a wedding of two best friends.

// in respect for the photographers of the wedding, some images have been taken down until after their posting.

Ben and Candace are one of those couples that, when you raise your glass for a toast, you know they deserve it. They have fought hard over these last few years to get to the vows that will forever bond them. Here are a few pictures from their amazing barn wedding.

A litte history: My friendship started with Ben when I was in Jr. High. He was this shy 6’9″ boy at church who had a great taste in music and refused to give hugs. We slowly became best friends. We hung out almost every day after school and his family even bought extra peanut butter, honey and bananas so I could make my favorite sandwiches at his house at lunch. I spent most weekends of my highschool experience at the Knox’s house with the rest of our friends. Ben became friends with Clint- a missionary kid who had moved from California. Clint was the only boy who wouldn’t shoot me with are-soft bullets or put pepper in my Diet Coke, so I decided he was datable. He also rocked the Justin Bieber hair before Justin Bieber hair was a thing. Me, Ben and Clint hung out a lot. And I was grounded alot because of them. One day, Ben got pneumonia. And bad. He was in the hospital for a quite awhile and Clint and I would come and keep him company and make fun of his paper robes and weight loss like any good friend would. During Ben’s lengthy sickness, Clint and I were hanging out alone for the first time. Our first alone hang out was us chugging two Route 44 Ocean Waters each because we heard it would make your pee turn blue. Spoiler: it doesn’t. We never stopped having dates after that. So thank you, Ben, for being my best friend growing up and for introducing me to my husband.

Then comes Candace. The first thing I ever heard about her was Ben’s confession that “there’s this SUPER hot girl at my school named Candace”. Candace and I laugh about the first few times of us meeting. We were scared to talk to each other because I thought she was “shy and didn’t want to be friends” and she thought I was “hyper and didn’t want to be friends”. Ben and Candace started dating when Ben had just gotten to UNT. We went to Ben’s basketball games together, college get togethers that Ben and Clint’s friends (who all lived together in a house) put on (which really ended in us secluding ourselves in a corner and making bets about how many germs were infested in their couch) , and weekend hang outs at the Knox’s when we were all in town. The four of us have pretty much been inseperable. We even spent our Christmas break traveling all the way to New Mexico and the Grand Canyon together. She even traveled out to Houston on THANKSGIVING DAY to cook beside me. I seriously love Candace, because she unapologetically herself. And she is going to make one helluvah wife. So thank YOU, Candace, for being such a constant, real, and loving best friend to me. You’re stuck with me forever.

So cheers to such a beautiful couple! Please pray strength, protection, and joy over these two in their first year of marriage. And try not to be insanely jealous that they’re adventuring in Colorado for two weeks right now and you’re not.

xoxo, k.

//you will be able to find the official wedding pictures from the photographers, Luiz and Lo Baptista, at lhimage.com.

shop my closet.

 

I am currently cleaning out my closet with lots of awesome items up for grabs. If you’re on Instagram and love a good deal, you can shop my collection! @buykenscloset

Yay to clean closets and new homes for my stuff.

xoxo, k.

words to focus on.

 

 

when a girl has some questions.

I get straight giddy over interior design. It is a field that I am actively attempting to understand. It intrigues me because learning design is like getting to know someone. You have to feel it out and learn the quirks and traits that make it come together. There is no formula you can learn that “works”, like math or science. You have train your eyes and season your gut. As a lover of good design, well crafted furniture and small shops, I have been seeking out designers and shop owners in Houston to get some insight on their take of aesthetics.

Over the last week, I have gone to several different antique/interior design shops and spoken to their owners and designers about what it is that drove them to get their own creative space, what inspires them, and what the steps are to becoming a well known designer. Most of the men and women who worked in these places were very generous with their time and knowledge- excited to have found someone who was interested in their craft. I was thankful for this, as all I did was waltz in, slinging my Nikon around my neck, and request a meeting.

The shops were so inspiring to me. I wish I could pretend that I was cool about the whole thing, but I was almost keeled over with butterflies that these designers were taking the time to talk to me and letting me photograph.

