for my life is far better than anything i can create...

just because a door closed does not mean i am not loved...

ultimately His timing is best, not mine...

resting in the absolute peace and sweetness of that is something i don't know that i can eloquently put into words, but it's something so sweet that i never want to forget it and something that will never leave me... and moreover something i pray each one of you will experience through this life.

{tis.so.sweet.to.trust.in.jesus}

{music.on.the.mountaintop :: boone, nc}

2011-08-29T16:19:00.000-04:00

where i spent my weekend...

{music on the mountaintop}

listening to bluegrass in the beautiful mountains of boone, nc

that i love so much with old friends and radtastic new ones!

trespassing with elizabeth and our eno hammocks through the new belguim reps' campsite to take a nap beside the stage in the woods and ending up making friends with the reps who offer you the sweet campsite that's open next to theirs AND free fat tire and ranger for the rest of the weekend. WINNING.

nothing like a little relaxing while listening to great bands like sam bush, the infamous stringdusters, acoustic syndicate, and many more. grateful for green, soft grass under my feet to get my hippie dance on :)

...and ending our weekend with a fantabulous breakfast at the hob nob farm cafe in downtown boone where it was 70 and sunny.

let's just say there wasn't one part of me that didn't want to leave that mountain... just sayin'

{happy.monday}

{instagramage :: summer 2011 wrap up}

2011-08-24T11:37:00.000-04:00

summer is coming to a close folks and we've got hurricanes and earthquakes to escort it out! i'm excited because hot is not even the way to describe what this summer has been here in NC... more like sweltering! i'm ready for fall and for a new season in this life, in more ways than one. i don't want to wish the time away so today i'm taking the time to look back over the great times i've captured via instagram this summer and cultivating gratitude for all the amazing blessings in my life!

: kayaking and picnicking on beech mountain : many dinners with friends : snugly puppies :

: beautiful summer skies : crafty craftiness : rediscovering pencils and graph paper :

: coffee mornings in my kitchen : music that sings to my soul and sunsets that do the same :

: golden tans and hippie sun dresses : banana chocolate pancakes on saturday mornings :

: coffee : virginia creeper trail with the whole fam : goodies from anthropologie sales :

: seeing my work in print : fun treats from etsy : nights out in NoDa : clouds and storms :

: lots o' spray paint : movies in the park : flowers from friends who care :

: Truth, Truth, and more Truth that my heart REALLY needed to hear and believe :

: red, red wine : new chacos : radtastic parental units : and so much more!! :

thanks summer 2011! you were an interesting, yet blessed one for sure!

dear fall,

all i have is one challenge for you.

{BRING IT}

i double dog dare you...

{a.beautiful.struggle}

2011-08-18T14:53:00.000-04:00

and i feel like i'm currently in a thick season of it...

{aw}

{DIY :: friendship.bracelets}

2011-08-15T13:51:00.000-04:00

i think i may have been bitten by the "crafty bug" these past few weeks. but i really dislike the word craft, sounds too much like crap. sorry, it does. let's go with the "DIY inspirational bug". yes that's a mouth full, but much better.

so today let's talk friendship bracelets... or as i like to say in my head "frannnship bracelets." yes, those awesome bracelets you used to make as a kid are full fledge back in style. HOLLA. that's all i have to say about that. when i saw the above images on Pinterest from the "honestly...wtf" blog ... side note :: i think that blog name is absolutely redonkulous. i just like going there to giggle at it's name... among all the other beautiful DIY posts. ok. tangent over... i knew what i would be doing over the weekend. insert the ~~crap~~ craft store and a little embroidery floss <--- again... hilarious in my book ... and i was ON it!

so to work i went.... i had exciting friday AND sunday nights

with my glass of vino, streaming episodes of mad men on netflix

and some friendship bracelets.

i am QUITE happy how they turned out. now to make some more for my actual friends. selfish me has kept these "friendship" bracelets all to myself.

on a side note... here's a little glimpse into my sunday afternoon...

all while wearing these bad boys from target. i'm SOOOO ready for fall!!

sooooo... you still want to be my "frannn"??

{aw}

{DIY :: repurposing.frames :: inspiration.chalkboard.frame}

2011-08-10T10:15:00.001-04:00

i'm a sucker for a good frame "repurposing." especially when they move from one of my closet floors to actually being used. ahem... moving forward. i have a couple "repurposing" projects to show you today.
project#1
first up is a little photo that's been hanging in my room that i just don't love anymore. i bought this at target about 5 years ago and it's nice, but i wanted to change it up. how nice of target to sell this where it's totally closed off (insert sarcasm) ...enter the handy dandy exacto knife.

anyone else remember exacto knifes from "technology" class in middle school?? i do. i was that crazy kid that wanted to cut perfect straight lines in everything. ok. back to the point here...i was determined to use that frame because it was the perfect size for this...

after cutting off the backing to the target frame and digging out the picture that was in there (wasn't as easy as i thought, but i DID IT!) ... this is the newest addition to my bedroom. i love the pop of color it brings to gray walls.

katie daisy prints make my house so beautiful!

project#2

last week i found an awesome frame at goodwill for $4.99 that i knew would be perfect for finally making a project that my friend mary austin recommended to me after i tweeted that i could hang quotes in every inch of my house. she recommended a chalkboard for changing out inspiring verses and quotes. done. well fast forward a few months and then it's "done." so here it it goes... a little DIY. are you ready for this goodness? well the AFTER is goodness, the BEFORE is straight up hideous...

here's what i needed for my inspiration chalkboard frame. spray paint color of your choice. not sure if this is even the appropriate type of spray paint, but it was the only one wal-mart had in the color i wanted, so i made it work. cost $3.77 the dry non-sanded grout i found at my local hardware store for $2.59. this stuff will last forever. the paint is from wallyworld as well $2.47... we're going for a total cost of about $14 bucks folks. that's not too shabby. chalkboard paint alone can be that much. plus making it this way you can actually make it any color you want AND make as much as you want.

here's our BEFORE frame after i took out the "lovely" picture.

throw on a few coats of turquoise goodness and booyah!
it already looks SO much better.

back inside while i let that dry, i poured about 1.5 tsp of the grout into a cup and added about 1/4 cup of black paint. i used a sponge paint brush to paint on the chalkboard paint.

time to say goodbye to this and HELLO to a brand new chalkboard.

once i finished painting 3 coats on that one i realized i had a lot of chalkboard paint left. insert stack of frames on my coat closet floor. awww... how cute was my sister and how LONG was her hair?!?. sorry sister... i'm not hanging you in my house, but thanks mom and dad for the frame!

so i threw some spray paint on that one too and painted the cardboard backing that was behind my sister's picture with the chalkboard paint. once the chalkboard paint dried on both, i "primed" them by covering the whole board in chalk then washing them off. honestly i don't think this step is necessary at all, but oh well...

and there you have it folks, not one, but TWO chalkboard inspiration frames for mi casa. i'm in love with them.

