Monthly Archives: October 2011

Whirling Dervish

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I feel as though I’m a whirling dervish of crazy. In all different directions, I fly.

(p.s. I just looked up the word “dervish” cuz I had no idea what it meant. Did you know that a dervish is a member of a Muslim religious order noted for devotional exercises leading to a trance? Yup. I thought it was, “like,” a ghost. Interesting stuff, that dictionary.)

So like I said … whirling dervish. Last week was Santa Barbara for the baby sister’s west coast reception. Beauty. And bliss. (And a totally rapture-inducing cheese platter.) And I’ve had an influx of consulting clients as of late. Which is great cuz I didn’t get the job I interviewed for right before I left for Santa Barbara. I had everything they wanted, and more so they say, except a technical knowledge of InDesign. I knew I should’ve taken that design class before I graduated. Note to self: Learn InDesign STAT. So–all this recent piecemeal work is at the top of my list of thanks.

And then … there’s the magazine. [sigh] My beloved magazine. My favorite thing on the list, of course. There is so. much. to. do. So much to put together. So much to conceptualize. So much to understand. But it’s coming. It’s coming.

And then today, I had a last minute segment on Good Things Utah where I shared three easy-peasy Halloween crafts I recently found on Pinterest.

If you’re just finding me through GTU, welcome welcome. I’m Krista, a magazine publisher/photographer/marketing consultant & teacher/quintessential pisces/lover of crafties/single, 32-year-old Southern transplant with a fetish for words, hand-written letters mailed with a stamp, Valentine’s Day candy, cheese platters (apparently), the Bachelor(ette) when it’s not stupid (oxymoron intended), and Ryan Gosling (as of late. loved this.).

The last couple years have been a maze of discovery, emotion, grief, and understanding as I’ve sought to make sense of a substantial job loss, singledom, and the intersection of my life and my faith. And I’m realizing this blog is where my “becoming” plays out. I suppose  you could say, that that is its purpose–its theme. And I’m happy to have you here.

By way of announcement, you can also find me

on Facebook :: on Pinterest :: on email

I also have an email list (over there on the right near the top) but, FYI, I stink at sending consistent email. I have grand plans for said list, but alas, I procrastinate. (That’s the polite way of saying I’m lazy.) But do sign up if you want to be notified when the so-called grand plans roll out. And grand they will be, I assure you.

As for the crafties I shared today … here are the links:

Spooky Snake Wreath :: Here :: I used more than just snakes in mine–basically any sort of creepy critter I could find at the dollar store.

Ghoulish Glow Lanterns :: Here :: I tried adding water to make it last longer, like the tutorial suggested, but I found that it actually made it last shorter. ???

Ghastly Ghost Hanging :: Here :: Country Living is quickly becoming more of a favorite than Martha. I know. Can you believe I just said that? Me neither.

So there you go!

And now I’m off … whirling and dervishing to the next bit on today’s color-coded schedule. (Yes. It’s true. I’m back to color coding. I’m MEEEE again!)

p.s. if you know of any teenage girls, would you please send them the link to my magazine survey?

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GVVT7BY

And if you’d like to be notified when subscriptions are up, the email list (over on the right) is probably the best way to stay in tune, or add this blog to your reader. Thanks a mill!

These are the Days I Putter

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It rained all night last night–hard rain. Cold rain. Pounding against my window. And judging by the tangle of bedsheets, I’d say it was as fitful inside as it was outside. The mountains were hidden by clouds this morning which means only one thing.

The snow is on its way.

But I love days like this–cozy and gray. These are the days I putter. A quiet little house mouse shuffling around in slippers and a robe.

It took forever to unearth myself from my bed today. I was too warm and happy wrapped up in blankets and daydreams.

But, I finally made it downstairs. And it seemed a perfect day for oatmeal laced with cinnamon–and a generous helping of Frit‘s blueberries (but don’t tell her, let’s keep that between you and me).

I love the way the purple juice seeps from the berries as it mixes with the heat from my oats. It’s such a comforting color amidst the shadows of a cloudy day. Finding color in unexpected places is one of the simple joys of life, I’m certain.

Another color I love? The orange glow of the stove-top light. In the morning, particularly on mornings like this, it’s the only light I’ll turn on. It’s almost like a kind friend, easing you into a new day, guiding you from dark to light.

Sometimes if I can’t sleep, I’ll come downstairs, turn on that lamp, make some tea, and lay on the couch. And I always fall right back to sleep. Perhaps there’s something safe about its glow.

The rain continued to fall all morning, as it does now–pattering on the rooftop in cadence with my fingers on the keyboard. And I just took a turn to inspect the garden. The basil took an awful beating last night. I’ll need to make pesto soon or an entire bush will have grown for naught.

Wouldn’t that be sad? To grow and flourish but never become what you were meant to become, because you never did what you were meant to do? That’s heartbreaking to me.

It might be time to retire the fire-pit to the shed too. Although a few nights of roasting mallows and dogs might be in order before the real snow falls.

It’s so cold though, even my little garden gnome looks a bit corpse-like today. Poor guy. He’s got to be freezing.

But not me. I’m wrapped up in Grandma’s afghan, listening to jazz on the iTunes (which, if you didn’t know, is the perfect soundtrack for days like this), perfectly content, tickering through the list of to-dos. And I’ve decided that if I can get five “must-do” things done this morning, then I can take the rest of the day to curl up by the rain-streaked window with a delicious book in hand.

I do so love Fall in Utah.