One of the shops I went to even produces it’s own magazine with history of furniture and design from around the world. They let me have a copy and that occupied my afternoon as I was coming down from my interior design high.

Other exciting ideas are coming in the works soon and I can hardly wait to share.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week, and thanks for stopping by!

xoxo, k.

 

 

four great things.

Here are a few things that made the month of January special, that I happened to catch with my camera.

One: My best friend, Corie, came to visit me for a weekend. We never stopped laughing… or eating. Corie is one of those gems of a friend that is always down for a new experience- no matter what it entails. This quality we share never fails to get us in trouble and, consequently, provides the best stories. This particular weekend had us galavanting through Houston, singing at random Karaoke establishments, making friends with strangers, and making sure we ate everything the city had to offer.

Two: Clint and I went to visit my family for my younger brother’s birthday. I can’t believe how old they are getting. And they both tower at least 6 inches over me.

I was also able to visit my grandmother, Mimi. We had lunch and talked about anything and everything. I always feel so blessed to have her cheerful encouragement in my life. She always tells me that I give her hope in the current state of the world, but in reality, she gives me hope in myself.

Three: This last time Clint was home, we were able to experience lots of peaches. (Clint and I describe the good things in life as peaches and the bad as pits.)

1. After months and months of searching, we found a church that we both love. This is a hugely exciting thing to us, since we have been craving a Christian community- and between me going to church on my own when he was gone, and us not “clicking” with a church when he was here, it was a frustrating roller coaster.

2. I applied for my dream job. I honestly believed I had no chance at getting it, but after several rounds of interviews, I got a call offering me the position! I am still completely blown away and insanely excited. Starting tomorrow (ah!) I will be helping with the design of Free People stores. I will help plan events, pick what goes on manequins, style customers, and help design the inside of the store… the perfect collision of everything I love into one job description.

Above: Me in my favorite little nook of the house. The coffee table is an old war trunk and we found that killer wingback chair at an estate sale when we first moved to Houston.

And below: Clint and I went to several different museums over the two weeks he was home. It was so funny to see my grown husband get all giddy for the dinosaur exhibit at the Museum of Science- and then he completely geeked out over the natural gas exhibit like the engineer he is. I love him.

Home: I went to Canton last weekend, and found this awesome iron canopy. I decided to attach it to an old window frame (that came from a barn in Austin), to keep from having to drill any huge holes in the wall. Then I went to World Market and got some sheer curtains that I could tie on. Then I put a chandelier inside, and voila!

For the vase, I took a mason jar and sprayed mercury paint (you can find it at Hobby Lobby) inside so that it looks silver/a mirror finish.

Four: I have a thing for instant cameras. My most recent addition to the collection is Fujifilm’s instax 210. This guy is a wide shot camera, producing pictures about 3 times as large as the popular 7s. Definitely too large to casually carry around, but the pictures are easier to see and the camera provides alot more control over your results than the 7s (lightening/darkening options, different zoom lengths, ect)

I am also excited about this year’s planner from Kate Spade. Each month is sectioned off by beautiful pictures and fun quotes.

Off to my first day of my new job tomorrow. Wish me luck.

xoxo, k.

on to low quality pictures about my crafty life

I just love the feeling of finishing a project. It’s like the feeling of finishing a race or a long book. I just have a sense of well-being when I know I have put work and dedication into making something beautiful. This may be why I spent hours making my save-the-dates, to my mother’s confusion, instead of just buying them at the store and slapping an American flag stamp on it. I’m still happy about the completion of my doily lamp. I took a few pictures, but they’re just Iphone quality.. deal with it for a second.

 

My goal is to make a few more for the wedding. They’re precious in person.

 

And there’s nothing quite as exciting as making it onto the front cover of your university’s hand outs, even if you’re only about  pinky size.

I need a fleet of Marthas.

My pit and my peach of this week, so far, is as follows..

Peach: My doily lamp was a success, even if I was the most impatient person alive and popped the balloon before it was completely dry on the bottom and had to use super glue and a blow drying to cover up the evidence. It’s beautiful though. I’ll post pictures soon.

