http://www.happykatie.com

Anytime I mention Karen Walrond’s name in our house, Adam and Ella immediately *scream* CHOOKOOLOOOOOONKS!!!  She’s kind of a big deal in the happyfamily, I’m not sure if she knows that she has a happykatie, a hippie Latino and 4 year old as groupies.

So it should come as no surprise then that I am totally wow-ed by Karen’s latest beautiful creation – a fantastically put together book of her photography and inspirational quotes and stories called The Beauty of Different.

She asked Adam and I to be photographed for it months ago and we are both beyond ecstatic at having our images and quotes included in the book.  We met up at the MFAH sculpture garden one crisp morning, smiled at her lens and the rest is published historia.

Photo taken by Fayza Elmostehi / CultureMap

The Beauty of Different‘s message is so simple, so important and so needed in an increasingly plastic society – true beauty is found in our individuality, our uniqueness and our willingness to be ourselves and accept others as themselves.

The effervescent Fayza (another family favorite ) wrote a great review on Karen’s book and graces its pages along with Jenny (The Bloggess), Laura (The Queso) and many other (beautiful, obviously) faces.

This is a book to buy for that girl (or guy) in your life that just hasn’t figured out how gorgeous they are yet – buy 10 copies at least and hand out as you hand out smiles, cupcakes and hugs.

This book is special.

Just like you.