just because i like this

by aaron moran

things i'm into...

things i'm into this week...

1. dice. i think they kind of look like little buildings with lights in the window.

2. landscapes and cityscapes. ok, i know it seems a little redundant considering all we have been doing with the 7, but i am still into them. nothing beats a beautiful landscape that can sweep your mind into another place, even if it is for just a short moment.

3. woodgrain. ah my favorite texture. this really should be added to my list of things i am always into (if it is not there already)

4. soundwaves. what an interesting thing to think about and visualize.

5. ekg monitors. a visual lifeline. cool.

6. layering photos. i just learned how to do this in photoshop and it has changed my life. for serious.

7. my own personal sun. my house is freezing, and thus i am involved in the greatest love affair with my space heater (i write as i sit on the floor with my face 7 inches away from it)

8. black line drawings. hand sketches are so beautiful- there is just something so right about a black line drawing torn out of a sketchbook.

9. string and wood. i love the juxtaposition between the two textures and forms. i am looking forward to making a few wall hangings incorporating yarn and sticks.

10. a winter picnic. i want throw on my sorel boots, a cozy cardigan and adventure to a frosty place where snow is but a beautiful sprinkling accessory to the landscape. taking with me supplies for smores, a fleece blanket, a good bottle of red wine, my camera, and deer friends i love. oh, the scene i dream.

christmas wrap up... litterally

i typically do not consider myself a great gift-giver, and so when preparing for Christmas i usually find myself anxious and worried about getting gifts for people that 1. will be meaningful 2. will be fun and 3. will be something that the recipient would want. while taking all of these things into consideration can be stressful, it is probably not surprising that what i enjoy most about gift giving is the wrapping. the confidence i lack on what is inside the box is more than made up for in my presentation.

thankfully i received very positive feedback on both the presentation and the present itself. whew.

more to come on the most wonderful time of the year at the williams.

live to be free,

kare

t'was the night before Christmas...

and not a creature was stirring...

well... maybe just one little mouse...

things I am into... (at this somewhat late moment)

bears

rough-cut wood

multi tools

cable knit stockings

antlers

the color red

the band, The Phoenix Foundation

chocolate covered pretzels

crying for the animals trapped at the zoo

motorcycles in the dessert

sorel boots

snow covered fir trees

fur rugs

vaulted celings

leather tassles

ok, maybe I am just into winter and all that that entails.

merry stormy evening!

live to be free,

kare

Oh how I love going home to my parents house. Warm, Cozy, and wonderful. I especially love the holiday season in our home. Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving. Be prepared, my Mom's house belongs on a design blog... I am so proud to have her as my Mama and best friend! Can't wait to see the Christmas decor this weekend!

to give

i have always loved thanksgiving. i love the idea of a holiday based entirely around decorating, cooking, a shared meal, drinking, conversing, thinking, napping, and thanking. what in the world could be a more biblical than eating, drinking, and being merrily thankful together? nothing.

things i am thankful for in this season of life:

my dear family

my family of friends

for my Young Life girls

for my education (although i complain about it a lot, i am thankful for it)

for a spirit of adventure

for warmth in heart and life

for seasons

for laughter and smiling

for freedom in truth

for my LORD, Jesus Christ dying for me

for music

for shared meals and yummy food

for a home

for old friends and new friends, distant and near

for rich colors and the ability to see

for hearts that share mission

for love and the countless ways it is shown

the truth is that everything in this word is something to be thankful for. for life in and of itself, for the riches of God's mercy, for people and hearts that are built to love and live uniquely... the earth itself is more a reminder to thankful than anything else.

to give thanks... to give. thankfulness is a gift to be given, a joy to be shared, and a moment to be humbly honest. i am learning to approach life with a spirit of thanksgiving, rather than an expectation of receiving.

live to give.

live to be free,

k