Pit: I have lost my planner. AKA, my entire encylopedia of wedding plan dates (ex: first look, alterations, hair appointment), phone numbers, and addresses. I feel like my world has fallen apart without it, and since Thursday I have continually felt that I must be forgetting to be somewhere without my moleskin telling me what I’m supposed to do with my life. WAHHHH.

Anyways:  I’m gonna need my bridesmaids to get cracking on making these cute lil thangs.

I also wish it weren’t so hot so that I could do something fun and outdoorsy without killing myself. The older I get, the less Texan I become.

10am on a Thursday, sippin on some Clear American.

I just read one of my good friend’s blog about his travels for his summer internship. I feel like, although I find great enjoyment out of my day to day life, it is hard to keep a blog when you don’t have any epic traveling experiences to muse about. I’m just craving to get lost in a foreign city (which wouldn’t be too challenging, since I have barely breached outside of Texas). But alas, I will trek on, attempting to amuse you with my daily Texan happenings.

Work has been… work. I am growing increasingly thankful for my employment as I see many of my friends unable to a job at all, borrowing thousands of dollars from their parents to pay rent. Although typing at a computer isn’t what I want to do for the best part of the summer days, I am able to financially support myself, and for that, I am very grateful.

Now, it would be a long stretch to say that I am financially sound , though. So, when approached with the reality that Clint and I have little, to no, furniture for our new apartment that we will be moving into in August, I pulled my deal hunting guns out. Clint, being the creative motivator of our group of two, decided to implement specific job titles for our up and coming marriage. He decided to dub me “head move in coordinator”, which, when said, is much like a tone used to get a puppy to run over to you, or to get a baby to smile. His tactic worked, and I puffed my chest up in head move in coordinator pride, picturing myself directing in where everything was going to go, and having the whole place decorated, homey, and guest-ready within the week. Well, I soon found out that “head move-in coordinator” was Clint’s clever way of saying that I was financially in charge of providing the furniture and decorations for the new house. That rascal. So I have been assuming the duties of my office, and finding us (well, me.. really) deals. Craig’s List still had my wallet feeling down, and, honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about meeting up with people I don’t know. Lucky for me, everyone and their mothers have been evacuating their townhomes and apartments for the summer, and the couch that their dad gave to them to take to college isn’t gonna cut it for the new room mates’ color scheme, and out it goes to the curb. I got a really nice (and wonderfully comfy) beige couch that someone had planned on throwing away, and with the help of some of my guy friends, it is now in 7D. Bingo. As for a coffee table, I found a large, antique window (rustic, white painted wood with several glass planes) at a garage sale that I will be putting on swirly iron table holders. We also have my parent’s old juke box that we’re super pumped about. I’m still scrounging for desks, but hopefully fate will bring me a deal, as it so faithfully does.

Things with the wedding have been crazier than ever.  I’m getting married NEXT. MONTH.  Can you believe it? I can’t. But I’m pumped. I have currently been making the save-the-dates to send to the family, which are very time-consuming, but I wanted them so bad to have a homemade feel to fit in with the rustic, homey feel of the wedding. I just want everything to be meaningful and warm, not a production. I hope that people can come to my wedding to enjoy themselves, have a cupcake, and share in the love that Clint and I want to show each other on this day. By inviting only the people that have specifically played a role in nurturing and caring for me or Clint (whether individually or as a couple) will really make this event special. The guest list is only 65 people, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In other exciting news, I just got recruited to play on an Ultimate Frisbee team, classily named the “disc lickers”, that will be playing in a tournament on Galveston beach for a whole weekend later this month. It’s a coed team that both Clint and some of our friends will be on, and I am in charge of designing the tank top that our team will be wearing (though, I have a strong feeling that no one will want to be wearing anything other than a bathing suit on the beach).

So, I stumbled upon this gem of a craft that I absolutely HAVE to make: a doily lamp. Okay, don’t curl your lip just yet.. look at the picutures below and tell me that you don’t think that’s just splendid. I have decided that I can’t consider myself a hippy without personally making one myself. I have searched high and low for affordable cloth doilys (who knew that they were so expensive!) but I found some at a store called Benjamin Franklins that I am told resembles the oldtime “five and dive” stores. I’m not even sure I know what that even means, but if it provides me with doilys, I like it. I had them put some on hold, and hopefully I can start project doily this weekend.

