Something New

So I was re-visiting this always-neglected blog tonight, and boy, that random yoga post really needed to not be the last thing up at the top of the blog.
And then I saw this one below, and started to write a little edit reply, which I decided to just turn into this new post instead.

...just a little update on where we're at I guess.
It's been about a year and a half since we left JBU in Siloam Springs, AR.  It's been a good and exciting time; lots has happened.  We've worked on a bunch of fun productions, including more than one unit of a feature film; spent some time in Roswell, L.A & other parts of California, Dallas, Siloam again, and are currently in San Antonio.  Lots of long production roadtrips have been had.  Little Blue (our beloved old car) turned 200K crossing a bridge on the way back to Siloam this year!

I got a job as a Graphic Artist for an international Sign Company here in S.A., and Andrew's been keeping busy with contract production work (lots of traveling for him recently).  We're still staying with Andrew's amazing parents but are finally at a point where we can stand on our feet a little better and get a little place of our own.  It's probably going to have still be here in San Antonio for a while because of my job....but boy do I miss Dallas, and still super, really want to move back.  My company even has headquarters there I'd love to transfer to, but they're not able to take me on there yet.

Within the next few weeks we should have found and moved into a new place, and life will keep on rolling.
(until we get a reason/find a way to move to the next city on our journey!)

So what's new with you?

Andrew & I in that famous Los Angeles wash this Summer.

Yoga...So apparently it's kinda fun

So a few weeks back I decided I really want to get involved in some kind of adult fitness classes to lean and lengthen my muscles (and to get more fit all over).  I decided I'd aim for ballet, pilates &/or yoga... since they're all kinda like dance which tends to stretch and lengthen muscle tone...and I just miss being in dance.
Knowing that we're moving with Andrew's parents to a place in north San Antonio come the beginning of February, I started looking up options for such classes & studios, in that S.A. area.  I figured the New Year would also mean there are good deals because of everybody's New Year's resolution sales.  I found a nice YMCA with some good classes near the house, and even a really great looking Women's fitness center & spa that also offers 24 hr equipment access + classes to boot.
     Then I realized the New Year was about to start and I really didn't need/want to waste a whole month of not being active, here in New Braunfels, before we move into the City.  And after looking into those other places I realized most places offer discounted or free classes for the new customers, so I went ahead and started looking to see what might be offered here for me to take advantage of in this last month in NB.
     Being a small town there isn't a lot offered, but I did find this really neat little yoga studio in Gruene Lake Village (the cutest little, new, shop/boutique community I'd never seen before).  They have a really great website that gave me a lot of confidence in them and info all about all their classes, and each instructor, etc.  It's kinda pricey, but I went ahead and decided to go for it, just buying the Beginner's $20 unlimited first week, so I can go to as many classes as I'd like, for this whole week.  Oh and they have "Happy Hour" yoga every Friday for just $5 at the door, so I'll probably do at least those for the next couple weeks, too.
     Tonight I went to my first Basics & Beyond class.  I started off by being late, ugh.  They wanted me there 10 minutes early, so I tried to be even earlier, but of course I got a little turned around trying to find it, and ended up a couple minutes late to the class.  Not a great 1st step, since I was afraid I'd throw off their Chi by walking in late and I might have to miss the whole class.  But the instructor welcomed me at the door, and let me in, and despite her casting aside my mat saying "that won't do" and lending me one of their 'proper' ones to use, it went quite well from there.
     It was an hour and 15 minutes, and I had pretty good form all the way through, thanks to my lessons in posture (dance and choir), positions from ballet, and naturally good balance.  Which was very encouraging to hear when my stances were "beautiful."  Apart from not exactly knowing what some of the words meant, or if my head was in the right direction, and having my naturally pointed toes being corrected to flex my feet instead (another dance habit)...it was all pretty easy to do and understand.  And of course that obvious boost of good mood endorphins from working out was present at the end of it all.  I'm sure it's from the stretching, and new uses of muscles, but nothing like a shot of positive reinforcement to also put you in a good mood!
     Oh and the cherry on top, was that it was a perfect day to start, since yesterday Andrew's Mommy bought me this really fun, crazy, hot-pink tank top I wanted, just for working out in.  The color, "90s Pink," is so bright & crazy it can't not make you happy...so it was fun to have a new piece of workout clothing to wear too!  All in all a fun experience, and I'm looking forward to the other classes I go to this week, though I'm a little nervous about attending any that doesn't specifically say 'beginner' or 'basic' in the title, so I might only get to do 3 total this week, according to the schedule.

