embracing butterflies :: job description (life prescription)

by stacy de la rosa



Years ago, a friend of mine did something that I found to be quite brave and daring and something, at that time, I would never think to do for myself – she wrote her own job description. Travel is her ultimate passion and rather than wait for someone to give her that opportunity, she created it for herself.

While she was climbing the corporate ladder, she found a niche that would allow her to travel extensively to many exotic locations. Since she works for a pretty large corporation, her list (which was ultimately her dream job) included all the ways it would benefit the company she worked for. She drafted a new job description for herself and submitted it to her boss.

Her company accepted her proposal, created the position for her and she now lives her dream of traveling throughout the year while getting paid quite well for it.

I remember at the time thinking this one bold and brave act was validation that, yes, we can indeed design our own lives no matter what our circumstances are.

Around this time I wrote down a list of all the reasons I could think of why I wanted to work for myself. Recently I came across this list, having forgotten I had even had it, and realized that I was now living these reasons as well. It’s been said before but intention coupled with the act of writing down our goals and dreams truly is a powerful thing.

This got me thinking…while looking to be hired by someone else, we look for how we fit into the bullet points of a job listing. What if instead we looked at how our jobs fit in with our passions, values, beliefs and lifestyle?

It is with this thought that I recently decided to write my own dream vocation description. As someone who integrates much of her working life with my personal life, I decided to change the word job to “life” description since the word “job” conjures up unpleasant memories in my head of working for someone else. When I went to write these words at the top of my journal page, I accidentally (?) wrote Life Prescription. I looked at what I had written and decided it also fit, so I wanted to share some questions to ponder when writing your own life prescription.

Soul Food: Think about what it is that moves you, inspires you, feeds your soul, and motivates you. Is it Art? Travel? Vintage items? Cooking? Helping others? Photography? Whatever your passion, this of course needs to be a large part of your daily duties.

Know thyself: Are you someone who feeds off of social interaction or are you comfortable working alone for hours without interruption?

· Are you the type who rises with the sun and are ready to be done with your workday by noon, or are you someone who likes to sleep in and ease into your morning, working in spurts throughout the day, or well into the night, to accommodate your schedule?

· What are your core values? Truth? Respect? Compassion? Courage? How will these be incorporated into your life prescription? (Here is a helpful article about living our values)

· What about dress code? Does dressing in the latest fashions or vintage finds help you to put your best foot forward, or does the idea of working in your pajamas stir your soul?

· What does your workspace look like? Are you enjoying a window view from your corner office? Thriving off the collective creative energy in a collaborative loft space? Enjoying the solitude of a private studio converted from the attic of your house? What are the colors and objects that surround you? Is there music playing? Are there others working with you or are you alone?

Know your clients: Who are the people who will help your vocation become your reality? It’s important to know who the people are you will essentially be working with whether they are your clients, customers or collaborators. One way to do this is to visualize who your dream clients are and even write out a mini bio to help you identify them further.

Don’t forget money: This is a topic that is easily it’s own essay but salary negotiation is part of any real job so don’t leave it out of your description. Really consider what your time and the service you are providing are worth and then stick to your guns. What salary will provide a comfortable lifestyle for you? How much money would you like to make? How can you create multiple streams of income? Create some rules for your work about money and don’t undersell your art or service, doing so only hurts yourself as well as your fellow colleagues working in your same industry.*

Leave room to grow: Allow yourself to dream bigger. When writing your dream life prescription include those things that might not seem like they necessarily match your work, though they are part of your dream. You never know, there might be an opportunity down the line so include those dreams which appeal to you on a deeper level.

An example of what this might look like:

· Host a traveling dinner party for friends and clients
· Sell original works of art online,
· Have my photography shown in a gallery
· Take time out to travel for my book tour
· Attend retreats as part of my work
· Work with children in some capacity
· Travel to France and Italy as part of my work
· Teach a class… or several
· Hire an in-house assistant, bookkeeper and nanny.

Putting it all together: This is where the creative you gets to come out and play. Once you answer these key questions you will start to see your dream vocation appear before you. Perhaps you discovered that you have a passion for kids and cooking? Perhaps cooking workshops created for children is for you. Are you deeply moved by photography, travel and helping others? Visualize yourself conducting group photography retreats in third world countries to bring about change and awareness. In this brainstorming phase, you will begin to see the endless possibilities of what your work can be.

My own life prescription is growing and evolving as I do. Many of the duties on my new list are not those that I am doing now, but as with any job, duties change. We evolve, gain experience, and get promoted. So don’t get discouraged if your life prescription doesn’t match what you are doing now for work. Just know that by writing it down and putting the call out that you are setting the intention for motion to be put forth.

Of course writing a job description if you have a boss will look different than the one you write when working for yourself. My life prescription now reads more like an essay, a picture painted of what my work days look like, what I am wearing, how I communicate with clients, how I want to market my services, who I can hire to help me with my weaknesses so that I am free to focus on my strengths.

I just recently finished my new life prescription and like anything, it’s a work in progress that is sure to evolve over time. I feel a sense of power having written down the intention and I hope to look back on it a year or two from now, just like I did with my list of reason of why I wanted to work for myself, with the realization that I am living out the very vocation I have created for myself. I wish the same for you.

* As I was writing this article, this section became very long so I will probably expand on this in a future Wish Studio post.


Stacy de la Rosa likes to play with words and pictures. She makes jewelry designed to empower and encourage others at her shop Bella Wish. She is taking baby steps on launching her next creative endeavor. You may also find her at www.stacydelarosa.com

your creative hostess up close :: mindy tsonas

* 5 things you might not know about me*

1. i am adopted from korea and my two children are the first biological relations i have ever known. i thought that this would hold a certain significance, but family just feels like family, i guess just like love is simply love.

2. a couple years after my first son was born i created a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization called a mother's wish which i still dabble in from time to time. i just felt so blessed by all the support we were given during that crazy time in our lives that i wanted to pass it on. every so often you'll find me delivering bundles of blankets, clothes, and diapers for mom's and baby's in need. i just couldn't imagine having a baby and having no resources, as it's hard enough even when you have an abundance!

3. i hiked 20 miles in and out of the grand canyon on my honeymoon (we camped right at this spot... it was paradise!). it's amazing what you will do for a guy :) seriously though, a beautiful and unforgettable experience.

4. i hate to bake. i'm not at all ashamed to go to the grocery store and buy cookies for my son's class or use a cake mix and frosting from the jar. it's just too exacting and messy for me (using flour is my personal nightmare). i'd much rather creatively cook... add a little of this, a dash of that... (and eat) little tapas. i'm a huge fan of the coctail party just for that reason! oh, and for the drinks too :) i'm a total dirty martini girl.

5. someday i want to learn how to sing. i am not musical in any way, but i think i can carry a tune. i would love to just learn to sing one song beautifully.


*5 things going on in my creative world*

1. the big news: drumroll please... i am in the process of building a wishstudio *virtual retreat* for the weekend of april 30th to may 2, 2010 ~ so mark your calenders! it's going to be super inspiring with online workshops taught by an amazing group of artists and creative women. i wanted to offer my own collaborative twist on the ecourse; a very accessable opportunity for you to gather and create in a retreat like setting that allows you to also be immersed in an amazing virtual space and community, right from home. you won't want to miss this! stay tuned for the official big announcement coming soon. registration will open in january and i will be giving away one full retreat package to a lucky wishstudio reader. please email me if you would like to be added to the mailing list and be among the first to hear all the retreat buzz.

2. in 2010 i'm going to be featured in a magazine, interviewed on a podcast, teaching a workshop in dc, and heading to squam ~ all creative firsts for me! so many doors opening these days... i can't stop grinning :)

3. i am getting ready to launch the necklace project and announce all the participants... more than 20 fabulous creative souls, plus an amazing collaboration with the nonprofit organization nest! follow the journey over the next year right here in the wishstudio. and there will be a fun and fabulous ending to this wonderful project that might make You the lucky owner of the finished necklace!