 

 

 

How awesome are those patterns it casts on the walls

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Thank you for reading.

XOXO, Kenny.

wedding

I love these wedding colors. So bright and happy.

Speaking of weddings, here is what’s in the works:

I’m so happy to have my venue finally picked out and solidified. SO. HAPPY. I’ve been really stressed out over this whole process and that was the biggest weight on my shoulders. I’m finally excited and ready.

Clint and I have been going to premarital counciling. I was pretty nervous about this before we started. I was just so ready to answer some question wrong and be told that we were the worst couple ever and shouldn’t get married. To our surprise, after taking some lengthy tests, Father Gary (the guy marrying us/my dad’s bestie) informed us that we added up to be the most compatible couple he has ever counciled. YAY! Maybe we’ll make it after all! Now about that snoring problem though…

Some of my friends have a wedding shower and bachlorette party in the mix, and right when I’m thinking that it’s pretty far out to be planning something like that, I flip only a few pages into my planner beforeI am blatantly greeted by “THE BIG DAY” boldly scribbled and circled on that Saturday box. Wow. 4 months. Crunch time.

Now it’s time to look for the perfect pair of shoes to wear. A pair of flats, definitely, so I don’t look my groom eye to eye. For some reason, I feel like a pair of wedding shoes are just as important as the dress. They don’t have to be expensive, but I want them to be carefully decided on.

We have our apartment in Austin. It’s a two-bedroom apartment that’s small and cozy with a fire place. For some reason, this is my favorite detail, and I always manage to slip it in that we get a fireplace within the first few sentences of telling someone about my future life. “Ya, we’re getting married July 30th… and then we get a FIRE PLACE!” It is on the 3rd floor and over looks a heavily wooded canyon, and a balcony that juts right out into it. That’s what I love about Austin. We’re 5 minutes from down town, and we still get to live on the edge of a canyon. I regularly fanatisize about having a cup of hot tea out on that balcony. Mmm.

And flowers, SHEESH. I’d sooner pick dandelions than pay half my budget on the basic floral needs of a wedding. At least they would match the color scheme?

 I used to think that people were always really excited about your wedding when got engaged, but they aren’t, so I’ll spare you all the tedious details.  But all I’m saying is, I’m super excited about becoming a Hanna.

spring break

The president of my sorority/my roomate turned 22, and we went out to a lovely restraunt to celebrate.

Me and a few of my roommates.

For Spring Break, Clint and I spent a few days in Austin. We just missed it too much.

 

I may or may not be addicted to guns after this experience. No one is safe now.

 

 

 

Recent happenings:

- Currently cleaning out my closet. Spring cleaning has a whole new meaning when it comes to my room. Oops.

- Clint and I signed for our new apartment that we will be moving into in August. It’s a 2 bedroom apt in a cute little woodsy area. It has a balcony that overlooks a canyon in Austin, and we even have a fire place! (Not that we’d even really need it, but it’s exciting just the same.)

- We have our venue for the wedding, and we’re just solidifying the details on decorations. Dress, photographer, and venue down. YES.

- Only 1 1/2 months left of school. It just flew by this semester.

 

stale bread and diet coke

A little peek into the recent events of my life:

Star wars pancakes Clint and I made.

And our new kitchen accessories.

Newest reading material.

And some random art I’ve been working on-

cross hatching

Watercolor on 18″x24″ matte board for a design project on abstract shape

Watercolor (just for fun). A quote found at a tea place that Clint and I love.

Contour drawing half way done (must be done without picking up your pen- except for the space that is in the middle of the watch- ie, the notches and clock hands)

Charcoal drawing on 28″x14″ of fabric. This was the first time for me to use charcoal, and it proved to be a very difficult art form, but I enjoyed trying.

I’ve been cranking out about 3 large art projects a week, and so I thought I’d give you a little sneak peak of some that I had to take pictures of to send my teacher on my Iphone. Next week is going to be hell academically, since it’s the last week before spring break, and it’s standard for teachers to kill you before any break so that you are left to simply catch up on lost sleep for the duration of your vacation time. Tomorrow I’m going to be spending my day at Barnes and Noble (as has become a habit of mine) and work on my social psychology paper along side my skinny vanilla latte.

