There’s nothing like anniversaries to get you thinking about how life has changed. Last week was the six month anniversary of my move back to Arkansas and it has me thinking about who I am now, versus who I was when I packed up my life and left Boston. While I’m definitely not saying I’m a drastically different person, I have noticed a few things that have changed. So here goes! Four things I’ve realized about myself since moving back home: First is a really good one: I LOVE being a homeowner just as much as I thought I would! [...]

Someone recently asked me to do a blog post specifically on color. Personally, I loved this idea, but I was also slightly worried this would turn into a color theory lecture (which was always the most boring week in my art classes in school). So of course, I felt like I had to take this post in a different direction from typical color discussions. Instead of talking about how different colors absorb light differently or how yellow and blue mixed together make green, I want to make it a bit more personal and share with you why color is so [...]

Did you see my Facebook Live session last week? If you didn’t, you missed out on seeing my new house for the first time! I only did a REALLY quick walk through, though, so today I wanted to share some pictures and some of my plans for this little farmhouse. But first, the deets: This little lady was built in 1905 by homesteaders that settled the surrounding valley with three other families. Sadly, the other two families’ homes burned down some time ago, so mine is the only one like it in the area. My house was last renovated in [...]

I want to start this post by first saying thank you.   Thank you to everyone that has made it possible for Kristina and I to quite literally make our dreams become a reality.   People often say “if you had asked me then, I wouldn’t have believed you” and perhaps that sentiment is overused, but that is really, truly how Kristina and I feel about this past year.   We had dreamed of doing something meaningful with the talents our Heavenly Father has given us. We had dreamed of putting together a Kickstarter project and getting the minimum funding. [...]

I’ve been living with my grandparents out in the country for about three weeks now, and already it is a vastly different experience from five years ago when I lived with them last. Not because my grandparents are any different (I swear I’m the only one getting older here), but because I'm in a very different place in my life than I was then.     Last time, I was 23, had just graduated from college and was looking for a job. My days consisted of exploring their forested property in solitude and working on a 365 project (being jobless [...]

You know that feeling when an idea just won’t go away? Whenever this happens to me, good things have usually come from following along, so when the idea to collaborate with a writer would not leave me alone, I knew I needed to follow that inspiration. Of course, I was hesitant... for multiple reasons. Apart from a tiny bit of fear over what people would think of this idea, I also didn’t really want to relinquish control (I am a huge control freak, especially when it comes to my art). However, while I consider myself a storyteller just as much [...]

Here’s the deal with me moving home: this is not something I’m doing on a whim. I am NOT moving home because I’m “giving up" or "going back to my comfort zone”. And I know moving back home often has the connotation of retreating, running away, or hiding, but I view moving home more as a step forward than a step backward. I strongly feel that moving home is my next step towards growth and the best one I could make towards pursuing my dreams and really… to just be happy. [...]

It’s my birthday this week…. Any guesses which day? Here’s a hint: I’m a Summer baby, not a Spring baby.   Anyway, this week, I am turning 28, which means it’s been TEN years since I graduated from high school and began life as an “adult” (although, let’s be real… 18-year-olds are still kids). Of course, me being the sentimental person that I am, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I’ve learned these past ten years. What would I say, could my 28 year old self write a letter to this newly graduated, wide-eyed 18-year-old that I was? [...]

Recently, I participated in a Facebook Live Q&A session with Kristina A Bishoff (the composer of the Green Rider book soundtrack) and during our call, someone asked us what some of our favorite books were. Funnily enough, several months ago I had actually written this blog post, but had set it to the side as I wasn’t able to find a good time to post it. Well, since the fans on our Q&A session were curious, I figured it was time to pull this blog post back out and share it (luckily I hadn’t deleted the draft)! Of course, some [...]

I feel bad for Valentine’s Day. I really do. Hated by singles, overused by boyfriends hoping to become fiances, and taken advantage of by retailers for the sake of candy and card sales. It’s no surprise that the holiday now has quite the bad rap. But I still love it, and here’s why: The memories and the traditions.     Yes… I have Valentine’s Day traditions. And no, I’m not talking about the tradition of picking out Valentine’s from Walmart (although sometimes I do get a bit nostalgic for a good Lisa Frank or Rugrats card…). Now, to preface. My [...]