by jess berry

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so the buzz has begun…  early congratulations to christine mason miller, who’s own Desire to Inspire conjured the creative magic that illuminated this entire project! i am so excited and honored to be a part of this book and in the company of some truly visionary women. really, you have to pinch me because it all feels a bit like a dream.  if you haven’t seen the sneak peek on amazon, scoot over and check out the first two chapters to give you a yummy taste of the gorgeousness of this book! while you’re there, don’t forget to grab yourself a copy, as well as a few for your friends, because what’s a better holiday gift than inspiration?

all throughout november, join the festivities over on christine’s blog (www.christinemasonmiller.com) where she will be hosting 60 minute interviews, including lovely art giveaways, with each of the books contributors (i’ll be hanging out there on nov. 30th).  such a fun way to celebrate and dive deeper into the inspiration of the project. don’t miss it!

speaking of celebrations, if you’re local to the LA area, or are feeling a little adventurous and up for a fabulous soire’ then save the date *december 15th to be exact*, and come on out for the official book lunch party and what i know will be an exciting fun-filled bash… i’d love to see you there!

and to all of our northeast creative friends, stay tuned for info about a big book celebration here on this coast too!  i’ll be putting something together for sure.

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it’s not the size of your wish that matters, it’s about being honest and brave about what you want, no matter how big or small, and going for it, no matter what!  put your wishes out there… they need light and room to take flight.

make a wish list and prioritize. keep checking in with your list on a regular basis to be sure the things on the top of your list still resonate as most important.  don’t hesitate to add things, cross things off, or edit as needed.  these are your wishes after all.

be careful what you wish for. wishes tend to have a lot of momentum and can dazzle us with their shiny appearance! it’s good to know why you want something before you really dive in, and to have a good sense of self awareness around your wishes will give you much needed insight you’ll need along the way.

sometimes it’s better to take small intuitive steps towards the things we want, because often times the path is only revealed to us as we move further along on our journey.  having a plan is important, but you have to also be flexible… there is more than one way to get to your dreams.

work, work, work your patooty off! this isn’t about wishing for something and then sitting back and waiting for the universe to deliver it to your doorstep, girls.  this is about actively moving in the direction of your dreams. 110%. turn over every stone, explore different options, get creative to make it happen.

wishes need lots of support. don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way when you are stuck or feeling uninspired.  research, ask questions, reach out, and be gentle with yourself and your progress.

be prepared to fail. sadly, it’s true.  things we try just might not come together as hoped. don’t ever be afraid to let go of something that is just not working, no matter how much time and energy you’ve spent. pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep on going. maybe it’s a new direction, maybe it’s an entirely different wish that is calling you, or maybe it’s just that you need to take a big step back.

honor your fallow season. there is always a time when we need to do nothing, where we need to sit in stillness and go inward. let go of the guilt and resistance until your well is full again.

enjoy the journey and all the ebbs and flows, because when you get to your destination you just might look back and realize it was the most important part of the entire process!

believe that your wishes can ultimately come true! if you don’t truly believe, you will never ever get there.

when: friday, november 11th
7pm to 10pm

where: in the Wishstudio
21 Middle Street
Newburyport, MA

hostess: mindy tsonas

who: anyone who wants to get their ART and girl power on!

bring: a little nibble or sip to share
and a current creative project to work on
(there will also be plenty of supplies to dig into)

RSVP: to mindy at wishstudio dot com

can’t wait!

i have been thinking a lot lately about my relationships. all of them. about how my path looks different than most others. it always has.

i recently wrote… ” i’ve come to realized that this journey is irrevocably founded in the care and feeding of our relationships, both with people as well as with the inanimate and dynamic forces in our lives“. this has never been more true. as i’ve gotten older, seen more clearly who i’m meant to be and the kind of life i’m meant to live, my range of motion (relationally speaking) has expanded and grown. it’s crossed boundaries and shifted beyond limiting beliefs to create a new landscape that feels more like Me.

sadly, i think there is a certain pathology attached to people who exist outside of the social norm. that if you stray from the expectations that society dictates you “should” embrace as a wife, mother, friend, etc. there is something wrong with you and you are somehow imperfect or damaged goods. this is often so defeating, and to a large extent, untrue. i’ve lived a good part of my life trying to fix things that might not have ever really been broken, and while a lot of that is simply part of growing-up it doesn’t make things any easier to suss out and reconcile in a world that is constantly pushing you in to a specific one-size-fits-all box. there will always be judgement and assumptions made, there is no way around it except straight through.