{happy.DIYing}

{cute + trouble + a side of hilarious}

2011-08-09T23:18:00.000-04:00

i miss this kiddo.

after spending last week with her in the mountains, i realized that the character traits that can drive you absolutely bananas in a 3 year old, will be her greatest traits one day... or her biggest challenge. that child is stu-born! regardless i'm blessed to be her aunt. can't wait to see this little peanut develop into the beautiful little gem God has created her to be... until then i'll pray for patience and love for this little nugget. i miss her.

{live.your.life.on.purpose}

2011-08-05T09:39:00.000-04:00

really thinking on this today...

via sarah jane

{breakfast.on.beech.mountain :: bacon, egg, & toast cups}

2011-08-02T12:11:00.000-04:00

i'm blaming the insane heat in NC for the amount of time i've been leaving charlotte to spend time on beech mountain. this summer is H-O-T!! but seriously... how can you resist coming here...

yesterday morning i set out to pull a little paula dean, or better crocker, or more appropriately... martha stewart... and made the family a killer breakfast! i give you my version of bacon, egg, and toast cups via martha stewart <--- click that link for the recipe.

here's what you'll need + butter. take an easy start with 6 or 12 pieces of bread, depending on how many you want to make or how big your muffin pan is. if you have a 12 muffin pan and only want to make 6, make sure you leave a space between the cups.

once you have bread out, lightly roll out your slices. then take a wide mouth glass, cup, or circular cookie cutter, and cut circles in your bread. my big ol' starbucks mug worked fantastic!

once you have all your circles cut, butter your pan...

then 1/2 your bread circles before placing them in your pan. place one 1/2 of your slice in the pan lining one side and then the other 1/2 so it lines the other side your pieces will overlap some. use some of the extra bread pieces that you cut off to fill in the holes in the bottom. melt a little butter and then brush the melted butter over the bread cups.

then cook your bacon about 3/4s of the way. before it cools, circle the cups with the bacon slices. the recipe didn't call for it, but i added shredded cheese to the bottom of my cups before the bacon. everything is better with cheese right??

once you have your bread, cheese, and bacon in your cups comes the fun part. carefully crack an egg in each cup. then lightly salt and pepper the tops.

then throw them in your 375 oven for 20-25 minutes. feel free to take goofy pictures of the monkeys that are waiting to eat said food.

please pardon my appearance... :)

...and voila! you have a yummy, yummy breakfast! just don't get too carried away taking pictures that you slightly over cook them. thankfully i had some hungry tummies to feed and they didn't mind at all!

{happy.cooking}

{keep.on.hoping... yes.i.will}

2011-07-27T11:47:00.003-04:00

::but i will hope continually
and will praise You yet more and more::

psalm 71:14 esv

digging into my hope in Him

hope in the "impossible."

all things are possible though Him.

tis a rough... yet sweet, sweet season i'm in right now.

leaning into the One who knows me best.

i will rest in my weakness knowing that He is strong.

oh how HE loves me so.

this devotional was in my "streams in the desert" devotional

by l b cowman and it was spot on what i needed to hear.

Waiting For Hope

“For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness” (Gal. 5:5, RV).

There are times when things look very dark to me–so dark that I have  to wait even for hope. It is bad enough to wait in hope. A long-deferred  fulfilment carries its own pain, but to wait for hope, to see no  glimmer of a prospect and yet refuse to despair; to have nothing but  night before the casement and yet to keep the casement open for possible  stars; to have a vacant place in my heart and yet to allow that place  to be filled by no inferior presence–that is the grandest patience in  the universe. It is Job in the tempest; it is Abraham on the road to  Moriah; it is Moses in the desert of Midian; it is the Son of man in the  Garden of Gethsemane.

There is no patience so hard as that which endures, “as seeing him who is invisible”; it is the waiting for hope.

Thou hast made waiting beautiful; Thou has made patience divine. Thou  hast taught us that the Father’s will may be received just because it  is His will. Thou hast revealed to us that a soul may see nothing but  sorrow in the cup and yet may refuse to let it go, convinced that the  eye of the Father sees further than its own.

Give me this Divine power of Thine, the power of Gethsemane. Give me  the power to wait for hope itself, to look out from the casement where  there are no stars. Give me the power, when the very joy that was set  before me is gone, to stand unconquered amid the night, and say, “To the  eye of my Father it is perhaps shining still.” I shall reach the climax  of strength when I have learned to wait for hope. –George Matheson

Strive to be one of those–so few–who walk the earth with ever-present  consciousness–all mornings, middays, star-times–that the unknown which  men call Heaven is “close behind the visible scene of things.” 

{keep.on.hoping}

{light lovers :: root sharers}

2011-07-13T10:11:00.000-04:00

i love this quote from max lucado. i blogged it a while back,

but yesterday decided to make a little graphic of it.

{DIY :: inspiration board}

2011-07-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

my "office" at home is still a ~~wreck~~ work in progress, but a few months ago i stumbled across a picture of a little inspiration board that i loved, but knew i could make much less expensive than buying so i set out to do just that! sadly, i can't find the original image, but upon seeing it i knew it was definitely something i wanted beside my desk at home that i could change out whatever may be inspiring me at any given moment. here's what you will need...

the hardware :: clear pushpins, bulldog clips, & a hanger

the pushpins i had, the bulldog clips i purchased at walmart, & the hanger i had.

cost = $8

next you will need a board.

you choose the size. i just went into the plywood department at lowe's where they have a scrap section. i found this lovely piece of wood below. i loved the texture and knew it'd be pretty easy to press the pins into as well as the hanger. the guy working gave it to me for $FREE.99! yep. he even cut the piece that i wanted in half so i could make 2.

cost = $0

so while you're at lowe's getting your wood, head on over to the paint department for the best part! picking your color. lowe's and probably a few other paint places have these awesome "samples" you can buy for about $3 of most colors. i actually bought 2 different colors a grey and a red.

cost = $6

so then i went to work... painting, measuring, pushing pins. hard work i tell ya. hard. work.

depending on the size of your board and the amount of clips you use, your space will vary in between clips. i am definitely not too great at math so this was the hardest part for my ~~feeble~~ creative mind.

and there you have it!

the most lovely (and cheapest... $14 buckaroos for 2!) little inspiration board. change out whatever whenever to what inspires you the most. i threw a few things in there that have inspired me lately and just love how it turned out. please excuse the unfinished state that is my office shelves. i cringe at their lack of completion, but i digress. maybe one day i'll have some more pictures of that project.

so what are you waiting for?!? get out there & make your own!

