I've been crafty...

So, since I took a really long break from this blog I have actually been pretty productive and crafty. Instead of spilling all of my craftiness into one post I think I'll share one project at a time.

We recently had a "Big Day" at my church here in Conway and Mandy and I worked really hard to get the Children's church area decorated with so much cuteness people would just fall in love with it. :-)

We decided that in the crib area of the baby room we needed something on the wall...and since the whole room has a woodland theme, I painted some woodland animals. Now, I am no painter by any stretch of the imagination...but I dabble. And I think these little woodland creatures actually turned out kind of adorable.

 I started out with 4 canvases, but the orange turned out to be a little too orange...so I narrowed it down to the snail, owl, and bird

I taped off the background with scotch tape and just painted over it and around my animals to create these patterns. The chevron isn't perfect because I didn't measure it off, but I wanted it to look just a bit hodge podge and homey so it worked perfectly.

 And there you have it, my attempt at cute woodland animal paintings. Not too shabby for an amateur and I doubt the babies sleeping in their crib will judge me too harshly hehe

xoxo
Krackle

Concerts are awesome

WOW...It's been a while.
Let's see if I can just get back into the groove one post at a time. How about concerts?

I blogged about being super excited to go to Keith Urban and Journey concerts in August and September...well they were AMAZING!

Keith Urban came waaaay up into the cheap seats and was actually like 4 rows away from us when he gave away a guitar. (Josh was super jealous!)

I didn't get to take that many pictures at this concert because my phone was almost dead. BUT it was one of the best concerts I've been to. It was so cool, the atmosphere was just completely different than any other concert I've been to. It felt like we were all just hanging out.

Then we went to the Journey concert in Memphis. Can I just say that being a fan of Journey is like a life choice for me...it's not a casual thing, and this concert was incredible! Even though is wasn't Steve Perry it was still phenomenal. It was just icing on the cake that we got to see them in Memphis. We showed up early and had some BBQ on Beale Street before the show.

Blues City Cafe is by far the best BBQ I have ever tasted. It's right across the street from B.B. King's place, which is also good...but not this good (in my humble opinion). If you ever visit Beale Street you MUST try it...you'll thank me later.

The concert was a blast! They sang all of the classics and a few new songs. It was great. Josh had such a good time in awe of their guitarist...because he is so good. Josh recorded most of the leads on his phone...and we listen to them all the time haha.

BIGBIGBIG thanks to my bubba who decided he would pay for all three of our tickets AND drive us there. We don't have any pictures with him...because he's elusive like that, but he is pretty much the best Big Bro on the planet.

I'll be back soon with some crafty updates. You won't believe how productive I've been lately!

-Krystle

My life is super busy and awesome. Also, I make baby hats.

My History/Film class is actually pretty fun! We have a blogging assignment and our professor just started what he calls the "postie awards" to the best posts of the week. I'm proud to say I got a Postie this week for my stellar analysis of 3D technology. haha

I didn't finish all of my homework last night...so I'm still working on some tonight. UGH! I am ready for the next 3 months and 3 days to fly by...not that I'm counting down to graduation or anything. hehe I will hopefully get to turn in my graduation application on Thursday or Friday and everything will be official! Now, I just need to find a job.... If I can just be honest, I'm a little nervous. But still confident and optimistic.

Also, while we're sort of on the subject of countdowns...
I'm getting married in 297 days! Practically 296 at this point.

Just in case you didn't already know. I am SO EXCITED!

xoxo
Krystle

p.s. I told you I would post some pictures of the baby beanies! Well, here ya go:

My Concert Summer Saga Continues...even though it's not really summer any more

"Yea baby, if you ever start feeling depressed just rub glitter all over yourself!" - my future husband.

hehe...I just thought I'd share one of the many reasons I love him...we have really weird, hilarious conversations. Just for the record, this conversation was inspired by a lady's sparkly fingernails; we don't actually talk about glitter all the time.

Guess what...I'm going to see Journey in concert in two -- count em 1.....2.....days! We're leaving Wednesday afternoon, hopefully get there early enough to eat some BBQ, and then have our faces rocked off by Journey, Foreigner, and Night Ranger. WOW! Can't wait!!!

