2011 is just around the corner!
here’s a few fresh and
exciting offerings for the new year!

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The Art of Dreaming with katrina dreamer davenport (4 week ecourse, jan. 8- jan. 29th) ~ Connecting with the dream world can enliven and deepen your art. This course will set the foundation for artful dreaming. First, we’ll look at creative ways to remember and record your dreams. We’ll also look at different artists who have used dreams in their art.  Second we will seek out dream allies who can take us in new directions or strengthen our skills. Third we will play around in the hypnagogic realm, that space between waking and sleeping that is ripe with possibility and creativity. And last, we will look at the different areas in which dreams and art dance together. During the course, students will share artwork inspired by their dreams, and, if they wish, share dreams they are having. Katrina will work with one person’s dream for the second, third, and fourth classes to give participants a deeper understanding of how to work with their dreams.

Find Your Eye :: A Photo Course with Heart and Soul with kat sloma (6 week ecourse, jan. 9 to feb. 19th) *this is a special wishstudio karma class and all proceeds we be donated to support the nonprofit organization, Nest* ~ This e-course takes you through the process of developing your eye by enhancing your understanding and knowledge of the tools of digital photography (digital camera and photo editing software) and then using your photography as an expression of the heart and soul!  Each week will include a written lesson for each of the two tools, complete with photo examples and exercises to help the participant learn the material on their own.  see the full course description and register here.

THIS Moment with mindy tsonas (5 week ecourse including workbook, jan. 31 – mar. 3) ~ all you have is all you need… live the life of your dreams by loving the life you have.  with daily posts and workbook pages, together we discover, create and practice what living in the moment really means.  you will uncover truths, make messy and beautiful art, and find there within yourself the life you are meant to live – the life that is right there in front of you.  find registration and more info here. **early registration special til dec. 15th!

Have a cozy and Happy Thanksgiving!

May abundance overflow all around you, and your heart swell with gratitude.

xo, mindy

by rebecca kousky, founder and executive director of Nest

Nest was born of my desire to combine my passions: social activism, entrepreneurship and the female artistic tradition.  I’ve always had an artistic sensibility and a love of fashion and design, but during development work in rural Mexico and India, I became interested in the lives of the women there. Through these experiences and others, I was able to see firsthand the plight of women in developing countries who face hardships complicated by lower levels of education, lower social status and talents and abilities that do not always translate into productive employment.  I observed that when women are given the opportunity to create their own businesses and earn a steady income, families are strengthened and communities are stabilized.  Returning from my travels, I received my Masters in Social Work and then made my entrée into social enterprise.

From rural India, to small town Turkey, to the highlands of Guatemala, to the plains of Africa, Nest has created, and successfully implemented, a unique model that allows women to turn artistic skills they have learned from mothers and grandmothers into a way to provide a living wage for themselves and their families.  Ever since Muhammad Yunus designed a credit system for the rural poor in Bangladesh in the 1970’s, the idea of microlending has exploded and there are now more than 7,000 microfinance institutions assisting 16 million people in poverty worldwide.   But microcredit is only part of the answer.  What Nest has done has added two other essential elements: business and artistic mentoring and access to a western marketplace.  I am convinced that it is this more comprehensive approach that has given us our remarkable success.

Social enterprise is a deliberate blurring of lines between business and social work, conservative and liberal ideals, self-sufficiency and meaningful altruism.  But, in particular, Nest has found an unoccupied niche, comfortably at the intersection of what were once considered competing approaches.  Nest gives people a hand up, so that they can stand up.  And because our loan monies are repaid, Nest has created a revolving loan fund and a way to continue improving the lives of women.

In the words of Congolese loan recipient Christine Lshi, “I am a dressmaker…with my (Nest) loan, I bought fabrics with which I made shirts which I sold to diggers working in mines in Ruashi and this activity gives me a three-fold profit.  With the profits, we eat more and also higher quality foods.  I live with my family and sometimes I buy food and clothes for my brothers, as my father is jobless.  We also share our food with our neighbors, if they do not have any.  In the future, I want to buy other sewing machines so that I can have a big working shop and many clients.”