{happy.DIYing!}

{Storyrealing.com :: Mountain Khakis :: Behind the Scenes}

2011-07-11T12:08:00.000-04:00

last friday i got the chance to hang out with some of my favorite people on the Storyrealing set for a shoot we had with Mountain Khakis. not only did i get to shoot some video, but i was able to grab quite a few stills to capture a little "behind the scenes" action. it was a HOT day here in the south, but thankfully we had some awesome shade trees we were working under and a radtastic group of people (with insane amounts of talent... & humor) that made all the difference for a really fun day.

{enjoy}

{almond.leaf.studios :: a few recent shots}

2011-07-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

the spring and early summer wedding season was a busy one for us at almond leaf studios. we jumped from a sweet wedding in winston salem, nc, to a super hot, yet beautiful southern wedding in orangeburg, sc, and lastly to one in our own hometown of charlotte where we snuck out on a local golf course for a beautiful intimate ceremony underneath a beautiful weeping willow!

{enjoy}

{my.new.mantra}

2011-07-01T11:28:00.001-04:00

it might be a little extreme for your taste,

but it's EXACTLY what i need to tell myself every morning when i wake up...

yesterday i took a cycle class for the first time in at least 5 years. my dear friend meredith just picked up an evening class at the Y closer to where i work. before she taught a class uptown at 6 am and that is an hour that i do NOT function during, but now that her class is after work, i realized i couldn't make any more excuses. i went in thinking i might die. (that's total wrong thinking by the way) but as mere got me set up on my bike and i started pedaling and warming up i had a total mental check. i told myself "you can do this." ... and i did.

daily i HAVE to make the choice to be the best me and if my goal is not to be fat, but fit, then i have to choose. daily. i have to choose to go to that cycle class. choose to put my shoes on. choose to keep pedaling even if after 10 minutes i don't think i'll make it to the 45 mark. choose to push harder through that climb.

choose. every. single. day.

if i'm going to make myself the best version of me, then this is a must. discipline is tough, but nothing worth having comes easy, that's for darn sure. one day i would love to have children, teach them healthy habits, but most importantly to lead by example.

yesterday i read this incredibly inspiring post by my friend katie of kadi fit and it addressed my daily battle. the battle of the body, but as she points out, some things work for some, but not for others, BUT you have to make the choice to work hard at whatever you do and honestly, it's one of the greatest satisfactions i've known. running was my start, now i know there's a warrior inside of me just waiting to be unleashed.

{here's to choosing today to be fit and healthy.}

and i'll leave with with some inspiring images i found on pinterest.

{aw}

{sista.love}

2011-06-20T23:28:00.000-04:00

a few photos.

via 6 year old niece #1

do we look alike or what?? twins? nope. 8 years apart? ... yep.

{welcome.to.vacation :: 2011}

2011-06-20T12:39:00.000-04:00

i'm currently on vacation. a whole week of it. amen and amen.

we tend to joke in our family whenever we go on vacations that "the griswolds are on vacation again" whether it's "the griswolds go to the beach" or wherever, we always have a goofy, good time. we're into day 3 and life is good.

happy father's day!

{happy.monday}

{pinterest}

2011-06-15T14:56:00.001-04:00

it's official. i'm madly in love with pinterest.

i just wish that i was the one who thought of it first!

if you don't know what pinterest is, it's a WONDERFUL system of cataloguing all things beautiful, bright, & lovely... and much, much more. for years i've been forwarding myself links to images, things i want to make, beautifully decorated homes, anything i find inspiring, and saving them in a folder in my email for "future reference." i LOVE having them all there, but it is painful going through them all and then one day a few weeks ago i got pulled into the the pool... enter pinterest...

...and there it all is. that's just a little preview of the things i've "pinned."

just LOOK at all of that beautiful wonderfullness that i love all right there catalogued for me with the links from where they originated from. oh lawdy i'm in heaven! and don't even get me started on being inspired by everyone else's pinterest boards.

it's very obvious to me that i am a visual learner and experiencer. yeah i made that word up, but whatevs. i thrive and am totally inspired by beautiful things, beautiful design, and pinterest just lights up my day and puts a spring in my step.

need an invite?

just let me know and i'll be MORE than happy to pull you into the pinterest pool too!

{happy.pinning}

{camp.tiny ::: for all you mommies out there!!}

2011-06-14T10:27:00.002-04:00

hey hot mamas! i know that summer is just beginning, the kiddos are home for a few months, and i can't help but sharing this awesome tool with you for you and your "tinys" this summer

camptiny.blogspot.com

what better than to have a tool to help you train up your tinys in the way they should go this summer. a new friend of mine developed this AWESOME site just for this! and YES, she designed it all too! {swoon} here are the deets (aka details) of how camp tiny works and also a few samples from the activity pages of the week. i love the fun artwork and letters for your tinys to learn and color!

and don't forget to "like" {camp.tiny} on facebook by clicking here.

there are some mamas out there already participating and posting how it's going with pictures too!

{happy.camp.tinying}

{it's ok to not be ok, BUT...}

2011-06-13T15:17:00.000-04:00

at the risk of sounding like a broken record,

i'm still blogging today because this is what has been my life as of lately...

i'd be lying if i told you that the day to day being 28 and single, longing to be loved on this side of heaven, longing to find my partner for this daring adventure of life or just clarity for the future, but feeling like my life is semi "on hold" isn't the hardest thing i've been through in my life. i have to take this season of life one. day. at. a. time.