Some people aren't that excited because it isn't Steve Perry - Journey. I affectionately call them Filipino Journey because the new guy is from the Philippines. And I don't think anyone can be as awesome as Steve Perry, however, I think this is as close as it gets! So I'm still really excited!

Now, I have to go finish my homework for the week so I can enjoy this concert and not have school business bringing me down :-).

Have any of you ever seen Journey live? Steve Perry or Arnel Pineda?

xoxo
Krystle

movies, blogs, and beanies. Oh my!

Well, I interviewed my Gram last weekend and we got a lot of good stuff. She was having trouble putting her thoughts in order, but that's perfectly understandable when trying to recall things that happened 75 years ago!

I'm heading to Pine Bluff tomorrow to look for any records that would tell us anything about her family's past before she set out on her journey. I'm pretty excited to see what I can find. Dad's going to join me, he's a pro at this stuff...so we should have a lot of fun!

If anyone is interested...I have also blogged on the wedding blog and my film/history blog...I rant about 3D - it's interesting.

ALSO, I have made some cute baby beanies...unfortunately I'm having trouble getting the pictures up on the blog. I'll post them as soon as I work out the kinks! I'm getting super excited about the upcoming craft season!!! Lots of goodies to see and sell! :-)

Ok, now I need to go eat something! I can't keep going all day without food haha

xoxo
Krackle

film.making.

WARNING: this post is %100 about movies and filmmaking. Proceed with caution.

Just in case your interested, my first post for this "blogging experiment" in my American History through Film class was posted today. The topic was "what is your favorite movie and why" ...and he gives us a word count - which was 500. <---wowza! I usually would never write that much for a blog but oh well.

ALSO! Did I mention earlier that I'm doing an independent study about my grandmother and a tiny piece of her incredible life? I went to visit her today and set up a camera to capture her retelling the stories. She's an extremely mature lady (in her 90's) and she was getting a little frustrated today when she couldn't remember specifics. However, she told me a lot! Annnnnnnd I got to go through her pictures and I found several that were taken during their travels that I will be able to use in the documentary. :-) exciting!! I can't wait to meet with my professor again next week and go over the material. I'm also pretty excited because we discussed the idea of allowing me to write this in the form of a script, which I am waaaay more comfortable with than a historical research paper.

Background info:
In 1937, my gram - 18, her younger sister - 14, and her older brother - 21, left their family in Arkansas and travelled across the country (most of the way without a car) to California, Washington, and Oregon. They went until they ran out of money, then they would stop and find work until they had enough to keep traveling. Ultimately, my gram decided to come home and her brother and sister ended up staying in Oregon. How crazy is that? She is a seriously cool lady, and she has definitely lived her life.

If I can take a moment and be completely honest about my dreams for this project...
I would love to do all of this research and get lots of great footage of my gram right now through this independent study and then find some sort of sponsorship to actually go and retrace her steps. If I'm feeling extremely adventurous I might even try to do some of the things that she and her siblings did. Honest opinion, that would be cool right? I think it would be an intimate look into the depression era. Not just another, "hey everyone was poor, lots of people left home because they had nothing" story, but a personal story with characters. I'm excited about it even if no one else is :-)!

I'm off to enjoy my 4 day weekend! Have a happy Labor Day!

xoxo
Krackle

not the start i was hoping for

well, I can't say that I've had the best start ever to my last semester. I have already finished an assignment like 3 days late. And my professor sent me two snarky emails, thanks but you don't scare me that much I practically live in the film department where everyone acts like that.
The assignment actually has the potential to be really cool. We had to start a film blog for the class. I don't know how many free writing posts we'll have or how many he will tell us what we have to write about but it should be interesting! It took me a while because I temporarily misplaced the 14, yes you can count them 14 pages he passed out in class. AND my school email was reset and no longer forwarded to my actual email account so I wasn't even receiving his snarky emails. hehe...I have fixed the problem. here's the link to my history through film blog..in case you're interested :-)

Also, my production management class is so intense! We have to shoot 10 weekends in a row. It's only 5 hours per weekend...and I'm hoping that we're all friends in the class and we work around everyone's schedule. Because I don't want to be missing important things. It's my last semester of college....I just want to get it over with. I just wanted it to be easy! Doesn't look like that wish is going to come true.

