Kate Willis's Blog, page 53

An Empowering Book

Do you ever buy a book just because it’s beautiful and then you find that the contents are even more beautiful in ways you couldn’t have even imagined?

I bought this book because the concept sounded cute, and I absolutely love the illustrators’ work, but beyond that Empowered by Catherine Parks was just another book.

Until I opened it up and was immediately hit with a Gospel-rich introduction. The easy to read, short chapters slipped past my 2020-induced reader’s block, and I wanted to both savor it and gobble it up.

Le book

Numerous chapters brought on the tears with portraits of women of God in unique, defining moments of their lives. I learned about Pandita Ramabai, Esther Ahn Kim and others, women of color whose stories I’d either never heard or only knew the revisionist details of.

I read stories about the Ten Boom sisters, Elizabeth Elliott, and others you would expect, ready to skim over testimonies that felt literally drilled into my head but was shocked and delighted to find new perspectives, new highlights to their lives, and even more inspiration and encouragement.

I found topics such as racism, slavery, and the Holocaust to be handled with age-appropriate honesty and respect to those who experienced them, and I would hand this book to readers of all ages.

The study questions, while best used in a book club of middle-grade readers, were helpful and interesting to me as well.

Charlotte Grimke

The illustrations (as expected! ) were a delight, and God shone through every chapter.

(If you haven’t yet, enter the giveaway for a chance to win this book.)

Fall Is Best Of All (Giveaway)

I can see fall coming before I feel it.

The light changes, softens into a gentle haze of gold and gray.

The days are gentler and the nights come sooner.

The weather shifts one day into cool, crisp, and exciting then back again into muggy, warm, and blistering.

Soon it will settle out into the first and not the latter and then I will need to find my sweater.

Soon.

Fall is my favorite season. The flavors, the colors, the clothes, and the overall vibe that says “of course you should stay in and read”.

This year in celebration of fall, I wanted to give away a small package of coziness…

Included in the giveaway are…

2 mini mugs (orange and cream)Small pumpkin candlesEmpowered by Catherine ParksBroken Strings by Eric Walters…and whatever other goodies I decide to add!

(The absolutely yummy sweater background is not included. Giveaway only available to the contiguous US.)

ENTER HERE

I’ll be back next week with a couple reviews of the books, but for now HAPPY FALL!!

(Special thanks to Joshua for taking the giveaway picture before it rained. That was a close one. )

Happy Cake Week!

Last night I finally got to watch the very first episode of 2021’s Great British Bake-Off. As someone who fell in love with and binged the whole show last year, it’s truly a delight to get to watch it in semi-realtime.

I’m already in love with this year’s batch of bakers, and I could only wish to make mini rolls as precisely and beautifully as Jurgen’s. Honestly, I want to try all the recipes now.

It’s too early on for me to have opinions on who’s going to win, but I’m excited to watch this unfold.

The only reason I watched it so late (just two days *cough*) was because I was having a cake week of my own.

This crazy, crazy week of mine, with a ton of support from my family and Joshua, I baked, stacked, frosted, packaged up, and sold mini cupcakes and small cakes at a ladies’ event our church hosted.

Behold…

My booth in action. My mom and sisters brought decorating supplies and an enormous pumpkin and helped me set up this table. We kept some stock inside the building but stacked a lot on my table.

Aren’t the boxes adorable?!

Some of my favorite cakes. Chocolate, vanilla, and chocolate coffee. I also had some spiced coffee ones there too.

My sister Perry made the labels, and I totally felt like a real professional.

It was a ton of fun, and people were so generous and excited for me.

Now, what week comes next?

Dear Barnes and Noble

Dear Barnes and Noble,

Thank you for the mail. The postcard is adorable, and I’m so glad your new location is finally open, but I must confess something…

I already knew.

The moment I saw your distinctive sign go up on the husk of a former bookstore, I waited impatiently.

Your moving sale previously had been both crushing and a delight. A delight because I could finally afford to splurge on the beautiful volumes I’d much admired, but crushing because you were yet another bookstore to leave me.

And now you are back.

I visited with my fiance just a few days before your postcard. The shelves are a different shade of brown, everything is smaller and more open, but the magic is there.

So many books, surrounding me, beckoning, their bright covers turned out to face the room.

Wider pathways where I can shop in an empty bubble and focus solely on the books.

Special tables of books to take my notice, either with their sales or recommendations.

A wider selection with a lower quantity of each individual book, showing you’ve learned to adapt and compete in this brave new book world.

I’m glad you are back, and I will be too. Soon.

Love,

Kate

All About You Around the Blogosphere Tag

Kristianne Hassman made this tag look so fun, I stole it with her permission. Thanks, Kristianne!

The Rules:
1. Answer the questions below on your blog.
2. Tag at least a couple other bloggers.
3. Have them answer these questions.

Question time!

1. What’s your favorite book/book series and why?

That’s a really hard one, since I’ve read a lot and loved most of it. It’s a pretty good problem to have.