*******

wishstudio is excited to be a supporter of Nest with our collaborative art and community necklace project.  we also will be offering a karma class with photographer katrina sloma of the mortal muses in january where proceeds from her class will benefit Nest as well!

to date, our necklace has traveled around the globe and has passed through the hands and lives of 11 artists.  11 links have been added to the necklace and most of the stories and photos of each charm has been shared here in the wishstudio.  the last 3 artists to have the necklace, for a variety of reasons did not share an image or post (links #8-10), which is why you haven’t seen a post about this project in some time.  the 11th link is in the process of being created and will hopefully be shared soon!

it has been so exciting to see this project take flight and hear about all the experiences of all the different artists participating, but it is taking much more time than anticipated (which is no surprise).  i will keep you updated as the necklace progresses and will share with you everything i hear about its travels.  when finished, there should be 31 links in all and the necklace will be auctioned to a lucky recipient and will benefit the inspiring work of Nest, supporting rebecca’s vision.  please stay tuned and follow along!

Read more >>

by michelle ensminger

last weekend , i finally joined facebook.  i was on my husband’s page searching for something specific and decided it was time to take the leap and give it a try.  in the past i resisted for many different reasons.  i wasn’t crazy about adding more online time to my already busy virtual life.  i was wary about the friends of friends of friends and all of the social politics that would arise with being at the biggest online party on the block.  i didn’t want to use facebook as a means to an end or because i felt the pressure to do so to expand my business.  i wanted to join so i could seam together what i had already established as my virtual neighborhood and round things out adding family and friends who weren’t twitter users my daily blog readers.

in general, between email, blogging and twitter (which i was skeptical about, but loved instantly) i felt i had a nice balance of how i connected with my community – those people who were truly interested in what my work and life had to offer.   since joining fb i definately have found new and interesting content and had conversations with family and friends that i would not have otherwise.

here’s the thing though… in the online world there is always going to be ways to add more information and connect with more people than you could ever hope to.  that in of itself i don’t think is a good enough reason to adopt a new platform.  because fb happens to be the most widely used social media at the moment, there is good argument that it might be beneficial to be a part of it.

really it’s all about choice and all about what feels comfortable and a good fit for you.  fb seems like a big loud party with a gazillion people coming and going.  it feels a bit chaotic to me.  i’m not crazy about how people size up your friends list.  i don’t really get why someone who i haven’t spoken to in a decade would suddenly want to talk to me now, simply because they can.  i see the lure and ease, for sure, but it feels a bit strange when you really come down to it.

am i a scynic?  maybe.  is it weird for me to try and reconcile and integrate all of my social connections, past and present, into one big sloppy melting pot? absolutely.  is it wrong to want things to be neatly compartmentalized and smaller, not just bigger?  i don’t think so.

while i don’t have the final verdict yet, i did feel my heart swell when reading these two posts by friends soon to delete their fb accounts.  since then i have seen even more people joining the defectors and deciding to saying goodbye to social media.  the fact that these resonated with me pretty strongly only a week into my facebook trial run is a pretty good indicator of where i stand.  we’ll see.  the good soldier in me wants to give it due diligence so i am waiting a bit longer before i pull the trigger and delete it.  fb might just turn out to be the place i stay in touch with family.  i’ll let you know ;)

where do you stand with the social media these days?

by deb d’onofrio

Years ago when I was in high school I had a favorite pair of Levi 501jeans. I was embroider obsessed and covered them whimsically; purple chain stitch on the pockets, yellow and orange satin stitch daises, random multicolored abstract doodles up the legs, patches blanket stitched into place. I loved them and practically wore them to shreds. Vaguely, I remember tossing them out in one of my spring purges, thinking I’d never be able to fit into them again, so why keep them in the closet. I could cry now, that thread to my creative passion gone.

But I’ve learned that creative passion is like a spiral, and as it spins and turns, its full of surprises- there’s no way to know where it will lead me next.  So when I got the inspiration to make a pair of journal jeans, now, nearly 3o years later, I have to admit I was intrigued and curious.

I thought on what I would like to journal about and really it’s the process of my creative and womanly life unfolding, making peace with the pieces of me, all the various me’s I have inside like the Artist, The Witch, The Healer, The Critic, The Momma, Wife and on and on..and I wanted to pay homage to this special time in my life, this time of re-invention and of appreciation and gratitude for the creative world I’m living in and for all the wonders I have in my circle that make it possible; my North Star; my son, Niko, my Sunshine; my hubbie, Dino, my Shining Stars; friends, Personal Solar System; family and it went from there. Declaring and expressing my artistry and sharing a bit of me with the outside world brought me back to my younger creative me. There’s something magical about the soul thread that weaves us, seeing glimmers of our true nature as we go along. Recognizing that the creative spark will always be my homing beacon , I know I’m in good hands no matter where it guides me.

by connie hozvicka

Lucky for me I live 2000 miles away, or it’s possible that my mother might have killed me when I spilled the beans.

