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The Avid Pen
The Avid Pen

Hello! I'm Christa.

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Bonjour!

... and merci, beaucoup for joining me in this space as I share about beauty/skincare, food, style, and travel inspired by my love of art and all things French.

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Broken but still beautiful. When we were last at t Broken but still beautiful. When we were last at the garden center I captured this short moment with a beautiful butterfly. One of its wings was injured and yet it was beautiful through the imperfection. #butterfly #beautythroughbrokenness #littlethings #life
Who is handling #nursingschoollife better? Me or @ Who is handling #nursingschoollife better? Me or @gracieoftheavidpen
It was time to have our annual Boo party, and this It was time to have our annual Boo party, and this years party did not disappoint. There were goodies and ghouls that were oh so cute and delicious. #littlestoriesofmylife #boo #booparty #october #theavidpenathome
Set in the desert wilderness of Sedona Arizona, Cy Set in the desert wilderness of Sedona Arizona, Cynthia Johnstone’s debut novel “Nomad” is an atmospheric novel about risk, endurance, and the thin line between escape and reckoning. After the sudden death of her brother, Corey retreats to a remote ranch hoping the silence of the desert will drown out the noise of her grief. But the quiet only deepens her isolation—until a mysterious stray dog appears, pulling her back into the world and forcing her to face what she’s been running from. Set against the stunning red rock canyons, “Nomad” is a lyrical, emotionally charged novel of trauma, resilience, and the wild grit it takes to heal. As Corey grapples with loss and the ghosts of her past, she’s drawn into unexpected relationships that challenge her guarded heart and crack open the possibility of love. For fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Charlotte McConaghy, this is the story of one woman’s return to herself through the rhythms of nature, the ache of memory, and the quiet, untamed beauty of connection. It’s a tender, tough meditation on the raw path to healing—and the fierce, fragile hope that blooms in its wake. Nomad was released on October 13th. Pick up your copy at your favorite bookstore. Q&A coming to theavidpen.com soon! #nomad #griefandloss #newbook #bookstagram #theavidpenreads
Just the best birthday party ever. This girl loves Just the best birthday party ever. This girl loves her Snoopy and my nieces got to experience the fun and deliciousness of the treats Gigi made with the @realduncanhines Peanuts mixes. Isn’t the cake just Perfect! We found the Snoopy on @amazon and the @merimeriparty pumpkin candles were the cutest! #peanuts #snoopy #snoopyparty #snoopylover
When you unexpectedly run into an artist at your l When you unexpectedly run into an artist at your local @sbux_baxter and can’t resist asking if you can take a picture of his WIP. #art #artoftheday #artist #watercolor #baxtervillagefortmill
One of the stunning Dahlias @jetermountainfarm # One of the stunning Dahlias @jetermountainfarm #fall #fallvibes #flowerstagram #dahlia
“It was a beautiful bright Autumn day, with air li “It was a beautiful bright Autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it.” – Diana Gabaldon (Outlander) #fallvibes #fall #nieces #apple #applepicking🍎

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