70's Birthday Party

I just celebrated my 31st birthday last month. We decided to have the party at our house, in part because it would force us to finish remodeling and cleaning (the 5 year ongoing project). It was really busy, but we finished it right in time.

Ted decided to throw me a 70's themed party, and to do it in stages. The first stage was at our house. We had snacks and hung out, enjoying the ridiculous costumes everyone wore.

I usually avoid parties- especially costume parties- but since it was my party, I had to dress up and be nice. :)

For the second stage, we went to the skating rink. It was surreal. I used to go every weekend as a middle schooler, and apparently they all still do. There were tons of kids, all trying to be cool and clever. The drama factor was intense. So there we were- grownups in 70's style, trying not to fall on the kids as we skated.

One of my friends wore a huge afro wig, short shorts, and knee high socks. The kids crowded around him in their skates. That wig actually made the rounds that night on several people.

But we had so much fun trying to remember how to skate. It was special for me to hold hands with my sweetie in the same rink we had first held hands and skated in 18 years earlier. Now, we held our kids' hands as they slipped around the rink.

After skating, we went back to our house for a house concert. I'm constantly amazed by my friends' musical talents. Ted had made the backyard really special with Christmas lights hung around a "stage" area.

Meredith & Nathan (my sis and bro-in-law) played first. They are without a doubt the most talented musicians I know. His guitar skills are unmatched, and her voice is pure but strong. Every song is unique and stays with you for days. Right now they're putting a demo together, which I can't wait to hear.

Next up was Mimo, with more of a folksy sound. I could listen to him sing all day, and his lyrics are clever and inspiring, often piercingly challenging and raw. Then Gina sang some originals, and I was so proud since it was only the second time she's done it in front of everyone. Her songs reflect her passionate nature, which I loved. Then Ted played his song, which is amazing, but it was hard to take him seriously with his crazy mustache and sideburns. Even my friend Kelly played an intricate guitar piece she'd written.

We finally said goodnight to everyone after 1:30 am or so. The concert was magical, with the music and twinkling lights shining in the darkness outside. I felt very loved and amazed at God's blessing- to be surrounded by wonderful family and friends.

Ten Thousand Homes Show

Hi, friends!
I wanted to remind you about the show tonight. It's for Ten Thousand Homes, an awesome non-profit, that in response to the AIDS epidemic now builds homes for orphans in South Africa. Mimo from 'Something in the Wheel' will be playing, along with a portion of 'FindingCadence'- me, Ted, and our good friend Jenise on acoustic guitar.

It's at 8pm in the Mokah Lounge at Life in Deep Ellum. All proceeds benefit TTH ($5 Cover).

Come hear some awesome music and do your part to help bring homes to orphans in South Africa!

The Amazing Girl Show!

I'm REALLY excited to be one of the artists and musicians featured at this year's Girl Show. It's the biggest event of the year for ArtLoveMagic. So if you live in the Dallas area, you won't want to miss this!

Birthday Giveaway!

Since I'm turning 30 this month, I wanted to give something away. Just leave a comment on this post, and on May 26th (my birthday) I will announce the winner. For an extra entry, blog about my giveaway on your site. Be sure to let me know that you have. 

I went through my art stash and included some papers, stickers, tags, foreign stamps, copies of vintage images, some funky images, quotes, a feather, and a copy of my band's cd and sticker. I hope you'll enjoy it!

A Good Self-Talk

The show on Friday was a success! We had a great turnout and lots of energy from the crowd. My only 2 goals at a show: talk to people (push past the awkwardness and try not to let them see it) and have fun. For most people, these goals are very simple, a natural byproduct of performing. For an artistic introvert however, being relaxed in front of a crowd is a huge chore. So I'm happy to say that I met my goals for the evening.

I was especially nervous because I was selling my art for the first time in public. So in addition to my already exposed lyrics and vocals, I felt extra vulnerable. There were now multiple ways to judge and reject me. But I was happily surprised by peoples' reactions. I ended up selling almost $100 worth of my art! Hopefully my newfound confidence will carry over.

While I'm so thankful to have opportunities to explore art and music, writing has been somewhat disappointing lately. After attending a writer's conference a few months ago, I came away feeling overwhelmed and disillusioned. I had been pouring all of my efforts into writing my book, but after listening to the speakers, it seemed futile. 

The odds are definitely against me as a writer. But this afternoon, I had a good talk with myself about it. I asked myself why I wanted to write. The part of me that was disappointed was the part that hoped to earn a living from writing. But the part of me that longed to share hope with other women- that part didn't care at all what anyone thought, or if it was published by a big name, or even made any  money. 

So I thankfully reminded myself that I am compelled to write, and I challenged myself to keep doing it. This weekend I'm going to visit my in-laws and give myself a "writing retreat." And I will keep looking for opportunities to write, regardless of the pay or visibility. Because I honestly want to help encourage other people, I will seek out creative ways to do it. Maybe sending a card to someone on my heart or calling up a friend just to tell her how awesome she is. I don't have to wait for someone to ask me to be a blessing. I'm going to start living that out intentionally.

Finding Cadence show this Friday!

If you're in the Dallas area, come out this Friday and see our show! We've got some fabulous new songs and some twists on the classics. Our band's mission is to raise awareness of social justice issues and point towards hope and love. I'm also going to be selling some of my artwork at the show (jewelry and prints of my paintings). Best of all- the show is FREE! So there's no excuse to miss out on this incredible night of music, art, coffee and friends! Hope to see you there!