I've had a lot of fun with the 50th Birthday Celebration and so I've decided to restart something I did a few years ago. It's called "FREE-FOR-ALL-FRIDAYS"

Your only requirements for participation in Free-for-all-Fridays will be to

1)   if you have a Facebook page, "like" Shannon's Studio FB page (different from Shannon Christensen Fine Art FB page) and 

2)  send me your email address for my mailing list here on my website welcome page. As of yet, I don't send out group emails, and haven't used my email list, but one never knows what the future holds so I am collecting those interested. I have some fun, secretive ideas but I'll tell the email subscribers about that later. 

Well, that's it. But don't forget, Friday we'll start the first Free-for-all-Friday. Come back and see what I mean.

Sometimes I wonder about my children. And I'm talking about the adult ones. Last year 3 of them got married, all in a month and a half. See what I mean. Two of the weddings were ours to put on. It was crazy. Some of it's here. 

Well, I thought last year was as stressed out as it was ever going to get for us as far as weddings are concerned. Silly me.

We were on a family trip 2 weeks ago when my eldest called and said she was getting married - in less than a week. What the crazy? And it was going to be at our house. We wouldn't be home for several more days. Needless to say we cut it short, got home Sunday night and had the wedding Wednesday. And I have to say we didn't do half bad. Or even three quarters bad. Okay, it really turned out all good. So, that's how we celebrate around here - intensely.

We're so happy for our newest member of the family, Sky. More of their story is here.

All the fam was here except for Barry, though we got to see him through video chats.

I'll try to post some of what we did and how we put it all together so fast later.

I'm sorry I'm posting something a little late here, but it was on time there. There, being the Idaho Women's Journal where I will post a few articles in their family life section. The Article is Fortune Cookies & Freedom. It's late because Friday was National Fortune Cookie Day but not so late that you can't use it on other days. (You'll have to head on over to get the idea and download.) It's just a way for you to tell someone it's your good fortune to know them.

Okay, yesterday I left a little teaser here, though it didn't start out that way. It was just that after having a little introspective moment I realized I had gone on so long already that I didn't want to go on even more and I really had one more day that I could work with. So the unintended teaser.

Here's what I really wanted to say yesterday, "In 50 days I'm turning 50!" (Though yesterday would have been 51 days but let's not get sidetracked again.) Starting today, I'm going to celebrate for the next 50 days. Well, let me revise that, we're going to celebrate for the next 50 days. That's if you want to join me.

The best birthday present for me is to be able to be creative. Something artsy. That's all. Soooooo....... here's what we're going to do. I'm going to post a portrait a day (except Sunday), for 50 days starting today, from one of your photos. Ambitious right. Okay, crazy. Like I said yesterday, maybe one challenge.

I did this one time a few years back (here) - where I had people send in an image and painted a portrait. That's the portrait I did above. I had fun with it so I thought I'd do that again, just on a much bigger scale. Because 50 is big!

Here's the how-tos and what-fors -

#1 Upload an image to Shannon's Studio FB page, here
#2 Leave your email in a private message on FB or my website
#3 Optional - Leave a thought about birthdays, turning 50 or      
       whatever you think of
#4 Optional - It would be nice if you 'like' the recent      
       Shannon's Studio FB I've opened up 
            (I'm switching over from the Shannon Christensen Fine Art FB page)

Since it's a celebration this will all be fun and flexible. So? Are you in? I'll know if you upload a photo.

I'm going to turn 50 in Aug. It seems like a milestone to me. Something that should be celebrated, in a bigger way. I have a Provo friend who celebrates her birthday all month long. Every year. (You know who you are.) I love that she does that even though I've never been inclined myself to carry it out that long. Until this year. Until 50.

Fifty is just different. It seems like a transition. And permission. And... 

Okay, I'm back. I went and looked for a word to best describe the feeling I was trying to convey. And I found it --- concordant. I've never used that word concordant in my life. No time like the present, since it fits. I feel like fifty is coming into agreement, harmony - concordant. Or concordance. Or concord. Whichever. Whatever, it feels like it's the long process of the coming together to contentment.

I'm content with where I am. Not the content that wants to sit and slide. Not the content that doesn't want improvement or see the need for it. Not the kind that doesn't want a challenge or two. (Okay, maybe only one.) But the kind that recognizes and respects goodwill, harmony, friendship, love, because of pain, contention, loneliness, and heartbreak. In the little scheme of things it's like a personal peace treaty.

But, this really wasn't what I was going to talk about. At least not in such depth. What I wanted to say was that I've been thinking about this for a while and I've come up with a way that I want to celebrate turning 50. But, this has taken up too much space already so I will tell you how tomorrow. 

Have you ever had an event and struggled to figure out what to where? It seems when it's important to me I can't think of what I'd feel great in. Intro Polyvore. I like it because I can put together outfits now that will inspire me later when I need them. Polyvore is fashion fun.

Well, Amy Woodruff was inspired another way. She did the Young Women Values in fashion form. What fun. And beautifully done. Another way to celebrate how we live.

Going out for an Art weekend? I've gathered some outfits (over at Polyvore) that can take you through your art fest in style. And comfort. I chose 3 Art Weekender destinations that have wonderful, WONDERFUL, art scenes. You really should try being an Art Weekender.

Tell me what art scene I should dress for next.

The other day one of my daughters informed me that she had a birthday party to go to. Of course she let me know at the last minute and we were scrambling for a gift. I went back to my original idea of the Hospital Contraband Kit and decided to see what I could do to quickly revise it. With a few changes this is what I came up with.

I printed the new insert and she folded and filled it. What a life saver!! I'm beginning to really like these kits. Made my life a little easier when my kid was trying to make it harder. Here are the contents she put inside.

Here's a download with the name space left blank. I've added a few direction with the measurements so that you can print it off with your own name if you want. Hope the idea comes in as handy for you as it has me.

There was a Cultural Celebration to commemorate the opening of the LDS Temple in Kansas City. And the show was AMAZING!

So many performers that they had to line up on the outer ring of the audience. Three of my kids were part of the group and it was a thrilling experience for them.

A dance tribute to the Joplin tornado rebuilders. Actual people who live there performed this one.

Again, just an awesome celebration that doesn't come along very often.