4. i am dreaming up some inspiring products to add to the wishstudio shop... bits of this, inspiration for that, stuff that will really bring some fun and sparkle to your creative life and your holiday shopping season! there will be wishcertificates also available soon to use for purchases and towards the retreat, so keep an eye out.

5. thinking a lot about the next phase of the wishmamas series. there has been lots of interest and so much resonent energy surrounding these posts... something bigger is on the horizon (i can feel it). we'll see what unfolds. author and creative mama extraordinaire, shona cole, will be joining the wishstudio contributors come january, so join us for lots of creative mom ideas, insight, and stories to come.

*5 things that really inspire me*

1. people bravely sharing thier authentic stories and dreams, and then seeing those dreams start to come to life.

2. the wishstudio community. it has literally transformed my creative life - i honestly can't thank you all enough for being such shining stars in my world!

3. my family: my children who have taught me so much about myself and about life, and my husband's unwavering love and belief in me.

4. erin and kristin of the manic mommies podcast. as two busy moms, i'm amazed what they have created and they inspire me in my own life. their show is a staple in my manic week (a letter i wrote to them was even featured in show #185!). there is always great parenting resources, community support, and comic relief. if you're a mom, grab a glass of wine and go listen!

5. the dollar store. yup. with just a few bucks you can find fun little crafty supplies, paper, and all kinds of goodies to fuel your creative life. it's a great place to go with the little ones in tow as well! i was just there and they had packing supplies all for a dollar - perfect for the business and for the holidays. you never know what you might find. and who doesn't love guilt free shopping?

filling the well :: your DONE list

in my busy life i always have a running 'to do' list. it is usually very long and it always carries over from day to day, week to week, as i never manage to cross everything off and i am constantly adding things on. this list does help me to stay organized and on task, but i always have this vague notion that i never get done quite as much as i 'should'.

well, just the other day i was staring at said list and thought to myself "self... you've had a really, really busy day, so why is it that there are still so many things on the list left to do?" so i decided to write down all the things that i DID get done that day. and you know, this was just what i needed. i had accomplished a lot (even if some things weren't on the list), and by accounting for all the things i got done it made me feel really, really good.

so here, i am sharing my DONE list:

* pack son's lunch
* organize classroom book order and email teacher
* wash, dry, and fold laundry, put away
* change linens on son's bed
* answer wishstudio emails
* go to first mom & baby yoga class (so cute!)
* plan meals for the rest of the week
* grocery shop
* take some photographs
* walk the dog
* make a date to go see new moon (next tues, can't wait)
* cut the last of the broccoli and trim back the garden
* do homework and reading with son
* make stirfry and rice (with fore mentioned broccoli)
* call my mom
* send rsvp to next week's party
* wash baby bottles
* give self much needed mini mani (painted nails gray, my current favorite)
* quality time with hubby


so there you have it...whew! do yourself a favor and put away your to do list for a day (or maybe even several days!) and compile a DONE list. you'll be amazed. i would love to see what you have accomplished, so post it on your blog and link here to share! GO!

our contributors up close :: brandi reynolds

*5 things you may not know about me*

1. I am right handed but do just about everything other than writing with my left hand (shooting pool, cutting my food, etc)
2. I played basketball in middle school. This was when we lived in oklahoma so we played six on six half court basketball. I was a guard.
3. speaking of oklahoma, I've moved around a bunch and lived in six states. I also lived on guma for three years as a kid. No my dad was not in the military.
4. If my creative space isn't neat, I can't create. I have to have order to feel free to create.
5. I am a self taught photographer


*5 things going on in my creative world*

1. I am slowly putting together ideas for an e-course. Maybe a couple of e-courses
2. A friend and I have collaborated on a project showcasing the hope and positive change in one of the worst parts of our city (dallas). We hope to exhibit the photos I have taken of that area early next year (still nailing down dates with the venue!)
3. I've got new prints in my etsy shop!
4. I am gathering material for a book that I plan on self publishing in 2010
5. generally rocking on with my bad self.


*5 things that really inspire me*

1. goddess leonie. Like for real.
2. my spiritual community
3. I adore the variety of creative voices and perspectives right here in the wish studio!
4. laughter, laughter, laughter. Laughter is the true medicine of this plane of experience. When I need a pick me up, I head straight to youtube and watch anything by kathleen madigan
5. My husband. Sappy but true.

ordinary sparkling moments :: ayn

by christine mason miller

“You must burn with passion for this earth and for all the splendor it can give you.”
~Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged


I have a copy of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand that my best friend gave me just after college. It is paperback, and at more than 1000 pages, two inches thick. The spine has been reinforced with clear packing tape, and a quick flip through the book shows page after page of folded corners, pen marks, underlines, asterisks and other notations that highlight my favorite passages. As I browse all the notes I’ve made over the course of four readings in eleven years, I wish I had used a different colored pen with each reading so I could see which passages spoke to me at different times in my life. Did I underline “All work is an act of philosophy” the first time I read it in 1991 or 1993? Was the mark I made next to “She had learned…that honest people were never touchy about the matter of being trusted” in 1999 or 2002? Which quotes resonated with me every time I sat down with Atlas Shrugged? Which ones inspired me in my twenties and which ones stood out in my thirties?

I have read a number of books by Ayn Rand, but Atlas Shrugged is the one that has been a constant presence in my life. It is a book of extremes, of taking certain ideas and following them to their most tragic and, at the same time, utopian degrees. There is no room for exceptions, for special circumstances or for anything outside the realm of Rand’s philosophy. What I appreciate about this is that Rand makes no apologies for her beliefs and is willing to shine a light on every possible angle of her hypotheses. It would be easy to accuse her of being rigid and myopic, but in Atlas Shrugged, she maps a minutely detailed exploration through her own philosophy that would make our most daring space explorers blush. How many people throughout history have been willing to stand up for what they believe with such ferocity and devotion, to take responsibility for what they say and express? In an age fraught with example after example of people doing everything within their power to avoid responsibility and accountability, I find Rand’s commitment to her ideals a bright light that I turn to again and again.

On a trip to Buenos Aires a few years ago, I met a man who had recently immigrated to Argentina from Cuba. When it came up that I had read Atlas Shrugged four times, this man looked at me with tears in his eyes and told me he was reading the book for the first time. I think of that man a lot, and of how Rand’s treatise on personal freedom and responsibility – borne from an upbringing in Communist Russia – must have opened up a whole new world for him, a world that, in Cuba, he could only dream about. As a new citizen of Argentina, he was taking his very first steps of real freedom, and those steps were being taken with Atlas Shrugged at his side, which put him in a long line of readers whose lives have been impacted by Rand’s words. I will likely never see that man again, but thanks to Ayn Rand, we shared a moment that has stayed with me ever since, coming up now and then to remind me how fortunate I am to live in a country that doesn’t aim to limit the scope of my dreams and ambitions.

I am reading Atlas Shrugged again for the fifth time, and it is like taking a journey with a good friend. This time around I am reading my husband’s hardback copy of the book, which is forcing me to simply read the story and enjoy it. There are no pages being marked and no corners being folded; all I am doing is letting the story unfold in my mind as it has ever since I was 24 years old. I am following a well-worn path, remembering why I love this book, feeling grateful that Ms. Rand was willing to work so hard, look so deeply and stand so firmly in her beliefs. As an explorer, she is a kindred spirit, and I cherish every moment with this book, with her words, with her spirit.

our contributors up close :: stacy de la rosa

*5 Things we might not know about you that you'd like to share*

1) I can juggle
2) I was obsessed with reading the Twilight books and didn't do much for the two weeks I read them.
3) I made a drawing sitting in a restaurant one night in Alaska and the next day had it tattooed on my lower back.
4) I'm really shy about it but I can do the dance from Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' video.
5) As much as I love to cook, I can't mix a cocktail to save my life. However, I can open a bottle of wine. (wink)


*5 Things going on in your creative world*

1) I've been thinking a lot about working with food again and how it relates to art and creativity.
2) My Equality pendants will soon be offered at a couple of retail stores. I am so excited about this.
3) I am working on a new Etsy store.
4) I really want to learn how to sew!
5) Oodles and oodles of writing.


