July 2010
juicy togetherness {seriously fabulous workshops and events!}
grab your pen and date book… i am so excited to share all of these amazing offerings and opportunities for you to connect, wish, play and create together here in the wishstudio and beyond!
- inspiration stay-cation with kim klassen :: aug. 2 – 6th (join for FREE!) a week of fun and creativity with amazing blogging friends (including our own carmen torbus). the week will consist of a variety of inspiration, from writing, to art journaling, to photography, story telling, kindness, photoshop fun, & some challenges too…. all kinds of stay-cation goodness!
- summer intu{wish}n creativity circle :: come to the artist’s playground in newburyport to spend a friday evening getting messy and making art with kindred community. fall dates and projects will be announced soon.
- trust the mess :: a weekend workshop with sabrina ward harrison hosted by christine mason miller in venice , ca. august 21th and 22nd (only 6 spots left! early registration open until aug. 6th) to register email christine@swirlygirl.com yes, i’m heading west (can’t wait)…see you there!!!
- create & mingle :: august 23rd at the danvers art association. join heidi wallingford and i for some local creative fun! we will sip pink champagne, create inspiration journals and share some yummy creative time together.
- NEW! wish play create :: our 5 week online art playgroup for moms and kids, begins august 30th. each monday, a new 1 hour creative project will presented by a guest teacher, including: tracey clark, shona cole, pixie campbell, stephanie lee, and yours truly. a great way to carve out some creative time! stay tuned for details and for registration to open next week.
- necessary fire: fire dancing for the soul :: 6 week ecourse with silky hart begins september 8th. with intuitive art making, expressive writing and more, learn to express your necessary fire – that pure desire in your heart- to the world!
- mother’s plunge, boston :: a one day motherhood retreat, sept. 18th with “Momma Zen” author karen maezen miller and her special guest Katrina Kenison, author of “The Gift of an Ordinary Day” (early registration until aug. 15th ) come take the plunge with me!
- today: begin :: you have another exciting opportunity to join christine mason miller this fall who will inspire you to take that first leap! this 2 hour, self paced workshop will be available from oct. 13th to the 19th.
- NEW! inspire community fine art center :: san antonio texas, friday november 5th, 10 to 12pm – mixed media open studio workshop. come dabble and play in a little mixed media art and connect with some of the wishstudio gals including shona cole (and the fabulous author of the artistic mother) and myself for a little artsy meetup, texas style!
- manic mommies escape :: also in san antonio. i’ll be teaching a creative workshop at “mom university” during this fun weekend getaway especially for moms. there are just a few tickets left! join erin and kristin and all the other mommies from nov. 5 to nov. 7th – all the fab escape details are here.
courageous conversations :: take your savasana
by kate swoboda
As far as I know, every branch of yoga will have a savasana at some point in the practice sequence. Savasana is “corpse pose,” an actual pose which many say can be the most difficult because it involves lying absolutely still and focusing on the breath. Not scratching. Not fidgeting. Not thinking about how you’d like to move and how much longer will this be going on and did I remember to buy bread? Just lying there, in stillness, with yourself.
In Bikram yoga, savasana is a little different. Instead of having one savasana at the end, there is a savasana between each and every posture. This is because, as the instructors remind us, the idea is to give 150% of yourself over to the posture, and hold nothing back in your pursuit of complete focus, and then to enter into savasana and “let that go.” As in, the posture’s over—let that go. Your effort is done now. You recharge your energy so that you can give 150% to the next posture.
I like the times when the instructor adds “Let that go.” It’s a beautiful reminder to just relax my muscles entirely, to just release, to stop thinking, “How did I ever hold that posture? And now we’re going to do it again? oh man…”
This practice of taking savasana has been translating from the yoga mat to my life in the past few months. I began to realize that during the week, Monday through Friday, I was giving everything I was doing 150%. It was my most honest intention and effort to respond to every email, to honor the person writing me, to be of service, to offer more, to learn more, to stretch more, to give more.
And then, after that heavy week? Friday would come and it was time to take my savasana. Time to watch ridiculous amounts of television. To read for long periods. To not even touch the computer. To hang out with friends (or not hang out with anyone). To sit in the sun and stare at nothing. To walk along the beach.
I realize now that the times when I have hit the road for Italy in the past few years have also been me “Taking my savasana.” I live with intensity. I feel things deeply—my anger, my joy, my sadness, my heartache, my hopelessness, my possibility. All of it. For many years I fed myself the line that my family sometimes fed me: “You’re too sensitive.” I’ve met others along the way who heard the same thing.
Now I realize that those of us who live all the way are not “too sensitive.” I have an open heart, a heart that loves so big and wide and who wants good things for herself and people and the world so much that it is hard not to get sucked into expectations. To love with that intensity is to live with that intensity. I have wanted to, as Thoreau says, “live deep and suck out all the marrow of life,” though I haven’t chosen to do it through living an esoteric existence on Walden Pond.
And the key to doing this, and not driving myself to exhaustion? Taking my full savasana.
Not a sort-of savasana, where maybe I’m still yet I’m mentally planning, thinking, doing.
We need these spaces in our lives where we drop all of it—ALL. OF. IT.—and embrace periods of doing only that which our hearts desire, that which will refuel us. Some of us do need to go to Walden Pond. (Personally, I need Italy.) Some of us can even find different kinds of solace and rest and refueling in both.
