Currently: February 7, 2017
I'm somehow obnoxiously good at winning Instagram giveaways and I think it's because this basset hound magazine is channeling me good luck. Anyways, the lovely Kayleigh from @craftsandacat teamed up with Duralex USA for a cup giveaway a few weeks ago, and I'm so excited to begin having my coffee in these petite gigogne mugs. They're the perfect size for my small hands and who isn't obsessed with glass cups for hot drinks??
I had the hardest time choosing just one style because Duralex offers a ton of beautiful glassware cup styles. If I could've picked more, I would've chosen these!
Manhattan Tumbler, set of 6, $33.
Gigogne Mugs, set of 6, $27. These are the ones that I chose!
Currently: January 31, 2017
Today I managed to get my hands on my first florals in months. I didn't quite find them as I normally like to — creeping around outside, trimming neatly and collecting — rather I snagged them from the church I work at. They would've been thrown in the garbage anyways, so it was okay ;)
Basically what this means is in the next few days (or week. or two), you'll see a mini version of my thesis because it's been far too long! I have a basket full of poinsettia leaves and this lovely bouquet full of muted purples greens, and a ceiling corner in my apartment that needs to be filled with dried suspended blooms.
In the meantime, I'm sure you remember my thesis work involving all sorts of foraged nature bits, bugs and bones. Here's a video to refresh your memory! Scroll further to see work by one of my faaavorite contemporary sculptors.
Rebecca Louise Law remains one of my most significant artistic influences (for reasons you may guess from the photos below) — imagine how thrilled I was to discover her work after I'd started my thesis work because our philosophies and processes weave such interesting connections. Here are some of my favorite works that she (and a big ol' team of volunteers — lucky her) installed in the last year!
"The Beauty of Decay," series, 2016, Bedfordshire.
"Taenaris Catops," 2015.
"Light & Dark," 2016, London.
"The Canopy," 2016, Melbourne.
"The City Garden," 2016, London.
making bravery our mission and kicking fear out the door.
Friends, fear is not given permission to preach anymore. This is the moment for the lion-hearted warriors to emerge from the woodwork and do what is right and good for our fellow humans. Perhaps we are alive and breathing right this very second because we've been designed as a generation of the fiercely loving individuals. Your eyes see injustice and your voice is empowered to speak against darkness. It's not gone unnoticed.
Oh, how I used to give fear the power to rule my days. My voice was just barely a whisper. I had anxious feelings weaving through my bones as I drove to the store to do something as simple as buying milk.
I looked down at my hands every single day for years and deeply believed they were too small to change anything. I thought I was simply a small, mouse of a Kate. Absolutely microbial in comparison to the massive darkness swirling our planet.
The day I realized that I had the option to close the door on fear, I was gifted a power that kicked my feet out from under me. I was bruised and afraid from the realization, yet my eyes were opened to the fact that nothing truly good was coming from giving fear the seat so close to mine at my table.
We are all given a choice -- we can let fear strangle us to the point that we can't move, or we can rise from this world's brokenness, be the hands and feet, and make bravery our mission.
Loves, we have been raised as a generation of independent thinkers and go-getters. I sense that in your ambitions and hearts. And we have the chance to see how we might use our power for something so much greater than our own personal gains. There's no reason to let fear in our front door if we have the ability to use our voices and give our empathetic compassion to our fellow humans who are hurting so very deeply.
Esther 4:14 says this :: "For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
First of all, if you're not familiar with Esther's story, please, please study it. I think her works will channel power to you and I think we can all find connections with today.
Second, if we keep silent right now we will all weaken. We won't know if we can be outlets of change if we slide into the shadows and watch as history repeats itself. There is brokenness in all the corners of the world. Our next steps are absolutely crucial. We have to channel the fire in our souls into iron fists that refuse to stand for injustice for any human. Though our hands are individually small, they are mighty when a thousand link up. We have hard, tolling work ahead of us but it's necessary. My prayer is that we will document these days in truth and bravery.