*5 Things that inspire you*

1) The seasons, especially this one. I am in love with Fall.
2) Farmers Markets
3) Rich textiles, I am having a love affair with fabric currently.
4) My daughter, always.
5) My husband's roast chicken, it has me singing.

wishsmamas :: resplendant, the mode of perception

by jenica mckenzie


I strode quickly into the living room, dead set on grabbing a canvas from the secretary desk and returning to the table. That is, until my three year old screamed. I jumped at the sound, unsure of what could possibly be wrong. I quickly realized that she was upset with ME!

“YOU AWE STEPPING ON MY CASTEW!!!”

I took a quick perusal of my surroundings, being careful not to make any sudden movements and progressively wreck said “castew.” But no toys were on the floor, no books… what was she talking about???

The screaming lengthened. It almost felt comical at this point, what was all the fuss about? I was doing no wrong and yet she was continuing to scream at me to stop stepping on her “castew.” Finally, after wiping the tears from her face, she grabbed my hands, turning my position and plead, “Wisten to me mama. Wook down, can’t you see my bootifu castew???”

And I finally looked through her eyes and saw what she was seeing. As the late afternoon light cascaded in our window, it moved across a stack of books and legos sitting on a bench: creating a picture perfect castle onto the floor.





How often do we as adults forget to look for magic?

How often do we forget what magic even looks like?

We spend so much time trying to be seen as adults, as reasonable and rational grownups, perfectly in control of our emotions and thoughts. But in this process we lose the play, the imagination, the mess, and often the JOY of life around us.

When I finally woke up to the magic my three year old was seeing, I dropped my canvas, grabbed the nearest doll and we had a tea party within that little castle of illumination. The light moved on within a few moments, off to another magic making adventure. But my heart learned. I learned that when I find myself stuck in my head, worried about adult things, stuck in my creativity, it’s very often time to put on a pair of silly glasses, get down on the floor, tickle some toes and go on an expedition of enchantment.

Look around, look with fresh child-like eyes, what do you see?

xoxo


*Jenica McKenzie is first and foremost a woman, a creator of life and beauty, a mama to four little ones, a wife, a painter, a photographer, a yogini, a hammock dweller, a voice, a gluer, a birth attendant, a laugher, a friend, a blogger, and a phoenix rising from the ashes.

find her here... blog, Art blog, Etsy, Flickr

our contributors up close :: susannah conway

*5 things we might not know about you that you'd like to share*


1. I'd never sing in public yet i love karaoke
2. I'm a total sci-fi geek and love TV shows like Fringe, Heroes and Battlestar Gallactica
3. I have an extensive collection of vintage glass bottles
4. I'm addicted to Polaroids, but you probably knew that already!
5. Giving up smoking was easy but i don't think i'll ever be able to give up coffee


*5 things going on in your creative world*

1. The next session of Unravelling: Ways of Seeing My Self starts January 4th 2010
2. Enrollments will open on December 1st, with brand new gift vouchers available, ready for Xmas!
3. Next spring i'll be launching a new course that will teach students how to take beautiful photographs of ordinary things (join the mailing list for updates)
4. Coming soon: a book of Favorite Things, my Polaroid collaboration with Alicia Bock
5. My new course, Unravelling: Exploring the Senses, is going really well - feedback from a current Explorer: 'there is something magical about this [new course]. My world is becoming so sensual, romantic and delicious - thank you for bringing me to the present and seeing the magic in this world.'


*5 things that really inspire you*

1. decor8
2. Miranda July
3. The Selby
4. Frankie magazine - i have a photograph in their new book, the Photo Album
5. Unphotographable

finally!

written on my heart

the wishstudio shop is open!

and... you can pop on over and buy this mixed media original. it's been a while since i have sold any of my work, and as i 've been diving deeper into my creativity and embracing my inner artist i wanted to take this little leap. i don't forsee that i will be churning out a huge amount of work (just slowly creating from my heart right now), so when i have art up for sale, grab it if it speaks to you! i hope it does.

keep an eye on the shop for more goodies to come. i will be adding some other really fun stuff soon, all to help inspire and support your creative life... so stay tuned!

to tweet or not to tweet

so i have been on the fence lately about adding twitter to my online profile. i know social networking is the wave of the future, but honestly, the thought of managing another online element seems a little intimidating. this is coming from someone whose personal blog is a little dusty and neglected these days. i'm wondering if i can actually create the time to tweet as well.

i don't want to be left behind technologically, and i do love the idea of using twitter (and facebook), but i'm worried about the additional time it would add in front of the computer. i already have quite a love afair with my laptop. i'm worried my husband might start to feel neglected.

are any of you struggling with this? do you use twitter and facebook, and do you find it's worth the extra time? does it suck you in and eat away the minutes (like i imagine)? i'd love to know what you think! please do share...

our contributors up close :: jennifer lee

*5 things we might not know about you that you'd like to share*

1. I can burp the entire alphabet.
2. I can put both of my legs behind my head at the same time.
3. I really suck at washing the dishes. My husband usually has to rewash them! (BTW, getting a dishwasher along with a remodeled kitchen are on several of my vision boards).
4. My mom and I have the same birthday (I’m the gift that keeps on giving – teehee!)
5. I’m a homebody who loves to take naps in the middle of the day.


*5 things going on in your creative world*

1. One of the best things that’s been going on in my creative world lately has been getting to meet so many of my online friends in-person through my travels. I even got to meet our fabulous Wish Studio hostess, Mindy, during my visit to Boston/our roadtrip to the Squam Art Fair – YAY!
2. I recently launched an affiliate program for my Right-Brain Business Plan e-Book. Plus check out the fun, new look of the website!
3. I’ll be holding a Right-Brain Business Plan workshop in Oakland, CA on November 15th.
4. I’m digging my year-long Expressive Arts Teacher Training with Chris Zydel and can’t wait for my second retreat in December. I’m learning tons from the intuitive painting process.
5. I’m developing a licensing program for my Unfolding Your Life Vision kits and workshop.


*5 things that really inspire you*

1. My latest obsession is this giant wall calendar from Paper Source. Having a beautiful, huge visual makes it super easy and fun to plan out a big project I have coming up.
2. I recently finished reading my friend Cami Walker’s inspiring new book 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life. I participated in her 29-Day Giving Challenge when it first started in the spring of 2008. Now there are more than 5,000 givers worldwide – are you one of them?
3. I *heart* fellow Wish Studio columnist Kimberly Wilson’s TranquiliT eco clothing line. I’m always donning her skirt pants, hoodies and/or arm warmers. Sooo comfy!
4. I adore Aimee’s Artsyville prints that remind me to make time for my writing, yoga and art. I hang them up as beautiful visual mantras to remind me of my favorite creative practices.
5. I am a huge fan of Carla White’s Gratitude and Vision Board iPhone apps. They’re fun, simple and they help me focus on what’s most important in my life.

in a new light :: backyard adventures

by susan tuttle

Many creative types that I know have this wanderlust itch (including myself for sure:) -- this inner craving; heartfelt need for adventure, fresh experience and broadening of one's perspective. Of course it would be a dream to scratch the itch aboard a plane to Paris, but when that is not a current possibility, where can you turn? The answer is that you need not look any further than your very own backyard for the adventure of a lifetime.

The journey may lie in a book upon the shelf of your town's library -- it's got your name on it, trust me -- if you go in search of it, the book you are meant to read will find you:) This one found me.

Take a walk today. Look down to see what sparkles below. Look. Really look, and you will bear witness to miraculous details you never noticed before...