There are so many objections to taking this time for oneself. Children. Money. Time. But here’s the thing—my retreats to Italy, seemingly “doing nothing”? Truly, they paved the way for the life I am living today. It was in that space of big dreaming that I first thought, “What if I lead a retreat here?” And now it’s happening.
So much of the writing that I have done in the past year has come out of that trip. Frankly, who I am today has come out of that trip. When I got all of this time away from my life, sadness came up. I birthed something on the cool stone floor of my studio apartment last summer, crying often in the dark. On the other side of that intense sadness was joy like I’d never known.
I don’t know who you are, reading this, or what you want out of life. But I do feel fairly comfortable saying that you probably could use a savasana, because most of us do and most of us don’t take them. A small daily dose is a wonderful start—a five-minute breathing space while staring out a window, for instance. (Never underestimate the power of five minutes.)
But I want to encourage you to go farther than that and find at least one day, maybe even a week, in your year where you just get away from everything.
Objection: “But it’s so expensive!” A thought: This need not be expensive. There are housing swaps via Craigslist, or staying at a friend’s house while they’re going to be away and feeding their cat, or pitching a tent somewhere, or sleeping in your car if that’s what it takes. Arranging to use vacation time or sick time. Borrowing money. Praying and seeing what comes in. Putting it on the credit card anyway because your life is worth more than the interest payments. Working three weeks straight rather than taking off weekends, and then using those “weekend days” in one long, continuous string. Take your savasana.
Objection: “But I have kids!” A thought: I recently heard a woman say “Make your kids your reason, not your excuse.” That hit me really powerfully. It occurred to me that when I was a kid, I would have liked to have seen adults who made time for self-care. They would have likely been much more patient with me. By giving to themselves, they would have more to give. Take your savasana.
Objection: “I can’t get that time off of work.” A thought: What if you could? Employers love finding ways to cut costs. Or what if there are double shifts for a week and then you get this entire week off? Or what if you use a sick day and trust that you’re less likely to get sick because you took time for self-care? Take your savasana.
Objection: “Only someone with a lot of privilege would make it seem so easy. Some people have responsibilities. I’m disgusted that you would even suggest that I can drop all of them, in the midst of this economy.” A thought: I’m not suggesting that people drop their responsibilities. Nonetheless, you’re entitled to your Story. I invite you, in particular, all the more to take your savasana, because when we don’t feel balanced in our lives, it is this kind of disdain that comes out. I send you my tenderness and love. (And P.S. that voice is not one that’s loving. Do you really want to keep it?)
BIG THINGS happen in those spaces where we are seemingly “doing nothing.” It’s because I’ve witnessed in myself and others the beautiful things that come out of space just to breathe and be, that I lovingly invite you into taking your savasana, claiming that space that is wholly yours.
* * *
Two spaces are open in my Italy retreat, October 11th-15th! Please contact me at kate@yourcourageouslife.com with “Italy” in the subject line for more details. I’m also opening 5 spaces for people to attend the classes I’ll be including in this retreat!
the artistic mother :: need more time for art?
by shona cole
Doing something artistic - writing a short story, painting with the kids, making a necklace to go with a new outfit, arranging the living room artfully and so on - is worth taking the time to do. It makes us better mommas.
Deep inside you know it does.
But, if you are like me, you suffer from the modern illness of ‘not enough hours in the day’.
Yet, you have all the time that there is in the world. You have the same amount of time as anyone else. So why is it so hard to find the time for art?
There are many, many reasons why our schedules are full. Household chores, activities with the kids, work outside the home, meal preparation, time relaxing with family. All these are good things for sure and part of regular life. These things can’t be avoided, and they shouldn’t be avoided.
So what is the answer to this riddle? Well, for some of us, the answer is this hard word: The reason you are not doing artistic things is that you are wasting time.
Yep, let’s be honest, there are some things that fill up your day that could be given up. Things that seem on the surface restful or pressing, but really are neither. Here are some of the biggies:
1) The internet!
We can get lost so easily in the web of linking to seemingly pressing sites and blogs. Web browsing unchecked steals precious time from our days that could be turned over to art. Even 30 minutes of art a day is better than nothing; so that 30 minutes on that website is time you could use for art instead!
You may be interested in what Suri Cruise is wearing or you may be consumed by a scathing review of a movie or the premier of the latest fashion accessory, but really is any of this helping you further your artistic goals? Why not give all this up, and instead, limit your online browsing to a set amount of time and make that time limited like-minded blogs that you have carefully bookmarked for inspiration and community.
2) TV
The same can be said about watching TV. You may think it is restful, but most of the time, it is not. Yes, it allows you the escape, but so does the practice of art. There is very little on the TV that you can’t live without. Make a plan of what you are going to watch and discipline yourself to turn off the TV when it is done. And when you are watching TV or a movie do something else, too! Process some photos, cut out some paper images or a dress pattern, sketch the contents of your living room, doodle.
3) The phone, facebook and tweeting
We all love our social interaction. And a certain level is important for our sanity. Moms need other moms to bounce ideas off of and to discuss life. But there is way too much social interaction going on right now. Each phone call over 10 minutes, each tweet you take time to compose and send, each time you go on facebook to tell the world what you are doing that moment is time that you are taking from your family, time to rest and time to use your creative mind and hands.
Again, be proactive, be in control of your life – consider limiting the time you do these in the day. Be disciplined. Your social life will not fall apart if you are not engaged in every conversation.