And here is a photo of me after my first yoga class...in my happy new hot-pink tank top.  Neon sure brings me back to my childhood, does it for you?

We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him

"Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews?  We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him."

I read this today, and it stirred some thoughts.  When the Magi saw this star and knew what it was, they knew immediately what they would do, they would worship the new born Messiah.  I can picture them having just arrived, being there in His presence and whole heartedly wanting purely just to worship Him.  And that's when I began thinking more about Christmas time and this season, and how I want to emulate that fervor, and go & just purely worship Him.  It seems so good and right, and being a Christian, with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of me, I think we are naturally inclined to want that as followers of Christ.  But while I can imagine what that must have been & looked like to be there in person, confronted physically with the object of worship, it's always been a little bit harder for me to wrap my head around the concept of worship for us here and now.  I know I can sing songs of praise and worship, I can pray and worship verbally that way, I can kneel, or bow while doing it, I can Worship Him by doing my best to represent Him well, by following His Word, doing His will and obeying Him, which is also to Love him.  But I do wish that I could be like those magi and more literally go and just Worship at His side.  I Love my Lord, Jesus, my King and Saviour...and as the Holiday of His birth draws near, like the Magi spotting His star that rose, I too wish to Go and Worship Him.

*************

[9] "...[the Magi] went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. [10] When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. [11] On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."  -Matthew 2:9-11

Photo by Emily L. of Jones Design Company,
 which originally inspired this post today.

To Vent

Longing for friends, a community, a church home & the community that comes with that.  And a home, in Dallas, I think.  And consistent work in the film industry, on set.  Oh, and a dog.
I need to settle in somewhere.  Anywhere, just to start, start making those connections, and friendships & community.  I'd like it to be near so many of my good friends and family in Dallas.  Other dreams are Vancouver (British Columbia- Canada), or Oregon, or even Austin or L.A.

If anybody knows of some perfect solution or place we could so-cheaply afford to live in any of these areas, please send word...getting kinda desperate.


EDIT:  Wow, having written that last November 25, 2011...and reading it now, it sounded pretty pathetic & dramatic.  That was one of those hard times after leaving school in AR and being vagabonds, staying with in-laws.  I just needed some stability at that point I think  and to feel like our own family of 2 capable adults with our own home and lives.  It's still hard being away from friends our age, etc.  But things have progressed...and I'm suddenly aware that this is turning into its own post, so I might as well move this onto a new one...see above for that now...
(^edited 11/2/12)

2011 Wishlist

After I worked on figuring out what to get for everybody for Christmas, I decied to throw together all the stuff I've saved, listed, and bookmarked for myself all year, that I've thought I'd like to buy.

This year, Pinterest.com also came along and made it easy to ‘pin’ everything one sees online that you’d like to save and remember for later.  They let you save things in categories; I have one labeled Wishlist, but there are things I'd love that are in the other categories too, like ‘Fashion’ and ‘For the Nest,’ etc. 
Then there’s Etsy too, where they let you ‘❤’ all your favorite shops and items.  So you can see all the things I want from Etsy, at my Etsy Wishlist.

Then there are past lists on Facebook, some of which is now mute, but it’s fun to look back.

Here are all the places I publicly save things I'd love to get myself (or get as gifts).

2009 Facebook Wishlist,  2008 Facebook Wishlist,  2007 Facebook Wishlist

Pinterest Wish List

Stuff found in other parts of my Pinterest 'boards'

Etsy Favorites

And this is just my general typed-up list of some of the major points :)  
[And all the stuff in green are links you can click on for the items]

Useful things

Sewing Machine.  I REALLY want/need one…all the time!  Any experienced seamstresses feel free to tell me what might be a better one.

Paper Cutter - Any than can cut paper in strait lines, fitting letter-size paper or bigger would be preferred.  I so need one all the time.  This one looked neat: The craftlite cutter

Porteen Gear (Custom Designed) Camera bag

I REALLY want one of these, I posted all about it here.  She also sells several other accessories I’d really like- like camera straps and lens cap pockets, etc., all in her Etsy shop.  See my ‘favorite items’ of hers in my Etsy favorites list.

Silhouette cutting machine

A Massage or gift certificate to a masseuse

Coffee Joulies

Toothbrush sanitizer

- http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/notag/-291315.php

- http://www.overstock.com/Health-Beauty/UV-Toothbrush-Sanitizer-Ultraviolet-Light-Holder/2454371/product.html

- http://www.healiohealth.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=jnoremfnq

- http://www.healiohealth.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=jnoqrrkpo

National Geographic Subscription

Purple Pens – These are my favorite to write with

Ice Cream Maker

Have wanted one probably half my life :)  There's a romantic story behind wanting one.

