so easy, a caveman can do it.

it's no secret that i'm an instagram lover.

i decided to display my love for instagram and pictures on my bedroom walls.

there's a cool app called postalpix. you can print your instagrams in different sizes.
best of all, they're super affordable.

i took some string i had stuffed in a drawer and bought some cute little mini clothespins and voila!  
you have a quick, cheap, and easy DIY project that's so easy, a caveman can do it. zing!

the pictures go all around my room.

my bedroom is my private safe haven, so that's why you don't see full pictures of it.

ten good things right now.

• beautiful summer flowers
• hot weather = maxi dresses
• this post by jon acuff. 
• God's perfect timing
• encouraging friends 
• caramel iced coffee
• fun, cheap diy projects
• deuteronomy 31:8
• fresh okra 
• texts from my daddy

 ♥

(ps: i have disqus now so i can reply to your comments directly and have convos on the blog!)

over the weekend.

poolside afternoon, beautiful nature, and a wedding.
sunday afternoon nap, iced coffee, and wonderful bible reading.
saved by the bell reruns, starbucks, and pistachio pie.

here are some snapshots from the weekend:

 flowers // thistle
pool time with ali // flowers & sunset

 dandelion in the morning light

thistle // flowers & reflections

wedding punch // iced coffee & the Word

sunny day // grace for the good girl

4 tidbits of wisdom:
- satan's favorite evil trick is to get a single girl all upset and down at a wedding. he almost succeeded with me this weekend, but i was reminded that God's ways are higher. His plan for me is perfect, though it may not fit into what society has crafted as "normal". 
- middle school boys are hilarious to listen to when they are talking about girls.
- wedding punch is thebomb.com
- just because you have money doesn't mean you have to spend it.

3 things i'm looking forward to this week:
- dinner with meagan.
- thunder games!
- getting starbucks. (when you live in a small town, you treasure those out-of-town trips.)

2 blog posts i'm currently lovin':
- this post by my wonderful/amazing/inspiring friend, meagan. made. me. cry.
- this post by sydney at the daybook blog. like, seriously. how cute is her little man?

1 quote from something i read: 
"i feel very strongly that marriage is not a higher calling than a single state. 
happy indeed are those people, married or single, 
who have discovered that happiness is not found in marriage, 
but in a right relationship with God." 
-gary chapman.

what's in my bag?

after months of patiently waiting for the THEIT bossi bag to come back in stock, 

i barely managed to snag one before they sold out in 30 minutes.  

my quick mouse-clicking ninja skills come in handy sometimes. 

here is what's in my bag:

ipod, wallet, keys, sunglasses, notebook, to-do list, iphone, car key.

pencil, migraine meds, change, adorable zip drives, gum, transformers band-aids, lotion.
and an extra starbucks sleeve. just because.

bobby pins, clippers, hair ties, lipstick, balm, brush.
i'm convinced there is someone who breaks into my house just to steal my bobby pins. 

or maybe there are fairies who like to take them and make you think you're crazy. 

mission accomplished, little bobby pin fairies!

when i go on a shoot, my lenses and camera fit right in there. 

what's in your bag? leave a link to your post in the comments. 

i always like seeing what women carry in their purse!

i can only imagine.

curled up at the computer with hot tea as the rain pitter-pattered against the window while adele softly serenaded me, 

this thought occured to me:

if God makes beauty like this in my backyard, can you imagine what heaven will look like?

© amber kanady photography

salted caramels.

my favorite drink from starbucks is the salted caramel mocha frappuccino. the sweet and salty combo is genius.
so you can imagine how i reacted when i saw these salted caramels from baby boy bakery. ohmylanta.

after some research, i found the recipe and got everything to make them!

disregard that they're not perfect squares. the caramel and i had a disagreement. 

after some time apart, we are on good terms now.

homemade sea salt caramels:

vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.  lightly brush the paper with the vegetable oil.

2.  in a small pot, bring the cream, butter, and one teaspoon of the sea salt to a simmer, over medium heat.  do not let it boil.  once it has reached a simmer, turn off the heat, and set it aside.