“I got dreads, Mom.”

That’s all I needed to say.

Don’t get me wrong, my mama’s quite the spark plug.  She’s an incredible seamstress–and never flocked in anything but animal prints, red leather, or the sexiest of get-ups.  But underneath her fashion flare is a conservative heart that takes some time with change that she views as radical, or unnecessary, or actually (let’s just be honest)–threatening to sticking with the status quo.

So she’s pissed at me, which I expected would be the reaction.

And I don’t mean this in any form of disrespect…but I don’t care.

I’m learning fast that sometimes in the Creative Juicy Life you make people unhappy with the decisions you adopt in keeping true to you.  Simple as that.  Sometimes the people closest to you won’t share your vision, or will fear that your decisions might jeopardize their own interpretation of reality.

You would think that if you’re feeling Creative Juicy that those around you are soaking in the blissful vibes as well, but in my experience lately–growth is not always comfortable for those around you.

So, ok, I’m exaggerating a little when I say I don’t care.

Cause I do.

Of course I want my mama to be proud of her eldest daughter with big dreams and now big hair to boot. But somehow through the crunchy conversations and awkward silences–I am learning that compassion is the balm that makes everything nice again.  Well, at least nice for me to keep moving forward.

Change has a trickle effect.  Any little or big pebble of change you throw into the Universe makes waves in the pool of your Creative Juicy Life’s pond.  It’s fruitless to get upset if the folks in your landscape don’t get the new you….it’s pointless even to waste time talking about it.  Seriously, don’t bother.

Instead, when I hear the confusion in my mama’s voice–or when I sense the anger or fear in a loved one’s tone when my decision to do something authentic to me might challenge their own comforts—I know now that this is a moment to express great compassion for the world around me.

Growing is scary.  Especially for those in your life that need to make adjustments to the new tide that has just settled in.  You might find that some will tighten their life vest a bit more–and some might dive right in and swim with you.

But  as you paddle deeper into your Creative Juicy Life, take this little buoy of advice and stash it in your heart—not everyone will be happy with you.  Not everyone close to you will think quitting your job, getting a new hair-do, spending money on this or that, or simply voicing your dreams out loud is the cat’s meow.  You are going to meet resistance, anger, harsh words, and maybe even broken relationships.

You will.

This is not easy peasy stuff, I know.

Just as you are watching some doors close or swing back and forth in an angry rage—glue your thoughts to compassion.

Super glue them if you can.

Soak your loved ones in well wishes that they too can meet you later in your new depth of the Creative Juicy Life.  Caress their hearts like a baby child–and kiss their fears with your willingness to listen to their opinions, fears, and concerns.

But honey, your Creative Juicy Life is too important to sell it to keep anyone happy and comfortable.  They’ll get over it–and if they don’t.

Well, you’ll find out later that as much as your Creative Juicy Life is built on dreams and wishes of bliss–there is also a mortar of broken hearts, lost friendships, and relationships that no longer serve you laid in between all the good stuff.

That, my friends, is what makes it strong enough to live in.

by corinne cunningham

It’s 9:30 on any given morning in our tiny apartment. The kids have finished their favorite PBS line up, and the TV has been turned off. I’ve taken a shower while playing referee two rooms over.  My camera bag is filled with the essentials for an adventure: camera, wallet, cell phone, and snacks a plenty.

The morning has started off with stuffy noses and attitudes coming from all parties. It takes a half an hour to dress my two year old daughter and nearly four year old son in sweats and sneakers.

They hem and they haw and they say they want to stay home and watch television. Or build forts. Or play with trains. Or drive their mama to the brink of insanity with bickering and sibling rivalry.

An outing is not only an option, it’s a necessity.

We slink to the station wagon at a snails pace. One child complaining that the sun is too bright, the other annoyed that the first would dare to talk. But I know this is good for them. For me.

Kids wrestled and buckled into car seats, I finally back out of our parking spot and as I turn briefly to check on the whereabouts of the other parked cars. I catch eyes rolling in the backseat, and feet kicking each other.

And we’re off. We drive down familiar roads, and my mood lifts as the kids settle in and listen to Laurie Berkner and they start to giggle as they sing that they have choc-o-lot in their pock-o-lots.