Make some art. You can enter a new world that you create with your very own heart, mind and hands. Surprises will come through when you trust and open yourself to possibility. Ever get the feeling that you are not alone when that kind of magic happens?:)

Be transported with a movie
and the poetry of a song.

sip exceptional wine for only a few dollars

Take a different road home...


...and when you get there try a delicious recipe from my favorite culinary blog -- Big Flavors From a Tiny Kitchen

...and while your dish is cooking, write a poem

or take a trip to a faraway land. A few of my favorite escapes include this portal, this, and this

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing." ~Hellen Keller

Be well.




*Susan Tuttle is a mixed-media and digital artist who resides in a small-town community in the state of Maine. Her first book, Exhibition 36: Mixed-Media Demonstrations + Explorations, was released by North Light Books in December 2008, and her second book, Digital Expressions: Creating Digital Art with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements, a technique-based publication on digital art, will be published by North Light Books in May 2010 and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon. Susan is a frequent contributor to Stampington & Company publications and other mixed-media books. You can visit her site at www.ilkasattic.com and her blog at www.ilkasattic.blogspot.com through which she is offering online digital art workshops on the subjects of photomanipulation, digital montage, and a variety of Photoshop techniques.

our contributors up close :: kimberly wilson

*5 things we might not know about you that you'd like to share*

1. I'm from Oklahoma and know my state song by heart.
2. I'm an introvert.
3. I'm getting a Master's in Social Work to grow my non-profit, Tranquil Space Foundation, and offer therapy to my repertoire.
4. I want a teacup pig.
5. I pick up earthworms on the sidewalk after a heavy rain.


*5 things going on in your creative world*

1. My second book, Tranquilista, hits shelves early 2010. sign up to become a fan!
2. I'm working on my spring collection for TranquiliT. Thinking neutrals and simplicity.
3. My fourth audio yoga CD, Tranquility to Go, hit the shelves late October.
4. I'm going to be featured on Self Love Studio along with SARK and Muriel Hemingway. Tune in to hear me on November 4.
5. I love leading retreats and have three coming up in the first half of 2010. Come play!


*5 things that really inspire you*
1. The book The Artist's Way
2. Like-minded creative femmes as found at Wish Studio
3. Mixed media
4. Reading memoirs and biographies - currently obsessed with Coco Chanel
5. People-watching from sidewalk cafes - particularly Paris and New York

blowing bubbles in a concrete jungle :: a joy rebel’s take on real creativity

by brandi reynolds




When I started blogging I was entranced by many of the bloggers I saw out there. Their lives seemed to be perfect: chock full of creative moments, deep friendships, sparking romance, beautiful clothing, magical days of sun streaming through hushed studio windows. I thought many of the bloggers I read had transcended the normal, boring details of life and that became my vision of being an artist.

And if I didn’t dress like they seemed to or if my life wasn’t as infused with seeming magic and stardust, then I wasn’t an artist.

Pffffttt.

Of course, now I know that the people I read and admire deal with the same crap that I do. That they pay the bills and deal with traffic and have fat days and zits and times when it seems their creativity has gone out the window in favor of the laundry.

What I have realized is that still answering the siren song that compels us to create, even amidst the laundry, is what truly makes an artist. NOT what clothes we wear or where we create.



I also know I am not alone in some of the assumptions made about what a creative life ‘must’ look like and that can lead to a lot of self judgment about our own lives. So I would like to take a moment in this space, where I have been so openly welcomed by the lovely Mindy to share to my voice, what my creative life is like.

Many of my meals require an interaction with someone through a drive through window. There are days when the only writing I do is rushing through 5 things in my gratitude journal. My clothes are mostly second hand or target and many of my jackets have been ‘distressed’ by my dog (lovingly of course). I watch biggest loser and big bang theory. Sometimes I forget to give my husband a good night kiss before stumbling to bed. My meditation practice is…inconsistent.



And I still smile when I look at my photos because they make me happy. Just jotting down those five things in my gratitude journal help me feel heard and connected. Any kisses I miss the night before with my husband can be made up the next morning



The point I would like to make is that being creative is all about what is within us to express and has nothing to do with what the outside details look like. YOU are creative if the only writing you do is in a journal, if you find beauty in fallen leaves, if you put love into creating your family’s meals and if you hear what the stillness tells you.

What does the stillness tell you?

our contributors up close :: jamie ridler

*5 things we might not know about you that you'd like to share*

1. My first impression of passionfruit was entirely wrong. Luckily I got past the appearance and discovered the delight!
2. I am passionate about helping people fall in love with themselves, their lives and the world.
3. I get nervous when my honey stands too close to the yellow line on the subway.
4. I once recited Edward Lear's "The Dong with the Luminous Nose" while peforming as Imogen Nation on stage.
5. Champagne, sequins, jewels, you name it: I love sparkle.


*5 things going on in your creative world*

1. I am devoted to a particular datebook and couldn't find it this year, so I'm creating my own! So far, so fun!
2. I've recently launched a podcast called Creative Living with Jamie, where creative independent spirits share their stories and strategies for bringing creativity to life. I have already talked to some amazing creative bloggers like Jen Lee , BlissChick Christine Claire Reed and Connie Hozvicka. You can subscribe here, find it on iTunes here, or on my site every Tuesday.
3. I'm weeks away from launching my first downloadable workshop called Soul Reflections. I guide you through a fun and creative process of collage and journalling to find the messages that are tucked away in your heart, waiting to be heard. My goal is to help as many people as possible find their inner compass so that they can start building their dreams on what they truly want. You can find out more here with more details coming soon.
4. I recently worked with a wardrobe stylist to revision my entire clothing collection. It was tons of fun, wildly creative and totally helped me fully embrace my taste and my style. The cool thing is that Safina and I are now developing a workshop together that will combine authentic professionalism and authentic style.
5. I'm leading The Next Chapter book blogging group through Martha Beck's The Joy Diet. We've been through Nothing, Truth, Desire, Creativity and Risk and are on our way to Treats - yay! One special treat was that Martha herself stopped by and left us a message of encouragement. How exciting!
*Now, I know that's 5 but I just want to whisper about something that's in the works. It's too early to share any details but in January I'll be launching a brand new inspiring program! To be the first to hear about it, sign up for my newsletter here . I can't wait to share!

*5 things that really inspire you*

1. Life. I know that's corny but it's the truth. The more I get in there and experience it, embrace it, revel in it, taste it, love it up, the more inspired I am.
2. Dance. When I dance, I know who I am.
3. The new wave of creative, heart-centred entrepreneurs that are changing the way we do and perceive business. I've really learned from Alicia Forest, Laura Howard West, Molly Gordon and Mark Silver. And of course, the Wish Studio's very own Jennifer Lee is a part of that movement with her Right-Brain Business Plan.
4. Generosity. When people generously and honestly share who they are, when they share resources, when they reach out and uplift others while they are rising too, this moves me and inspires me to make a contribution wherever I can, whenever I can. Spread the love!
5. Ideas. Call me crazy but my favourite class in grad school was theory. I love exploring big questions. One of my favourite theatrical productions I ever created started with me asking, "What would happen if I translated an academic text into a movement piece?" I had no idea how it would turn out. I figured it would be cool or horrible. In fact, it was short, intense and glorious. I guess it's one of the joys of living to me, asking "What if...." and following where that question takes you.

wishmamas :: mother of sound

by stacy lewis



Om. It's said to be the mother of all sound, and the word that birthed the world. My mother created me and she gifted me many things, one of which was a small book in which she had written in her crafted hand, "Stacy's Journal." I decorated it with frog stickers and started in the middle because that felt more secret. It was a book with white, unlined pages and a fake black leather cover. It was my first journal, begun at the age of nine.

