NEW NEW NEW

NEW Website!!!!! HORRAYYYY. From now on these blogs can be viewed on my website: Bookmark this! Its just up so there are glitches and more to be added however My beautiful friend Jess Baumung did such a wonderful job. I'm so thrilled. Keep checking the website for updates as it now holds my blog and any shows, releases, videos etc.


LOVE YOU ALL
XO
Amanda

A night at the opera

I just finished watching a documentary about the making of Queens highly sucessful album: A night at the opera... you guys know the one...who doesn't right? I feel like there are moments in music that are to be looked at as art..this album was a work of art. Seriously. I gave it a good listen after watching the dvd and I am floored. I wrote a new song today, Thank god...after two weeks of labour writing shitty songs with no melodies I finally gave birth! a fast one too about an hour of pushing. Always seems to be that way for me.

We Shall Overcome

My music Recommendation for today:
Bruce Springsteen : The Seeger Sessions. These are songs you would hear playing on your death march out of your body to heaven, after a long life of battle was endured...redemption songs...songs you expect to hear in the caverns in heaven when you are dancing bare foot with your deceased family members celebrating. Just redeeming, riviting, truly filled to the brim and pouring over with energy, passion and honest great folk music.Get on your dancing shoes when you buy this one.

1st song I ever wrote

first song I ever wrote:)

Amanda Zelina - Yellow Season

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hurt

this makes me cry everytime. I have no words.



xo
amanda

bunnies in the snow

Today I was paroozing my good friend Nataly Kim's website...her art is so inspring. Lately I have been looking at who around me within my friends and family I am greatful for. I don't do it often enough...isn't that life haha..but when I do I am so BLOWN AWAY

I'm thinking of starting an artist collective...teaming up with friends who are talented and strong indipendant players in the art and music industry...so good.

I'm also starting a band with my sister Veronica we are tentativly calling the band HOOT. Realllllly folk stuff...I'm thinking of even getting a banjo in the mix..hell yes.

I also am trugging through this factor grant application stuff.. I wrote out an in-depth marketing plan for this next year as well as long term goals...LOTS of great stuff I am excited for and will keep you posted on.

Jess showed me the first draft of the new website and I am eager to share it!!! soon soon

watch this , and order his cd if you want to better your life!!!...serious.

Reeve Carney


love you all
amanda

no artist is pleased...

This past week I felt a block in my heart...i couldn't find a melody. I was so pre-occiupied with things out of my control, those things that cause anxiety and heartache. I don't know what day it was last week but I started listening to a few of my favourite artists...like really listening...taking a few hours a day and digesting, analyzing, picking apart what in these songs made my soul move... I found after a few days of this I was so overwhelmed, so overstimulated that I couldn't find a melody or worth for my work. I was so in awe of these other artists that I started to question my own music and whether or not I could ever stand beside these people. Its a scary thing to have this happen... I than went into it deeper and though about my career...my idols...non of them were females...none of them sounded like I did. I sort of froze and said to myself " I hope I dont sound like the rest of those singer/songwriter/folk/ women that I hate, or I thought... why aside from old blues women( even then I dont have one favourite who stick out to me) do I have NOT one female musician/songwriter I admire? like really admire,,talking like how I admire Tom Waits... I questioned and questioned and questioned..and well yea you get the idea.

I had to talk it out with friends, mentors, fellow musicians.. I got the answer I was looking for in the end, but that's not what matters. What I realized is underneath it all...what drove the whole dialog was my fear for wanting to find value in what I create...my fear of " what if this is not good enough?" or " what makes something good enough?" and than I whispered into the air " tell me the answer" and literally not even a moment later I recalled an old poem that one of my guitar proffessors gave me last year in school...I kept in taped to the inside of one of my acoustic cases...I ran downstairs to my furnace room and within the hum of the heater that filled the space I sat in I read it aloud to myself...

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening
That is translated through you into action
If you block it
It will never exist through any other medium
And be lost
The world will not have it
It is not your business to determine how good it is
Not how valuable it is
Not how it compares with other expressions
It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly
To keep the channel open
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work
You have to keep open and aware directly
To the urges that motivate you
Keep the channel open
No artist is pleased
There is no satisfaction whatever at any time
There is only a queer, driving dissatisfaction
A blessed unrest that keeps us marching
And makes us more alive than the others

Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille

apple trees

Its hard to think that just a month ago I was sitting in an apple orchard down my street with vanessa in the warm sun. Today I awoke to frost and snow on my porch...Oh the passing of time ! what a glorious thing.