being comfortable in your own skin is elemental to having any kind of rewarding relationship, and most often (i imagine, but i only have my own experience to go by) how we feel is differently than everyone else. we are individuals after all, and the nuances of the human experience are infinite. part of existing on that continuum is recognizing how different relationships rub up against the different parts of who you are. the formula is far more complex than i think most people allow themselves feel. constraints, conformity and any prescribed, predetermined ways of being always will lean on my buttons, but that is only me.

i most often choose to lean the other way because that is simply where i am the happiest, yet carving out space in that truth is not always easy. it’s hard work. but if i can’t live honestly and unapologetically i’m not truly living, so i’ve learned to embrace being different and unconventional… decidedly and deliciously fallen, not from grace, but towards it in my own self-defined way, then deeply, decadently into the wide-open arms of my own awaiting life.

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{a little reminder} just like dorothy,  you always have the power with you…

sometimes it just takes a wild journey, some new friends, and a few wrong turns to realize it.

click on button for more event details…

truly, instagram has captured my heart. i love being able to snap and share a moment whenever inspiration strikes.  yet another way to tell my story and connect with others.  i recently stumbled across instameets and found this lovely meet-up in my neck of the woods.  thought i’d share so you can go see if there might be a fun gatherng near you!

here are a few more insta-goodies for you:

• create a book with all your favorite instagrams
• view your feed, photos and followers on your computer, share and add comments, with gramfeed
• make fun tee’s, mugs and postcards for family or friends with a mosaic of fave snaps
• a great list of additional apps for instagram
• join one of many instagram groups on flickr for additional sharing and eye candy

do any of you have any other fabulous instagram tips or tricks?  if you do, i’d love for you to share!

happy snapping!

great news! the wishstudio cafe has (finally!) been updated so you can easily meet and find creative friends near you! groups are set up by US state or global region. head on over, join for free, and see who else might be near you. post your intro to your location, or if it is has not been listed yet feel free to add it.  this is another great way to connect with people for organizing RAW events, share local in-person creative events and gatherings, and just chat with like-minded souls in your own neighborhood and beyond!

anyone who joins or posts something new from today until next friday will be entered to win a wishstudio swag bag full of all kinds of creative goodies!

i am also looking for fabulous cafe moderator to help serve lattes and tea, seat people, and do a little tidying up once in a while ;)  okay, really you will be just helping me welcome folks and keep the flow of traffic and conversation organized. if you are interested in being the hostess-with-the-mostess as well as a part of our little wishstudio team (of course there are perks!), please email me at mindy@wishstudio.com.

also want to remind you i am updating the inspiration lounge as well, so if you would like to have your creative offering or blog listed please email me your 100 x 100 button and/or link and i’d be happy to add it to our community space.

see you all in the cafe!  off to bake pumpkin some muffins…

by ali edwards

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by Stacy de la Rosa

Maps are created to get us where we wish to go. But look at any map and you will see it can sometimes be challenging to define a straight line between Point A to Point B, despite what simple math tells us. There are often unforeseen obstacles along the way – I may come across unexpected road closures, bumper to bumper traffic, mountains to navigate or storms to weather. Perhaps I will come across a field of wild flowers that compel me to pull over and see if I can finally figure out how to use my SX-70 camera and a host of other unknown adventures along the way that my map won’t be able to show me.

I realized by revealing some helpful clues about what Point A and Point B actually look like for me, I could create and include alternative routes in my dream guide should I come across some of the unforeseen obstacles mentioned before heading out.

To get to where I want to go I need to first ask myself two questions:

1) Where do I want to go?
2) Where am I starting from?

Let’s start with the second question since in some ways I found it’s more important to know where I was before I could define where I want to go.

Am I starting from a place of worry, anxiety or fear about what lies on the road ahead? Am I starting from a place of nervous anticipation, excited energy, impatience and itching to just get moving on my dreams already? (It turns out that this is where I usually start from, which I why I often forget my road map) Am I starting from a place of planning and creating lists for everything I would need to pack along the way so I wouldn’t forget anything? (I only wish I were this organized.) Am I starting from a place of familiarity? Having turned a few of my dreams into reality I wonder what tools could I include from those lessons for this new map I am creating?

No matter where our individual starting point is, I try to remember that there isn’t a preferred place to start, even if the road is a familiar one. A starting point is simply that, a place to start. What is important to remember is to be honest about defining where we are on the map to create a better visual for the journey ahead.

