in memory of my friend

For the past few days I've been trying to find the words to write this, but kept getting stuck. I've been a little overcome with emotions and feel just a little out of it. That said, there's something I wanted to share- if nothing more than to give a friend the recognition he deserves. This past week my in laws came to visit. While I was rushing around cleaning and doing laundry, I saw on my phone that I had a new email from one of my old college roommates. She's moving across the country and given that J. and I did that last year she was asking advice on the moving company we used, the process, etc. Then she made a joke about how our last Facebook conversation (since Facebook keeps those all together so you can humorously look back on what "was so important" 5 years ago) was about a crush she had on one of my best friends in school- Josh- and asked how he was. (For the sake of this not getting super confusing, I'm going to use Josh's name instead of "J." since that's what I call my husband here.)

I was about to write her back to give her some hints/suggestions etc. about moving as well as to tell her that I called Josh about 6 months ago but hadn't heard back from him and that last I heard he was back in Athens (our college town) helping with his brother's new bar when I got another email from her.

"Apparently Josh died?!?!"

I felt like I'd be slapped. That couldn't be. I'd know that, right? I mean, it's not uncommon for Josh and I not to talk for 6ish months at a time- he's a guy, there's the time difference, and he's always been kind of a free spirit, but there was no way he was dead. Of course, thanks to Facebook and the internet, there it was in black and white. One of my closest college friends had died. SIX MONTHS AGO. The funeral had come and gone and I'd had absolutely no clue. As I saw pictures of his mauled SUV, I completely lost it. I kept trying to figure it all out, but there wasn't a lot of information. Apparently they think he feel asleep at the wheel, lost control, drove off the highway, flipped multiple times and crashed into the woods. He wasn't drinking, but I don't think he had his seat belt on (which also wasn't always uncommon, but looking at the wreck, I doubt it would have helped anyways.)

So there I was, wanting to talk to someone who knew him, but realized that I didn't really know his friends and he didn't really know mine. (I mean, one of the only two people that knew both of us just told me he'd died.) J. knew him (and lovingly referred to him as "jean shorts Josh" because that's what he was wearing when they met) but I didn't have anyone else I could really talk to about him- to remember him- so I figured if you don't mind, I'd just share with all of you.

Josh was a senior when I was a freshman and we met in a color composition class. He was on his 2nd or 3rd major by that time (I'm thinking forestry and landscape architecture maybe? I'm a little fuzzy on that detail) and I was chipping away at the prereqs for becoming an art major. He was always late to class, had a full on mountain man beard (which he then cut into chops before taking his fraternity composite picture), was pretty much always smiling, and shared my sarcastic kind of dry sense of humor. Although I thought he seemed fun, we didn't really become friends until one day when our professor told me to go copy something downtown during class. When I said I'd just do it after class (I was still new to the college thing and didn't realize this was my get out of class early card) Josh promptly stood up and said he'd take me because he had to copy something too. As soon as we walked out of the building he playfully shoved me and laughed- saying "Seriously, Courtney? You've got to take this less seriously. It's just skipping color comp 101. You'll be fine." So then we went and had lunch because I knew there was no way this kid letting me go back to class anyhow so I might as well have a good afternoon.

It didn't take long for us to become friends. He kind of became like an older brother. He was always there for me, would talk me out of doing stupid stuff, as well as talk me into taking risks "because life is short." He also was an amazing hugger. The kind of person who'd pick you up in the middle of crowded gallery just because he was so happy to see you. We'd encourage each other's work (he finally settled on sculpture as a major and was incredibly talented) talk for hours about who we thought we'd be when we were older (he went between being a husband/father and a crazy man who lived in the woods and made art,) and pretty much just enjoy each other's company. He pushed me to take "Outdoor Adventures" (which J. is grateful for because it introduced me to kayaking and hiking and all the other outdoorsy things I now know and love) and never laughed or judged any of my crazy ideas/plans/thoughts. When he heard I'd broken up with my first serious boyfriend because I'd fallen in love with someone else he never second guessed it. He was just excited to meet this new guy that I wanted to marry. (In case you're wondering, my husband J. was that "someone else" so thank you Josh for encouraging me.)

Josh was such a good person. Warm, loving, enthusiastic about life. He didn't hold back letting people know that he cared about them, he was thoughtful, and as I mentioned above, an incredible artist/designer. He always gave his all and never blinked at taking a risk (I remember one phone call in particular where he told me he'd decided to go on a night paddle- which is already dangerous- and how he was trapped under a fallen tree "but made it out fine so not to worry.") Not surprisingly, I got a lot of those "don't worry about me" calls. Once he'd flipped his car, another close call kayaking, etc. etc. He was always on the move, living in new places, trying out new careers, and was always full of stories. But even with all of his craziness, I never thought there'd be a day that he wouldn't call back. That he'd be gone.

