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Kristy-Anne Swart

Calgary, Albeta

email: kaswart@mac.com
phone: (403) 875-6351

She was the kind of girl
who if we
were caught
in a snow storm
in a tent
on the side of a mountain
and things were looking grim
she would smile
and bundle close to me
and say something like
lets sing a Christmas song
- Atticus #upandawaystudios

I don’t brag about myself often, but I will say that I can be a pretty fun mom. I would say I am 60% Mary Poppins, 60% of the time. However winter really affects me, and thus affects my ability to spread the whimsy. Summer Kristy-Anne is way more likeable then winter Kristy-Anne. I am just so affected by the seasons. I know I’m not the only one, but curious if this is more of an artist tendency or a personality type? If you are like me and affected by the seasons, do you fight it? Or just accept it? I’d say I do both...Two days out exploring in a row and I’m feeling a lot more like Mary Poppins again.

When it wasn’t minus a billion today, I knew we had to get outside. And just like that life seems a lot more bearable.

Back in my college years, I used to hand out gold stars. I had gold star stickers in my purse which I would award to people for little or big actions or behaviours. The goal was to encourage people, especially those that were likely less noticed. Handing out these stars became a fun routine for me, and I’d find people showing off their stickers on their phones, belts, or notepads. I know stickers are really nothing, but I truly believed their was something in the act of noticing, that encouraged people. For truly special occasions I’d make gold star cookies. When Darryl and I met 13 years ago, he lived in Nashville and I lived in Edmonton. He was in Edmonton playing a gig and I was taking photos. We met and basically the rest is history. Since we were doing the long distance relationship thing I sent him a care package shortly after we met with a book and gold star cookies. Pretty sure he knew he’d marry me after that. Recently I found a package of my gold star stickers in a journal and decided it was time to start giving out gold stars again. Cosette is joining me in this mission and it’s been fun. This week we made the cookies and though they aren’t quite as pretty as usual, I’m still excited. I’m still not sure who they will all go to, but I hope they will brighten some peoples days. I’m happy we are bringing this back. Anyone out there remember getting a good star? Or wishing for one?

Missing SA, the fam and obviously all the animals.

So grateful that I get the opportunity to love and do life with these guys. It’s a crazy ride. By the way... great news about Valentine’s Day... is that we are halfway through this month... which tends to be my least favourite month (except on leap years) 📷 @kristinanichol

Today we grieve the life of an incredible man, Colin Brown. It is a loss to our community, to the world, but most importantly to his dear family. The funeral today was impactful, utterly sorrowful but also inspiring. I know I left changed, with a desire to make my life matter, to love others more and to cling to the God I trust in. As we stand together in our grief longing to find some meaning, some relief, some hope for Kyla, for Parker, for Bennett... we do what we can. If you feel inclined to help this family I have put the link to their go fund me campaign in my bio. As they move forward into days, weeks and years of loss, this is one way we can help carry them. Also, let’s live our lives fully and try to love more freely.

When you are supposed to be in the photo, but in charge of taking the photo... you get your daughter to snap it. She nailed it. Love these ladies.

Celebrated their engagement in style last night. These two look like royalty so it was fitting we stayed at the @fairmontbanff