Many updates:

1) I'm applying for a factor grant to complete the whole album...yes, I couldn't just do the three songs as planned...it just seemed like writing 3 chapters of a book that you are really excited about and than putting it away for who knows how many months waiting on a publisher to grab it up and give you the go...guess I was never good at stopping the creative flow when it's there! and also , that no matter how hard I try I am such an independant person that it makes no wonder with my creativity I would be anything but and independant artist. Never let the thoughts of doing something yourself and all the work involved scare or overwhelm you...in the end because of all the hard work it will pay off.

2) My website is bieng re-done by the lovely Jess Baumung photographer and design extrordionare. so excited...should be up by the 30th!!!

3) I'm planning an album fundraiser where I will be auctioning off my artwork to raise funds to get the equipment I'll need for preformances/recording... I've fallen in love with a country gentelman... G6122-1962 .. I always was a sucker for an aged southern accent haha more on this event soon.

4) I re discovered my love for Canadian talent I'm so proud to be Canadian.

Music I'm Listening to:

* Bruce Springsteen the Seeger Sessions

*David Francey

*William Elliot Whitmore

*Lightin' Hopkins

*Ray Lamontagne

AND OF COURSE...

*sir TOM WAITS

smile

So this past week has been sort of dreamy.
I went to see the ballet : Anastasia ... I'm kind of in love with theatre of any sort. I use to be in musicals and had this family tradition to travel to Stratford ever year in September to watch the musicals and bump around the small town markets. Kind of nostalgic.

Than Spencer from Attack in Black came all the way from Welland a few hours to come play and sing on the song "Matthew".We had corresponded through e-mails for about a month while he was on tour with the band. Finally when he had a moment we booked in the studio time...He arrived at my house, mandolin at hand. I swear to god I don't think I have laughed so damn hard in my life. It seemed from the moment he arrived to the moment we left the studio I had a smile on my face. He is one of the most modest and talented & sweetest people I am privileged to know. His band is playing soon in Toronto...you should all go.serious.

Than yesterday the band Said the Whale stopped by my house with
Vanessa To say hi and play some songs for me... we had a warm and beautiful jam session. They were in Toronto to play play a youtube launch party. They than took some wonderful new promo shots to add their newest member Laura, who is a doll. This band as well is made up of the most brilliant songwriters.Ben and I sat afterwards and shared good conversation over a cigar and Tom Waits playing in the background...snow falling...it was perfect.


Sigh... more news soon.
xo
amanda

in the garden of a soldier

I decided to record an acoustic version of a song for the upcomming album...hope you enjoy

In the garden of a soldier


I always believed,
that mistakes made you stronger,
in that case I should be a 10 pound boulder,
riding along, riding along.
Feeling the weight of your song,
how can I still hear it?
when a rock has no ears?
Is there more to love,
than little sayings make clear? make clear?

Cuz I’m just another monument,
In the garden of a soldier,
Just another statue,
that gets older and older.
(X2)

This can’t be over,
Will I ever touch those lips again?
Would you spit at the taste,
of rock, sut and tin?
darling I love you, I love you.
no telling when its gonna end,
By the time it comes I may be,
Like a fossil in the sin we call life, we call life.

Cuz I’m just another monument,
In the garden of a soldier,
Just another statue,
that gets older and older.
(X2)

*musical interlude*

Cuz I’m just another monument,
In the garden of a soldier,
Just another statue,
that gets older and older.
(X2)

fall stamps

I am staring at a yellow tree that looks like a million and one fall stamps that mirror those I have been licking to put on letters lately. I must say this fall has been one of the best i have had in a long time.... acuratly I'd say since I was 12. Its a brilliant feeling to be moving forward healthier and happier than ever. I have been like a hermit in my studios ( art & music) tediously preparing for the spring of my releases. Things are moving slowly and exactly the way I want them to. I'm blessed that I am at a stage in my life that I can have the benefit of time to guide the quality of work I am producing.

Every new step I take with this album has been fufilling, full of learning, and so much creative flow. I feel as if I am crafting the perfect poem...short and sweet in it's lines except every word was as if it were a dollar and I had a limited amount to spend to buy the perfect birthday gift for my newborn child.

