She and Him

I love everything about this new video, "Don't Look Back" from Zooey Deschanel's band, She and Him! It's not only a wonderful song, but a visual feast; combing retro-sixties clothing, furniture, and dancing with the "future."

She & Him - Don't Look Back from Merge Records on Vimeo.

Blog Giveaway!

Hooray! Sara Tornow's fabulous blog, Sweet November, is giving away one of my Little Bee necklaces! The contest starts today and ends on Thursday, April 21st. Check out her blog for rules on how to enter.
As an added bonus you are all welcome to a special coupon code for 10% off my entire shop. Just type SWEETNOVEMBER10 on your invoice when checking out! Thanks for stopping by!
(offer ends Thursday, April 21, 2011)

Nashville

"The Batman Building"

Springtime in Nashville

We just returned from Spring Break in Nashville, which is officially my new favorite town in the United States! Nashville is a city filled with culture, entertainment, live music, great antique shops, wonderful food, and the friendliest people I have ever met. Here are some highlights:

Country Music Hall of Fame

Our main mission was to visit colleges, but we had a lot of free time to explore the city. The historic relics at The Country Music Hall of Fame were fun to look at- I loved these boots, worn by Hank Williams III, at every concert appearance for 21 years! Hilarious!

They were hosting an event at The Parthenon, but we were still able to walk around and take pictures.

Yes, we stood in line to eat pancakes at The Pancake Pantry... and yes, it was worth the wait!

What do I miss the most? Well, at this moment that would have to be Las Paletas (the high today in Florida is 90 degrees)! Paletas are to Mexico what gelato is to Italy, all made from fresh, seasonal fruits and sometimes even vegetables! Sisters Norma and Irma Paz from Guadalajara, Mexico, are responsible for bringing their native treats to Nashville. With traditional and exotic flavors, the choice is difficult.  We sampled several: banana chocolate-chip, chocolate mint cookie, cucumber jalapeno, avocado, and more. My favorite? Pineapple hot pepper! Tristan was overjoyed to find that Las Paletas combined her two favorite foods, white rice and popsicles- into one delicious creamy treat.

Here we are at the legendary Bluebird Cafe, where we saw the dynamic Ashley Thomas play the "Sunday Spotlight" show and listened to several other very talented newcomers, including 15 year old singer/songwriter Bonner Black. Stealing the show was the amazing sister act, The Command Sisters. Charlotte Command, 15, is the songwriter of the duo and is gifted way beyond her years. Sarah, 12, plays multiple instruments (bass, piano, guitar, mandolin, and currently learning the fiddle) with the precision of a seasoned professional. Here is a video of the girls playing at another terrific venue, Nashville Hootenanny. They are so good!

And finally...our last day

at Percy Warner Park. Goodbye, Nashville! You are in my heart!

Brooke Fraser

I love this new video from Brooke Fraser, titled Something in the Water. Brooke also sings with one of my favorite worship bands, Hillsong. Enjoy!

Blog Coupon!

It's time for another surprise coupon! Use coupon code BLOGFREE1 for free shipping on anything in my Etsy shop, now until 9:00pm, March 13, 2011. Thanks for looking!

Nick Vujicic

This weekend Northland Church in Longwood, Florida had a special guest speaker, Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms and legs. His story is so inspirational! He regularly preaches and gives speeches on subjects such as disability, hope, and finding meaning in life. The sermon was so encouraging and motivational. It was an awesome service! 


Here is his story taken from the Northland website: 

Throughout his childhood, Nick dealt not only with the typical challenges of school and adolescence such as bullying and self-esteem issues but also struggled with depression and loneliness.  He constantly questioned why he was different than all the other kids surrounding him; why he was the one born without arms and legs. He wondered what the purpose behind his life was, or if he even had a purpose. According to Nick, the victory over his struggles throughout his journey, as well as the strength and passion he has for life, can be credited to his faith in God. His family, friends and the many people he has encountered along the way have also encouraged him.

By the age of 19, Nick started to fulfill his dream of being able to encourage other people and bring them the Gospel of Jesus through motivational speaking and sharing his testimony about how God changed his life and gave him a future and a hope. “I found the purpose of my existence and also the purpose of my circumstance. There’s a purpose for why you’re in the fire.” Nick wholeheartedly believes that there is a purpose in each of the struggles we each encounter in our lives, and that our attitude towards those struggles, along with our faith and trust in the Lord can be the keys to overcoming the challenges we face.

Now at 29 years old, this limbless young man has accomplished more than most people accomplish in a lifetime. Nick recently made the massive move from Brisbane, Australia, to California, where he is the president of an international non-profit organization called Life Without Limbs. Since his first speaking engagement back when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world, sharing his story with millions of people. He has also told his story and been interviewed on various televised programs worldwide.

When he does have time off from his busy schedule, Nick enjoys golfing, fishing, swimming and listening to music of all varieties, and most importantly, spending personal time with lifelong friends and family in Australia and the U.S. And most recently, Nick has begun to explore acting, with a starring role in the movie short, The Butterfly Circus, which can be viewed http://thebutterflycircus.com/about/who-we-are/.  As Nick says, “If God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet, then He will certainly use any willing heart!”

Nick says to always pray for a miracle, but if you can't get a miracle, become one! He is truly a miracle and delivers a message filled with hope.

There will be another service this evening, at 7:00 pm, and can be watched live online at http://www.northlandchurch.net/. 

Here is a sneak peek:

http://vimeo.com/20258317

The Civil Wars

This song by The Civil Wars is so amazing! The no-frills duo, comprised of Joy Williams and John Paul White, just released their first full-length album, "Barton Hollow"on February 1st.  I love the simple, pure quality of just an acoustic guitar, piano, and the two brilliant singers. Chris Willman writes, "Each song is an intimate conversation, and no third wheels or dinner-party chatter are going to interrupt that gorgeous, haunting hush." Gorgeous, indeed! I can listen to this over and over and over...