Holiday Giveaway!

Underlined and Bold is celebrating the holiday season by presenting its very first GIVEAWAY!! 

The holiday giveaway is from Bethany Suckrow's, The Ripe Word Etsy shop. The Ripe Word features paintings inspired by Bethany's mother, Tina. Tina is a metastatic breast cancer patient that has battled the illness since 1997. Fifty percent of profits from each painting is donated to her mother to help pay off medical debt.

Note, both paintings featured in this giveaway were purchased from Bethany in honor of Tina.

Enter the giveaway, and you have the chance to win one of two paintings featured below. The winner will pick which painting s/he desires. Entries will be accepted until Friday, December 23, 2011. A winner will be announced on Saturday, December 24, 2011. Scroll down to see how to win!

Text: "Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Taken from Mary Oliver's poem titled "The Summer Day".

Text: "My fist tight, I learn to squeeze the lemon with the same might and firmness
 life requires of me." Taken from Bethany Suckrow's poem titled "The Zest".

For a chance to win-

leave a comment below telling me which painting above you would love to hang on your wall!

  Enter the giveaway a second time by doing one of the following options :

1. Become a follower and leave a comment below telling me you did.

 OR comment below telling me you already follow me!

{To become a follower, find the "follower" section on the right sidebar. Click "Join this site". Then click through the menu options}

2. Buy a piece of art from Bethany's shop The Ripe Word. Then leave a comment below telling me which piece you purchased.

{purchases will be verified with Bethany before the winner is announced}

3. Link to this Giveaway on Facebook or Twitter. Leave a comment below telling me you did!

Only two entries will be accepted per person.

This giveaway is limited to U.S. & Canadian residents only.

Good lucky everyone!!

More about the artist:

Bethany is a staff writer and freelancer by day, blogger and artist by night. She authors the blog She Writes and Rights, where she shares both prose and poetry related to life, faith, relationships, storytelling and creativity. She has just begun her first foray into selling her artwork through an Etsy shop, The Ripe Word. She and her musician husband Matt live in the Chicago suburbs.

Life...

Picks to Ponder:

A weekly post featuring a few notable items I've found to be thought provoking, and/or a positive influence on my outlook on life. 

{Click here to see where it all started.}

On Relationships

This week I was honored to write a guest blog post on Story Wrought. My post addressed my decision to leave Alaska, and the importance of developing deep interpersonal relationships in my life.

The video below features world renowned yoga teacher John Friend discussing the impact deep long term relationships can have on our lives. His words echo my sentiments, and greatly inspires me.

On Lifestyle
The Shelby is a storytelling project created by Todd Shelby. The project works to share stories of creative interesting people {artists, writers, designers, etc.} through video and photographs. Below is a video featuring Rockaway Taco and its co-owener Andrew Field. Field's narrative is an example of living life unconventionally with great quality and meaning.

It is my hope, I can continually find ways to do the same.

{Note: The Shelby recently produced a video for Zara featuring Lucy Chadwick. The video has been quite popular among bloggers. Personally, I absolutely adore it and highly suggest checking it out.}

I would love to read your thoughts on this weeks Picks to Ponder. 
Please leave comments & questions below, so we can discuss.

{Missed last weeks Picks to Ponder? Click here.}

Creativity, Halloween, & Jobs

Halloween 2011.

Picks to Ponder:

A weekly post featuring a few notable items I've found to be thought provoking, and/or a positive influence on my outlook on life. 

{Click here to see where it all started.}

On Steve Jobs

Two Sides to Every Story

Since Jobs' death, his name, famous quotes, accomplishments, and gadgets have penetrated my world at an unprecedented level. Whether I'm reading a small time blog on WordPress, or engaged in my daily perusal of the New York Times, his influence seems to be everywhere. I am not necessarily sad that a "genius" has left our world. I am sad to think of a man's life taken prematurely by cancer, leaving family and friends behind knowing there will be no more birthdays, weddings, or holidays in which they can make new memories together.

Beyond discussing the meaning of his death, I am most intrigued by how the media is analyzing his life; his legacy. His story, at least the one being told in print at the moment, reminds me that there are always (at least) two sides to every story.

Click here to read Ryan Tates' article discussing Jobs tyrannical leadership style, lack of interest in philanthropy, and un-American execution of censorship. 

Click here to read Mona Simpson's (Jobs' sister) loving eulogy. {Get the Kleenex ready!}

On Artistry
Anyone can be an Artist
This link is for all those who write, paint, and create. Click here, enjoy, and be inspired.

On Halloween

A Time for Creativity

Each year Halloween arrives, and the only thing I'd have ready is criticism. "Another holiday of excess and overindulgence," I'd moan. This year I put my negativity aside, prepared my ZOMBIE doctor costume, and "partied" with friends.  This year was much more fun. 

This year I also took my head out of the sand, and truly looked around. Friends, roommates, and fellow bloggers were bringing out their creativity rarely seen throughout the rest of the year. In a society focused on efficiency, profit, and scores on standardized "bubble" tests -- it's nice to see a holiday widely celebrated, that promotes creativity and fun. I'll drink to that any day!

Below features links illustrating how people got creative with Halloween in 2011. Enjoy!

• Some awesomely cute creative pumpkins!
• A scary short film {produced by a cute couple who blog about their travels & humanitarian media work.}
• The best Halloween make-up job I've seen to date. {first photo of the post!}

I would love to read your thoughts on this weeks Picks to Ponder. 
Please leave comments & questions below, so we can discuss. 

{Missed last weeks Picks to Ponder? Click here.}

Northeast Adventure's Bits and Pieces Part 3B

A cloudy cool autumn morning +  Portland Museum of Art =

inspiration

Features of note:

-A distinct focus on local artists 

Beauty surrounded me while traveling in Maine. 

Boat harbors, crashing waves, scenic ferry rides to neighboring islands, camping on Hermit Island (under careful watch of some friendly porcupines), light houses, red brick side walks, old colonial homes with inviting front porches, complex skies layering clouds far out above the ocean, long runs around Back Cove Bay...

This beauty I witnessed was greatly enhanced by seeing it through the eyes of past and present artists; artists trying to convey narratives from the land sourcing their pride and pain.

-Traveling exhibit: John Marin: Modernism at Midcentury.

The exhibit is well done. Pieces on display and corresponding text provide a thought provoking experience.  

It steers one to think about Modernism and the purpose of art as the life of Marin is revealed through his work and words.

Famous Marin quotes:

"Give paint a chance to show itself entirely as paint."

"Painting is like golf; the fewer strokes I take, the better the picture."

Deer Isle Series: Mark Island Lighthouse, 1928
I scanned a copy of the card I bought from the gift shop for myself, a painting of Marin's.
Hopefully it will continually remind me of the inspiration I found in his work.

If you missed my Northeast Adventures Bits and Pieces Part 1 click here , Part 2 click here, or Part 3A click here.

Otherwise, check back tomorrow for Part 3C.  

Scenic photos of Maine to come!