We arrive at our destination, a farm with expansive grounds for hiking, horse back riding, and dog walking. It is a hidden treasure that our family of four has cherished for the past few years. Just beyond the dirt parking lot lies a walking path lined with trees that welcome each season. My favorite time to visit is October and November, when the leaves burst with color and then give way to under foot leaf crunching goodness.

As soon as their feet hit the ground the kids know where to go. And I let them bound ahead of me as we all breathe in the fresh air and sunshine. My son is a connoisseur of sticks and rocks, and within the first five minutes of our hike he has loaded his arms with the cream of the crop. My daughter searches for the perfect acorn, she pockets a dozen.

I’m on a mission as well, and am in search of my tree. My son knows which one it is, and points to each tree that we pass with a grin and says “Is this your tree, mommy?” and I always reply, “no, Fynn, it’s just up ahead” and my heart warms. We pass seedlings that need leaves to cover their tender bottoms as blankets, and the kids touch their tiny branches tenderly. We witness magic.

When we come to my tree, no matter the season, I feel free. The branches reach out in a lopsided fashion, the trunk calls for sweater covered back and a good book to keep it company.

And it’s there that I find it, guaranteed. I find my creative soul. My energy. My want to sit and write and create and dive into depths that I don’t even know exist. It’s my spot. We all have one. The place where everything comes into focus and clarity is within reach.

together, we are going on an adventure.  pack your bags. you won’t need much, just yourself, just as you are right in this very moment, a camera and a pen or a paintbrush to capture things along the way, and your THIS moment workbook which we will be compiling and creating as we go (which will be available to download from each day’s post).

we hear so many people talk about “being in the moment” these days.  this phrase is often used to ground us in beauty and joy, but THIS moment is more than that.  it is the sum of every moment before.  it’s the possibility that arises from clearing away the judgements and the expectations. it is filling that space with compassion for ourselves and faith in our lives that we are exactly where we are supposed to be no matter what the circumstances.

here we will explore what THIS moment means specifically to each one of us.  you may already practice living in the present by taking images that you love or appreciating the small things that make a life special, but we will dive even deeper.  in this safe space we will peel back the layers to find that our lives truly are the gift we are searching for, right here, right now.

here, we will not dwell on the past but we will take time to acknowledge it’s great significance in bringing us to this moment, then take the next step.  we will not put too much stock in the future as the present can only guide us, then we will take the next step.  together we will practice this.

step by step. practice.  practice.  practice.

through our creative process, some mindful exercises and sharing our stories, each step will all lead us to a brave letting go (you will have supportive space to share in our private flickr group as well as in our private studio space), and together we will find our lives rich and full of wisdom beneath the protective layers of our fears and desires.  it only takes seeing THIS moment with a little more clarity and love that you will begin to uncover the true potential of your life.

there will be many inspiring creative friends coming with us to share their  THIS moment wisdom along the way, including the kind over matter girls, christine mason miller, christen olivarez, suzanne sperl, lisa hofmann, leah piken kolidas, lisa wilson, irene nam, corinne cunningham and more!

are you ready?

i’m truly excited to have you.

it’s time.  let’s go…

*** to register for THIS moment, please visit our workshops page.  our class officially begins on monday november 15th and runs through december 16th, 2010, and will meet in the {pink}studio.

Read more >>

i wanted to share with you my my little chat about creativity with hip tranquil chick, kimberly wilson (just press the play button on the audio player to listen).  kimberly and i crossed paths nearly 5 years ago when i started listening to her on this very show.  what is so inspiring and why i really wanted to share this with you (aside from her amazing passion and vision!) is to show you just how far your dreams can take you.  back then i was starry-eyed and and in awe of the lifestyle that kimberly created for herself and was inspiring others to live.  i was a new mom working as a waitress after giving up my creative work as a children’s clothing designer to become a full time mom, and longing for something more authentic and Me.

since then my life has changed dramatically because i started following my creative passions.  kimberly and i have connected for many collaborations including a visit to her charming DC home to share a creative workshop simply because i reached out for what i wanted.  so this is for you… believe your dreams and wishes can take you anywhere!  they absolutely can ;)

and listen to kimberly being interviewed on jamie’s podcast, today!

i spent the weekend with 200 amazing manic mommies from all over the country. i came to san antonio to teach a creativity class and share some quality time with other moms.  it was an interesting integration of my creative life and my life as a mom, my online world and my reality, as well as my strengths and my weaknesses.  in other words, it was a tremendous learning, growing and enriching experience (and tons of fun besides!).