4) Needless or extra housework
The house is an endless pit of things that need to be done. For sanity a tidy, organized house is necessary, but how you go about it needs to be organized and controlled. Set aside time to do house work, make a strategic plan to get it done – list what things can be done in the house and what day you will do them. Stick to the plan, do what you can in the time frame and call it good. Don’t give in to the temptation to do a little more.
Get your kids involved – put on a timer and play “beat the clock!! This tactic works in our house every time. The kids love to see how fast we can unload the dishwasher or tidy the playroom.
But whatever you do, don’t let the need for neatness take over and steal your energy and time. Your house is good enough. In the end of the day your kids won’t remember the perfect house you kept, but the time you spent together. You will be pleased with yourself if you have a slightly messy house but an actual finished creative work – not to mention happy, satisfied and creative kids.
4) Shopping
It has to be done. We need stuff, new clothes, replace household items, buy gifts and so on. But like everything else we can be guilty of doing too much. Look realistically at what you actually need, limit your desire for the latest and greatest. Make a decision to be less of a consumer. Re-purpose and re-use what you already own. Take care of the things you have, and use them to the fullest. Commit to reducing your budget and stick to it. If you are feeling down and need a lift, don’t go shopping. Instead turn on some music and make something, paint, write out your feelings.
So…you can see a pattern here: make a plan of what you are going to spend your time doing and stick to it. Include art in your daily schedule and stick to it. You are the master of your day. Master it.
I am guilty of much of the above. I struggle against the tide of time wasters. The pull is strong. To be victorious I know I need to be strong too. Some days are easier than others. But the commitment to being an artistic mother is more and more winning out.
Have you looked at your life to see what you waste your time on? Will you share it here?
Next month I will touch on what to do if you are feeling creatively unmotivated, blah, blocked. So put it on your to do list and check back in!
Shona Cole is a homeschooling mother of 5 under the age of 10, collage artist who creates family focused art combining her own photographs, poetic words, paint and paper, author of ‘The Artistic Mother – a Practical Guide to Fitting Creativity into Your Busy Schedule’, and is perpetually searching for the balance between self and service. You can find her at An Artful Life or Flickr.
full moon musings
This month’s Full Moon is in the sign of Aquarius, a fixed air sign.
Moon in Aquarius calls us to the circle, away from private concerns and intimacy reminding us of the sacredness of collaboration. We become deeply aware that what affects one, affects us all. It’s time to tend the web of community, to network, review our philosophy and find a way to walk our talk.
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Kathy Crabbe, Aquarius Goddess. Watercolor on illustration board, 5 x 7 inches. © 2010
More Aquarian Tidbits
Aquarius – Water bearer
Time of Year – Winter, Imbolc
Quality – Fixed
Element – Air
Ruler – Uranus
Anatomy – Bloodstream, circulation, shins, ankles
Natural sign of – 11th house
Opposite sign – Leo
Color – Electric blue, turquoise, silver
Gemstone – Obsidian, opal, sapphire
Tarot card – The star
Goddesses – Feng P’O P’O, Freya, Ix Chel, Nut, Tien-Mu
More About The Moon Phases
The Full Moon invites us to peer deeply into our emotional, intuitive selves as we direct our attention to manifesting the hopes, wishes and dreams that were seeded at the New Moon.
The Moon changes signs approximately every 2 ½ days, going through all twelve signs of the Zodiac every 29 ½ days. The sign that the Moon is in reflects qualities of your inner self and being-ness.
Each month there is at least one Full Moon that will rise at sunset and set at sunrise and is visible all night long from moonrise to moonset. Astrologically speaking this means that the Sun and the Moon are in opposition (opposite each other in the sky and in opposite signs of the zodiac.)
Learning to work in concert with the phases of the Moon is an excellent way to add structure to your life because you are not only connecting with Mother Nature through the Moon’s reflection of the Sun and the Earth, but with human nature and especially with feminine nature.
Aquarian Full Moon Musings
In honour of this month’s Full Moon in Aquarius I am going to guide you through an intuitive, healing, creative exploration into body, mind and soul so that together, we can shift, transform and heal each other and the planet during this time of great change and awakening.
Aquarian energy can be felt by tuning into the energy of the Full Moon that is passing through the astrological sign of Aquarius from July 25 – July 28, 2010.
Independence, detachment, contrariness, outsider perspectives, artistic ability, humane and altruistic behaviour are all key Aquarian concepts that describe energy accessible to all of us right now.
One of my favorite ways to tap into these lunar energies is by attuning to gemstones and crystals, such as the Aquarian ruled gemstone, Sapphire. I begin by holding a small Sapphire in my left hand as I place it on my third eye along with a little help from a double terminated, Isis Lithium Quartz Crystal that I place at my feet while meditating. If you don’t have access to these stones you can work with their images instead.
A Sapphire Meditation
Allow your body to flood with joyful feelings of being-ness as you ask your heart to expand, expand, expand, inviting warmth and happiness into your energy field. Let steep for a few minutes and then say aloud:
“Today I reward myself with happiness.”
Now, envision an image that brings you sheer joy.
Next, you will focus your attention upon two Aquarian images, one is pictured below and the other at the very beginning of this article. Allow yourself to stretch, stretch, stretch – really push yourself! You are entering another world, yet you will remain connected with this one by placing your hand over your heart to feel your heart beating.