Like I said before, we hadn't talked for awhile aside from random voicemails. I knew he was back in our college town helping his brother and seemed really happy about that. (I'd never met his brother, but Josh always spoke really highly of him and I think he was just so happy to get to hang out with him.) But even though we hadn't spoken for months, he was always on my mind. I always hoped he was okay, happy, and was enjoying life. And I have no doubt, that although it was short (Josh was only 31), he had one of the most full lives of anyone I've ever met and I'm so lucky I had the chance to know him and call him my friend.

So yea. That's where I'm at right now. I wasn't going to write about this at all, but it just didn't seem right to do that. And I'm not writing this as a " don't taken life for granted" or "make sure you say I love you to those you love" although that's all incredibly important and things Josh always did. I'm simply writing this because I never want the Josh I knew and loved to be forgotten.

Thanks for listening, guys.

Courtney Khail in Denver Life

via courtney khail

I meant to share this a little while ago but somehow it got away from me. Either way, exciting news! My invitations were included in this year's spring/summer Denver Life Weddings! (So technically it's not too too late. I mean, it's still summer.) It's such a beautiful magazine and I wanted to make sure I said a proper thank you to DLW. (Thank you!! It is such an honor to be included!)

Also, don't forget (as if I'll let you. I'm going to be such a broken record about this one...) I'm teaching a watercolor course this summer and would love for you to join me! It's completely online so no worries if you don't live in Colorado- and even better you have 6 months to complete it! Because no one wants to feel rushed when it's this pretty outside.

Want to sign up? Just go to http://jeanneoliver.ning.com/ and register (that parts free) then pick Watercolors and Flowers from the course list. It's that simple!

Creatively Made Summer Series- I'm teaching you to paint!

Mornin' everyone! (or technically, afternoon...) so fun and exciting news! I mentioned it briefly on Facebook a little while ago, but I will be teaching a watercolor class this summer with Jeanne Oliver's Creatively Made Home Summer Series! I met Jeanne in 2012 at Alt and was immediately taken by how real she was. She just seemed content and happy with who she was, where she was, and what she had to offer the world- which was incredibly refreshing. As our friendship grew, I was able to learn more about her passions, her goals, met her awesome husband, and pretty much just discovered how amazing of a person she was. Fast forward to a few months ago when I checked my email and found one from her asking if I'd be up for teaching a class this summer. Of course, you already know I said yes (hence this whole post. Wouldn't that be anticlimactic if I was just like "and I passed. the end. Happy Tuesday.") and I am so so so excited to do this. I absolutely love teaching people how to paint (I mean come on, I get to combine what I love doing most with talking. And by now you should all know how much I love to talk) so I'm really looking forward to this opportunity.

So, if you've always wanted to learn watercolors but never had the time, or the money, or you were embarrassed about your skill level (which is ridiculous. You rock) or whatever else, now is your chance to learn! The class is only $10ish dollars (I say "ish" because it maybe like $11) which is an absolute steal, it's an online video class that is pre-recorded so you can start and stop at your leisure, and dudes, you get to paint for fun. That alone should make you run to sign up. So don't stress about your skill level- I'm starting at the very very beginning- and will walk you all the way through to a finished painting. I'll even make up a hashtag so you can take awesome photos of it and share it on facebook and instagram so I can see your pretty pieces and tell you just how awesome you are at watercolors.

So here's the deal-

1. Go to http://jeanneoliver.ning.com and sign up for the network (this part is completely free!)

2. Browse the courses (you may have to click view all) and pick Watercolors and Flowers

3. Do a happy dance to show how excited you are. Post about it. Tell all your friends how much fun this will be. Hey maybe get them to join and y'all can take it together and have a big ol' party! Like one of those drinking and painting classes except you'll all have different unique paintings :) The possibilities are endless, people!

4. Check back often for sneak peeks, giveaways, etc. (You can also "like" my facebook page and get updates that way if you prefer.)

sliced lemons

Sliced Lemons via courtney khail. Purchase this painting here

I just can't stay away from the lemons lately. Every time I walk into the grocery store they're just overflowing from the bins and the next thing I know, I've purchased another six. Luckily, I really like lemonade. And lemon cookies. And pretty much all other baked goods with lemon zest.

Something about citrus fruit always reminds me of lazy summer afternoons. Sitting outside on your porch-your skin still warm from an afternoon in the sun- just cooling off with a glass of cold lemonade that you bought from the stand on the corner. Though I guess that's probably made from a package, but that doesn't really matter. Those are the memories I wanted to capture in this painting. A piece that- even on the coldest of days- could send you right back to your sun drenched front porch.