It was magical how my mom knew I needed a journal and placed it under the tree for me that Christmas. A month later, I wrote about the Iran hostages and Ronald Reagan's inauguration. I wrote about Mount St. Helen's blowing its top. But mostly I wrote about myself, creating story out of all that happened in my small life: being mistaken for a boy, again. Worrying about my Grandpa Ralph's drinking. Meeting friends at the ballpark.

I filled dozens of journals over the years, penned hundreds of poems, wrote many good stories. Stories from my still-child self, about squirrels and butterflies and fairies; and then later on, about war and love, friendship and independence. Stories that seemed to spring from my head fully formed, and stories that trickled from my life onto the page.

This is what I remember: There is a creek with a little bridge. She is on the bridge, watching the coins shining from the algae-covered rocks. She has a notebook and pen – did she write with a pen then? Maybe it's a pencil, I can't quite see. She writes words. She is intent, focused, and both seeking and receiving. She is writing, writing, writing. She is at fine arts camp, this 12-year-old girl who already thinks of herself as a writer, or wait, maybe this is the beginning of her conception of herself as a writer.

She probably wrote, then, about the coins. Whenever she got stuck, her teacher, David Romtvedt, told her, "Just write. Start with one word, and write."

Maybe she started with:

coins

And then:

shimmer

cool

bridge

free

suspended

wishes

gleaming

coming true

Maybe that's what she wrote. The words eventually forming themselves into complete thoughts, sentences, ricocheting into story.

Shhhh. Hush now.

The world becomes a wish, a wish becomes a word, a word becomes the world.

But that was all so long ago. Just a child, really, full of creativity and channeling the world's stories. Eventually, they stopped coming, and I stopped writing. The journals were the last hold-outs, but even those petered out in my late twenties, crushed by the overbearing minutiae of adulthood. The last one devolved into sporadic, incomplete notes about buying a house, and then months later, questions for our visits to the midwife.

I had felt the ebbing away of my creativity over the years, and watched with sadness as she made her final exit. I looked up quickly at the sound of the door closing: …who just left?

And then she rushed right back in. I held my newborn son in the sling and scribbled on scavenged scraps of paper as she swirled around me. I held my newborn baby in the sling and tried not to wake, rustle, or crush him as I wrote. I left my baby, with my husband, for the first time and went to the bookstore to buy a new journal. It was red, and I filled its pages with the delirium of new motherhood. I am a mother. And I am tired. I want to be good enough to give my baby the love he deserves. I want to sleep. I wrote about quitting my job. I wrote a poem.

I wrote in the car while the baby slept. I wrote on the bed in the dark. I wrote in the inside of my mind, repeating the words over and over, so I could transfer them, when given the chance, onto the page. Everything was shifting and shimmering all around me, and I sat perched on the bridge, mesmerized by the unexpected and ever-more persistent glimmers of creativity coming my way. Again, it started with journals, and free-writes, and then it kept coming. I felt thankful and I nurtured my budding craft with classes, writing groups, and eventually got up the nerve to send my writing out for submission. On doctor's forms, I wrote, under occupation, in my hurried script: Mother and Writer, and I did both, all day, every day.

It wasn't until I birthed a son, and then a renaissance of writing, that I could understand how the gift of creativity is simultaneously my own and not my own (and not just because taking care of a young child and writing often seemed diametrically opposed). As a child, it seemed as if I were transmitting the words as they came through me. As a mother, I felt as if I were transmuting the words that arose within.

When my son was two and half years old, I tattooed the symbol om on my lower back. When I say the word, I say it slowly, sounding it out a – u – m, and the sound arises from the deep waters of my belly, travels up my chest toward the light, and fills the cavern of my mouth, emanating into the world, where it eventually dissolves. The four syllables in this word-sound represent all that is and all that is yet to be: "A" is our waking state, "U" our dream state, "M" our deep sleep, and the fourth is the silence that follows, the void from which all life springs, and to which it returns.

When I was a child, the cycle moved so fast that I never even heard the silence, until then it was all I had.

I was born, I wrote.

I dreamed, I wrote.

I slept, I wrote.

I was silent.

I gave birth, and I wrote.


Shhhh. Hush now.

Start with one word.

Stacy Lewis lives in Seattle with her husband and their two young sons, who are now six and three years old. Her first child inspired her to find the connections between peace, community, creativity, and motherhood. Her second reminds her to just try and stay sane. She writes about her (bumpy) path to peaceful parenting at http://www.mama-om.com/.

our contributors up close :: christine mason miller

*5 things we might not know about you that you'd like to share*

1. I am taking piano lessons - my first venture into anything musical in my entire life.
2. I am a Brady Bunch fiend, and once made a bit of a fool of myself gushing over Florence Henderson.
3. I usually work in silence.
4. I was voted "Most Individual" in my high school class.
5. I can't stand cilantro.




*5 things going on in your creative world*

1. A new Ordinary Sparkling Inspiration Deck
2. Book Fairies from all over the world are helping with the 100 Books Project. Over the next few months, books will be left in Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and South Korea
3. My Demdaco Wall Art is back up on Etsy
4. The Core Show is coming up Saturday, November 7, 2009
5. I'm contributing a Creative Catalyst exercise to the Creative Therapy website next month


*5 things that really inspire you*

This is what has been on my radar recently:
1. India, and my friend's recent journey there in particular
2. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
3. Anahata Katkin
4. Charlotte Tarantola, my amazing fashion designer friend
5. My family


[photo by denise andrade]

eye candy...a special treat {your photos!}

click on images for photo credits...

here's to a boo-tiful season!

gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous {sigh}

thanks to all who shared...xo

filling the well {a monthly inspiration prompt} :: time to get creative

welcome to the first of the wishstudio's filling the well... a series of community inspiration posts designed to share little bits of your inspired life! as creative souls our search for inspiration is ongoing and unending, and often overflows into all the different areas of our lives. let's take some time to explore, exchange ideas, and recognize just how uniquely inspiring we all are. these little prompts will enable you to offer up some of your own juiciness, as well as serve as a deep well of inspiration to always draw from. i really encourage you to share. you'll be glad you did.

to begin, let's talk about getting messy and creative in general. since creativity is the cornerstone of most of our lives, how do you make time to create? do you have a space carved out for your creativity, or do you create wherever and whenever you can? share your thoughts and photos of your sacred creative time, and link your post here to share with our community... go!

my creative time is very unstructured. at the whim of two young children, i am constanly squeezing in creativity in between feedings, homework, and bedtime stories. often times my littlest one is cozied up in my studio watching me work and singing to the soft music.

most of my creative time goes to running things here in the wishstudio... connecting with you, dreaming up new ideas, keeping things moving behind the scenes. i do still try to find time to do my own crafty projects, blog on my personal site, and create a little art when i feel inspired. that is someting i want to devote more time to, and what i find the hardest time to carve out for myself. i am working on that one though, as i find i really do enjoy (and even need) the process of getting messy and creating just for fun.

for me, creativity lives in all the facets of my life, so if i am not in my studio making connections or art, i am still immersed in creative living all the time. it is the air i breath!

how about you?

the necklace project

i am so excited to announce this upcoming collaborative project that will launch in november! it is inspired by a handful of projects that embrace sisterhood, offer artful opportunities, create beautiful connections, as well as meaningful experiences.

the necklace project will be the creation of a collaborative art piece, as well as an ongoing journey of the inspiration and experiences of each wearer along the way. we will follow each link as it is created and watch as a unique story and community unfulrs in it's wake.

this is all about bringing people together, making something beautiful and meaningful, and having the opportunity to embrace a unique experience that might change your perspective in surprising ways.

this is about creating trancendance.

for the project (in a nutshell), each person will create a charm to add to one of the links on the necklace - i will be creating the first one. you do not have to be a fancy jewelery designer, just have the desire and creativity to add a little piece of You to the necklace, whatever that might be! once your link has been added, you will wear the necklace and then share your thoughts and photos in a post here in the wishstudio. the project will go on until the necklace is full of your stories and art!

if you think you might like to become a link in the necklace project, leave a comment here as well as sending me your contact information via email. before the project launches next month, i will get in touch with you and send you all the details in full.

spread the word in your creative circle! i hope you will join me on this journey...xo

musepreneur :: are you a scanner/slasher with many passions?

by jennifer lee

Are you a Scanner/Slasher/Musepreneur with Many Passions?