i overcame my fear about going  to an event alone (and really enjoyed the quiet spaces).  i walked through my nervousness about teaching to a new group of women (and they were all sweet and fabulous and created the coolest journals).  i embraced the discomfort of not knowing anyone while navigating the meal tables full of unfamiliar faces (and realized so many were in the same boat).  i sat squarely in the center my own limitations and insecurities and tried not to judge myself too harshly, afterall, no one was judging me more than i was.

reminder: we all have fear and uncertainty... all you can do is just show up as your most authentic self, put one foot in front of the other, and be who you are with as much love and compassion in your heart as you can muster.

and if i can do it… so can YOU!

the icing on the cake was i got to also meet fellow wishstudio writer and artist, shona cole who is herself a mommie extraordinaire!   let me tell you how she is a fount of ideas and energy and inspiring words.  i could have listened to her sweet and easy irish-texas twang forever ;)  we talked and we ate tex-mex and we poked in shops and treated each other to kindness and goodies while wandering the winding river walk pushing her little baby max.  i loved our time together which only left me wishing for more.  keep an eye on shona’s world!  there is so much happening you won’t want to miss!

by shona cole

That day we became mothers our life’s journey took a new course. We took a step from one version of ourselves to another. Our identity changed, our daily habits changed, our titles changed.

It can take a while for the meaning of those changes to take root, to feel the reverberations, to really own it. For me, it was when I was alone with my son for the first time and he was crying and I realized no one else was coming to help and that I was actually the only one he needed. Perhaps for you it came as you played music to your belly, or when you opened the mail to find the ‘Congratulations on the birth of your baby’ card or even later when your child first called you ‘Momma’. But at some point, ready or not, you owned it, your cherished it, that beautiful name ‘Mother’.

And within the sweetness of that recognition, as you cradled the little person whose very presence entitled you to that honor, it was perhaps a special (and maybe scary!) time to reflect and realize that you are now indeed in ‘the motherhood’. Nothing in your world would ever be the same!

Our once quiet homes have become a sanctuary for busy little feet and hands that pick and pry at all the things that strike the curiosity of someone two, three, four even five foot tall.

We are the ones our whole family looks to for love and nurturing. We are the ones that keeps our family’s busy schedule going, some even while holding down a job outside the home! We are the ones with the incredibly important job of raising the next generation.

We are also in a unique position to be the ones to record the journey of this motherhood!

Our children’s growing up is happening right before us, directed, in part, by us. There are stories that will later make sense in the big picture of who they become as adults. And there are stories that are also shaping us, the woman we will be when the one-on-one, in-house training is over. Those stories are happening today, in your house and in mine.

No one knows your children and the stories that shape their world quite like you do. No one can attend to the detail of first hair cuttings and braces as you can. No one knows your inner thoughts, your passing through the years like you do. You have a window into a complicated, beautiful world, a world that is worth recording, capturing and preserving.

So now is the time to express and capture this life, our motherhood, our children’s life in our art. Now, while it is still fresh.

There are many tried and true ways to record motherhood and children’s development: Scrapbooking, photography and journaling are some of the most obvious ones. But collage art can also be a record. So, too, can poetry. If you master some of the basic tools of these methods and mediums you can make a beautiful record of your life – like catching a butterfly that never dies.

Whatever your chosen medium just do it. Take the time to be the scribe of your family. Record the little details of your children’s life. It is so fun to look back at old photos or read a journal entry about even the mundane times. All of it is precious, all of it is part of who you are, of who you are becoming. Motherhood is a great journey, be the recorder of it’s details.

This poem is one I wrote about coming home from the hospital with my first born son:

Back Home

the house took me back, though doubled

my swollen belly now gone

baby carrier heavy in the crook of my arm

in September, a new year, a new era birthed

the living room, it’s shiny floors, laid wait,

cleaned for cradle and soothers, blankets and spit up,

we are all milk ready, a spear for a tongue

as the beige of suburbia is disheveled once more

I see them a new: the kitchen cabinets, the faucet

still dripping, the bread bin, toaster,

the wooden breakfast table with welcome home flowers

all mine, but somehow now his too

at last the nursery! Those deep blue walls I painted

while dreaming of his face. Proud, shy dresser, virgin

changing table anticipating duty and I the years of work

a thousand days of listening to every breath

hopeless to help, but trying all the same

* editor’s note: shona and i will be meeting for the first time today in san antonio!  i am beyond excited to finally chat face to face with this super inspiring mama. i wanna know how she does it all ;)

by brandi reynolds

As I sit down to write this, I am not sure what I want to say.  I’ve been quiet here at the wish studio for the last couple of months as a lot has changed.