I designed a passion project called Bravery Mission a few months ago. It started on the premise that bravery is found in all the corners of golden successes and tarnished falls. That it isn't always about the grand gestures or the daring actions, or even the absence of fear.
At first, I envisioned Bravery Mission as a connection map for others to document moments of courage, so that others could realize their own bravery, and empower the process of disallowing fear to rule.
Friends, while that is still incredibly important for my intention with Bravery Mission, I think courage is so much bigger than just that now. We have to start going bigger than our own hearts and give a voice to the voiceless. We can do that because others years before us fought so we can today. We have to give our resources and our time, and most importantly, our love and kindness to our neighbors and those across the globe. We can peacefully and intentionally fight injustice with our calm yet fiery presences. We have to shout to our fellow humans that we seem them and hear them, that we love them and are going to help them.
And that's not going to be easy. In fact, I can guarantee that it will be messy and maybe terrifying, but fear cannot win if we don't give it power. The age-old is love and peace. We have to document these days because our choices now will change the future. We're going to look back on what we decided to do or not do, and we'll either be proud of or regret our decisions.
So write is all down. All the emotions, what you're doing to help. Remember your heart and your humanness, and how we started trampling fear and changed the world. Because we can do that. We are on this earth amidst injustice and darkness, right this very second, for a reason. I will not and cannot sleepwalk through this life. I hope you'll join me. You are brave and empowered and have the ability to document these days as we change the world.
I love you. I see you. I am with you.
In peace and lion-heart,
Kate
Currently: January 24, 2017
I adore writing letters. Perhaps a bit old-fashioned — but there's really nothing like opening the mailbox to find a letter filled with encouragement and love.
With Valentine's Day coming up (eek), I thought I'd host a letter exchange for my fellow ladies. Valentine's Day doesn't just have to be for those who are in relationships — we can celebrate our female friends too ❤
No matter your relationship status or age, I invite you to submit some info at the link below. By doing so, you'll be able to write a letter to the rad lady you're assigned to, and you'll receive a letter in your mailbox before Valentine's Day.
Much love, and let me know if you have questions! Feel free to pass this along to the sweet ladies in your life. Click here to sign up! I hope you do! <3
Currently: January 17, 2017
I haven't reread through the Harry Potter series in years, which is surprising because I practically lived in the wizarding world through middle school and high school. The characters taught me about bravery and friendship and finding magic, and in a significant way became a part of my soul.
I've noticed a lot of people are reading the books again and I'm boarding the Hogwarts Express with them as your friendly neighborhood Slytherin. I promise I'm nice! Just determined! Anyways, I'm reading them again because I think I could use a little extra magic in my heart, especially as an adult. I'm eager to see what I"ll take away from them as a 23-year-old. I'm sure there will be mischief managed.
I also maaaaaay be planning on doing a Potter related work soon (because I'm so inspired) so keep an eye out for that! I think it'll be pretty rad. In the meantime, here's some work by two delightful artist ladies I've connected with in the last few months via Instagram — I also get to work with both of them in different, super neat ways, so read on!
Rhea Amyett (@hatchingartist on Instagram) does just as her Instagram handle suggests — she cross-hatches for shading and ends up with the most beautiful small drawings. I actually won this Sorting Hat piece in a giveaway she did a few weeks ago (so. thrilled.)! Check out her Instagram by clicking the photo, or click here to head over to her Etsy shop. I'm also participating in the Art Stew Fifty-Two Instagram project that she's heading up. Basically a prompt is presented each week to a group of artists and we all use our different mediums to make a piece of work, which we'll post with the same hashtag to make a big ol' art stew! Go here to see the Art Stew Fifty-Two work that's been done so far in 2017.
Teagan Olivia (@mutedrosemercantile on Instagram) is the other lady whose work I'm recently obsessed with. She makes the most beautiful embroideries and is currently working on a top-secret Harry Potter project. I'm lucky enough to be in on it because she asked for representatives of each Hogwarts House to be her brand ambassadors — so (as the friendly neighborhood Slytherin) I'll get to show off one of her new HP embroideries in a few days! Here's the link to her Etsy shop and her Instagram.