Kathy Crabbe, Abraxia. Watercolor on paper, 8 x 10 inches. © 2010
This kind of consciously aware being-ness is absolutely essential as you enter into the whole new world that we are creating right now as a society.
Now, take another moment to ask yourself:
“ Am I happy?”
“ What can you, the Aquarius Moon, teach me?”
Next, ask yourself what steps you could take to help yourself. List three. Be concrete, realistic and include a timeline.
1.
2.
3.
List three obstacles that you might face.
1.
2.
3.
Good for you! You’ve stretched, stretched, stretched – I can feel it! So now it’s time to reward yourself. How will you reward yourself for each step you have taken?
1.
2.
3.
Sparkly Blessings to All for sharing this Aquarian Full Moon with me, I bless and surround you with joy, fulfillment and magic.
Kathy Crabbe is a soul reader artist who has devoted her life to exploring spirituality and creativity with passion and integrity. Her art and writing have been published and shown throughout the world at museum shows, galleries, magazines and books. Through online resources Kathy is able to help other soul seekers express their unique gifts and talents in empowering ways. She maintains a blog and website sharing her experiences with the psychic, intuitive realms and the world of art making. You can find her online at http://www.KathyCrabbe.com
The artwork above is from Kathy’s Goddess Zodiac deck and Lefty Oracle deck, two of the four decks she incorporates into her soul readings.
Kathy is currently teaching Awaken Your Divine Feminine Soul at the Wise Woman University. “Celebrating the lunar cycles is an important part of building a spiritual framework. Each month we can tune into her cycles to keep ourselves on track. At the new moon we plant our intentions for the month ahead, at the full moon we watch them flower, and at the waning moon we release and share our wisdom with the world. As women we are naturally able to resonate with these cycles in deep and meaningful ways.”
community is our greatest sustainable resource
imagine what we could do if we all helped to lift each other up,
to help to provide for one another
and shared what we have and what we know.
what if we invested in one another,
believed in one another
and lived, danced, laughed, and dreamed together
as if today and each other were the only things we knew we could depend on?
summer inspiration postcard swap has begun!
those of you fabulous gals who participated in the summer postcard swap, get ready for some snail mail love!
over these last weeks of summer, look for a new handmade postcard in your mailbox.
they are all so beautifully amazing and inspiring!!!
thanks so much for joining in and making this such a fun collaborative project.
i love collaborations :)
ordinary sparkling moments :: passion in a parking garage
My husband and I went out to dinner a while ago, and on our way back to the car – which was parked in the garage at his office – we ran into one of the building managers, a man named Keith who knew my husband. Right after we were introduced, my husband explained that Keith was an opera and classical music aficionado, which helped me understand their especially friendly rapport. My husband – when he’s away from his work in the financial industry – is a violinist and classical music buff himself, so it was easy to imagine the two of them comparing notes, recordings, composers and experiences whenever they crossed paths in the midst of their day-to-day work.
We ended up hanging out in the parking garage talking to Kevin for at least fifteen minutes. During a conversation that included Kevin sharing his recent discovery of a modern composer from Finland and my husband offering his newfound admiration for a Hungarian composer named Goldmark, my head went back and forth between the two of them as if I were watching a tennis match. Although I couldn’t keep up with their wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm, I could have sat listening for hours.
There is something magnificent about listening to someone talk about his or her passion. I have never been especially interested in opera, but after hearing Keith discuss Don Giovanni, I begged him to write down a list of pieces my husband and I should start with to learn more about this music. I was also given a new found wish to be a fly on the wall the next time these two run into each other, wanting to soak up more of their infectious energy.
Last night, Keith could have been talking about rust, but if it had been with the same exuberance and joy that he spoke about classical music, I would have been just as rapt. Sharing our passions isn’t necessarily about the topic at hand; it is about the joy, the love and the desire to celebrate and share all the remarkable wonders this world has to offer, each of which calls to us in different ways – filling our hearts, making them sing.
Read more >>25 things i love about creative women
the fabulous women at Create & Mingle last night!
1. they live with such passion and heart
2. they always wear the best clothes and jewelery
3. they really appreciate handmade things
4. they are not afraid to get messy
5. they will dabble and play in anything crafty
6. they embrace adventure
7. they are always overflowing with fabulous ideas and inspiration
8. they have an insane love affair with art supplies
9. they value uniqueness and authenticity
10. they enjoy hanging out in cafes, bookstores, and vintage shops
11. they don’t look at you funny when you talk about your blog
12. they each have their own special creative talent and gifts
13. they share their stories and resources and craft supplies with enthusiasm
14. they have the coolest tattoos
15. they notice and appreciate the little things
16. they love color
17. they make time for joy
18. they have the best books
19. they collect wonderful and zany things
20. they are free spirited and fun and always make me smile
21. they are not afraid to get teary, laugh inappropriately, or yell from the rooftops
22. they like girly things like sleepovers, stickers, sparkle, and cupcakes
23. they understand the huge power and importance of community
24. they practice kindness, gratitude and generosity
25. they make my life beautifully rich and delicious, and i couldn’t live without them (this means YOU!)
more about create & mingle here
Read more >>so inspired right now :: get your brave on
I’ve been finding myself doodling, collaging, blogging and saying variations of the same phrase over and over lately. For the last few months, every time someone has asked me what I’ve been working on or what I’m going to do now that I’ve escaped the 9-5 world, I’ve seemed to mumble some kind of less-than-confident phrase about inspiring creative women and finding a way to make a living doing so. It never came out quite as eloquently as I would have liked, but the passion for the “inspire creative women” part was always present. I guess I wasn’t able to put into words what it is that I really want to do with my life.