BUT...

in the last 24 hours, i've been reminded of God's sweet care through words from friends, and the many things i've read today reminding me of His sweet promises from the bible.

bianca juarez blogged this today and it was exactly what my little heart needed to hear.

read full post here

:: when life is tough and you feel like you can’t go on, it’s okay to not be okay.
when money is tight and you are stressed about the bills, it’s okay to not be okay.
when your heart is broken and you’re devastated and alone, it’s okay to not be okay.
when life doesn’t make sense and you feel lost in a maze, it’s okay to not be okay.
when dreams are shattered by reality, it’s okay to not be okay.
when death takes someone you love, it’s okay to not be okay ::

"Sometimes as Christians we lose perspective of the One who fights for us. Like, since we’re Christians we shouldn’t lose our marbles, yell alone in our car, or cry because life is too much. We should be perfect and pretty and polished. We should quote scripture and hold onto to promises and never, ever be angry.

However, when I look at scripture I see ordinary people, serving an extraordinary God, still have meltdowns. David was a emotional basket-case; yet he was king. Job cursed his birth; yet lived a long life. Naomi admitted she was bitter and forgotten; yet her promise was met.

These characters had space to not be okay. And it was okay.

Job, Naomi, and David all professed God as the provider of their needs. They trusted him. They loved him. But in their lives we see moments of stress, depression, turmoil. Confusion, aloneness, despair. Fear, doubt, poverty.

In moments of confusion, desperation, or bitterness, don’t hide alone in a closet. Or worse, don’t isolate someone because they’re not okay. We all need space to process our emotions without the feeling of needing to be fake or fine or in control. God’s in control. We run around like fools acting like the world is ending until He stops us, reminds us, and assures us… everything is going to be okay."

clinging to this truth as well today and

remembering the promises of God that are so great

{aw}

{summa.summa.summatime}

2011-06-09T15:38:00.003-04:00

channeling will smith aka the fresh prince here.
summatime has arrived in full force and it's off to a good start.

: pool : weddings : hydrangeas : sandals : lunch outside :

: music festivals : mountain drives : gifts & goodbyes :

: out of town guests : sunglasses : summer church series :

: bugs : morning coffee : workouts : flowers from my mama :

: summer storms : new bikes : HOT temps : homemade desserts :

: walks on the greenway : creativity : nights out on the patio with friends :

{happy.summer.2011}
aw

{allen mask :: do something}

2011-06-02T16:56:00.000-04:00

one thing i LOVE doing is bragging on people who are out there doing some pretty rad things.

this week i'm committing to doing just that here on the blog.

meet allen mask. who is he you ask? well let me tell you...

not only is allen the fiance of my dear friend and photographer extraordinaire, carly brantmeyer, but he's also a pretty awesome recording artist. one who was coined the "wall street rapper" last year as an analyst at goldman sachs in NYC and in the last few months has made the transition to sunny California to join Carly in this adventure called life and to join up with the Google forces... all this before his 23rd birthday!!

he recently partnered with San Francisco Youth Arts Program CASA at The Rooftop School to compete in the 2011 national Battle For The Bands competition hosted by DoSomething.org, VH1 Save The Music and The Hot Topic Foundation and created this music video.

over 20,000 schools, individuals and organizations created songs, videos and advocacy projects to promote the importance of music education. Allen Mask and CASA were Grand Prize Winners of the competition with Mask's new single "Next Big Thing" and its music video. CASA received a $5,000 grant for their music education program, that was also matched by Google, and Allen had the opportunity to perform at the 2011 Do Something Awards Kick-Off in New York City with Plain White T's. you can check out that performance by clicking here (allen's performance is at the 37:00 mark)

as you all know i'm a HUGE advocate of music and think public music education is a vital part of our nation. kudos to allen and his team for taking the time to invest their time and talent into saving the music!

Allen's birthday was yesterday so let's show him some belated birthday lovin' by heading over iTunes and checking out the single "Next Big Thing" by clicking here.

{happy.listening.and.don't.forget.to.DO.SOMETHING}

{almond.leaf.studios}

2011-06-01T17:17:00.000-04:00

how oh how have i failed to blog about this? i'm seriously failing on the blog front, but i digress... i just can't do it all and that's ok. it's really ok. moving forward...

meet elizabeth marx. isn't she just lovely? who is she exactly, you ask?
well, let's rewind about a year (crazy talk that it's been that long)...

http://www.almondleafstudios.com/

there's no doubt in my mind that the Big Guy Upstairs, you know... the One who created the universe yet loves my little soul in such an unfathomable way. yeah. that One ;) ... well i know that He orchestrated quite a few events for my path to cross with elizabeth's and i am sooo glad He did. through a "chance" meeting and later over lunch, elizabeth offered me an opportunity i just couldn't refuse. elizabeth is the creator and mastermind behind her fine art photography business, almond leaf studios, that she has grown over the last 2 years. she asked little old me if i'd come along side her as her official 2nd shooter for the next year of weddings. ummmm... YES PLEASE!!

we have now shot 6 weddings together, become great friends, and i absolute love her!! she has such a beautiful heart, a passion to see justice in this world, and a heart for God and His creation that i connect with on many levels. plus we have F-U-N folks. lots of it! for 2 single gals shooting weddings, we have to keep our wits about us in some way.

i've been blessed in so many ways by elizabeth. she has been a confidant, an encourager for my heart, a teacher of this craft i'm learning, and most importantly, a really great friend. we're off to SC this weekend for our 4th wedding of this year and i'm excited for our little road trip! here are a few of my favorite images that i've taken this year so far.

make sure you show elizabeth some loving because she's one rad chic!
:twitter:
:facebook:
:blog:
{aw}

{happiness}

2011-05-27T11:04:00.001-04:00

i love love. yep.

i long to fall hard into it.

this video of love makes me giddy with happiness
and insanely hopeful all at the same time.
this cute couple exudes such a fun, playful, and happy side of love.

i know these long lonely times i've seen will only
make the love that i know i'll find that much sweeter.

mucho thanks to florence & her machine for the song "dog days are over"
it totally makes me want to dance my little heart out... and fall in love.

{enjoy}

{thoughts.on.running...}

2011-05-23T16:44:00.000-04:00

i think i may have forgotten to mention the small fact that i actually RAN A 5K!!?!

yes. that's right. ran the whole thing. no walking. finished in 31:56. this is huge folks and here's why... my whole life i've made up excuses that i just wasn't a runner and never could be. that's a lie and yes, i believed it for years until my friends decided to take it upon themselves that we were ALL running a 5K together and no one was allowed to back out. i'm forever grateful. i trained for 7 weeks and on week 8 got bronchitis which put me out of training for 2 weeks and i totally freaked out. that's life. i was however able to squeeze in 3 runs before our big race day, but i was NERVOUS that i wasn't going to be able to run the entire time! needless to say i prayed A LOT and was SO pleased as i crossed that finish line running beside my best friend e. let's just say there were tears of extreme JOY!!