Wedding plans have been coming along nicely, and I’ve been able to take a breather lately in that area. I still have yet to find bridesmaid dresses, but with every thing else seeming to piece together, I’m not too terribly rushed for that yet. I’ve been very thankful for all the support I’ve gotten from both families on the matter of matrimony, and I will just be happy to be married and living in Austin already.

Doing all this art has been incredibly amazing. I have found that most of what I’ve been doing lately isn’t what I’m strongest at, but that I love it all the same. Every day has been an intimidating event to me, and I’m thriving off the challenge of it. I feel as if school has turned into a test of skill that requires me to walk onto a chopping block 4 days a week as I am critiqued and compared to the inventiveness and skill of other students. And I love it. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone in so many ways, and this may be funny to say, but I believe that everyone has a deep passion in themselves that, unless satisfied or tapped into, facilitates in other things that create the illusion of passion. For example, I have always considered myself a very outgoing person. Time has shown myself to have a deep need to be involved in every club, social organization, help committee, student council, party planning… you name it, I’ve done it, and then some. For years, I’ve been bored out of my mind with classes that I would make A’s in, but had no real happiness out of, so I turned to friends and social activities to add excitement and purpose into my life. This was my illusionary life purpose. Ever since starting my art classes, I have found that my enticement with other people/events has dwindled dramatically. Frankly, I enjoy books and acrylic paint more than most people. I have found so much joy with creating and thinking and doing and planning and learning that I could care less who is decorating for the ball or what everyone is doing for the weekend. Hell, I didn’t even GO to the biggest social event of the semester simply because I wanted to stay home and draw, and I spend most nights creating art alone in the loft area of my house with the occasional visit with Clint that enables me to have my 1-2 real meals a week (I have learned to survive off of fiber one bars, apples, stale bread, and diet coke quite happily). *Sigh* I somehow always seem to get so deep in these things, and I just meant to quickly share some pictures with you. Well, at least you know I’m starving and happy, and that’s all that I could ever ask for.

life

Life has been crazy busy lately, but I can genuinely say that I’ve never been happier. I have been eating, breathing, and creating art into the wee hours of the night every day and it has been so wonderful. I have begun to take great pride in the water color residue stained into my hands and fingernails….and carpet and shirts… :/ whoops. And with the warm weather finally making it’s way back to my little campus on a hill, I am feeling like myself again. If anyone understands this, it is my mother.. the apple don’t fall far. Let’s move away to the tropics together, eh? I’ve been working out again, and spending time with Clint has been SUCH a blessing. All in all, as if you couldn’t tell from this rambling mumbo jumbo, I’m just very happy with where I am right now. I try to remind myself that I have to live in this time and not get to caught in what’s coming up next (after I had a panic attack this morning after thinking about all that needs to be done for this wedding of mine), because it’s so easy to live life only in retrospect.

Anyways, I thought I’d post a few pictures from Valentine’s day. Clint surprised me and took me out to get Sushi at some nice Japanese restraunt. He hates the stuff, but he knows how much I love sushi, and he wanted to try and get some different  kinds in hopes that he could find something he liked enough to open the door to future sushi dates. What a keeper, I tell ya. And don’t forget about the flowers and candy. He spoils me.

 One sushi too many hahaha.

Ta ta for now.

Winter daze

My inspiration board for design projects and art work for this semester.

Clint and I went to a ranch that we’re considering for the wedding.

Then it snowed, and I got to miss a whole week of class slash, suffered cabin fever. Winter break round 2, anyone?

My winter day with the starbucks workers and studying design. I’m so happy to be an art major.

And of course, Clint bought us chop sticks in the form of light sabors. Hey, I got a date out of it.

I took these while stuck in traffic in Dallas.