My next column will talk about where I want to go, but if you are creating your own road map with me, where are you starting from?

*stop by and visit stacy’s brand new website and send her some pixel*love!

these sweet personalized totems are perfect fall gifts.  to gather the pine cones beckons you outside, to walk in the woods and huddle with nature a bit.  a perfect adventure for this time of year. create these simple and heartwarming scrolls as a quite artist date on your own, or together with your kids.  they are lovely to attach to a hostess gift, tuck in your child’s backpack, or give to a friend.  here is the simple how-to…

what you will need:

* pine cones (it helps if they are slightly closed, or you could use sticks, or a piece of driftwood)

* plain white paper

* scissors

* your favorite pens and markers

* colorful twine, embroidery thread or ribbon

* a favorite quote or just a hand-full of words

part of the fun of this project is to simply to get outside. head to a favorite wooded spot, bring your camera and a small bag for gathering your finds, and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of nature for a while.  once home, cover a table with a drop cloth or newspaper (it’s easier for cleaning up the little specs of dirt in the end).  using an old paintbrush, gently brush out the pine cones to free the loose dirt and debris.  cut strips of paper for the scrolls, and fill them with your quote or message.  you can make these as simple or as elaborate as you wish!  wrap the paper scroll around the center of your pine cone, starting with one long end and rolling it up to the other.   tie with a piece of decorative string to hold it securely.

a lovely creative way to deliver a message to someone you love!

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i have sensed and experienced lately quite a bit of overwhelm around these parts, my own as well as others.  so many of us are managing heaping plates that are simply overflowing.  while listening to jamie’s recent podaversary, i heard the term fundamentally over committed… and that stopped me cold.

am i fundamentally over committed?  do i feel compelled to take on too much, all of the time?  do i get restless or feel less-than if i don’t have a dozen balls in the air?  is my productivity a measure of who i am?  i hope not.

it certainly is a fair question.  for myself, my energy tends to come in waves, and maybe that is the trick.  to find what energetically sustains you on a more even keel, not binging on work and then later crashing under it’s crushing load.   it often can become habit to heap more on and then need to back track and offload the to-do list when you feel the pile toppling.  this happens to me.  this happens to so many who are finding their way in this creative life.

i think there is no right or wrong answer here.  what is a good workload for one may be a complete disaster waiting to happen for another.  add in changing circumstances, moods, energy levels both individually and collectively there surely is no perfect formula.  it is all a work in progress.

though on the heels of just seeing the new movie “i don’t know how she does it”,  it really makes me wonder (and worry a little) about the collective unconscious of women these days.  we hear, and often say these very words feeling like there is no way in hell i can do what she is able to – how does she do it all?  that comparison can be a killer and i think what might drive many to take on too much.

some of this is also attributed to the smoke and mirror effect.  much of our lives is about sharing the shiny finished product or the beautiful sparkling moments, and the chaos and train wrecks are mostly hidden behind closed doors.  we spin our lives like a pr campaign, and that helps to sustain the illusion a bit. things can get done but there is always some toll to pay, some sacrificed being made along the way.

it certainly is a question worth pondering.  so take a moment to ask yourself, can we do less and still be as happy (or even happier possibly?) and equally as fullfilled?  can we, on a fundamental level, commit to doing what is simply enough to sustain us with energy to spare and room to grow, and honor that for other women as well?

by christine mason miller

A “perfect” piece of writing does not arrive as a finished, tightly folded, neatly creased quilt. As I write, I do not pull the corners away from one another and spread it open in an orderly, tidy way. It arrives in pieces, as fragments. Threads are loose and buttons are missing. Entire spaces are empty. I try to stitch pieces together over here, only to realize they need to be sewn over there. I work for days before I find the swatch I was looking for, hidden beneath a pile of discarded bits.

When I begin, it is more about movement and less about style. It is the 25 stumbling, wobbly balance beam routines I practiced as a gymnast in high school so that I could repeat it in front of a panel of judges without any falls. It is about dropping a big mound of clay on a table and shaping it into an object of beauty over the course of days and weeks. It is about recognizing that sometimes the ideas I think will sing through my fingertips fall hollow and flat, and other times a spur of the moment whim will soar through the clouds. It is about not knowing the ultimate outcome, and about trying to not even care. The work, in the beginning, is to just start writing.

Don’t know how to begin? Start typing. Or writing. Or rubber stamp your words. However it looks, just get your hand moving. Then keep going, and going, and going.