BUT... i did want to share some of my honest thoughts on running because it wasn't all kittens and roses.

:: running is no joke. it is hard. you have to decide that you are going to do it, put on your shoes, and walk out the door. there will be days when you don't want to run at all, but you HAVE to stick with it ::

:: i've also realized that a HUGE part of running is a mental game and it requires a lot of mental push. example :: that little voice inside your head you hear that says "you can't do this and you definitely can't run any farther, you really need to just stop now," is what you have to mentally push through. i read somewhere that "if you're not passing out or dying, you CAN go further" yeah, yeah, that may be extreme, but it's true. i 100% believe in listening to your body and if something hurts like something is seriously wrong, then yes, stop, but most of the time it's not that at all if you train correctly ::

:: running has taught me that i really don't like pushing through that hard stuff. not. at. all. i'm totally the one that wants to finish and give up, not just in running, but in a lot of things. dumb. i've learned that by pushing through when it's tough, hard, and you want to puke is where the beauty and reward is ::

:: if you want to run to change your body for the better, it still is going to take a while. it's taken about 3 months for me to start seeing real changes in my body. i still have a ways to go and that's a whole 'nother blog post about operation weight loss phase 2, but we will save that for another day ;) ::

:: the end is the reward. there is an awesome feeling of working your body harder than you ever have before and i LOVE the end of my runs. the best part is quitting and beginning to stretch and feeling like you've conquered the world. i love feeling the accomplishment of finishing a run ::

:: running definitely equates to a healthy prayer life :) i find myself asking God to carry me A LOT. the awareness i can find asking for Him to strengthen my legs, my lungs, my heart, my feet, and having an awesome awareness that my body is a gift and that running is a living sacrifice of my body is such a gift and a great reminder that i am blessed ::

:: running has been a gift to my confidence. i feel like if i can complete a 3 mile run, i can do anything! it's amazing what working out and pushing your limits can do to the rest of your life!::

sooo... all that said, if you have ever thought about running and haven't given it a try, i say JUST DO IT! there's no time like the present!

challenge yourself, push yourself, and see where it takes you!!

{happy.running}

{walk.in.love}

2011-05-20T11:41:00.000-04:00

::be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and

walk in love

just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a

fragrant offering and sacrifice to God::

{ephesians 5:2-3}

sound familiar? it's the drive behind this blog and honestly the life i'm trying to live so you can imagine how ecstatic i was when i came across the awesome brand of {walk.in.love} clothing company that makes some really rad shirts with an even radder message.

their mission:

Walk in love. is dedicated to selling well-designed, high quality products with a positive and inspiring message. That message is a reminder to imitate God by loving others every chance we get - no strings attached. We believe that Jesus came and showed us how to be that message
We want you to walk in love.

what a great product with a great mission and i love that i can now wear my mission... and stylishly too i might add. to add to the awesomeness that is walk in love, 5% of their sales go back to their "non-profit of the month" and this month it is Compassion International. major plus in my book!

my next purchase is that awesome hoodie.

click here to do some shopping of your own!

{walk.in.love.today}

{

{trusting.Him}

2011-05-19T16:04:00.000-04:00

yes, my deepest fears may become realities.
i may not be able to understand what God is doing in my life;
He may seem to be hiding His face from me;
my heart may be broken.
BUT can I not trust the One who demonstrated His love for me?
when i was helpless in my sin
He sent Christ to die for me.
if He has done that,
will He not work all things together for my good?
will He withhold anything
that is ultimately for the good of those who trust Him?

::sinclair ferguson::

{refreshing.to.my.soul::beech.mountain}

2011-05-16T22:26:00.000-04:00

::the Lord your God is with you,

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing::

-zephaniah 3:17

{the sunshine through the rain}

2011-05-12T13:58:00.000-04:00

::the world has its ways : to quiet us down

the world has its ways : to quiet us down comes the rain

down comes our spirits again : but down comes the strength

to lift us up and then...::

{jack johnson}

i'm not sure if the rain down here in the south is magnifying my mood or just matching it, but i've been in a total funk this last week. the realities of life sometimes are just a little bit more overwhelming than i expect. this is one of those bad funks where you don't want to be around anyone, talk to anyone, do anything. i've been in search of some inspiration to draw me out of this mess and sometimes it just takes a few beautiful pictures...

{thank.you.pinterest}

the mood is lifting.

starting to see the sunshine after the rain...

{aw}

{it's time for some redecorating...}

2011-05-11T12:25:00.000-04:00

i've gotten an itch lately to redecorate. i'm thinking a bedroom redo is on the horizon, but still not sure which direction i'm going to go, but... thanks to Pinterest, i've been inspired. it's definitely time to decide on some design since i've lived in my place almost 3 years and i've neglected my bedroom decor... yes. i think it's time.

here's some of my inspiration.

{happy.decorating}

{mary austin}

2011-05-04T23:06:00.000-04:00

meet the lovely mary austin! we first met volunteering with high schoolers at the last church i went to and i'm so glad we did. mary austin has such a sweet spirit and quite the wit. she was one of three winners for my africa raffle sessions and i'm so grateful for her. mary austin is heading to emmaus school of biblical studies this summer and i'm' so glad i got to pull her out to waxhaw, nc for a little shoot before she goes. mary austin :: thanks for being awesome and for helping me get to uganda. you are beautiful inside and out and i can't wait to see where God is going to use you in His big story!!

{life blueprints :: dreaming out loud}

2011-04-27T13:46:00.002-04:00

::we grow great by dreams. all big men are dreamers. they see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true :: - woodrow wilson

this post comes out of an inspiration that's been stirring for a while from the lovely lindsey nobles's series of posts entitled "blueprints" and overflowed today with my sweet friend, kelly hornberger's post about dreaming out loud.

so here it is. i'm a dreamer. some say maybe out of touch with reality at times, but maybe that's just their reality. i like my "reality" just fine. it is limitless. it breeds creativity and feeds my imagination and i will not let the "realities" of this day define me. for a while i've been wanting to lay out some of these dreams i have for my life. dreams that i've hinted around, probably talked about, and some i haven't. today i really want to just lay them out there word for word, straight from the heart, no longer ashamed of what i desire. so here we go!!