3.  in a deep saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar.  over medium-high heat, stir only until the sugar has dissolved.  then allow the mixture to boil, without stirring, until the mixture is a warm, golden brown.  watch very carefully, as the caramel can burn quickly toward the end.  (it can be helpful to use a wooden spoon and drip some of the caramel onto a white plate to gauge the exact color).

4.  when the sugar mixture is done, remove it from the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture.  be careful because it will bubble up violently.  stir in the vanilla.

5.  return the mixture to the heat and cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball), about 10 minutes.  pour the caramel into the prepared pan.  (don’t scrape the pot).  refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.

6.  remove the caramel from the refrigerator and allow it to come close to room temperature.  pry the caramel from the pan.  on a cutting board, cut the square in half.  using parchment paper, roll each piece of caramel into a tight 8- to 10-inch log.  sprinkle the logs with sea salt.  cut each log into 3/4-inch or 1-inch pieces.  individually wrap each caramel in glassine or parchment paper, twisting the ends.  store in the refrigerator or in an air-tight container.

helpful tips: 

• step 3 takes forever and a day.
• parchment paper and wax paper are NOT the same thing.

because of the brave.

mama and i had a garage sale over the weekend. 

we made a little extra cash, but two experiences that day will never leave our memories. 

saturday morning, a lady was paying for the items she wanted and seemed a little frazzled as she fumbled around in her purse. she apologized and told us her son's camp had been attacked the previous day in afghanistan. she got word he was okay, but she was still visibly shaken. our hearts broke for her. after she left, mom and i couldn't stop thinking about her and about the families who don't get the same reassuring phone call she received. 

about an hour later, two ladies, a mother and daughter, walked up to us to pay for the items they wanted. the mother made a comment that she liked the cell phones we had for sale. she couldn't afford more than two and proceeded to make us cry with her next statement: 

she was buying cell phones to send to the troops overseas. tears.

i didn't even have to think about my next action: i walked over to the remaining cell phones, put them all in a box, and gave them to her free of charge. the way i see it: those men and women are fighting EVERY SINGLE DAY for our freedom. they are away from their wives, husbands, children, friends, and countless other loved ones. they sacrifice their time, and some pay with their lives. all so we can live in this great nation called america. 

we are the land of the free because of the brave. 

i encourage you to always be praying for our troops. 

don't forget their families. they need our prayers and support just as much.

become a fan of beauty in humble places on facebook!

over the weekend.

i've had two circumstances that indicate the end of the world is near:

• i was the first to arrive at work this am. on a monday.
• i was the first out of bed saturday morning. this is more rare than an all black penguin.

weekend fun:

rain boots + puddles = kid at heart.

new nintendo gameboy iphone case // beautiful oklahoma sunset
the best tea evah // pretty flower

fun little photo session in a wheat field.

mimosa tree // flower love
beautiful nature // flowers by the pond

L-O-V-E

cute little thing.

perspective. 

 these flowers follow the sun as it rises. that's how i want to live my life:
to follow the Son wherever He goes.

4 tidbits of wisdom:

- sunsets are good for the soul.

- a smile or holding the door open for someone can make their day.

- the things you don't think will sell at a garage sale are always the first to go.

- show grace to others, just as we are given grace from God.

3 things i'm looking forward to this week:

- starting my first online book club.

- taking a photo walk around the property.

- going to a wedding. wedding = cake. cake = happy amber.

2 blogs i'm currently lovin':

- this post by caleb grimm. (anthem lights)

- this post about 50 shades of grey. amen.

1 quote from something i read:

- "there is nothing you will ever do that will make God love you more than He does right now. there is nothing that you will ever do that will make God love you less than He does right now. God's love is unconditional. it's not based on what you do or don't do."
-daily hope with rick warren. 

current song on repeat: "thank God for hometowns" by carrie underwood. 

"thank God for hometowns.

first kisses and touchdowns. 

thank God for the county lines that welcome you back in when you were dying to get out.

thank God for church pews.

and all the faces that won't forget you.

and when you're lost out in this crazy world, you got somewhere to go and get found.

thank God for hometowns."