Oh well. I'll survive.

love,
Krystle

Oh beautiful life...

Well, I just got my parking pass and my books for my last semester of college!

It's really exciting and scary at the same time!

And I got them all for less than $200! Wow...that is possibly a first. 

This semester I'm taking Arkansas History, American History through film, an independent study history class, production management, and social problems. So it's lots of history...but I think I'll be ok.

My independent study is going to be really fun I hope. I'm researching a journey that my grandmother took during the great depression when she was 15-16. She travelled with her brother and younger sister from Arkansas all the way up to Oregon and then back to Arkansas. Her brother and sister ended up settling in Oregon and now we have a little pocket of family up there. How neat right?? I'm excited to research it out because I could possibly turn it into a documentary one day. And if I do, I'll already have a lot of research done! :-)

I'm also extremely excited about American History through Film! How awesome does that sound?? I think I'm going to love it because I'm totally in love with movies AND history and I usually find a way to relate them in almost every paper I have to write in either film classes or history classes. Last semester I did a film and literature class that was a lot of fun, so I'm hoping this is similar.

The rest of my classes I'm pretty much taking just to fulfill my degree requirements...Oh I can't wait to graduate. I am going to get started on my graduation application like RIGHT AWAY! The deadline to apply is September 23. So I need to get busy!

Tomorrow is my first last day of school. I'm super excited! ANNNND the fiancé and I are going to a Keith Urban concert! It's gonna be a good day!!! :-)

-Krystle

Guess what I got......

an iPhone!!! My dad got it for me today after lunch. He is the best! :-) I have been playing with it and setting it up all day.

I am officially an iGirl now. MacBook Pro, iPod, iPad, iPhone.....yay exciting!

super easy/cute braid!

I saw this link on Pinterest today. If you don't know what Pinterest is...Mandy did a super in depth post about it on the HL blog. Check it out :-)

Source: theautry.org via Elsie on Pinterest

It's a 4 strand braid! and the picture was a did bit hard for me to follow but eventually I figured out the pattern.

I think it will make super cute bracelets or necklaces. I'm also thinking of incorporating in into some shirts.

Yay, I learned something new today! ANNNND if you'll notice the pictures...I am blogging from my new macbook pro!! YAY I am so excited. I love it. Also, I finished my summer class today double YAY! On the downside...my hot water heater is broken and I'm stuck taking cold showers until we replace it this weekend. I'm choosing to focus on the positives - classes done, new computer, 4 strand braid.

smooches,
Krackle

new blog, new semester, new adventures

Okay, first things first: I've started a wedding blog. I have lots of planning to do and I want to share it with everyone but I don't want to totally overload this blog with nothing but wedding wishes. :-). I want to keep this blog mostly devoted to my adventures in crafting and filmmaking. SO, if you want to keep up with my rollercoaster season of wedding planning check it out!

In other equally exciting news, I'm wrapping up my last week of Spanish...and my last semester of college is fast approaching! WOW...I'll graduate in December and start looking for a job. It seems a little crazy. And with all of these important dates swimming around my head all I can think of right now is the fact that the boy and I are about to have some pretty awesome concert adventures! First Keith Urban this month, then possibly Journey with Foreigner in September! It's going to be a talent overload. eeek! I'm pretty excited.

And afghan update: I'm officially more than halfway through with all the squares! It's a long process but it doesn't seem quite as daunting anymore.

Sorry this post is a little heavy on words and light on pretty pictures...eventually, I will have a camera again.

xoxo,
Krystle

Gray and yellow

First official wedding decision: color scheme gray and yellow.

I'm so excited! I'm shooting for gray dresses and yellow shoes and gray tuxes and yellow ties. I've got my eye on some cute pics that kind of capture my vision.

Source: projectwedding.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: ruffledblog.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Super excited!! I got my rings resized Monday and just picked them up. They fit perfectly and I found an amazing local jeweler...after I was treated horribly by another. Ugh I really don't appreciate snobs, but thanks to the ones I encountered I found a really great business. Who I will definitely be using in the future!