- to truly challenge myself in physical fitness and my eating habits so hard that my body, this temple i've been given, has no choice but to be amazingly healthy.

- live this life full of adventure and always be ready and up for whatever is next.

-to be BOLD in making God's name great and showing how freakin' awesome His love is. yeah. it's that awesome. no doubt in my mind.

- to be a wife and love a husband by this definition of love. be his eve. his ezer kenegdo. his helper in this life.

- grow a family. nourish them. encourage them. teach them the art of play. smother them in love and experience all the joy and challenges of life that come with that. to teach them how to love this world with a crazy love.

- to live on a farm or maybe just in the country. lots of land would be glorious. river included.

- get my hands dirty and connect with the earth. grow an amazing garden and live off the land. (i'm a total hippy at heart)

- buy an old house and totally rescue it. bring out it's old character and charm and make it a home.

- own chickens.

- dream a dream so big and full of love (don't know what this is exactly yet, but i feel it blooming) that it will fail without divine intervention.

- travel (most definitely back to africa) and see the world and take my family with me.

- adopt a child or multiple childrens (yes childrens) and love them as my own. i long for my family to be colorful.

- grow my photo and video talents and use them to glorify God in mighty ways, tell wonderful stories and allow those stories to inspire others to do great things.

- to truly live a simple life. less is more.

- and my one dream/goal that i hope i live out until the day i die...

to live a life of love every single chance i get. so much love that it makes no sense to the world. you know that Jesus kind of love? yeah that. live. it. out.

will this all happen? who knows? i sure do hope so! a girl can dream right?!? what are you dreaming of? i triple dog dare you to dream out loud today. write it down, even the silly ones you're scared to admit to. tell someone if you must and get to living!

{happy.dreaming.out.loud}

{easter.2011}

2011-04-24T19:48:00.000-04:00

{creativity :: finishing as an art}

2011-04-21T12:11:00.003-04:00

"i think half the battle of a creator is in finishing their projects. i wonder how many of the worlds greatest creators never created anything great, because while they may have had the intelligence and even the skill, they weren’t finishers. finishing is part of the art." :: donald miller

i've had a burst of creativity over the last few weeks. i've felt inspired and it's felt really good. i've felt the need to create... to make something with my hands. yet i find myself beginning and then being stuck. the ideas swarm and swirl in my head and i get started and then get about half finished and my mind has wandered to the next thing...

all of my life i've had trouble nailing down those last details and finishing. it's a great effort for me. i tend to make excuses and blame it on lack of time, other activities, etc, but it's almost as if my interest dwindles and i am not fully satisfied with what i'm creating... or i like to blame it on my ~~non-existent~~ ADD. does anyone else suffer this problem? well obviously donald miller has and after reading his blog post a few weeks ago i was very happy to know that as a creative, i was not alone.

i long though in my heart of hearts to finish my art and finish well. to follow through with my projects, and as donald miller said in the quote i first listed, "finishing is part of the art." i want my creations to be a complete work of art... not half finished. reminds sort of how God must feel about us as His creations. i definitely know that He doesn't have a problem finishing his art, but I wonder if he longs for us not to remain half finished, but ultimately for us to become the finished work He's started. finishing is part of the art. i would have to say that this is a lifelong process, but a beautiful creative process at that. always changing, always growing. a beautiful ebb and flow that gradually moves progressively towards the flow. the sweet spot of this life we've been given.

i will be finishing these projects and for that goal i am very excited. as soon as they're finished i will post my final projects here.

{happy.thursday.friends}

{the.avett.brothers :: 4.9.11}

2011-04-13T10:45:00.001-04:00

over the weekend i had the pleasure, for the 7th time... i think it's 7th... i've lost count... of seeing one of my all time favorite bands, the avett brothers. i was able to con my tall friend G, who had never seen their musical genius live before, to join me and what a time it was! while tailgating we had some seriously crazy weather move through which brought some rain, but we quickly headed in and grabbed our ~~seats~~ almost front row standing area in the pit!

grace potter and the nocturnals opened the night and dang that girl can SING! with her tina turner esque dancing she worked her little way out on stage, hit one of the highest first notes i've heard, and proceeded with a rockin' opening set!

then for the avetts. welcome home boys, welcome home. last time i saw them at home was in 2009 in that very spot and this show was just as good, if not better. these guys have a musical gift. they put all of their heart and soul into their music, pen beautiful lyrics that are so real to life, and it's a beautiful, beautiful thing. i found this link today which is the ENTIRE playlist in video format of all 24 songs they played.

{happy.avetting}
aw

{the.vintage.pearl}

2011-04-08T11:35:00.000-04:00

i must tell you about a fabulous giveaway going on at one of my favorite shops today.

{the.vintage.pearl}

first let me just tell you how much i LOVE the vintage pearl's products. my mom, me, and my sister all sport these lovely necklaces below. i had the one on the left personalized for my mom with our slew of family and dogs, my sister gave me the middle one on my return from uganda, africa, and i gave my sister the one on the right personalized with her little family. it's LOVE i tell ya!

TVP is giving a way one of these beautiful bird items that you see below. aren't they just lovely? my favorite is the messy nest necklace. to enter just click here and leave a comment on whice piece is your favorite.

{good.luck.and.happy.shopping}

{i.get.by.with.a.little.help.from.my.friends...}

2011-04-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

i'm an emotional one. i've been told by close friends that i am very passionate and that i feel things very deeply. sometimes it leaves me in wonder when the emotions are glorious and grand and other times it leaves me in frustration when the painful emotions run deep in my soul, but... i've realized more and more not to fight the emotions. emotions make us real, make us feel, and allow us to drink deep of the experience of life. emotions are what make us human and if you really think about them they are quite fascinating. now i am not saying we should be controlled by our emotions, but too many times i think we try and fight feeling to move past what is, when ultimately it's the feeling that will bring the healing.

jon mclaughlin puts this thought into lyrics in his song "only human"
{after all we're only human always fighting

what we're feeling hurt, instead of healing}

recently i've gained an amazing awareness of how my friends and community around me have helped to carry me through this emotionally tough season of this single life in such an amazing and joyful way. a few sundays ago my pastor was opening the service and he was discussing phillipians 4:13 "i can do all things through Him who strengthens me" and how we so many times we hone in on that verse that we forget the next part that Paul penned... verse 14 "yet it was kind of you to share my trouble." Paul not only made it through his struggles with the amazing power of Christ, but with a little help from his friends. a community that i have no doubt in my mind that God ordained to encourage and lift Paul up when he was in a tough season.

