wedding programs, proposals, bff's, & jerusalem + a giveaway!

one of my bestest of all best friends got married on the coast of southern california this past spring. it was a dream wedding - with an old, humble house stuffed with family and friends - artists, and puppies, and dancers, and more. we snacked on fresh fruit from the garden and kept the windows open to smell the pacific air.

even with a baby in tow, it was a dreamy sort of week. and aaron and tamara are a dreamy sort of couple. below i have a small video that captured aaron's street art proposal in bend, oregon. it's vimeo version alone has had over 58,000 views! it's definitely worth the couple minutes.

it just gives you a picture of these two. a couple months ago i got a text from tamara asking me, "should i move to jerusalem?" i mean, really. these are the kind of texts i get from her. i responded, of course, "yes, yes. immediately."

and so, the lovely vandenbrouckes are living in a quaint apartment in the holy land. i mean, REALLY.

the above is a photograph of a program snatched from the wedding that i was able to design. the front logo was hand drawn by aaron himself - and i show the big boy version in this photograph.

the inside has a little icon representing each person in their massive bridal party and a personalized message to them. i'm included, and it warms my heart even now to read it again. the programs can be found in my etsy shop now (finally!) and are up for a bride or grooms own customizable version. it would include a custom wedding logo they can use throughout their wedding, along with personalized messages to their bridal party, family, or whomever they choose to honor. (it could also be exchanged for messages to each other, lyrics, scriptures, etc.) and a order of events on the back. click here to check it out!

you can also view my previous blog posts about their lovely wedding:
video of our time there by this lady
wedding dreams / photographs
amos at the wedding @ 8 months

for yesterday's (OOPS!) giveaway, i am giving one program design with hand written messages + logos inside for free!!! this is a huge giveaway, and the file can either be sent to you as a .PDF for you to print, or I can print it with my local printers.

you can have up to 4 chances to enter. here is how:

- leave a comment telling me your favorite wedding dance song. ;)

- blog, facebook, tweet! about this giveaway and comment with the link


----

and in the spirit of the 24 days of giving (i haven't forgotten, promise): here are 3 giveaways at one of my favorite blogs, mycakies. don't be shy to enter! i've won twice! 1, 2, 3


don't forget to enter the first giveaway and third giveaway while i still have it open (i may extend it a day or two, so go! go! go!)

happy birthday, to my little sister.

my baby sister is now a wife and a mother. it's an incredible thing. i'm so proud of her.

here are some snapshots from her simple, yet beautiful, courtroom wedding.

happy birthday! i wouldn't be the same if it wasn't for your life, and the mercy of God in bringing it into my own. i love you.


        

'tis the season // 24 days of giving!

 

             It's Christmas time, and that means that it's a beautiful time to remember it's so much better to give than receive. I know it's cliche, but isn't it true? In high school I use to beg my mom to front me the money she would spend on my presents so I could buy some legit presents for my friends. It was silly, but I just loved the joy of shopping for someone else. 

           That's why, here on See the Skyline, we are going to celebrate the beauty of giving with 24 presents leading up to Christmas! The blog will be full of giveaways and printable goods! Keep checking in because I have something in store every day. :)

          Today See the Skyline is giving away personalized gift tag stickers for your upcoming Christmas wrapping. It will include a set of 20 stickers designed with your style in mind. Your name will be included on each tag.

Here's how to enter [Each number is a separate entry. You can do one or multiple of the following]:

1.) Leave a comment telling me what design you would want for your stickers if you win, and the name they will be signed with.

2.) Head on over to the new See the Skyline Blog Facebook page and like it. Then leave a comment letting me know you did so and a link to your profile.

3.) Go over to the See the Skyline Shop Facebook page and like it. Then leave a comment letting me know you did so and a link to your profile.

4.) If you have an etsy login, visit the shop and favorite it. Then comment with the link to your profile.

5.) Tweet about this giveaway. Comment with link.

6.) Facebook about this giveaway. Comment with link.

7.) Blog about this giveaway. Comment with link.

----

That gives you 4 chances to enter! The giveaway will close on Wednesday night, and stickers will ship out Monday the 12th!

---

If you arrived at my facebook via bloglovin or a link on facebook, to comment first press the "x" in the right hand corner of the blog window where it says "close" and attempt to comment. Thank you.

Still having problems commenting? Email me at seetheskyline@gmail.com.

---

and always, the ultimate gift:

Dear Nina // v2

Dear Nina,

      I can't believe it's already been six months! Can you? It seems like yesterday I was getting scared about crawling (I thought I may land on my face...) and learning to chew solids. I still remember the day you kissed me goodbye and Mama told me where you were heading off to.

      Now it's December and Mama told me you are coming home in two weeks. I really can't wait to celebrate Jesus' Birthday with you. I saw you crying at Grandpa's party when you were talking about how much you love God. I know it didn't seem as if I was listening, but the words were flowing over me and going deep into my heart.

      I remember this clearly, Nina, you said, "Nothing else matters. Nothing at all... because He loves me. He loves me, and I don't deserve His love at all, but that doesn't change anything. He's going to love me until the end."

      I've been thinking a lot about that, especially since Mama has been telling me about baby Jesus every night before I go to bed. I think it's a great time for you to be coming home, because Christmas is all about newness, right? Because when Jesus came, nothing was ever the same. He came to make all things new. And now you are coming home, Nina, a new person. It's a season for the old to pass away and the Word of God to come and change everything.

     I love you, and I can't wait until you are here. I feel your prayers. They are helping me go to sleep peacefully at night and sometimes I dream about baby Jesus - He tells me He loves me (just like you said He did) and He's coming soon.

With love,
Amos

and there's goes november.

don't you just love this little reindeer. i found it on this blog i check into every once an awhile. i fell in love.

let's be honest. sometimes i daydream about the days where i could doodle in my sketchbook all day... where there was time to be creative. time to think past the to-do and into something outside my 4 walls of my home, my family, and my heart. expression. creativity.

it's hard to be creative in the boundaries of motherhood. it's hard, not impossible. i know that. i know there will be much opportunity to be creative when i can start engaging amos in more structured activities. art projects. writing. thought. discussion. i know that God has given me little oppurtunities in the past year that i have gratefully taken. a business that involves creativity. small ramblings in my journal. this little, humble blog.

and i know that expression will always happen, because for me, it is as imperative as breathing. as feeling. if i'm not expressing, chances are i'm not encountering the Lord. it's the way God made me. they are one in the same.

so here's to us not losing ourselves in motherhood and tasks and the function of it all.

here's to keeping our heads in the clouds... even if just a little...

these glorious moments...

song credit: small piece of you by sara groves from her album station wagon

birthday cakes. and a growing boy. // v1

so i had a stressful time with this birthday cake but that's besides the point.

amos turned one.

i know there is a whole mess of stuff i could write about my baby turning one. right now, i can't go into it. it's 11:57 and i'll just start weeping. i have that on my to-do list... summarize this year. i mean really think it through. (sometimes we have to stop to really feel the moment, don't we?)

until i let you in on that, here are some pictures to show the moment. there may be a couple more, but this is for now.

amos with his new piano from his grandpa jim and debbie

and just for memory sake - this is amos' "uhhhh, i want that now" face. oh dear Lord, we all need a Savior. ;)