Video Sneak Peek

Here's a little sneak peek at my desktop right now. We're hard at work on our next music video. This one's for the kiddies! I'll be sure to show you when it's done!

When Daniel and I both have to work late, we like to keep our video chat windows open so that, even though he's working in the living room and I'm working in bedroom, we can still feel like we're working together : )

I've also got a new print to show you and, as usual, I'll be giving away a free one. So stop back soon!

Arian : )

The Girl Has Style.

My son, Hudson, got to be in a music video today! And my sister, Andrea, was the style genius behind the video shoot's wardrobe.

(above 2 pics by Andrew Peters)

The kids looked amazing and I can't wait for the video to come out. Hopefully I can show you!

The day was a fun venture into the movie-making business. It's not quite as glamorous as one would think---lots of standing around in the cold and waiting. It makes you realize how amazingly talented movie-makers are to be able to take all those bits and pieces of footage and weave them into a beautiful film.

(Hudson and one of his little co-stars, Avery).

(before)

And Andrea, being the rockstar that she is, went and got herself a rock star mohawk this week. The girl has guts AND style.

(after)

She inspires me to be a bit more adventurous in my style. I'm feelin the need for a little style re-mix of my own : )

Arian

Print Giveaway!!

The lovely, talented, inspiring Miss Rachel of Smile and Wave is giving away three of my prints (of your choice). So hop on over and leave a comment today!

T'was a Happy Halloween

 The cutest Batman and Darth Vader ever!

Hope you had a great weekend and your week is off to a good start!

Rollover Goals

 (click to enlarge)

So October ended up being full of the unexpected--- an unexpected death in the family, unexpected house guests (a happy thing!), unexpected emotional wrestling, and impromptu party, several last-minute road trips to see family and old friends.... So I think I accomplished maybe 4 of my 10 goals for October. Thankfully, they can all rollover into November.

 Pick a pumpkin---check.

 Make (and eat) a pumkin pie (or 4)....check.

 Pumpkin spice latte...check..check...check.........check.

 Celebrate my birthday all month long...

...CHECK!!! Birthday trip to see an old high school friend turned pro opera singer perform, birthday vintage dress shopping with Andrea, birthday coffee and used book shopping with mom, birthday bike ride, birthday presents and long-distant phone calls and surprise treats. I felt the love.

So the other 6 goals will just have to wait til November. Thanks for stickin with me through this heavier-than-usual month! Here's hopin that November is full of cozy, light-hearted crafty goodness : )

Arian

New Friends!

So the lack of posts this week can be blamed on our new friends ; ) Who can sit alone at a computer when you could be hanging out and getting to know Battle Victorious (aka Todd and Emily, their sweet baby Eva, and their tour nanny Kelli)?? I couldn't!!

Todd and Emily are a super-cute, super-sweet, super-talented, and just plain super, married musical duo touring America right now.  And thanks to a mutual friend (thanks, Richard!) we got to meet and host them while they were here in Cincinnati.

I love hosting out of town guests, especially those who have never been to my city...

...and those who are friggin adorable (Hi, Eva...Hi!...Hi!...Hi!....Hi!) .

We hung out downtown, we hung out in the country, we worked together,  ate together,  stayed out late together...

... and were very, very silly together.

Goooooooooood times.

Family in town this weekend! Plus we are hard at work cranking out a new animated music video--woohoo!! This one's for the kiddies : )

Happy weekend!
Arian

Also The MAN

So it may seem weird to some to take/post pics of Daniel's grandpa's funeral procession. But photos help me remember the details of important events and yesterday is a day I don't want to forget.

Reflecting on someone else's life inevitably makes you reflect on your own while you still have opportunities to change it. Granddad Dale had a seemingly simple life in the country...never climbed the corporate ladder or made much money. But he had six kids who married and had 20 kids who are married and are having lots more kids. And they all love each other deeply.

It's probably because EVERY Sunday after church growing up, all 30+ of them gathered together on Granddad Dale's farm and ate together, laughed together, and played together. And more recently, even though he lost his wife and that farm years ago, he still treated any Armstrong who could come to pizza every Thursday evening.

It all has me thinking that having more kids might be even more of a blessing than I thought...even more than a successful career as an artist or finally getting rock-hard abs ; ) My sister is the best thing my parents gave me and I know Daniel would say the same about his 3 siblings. And I want a home that MY grandkids remember as a utopia... it probably wouldn't have to be super clean or super nice, it would just have to be big enough to run around in, have comfy furniture, and a BIG dining room table : )

Well, thanks for sitting through my reflective ramblings. I promise more cute, crafty, artsy posts in the near future : )

Arian