Being the creative person and/or a creative entrepreneur that you are, I bet you have a plethora of passions: perhaps art, writing, photography, knitting, and salsa dancing. Maybe you dream of running a yoga studio in Costa Rica and in the same breath you can see yourself opening up a vegan bakery or writing your first mystery novel or designing high-fashion shoes.

You like to dabble in loads of creative projects and love to constantly learn new things.

Recently one of my clients bemoaned, “Oh no, here I go again. The last several months I was really excited about focusing on my art and writing, but now I’ve signed up for guitar lessons. I’m enjoying that at the moment, but arggh, why can’t I just pick one thing?!”

Does the last part sound familiar? If you feel like you can never “just pick one thing,” not to worry. Just because your best friend knew since she was five that she wanted to be a vet or your mom says, “Now what are you doing?!” when you sign up for yoga teacher training, it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you. In fact, look at the talented, wonderful women who grace the Wish Studio. Many have multiple passions that they’ve beautifully blended together into a business and/or enjoy relishing their creative spirit in.

Your love of variety is what Barbara Sher, author of Refuse to Choose, refers to that as being a “Scanner,” someone who “doesn’t want to specialize in any of the things she loves, because that means giving up all the rest.” Journalist/author/speaker Marci Alboher talks about a similar concept in her book One Person/Multiple Careers. She calls people with multiple careers “Slashers.” Musepreneurs tend to be Scanners/Slashers because they follow their heart, are inspired by lots of different things and often build their work around those many passions.
Here are a few ways to embrace your love of variety:

Spend less time worrying whether your latest interest is the “right” thing or merely a flash in the pan. Spend more time paying attention to whether it brings you JOY.

Be willing to let something go when it’s run its course. Ask yourself what did you gain from that experience. How did you grow? It may have nothing to do with the subject matter and all to do with your learning process.

Allow yourself to try new things and see what sticks. All to often people get caught up in the “deciding what to do” mode. They research and fantasize and wonder if they’ll like it or not when they could actually be out there experiencing it NOW. Pick one thing that you’re interested in and take action on that this week.

Use your right-brain to see the patterns or bigger picture that might tie all of your passions together. Write out of all your passions and interests on separate Post-It Notes. Group them together in ways that make sense to you. What threads do you notice? What “slashes” can you start to string together?

When I first left my corporate job, I struggled to define what I did. How could I “market” myself if I couldn’t succinctly describe my business? I longed for a simple label that would capture everything I was up to… coaching, workshops, yoga, art, etc. Now, rather than confining myself to one thing, I embrace all of the facets that make up my life and career and that feels much more ME!

What are the many hats that you wear? What happens when you allow yourself to play with all of them? I’d love to hear!

* Jennifer Lee is a coach/artist/writer/speaker/yogini/musepreneur/slasher/scanner. She is the founder of Artizen Coaching and the creator of the Right-Brain Business Plan. She loves yoga, painting, reading and hanging out with her husband and dog. She blogs at Life Unfolds.

october giveaway winners!

thank you to everyone for playing along this month. such wonderful inspirations! the winner of maddie's ecourse and photograph is alice in paris (yay!)... and not to worry, as all of you will have the chance to win this awesome prize package again next month - so keep checking back :)

and (drumroll, please...) congratulations to meagan for winning the ordinary sparkling moments book and postcard set!

please connect with me via email to claim your prizes.

also... there is still time to send in your fall/halloween photo for our eye candy post at the end of the month. thanks to all of you who have already sent me your gorgeous pictures! i'm really excited to share them all.

ordinary sparkling moments :: is it a passion or job?

by christine mason miller

Someone emailed a while back, lamenting feelings of losing the love she once felt for her work. One sentence in particular struck me, when she explained that what she was doing felt more like a job and than a passion. I did not have time to delve into all the thoughts that came swimming into my mind when I read it, so I scribbled a few words on a post-it note and ruminated on the ideas for a few weeks, thinking about all the ways expectations, fantasies, and ideas of what constitutes a passionate life shape the way I’ve viewed my own artistic path. Where is the line that separates a passion from a job or does one even exist?

As these thoughts and questions simmered throughout my week at Squam Art Workshops (SAW), I couldn’t help but think about a similar spark that caught my attention at the 2008 SAW gathering during a panel discussion with the teachers. An audience member asked everyone on stage what rituals they did each day to get themselves in a creative mood, and I found myself wanting to jump up and say, “YES!” to the answer Penelope Dullaghan gave. I am paraphrasing, but it was something like this: That sometimes she isn’t in the mood, no matter how many candles are lit or rituals are performed; sometimes she wakes up grouchy and tired but she has a deadline to meet and – wait for it – this is her job. Ritual or no, it is her job to create, so create she must do.

In those moments when I would love nothing more than to skip along the sidewalks all day, nap, see a movie, and read, I always have a choice. I am an independent artist and have the freedom to take on as much or as little as I want. It could easily be said that I take on too much, but I approach my work with a take no prisoners attitude because I consider every opportunity to do the work I do is a gift, a gift that is being offered to me because I have worked hard. I followed my passion and - I still can’t believe I get to say this - my job is to create, write, and share my work.

There are plenty of days when things feel out of whack, when I ask myself, “Is this what I really signed up for?” When I started my greeting card line Swirly in 1995 I certainly didn’t anticipate having to spend day after day packing orders of cards. Running that business was a job, let me tell you, but it was my passion for what I was sending in all of those boxes that kept me going. And that’s the deal – when a passion is pursued I need to release the idea that I’ll wake up with bluebirds tying ribbons in my hair and sunbeams streaming through my windows. Pursuing a passion is work. It is effort and time and being willing to take on more than is easy to handle. It is, in the simplest terms, a job.

When I stop feeling that the work I do supports my passions – when the river I’m traversing seems to be stuck in a swamp instead of feeding into wider channels of joy and possibility – then it will be time to shift my direction…and think about changing jobs. But whatever title I ever hold the work will always be part of the package, and only through those efforts will I find my way to the wide open sea, beautiful lands, and passion fulfilled.

“Most people don’t recognize opportunity when it comes, because it’s usually dressed in overalls and looks a lot like work.” ~Thomas Edison

october giveaways :)

here are two extra juicy giveaways for you this month!

first... madelyn mulvaney, photographer, writer and creator of persisting stars has offered to one very lucky winner a gift certificate to take one of her inspiring e-courses as well as one photograph from her shop (amazing, right?). click on over to her gorgeous site for more details about her class offerings! maddie is also working on her first book 'the art of living cheerfully' so stay tuned to all that is unfolding in her world.

starting next month, she will also be joining us as a regular contributor here in the wishstudio with a column inspired by her book.



and if that weren't enough... the fabulous christine mason miller has gifted a copy of her wonderfully soul stirring book, 'ordinary sparkling moments' in addition to a package of her inspirational art postcards. her words and artwork will remind you to embrace the simple joys of every day, and inspire you to live an authentic, wholehearted, and beautifully meaningful life! there are so many wonderfully profound yet simple truths shared in her story... i know you will love it as much as i did!


to win either of these prize packages this month, leave a comment on this post, 3 words or less, by the end of the day on monday oct. 19 about what inspires you. one entry per person please. two random winners will be chosen and posted on tuesday, oct. 20th - good luck everyone!

wishmamas :: balance

by christina rosalie

I don’t really know how to put into words the nature of this thing that consumes me—this act of balancing my wild heart and my creative writing life with mothering my two sons—because it has become the very air I breathe, ubiquitous, constant.

It is my lens, my window, my aquarium.