I’d say right now, it’s The Mysterious Benedict Society series, especially books 1 and 3. They are just so engrossing, full of truth and whimsy together, and entirely too brilliant to boot. I was recently reminded of how good they are when I watched the Disney+ show of the first book.

2. Who is your favorite author?

Also a hard question. *rubs hands together* Sarah Holman is an old favorite in the indie world, Toni Shiloh is a new favorite (also indie, though she’ll be hybrid next year!), Ally Condie a favorite mainstream, and C.S. Lewis for nostalgia purposes. That was four, oops.

3. What is your favorite food?

I have two modes–avocado, cashews, and fruit when I’m feeling healthy or goooood, creamy, HEAVENLY mac and cheese.

4. What gives you inspiration for your books?

Honestly? Everything… My observations of my family and friends and random strangers, my own anxieties funneled into something manageable and solvable in a fictional realm, my inner wondering and wanderings, and Biblical teachings I’ve run across.

I’m also inspired by the fiction I read and the media I watch, especially if it’s an annoying TV show plotline I feel the need to fix.

5. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Somewhere UK-ish, and by that I mean foggy, rainy, perfect for growing vegetables, and with a sense of long history to it.

6. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Introvert, to the max. Before the pandemic, I’d say I could see myself becoming more outgoing (which isn’t the same as extroversion) but the past several months have really turned me back into a Hobbit for better and worse.

7. If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

“The emotions are strong with this one.”

A.k.a. a Star Wars reference warning you I am a Nerd and also explaining my emotional state.

This was such a fun tag! I hope you all enjoyed reading my answers.

I nominate . . .

Katja at Little Blossoms for Jesus
Jana T at Reviews from the Stacks

Liberty H. at Gone in a Dream

Feel free to answer these questions down in the comments as well!

Three Kids in a Trench Coat

There are so many big changes happening so fast right now.

Our first wedding gift arrived, boxes of belongings and wedding decorations swamp me, apartment hunting = stress, and I’m trying to keep up on homework for my church’s recovery group (more on that later ) and a ginormously boring work project.

There’s even been some gray in my hair, but only because I tried cornstarch as dry shampoo and used way too much and couldn’t get it all out in time before dinner with one of our pastor’s families. #truestory #doyouthinkanyonenoticed

It’s all good things, and the fulfillment of some of my best dreams, but some days it’s just a lot to deal with.

This weekend, I had one day where I felt particular emotionally overwhelmed and really needing some encouragement.

Into my notifications walked the new Pixar short, Twenty Something.

With amazing 2d animation, this short explores the idea of feeling like three kids in a trench coat faking your way through life–and doing terribly at it.

It brought (more) tears to my eyes and a sweet reminder that I am not alone and everyone’s had to deal with figuring life out.

Go watch it, and be sure to measure your cornstarch moderately!

I’m a Little Short

I chose this title because it cracks me up because anyone who knows me knows I’m just 5′ 4″ and my super tall fiance sometimes makes me feel even shorter.

I meant to talk about something completely different, but since I got on the subject and then searched for memes (as you do) here are some to enjoy/groan over.

And I live in the desert Southwest.

That last bit hurt, lol.

Kate McNugget, at your service.

This one literally hurts. I like being short most of the time, but not when this happens.

Okay, but back to what I was actually talking about.

Maybe it’s the case for all of you, I’m not really sure since I’ve been out of the loop for so long, but I’m a little short on blogs to read.

I enjoy ones with semi-regular content of a creative, cheerful, and clean nature. Got any recs? I’d so love it if you’d drop your favorites in the comments.

The Masked Baker

Last year brought about a lot of changes, and one of my favorites (besides my relationship status ) is the shift in my creativity.

I don’t just have to be a writer, y’all, and though that hurts a little to recognize, it’s also been fun and incredibly healthy to explore other areas of creativity.

The main one I’ve been focusing on is…

Baking!

I’ve always loved to bake and was already trying my hand at a few recipes when I began the wondrous show Great British Bake-Off. (Raise your hand if you’re eagerly waiting the next season!) It started off as my peaceful “comfort show” perfect for ending some pretty strange days, but the more I watched, the more inspired I was and it has grown exponentially from there. Just look at my pan collection.

I find inspiration in so many places–pretty Pinterest pictures, tempting Google suggestions, my longtime favorite YouTube channel Chelsweets… Even watching YouTube baking fails with Joshua. Right now it’s mainly two shows in the theme of GBBO, and I couldn’t be happier.

Dame Mary Berry says it best.

Back to my pan collection… It’s getting happily out of hand. I’ve picked up a few at thrift stores (Joshua is a supportive and great fun shopping buddy), bought seconds and thirds of favorites to make baking large quantities easier. You might even say the pans that started it all are my doughnut tins I recieved for my pandemic birthday.