To be honest, I wasn't exactly planning on painting these lemons, but after I sliced them to put into my water, I couldn't get over how pretty the looked arranged on the cutting board so I pulled out the paints and got to work. I love how vibrant the yellows are and how if you look closely, the flesh of the lemon has a slight lime green cast. It's those little variations in color that I just can't get enough of lately.

Happy Memorial Day!

 

And to celebrate, let's take 20% your order. Just use code MEM2013! Enjoy the day everyone!

Courtney Khail on 5280.com

 (tying into yesterday's post, I got chills reading "Denver artist Courtney Khail" since I've been so used to hearing "Atlanta artist." It's the little things people.)

Hey everybody! Just wanted to share something that made me super excited (like, do a happy dance kind of excited)- my paintings are featured over on 5280.com! (5280 is Denver's main magazine- named 5280 since we are 5280 feet-or 1 mile- above sea level) If you have a second, I'd love for you to pop over and read the piece, leave your feedback etc. Thank you so much for the wonderful feature, Davina! I'm so honored to be included.

Celebrating One Year

How we spend most of the summer. Please take extra note of the super attractive knee brace I'm rocking.

Yesterday was my mom's birthday (Happy Birthday, Mom!) and after talking to her on the phone, J. and I sat down to have breakfast before going on a hike. About two bites into my bacon, J. went quiet and then asked me "is today our one year anniversary of living in Colorado?" (which yes, yes it was.) It's so crazy how time flies. A year ago, J. was getting his doctorate in pharmacy, we were saying goodbye to family and friends, and of course, were a little frazzled  trying to get everything moved/shipped/packed etc. before we hit the road bound for Denver. Funny thing was, I don't remember being scared at all. I mean, I think it's always a little unsettling to move to a place you don't really know anyone or anything (we were fortunate in the fact that I had some blogger friends here,  J was already friends with his company's Denver recruiter, and one of his classmates and her fiance' were moving out here as well) but for the most part, it was just a leap of faith. We both really believed we were supposed to move somewhere else, do we did.

Of course, that doesn't mean the move wasn't a little difficult. Making friends out of college is incredibly strange (I talked to my girlfriends back in Atlanta all the time about feeling like it was an awkward kind of dating. You know, the whole "what should I wear? When should I call again?" etc.) and it's only that much harder when you work from home. Add that to kind of being lost all of the time and there were definitely a few times I thought I might go crazy. I remember this one day where I was driving around trying to find my way to Melanie's house and thought to myself "I can't wait until the day that I won't rely on my gps for every little thing" when I realized I was going the wrong way on a one way street. A four lane one way street to be more specific. Luckily, I u-turned it before it was a big deal, but I couldn't help but laugh, thinking "where in the world am I?!" It was moments like that where I learned I just had to laugh and let go. Everything would end up working out in the end.

And it did. Amazingly, everything just seemed to fall into place. So many milestones have happened this past year (biggest=we bought a house!) but it's the little things that stick out so much to me. Cookouts with new friends, ski weekends with old friends, afternoons spent skiing or hiking, introducing our new city to our families, cheering on our college football team at Denver UGA Alumni events, garage sales that become more like parties than a way to get rid of junk, camping under the stars, concerts at Red Rocks, dinner conversations that linger long after dessert is served, book clubs, mid week lunches that turn into 4 hour gab sessions-hell, even doing yard work in our very first yard- it's all of those little things that make this city our home.

And even though we both wish we were a little closer to our family and friends over on the east coast, we really wouldn't change a thing.  (I'm so excited to see what else is in store.)

Florida Getaway

A little over a week ago J and I ran off to Florida for some much needed warmth and relaxation. (More importantly, it was his grandmother's 88th birthday and we really felt we should be there for it.) It was wonderful to unplug, listen to the waves crash against the sand, indulge in multiple slices of birthday cake, and of course- spend quality time with our family and friends. Here are some of the views from the trip:

all images copyright of courtney khail

The Most Amazing Biscuit Ever (Recipe)

The Best Biscuit Recipe Ever

As I'm typing this, I'm watching the clouds roll in for what's predicted to be a "really big snow storm." Come on Mother Nature. I love snow just as much as the next person, but ski season is officially over (as of this past weekend) and therefore you must go away too. It's time for sunshine and flowy dresses. But since the weather apparently doesn't agree, I decided to throw on an apron, crank up some rap music and bake. (In case you weren't aware, baked goods love rap. It's like plants and classical music. Just trust me on this. You put on Bach and your biscuits will be flat. You sing "Baby Got Back" to them and they'll plump up. Okay, I'm kidding, but at least you'll be less guilty about downing your goods after dancing around for an hour to some old school tunes.)