  

Room Mister

Ring dish/box

A nice artist's Paintbrush set

Power tools.
I’m quite serious about wanting to build things. Have always enjoyed it, from tinker-toys and k’nex, to building club-house forts, and stage craft projects and sets. I’d like a good power drill, and air compressor with paint sprayer attachment!

Future Kitchen Needs

My Lenox china pattern:  Coronet Platinum Dinnerware:  

(Right now everything in my pattern  is dramatically on sale, some as much as 45% off)  We have two place settings right now, from our wedding.  But I’m kinda paranoid that one day they’ll discontinue my pattern before we get a complete set.  But they’re expensive.  I’d love to have pretty much any piece from the collection, especially the bigger serving items, and at least 4, 6 , or 8 whole settings.  One day in dream-world I’d love to have the entire collection for a fully set table.

A Food Processor

I was always needing one for something, but don’t have one.  This would be great.

Standing Mixer

Would love to have one of these (in silver).

Beverage Dispenser - A beautiful glass (or quality clear plastic) one, with metal spigot.  I have this perfect beautiful idea of what to do with one in the entryways of my future homes.

Crate & Barrel

Cool stuff I once accidentally found & wanted

Bedside Carafe

Irish Coffee glasses

Bistro Mugs

Tea Infuser or (cheaper) scissor-handled tea infuser

Tea Bag Squeezer

Virginia Punch bowl serving Set

Wedding Tea

Wearables

A Neutral Brown Leather Bag, I do really love some of the Fossil brand ones with the rustic brass keyhole detailing.  I ‘Pinned’ all the ones I like right now, here and here.

Polarized Sunglasses.  I need some.  And I’ve also dreamt of having vintage Ray-ban Wayfarere glasses.

- http://pinterest.com/pin/121667627402803183/

- http://pinterest.com/pin/121667627402803106/

- http://pinterest.com/pin/121667627402803099/

Watch – Have eyed some very sophisticated, beautiful watches in the luxury fashion ads of Vogue for a few years now (like Bulova, and Michael Kors), but Fossil has some really pretty similar ones I’d also enjoy, listed here. 

New Blue Jeans, wide or strait-leg…kinda like carpenter pants for girls.  I used to get them all the time at Old Navy, and now nobody sells them at all…I just want a comfy ‘boyfriend’ jean that doesn’t have to be fitted or ‘skinny’!

VS Giftcard. To the women I know, I have a whole wishlist of cute pajamas, jackets, clothes, etc. that I could use from there

Whiteflash ring (just a really skinny ring of tiny clear rhinestones)

Miss Cherie Dior (my ‘signature’ scent)

Beauty

Conical Wand

-  http://www.walmart.com/ip/Infiniti-by-Conair-Conical-Curl-Wand/14321454

-  http://www.walmart.com/ip/Remington-Ceramic-Pearl-Professional-Curling-Wand/14978530

Spiral curling iron

Flat [paddle] brush

Burts Bees gift card

Round brush

Just Fun

The Complete Calvin & Hobbes

Pictorial Webster's - A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities

ABC DREAM

Q and A a Day

A pretty glass perfume bottle with a 'dabber' top or the old spray tops with the 'atomizer' squeeze air pump

Celtic Woman Christmas DVD

Life

-  Jobs in the TV/Film Industry, on set.

- A home of our own…any would do, but a couple rooms, and yard/room for a puppy would be even better.

- A garden

- A winning Lottery Jackpot, to help with all of these things

Creativity Inspired

So I've been wanting to write this post for months; I still don't really even know where to start, I just wanted to share with you all some of the amazing places, things, artists, and creations that I've found over my last few years of blog browsing.  Which is really what got me here, to my own blog, in the first place.

