Happy Friday friends.
I’m bewildered. What in the heck is going on???!! Hurricanes. Floods. Wildfires out of control.
Friends, I don’t care if you believe in climate change or not. Mother Nature is telling us something and it sure feels to me that we better start listening or just like the petulant child who’s in need of a good scolding, she’s going to take everything away from us unless we can learn how to better behave.
I’ve been somewhat consumed with the relief efforts and the incredible devastation of Texas. My sister has shared her first-hand view after days of volunteering to help others.
The disgusting, stinky water contaminated with sewage and toxic chemicals. The mold that’s growing within hours of waters receding. The mosquitoes finding ripe conditions to lay eggs within the piles and piles and piles of furniture, dry wall and remnants tossed to the curb for pick up one day. The pollution. The humidity and layers of oppressive sticky heat.
“I feel like we’re living in a third world country,” my sister sadly said.
Entire towns and cities throughout Texas are STILL without power, without food, gas or phone service. And the Red Cross hasn’t shown up yet. But people have. And they’re making a difference with their influence and busting through the bureaucratic red tape and giving straight to the people.
One guy who’s doing just this is this week’s #1 Friday Fave. Because I’m always looking for new Instagram inspiration, a few months ago I asked my cousin who her favorites are to follow and she didn’t hesitate when she said @collinkartchner. I asked her why she liked his account and she said, “Sometimes I just need a break and a good laugh.”
I could use an escape. So I followed Collin too.
Collin is funny and witty and ironic and as a fellow Utahn, he isn’t afraid to poke fun at himself and the stereotypical culture he’s a part of. He’s like a G-rated, family-focused, Dr. Pepper drinkin’ version of Broadway’s Book of Mormon and his following is DEVOUT because he totally connects through sarcasm and his alter-ego parody as an Instagram “power influencer level 16.” And even though I find him entertainingly annoying at times, I kept finding myself telling others to follow him too because I simply couldn’t stop watching his stories.
But that’s not why I’m talking about him out today.
Today I’m telling you to follow @collinkartchner because he and his crafting and blogging wife saw communities in need and actually dug in and did something about it. What started as an Instagram driven raffle in hopes to raise a few thousand dollars for Hurricane Harvey has inspired thousands of followers to donate over $100,000 and he’s sending it ALL directly to those he’s learned of in need through friends and followers on Instagram. And the best part? He’s sharing the stories and conversations with these people on his InstaStories. Tomorrow he and his wife will head to Texas for the second time this week to meet and deliver even more who have less and less than nothing.
Follow him. Donate. It goes directly to people in need instead of bloated bureaucracies.
Oh, and he created an awesome hashtag — > #HarveyUSlut I mean, what’s not to love?
Want more places to donate?
Check out my list from last week’s Friday Faves
St. Anthony of Padua Amazon Relief Registry
JJ Watt Houston Flood Relief Fund
Potcake Place in Turks and Caicos
Okay, we’re feeling inspired! So let’s dig into the rest of this week’s list of Friday Faves!
I laughed so hard at this. #5!!!! 👇🏼 👇🏼 👇🏼 👇🏼 👇🏼 (and who doesn’t need a laugh these days?)
These ADORABLE cookies! #texasstrong
This is how to help Hurricane Harvey victims with food.
This video. I can’t even.
A gorgeous end of summer soup.
I wanna nosh on this for lunch really soon.
These meatballs look amazing.
They’d be awesome next to these crispy potatoes.
Mama mia, someone please take me here.
This grilled cheese is seriously haunting my dreams (seriously though, isn’t she a beaut?)
These fish sticks for grown ups are on. point.
Ordered this cookbook because I hate doing dishes.
Don’t you just love pink food?
Craving this cake (and a glass of milk to wash it down)!
also…
Here’s an easy carrot cake I can totally get behind.
I’m not saying goodbye to summer until I’ve made this. Rosé all day!
but…
Would you drink blue wine?
3 recipes that have me excited for fall:
- Roasted Potatoes with Apples, Sausage, and Maple Mustard Glaze
- Fall Pear Chopped Salad
- Salted Caramel Apple Cakelets
LOVING the fall flavors of this peanut butter.
which leads me to…
How awesome is this fall foliage map? Totally nerding out over here.
Have you seen these photos from Beyoncé’s birthday?! She knows nothing about nerds.
73 questions with Cindy Crawford (spoiler alert: she sings George Michael).
If you’re a blogger, you should read this.
speaking of reading…
I just added a ton of these books to my fall reading list.
Has anyone seen this movie yet? Scandalous.
Don’t shop Amazon without doing this first. #OMGgamechanger
This necklace. 100% of proceeds go to Texas Diaper Bank (and if she’s sold out, buy something else. I love her stuff!)
These sweats. All proceeds go to Texas.
Fall wardrobe wants are amping up with:
- this cardigan and the “clay” color is perfecto.
- these pants like, whoa.
- this wrap sweatshirt = total staple
- this asymmetrical jacket bonus: It’s on sale!
- these pretty gold hoops that you can never go wrong with (also on sale)
Okay friends, if you’re in Florida or Eastern seaboard, stay safe. And thinking of everyone in Texas digging out. XO
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Are you criticizing the Red Cross for not having been to every little town yet? How many places do you think they can be in at once?
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I can’t imagine what your sister must be through. And now it’s Irma…
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
Your intro made me tear up Heidi. I hope your sister is ok, and that more and more things start to be repaired in Harveys wake.
I always love your instagram introductions to new people, I follow each and every one, and just love discovering new accounts!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend, now off to check out a ton more links :)