Archive for the ‘Andrea Burden’ Category

Sweet Songs Giraffe Contest! Win a copy of CD & pass to Mother’s Day Show


As you can imagine, I’ve looked at our cover art at least a thousand times since I first saw the painting at Andrea Burden‘s memorial service in December.

I never get tired of it. And now I love giraffes and find myself noticing them everywhere.

Here’s one I happened to notice while taking the kids for breakfast at Jo’s in downtown Austin.  This was across the street at the Eliza Page store.

So here’s the contest.  Email me a photo of a giraffe in your world.  Could be real or otherwise. And please send to me by 8 pm CST on Thursday, May 6.

We’ll gift the top 3 giraffes (or the person that photographed them rather) with a free Sweet Songs CD — and if you live in Austin, a pass to our show and brunch on Mother’s Day too.   The best ten giraffes I will post here on Attachment Mama on Friday, May 7 for everyone to enjoy.

Fun!


Posted in Andrea Burden, Sweet Songs | 1 Comment

Mama the Word is Love…


…You’ve got to believe me
Cuz heaven above is right here and now
And if your fists clench too tightly
You can’t hold the world no how….

Libby Kirkpatrick

These are lyrics from Libby’s masterpiece song “Mama” on the Sweet Songs album….officially coming to life on Mother’s Day. I cried when I heard this song for the first time in the studio. I’ve heard it at least 30 times since and I’m still moved every time. Take a listen here: Mama

I’d like to share “the inside story of” Sweet Songs and I’m so close to it that I’m having trouble coming up with the words. This project is so close to my heart. And like childbirth, it has been both beautiful and difficult. I’m now beginning the transition from months of contractions to finally pushing it out to share with the world. And I wonder if I’ll be better equipped emotionally (fists less clenched?) to write about this after the album is born. Here’s the basics though:

For those of you that don’t know about my labor of love, Sweet Songs is an album of children’s music that was recorded at Hideout Studios — the world-class recording studio my husband had built that sits in our backyard.  Eight singer-songwriter women from Austin, including me, contributed songs to the album. Most of us are moms; all of us love children:  Libby Kirkpatrick, Sarah Sharp, Noëlle Hampton, Elizabeth McQueen, Gretchen Janzow, Elizabeth Suggs Mary Londos and Monica Cravotta.  Texas State Musician of the Year for 2010, Sara Hickman, creatively led our recordings as producer.

Back row: Noelle Hampton, Sara Hickman, Libby Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth McQueen and baby Lisel Blossom; Front row: Andre Moran (our amazing engineer), Me and baby Izaroo, and Sarah Sharp

We are giving 100% of the CD’s profits to our local milk bank:  The Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin.

You can read more about Sweet Songs: Music for Families and hear music clips on our new web site (YAY!) courtesy of Websy Daisy at austinsweetsongs.com.

The painting on our cover art that you see here is by Andrea Burden, the magically gifted artist (designer of Attachment Mama banner) and friend of mine who died unexpectedly in December.  I love that we are able to honor her memory through this album thanks to the incredible graphic art work of my very dear friend, Cheryl Mills.  She has been helping me tirelessly for the last few months on everything from sponsor invitations and web site design to CD cover and liner note art, posters and thank you notes — all while maintaining her full-time job. Bless her.

Mamas in the Austin area, please join us with your families on Mother’s Day at Big Red Sun for brunch and a live performance of our Sweet Songs. We will be celebrating the release of our album, advocating for mothers’ milk and honoring motherhood. Tickets on sale now at austinsweetsongs.com.

Also watch for stories on the album coming up in the May issues of Austin Monthly, Austin Woman, Austin Family and ParentWise.

P.S.  Thanks so much for sticking with me — I know my posts have been few and far between the last two weeks. I’ve needed to dedicate every spare waking hour (while my Tinies were either cared for or sleeping) working on completing and promoting Sweet Songs and organizing our Mother’s Day event.  Now that I thankfully have an Event Coordinator Sponsor, Event Envy (YIPPEE!) and support on the media outreach front from Jo Rae and Hard Pressed Publicity, I’ll be able to nurture Attachment Mama again more regularly very soon. xxoooxxxxoooo


Posted in Andrea Burden, Music | No Comments

When Mama Gets Sick


Standard prescription: “Get some rest.”