Trying for balance is the thing I do daily, again and again, the way the first people must have tried repeatedly for fire, striking dull things together, feeling their fingers bleed or become numb with the hope of something they couldn’t really fathom, even after they’d felt it once, twice, more times; the way the cave walls suddenly flashed with warmth and light, so much suddenly possible.

Being a writer and a mother means having a hundred things always suspended in a precarious state of maybe equilibrium. Balancing these two parts of my soul means living in a state of being continually at odds with itself. It is at once an act of movement and stillness, of breathing and holding breath, of restraint and strength. Some days I feel like it is possible. Other days every action is tied to the thread of the next, and all I do is rinse breakfast bowls, make peanut butter sandwiches, fold small shirts, nurse, wash dirty hands, and point out big rigs on the road as we drive to and from school, and when night comes I pull the this strange quilt of moments close and wonder if it will ever feel like enough.

The truth is, I always pictured that I would be mother. I even pictured having boys (ever the tomboy, they’ve always been my favorite.) But until I unexpectedly became pregnant with my firstborn, I was content to have children remain abstractions in my head—a part of Someday when I would really be Grown Up and had Accomplished Things. It was in that same Someday that I imagined I would become a writer. Meanwhile I spent hours in traffic, contributed to a retirement account, dropped off my dry cleaning, and was content to exist at the very center of my own small world.

Then my boys showed up. Both were unplanned, born four years and four days apart as though they were cahoots together from the start. I had just turned 27 when I had my first, 31 with my second, and before the birth of each I remember having conversations with other women who seemed hell-bent on giving me one very urgent message: your life is over when you have a baby. Say goodbye to your professional life; your dreams; your sense of identity, as it exists now, separate from the little person that will depend on you. I heard this even more with my second than with my first. With my second son it was clearly the end. I was a Mom. Childrearing could no longer pass as a pastime. It was my life.

It turns out there is nothing truer than what they were saying—and nothing farther from the truth. My life was over, as it had been. Things are more full, complicated, poignant, raw. I have new definitions for certain things. The word Leisure, for one, has been forever altered. Sleeping in means waking up at 6:30 instead of 5a.m. A good night of sleep means waking only twice instead of every hour. And there is a list of endless task-specific skills that motherhood requires, the least of which include: stain treating shirts and emptying pockets before throwing laundry into the machine; or bringing snacks and remembering tissues and wipes every time I leave the house, and the learning curve for these is steep and I decidedly suck most. But the thing I didn’t count on was that becoming a mother forced me to listen to my stirring, wanderlust heart in a way that I never had.

Before my sons, my life was full of busyness, and creativity was often pushed to the margins as my days became filled with commuting, commitments, consumption. I worried a lot about how things appeared, and about security and control. Living with two small boys has gradually worn away the edges of these illusions. I am learning that there is no such thing as control (the very fact that they are in my life at all proves this) or security for that matter. My sons teach me, with their buoyant little boy hearts, that only moment we have is now.

This is the only one.

I used to squander my time. I pushed my creative self to the side because there was always time to go back and pick up the dropped stitches, staying up until 3am to pursue an illusive story. If I worked long hours at my job and felt drained, I could refill on the weekends with slow-start mornings and evenings listening to jazz in cafes or people watching in town. Because I had so much time, I often missed the value of each moment. I easily spent entire nights watching crappy television shows because there would always be another night; but more often than not these distractions became habits, and writing happened much less than it happens now.

Now my time is compressed. I have a 7 month old and a four year old and every moment demands more of me than I feel capable of giving sometimes. I am no longer the center of my days, and I can see how easy it would be to loose sight of myself entirely in the midst of this. Caring for small children has a black hole capacity, for sure. But what it also does is force me to acknowledge that the only Someday I’ll ever have is right now (every cliché is true. They grow up so fast.) And forced to look at my life through the lens of this urgent present, my creative self has surfaced and writing is there, persistent and terrifying, and as indisputable as my need to breathe.

So I try for balance. I wake up and plunge into a choreography of push and pull between the needs of my own heart and the needs of my boys. I write because I cannot avoid it and still feel whole; and without feeling whole I become a shallow, snipping, impatient mother. Many day’s it’s less of a balance and more of a prolonged stumble, but it’s something, and in the process of this something, I am becoming.

***
Christina's short fiction and essays have appeared in the Sun and Mothering. Before recently turning her attention to writing full time she spent several years as a teacher. She writes the blog {my topography} and is working on her first novel.

in a new light :: letting go

by susan tuttle

There is a quiet in the floorboards that I am not used to. The complete stillness in this house is a stark contrast to the sounds and energies generated by my little ones, when they are here, just being themselves.

I can only write about where I'm at. No matter how much I might want to write about something else right now, like my garden's harvest, or the way the moon shone a bright orange last night, I can't -- not until I reckon with these feelings and then let go.

Ah, the concept of letting go! It is now my teacher. I got pretty good at learning to care for my little birds, and now one is leaving the nest, so to speak. My firstborn, my son, has just started Kindergarten. I know he hasn't really left the nest yet, not completely, but it feels that way when he's away from me five days a week for nearly eight hours at a time.

It is a bittersweet time for me and I am feeling such a mix of emotions. I am so happy because he is happy. He loves going on his "school adventures" as we call them, and tells story after story upon his return. My husband and I are excited for him as he begins this new, more independent phase of his life. But, I am honoring the fact that I am also in mourning for his babyhood and preschool years that I can't get back.

change.
A part of me welcomes it and jumps at the chance to rearrange my life, let in new experiences, put on a new pair of lenses, and allow myself to be gifted with the element of surprise.

change.
Then, there's that other part of me that doesn't do so well with it. It can be hard, messy, uncertain, uncomfortable -- even scary.

As my daughter has started more extensive hours at preschool, a breathing space has opened in my life. This freedom feels equally luxurious and devastating. I feel equally full and empty. As my tears begin to dry, I am seeing possibility within this new space; an opportunity to reinvent myself and unfurl the parts of me that are other than caregiver. I now have more time to be with me and really honor my needs and desires that I had tucked away for later. Part of this letting go is embracing this available space.

For one, I can work until 2 PM instead of 2 AM! -- my stamina for the late-night stints was at its burning end anyhow. I can now take time to just sit, completely alone with my body and my thoughts, sipping coffee, even allowing myself to doze if that is what I need. I've decided that sweatpants are for lounging and sleeping in only:) -- I'm sprucing up my wardrobe -- colorful scarves, sexy jeans and soft brown leather cowboy boots. I've made a list of places to go -- field trips into Portland, art museums, coffee shops.

There are definitely two distinct sides to this coin of letting go of my babies. I know it will become easier as time goes by, but for now I just need to be where I'm at. I will leave you with these two sentences that I composed just before school began: "And then there are moments when a sadness creeps up and in on me, my eyes flood with tears and there is a tightness in my throat and just over my heart as I think of letting my babies go. But inside I know that letting go is the only way for them to realize their own precious hearts' capacity for greatness and love." These words bring comfort -- they have become like a prayer for me. Writing this post has been surprisingly therapeutic -- I feel me loosening up a bit, letting go a little more... and a little bit more.


Susan Tuttle is a mixed-media and digital artist who resides in a small-town community in the Midcoast region of Maine. Her first book, Exhibition 36: Mixed-Media Demonstrations + Explorations, was released by North Light Books in December 2008, and her second book, Digital Expressions: Creating Digital Art with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements, a technique-based publication on digital art, will be published by North Light Books in April 2010. Susan is a frequent contributor to Stampington & Company publications and other mixed-media books. You can visit her site at www.ilkasattic.com and her blog at www.ilkasattic.blogspot.com through which she is offering online digital art workshops on the subjects of photomanipulation, digital montage, and a variety of Photoshop techniques.

art is

by aimee levalley harris

Defining myself as an artist has been a real journey, which seemed to become so much less clear as I aged.