This past birthday, my supportive family bought me some icing bags and cake boards (essentials I run out of quickly!), an adorable yellow cake plate, delightful sprinkles, and a rotating cake plate which is a LIFESAVER.

Besides my cake cabinet, I also have drawers full of supplies and tools and a cabinet of cake stands/plates.

One of my favorite tools–my KitchenAid flex edge beater–gets the job done.

I’m a researcher by nature (or nurture?? I was homeschooled… ), so one of my absolute favorite things has been watching copious amounts of YouTube videos and reading recipes. It’s seriously good fun.

I can research as much as I want to, but there’s still nothing that beats the trial and error of hands on practice. My example below just shocks me when I realize how far I’ve come.

My first ever attempt at pink lemonade mini drip cakes, October 2020. They, um, at least tasted good.

February 2021, same idea with much more skills gained. Also, raspberries make everything prettier. (And my sister is the sweetest!)

Quite a few cakes in, and I’ve finally discovered my favorite way to transport cake. No melting or sliding! Phew. (And please admire the tiny chocolate bars. The mold for them was an impulse buy I do not regret. )

I laugh every time someone on a baking show says “food brings people together”, but it really does. Some of my favorite things I’ve done these past 17 months were baking related.

My long-distance friend Mikayla is so good at coming up with things for us to do together, and video calling while baking the same thing might be my favorite.

We made mint chocolate chip cupcakes.

One of my highlights last Christmas was decorating cookies with this Favorite of Mine.

I baked with my nephews while they were staying with us for a visit, and I loved their creativity! Candy eyeballs for the win!

Sharing what I bake is a huge percentage of the fun. (Especially the peppering my family with questions about the flavors part. I just tested a frosting experiment on them last night, mwaha.)

I’ve baked mainly for my church’s college group, masked up and sanitizing of course, though I have shared some with my ladies group at church and shipped some off to Joshua while we were long distance.

I don’t just make cakes, as much as I’m obsessed with them.

Lemon frosting is .

It’s always a sheer delight when I revisit a favorite or try something new and it turns out just as I’d imagined.

Like this Mexican chocolate cheesecake for date night.

Or these darling truffles for a Valentine’s Day party.

Of course, I didn’t show you the cheese colored cake or the MASSIVELY oversized truffles or my very first attempt at bread just recently that ended up looking like the Sydney Opera House.

I’ll keep those mistakes to help me try again better next time.

Now what should I make next?

The Best (Story) Dog Ever (Excerpt!)

Since it’s been a little while since I’ve shared a story excerpt, here’s on from my apocalyptic fantasy story featuring The Best (Story) Dog Ever…

(Thanks, Emma, for helping me choose!)

Arrow walked down the corridor to the Great Hall, the black dog following at his heels. The day had been long, and he still had dinner to eat and paint to remove from his face. Mace had a look in his eye that said there would be a long, worrisome meeting in the guard shack later.

He threw a glance at the dog. The animal had stuck with him all day, whether Arrow wanted him to or not, and he knew that somewhere in the days following their meeting the dog had decided to be his.

When he entered the Great Hall, the cook handed him water and ash to clean his face, then traded these for a bowl of stew. He swung his legs over a bench and leaned over his bowl, losing himself in the comforting food.

The dog nudged his foot, and he threw him a scrap of meat. Sooner or later, the animal would need a name.

There you go! Aren’t dogs just the best? I originally planned for this one to be important early on in the story and then exit (*cough* die *cough*) but he developed a personality and absolutely won my heart and just had to stay.

There are some really special scenes with him that I can’t wait to share with you all.

My real best dog ever, Jack Lewis.

A Very Special Photoshoot

Joshua and I love taking pictures together. Whether it’s a date night adventure, celebrating a holiday, trying a CRAZY looking new food, or just making goofy faces and trying out zany filters, we’ve catalogued so many beautiful memories in the time we’ve been together.

But this past weekend it was time to take some very important pictures. Selfies wouldn’t do, so we enlisted the help of my brother Paul.

Official engagement pictures.

YES!!

It’s invite time on the wedding planning list, so we dressed up and headed out to the place where we had our very first photo taken.

We had fun joke recreating our early awkwardness.

And then took some more current us ones.

I love how well Paul captured our sense of humor and love for each other.

Like this joke one I accidentally really, really love. (Okay, but that aesthetic light in the background too.)

We stopped at the coffee shop for an AC and cold drinks pit stop. (Southwest summer is brutal, y’all!) Perry met us there and suggested another place to take pictures so we all headed there.

It was so shady and green.

Oops, I’m too short for this.

That’s better.

Our favorite and the one we’re really going to use.

And just for fun, here are a few more bloopers.

Sometimes we were talking and had no idea they were taking pictures. But most other times we were truly goofing off.

Thanks so much, Paul (and Perry some too) for making this day so special.

Soon we’ll be addressing and stamping the world’s prettiest invitations, and of all the planning we’ve done so far, this makes things feel so much more real.

I can’t wait to marry my favorite man.