So back to the biscuits. I mean business when it comes to biscuits. Don't give me some dry, flat thing and say it's a biscuit. If they aren't puffed up, delicate, and filled with enough butter to give you a heart attack, it's not a biscuit. It's sad breakfast bread and you might as well have made dry toast. Of course, seeing as we now live a mile above sea level, I wasn't exactly sure how my biscuits would work up here. But, a friend gave us homemade jam for a housewarming gift and I refused to let it go to waste on some dry toast. (It's good jam, people. It deserves good bread.) Plus I had lavender that I really wanted to cook with so I figured I'd try my hand at buttery, lavender biscuits.

And ohmygod they were so good. Like, freeze some so you can eat them every morning good. So yea. Let's get to those.

lavender biscuits via courtney khail

Do what this photo says. If you can't read my handwriting, let me know and I'll walk you through it. If your dough seems really dry, add some more milk. (Outkast's"Ms. Jackson" came on right about now so I'm not really sure how much extra I put in. Let's guestimate 2 tablespoons give or take 1/4 cup. It needs to form a ball, not be a crumbly mess.)

Flatten the dough out on a floured surface and cut out your biscuits. Technically, you're supposed to use a drinking glass "so the edges don't smush together and they really rise" but I think that's a little nit picky. Plus, I like my simple round cookie cutter.

cutting biscuits via courtney khail

Put them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Mine were done in 13.

Pull them out and try not to burn yourself as you devour them. (They are best hot out of the oven, so freeze whatever you're not going to eat right away and just add 2ish minutes to the baking time.)

Recognizing the beauty- thoughts on our housewarming party

via courtney khail

With the horrible tragedy in Boston, I was originally going to postpone this post. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that we all might need this. At least I need this. Because when the world looks so ugly and dangerous, sometimes we need to remember the beauty in our lives. I'll be praying for everyone in Boston. I hope you all can find your beauty again very soon.

This past weekend, J and I finally hosted our housewarming party! Without getting too too sappy, it was really amazing seeing new and old friends fill our home and backyard. It's crazy how many people we've met and become friends with in less than a year and now I don't think we could ever imagine our lives without them in it.

Something else amazing? We have a permanent home. While I've loved the other places we've lived, they were never really ours since we were renting. But these walls- in all of their concrete glory- are ours and that's such a cool feeling.

*It was also our friend's (who happens to be one of our amazing neighbors) birthday so I tried my hand at high altitude baking. A little more difficult than I expected, but overall a success (and now I want more cake.)

lemons, limes, and oranges (oh my.)

So apparently you all really like the citrus- all of my citrus paintings sold out in less than two weeks! (Which is still incredibly surreal and I can't put into words just how grateful and moved I am by all of your support. I always said I wanted to be an artist when I grew up, and it's just amazing that I've gotten there! Of course that also makes the assumption that I've "grown up" and well, I'm not 100% sure that will ever happen. Let's just say I've grown a little older.)

Anyhow, I was wandering around the grocery store and stumbled across key limes. Cute, little bursts of beautiful lime gradients that I promptly tossed into my cart. And because I rarely can think of just one thing at a time, I of course started thinking of what I could make with the key limes after they were painted. I'm so not a fan of key lime pies (too tart, too fake tasting-reminds me of that episode of Dexter where he searched and searched for the "perfect key lime pie.") so I asked around and my good friend Mel sent me what looks like the most amazing cheesecake recipe ever. I'll keep you posted on how it goes! Hopefully I do it justice.

After doing a little dance in my head about the key limes (or maybe I actually did that in public. Who knows. I've sometimes caught myself singing along in my head to whatever music is playing overhead and then having a moment of panic that I was actually singing out loud.) the beautiful display of yellow lemons and bright orange tangerines, naval oranges, etc. caught my eye. Amazing how inspiration can come that quickly! As soon as I saw those together, I knew I wanted to incorporate that into a painting (which is how the orange and lemon painting arose.)

How do you like these? Anything in particular you'd like to see me create in the future?I kind of want to try artichokes. Wouldn't they look cool?!

And on a completely unrelated note, I successfully patched our bathroom ceiling yesterday! We had a roof leak soon after moving in and because we'd only notice it was leaking when it snowed (and thus it was too wet to fix) it took a really long time to get everything back in working order. Even after it was though, I kept a Tupperware bin under it anytime we left "just in case." Yep, I'm a little neurotic. (I prefer to call it prepared though.) So now that it's (finally) sealed up and dry, I thought it was about time to make it pretty again. So far so good! Now I just need to prime and paint. (Which may happen in 5 minutes, it may happen in 5 days. We'll see.) Y'all get anything accomplished from your to do lists this week?

Both pieces copyrighted by courtney khail stationery and design. You can find all of my work right here!