I started the certification process to become a yoga therapist.  You are probably asking the same thing I did…and that is, ‘what’s a yoga therapist’?

What I’ll be able to do after the 7 month certification process is not only teach but also be able to help those with a variety of issues or illnesses use yoga and its benefits in their healing regimen.  Cancer patients. People dealing with MS or fibromyalgia.  Depression.  Anxiety.  Yoga therapy is not meant to replace whatever current regimen they are on; it’s mean to be one more tool for these people to improve how they feel in their bodies, bolster healing and provide much needed stress relief and peace of mind.

After getting home the first night of classes, I didn’t know if I could do this. It’s a lot of work, inside and out of the classroom.  Not just reading and yoga poses and learning Sanskrit…but also looking deep inside yourself.

I think I’ve been avoiding that for awhile now.  I also think I wasn’t ready until now to dig a little deeper into what I am and what’s going on internally.

As I’ve dived further into my studies though, I’ve realized how the practices of yoga are really practices for a fulfilling life.

Practices like:

1.  Integrating mind and body.  We can’t live without either.  And often we forget one in favor of the other.  On the yoga mat, I need my mind engaged in what my body is doing or crow pose is going to get dangerous.  In life, I think paying attention to our body allows us to realize just how much our thoughts affect our body.  In and out, back and forth, the body and mind can speak to each other until what you are thinking supports what you are doing and vice versa.

2.  Breathe. You can’t get anywhere in yoga with breathing. Sometimes, your breath is the only thing getting you through a difficult pose.  And in life, I often realize how just one deep breath can turn a negative train of thought around, or relieve stress or help me focus.

3.  Baby steps.  Any good yoga teacher will tell you not to push through pain.  They’ll tell you to go at your own pace and listen to your body.  And they’ll encourage you to each time, try just a little further.  Maybe you’ll hold the pose a half second longer or bend forward a millimeter more.  But it’s those tiny steps that add up to a journey and one day, you manage that head stand.  I think it’s the same in life…that rarely is it big huge leaps.  Usually the way we succeed at things is by taking tiny steps.

4.  Which leads to trust.  Trusting that if we keep practicing, we’ll get there.  Putting our faith in ourselves and our bodies. This is the biggest lesson that has made its presence known to me and I’m still poking at it, seeing what it has to tell me.

Wow.  Talk about some big changes going on right?  I hope you all will accompany me on the ride.

Namaste.

by vivienne mcmaster

Taking self-portraits always feels like it involves a bit of bravery, even though I have taken them for years.  Each time I go on a photo walk, set down my camera and get ready to twirl, dance, jump or just be still, there is still that feeling of needing to be a little bit brave in this moment.

When we leap bravely into taking self-portraits we offer ourselves a chance to be mirrors and witnesses.  As we push through fear we try to keep that shutter clicking, keep taking pictures and keep playing. Images begin to appear that may make us say ‘Yes.  That is so me’ or ‘Oh my, I look beautiful’.  It is pushing past the fear of looking at all those images in between.  We can work each time we take self-portraits at saying ‘No, that isn’t quite capturing my beauty or show who I really am’ and working towards creating that one that does. Yes, it is hard work, but it is incredibly rewarding.  When we push through we get these pixels of proof that we can print out to remind ourselves of our changing relationship to beauty in moments when we might not be able to see it.

I love the idea of leaping bravely because I found in my experience of taking self-portraits that I loved the pictures so much more if I was leaping, dancing, moving.  Adding a little movement to photos is a very potent tool.  When we move while taking photos of ourselves we not only capture that playfulness but it also helps us settle a little more into our bodies.  Whether it be just doing a little dance with our feet, putting our hands up in the air or full-on jumping, I find it changes the goal of the photo from being to ‘pose’ and transforms it into a goal of ‘play’.

If you’re feeling drawn to leap bravely into a playful adventure, I have a few spots left in my course ‘You are Your Own Muse’ which is a 6 Week online adventure into taking self portraits, telling our stories and letting our beauty shine!  Registration will remain open until the last few spots are filled and you can find it over on my website www.viviennemcmaster.com/registration