a gospel choir sang at church that sunday and when they broke out the famous beatles song "with a little help from my friends," Jesus spoke so sweetly to my heart and it overflowed with joy and gratitude with the realization that He has placed some amazing friends in my life during this season who have helped carry my load. friends who may not have realized that their encouragement and love came at a time that God used them to lift me up, to lighten my load... and the emotion was too much to contain. the tears of overwhelming gratitude came and in that moment, it became an act of worship. the emotion became a way to be true to what i was feeling. the pain of the season, the joy of understanding, and the thankfullness for the relentless love of my God to help me get through was a feeling i don't ever want to forget.

so until my current season ends and a new one begins, i've allowed myself to be ok with the fact somes days will be good and some days will not be so good. that this season is tough and it will be tough, it's a struggle and it will continue to be a struggle but... it's ok to be emotional and in the end Jesus will carry me through and i'll get by just fine with a little help from my friends.

{thank you to my beautiful friends... you know who you are}
aw

{i really want to win an iPad2...}

2011-04-01T14:10:00.000-04:00

here's the deal... i REALLY want to win an iPad2 and i'm not afraid to use my cute dog to do it. would you mind taking a few seconds to help her single mama who can't afford to buy an iPad2 of her own and vote for Lucy to win in a photo contest??

all you have to do is click HERE,

rate her awesomeness and that's it!!

i mean really... look at that cute face.

she says please and thank you to all those who vote!

{happy.friday.friends}

{women's.wellness.weekend :: ymca camp harrison}

2011-03-30T16:41:00.000-04:00

hello all! i just have to preface this blog post to say that this season of life for me has been and will continue to be crazy busy, but has been such a joy at the same time! unfortunately the blogging has been sporadic, but i hope you've enjoyed it nonetheless. one day i'll get back to blogging consistently. promise.

today though i want to share with you my 1st attempt at video. this is a small marketing piece that the charlotte ymca will be using to market their {women's.wellness.weekend}

i have a long way to go on my video skills, but thanks to the expertise over at storyrealing, they made it a great story! enjoy and if you're in the charlotte or surrounding area, this was an AWESOME weekend and i highly suggest that you grab your mom, your sister, your closest friends... WHOEVER!! ... and sign up ASAP!

{enjoy}

{a.rainy.random.saturday.night}

2011-03-26T23:04:00.001-04:00

a secret letter project in the making... 3 years and counting.

i cannot get this adele song out of my head. can i have her pipes?

{happy.saturday}

{maybe i'm just a little girl... a little girl with great big plans...}

2011-03-21T08:18:00.000-04:00

{YMCA.women's.wellness.weekend.shoot}

2011-03-18T10:40:00.000-04:00

have i mentioned i'm trying my hand at video? 

well i am! the awesome guys over at storyrealing.com have taken me under their wing and are teaching me a new tool for my crafty tool box and i am grateful. not only am i getting to use my passion for photo and video, but this weekend will take me back to my passion for the YMCA. i worked for the YMCA for 6 years before, during, and after college in different capacities and just love the organization and what it stands for.

today i'm headed to YMCA Camp Harrison for the Women's Wellness Weekend. i'll be there to capture photo and video of all the fun. everything from good friends, lots of laughs, yoga, horseback riding, and just some awesome women escaping the city to enjoy a beautiful weekend in the NC mountains.

ladies if you're in the Charlotte, NC area, you should definitely check out one of the upcoming weekends and get a few of your friends together to enjoy the beautiful NC mountains and practice wellness together.

if you have kids, make sure you sign them up for camp this summer at Camp Harrison! check out this little promo i helped shoot for the Dude Ranch at Camp Harrison.

{happy.friday}

{5K... here i come!}

2011-03-14T12:19:00.001-04:00

well it's true... i've been conned into running my first 5K by my loving friends.

...and honestly i never thought i'd say this, but i'm SO pumped!!

after the initial shock of the email blast that came out advising us that we didn't have a choice on running and that it was a must, i realized that this was just what i needed and i'm totally adopting the above mentalitly. i haven't run since last year when i had a minor injury and it's the exact challenge my body needs right now. it also doesn't hurt that summer is right around the corner. this is giving me a serious push to challenge myself and kick this 5K training right in the keester.

what i really wanted to share with you is this awesome Couch to 5K iPhone app that i download that is hands down the best trainer i could ever have. not only does it lay out the training for you week by week, but it also keeps track of your training, allows you to play music from your playlists, and also prompts you in your headphones when to run and when to walk.

AND it only costs $2.99 for the 9 week training. can't beat that for a cheap trainer! HOLLA! all you iPhone users can download it here :: couch to 5K and for all of you non iPhone users... well... i'm sorry. you need to get on the iPhone wagon :)

{happy.running}

{hellllloooooooooooo.28}

2011-03-10T10:41:00.000-05:00

how in the world am i 28?!?

yes... it's still young.

yes... i'm excited.

yes... it's 2 years away from 30. yikes!

i'm embracing year 28 of my life and like i posted yesterday i'm adventurously expectant for what the Lord has up His sleeve this year for me. for the last few years on my birthday i've reflected on this picture of me as a preemie, almost 3 months early and weighing in at a whopping 2lbs and 14ozs, and remember that this life i've been given is a GIFT. no if's ands, or buts about it... God has given me a gift of life. a miracle that i am healthy and i long to give each day back to Him and live it to the full!

i've had this little devotional thing that i've kept on my bathroom counter for a few years, but haven't really paid attention to them up until the last few months and i've been taking one each day and treasuring the words. each card has a pretty picture (gotta have a picture!) and a bible verse on the front and on the back a little encouragement word about that verse.

i like the one that showed up today. on my birthday. i'll take it!