As a child it was easy; defined for me, “What an artist you are!” As I moved through school it became that thing into which I poured my soul for safe-keeping. “I am an artist,” my whole being seemed to know, and yet when anyone made the assumption that I would be an artist when “I grew up,” I would be the first to correct them. Though I never had a passion for anything else, except perhaps speech & debate, from somewhere early on I had adopted the idea that Art is not a Job, in any form. Not one open to new seekers anyhow.

As adulthood came for me, without realizing, I had put it aside so completely that some years later, as a new mom, I hear myself utter the words, “I used to be an artist.” The words seemed to positively echo inside of my head… used to be…

I didn’t like them at all, and yet it suddenly seemed so definite, so irreversible. Years passed on and I threw myself into my children, arriving one by one, with their own needs. My art now comprised of childlike crayon drawings as I marveled at my young son’s ability to mimic them at only 2 years old.

“An Artist,” I thought to myself! I did not, however, utter this out loud. It seemed to me, in that moment, that somehow my art had been stolen by definition, and though I couldn’t yet explain how, I was determined to protect his from that fate.

I think what I was beginning to understand is that Art is not something you do, but rather something you are. As the years passed I watched my son begin to define art, begin to recognize others’ reactions to his. “I am a good artist,” he declared one day. I didn’t know what to do. Still so uncertain of what I was trying to protect him from I responded without knowing what I was going to say.

“Everyone is an artist,” I told him, “Everyone is an artist in some way, in some medium.”

Art is how we express ourselves and the final product is not created to be judged, if it is real art. If it is real art it was created because you couldn’t help yourself, because your should was speaking. If it was noticed it is not because your technique was grand but rather because someone else could recognize you and themselves in it. Because art, painting, writing, drawing, cooking, mothering, living, speaks of your heart and soul. And when you put your heart and soul into something it lights up with your inherent beauty.

This is good art.

Creating something of yourself is being an artist.

“Yes,” I said, “you are definitely an artist, and I love what you create!”

Though I haven’t yet begun my old medium of paint and pencil, I have allowed myself to pour creativity and passion into everything that I do. Once again I know that “I am an artist.” Sometimes in the kitchen, sometimes on paper, sometimes in the way that I live in each moment, but I am definitely an artist. And so are you.

Aimee LeVally Harris is a mother of three, forever in pursuit of greater balance of all things in life, embracing her deeper creative self, and building a homestead in the mountains of Taos, New Mexico. After donating all her family's belongings to charity, and traveling the country in an RV for a year, simplicity and a greater understanding of self seems more possible. It's been a wild ride, and most definitely, never boring. Following a lifelong assertion that there is a blessing in everything, Aimee expresses her thoughts on these topics on her blog Cage Free Family.

tranquilology :: bon vivant habits

by kimberly wilson

Enjoy indulging in the good life but struggling to stay within budget? As a girl-on-the-go in this economy, it is essential that you take time for yourself while making mindful decisions that affect your pocketbook. It’s easy to fall into the trap of removing small indulgences when tightening your budgeting belt. However, I’d like to share a few ways to indulge and have it all while balancing your budget, living green, and nourishing your spirit. Below are my favorite bon vivant habits:

Pack your lunch. Find yourself running out for an expensive, not-so-healthy snack mid-day? Pull your veggies, protein, bag of nuts, and fruit together the night before.

Bike, walk, or take public transport to work. Spend a lot on your daily commute and parking? Explore additional options that will allow you to breathe deeply, read or listen to a book, and maybe even get some exercise along the way.

Visit your local library. Addicted to bookstore browsing? Not a problem unless it translates to lots of unread books on your shelves. Try browsing your local library instead.

Download a movie. Love a matinee and tub of popcorn? Savor a French flick or documentary in the comfort of your own home with family and four-legged friends nearby. Make your own light popcorn, sip tea or wine, and enjoy a movie on your own terms.

Carry a reusable water bottle. Find yourself parched while out and about? Forgo buying bottle water or sodas. Never leave home without your reusable water bottle that can easily be refilled at water fountains.

Take a staycation. Got the travel bug? Indulge in an exploration of your town. Check out parks and gardens, museums, sidewalk cafes, and yummy brunches – you’ll be sure to find a perfect fit in your own backyard.

Make your gifts. Have upcoming birthdays or special events that require a gift? Explore getting crafty. Bead a necklace. Knit a scarf. Write a poem. Photograph their beloved pet. Bake a pie.

Shop consignment. Stay stylish this fall while picking up a new scarf, sweater, hat, or tall boots from your local consignment shop. These stores are full of hidden gems and the search makes for a fun afternoon.

These small changes offer a chance to revamp your creativity, develop foresight, care for the environment, support your local economy, nurture your spirit, and slow your spending. Voilà, yes you can have it all!

OMwork (homework with a yogic twist): Reflect on a least one way to replace an old habit with a healthier, budget savvy habit. Note the savings and effect on your overall wellbeing. Ommmm for your body and your budget!

the gifts of true friendship

are there women in your life that you feel especially drawn to, that there is something about the quality of who they are that makes you always want to be a part of thier world? do you ever wonder what those qualities might be? here are some beautiful examples of the kind of women you want to have in your circle (and probably already do). it's the kind of woman we all srtive to be!

1. they always see your strengths ~ and they always make you proud to be yourself because they tell you why you are so special. they don't focus on your limitations and they are always one of your biggest cheerleaders!

2. they trust you completely ~ to be thier confidant, to hold thier secrets, to listen to thier dreams, to not judge them, and to always tell the (gentle) truth. in turn, you can completely trust them, and feel cared for and safe inside the nest of your friendship together.

3. they respect you ~ as well as your point of view and choices, even if they are different than thier own. they are always open to a different perspective and embrace learning a new way from you. in the same way they live by thier own rules, but don't expect you to follow them.

4. they are authentic and at peace with themselves ~ and don't have to prove anything to you, and they don't need to judge you. they appreciate and celebrate all the wondeful and unique quirks that make you, You!

5. they are good listeners and sincerely interested in you ~ they make you want to share yourself with them.

6. they inspire you to be your best self ~ and shine like bright stars in our lives.

7. they make us laugh!

what are some other wonderful can't-live-without qualities of the women you hold dear in your lives? go tell them today how much they mean to you!

blowing bubbles in a concrete jungle :: a joy rebel’s take on having credentials

by brandi reynolds



I have a confession to make. I have all these ideas in my head-e-courses to give, books to write, projects to undergo.

And I’ve stopped myself from creating them because I didn’t feel like I had the necessary credentials.

I thought I needed an artsy-fartsy degree, or a least a different one, more years doing this creative thing, different or more or better or more expensive equipment, expert knowledge on said equipment and more blog readers, among other things.

Then like a light bulb bursting from the heat, it hit me the other day. So and so couldn’t have had that many blog readers when they started out. And now that I think of it, she/he doesn’t have a degree that’s any more artsy-fartsy than mine is. Or probably a cooler day job either.

What these people have-these that I look up and have determined have the right credentials, is a masters degree in their own experience and a doctorate in authentic expression.

That’s what makes them legit in my eyes-they aren’t trying to be anyone other than themselves. In fact, when I buy their art or read their books, I never check to make sure they have a degree that means anything or certain letters after their name or any number of years of experience.

Their art or e-courses or books uplift and inspire and grow community because they come from a place of authenticity.

I have now been filled by a knowing that I can share anything with the world for no other reason that I want to and it comes from within.

And I would invite anyone reading to consider the same thing. We can all obtain doctorates in authentic expression.

What do you want to share with the world?


Brandi Reynolds is an artist, photographer and joy rebel, living in a suburb of dallas with her infinitely patient husband and two rescued furry souls that drive her nuts half the time. The intention of her creative expression, and her life, is to celebrate, inspire, enjoy and connect with joy and humor in all facets of life. You can discover the beauty she sees in the everyday in her etsy shop or join the joy rebellion on her website.