Today I am getting a new tattoo...more on that later.

Also, I am back in the studio for some grunt work sorting out drum tracks that we laid down last week. Later in the week I will be tracking the final song for this EP/DEMO. I don't think I mentioned this but I have decided to track 3 songs get them mixed and mastered and pitch them to favourable labels. Whilst doing so getting my official touring band together and start rehursals and arrangements. I am so excited for this winter. Trips showcasing to toronto , new york, L.A. Everything is right on time.

I miss your faces as I preform..soon enough I will be on stage, time and patience :) it will be worth it.

xoxo
amanda

Riegn Over Me

mother nature seemed to of gave the trees a big lecture in the mail letting them know she was bustling into town because it seemed as if overnight all of the leaves simultaneously screamed " SHIT WE'RE LATE!! WE'RE LATE!!!!" and got the (excuse my language) fuck off the branches.

Ah the beauty of the fall...

So I didn't really touch base about my birthday this past week. I thought I would share some shots taken by a lovely guest. Janna and I share the same birthdate and so decided to have a little get together with a tarot card reader ( my friend George from when I worked at the Orange Record Label in Toronto) to ive all the guests a reading. They forced me to play a song, and we drank sangria...smoked cigars...well I did that part...and laughed .... ALOT...thanks to janna's friend Jesi who is the most hilarious person ever... she is an amazing artist.... as is Janna:
Jessi's website
Janna's website
p.s. thanks to Jaymie for her help on making links in this blog !!

I am having a photoshoot with Vanessa again this week!!! so excited. I will post back soon...

p.p.s an amazing movie: Riegn Over Me

xoxoxox

attack in black /22 years

22 years, 22 years,
I've walked this earth, this time , for 22 years.
Doesn't seem like a lot when you look at the digits but man sometimes I feel 122...in all ways good and bad.
I love growing older, you get wiser, you get a new start it seems....its like that whole birthday day is like the page in the back of the book right close to the weaved binding and back carboard spine...it closes shut and somehow your get your hands on a new one and that one pryes open always with intruege, mystery, and excitment for what this new book has to teach you, to unfold, to paint beautiful picutres of. sigh.

I will be back into the recording studio on tuesday night for a long mixing session for both
*Matthew
and
* Don't want to keep you from heaven too long.
The drums are now all layed down and there is a bunch of work ahead now to get it sounding proper.
ALSO!!!! Exciting news, One of my favourite bands ATTACK IN BLACK will be putting thier mark on my record very very soon. Spencer who is increadibly talented ( he is more humble about it) has agreed to place some mandolin on those two tracks. I am so stoked. I really want people who I admire to contribute thier energy and emotions into my music. I love music for that very reason,,, it brings people together.

SO I will have updates on that and pictures soon.

Everyone have a great weekend!!!
xo
amanda

the boss

last night I saw Bruce Springsteen live. You know someone is the coolest man on earth when he has no opening band, starts right on time, plays a ONE HOUR encore after a 3 HOUR SHOW. Seriously.

orbs and laughter

ok so here is the florida blog...kind of rediculous. And yes the end credits run twice...I am lisping...There was no orb...

xo
amanda

the invitation

this poem was just given to me and I had to share it I feel it speaks a lot of truth...I will be posting a new blog later tonight. I just got back from 4 days in Florida...this week has a lot of excitment so check back for updates:)


The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.



© Mountaindreaming, from the book The Invitation published by HarperSanFrancisco, 1999 All rights reserved

cigar smoke

my cigar smoke,
matches the fog as it wanes on by.
deep circles in the pond of my heart,
ripple like rain comming on down.
Bessie Smith plays on the dail,
reckless voice, angel child.
coffe stained leaves fall wild.
winds picking up, dampened floors,
chilled like my spine.
tortured souls hum through the chimes,
discontent rattles my blind truths awry.
I never knew love till I heard it cry,
emancipated feverish wine.
heaving my hapiness up the way side,
I never knew surrender till I built a damn for the tears I've cried.

swamp dreams come true

Deep Breathe Exhale.
Today was my wildest dream comming true. About 3 months ago when Vanessa and I shot first I had a dream the night after about me in a swamp playing piano... I woke up and immediatly called her to than explain that we HAD to recreate this image I had stuck in my head. I promised her I would find a vintage organ or piano that we could sink in a swamp and have me there with it sitting peacefully in this muck. She laughed and said I was crazy and than was like " HELL YEA" ...long story short EVERYONE I mentioned this too thought I was absolutly crazy and could not EVER do it. WELLLLLLL....today we proved them wrong. WE got up suuuper early to shoot in my overgrown tenis court and up by my tree house...change of clothes later we hoped in the car with the organ and drove to a lilly pond swamp by my house. The next hour was pure magic. My cousin Nicole was the BIGGEST help as she trucked along with our ideas and helped us lug the damn thing in and out of the water.

