Art in a Family

I love that my kids are creative ~ personally I grew up in a non-artistic family and it's tough traveling this eccentric road alone. So when it came to raising my boys I nurtured their desires for self expression. It wasn't easy but as it turned out I wound up with three uniquely creative souls ~ a writer, a musician, and the oldest... well, you name it, he does it; sculpting, drawing, tattooing, etc.

While I could write sheets and sheets about all three and their inspiring talents, today I simply wanted to share a little bit about my second son, the musician. You see he's coming out with a new album soon and of course being the beaming mom I'm promoting it, but there's really more to it than just a simple album.

This is his third album, titled "Old Heart New Love", and it's in followup to his first "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" ~ written about a heart-wrenching breakup (hopefully his first and last). This album moves on from that starting point and embraces progress.  While all of his albums feature an amazing assortment of his original music and lyrics, there are striking differences between them.  Originally performed solo, he's now joined by a talented ensemble of band members and that, coupled with professional sound mixing, has brought a new multidimensional quality and depth to his music.

Beyond these aspects their fans and public are sure to love, it's the cooperative efforts and personal journeys I'm most inspired by.  From indie musicians to artists, this album is a collective labor of love and dedication. They've supported the entire production themselves and worked day and night around their "real" jobs, to see this dreams come true.

Moreover I'm captivated by the albums' artwork, all of which was created by one of my son's closest friends. Seeing how the imagery  has evolved over time from an original plucked flower to a skinned tattoo with thumping heart has been mesmerizing and stands as a visual representation of the progression and growth of this band and my son's music.

Here's a pre-released single if you'd like to have a listen to "She Shakes My Foundation" by Sound of a Smirk:

Free music player widget at ReverbNation.com

http://www.reverbnation.com/soundofasmirk/song/18685846-she-shakes-my-foundation-new-single#

While preparing the artwork for print I've had the chance to personally delve into the details of this newest album.  While I love it all, my personal favorite is the t'shirt that comes with preordering the album ~ you see  how the heart is there between the hands which are dripping into petals, but did you notice it looks like a flower? I didn't at first.

As far as the journey ~ it's simply priceless to witness our children grow through life. As parents we shutter at their pitfalls and rise in delight with their triumphs. So seeing them grow through heartbreak, coming out the other side wiser, happier, and stronger, are the some of the greatest blessings we can hold. 

Having a creative soul for a child takes that even further, enabling us to possess "markers" of their journeys ~ whether it's a painting, a poem, or songs woven into an album, they tap into the souls of our dearhearts and allow us to share even deeper in their experiences.  These are all the miracles of art in a family and the truest treasurers of this life.

And so I encourage you to follow this talented band, Sound of a Smirk, on Facebook, have a listen to their pre-releases, and preorder their bundle. Appreciating true creativity across generations is what fuels our deepest relationships ~ so listen, share, and enjoy, but most of all ~ preorder. *smile*

Enjoy~

Share the Love - Giveaway

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching I thought it would be nice to spread a little love around so here's a fabulous giveaway that's designed to do just that. Now the best part of giveaways are always the prizes so let's get on to that first...

Three Prizes~

First~ one lucky winner will receive one of my handmade key holders, their choice from the selection available in my Etsy shop...

Second~ one lucky winner will receive a $20 gift certificate to my Etsy shop ~ so you can choose to spend it however you like...

Third~ one lucky winner will receive this assortment of delightful Valentine's Day digital goodies pack...

Now I'm sure you're already in love with the goodies so let's move on to the sharing part shall we??

To Enter~

To enter this giveaway it's all about giving and sharing so for a chance to win simply visit my Sponsors below and do one of the following...

If it's a shop ~ find something you love and leave a comment with the item name or a link to the item

or

If it's a blog ~ become a Follower of their blog and leave a comment on this posting that you've done so.

Click here for a complete list of Fair Giveaway Rules.

That's it! Easy-peasy, right?! Ok, so here's the sponsor's list to visit...

Sponsors List
Shabby Chick Gifts
Craftingranny's Card Shack
Shells and Blooms
Vintage Heartfelt Designs
Sweet Twinkle Stars & Sugar Plum Creations

Since there are five sponsors you'll have up to five chances to win... just be sure to leave a comment for each Sponsor you visit!

Oh, one last thing, since sharing is essential to this giveaway, here's a little badge to post on your own blog. Post the badge and receive three additional entries to win!!

<center><a href="http://www.plumroselane.com/2012/02/share-love-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Share the Love - giveaway" src="http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy344/plumrose-lane/Badges/PrL-Share_the_Love-giveaway.png" /></a></center>
This giveaway will run through February 14th at which time the winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on a follow up posting.

Good luck everyone and have fun!

Enjoy~

Seasonal Goodies

I was just updating the seasonal goodies section on my sidebar when I realized that Valentines Day must be one of my favorite days of year since to my surprise I have more blog themes for this day than any other seasonal celebration! Isn't it funny when we discover something about ourselves we didn't realize before?! I guess it shouldn't be a surprise though since I truly am one of those "can't we all just get along" types when you get right down to it.

Anyhoo... there are loads of lovely goodies to spruce up your blog for this time of year, from a selection of Valentines Day goodies to a smattering of themes to warm your heart during the colder winter months, so have a visit and peruse the offerings ~ you can find them scattered throughout the Special Occasions/Seasonal Themes or Complete Alpha Listing Themes sections or just follow the quick links listed on my sidebar under the Seasonal Goodies section title.

For those of you looking for just a simple background there's always something fabulous to be found in the Just Backgrounds section.

And for those button loving souls out there, I've got a wonderful selection of seasonal buttons just perfect for adding a little love to any corner of a blog ~ you can find them by visiting the Button Elements section of my blog.

Enjoy~

thank you~

It's tricky to know what the 'proper' response etiquette is for blog comments ~ do we post comments on our own blogs?... do we send email follow ups?... do we write a new post altogether?... I've never been quite sure, but I had to step in and say thank you so much for all the supportive comments left on my "Sometimes" post.

I just can't tell you how much you've all touched my heat and how much your thoughts, prayers, candles, and well wishes mean to our family. One of my friends asked me ~ How can you write about something so personal? How could I not. In a world where most of us struggle to fit in, we've found a place where we can all meet, share, and support one another. Blogland is a place where each day we feel akin to other creative souls.

Beyond sales, money, and material needs, your well wishes in all forms lift our spirits and give us continued hope that we'll make it through this time ~ so thank you so much for all your love and support! You truly are the nourishment that keeps this plumrose blooming♥

New Buttons

Some people may not realize it, but there are loads of fun tools to be had for graphic designers. While some tools are offered for free, most of the better tools do cost and so it's always a fun experience when I'm able to buy a new tool to play with.

Recently I picked up this cool new tool which allows me to create buttons out of just about anything. Here's an example of an image of my cat in button form...
Too funny!

And so, I've created a few buttons to share with you...


<a href="http://plumroselane.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/4558915868_f510d1fb90_o.png" /></a>


<a href="http://plumroselane.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4558294421_cf0e3cbc68_o.png" /></a>


<a href="http://plumroselane.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/4558350273_d660a233b6_o.png" /></a>
Just grab the code below the button you like and add it to the sidebar of your blog by using one of the "html/java script" gadgets under the "Add a Gadget" feature in the "Settings" section of your blog and as always...

Enjoy!