Much love,
Krackle

Hello, I'm engaged!

Sooooo...last Friday was a huge day in the life and times of yours truly! Josh proposed to me! It was sweet and romantic and low key. Apparently he had some elaborate plans that didn't work out and I am super happy because I love that it was private :-). I was sitting in his room with my back turned to him and when I turned around - there he was arms outstretched - ring in hand. And he said "Krystle, will you marry me?" to which I replied "Are you serious?!" and once we established that he was serious I, of course, said yes. :-) my ring is beautiful. It is currently being resized by an amazing jeweler and I can't wait to get it back and show it off.

So yay!! I will be posting lots of fun exciting wedding planning posts now!
And by the way I have never been so happy/excited in my life! :-) can't stop smiling.

Xoxo
Krystle

Afghan LOVE

I'm working on my first ever baby afghan...it's taking foreverrrrr. I have 26 of 81 squares done...

Since I don't have a camera at the moment I'll just share some afghan inspiration with you :-) (all of the pics are linked.)

Even though this one is taking a while, I have already got my eye on the next on I want to make.
Afghans just bring me good memories. My grandma had so many that she made at her house and they were so soft and warm! It's so worth the trouble to make my own...I feel like I'm following in her footsteps :-)

Xoxo
Krystle

Cheap eats.

Well, as an unemployed college student, I have to save money any way I can. And the biggest way I can do that is in the area of groceries. Luckily, Mandy donated some ramen noodles to me...and I found some pretty creative recipes to add some flair to plain Jane ramen noodles.

http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/college-life/ramen-noodle-recipes/#section2.7

I'm pretty excited to try some of these out :-) one day I'll be telling the stories of when I used to live on ramen noodles and peanut butter haha you won't hear any complaints from me though...because some of these recipes look pretty delicious.

Xoxo
Krackle

Bitter sweet end

Ok, can I tell you a secret that's not really a secret?
I am a pretty big Harry Potter fan. By pretty big I mean I've read the books and own almost all of the movies...I don't have HP pajamas and bed spread or anything like that...but I digress. My point is, these book and movies have been a big deal for over ten years! ...and last night was the epic conclusion, the end of it all. So, of course I was there at midnight last night. It was so good, and I feel like I was a part of cinema history because it had to be the biggest opening night ever.

My friend Kyla and her boyfriend and I decided that we had to dress up because it was our last chance...why not?

Kyla was tonks, her boyfriend was going to be Sirius but everyone thought he was fenrir so we just went with it lol and I went as Rita Skeeter.

For those of you unfamiliar with the characters here was my inspiration for Rita Skeeter

She is kind of a hateable character...but she's also so much fun. Everyone loved the costume and complete strangers were asking to take pictures with me...it was so fun.

Haha oh! And we found snape and harry in the hallway...so we decided to break out our wands (or in my case quill) and snap a quick photo.

And this was us eagerly waiting for the end to begin.

Seriously, it was very epic and I cried...yes, I shed real tears. If you're a fan you have to see it...of course I'm sure you're already planning to see it if you're a fan hehe


Just curious, have you ever dressed up for a movie premier before??

Much love,
Krystle

Friday - best day ever!

Mandy and I had a super crafty/inspirational/productive day Friday :-)! We spent the morning walking around a pretty chic cute part of Little Rock. Then we went to the sweatshop and made lots of frankensteins!

Mandy made this super cute hat complete with tiger ears!!

I successfully completed this necklace from an old tshirt and some beads. I want to do another with more strands and more beads.

I also attempted this with the other half of my old tshirt...but I don't have any pics of it. ...and it didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.

It was so much fun! I'm really glad we helped get each other back in the crafting groove.

Thanks Mandy! Love youuu :-)

- krackle

Ok, here are some pictures of the cake I made for the Filmmaker's Ball back in April.

It was one of my favorite cakes to make because I had so much help. Josh was amazing and of course my roomie Mandy and my BFF (best filmmaker friend) Kyla were like the best help ever.

love
Krackle