Hello Dreamer

By Jan | Published: August 25, 2009

I am Aventurine.

By starlight, you may bring me your tears and your joy.  I will hold your visions as I did you grand mothers’.  You may collect them upon your awakening or your blooming.

By sunlight, you may see me in water reflections or hear me in wind blown leaves.  You will feel me in the proud bow, the golden always and the crystal now.

I will change when you change, but my song will remain constant.  No matter how long the wait, there will be no good byes.

Care for me.  Tell of me often to disbelievers.  For they need me and you- more than ever now.

I am always here.  Tend the flame.

Forever,
Your Dream.

Prepping For Success

By Jan | Published: January 17, 2006

Work is a dirty word. It implies drudgery & hardship. I like to think of the preparation of a flower bed or cleaning the counters that will hold delicious foods.  Plant the seeds in good, strong soil.  Lay out the ingredients on a clean table.  Water the seeds.  Mix the cake batter.

I lovingly prepare myself to bloom – to rise – to amaze.  Every step I take is work in a way. But I prefer to call it the preparation, the answer to my calling, the acknowledgment of the gifts, the tender caring for of the precious, the sacred and the rare. So I prepare for my success.  By modern standards, it is “work.”

I say, “thank you,” for this work.

Recipe: Pumpkin Oat Muffins w/ Rasberry Jam Pots

By Jan | Published: January 15, 2006

Change is Good
If I was a butterfly, I might have been resting beneath the leaves waiting for the storm to lift.  If I were a snake, I have just molted and slithered off, my new skin raw and wanting.  If I were an oak, I would have added a new ring and dug down a little deeper so my roots could reach the deeper waters. Read More »

To Whom It May Concern

By Jan | Published: January 13, 2006

Thirteen days into the new year and I have changed. My ears have stopped growing. My wings are upturned again & the threads of my being are holding strong,
Some People are amazed at my Bright Orange being/ Soul.

Winter Buzz 2005

By Jan | Published: December 10, 2005

Jan has been busy designing two new “tween” girl brands for US clients for release into the game and toy markets in 2005. The Fairy Godmother Academy© and Cogo© cover the gamut from smart to pretty tackling the much-sought-after target audience of girls ages 8-12 years old (see December 16, 2004, 60 Minutes interview with ex girl gamer, Laura Groppe of the Girl’s Intelligence Agency or GIA). The Family Jam has completed the first stage of this year’s long-awaited release of Pet Eyes©. Shane and Jan contributed music for an audio storybook that can be downloaded from the www.mypeteyes.com site. Shane Madden (Govinda) added a beautiful score to the reading by Lisa Richards to Jan’s original lullabies and tunes like “Jewel”. Other products still to come are: the coffee table book with images from Andrea Burden, posters and cards, and activities. We now have Sanskrit and Welsh translations of the ten key concepts in the book. Evan Bozarth designed the site with brother, Dustin Bozarth, doing the back-end and animation. Boz Bros Design has created an amazing interface filled with the Pet Eyes animals and lots of groovy ways to get around. This has been another Family Jam production. Thanks to every one of you for helping birth this product! Happy New Year!

BAM! and the Family Jam

By Jan | Published: March 15, 2003

BAM! is buzzing this spring. The Family Jam™ is off to New York to inform the networks on the wonders of a “family that plays music together” for kids. The Family Jam Show targeted at kids ages 2-5 will feature sing-along and dance-along music videos, live performances by musical guests artists, Dances With Puppies™ (a younger version of Dances With Dogs™) segments, fun, fun, fun, and learning, learning, learning about music. (Little kids like to repeat things a lot so I am practicing.) Jan is finishing up the Pet Eyes book and CD and stage show for a release later this year. Andrea Burden, who just returned from her one-woman show in Seattle, is doing the illustrations. Shane, Robert and Jan are writing and producing the music. Thanks to the little ones, Kailey, Kirian, Noelle, Benjamin, and Nate) who were brave little studio musicians while recording “Silly Sandwich” last week. On the adult musician front—-CB and Govinda play a big show at La Zona Rosa in April 19th. Costume designs by Jennifer Ayres, video shot by Evan and Dustin. Govinda will release his new CD in April at a big kick-off event for Water Music in Los Angeles. Groovin Ground toured in February and March throughout the Southwest and rocked the Rockies. Check out the fab review in Jam Base. Traci Goudie just finished the new album cover for Lynyrd Skynyrd and the new video for Kelly Willis.

Since Christmas 2002 sales have been tallied, we would like to point out that two of this year’s top toys had music by the BA team. The Pop Star Singing Sensation Barbie® has our very own, “Friends Like We Are” song inside and on the ads. Also, the newest Diva Starz™ dolls have our old Diva theme song programmed right into the dolls. Kids all over the world are singing’ our tunes! Thanks, Mattel.

Year of the Harvest

By Jan | Published: January 10, 2003

This is the year of the harvest. Our family is bigger and stronger now. Press says we are a “multi-media music family”. Or maybe you could say we are a very artistic and musical family. Or maybe you could say we are just a “family that plays together”. Whatever you might say, you must say that we are an ordinary extraordinary FAMILY. Recently we added a new member to that family, most specifically, Chrysta Bell (of 8 ½ Souvenirs) who married Shane in October 2002. They opened for Ian Moore at La Zona Rosa on New Year’s Eve. Their visual and musical presentation blew Austin’s mind! Evan and Dustin’s band, Groovin Ground, are taking off in the world of jam bands and digital performance art and touring the west over the next few months. BeatChurch, the brainchild of Govinda and international distribution company for beat related tunes, was born. In order to amuse our little ones, we created some baby songs this year. They liked it so much, we decided to make an entire recording for that market. The “Peanut Butter and the Family Jam” project was born out of our realization that our family making music together for other families was a natural as the rain. And, of course, we had to make our dog, Chewey (aka: Peanut Butter) work for his supper like everyone else. Our partnerships are strong. Art Directress and Digital Design Maven, Traci Goudie ‘s CD cover for Patti Griffin’s last CD has been nominated for a Grammy. Film Development Sister, Jesyca Durchin has won more awards and produced more Barbie (Barbie Rapunzel and Barbie Nutcracker with Barbie in Swan Lake coming in July). This year Jan and Jesyca will produce their first original 3-D animated features together with an undisclosed and yet unannounced major movie studio.

May your family be blessed like ours. May you make beautiful music– together.