The Beginning

Life in the Fun Lane
It all officially really started with one simple search for ideas on how to make our own headboard.  We had just moved into a little place in NW Arkansas to finish school and we had this tiny, old double bed with nothing but that measly metal frame to hold it up...and it had to be stuck on a wall with a window, so our pillows and heads kept wanting to fall into that window box, since we had no wall or headboard.  Thrifty, crafty, resourceful person that I am, I was going to make one!  My search for ideas and help with construction randomly landed me here, and I was hooked.  Over the next couple weeks I read every post from day one of Holly B's blog, In the Fun Lane.  This was the first blog I ever started reading, and following (I still do).  She and her husband, and new baby, were blogging their way through the amazingly stylish do-it-yourself renovation of their new home (you should see their closet!).  But the blog also included all her super clever/cute seasonal decorations she made, a few fashion finds, and the best part- her furniture renovations!
I've always loved building things, working with my hands, tools, and doing stagecraft stuff for productions- so this was right up my ally, and something I've always wanted to do.  It's addicting just watching her do it, via blog posts for the last 2+ years.  I've learned a whole lot from her, and vow to get into it myself someday when I have a home w/ a little space to do it.  It's so fun watching cheap/free ugly old furniture be totally transformed with paint and new hardware.  She was eventually able to make a great business of it, it's so inspiring...that I constantly ponder ways I could make a small business with my own creative talents, while still pursuing my filmmaking dreams.
This is just one of her crafty DIY renovations, that's not even the beautiful furniture you'll see she sells in her WhiteBerry shop.

The Businesses

Ok, so that was my gateway blog, and I've since been wrapped up in so many other wonderful blogs written by industrious women making their own little businesses out of the creative talents God gave them.  And ever since then I've just been itching to create and peddle my own wares through beautiful websites I've hopefully created to be as beautiful as theirs.  

Here are a few more that have given me tons of great ideas.  Some of those ideas I've actually created from on my own, others I've just wanted to replicate for awhile, and hope to soon.

Jones Design Company

This blog website has probably been my 2nd biggest inspiration for expertly and perfectly executing a blog/website/online shop that works, and people love.  Run by Emily L., the Jones Design Co. is a beautiful website; designed so nicely, with everything clean and easy to find.  Her blog is constantly full of either encouraging, thoughtful posts from a beautiful Christian heart, super-inspiring creative tutorials on stuff I always (and often) immediately want to create, or just beautiful photos of her lovely house and gorgeous family.  And that's just the blog posts.  Her shop is quaintly tucked right into her blog, and sells the beautiful art prints and other crafty things she makes.  It really makes me want to emulate her and put my Graphic Design & ScreenPrinting skills to use in just such a shop!  Plus it's always a blessing to hear how this busy, creative Mom loves the Lord through all she does and experiences...oh and she loves typography almost as much as me ;)  which is always fun.

 Paper flower bouquet, one of her great craft tutorials I used for
my Mom's Mother's Day gift this year, but with more colorful scrapbook papers. 

Amy Atlas Events

'Have been admiring this beauty for over a year now.

Amy Atlas' stuff is just too much fun.  I discovered her and her wonderful party dessert bars a little over a year ago, and have been swooning over some of her parties & fancy dessert tables ever since.  Like this beautiful green & white Bridal Brunch dessert table, above.  It made me want to throw gorgeous garden dinner parties all the more!  (The leafy-green parties seem to be my fave, like this one).  When I was planning my wedding about 5 years ago, I discovered the great idea of doing a candy 'bar' guest table full of those wonderful glass canisters & urns that I love so much, filled with various beautiful candies, decorated with pretty ribbons & creative signage for guests to spoon in to favor bags.  But this woman does them up better than anyone else I'd seen before!  I couldn't help but share these photos and the link with my new sister-in-law, Rachel, when she was planning her wedding, in hopes that she might be inspired by it too.  And she ended up having a pretty great blue & aqua themed candy favor table at her wedding last month! ...though she was probably already aware of the concept too.  So for hours of fun, colorful, yummy inspiration, check out Amy Atlas Events' photo gallery or her blog!  Love it  :-d

Candy 'Dessert Bar' by the best in the biz, Amy Atlas Events.

Blogs

Like I said, either via links from one blog to another, or by being curious enough to click on the blog link of a commenter in a post I read, I've been introduced to a lot of very inspiring, creative web-logs.  I have a lot of them in my follow list, but only a very few that I make sure to actually visit consistently.

GillarGirl

This blog's author, Tiffany, is another super creative mom with a beautiful family, and home.  She and her husband are even in the middle of designing/building their second home (I so admire that, 'have always wanted to build our own dream house).  Her husband runs a furniture home/decor type store, and she does some pro interior design stuff on the side...so obviously they have some pretty awesome style going on.
My favorite thing in her blog is the posts on the fabulous parties she throws, especially for her 4 kids' birthdays.  They are a-maze-ing and so creative.  They're never made of the tacky mass-produced character themed supplies.  She always does super tasteful, cute decorations, desserts, favors and invitations, and usually has some really great game/activity ideas too...pretty much all by hand.  The parties always look fun and pretty.  I especially love the ideas I get from her invitations and favors.  These are some of my favorite parties she's posted:  Polar Bear party, 4 yr old RaggedyAnne party, Ballerina Princess party.