Vanessa and I were waist deep in the blackest, murkiest water with kreepy things brushing up against our legs the entire time. I just have to say how much I admire and LOVE this woman for bieng fearless with me and trusting my insaine ideas. It is the best promotional shot I could ever ask for. Unfortunately I have to hold back the final photo due to release purposes but I promise once the music is ready I will show you the masterpiece we shot.

Tonight at 7pm I will be in the studio mixing the horns and violin we layed down to "Matthew" and "I don't want to keep you from heaven too long"... Also I will start tracking the other instruments to the next two songs: "Pawn Shop Love" & "Little Drummer boy". Tony my producer is bieng so supportive and spending so much of his spare time on my record. I couldn't ask for a more supportive team of people around me. I have such a great feeling about this record...It is remenicent of watching the making of dvd's ...for instance Bruce Springsteen born to run or Bjork in studio ....bob dylan...etc.etc...the excitement in the air and this very clear emotion of "we are creating something special here" is just so evident. It's a very surreal and magical experience and I can not wait to share it with you...

xoxoxo
Amanda

country bumpkin girl time...

Today was soooo much fun. I met Lindsay Dumas today for the first time... she was so amazing and I was able to book her last moment and she trucked all the way from east toronto 2 hours to put make up on my virgin face haha I'm so not use to make up so today was ...interesting? Vanessa as par her usual increadible self made the shots look out of this world. We had to pack things up early because we had a bit of a late start...wine , cigars, girl talk....etc. haha So Vanessa is sleeping over and in the morning we are going to shoot some more stuff :) Keep your eyes open and I'll have more soon

xoxo
Amanda

photos!

"The reason I do photographs is to help people understand my music, so it's very important that I am the same, emotionally, in the photographs as in the music. Most people's eyes are much better developed than their ears. If they see a certain emotion in the photograph, then they'll understand the music."-Bjork


Today is the day!!!horray!!! photoshoot time! my fingers are weak from sewing and my spirits are high. I've got dream team Vanessa Heins and Lindsay Dumas alongside my cousin Nicole to shoot footage of todays adventures!!! I will post stuff from the day a.s.a.p. :)

xoxoxo
Amanda

there are the good days and the bad ones...

there are the good days and the bad ones...
My whole life seemed to be weaved by these threads so drastically. I use to beat myself up because of not bieng able to control them. It’s funny my mom use to tell me “ Amanda, don’t worry it’s just life... it’s up and down and up and when you think you can’get get down it can happen and vise versa and the secret is not to beat yourself up about it but to move forward and know that if its a down you will get up again and to learn something from it.”
I use to think it was her way of saying “ I don’t know what to tell you so this is the best line I can come up with that suits any situation” The reality of it is that she was right. And to top it off it IS LIFE,and there are no ways about it bi-polar or not.

This past 2 days have been a low for me, and although I am use to unexpected ups and downs I guess I was nieve to think that because I was on mood stabalizing medication that I wouldn’t have to experience them again.. the lows I’m talking about are the ones that come for no reason at all...like waking up and wanting to cry every 2 seconds and feeling hopeless, in despair, alone etc. I was even told the first year is the hardest to adjust and there are also a lot of coping mechanisms I have to learn in order to adjust to my “knew way of thinking” now that my thought process has dramatically changed (for the good). I woke up 2 days ago with that same feeling I once had months previous to being treated, and today the fear hit me...” am I still the same way? was this a mistake? am I going to go back to that horrible pain that I couldn’t escape before? was I eluding to myself that I was getting better when in fact I’m the same?” blah blah blah blah... than I realized after taking a few deep breaths and talking to a good friend in los angeles on the phone that “no I am not going back there, no I did not elude anything...etc” this is just a road bump....this is just life.