Until now.
I mean, I suppose I could have put it into words, but I think I was afraid of the reaction I would get. Taking risks sort of helps with the whole fear-factor thing. When you take small risks, like speaking your truth and sharing your wild and crazy dreams with a few of your most trusted friends, bizarro things happen. Things like, all of a sudden, you have the urge to get your brave on and spill the beans about your big dreams with all of bloglandia. And before you have a chance to freak out and retract the blog post, you realize you’ve got 15 comments of support, encouragement and love.
Wow, maybe your wild and crazy dreams aren’t so “out there” after-all.
And you realize, maybe, just maybe, someone is waiting for you to embrace vulnerability, step out of your comfort zone and bust a move with that mad talent you’re harboring inside. What you’ve got, people need.
And then, next thing you know, you’re back at it. Getting your brave on again. It hits you that sometimes just knowing that someone else believes in you is enough to push you to step into your power and make an announcement that reads something like,
“It’s official. I’m super excited to go ahead and announce that I am open for business. No, my website isn’t updated yet. And my (yet to be created) services page doesn’t reflect this change yet, but I’M READY. And I know there are creative women out there that need a cheerleader/coach/consultant/conspirer on their Support Squad to help them get focused, get fired up, get accountable and get moving towards those big scare-the-pants-off-ya dreams and goals!”
Then, once again, the support rocks your world.
So take a moment to to ask yourself…
What are my scare-the-pants-off-ya dreams?
Who do I trust that I can risk sharing them with?
What steps am I taking to make them possible?
Who is holding me accountable?
Who is on my Support Squad?
I know, without a doubt, that you are insanely talented. People need what you’ve got.
I believe in you.
I hope you’ll take a risk and get your brave on.
xo & belief in all things YOU,
Carmen
Read more >>
wishmamas :: when dreams come true
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a mother. There were so many careers I thought I could be happy havingballerina, fashion designer, magazine editor, to name a fewbut there was only one job I knew I’d be devastated without. I had to be a mom, and I had to be a good one.
As I grew up, I daydreamed about being a good mom. A mom who cooks dinner every night and bakes cookies once a week, writes love notes and slips them in carefully packed lunches, and crafts Halloween costumes and holiday decorations. A mom who keeps a warm and colorful house that makes everyone feel at home. A mom who plays, sings, laughs and dances with youand never melts down. And at the end of a day filled with all kinds of activity, a mom who reads a story to you and tucks you into bed.
My ideal mom was a combination of all the mothers I’d ever known, from my own practically perfect mom to my friend’s moms, from the elusive Martha Stewart to the easy, breezy Lorelai Gilmore. She was someone who didn’t exist. Someone who couldn’t exist.
Pregnancy woke me up. I got my first dose of reality as my body began to transform. My emotions were all over the place, and my energy was nowhere to be found. It seemed like other moms-to-be were ripe with inspiration and filled with an urge to create during pregnancy, but my creative well was drying up and I was exhausted all the time. I was able to work when I had to, but when the work was done, I shut off. I took long luxurious naps, met friends for meals I was craving and watched daytime TV. My journal that I’d hoped to fill with art and stories was left untouched. My life had become a blank book.
And then came Henry, my dear and darling son. The first month of his life is a blur of sleeplessness and bliss, of snuggling and staring at his perfect tiny self. I was grateful to spend some time just being with him and my husband Rama. My heart burst with love for our new family of three. It was a dream come true.
After a month and a half, it was time to go back to work, and I was ready. For the first time in almost a year, I craved working in my studio. I needed to dream and scheme, to make and create. As my body once more became my ownand as I got more sleep!I could feel an ember begin to burn inside me. It was creative inspiration, and it was filling me like wildfire.
Ideas came to me in the shower, on the way to the grocery store, at the doctor’s office. I had so many visions and plans, and it was exhilarating. But it was also frustrating. Here I was, finally inspired, motivated, and excited, but there was little time to act on it. There were other pressing matters that required my attention, things like pumping milk, washing onesies, sterilizing bottles, and making dinner. Once all was said and done, I didn’t have a lot of time or energy left.
I wish I could tell you there was a defining moment when I figured out a way to balance it all, when I was able to make time to make everything I wanted to. But I can’t. I didn’t. I just know that somehow along the way, I began to find peace with my new juggling act. I realized that motherhood is creative. Never mind the obvious fact that pregnancy and childbirth are creative by their very nature. But there is art in the everyday tasks of being a mom, too.
Every single day I feed and groom Henry, who is a total work of art.
I sing made-up songs and tell not-quite-true tales.
I make a tunnel out of furniture and pillows and a drum out of a tin can and spoon.
I whip up elaborate dinners and bake picture perfect treats.
I fill our home with color and comfort.
With my family’s help, I’m able to devote a few days a week to design work. And occasionally, when the stars align (or when my Rama gives me the precious gift of extra time), I get to spend an entire afternoon or day to work on a project just for fun, just for me.
There are still days when I don’t feel like doing anything creative. I put Henry to bed and think, “Now I should get to work!” But the thinking is as far as I get. I end up sinking into the couch, disappearing beneath a blanket, and falling asleep in front of the TV. That’s okay.