Black and White Side by Side

This blog is a great compilation of inspiration.  Maggie's passion is wedding stuff, and she always shows us beautiful examples of wedding trends on her Wedding Wednesdays.  But she also regularly posts on any random craft project, design idea, fashion find, etc.  So I've found a lot of neat ideas, and plenty of other blogs, through her own site which I've only been following for maybe a year or less now.  She's also got a sweet love story of her own, and a great personality that comes through her blogging, which lets her Christian faith shine through as well!  Oh and she even does a few tutorials, and I've found a few amazing recipes from her blog as well.

I'm jealous of her SUPER-cute anniversary photos...I might completely copy them ;)

Just a random example of fun things you'll find there.

Boutiques!

Ok, I'm kinda done with all the major creative inspiration stations I wanted to share with you, but I have to tack on one more for good measure.  What kind of person would I be if I didn't tell you about Etsy?

Etsy

So I know I've definitely already told you all about Etsy.com at the bottom of this post.  But I'm just gonna feature it here, too.  It's the ultimate online, hand-made, boutique 'mall.'  It's a site where artists set up their own shops (not unlike eBay) and list their hand-made creations for sale.  The whole site is exclusively for home-made stuff, and its beautiful.  You can ♥, or 'add to favorites' any shop or individual item...and I've got huge lists of both.  I wish I could share those with you, but only the account user can see their favorites...otherwise it'd be a great wishlist tool to send people!  

I've been 'window shopping' Etsy for several years now, and even bought one or two things.  (The only site in this post that I'd known of before the 'In the Fun Lane' blog.)  It's also been a great place for art inspiration when I was stuck for ideas on some of my art project assignments at JBU...theirs every form of it, from clothes, to print-making, to party decor, etc.  A lot of their shops and items have really inspired me to make things, and even made me want to open a shop and sell some of them...maybe one day.  Until then I'll just have to live vicariously through my sister-in-law, Claire, whom I was really excited to introduce to Etsy last week.  I think she may even be opening her own little shop there soon, and I'm so excited for her!

(Oh, and you have to visit this super fun interactive 'shop by color' page, even if you have absolutely no interest in shopping there...is just fun for your mouse!)

^ {Update!  Claire did, indeed, go the Etsy route and just opened her own little shop there, selling cute & useful memo boards.  Check out her shop!}

Pinterest

Ok, so I thought of another thing to tack on here at the end (even though it's not a boutique).  Pinterest.  This thing is pretty great.  It's a site where you store all your online finds that you want to remember or save for later, in picture form.  Like all of you that have those 'inspiration' file folders on your desktop, filled with JPGs you stole from websites you won't remember later, when you look through the pics.  ;)  Anyway, they let you create 'pin boards' for any categories you want, and you 'pin' each photo to those boards, when you find anything online that you want to keep.  Plus it saves the original URL link so you can always go back to the web page it was from.  You can also follow other peoples boards, to see what they're pinning...so you can share your own finds with others.  You should definitely check out what I mean, by just viewing mine here:  http://pinterest.com/KWightArmstrong/

And I can explain stuff or help you get started if you have any questions, too.  You will love this!

--

So those are my main stops for creative inspiration in every form.  Definitely check them out, and at least click on the links, if you don't feel like reading through my descriptive texts (but please do).  

Come back here anytime to visit these sites I've compiled.  And I'd love to hear how you liked them, what inspired you...and what places you enjoy, that I haven't listed here.  Send me your favorite inspirations, and we'll spread the love.  Thanks, & I can't wait to hear from ya!  

Happy Creating :)

-Krystal

Garage Sale!

Garage/Moving Sale:
We're married-students moving away from college & can't afford to take much with us, please come help take it off our hands.

Almost all our furniture, some appliances, and other stuff is for sale- on the cheap.  Come by our front yard/garage at:

2151b Kristy Lane, Siloam Springs, AR 72761. We'll be out here Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend.

Things we're selling: 
~Large comfy sofa
~a new cream slip cover that fits sofa
~Love seat
~Great Flat-screen CRT TV
~Book shelves
~Entertainment center
~Black card table & matching chairs
~2 flat-screen CRT computer monitors
~DVD player (Panasonic)
~DVD Box sets- Heroes S:1&2, Lost S:1, Lord of the Rings Extended Edition, etc.
~Brand new (never opened) hand-mixer
~2 nice work-lights (used to light student cinema productions)
~Other miscellaneous items.

Visit our Craigslist & EagleNet ads and spread the word!