HA!

When nursing, and especially if you’re still nursing in the middle of the night, this may feel impossible and like a cruel joke when someone suggests it. Yes, it’s unfortunate that we can’t knock ourselves out for 9 hours with that glorious nighttime sniffling sneezing coughing aching stuffy head fever so you can rest shot of cherry Nyquil.  Holy Moses that sounds so fantastic to me right now.

But let’s focus on what IS possible. Here’s a few breastfeeding-safe tips (safe for baby, safe for milk supply) I collected from Austin AP Mamas:

  • Zicam q-tips- saline solution that helps everything drain out.
  • Mucinex for the congestion; ibuprofen for the fever and sore throat.
  • Steam bath before bed
  • Comprehensive, reliable list of safe over-the-counter and herbal remedies: http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/cold-remedy.html
  • My personal favorite:  Lots and lots of Vitamin C through food and supplements.  I prefer Emergen-C packets over swallowing horse pills.
  • And a recent wild card addition: Practicing Gratitude

Yes! I am grateful for this silly common cold reminding me to slow down.  I am grateful for my ability to heal myself.  I am grateful for life and for perspective.

As I write about this tonight in my stuffy state, I can’t stop thinking about Austin’s beloved Mama and Artist, Andrea Burden, who recently tragically lost her life less than 48 hours after she told a friend she wasn’t feeling well but thought she just had “the bug that’s going around.” Her headache turned out to be fatal bacterial meningitis.

One of my favorite Andrea paintings - so sweetly capturing the beauty and soul of Mother-Daughter Love

One of my favorite Andrea paintings - so sweetly capturing the beauty and soul of Mother-Daughter Love

She was such a beautiful soul who has left behind hundreds of grieving friends and many family members including a partner and two precious daughters ages 2 and 12.

Her memorial service in Austin yesterday was profoundly lovely with endless outpouring of love and honor of her Spirit — her enchanting, mystical radiance, her loving nature and the way she infused her daughters with magical fairy-like love and adoration. She was referred to as Austin’s Fairy Queen.

Hearing her older daughter speak broke my heart into 100 pieces.

She said, “God needed a new angel and picked my mom because she already was one.”

Indeed she was. I am so blessed to have part of her angelic creative hand in my site to infuse me with a bit of her precious sparkle dust whenever I write. Thank you Andrea. I’m forever grateful and inspired by the beauty you created.



Posted in Andrea Burden, AP & Self Care, Breastfeeding | 1 Comment

In Loving Memory of Andrea Burden, 10/10/69 – 12/05/09


andreaburdenI am still trying to comprehend the tragic news of Andrea Burden dying last night.  The beautifully talented artist that designed my sweet, magical Attachment Mama banner left this world 48 hours after being diagnosed with bacterial meningitas. I loved her artistic expression and was so thrilled to have her design my site. I also loved her way of being. She was so generous with her gift and her kindness and her support of me and other women in their creative aspirations.

The first time I saw one of her paintings I gasped. I remember vividly the experience of seeing it hanging at Ararat, a groovy middle eastern restaurant in Austin. I felt like I was witnessing pure Spirit on canvas. Her ability to capture the divinity within her subjects was like nothing I’d ever seen.  Profoundly beautiful work.  Please take a minute to peruse the paintings on her web site and experience them for yourself.

Andrea was also the illustrator for a series of children’s books called The Fairy Godmother Academy.

My heart breaks for her family. Andrea was mother to two beautiful girls, Bella and Indira. She and I both had the same midwife, GB Khalsa. My heart aches for her girls. Her partner. Her family. And for her, though I know every Spirit that transitions seems to reassure loved ones in one way or another that they “are at peace”.  I freak out at the thought of leaving this planet before my daughters are adults. If this middle-of-the-night thought or the much, much worse panicked thought of anything happening to them floats into my mind I have to practice the conscious language suggestion of repeating “cancel clear, cancel clear, cancel clear” until it’s gone and I replace it with, “We’re all here; everyone’s healthy and happy; we’re together; thank You for this beautiful Life we share.”

I’m reminded just how precious life is today.

Related Posts with Thumbnails


Posted in Andrea Burden, Children's Book | 1 Comment

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