I suspect it will be like this for a while.
And I am starting to think that this is the kind of mom I am. Not Martha, not Lorelai, and definitely not perfect. But real and complicated. Resourceful and clever. Busy and exhausted. Honest and beautiful. And a little bit messy. I am living my dream, but that dream is now rooted in the earth, not up in the clouds.
* * *
Christine Castro Hughes finds beauty and wonder in the little, everyday things and brings them to life with her stories and art. She has been chronicling her life online for over 10 years, first on the award-winning website maganda.org, and now on her new blog, Brunch. Christine runs Darling Design, a graphic design studio specializing in logos & identities, web sites and custom invitations. Her work has been shown in galleries and featured in national publications. While she is proud of her creative accomplishments, Christine is convinced that her best work to date is her son, Henry, a collaboration with her amazing husband, Rama. They live, laugh and play together in a lovely, crooked house in sunny LA.
Join Christine for brunch or visit her Darling Design studio.
Read more >>a page from my journal :: women, food and god {and me}
a very honest look at the start of a very long journey
the book arrived in my mailbox over this past weekend. it’s been on my list to go pick up but i hadn’t gotten around to it, so i was excited that someone had sent it to me. then, shortly after, i felt what i’ve been kind of avoiding all along… that if i actually had the book, then i should probably read the book (which IS the intended goal when you buy a book, right?). i know that there are no real “shoulds” or “have to’s” in life, but deep down i know i need this book. o.k. maybe i don’t need The Book, but i need to think about the things this book will talk about. i need to go where i know (or where i thing i know) this book is going to lead me.
and for me, i know it’s about everything in my life.
EVERYTHING
and because i know this is a pivotal moment for me, because i feel more ready than i’ve ever felt before but terribly and intensely frightened, and because i want to walk the walk as much as i talk the talk, i’m going to take you with me (if you want to come along)…
i’ll admit it right here and now. i am one of those women who often eats to fill up, to sate a hunger that has nothing to do with food, to stuff down feelings i don’t want to feel. it’s usually not a conscious thing, it’s more quiet and insidious. i obsess about the eating, but i consume on autopilot. i’m not a huge snacker, but breakfast, lunch and dinner i am filling up. that’s the goal when i eat. volume.
i guess i’ve known this a very long time. i have some really powerful food memories that i will share with you someday… but what dawned on me when i was reading the prologue of the book (i didn’t even get as far as the first chapter, and even then i had to put the book down and walk away) was that what i can’t remember about food in my life might be the most powerful piece of the puzzle for me…
Read more >>musepreneur :: lessons from a summer vacation
by jennifer lee
I love the first signs of summer. The sunshine and warm breeze, the lazy naps in my backyard hammock, the occasional dip in the pool. These tastes of more carefree days remind me how important it is to embrace (and create!) the lull.
I bet many of you musepreneurs who work for yourself, or juggle a day job and many side passions, or who are busy wish mamas can find yourself feeling overworked, burnt out, and exhausted by all that you do.
I know we are all so used to doing, doing, doing and going, going, going, but summer is a wonderful reminder to just BE.
In fact when you create and embrace the lull you invite in more spaciousness, you give yourself time to rejuvenate, and you ultimately enhance your own creativity in your work and your life.
How about recharging with a couple of these summer-vacation-inspired tips?
- Think back to summer vacations when you were a kid. What where some of your favorite memories? Did you enjoy adventurous trips? Frolicking in the sprinklers in your front lawn? Hanging out with your friends? Or doing creative projects? Find a way to capture some of that summertime childhood magic this summer for a spark of delight and wonder.
- Give yourself a break. Allow yourself to enjoy some much deserved time off even if it’s for a few hours or indulge in a few days or few weeks! Use the open space to do something that will truly fill your soul. Or use it to do absolutely nothing – that can certainly feed your soul, too! And while you’re giving yourself a break, please let go of having to be “productive.”
- Take a mind-vacation. In the last retreat of my Expressive Arts Teacher Training program my fellow student Erin Bartolotta shared that intuitive painting is like taking a mind-vacation. When you give yourself full permission to let loose in your creative process you give your judging mind a break. So grab some paints or crayons and just doodle your cares away!
- Simplify or cut back. Ask yourself what are one to two things that you can say no to in the next month? When you clear the decks you clear your mind.
Wishing you a wonderful rest of the summer! As for me, I’m listening to my own suggestions to simplify, so I’ll be taking my own break here from the lovely wishstudio as a guest columnist. I’ve enjoyed the past couple of years sharing Musepreneur with you all and I look forward to continued connection in other forms in this amazing community of creative souls. Thanks, Mindy for the opportunity to be a part of the wishstudio and for all that you do!