{front}

::now glory be to God! by his mighty power at work

within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more

than we would ever dare to ask or hope:: ephesians 3:20

{back}

::we make plans. we dream dreams. we imagine wonders. but, they're puny compared to what God plans for us. if we trust God with our life, He'll work through us to accomplish His dreams in ways we can't even imagine. He created us. He knows us better than anyone else and He knows what He can do through us. we need to make a choice. are we going to follow our dreams or trust the dreams God dreams for us?::

{happy.day.friends!}
aw

{adventurously.expectant}

2011-03-08T21:46:00.008-05:00

romans 8 has been all up in my face this past week and some change. well really the last 6 months, but last week it reappeared at my bible study, then yesterday through a friend's tweet. last night i jumped into the text and then again this morning and what do you know... a pastor that i follow on twitter felt like he needed to write a blog post on romans 8 today as well {insert sarcasm}

i've been trying to write out what's going on in my head and heart for quite some time and just can't quite put it into words and that's one thing that is so very frustrating to me. i've had this draft saved for quite a while and when i opened it tonight i was pleasantly surprised to find this...

::this resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!:: romans 8:15-17 {the message}

for the last 6 months it's the perspective i've been trying to cultivate and the way i've been trying to live. to walk out that "adventurously expectant" mindset every day that i have the chance to wake up. trying to walk this way during this season of life, this season of waiting, has been SO awesome as i've jumped in with both feet into new experiences, but SO challenging right along side that when the deepest desire of my heart still seemingly goes unmet.

these past few years of my life have been a season of waiting and at times a season of extreme wrestling with life where i feel like i'm holding my breath for the next shoe to drop, but then i catch myself about to pass out and throw up (metaphorically of course) because that shoe never falls. i'm still holding my breath, feeling like i might suffocate by the heartache of another rejection ... and i might've tweeted the other night that i wanted to punch this waiting in the face. i'm not a violent person really, but that's exactly what i felt. thankfully a wise mentor of mine stated to me this week that "this life following Christ is a constant waiting" truer words have never been spoken, but man somedays that's tough. must've been what the writer of romans was referring too when he said "we'll go through the hard times with him..."

as i run full speed ahead into the age of 28 this week, my prayer is that i will continue to seek to embrace every moment i have and live it adventurously expectant while pressing into God like romans 8 says " with a childlike "what's next, papa?"
i will also be clinging to this quote that a wonderful, loving friend that i have been blessed with over the past few years, passed onto me this last week...

"listen to your life. see it for the fathomless mystery that it is. in the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace." :: Frederick Buechner

{aw}

{a little DIY... before & after :: frames}

2011-03-07T18:41:00.000-05:00

::slow down everyone. you 're moving too fast.

frames can't catch you when you're moving like that::

wait...wrong frames. i just wanted to throw some jack in there. i've been missing him AND the warm weather. i digress... back to the task at hand.

who doesn't love a little DIY and i KNOW you all love some frames! have i mentioned that i refuse to pay full price for frames... well almost always, but seriously... i wanted to show you one of my AWESOME steals from the local goodwill and the beautifulness that is the after of the slightly horrendous before.

exhibit {a}

that "beautiful" before set of frames cost me a whopping $3 <---YEP!

...add a couple coats of spray paint & beautiful art and voila!!

... those lovely prints are courtesy of katie daisy.

i'm slightly addicted to her amazing art!

{happy.framing}

{AFRICA} :: part 2

2011-03-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

a little saturday football game with the boys in gulu, uganda.

sunday worship at the church on koro farm

dear american church :: we could all learn to move a little more on sunday for the Lord. He's given us a reason to praise Him and you CAN dance!! :)

me and little esther. love that child!

on the way to the IDP (internally discplace people) camp

for a football game and medical clinic

no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit was in

this room that day in a mighty, mighty way.

{oh.africa.how.i.miss.thee}

{light.up.the.sky}

2011-02-26T17:42:00.000-05:00

(pic via my iphone, hipstamatic app)

{light.up.the.sky}

the afters

When I’m feeling all alone and so far to go

The signs are nowhere on this road guiding me home

When the night is closing in

It’s falling on my skin

Oh God will You come close

Light, light, light up the sky

Light up the sky to show me You are with me

I, I, I can’t deny

Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me

You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me

Light, light, light up the sky

Light up the sky to show me You are with me

When stars are hiding in the clouds

I don’t feel them shining

When I can’t see beyond my doubt

The silver lining

When I’ve almost reached the end

Like a flood You’re rushing in

Love is rushing in

Light, light, light up the sky

Light up the sky to show me You are with me

I, I, I can’t deny

Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me

You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me

Light, light, light up the sky

Light up the sky to show me You are with me

So I run straight to Your arms

You’re the bright and morning Sun

To show Your love, there’s nothing You won’t do

Light, light, light up the sky

You light up the sky to show me You are with me

I, I, I can’t deny

Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me

You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me

Light, light, light up the sky

Light up the sky to show me You are with me

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

You are with me

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

You are with me

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

{official.music.video}

{emily.lynch.debut.album}

2011-02-15T13:36:00.001-05:00

{excited is an understatement}

i love this friend on mine and have watched her over the last 2 years pursue her dream of becoming a musician and today is a big day for her...

her debut, self-titled album, released today!!

over the last 2 years it's been an absolute joy to watch emily travel down a road that has been rocky, a total leap of faith, scary at times, so fun at others, but ultimately what she is supposed to do. i've been to shows, we've taken some pictures, i've blogged about her here, here, here, here, and here and laughed a lot and found an amazing friend along the way. emily has always blown me away with her passion for music, her God given talent, and her desire to do whatever it takes to get to where she longs to be... all with that beautiful smile on her face and a pep in her step.

i'm so proud of her and honored to be a part of this new album. my photos of emily grace her new album and i'm so thankful and blessed to be a part of this milestone in her life. make sure you check out her album today and here are a few options of where you can pick it up

(click each word below to go to the link)

:itunes: :amazon: :actual CD:

make sure you show emily some love today on

:twitter: :facebook: and :tumblr:

personal favs off the album :: gone :: i want you :: on my way :: the way

{happy.listening}

{perfect.love&waiting.patiently}

2011-02-14T12:49:00.000-05:00

a little over 3 years ago a homeless woman, with no other belongings than what was in her back pack, got into a conversation with my mother while eating dinner at her church with room in the inn, and they discussed me, my mother's youngest daughter.

at the end of their conversation, the woman told my mom that she had something that she knew the Lord wanted her to pass onto me. one piece of paper with a message and what i know is a promise to me that has meant so much as i've waited patiently over the last 3 years, and continue to wait. i decided to share with all of you and maybe with those who may be waiting as well.

{happy.valentine's.day}

(click on the image to enlarge)

{Beech.Mountain.Ski.Weekend} FEB:2011

2011-02-13T14:03:00.000-05:00