This past little while things have really improved in my life, and as the law of the universe would have it things need to balance...alas, my reality. I must say it isn’t out of ordinary for me to be open about this stuff, but it is a new thing these days. I think I mentioned before how I feel very new very re-born and VERY confused. Bieng on medication that takes away my HIGH irrational highs and devestating LOWS is like being a different person. It’s like learing who I am again at 21. Which is scary. For a while , up until now my biggest fear was re-intergrating myself socially.. seeing old friends, family, etc. I thought to myself how can see these people who know me as what I was ( always overly upbeat, excited, outrageous) the same people who never saw me at my lows because I would hide in my home away from people away from any contact... how could I see them and have them not think I was depressed or different. Or would I not be good enough? exciting enough? maybe I was boring...maybe I am boring? hell I even feel boring to myself. I was afraid of trying to meet new people and get them to learn who i am when I don’t even know who I am yet. It’s a wierd predicament that I am still trying to figure out.

Today, I was suppose to play at the great hall for nuit blanche and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was that same fear that enabled my decision to not go. I can’t say I’m proud in one sense but in another I suppose I am...I suppose I am because I am finally allowing myself the time and space to heal and to figure things out and recognize my guilt and not beating mysef up for it. I am working through things as they come, instead of putting everything else first ( my expectations of myself, my perfectionism, my worrying just to please and than get burnt out in the end for twice as long as it took me to do whatever it was) I’m slowly learning. I’m learning that this ilness isn’t me but something I have. That concept is still something hard for my head to wrap around. In my nature I go to such extremes that it’s almost alien to me to say that sort of thing.

I guess why I am writing this is just to reflect, and to let you guys in on what I am going through so that perhaps you can relate it to your lives, or someone elses that you know that needs empathy or advice. I feel blessed and alone and loved and scared and at times hopeful and at other times vulnerable, strong, and still insecure ....things we ALL feel at times. I always need to share this stuff as much as it paints a very imperfect picture for me haha. I alike you am not and never will be perfect, and thats a beautiful thing. And all I can do is be honest always, honest through my art, honest through my music, honest to you. So as I’ve been told “ Keep your chin up” if you are dealing with anything right now...when you feel alone know I am there with you, and I know its terribly cheesy but I mean it, from my heart. After all I am just a girl in the country who plucks on a guitar and plays some piano that sits under the same starts you do everynight, probably dealing with the same things you are just in a different shade.

nite nite

Amanda

haute couture drivers tests

HORRAY I got my drivers test out of the way this morning...much to my procrastionation haha.
So turns out my sewing machine doesnt have a needle anymore which means these dresses I am making for next weeks photo shoot will truly be couture ( all done by hand) ...kill me...uhhhhh well it will be fun?... I'm using Christian Dior Couture as my inspiration. Vanessa and I are using juxtaposition as our concept for the title of the album : Tales of Ordinary Madness...taking everyday things and doing them in a very Outlandish way..which in reality pretty much sums up my personality... crazy dresses and heels while moving logs,,,or playing piano in a gown in the swamp just because it seemed like a great idea at the time.. should be hilarious. Can't wait for the shoot. Wish me luck with my sewing.

This saterday I will aslo be playing 3 acoustic songs at the Great Hall on Queen West and Dovercourt for the Blanche Nuit festivities...the party is appartently going on till 7 am! hopefully I'm on early because god knows it's way past my bedtime.

I have to go memorize songs and sew up a storm..more soon I promise

xo
Amanda

sept 23rd, 2007

...

I AM THE HAPPIEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD

Yesterday was a dream forming to reality for me. To have live horns and strings on this album is beyond a treat...The players were all so good and so so so nice. I am on cloud 9 right now. I can't express to you guys how much I feel this album has grown from the last..it's like a complete 360 forward. The songs I've writtren are mature, introspective, and done with patience, and ALL done from the heart. The arrangements are fine tuned and have that vintage 70's soul, blues,vintage vibe...with classical thrown in and horns to warm the songs....AHHHH! I'm so proud...and it's not eveen done yet and I NEVER say that. I am so blessed.

It's amazing the one thing I was petrified about going on medication for was that I didn't want to lose my creative edge... and altough it took me a while to notice this... it hasn't gone anywhere...in fact even though I am not hyper active and suuuuuuper exitable these days I have this calm sense of peace that allows me to fish through my river of thoughts and ideas and catch the right ones for supper to mold, cut, cook and create into beautiful works of art. It's such a new day for me and I am continually being re-affirmed I am on the right path.

