weloveadventures

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Engagement Photos!

Last Saturday, we hired a talented, young, local photographer - James Young - to take engagement photos for us. I wanted a pretty grungy aesthetic, so we decided to do it at an abandoned slaughterhouse. Pretty morbid huh? Haha. We wanted something different! Luckily there was a gnarly looking tree just outside that we were able to decorate with some of our kitchy belongings. We are excited about how these turned out. Thanks James!

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Happy 6 year Anniversary to us! Here is a BB-8 card I made for Austin for our pending nuptials next year. Haha!

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My Engagement Ring

My (now) fiancé, Austin, worked with jewelry designer Ben High to design my engagement ring. Austin contacted Ben and said that he wanted help in designing and creating a ring based on my favorite camera in the whole world, the S16mm Arri SR3. 

A little context to this camera; this is the camera that made me fall in love with filmmaking. While in grad school for Cinematography, I used several film cameras, but the SR3 felt “just right.” The images that S16mm cameras produce are in line with the aesthetic style that I want to have as a cinematographer. There’s something about the grain that gives the images a different organic feel that can’t be done digitally or even in other film stocks. 

Back to the ring—

Through about a month of back and forth communication and throwing around of ideas, Austin and Ben came up with this absolutely beautiful ring. This is the most incredible ring I’ve ever seen and I am so grateful and in love with Austin for the thought, time, and money that went into getting this done. I am thankful to Ben for this beautiful design and his skilled craftsmanship in creating something so perfect for Austin and me.

This ring is a reminder to stay creative, and a reminder that someone cares and loves me so much but also pushes me to pursue my dreams and stay creative and do things that make me happy as well. 

(*The numbers on the ring are our anniversary, the ring is white gold with a diamond from Canada, and the receptables have two diamonds in them.)

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I’m Engaged!

My best friend and love of my life, Austin, proposed to me on Friday (April 24, 2015), in one of our favorite places in the whole world, Big Sur. The spot where he proposed to me has a lot of sentimental meaning to us. When I graduated from grad school in 2010, Austin flew from Ohio to California, for the first time ever, to help me pack up all of my belongings and move cross country to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I would be working on several short films. On our drive, the first stop we made was right after the Bixby Creek Bridge, to an overlook to take in Big Sur. This is where I took one of my favorite photographs of all time. This spot made me realize how in love I am with California and how it will always be home to me even though I was ready for my new life with Austin. 

Jump to 5 years later…

Since I have been so distracted and worn down from planning and throwing Erika’s 30th Birthday this week (photos to come shortly), he decided that it would be a fun break to have a picnic in Big Sur. To make a long story short, everything worked out absolutely perfectly. He set up the picnic, put out these beautiful light up letters, put on our favorite song on his speaker, got down on one knee and proposed. Afterwards we ate the delicious picnic he packed and spent the day overlooking “our” Bixby Bridge, and then visited our favorite and most beautiful inlet at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Everything was perfect, everything is perfect. 

(Separate Ring post, to come.) 

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In Search of the Girl with the Glasses

For our 4 year anniversary, Austin made a fun little book for me. It's the sweetest thing anyone's ever made for me and I absolutely love it. He took actual photographs that I took from some of my travels all over the world and drew and watercolored them with my favorite stuffed animals in them [my several Quatchis and little green dog that I've had since I was little]. It's really adorable and I love it. Thank you very much Austin, and I appreciate all the time and work it must have taken to make this!

<3

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Happy 4 year anniversary!

Shit's been super rough the last couple years, thanks for hanging in there with me. Love you. 

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Bodega Bay.

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Happy 3 year anniversary!

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We love the coast! So happy to be in California!

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Packed a picnic lunch today and eat it on the Riverfront in Napa. After walking through the Chefs' Market and drinking wine, eating cotton candy, and buying the most delicious peaches I've ever had, it was a perfect. 

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Birthday Love!

My birthday yesterday turned out awesome. I had a pretty bad day from the morning until 6:30PM when Austin got home from work. He gave me a delicious giant red velvet cupcake with a single candle to blow out. He bought me a wonderful dress that I love so much. For dinner, Austin took me to Michael Jordan's Steakhouse. He and I aren't big on fancy shmancy restaurants, but this was a thoughtful treat since we both figured we should go to this before we move out of Chicago. The food was absolutely delicious. I was a little disappointed that they weren't playing the Space Jam sound track though, but whatever. Hee hee. After dinner we went to a Second City show. It was pretty hilarious, I'm glad we went. Thank you very much for a beautiful birthday, Austin. I love you very much. Also, thank you everyone for the Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Text, birthday messages. I appreciate it a lot and am lucky to have wonderful friends, even though most people (I haven't talked to in ages) only greeted me because Facebook said it was my birthday in the upper right hand corner, it's cool. <3 Love you guys!

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Raccoon & Red Fox

Austin and I made felt masks...and then took photos...for fun. 

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Obligatory .gif 

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Dear Austin,

Thanks for being so fantastic lately. A lot of changes have been happening, new job transitions, new medication, a move coming up, etc, etc. I have been growing increasingly worried/scared about all these new adult transitions but I'm very lucky and happy to have a best friend who is patient and caring and kind. 

Also one who takes care of Quatchi[s].

How is it that even when you're gone for a couple hours, I already miss you? 

Our life is an adventure.

Love,

Karen

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Our First Valentine's Day together.

This year is the first time, in the a little over 2 years that we've been dating that we are actually in the same place together. Thanks long distance relationship. Psh. 

Austin had me run an errand to the CVS to pick up some photos...as a plan to get me out of the house while he was sneakily making a delicious dinner. He made our favourite Discoteka Fries from the Pick Me Up Cafe (that no longer makes them). Fries with onion, bacon, feta cheese, and ranch dressing. He also made mac and cheese with lasagna noodles in it. Yum. Needless to say, we had a ton of left overs, we barely scratched the surface of the mac and cheese. Thank you for the the delicious dinner and the wonderful evening. 

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The Valentine's Day cake I made was a success. Delicious!

-Karen

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BUTTERBEER!!!