Currently: September 6, 2016
Happy September! I hear the resounding stomps of Pumpkin Spice Lattes marching closer in herds (give me coffee instead, please).
Here's the second installment of Currently: {___}. This week's features some a cheese plate for lumberjacks, flowers in space, and more. Click the italic headings for the links and read on, friends. Read on.
The Grate Outdoors Cheese Plate Set from Modcloth
So whimsical. So woodsy. So perfect for a bearded babe who lives in the forest (or for a lady who swoons over the thought). Also, are you an adult if all you want to buy are adorable hand towels, sugar bowls and drawer knobs? I want all of my home decor from Modcloth.
KATEWORKS Grab Bags
In case you missed the news yesterday, I'm now offering grab bags of Peach Notes and Greeting cards! If you like opening up mail with a sweet surprise, this is for you. Even better, you can send these off to people who might need a little extra love... don't we all??
Asphalt Archaeology
Who didn't dream of sticking things in wet concrete when they were younger? Mikhail Mishin photographed some urban fossilized finds and said, "Every so often, a loose object kicked or dropped or tossed behind a boundary of construction barrels becomes trapped in soft asphalt and, like an insect in amber, preserved in time."
Artist shoots a bouquet of flowers into space
This made me think of my thesis floating around in space and projecting a small work of a human's hand in nature projected into the vastness of the universe. I loved what Makoto Azuma said: "Flowers have a very strong existence. A human needs flowers and plants to live, but flowers and plants do not need humans. They are so strong." Makes you think about how we should treat our Earth. I could go on and on about this but basically — we need nature. It doesn't need us. Treat it that way.
Hannah Brencher on Jealousy
"Process this with me for a second. We only have two emotions: love and fear. Every other emotion sits in one of those two family trees. You're experiencing jealousy. Jealousy is a bucktooth cousin of the Fear Family. He's sitting there in that Fear family photo wearing a wool turtleneck and righteous comb over." -HB
We are pioneers.
Today I’m excited to celebrate my two-year anniversary of KATEWORKS with the birth of something that has been rustling in my soul for a few months, though it wasn’t clear before — the hope that my future work will be an embodiment of the words above. My heart’s mission is to empower females as pioneers with biblically based strength. It can be so hard to find an authentic community in society today — but I want to change that.
I’m beyond humbled to share that this seed is fully influenced by my campers. I made it my mission this summer to remind them that they are seen, valued, worthy and loved by God and myself. So many of my girls opened their hearts to me and I found myself with a desire to invest in their fears, prayers and joys. There’s divine power in forming sisterhood — there’s something divine in igniting a passion for lifting each other up.
Women are goddesses in mind, body and soul. I can only pray with full humility that my future creative work will represent the words above. I have plans in the works of things to make that will be unveiled in the coming months. I cannot wait to share tools in encouragement as you pioneer through this life. Sisterhood has always been there. Let’s dive in further.
Much love,
Kate
Currently: August 30, 2016
Hey, it's Tuesday. Still the beginning of the week but not a Monday morning and not late enough in the week to reasonably anticipate weekend happenings. How about something to look forward to on the day before the hump of the week?
In attempts to start holding myself accountable for keeping up my blog, I'm going to start a weekly post called "Currently: {insert date}." A cluster of things I'm currently obsessed with: songs, journals, news that you should know about, Instagram accounts I'm casually stalking, whatever else might bring a little boost to the Tuesday schlumps.
So without further ado, here's "Currently: August 30, 2016." Click the italic headings to visit the links.
Decomposition Notebooks:
The designs are charming + inside covers are witty. Facts stated: 100% post-consumer-waste recycled pages. Soy ink printing (can I get an amen for fewer nasty VOC's // volatile organic compounds?). That means it's easier to recycle! I bought mine at Target for about $8 but you can order different designs off Amazon or B&N too.
Nalichniki Instagram:
A stunning feed of Russian windows + wooden architecture that satisfy my love for ornate + unique details on buildings. May or may not have spent too many minutes scrolling.
Melissa Hawks' Pep Talk on Boldness:
"The things you do aren't the bold thing. You are the bold thing." Preach it, sister.
Iceland. Everything Iceland:
Volcanos! Waterfalls! Valleys with green mossy bumps! Iceland is my dream adventure. I can't afford a trip there now but I did the second best thing and watched Bear Grylls trek through the land the other night in a Man Vs. Wild episode on Hulu.
"Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert
"I believe that inspiration will always try its best to work with you — but if you are not ready or available, it may indeed choose to leave you + search for a different human collaborator."
"Testify" by NEEDTOBREATHE
And their entire new HARDLOVE album, let's be real.
Photos:
1. Yours truly.
2. https://www.instagram.com/nalichniki/
3. https://www.discover-the-world.co.uk/blog/15-natural-wonders-in-iceland-for-photographers
Show up. Bring the rain.
It's raining today.
The outdoor spaces are so, so plentifully thriving, permeating rich colors against a gray sky -- firing down any notion that sometimes this earth is dry and barren. Grace covers every inch of creation, blanketing the entire surface area of all things just as rain does. It continues to root deeply and intricately into the earth's soil and human souls.
Personal. Intimate. Relentless. Undeserved. Alive. There's beauty in all of your corners, even the the dry and barren spaces awaiting the rain 🌿 || sinking deep - hillsong ||
Accept the call and be willing to go on adventures. Meet the people who arrive at your door with kindness. Humans love to hear your stories, they might crave to share their own. You can either turn around and flee, or let what shakes you to the bones with uncomfortable twinges change your heart.
Don't stay in the in-between. Move. Show up.
Go.
c o m m u n i t y .
Friends, find a group of humans that you can be in real community with, not just casual friendship. Living is so much sweeter when we have an intentional and authentic desire to be there for each other's messy moments.
I encourage you to dig deep into the nitty gritty. See what you can learn from genuine conversations. Be vulnerable. Be real. Be brave.
I’m not going to tell you it will be easy because it might not be, but it’s worth it. It’s like building a campfire — you have to build the structure, add kindling, light the match, and fan the flame. You will have to work to sustain your community, you’ll have to choose and fight for your community and it will be worth it.
I know you can’t force connection. You won’t always get along, you might get frustrated or annoyed with some more than others. But people matter and our hearts are too precious to be shallow in our relationships. We need each other.
We can't do this life alone.