I'll be back in the studio this week to start on the next two songs...we are doing them in pairs. Oh! also, my beautiful cousin Nikki was in the studio with me yesterday and took A LOT of video footage..so when I get a moment I will sort through it all and make up another dorky video.

Later this week I'll be having a photoshoot with the ever so increadible Vanessa Heins!! YAY there may be some piano's in swamps, outrageous outfits, crazy even dangerous shots....we shall see. Can you tell that dress-up was my favourite game to play as a kid...that and "lets-sing-every-disney-song-out-of-tune-on-the-can" hmmmmm I was an interesting child haha...speaking of here is a photo to last you till I get the others from the studio up...

smile! have a great day,
amanda

HUGE DORK

The sun is my favourite colour right now ...a warm cadmium orange, mixed with yellow ochre, and a dash of strawberry windsor newton ink...ahhhhh like my favourite dreams.The pine trees are snowing pine needles and the wind is brushing back and forth like strokes on a canvas. I woke up this morning with dry coughs haunting my evening, tossing me back and forth to the point of me finally getting up to just start my day:) It's amazing what a dash of oregano oil under the tounge can do for you!! I should wear it in a vile on my neak for christs sake,,"ok amanda don't go using the lords name in vain this early in the day" hehe...oh I'm bad.

So it was brought to my attention through various emails in response to my last post a.k.a.Nature Walk With Amanda that yes it is confirmed I am a HUGE DORK. This is something I have toyed wih in the past, perhaps I could go as far to say as it was my childhood bully phrase...and by that I mean when I was a wee lass gap-toothed, afro-haired, skin and bones, freckles,such pale skin it was almost translucent to the point where you could see rivers of my viens floating under my epidermis like a map I would get hassled on a lot in the school yard...and the bullies name of choice was : "YOUR SUCH A HUGE DORK!" or haha my other favourite "WHATS YOUR NAME?....a-MAN-DUHHHHHH!!!!!" oh lovely childhood recollections.

Today my very very very good friend : http://mangoepeeler.com/
( sorry I didn't(LINK) that...I'm on a pc right now and it wont let me use that application haha) is comming over to spend the day with me in the country. I'm so excited!! he is my favourite artist of all time and such a funny, down to earth, eccentric lad.

Which brings me to sunday! ohhhh how I wait for thee... I am back in the studio this time with : A VIOLINIST, A 3 PIECE HORN SECTION.. Seriously if I could describe to you the happiness this brings me I would...It's been my life long dream to have live strings and horns on my music...and it's finally all comming together. It just goes to show patience brings a lot into your life. Well , mine anyways..

O.K. I'm off to go eat some breakfast and sit outside listening to the crickets jump on the dew covered blades of grass...

more later
xo
amanda

come for a walk with me

O.k.! sooo today I'm still a bit under the weather...a.k.a " I'M HEALTHY! I'M HEALTHY!" hehe. I decided to make a quick little video for you all to take a walk with me through my backyard.I look like shit but the nature... It's truly beautiful...in fact I think I say the words " BEATIFUL" & "MAGICAL" 100, 000 times haha forgive me...my brain isn't sitting straight today.

Hope you guys are having a great start to your weekends,
Amanda
xo

I AM HEALTHY!

Its just past the afternoon and the air outside is warm...I went to the dentist this morning and to get blood work and back home I came to load up some logs for the winter. It's quite amazing actually just how excited I am this fall. In years previous I always was in fear of the winter at this point alike the times I was afread to go to sleep as a child incase of a nightmare.

I'm going into the studio again now on Sunday because this head cold is still sort of hanging on for dear life...BUT " I AM HEALTHY I AM HEALTHY" ...good mantra. Tonight I am going to work on some older songs to try and arrange them better for the sessions in Chicago. Seems like time has flied since I got back home. I am so happy to be right where I am instead of the hustle of L.A. streets. Clean air....ahhhh clean air.

chapter 1

vanessa heins amazing

Here are a few shots from the lovely and talented vanessa heins who came to shoot stuff even when she was exhausted and the lighting in the studio was horrible for photos...she is the only one who can pull it off!! I love her.