Love,
jenn
Musepreneur and certified coach Jennifer Lee, of Artizen Coaching, is 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.
i am a poem
sometimes she held a sliver of the moon in her cupped hands
and let the light run through her fingers like the sweetest honey
sometimes the sound of the earth’s quiet breathing
was enough to make her sigh
sometimes when she passed under the leaves they shone
colorful and translucent
and she knew the world was one large cathedral
and every step was a prayer
sometimes she fought against her own living
and then her mind would give
and her body would softly surrender
sometimes her scars seemed like broken paths
and the lines connecting each one
formed the silhouette of someone familiar
sometimes she ignored the promises she made to herself,
telling herself they weren’t all that important
but her dreams always told her the truth
sometimes she remembered who she was
and the memory was like a dance
she could follow with her eyes closed
sometimes when her toes touched the edge of the cool water
there was the distant memory of thirst
at the back of her throat
sometimes she forgot she could save herself
but the cadence of the rain against the windows
was a tender song of remembrance
sometimes she felt the weight of her scattered pieces
but it was never as heavy as the weight of her wholeness
sometimes in the early morning hours she swore
she was the curve of pink on the horizon
and sometimes the fading color of day told her
she was right
sometimes she stood at the window looking in on her life
sometimes she could touch the fringe of it,
sometimes she could leap straight into its story,
but sometimes it felt distant and out of reach
sometimes her breath caught in her chest
and in that moment she knew the stillness of nothing
sometimes the voice singing “now” was louder
than the temptation of tomorrow
sometimes a ladder leading nowhere would appear
sometimes she was brave enough to climb one rickety rung at a time
sometimes there were enough sometimes to stitch together
and from that she could create a life
getting creative with your style
Style is meant to be a fun process, in which you can take it upon yourself to do just about anything. Not sure what your style is exactly? Or maybe your lifestyle has changed and you’re not the Chic Urbanite you once were. The best way to forge a path to your new Signature Style is the process of discovery. Opting into in a few fun activities to get your creative juices flowing will do just the trick.
Go on a sensory shopping experience and become a connoisseur for your unique beauty. Here are some of my favourite style hunting activities.
Visit a museum; notice what catches your eye. Maybe that translates into a new colour palette.
Go to your local fabric store, play with pattern. Maybe you pick up a unique fabric for a one-of-a-kind dress.
Attempt a DIY project, get crafty. Maybe that turns out to be your signature element.
Venture into a vintage boutique, discover a story. Maybe that opens up the door to a new passion.
What do you adore? What do you love? Let your interests lead to your style. Have faith in the process. You may not find an entire outfit that communicates your style. But you will find something that makes your heart sing, your eyes see fireworks and your soul do a happy dance. Take that as a Style Sign. Maybe you come across a beautiful vintage rhinestone brooch that you can’t take your eyes off of…ask yourself what about it do you love so much? It is the fact that it has a story? Does it have clean lines? Does it sparkle? Come up with 3 adjectives that represent it. Take those words and look for the same qualities in a blouse or skirt. Once you’ve found a selection of items that communicate those core adjectives, the second step is making sure there is some contradiction/conflict. A little drama always sparks the curiosity of others. If there is flow add some structure, if the outfit is predominantly black add a punch of colour. Step three is putting the effort into the details. Your fragrance, jewelry, accessories, makeup and hair all unify your look making it more interesting.
Take a deeper look, explore the meanings and venture outside the box to create something unique. Translate that into a wearable outfit that emulates your essence and is an authentic representation of your soul.
*safina khimani is the founder of faith style and a style coach passionate about helping women find and express their authentic selves.
the business of relationships
lately there is so much happening, so many opportunities unfolding, and so much i want to dive into! at the center of everything, are connections being made with some really incredible and inspiring women. this is where i find the real juice… in the interactions, in the giddy excitement of things to come, in the dreaming and sharing of a vision, in the little moments of exchanging ideas and offerings, and ultimately in the overflow of encouragement and gratitude and togetherness. really, it’s all about the relationship.
i’ve found that there is subtle but really important difference between working and doing, and being and experiencing. on the outside they may appear to be the same, but at the core the difference is this magical elixir. this is what i love discovering (in myself and in others); the essence behind every possibility and the potential for us to grow and learn and create meaning in our work and especially in our relationships.
for me, work is not ever just about work and i struggle a bit with this because not everyone operates from the same perspective. and that’s o.k. for some people work is simply about work, the to-do’s, the goal setting, and the building of a little empire. what matters most to me is building strong relationships because relationships are the foundation of everything we do, both in work and in life.
someone recently said to me that there is a lot of “noise” out there and what she most wants to do these days is just duck into a cafe to have coffee with a friend. i think i realized that this noise she was talking about is all the big splashy sell… the ticker tape parade, as she called it, which is crazy and loud and eye popping. but most of us watch the parade from the sidelines. that’s the disconnect. the noise without the connection. the lack of really relating. at least that’s what i think. for now.
yes. i’ll admit, i often feel the lure of that parade too, to be on the biggest sparkliest float throwing out the next big idea amidst confetti, glitter and cheers. but the parade is fleeting, and at the end of the day when it’s all over i know what will matter to me most is who is beside me, on my couch, in the cafe, or on the other end of the telephone.
Read more >>blowing bubbles in a concrete jungle :: a joy rebels take on writing your story
The tagline on Katherine Center’s website is ‘you are writing the story of your life every single minute of every day.’
Most days I’m not exactly sure what I want to write. I mean, I feel in my heart the story I’d like to create…but I can get hung up in visualizing what exactly that looks like. For a visual person, this is a big hang up. If I can’t see it in my head, then I have a really hard time figuring out where I need to start so I can end up where I want to go.
And to be completely honest, sometimes I wonder if I have the energy to create the story I visualize. Or I wonder what the hell I’m bitching about, wanting this dream story thing, when my life is pretty great as it is.
So why bother right? I’m often confused or feeling a little guilty or just plain tired. It certainly doesn’t help that as I type this, I’m trying to get rid of my second sinus infection in 3 weeks (or maybe this is just a continuation of the first sinus infection).