Ben and Candace’s engagment party:

And then Super Bowl Sunday with my family:

Now back to the grind, and I’m so happy.:)

I feel like

most girls spend their whole lives day dreaming and planning their wedding. For me, it’s been decorating my house. I have years worth of magazine clippings, images saved on my computer, folders and notebooks full of printed inspiration.. and.. one time I even, when I found a particularly compelling picture of a bedroom.. (should I say it?.. FINE, you convinced me..) tore it out of a magazine at the tanning place. GASP. I’m ashamed, but I didn’t even have the option of purchasing the magazine myself, so in the name of home improvement, it is now mine, neatly folded into one of several spiral notebooks full of my lusts from other people’s homes. Believe me, I’m excited about my wedding, but the day that I have a home to decorate will be the best day of my whole life.

And visual of my holidays:

At the Grand Prarie Lights with my wonderful brothers. Photocred to Papa Erm.

Brandon’s 3D glasses with the lenses popped out became the family’s photoprop for Christmas weekend.

Best. Dad. Ever.

Taken with my Nikon. Brandon as.. Santa?

Needless to say, the children of the Ermert home had no self control this holiday season. AND we made treats for our family. We just had a one for you.. anndddddd two for me sort of mentality.

Ugly sweater parties are always a must.

New years eve with my bestfriends (yes, we’re so close it’s morphed into one word) since Jr. High.

Riding the train to Victory Park in Dallas to watch fireworks and live music.

Me and the adorable Ms. Hannah.

Happy New Year.

Riding the train back with all our friends.

And other random holiday treats:

Fun girl’s night with all my best girls from school.

A date with Clint before he left for the Phillipines.

Family fun for Christmas.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Deck them halls, yall.

I’m finally done. Praise the laawwwdddd.

I’m going to be working full time over Christmas, but after finals, all I want to do is dedicate my time to something OTHER then a text book. I’ll also be thankful to make up the money that I spent on Christmas shopping. Having so many friends keeps me from being lonely all year, but it sure does get expensive around the time that the 1999 nsync holiday album hits my stereo. But the friends and family in my life are awesome, and I would spend twice as much if I could.

Clint finished and came home (if you call here home, I suppose) yesterday, and I’ll get to hang out with him for the next 2 days before he goes overseas for 3 weeks to see his parents and sister. Tonight, after I work, we’re going to visit some of our friends in Denton, including Clint’s best friend that will be in Iraq for 6 months in a few weeks. It’s so crazy to think of someone so close to me putting their life on the line in a different country. Is it weird that I find that thrilling? For some reason, doing things that don’t guarantee that I’ll come out alive really excite me. My poor mother.

I’m hoping that over the break I’ll have time to:

1. Make up for some crafting that got pushed behind marketing classes this semester. I went to my favorite stamp store yesterday called Paper Source in the North Park mall. It has the most beautiful and unique collection of everything from gold-plated paper to one of a kind organizing equipment. Going in there was like a breath of fresh creative air. I just about skipped home to my embosser.

2. Read a book. I keep starting all these different books and make it 20 pages in and realize I don’t have time to finish and slip it in as an addition to the half read literature pile that holds up my bed-side lamp.

3. One of my goals was to take a class, and I’m officially signed up for one, so that should keep me nice and busy. It’s just a crafting class that I have to take, but who’s complaining?! Your girl’s going to learn how to be domestic and make candles and sew quilts.  Whoot.

Currently listening to Pandora’s “Pop Holiday”.  You get it, Celine Dion.

More pictures of the weekend.

The non profit event was alot of fun, and we got to hear live music and talk with a bunch of different people. I ended up knowing a few through friends that I have in Dallas. What a small world. The pumpkin spice latte was to die for, and the music was wonderful.

Then, as if the creme, sugar, and caffiene weren’t enough, we went and got donuts for dinner. Not that I was complaining..

On Clint’s street, there is an electic wire that holds tons of different shoes. I’ve heard that back in the day, they used to throw certain types of shoes on the wires as a sign of what times of drugs were in the area.

This is of my sorority winning the best homecoming float award. We got 500 dollars, which goes towards paying for the supplies we used and other events.

The following are pictures I took today of the Christmas decorations that I helped put up all around campus. DBU is so splendid in the winter.

In our chapel lobby

Here are some other random ones from the weekend- enjoy.

One more final and I’m DONE!