Once upon a time, I followed this crazy, creative beauty on Instagram.  She is wicked talented, has like a million followers and posts the most beautiful, inspirational things!  After I moved to Seoul, I suddenly recognized the settings in her photos as places I was newly exploring… and then discovered WE LIVED IN THE SAME CITY!!  I timidly reached out to see if maybe she might want to I dunno… maybe meet up but INSTANTLY regretted it because I was worried she might murder me.  That happens right?!  Interweb scams and she isn’t really who she says she is and BOOM.  I’m dead because I went all fangirl over this chic that paints cool things!

Turns out she wasn’t a psycho (I’m alive to tell the tale!), we both hoard scrapbook supplies (and swear we have EXACT plans for them) and our blood types are mexican food.  People think we are sisters, I fell stupid in love with her and even tho neither of us live in Korea anymore and still live thousands of miles apart, we are still bosom buddies AND I GET TO SEE HER IN 15 DAYS!  Plus she (SHE: the goddess of all things creative) asked ME to photograph her and her husband in their Korean world before they moved?!  What a treasure!

They live in UAE now but it was such a treat to see Korea through her eyes!  Seriously, go back through her instafeed and check out her photos!  And then go to the current images to see her new part of the world through her eyes!

She and her fox of a husband love to laugh, travel, eat, adventure and stare deeply into each other’s eyes…so we all got along well!  How stinking cute are they?!

One of the many things I love about these two is how they can totally BE wherever they are.  They notice lights and sounds, smells and textures….they just soak in whatever is beautiful around them and SHINE it back out!  They love the Lord fiercly, each other deeply, and friends genuinely.  I love hearing how they speak about others behind their backs with the kindest words and how they both really do look for the greatest things in other human beings.  Being around them just makes you want to be a better person and make awesome things!  They are just good feelings all around!

Mr Man was such a blast to work with!  He had this “smolder” that he perfected and he laughed at all my stupid jokes!  I love how he loves my friend and supports her in all of her creative endeavors!  Real keeper, this guy!

I am SO thankful (and incredibly honored) that these two would consider me for even a moment of their time!  They are just as delicious in real life as they are in these images and I can’t believe I wasted 35 years of my life NOT knowing them!  Follow us both on instagram (hers and mine) because, in just 15 days, much mayhem will ensue when she COMES TO GERMANY TO SEE ME!!

Like I said, Lauren is a maven of all trades and literally everything she touches is a success!  Below are just a few of the places where she REALLY shines and you need to check it ALL out!  Fun fact: I played my “friend card” and get to be on a podcast of hers at How She Creates!!  I will post about it when it aires later this month but for now, if you want to be inspired in your creativity, check out her first season of podcasts!

So thankful for her friendship and how it spans the globe!!  Thankful that we took a chance on each other (and basically our lives) to meet up.  I am thankful for all the meals we have shared, the laughs we have had and the amazing window light for selfies we have found.

Follow her.  For real.

She makes life a whole TON more beautiful!

Find her at her own website (with all her amazing creativeness), her amazing podcasts at How She Creates, and full-time time venture at Get Messy Art Journal.