Someone asked me the other day how things were going in my photography and design business. My response was, eh. Then they commented that they couldn’t understand what kept me going, since it must be really discouraging at times.
It is.
But as the answer came from my lips, I realized it was absolutely true. I keep creating and trying and stretching because I don’t seem to be able not to. There is a drive in me, one that seems almost as fundamental as my need for food and sleep, to continue to express myself artistically. And I know, as much as I long to be a successful artist (successful meaning pay my part of the mortgage), that if all I ever do is create and never become ‘successful’ at it, I’ll have written an amazing saga of love and dreams.
I hope you realize that too.
Read more >>the necklace project {link #6}
There’s a joy in receiving an expected package. You open it up, knowing what you’ll see. The object is there and you hold it with baited breath. Opening up the box for the Necklace Project, I was excited to see the created charms I’ve followed along online in person. Each creative piece is amazing and unique. That you know.
Immediately I put on the necklace, went to pour a cup of coffee, and began to dream. I had not chosen the piece I would add to the necklace before seeing it, but I knew that I wanted to add one of my fabric pendants. So I began creating using combinations of colors that speak to me life lived in the summer time: greens for growth, blue for water, and lavender for the blooms of color shooting from our lavender & hydrangeas among others.
The turquoise flower is a vintage flower bead that I adore. The lime stone is sweet and ends up in a few pieces of work these days. The lavender bead was purchased at the Maasai Market in Nairobi, Kenya. But the story is truly in the fabric piece. Over the past few months, I have reconciled with someone who meant a lot to me, who I was once very close to. There’s a story within this story of that time of separation. To honor the links that are on this necklace and the links of the stories we share, I wanted to include a piece of fabric that honors this reconciliation. The fabric is from an silk pillow once given by this friend, but the fabric had torn away from the pillow. I’d saved this remnant for so long. Now, the remnant connects those who hear the story and see the necklace unfold. I honor the story of friendships broken and lost that find their way… whether the journey returns what was lost, restores what was broken, or blesses the parting. This fabric speaks of that summer life: bright, growing, and returning to life once again.
As I wore the necklace I was connected to the Creative Spirit, the creative muse, who speaks to us through the work of our hands. My hands gravitated toward making a few new works that have been percolating for months and months. I began the work of a custom pendant: an orange top celebrating a young woman’s thirtieth birthday. She’d carried this with her for over a year looking for the right artist to turn her cap into a pendant. I was honored. Then I began working on some lovely new goodness… and then took a break for some good backyard play with my son.
Watering the plants, Blowing up balloons, and surveying the growth of the garden.
We took time to cut fresh hydrangea after watering them. Then we moved to the butterfly bush, the gardenia, the rose, and the zinnia. Whew. We had a good time. Wearing the chains, I could feel their weight around my neck. I could sense their presence as we worked, played, and watered.
The necklace hangs on the fence I use to create painted play silks with my son for use in his imaginative play (and sometimes created for our friends, too). I chose to place my addition near my heart, though that would count in many spaces on these chains.
At the end of the day, I took off the necklace, lit a candle and wished all those who have added the work of their hands peace, healing, and blessing. I wished all those who are yet to add their mark, their touch of goodness peace, goodness, and blessing of the creative spirit. I sipped something special, took in the scents of the flowers I’d tended while wearing the necklace, and was thankful and at peace.
Because I wanted my experience with this necklace to begin and end in the morning, a full 24 hour cycle, I awoke to the new day, moved into the morning routine and enjoyed wearing the necklace as I wrote about my experience with it in the Necklace Project journal. I had one final picture and repacked it on its way to the next. The time spent in creative play during this process was amazing. There was a creative spirit at work and you could sense the creativity of so many before and to come in holding this piece. I am touched by these and will continue to enjoy each step, each charm created along the journey. Thank you for the opportunity to create and for the space to share. peace to you.
Read more >>wishmamas :: goddess motherhood
by leonie allan
Once upon a time, almost exactly a year ago, my love and I knew a new
soul wanted to come into the world. That it was time.
And so it was that two blue lines appeared, and I thought:
She has come for me. My daughter has come.
Eight moons later, on an autumn evening, she came into this world,
looking around the world with wide blue eyes.
We named her Ostara Faith Avalon.
There are many of things to say about mamahood, but none of them would
even get close to the truth and the heart of what it truly is.
The only thing I can say for sure is:
Mamahood has changed me.
It has cracked me open, broken me, rebuilt me, made me wider, more
spacious, more courageous.
I am stronger, deeper, braver and better than I ever thought possible.
I am also infinitely more human and imperfect than I ever glimpsed before.
She is three moons old now, my dearest daughter.
When you become a mama, you become a mama to the world. You wince at
another child’s fall, you tear up over hearing another mama losing
their child, you ache to write all the wrongs, and you want every
child in this world to know they are loved, they are divine, they are
just perfect.
And yes, my life has changed. I write in stolen moments. I find grace
and faith by hook or by crook. I make up songs about every part of our
day: the washing song, the folding up song, the
walking-along-the-street song.
I was the perfect parent before I had a child. And now I make
mistakes, but still, I find the courage and presence to know that I am
just the kind of mama this daughter of mine needs.
***
Goddess Leonie makes art, gigglesnorts, meditations, creativity +
spirituality e-courses + retreats, laughter & beautiful babies. You
can find her rainbow website at www.goddessguidebook.com
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