January 2012
keep on wishing…
“It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them.”
~ george eliot
it’s all about the mess
{the fabulous leah piken kolidas – intuitive ink workshop}
there are very few things that i’d rather be doing on a sunny saturday morning than hanging out with creative friends and making a sweet colorful mess! leah’s Intuitive Ink class was a blast, and i got to sit in the mix of some inspiring girls smearing ink and busily doodling wild and free. i was in my happy place for sure.
join us for more creative happenings on tuesday evening (1/31) for our Craft Stash Swap & Social, next friday for Cafe Open Studio (2/3), or next saturday morning for Vintage Inspired Valentines (2/4)! all the deets are over here.
a special thanks to all of you who have been coming to events both online and in-studio, and an extra hug to those who have become Co-op members and are helping to share in the solidarity of collaborative consumption! Wishstudio teachers have been blowing me away with all of their fabulous offerings, and this community never ceases to support and inspire – thanks to all of you.
of course, there is more juiciness on the way… can’t wait to make more messes with y’all!
having faith in the process, and a new RAW Studio Collab
in the wishstudio i have been working on connecting… gathering, networking, meeting, chatting, putting my vision out there and then being open to what comes. i feel the importance of creating relationships, expanding social circles, and not simply selling people a product. yes, it is deeply about the community.
i love to light that spark of possibility in others, and the collective excitement that follows in finding the juiciness together is always so rewarding. this alone is a core part of my work.
in the works is a new RAW Studio Collab. i am so happy that Jenica brought the light of her vision to the wishstudio last year, as i believe in it wholeheartedly. a few fabulous creative studios in the Boston North area are connecting to share in hosting Random Art Workshops in hopes to grow community while fostering and supporting creativity.
yay for more opportunities to gather, more fabulous people to meet, more inspiring spaces to inhabit, and more creative messes to make!!!
here are some of the studios in the mix:
Wishstudio :: 21 Middle Street :: Newburyport, MA
Artstream Studio :: 56 North Main Street :: Rochester, NH
Open Studio Groton :: 30B Hollis Street :: Groton, MA
Sparkle Days Studio :: 14 Cedar Street :: Studio 105 :: Amesbury, MA
Scala Art Center :: 28 West Main St :: Georgetown, MA
stay tuned to the RAW facebook page for upcoming dates and times (heads up… the next RAW gathering will be at Artstream on February 24th). i’m really looking forward to meeting new faces!
Read more >>sending l.o.v.e. {a mail art valentine card swap}
{postcard by nina gilbert}
in honor of next month’s LOVE theme, i decided to host another sweet card swap. these are always so fun and inspiring as i really enjoy getting to see and share your work! here’s the scoop:
1. make one Valentine’s Day card (any size/shape) with words of inspiration, encouragement, and Love ~ have fun with it!
2. include a stamped envelope with the correct postage for your card already affixed (don’t forget your return address) and decorate it with whatever inspires you, doodles, stickers, paint…whatever!
3. be sure to include your blog/website info so the recipient can find you. you can enclose a biz/moo card or simply add it to your signature
4. send everything in a separate envelope to me by February 6th, 2012:
Wishstudio
21 Middle Street
Newburyport, Ma 01950
5. on Valentines Day (or very close to then) you will receive a beautiful piece of mail art l.o.v.e. from another inspiring soul in our community
* anyone wishing to participate from outside of the US can join and simply pay a flat postage fee via paypal… just let me know!
if you would like to participate please leave a comment here on this post and i will add you to our list! so excited to send and receive a whole lotta LOVE…xo
navigating how to begin
Do you have glimpses of ideas
Popping up here or there
Slivers of moments shining in
Shooting a quick burst of love and energy into your heart
*
Do you know how to act on these feelings
The steps you have to take
The work you have to do
Bringing that little flicker of light to fruition
*
Do you forge forward
Carving your path
Setting things in motion
Doing what needs to be done
*
Do you let it marinate
Slowly coming to life
Allowing time to do its magical work
While you continue on with your day to day living
*
Do you struggle with what to do
How to get started
Where to go
How to put it all into action
*
Navigating how to begin can be a difficult task
Sometimes you may need a strong push
Or a gentle nudge from a friend
To get you started
*
Put one foot in front of the other
Jot down your ideas and little ways to make them happen
Share your thoughts with a friend and brainstorm together
These little actions is all it takes to begin
jennifer belthoff is a writer and photographer giggling in the rain and dancing through the raindrops… read more about her life and work here on her blog.
wishful living workbook 2012 (free download)
in support of our Wishful Year here in the wishstudio i have created for you a companion Wishful Living Workbook. this is an integrative, whole-living tool to inspire and engage you and hold space for your dynamic creative life every single day!
each month there will be new downloads for you, supporting and diving deeper into each months word, color pallet theme, intentions and practices. the workbook is filled with open ended layouts, as well as worksheets, daily and monthly specially designed and intuitive Wish*Create*Plan planner pages, with plenty of creative space for you to personalize, organize and embellish your workbook with your art, ideas and dreams as well.
Download the 2012 cover (with a space for you to personalize it with your name or word of the year) as well as this sample color pallet collage page for free! Co-op members will get these downloads as part of their community benefits, or you can buy the workbook and subscribe to the downloads for just $15 for the whole year! purchase it here, and start your year of wishful living!
download the Wishful Year Workbook cover here
download the January color pallet inspiration collage page here
Read more >>begin again, and again
{art and photo by christine mason miller}
“If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid
to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.”
~ flavia weedn
the studio table :: pretty white garland
Materials (to make one six-yard long garland):
- An 18″-wide roll of waxed paper
- Assorted text-weight paper in shades of white and ivory
- 6 yards of rick-rack
- Assorted craft punches (bird, flowers, leaves, etc.)
- A lacy border punch
- A small hole punch (large enough for your rick-rack to pass through)
- A pair of scissors
- An iron and ironing board
- An old towel to protect your ironing board
- A cotton dish towel
Optional materials:
- Rubber stamps
- Ink pad (designed for stamping on glossy surfaces)
- Other items to press between waxed paper such as: feathers, pressed and dried flowers, bits of lace or ribbon
Instructions:
Before you begin, cover your ironing board with an old towel and turn your iron on to the “cotton” setting.
1. Cut a sheet of waxed paper approximately 20” in length. Fold in half vertically, and crease the fold.
2. Punch a handful of birds, flowers, or leaves from your text-weight paper and scatter them between the two layers of waxed paper. (See image A.)
3. Place the waxed paper and punched shapes on your ironing board and cover with your cotton dish towel.
4. Press your layers. Keeping the iron moving, press firmly while the heat fuses the layers together. Every thirty seconds or so, peek under the towel to check the progress. The waxed paper becomes more transparent as it fuses. Once the layers have fused completely, set the waxed paper aside to cool. (See image B.)
5. After the paper has cooled, cut out two 5” x 7” rectangles.
6. Use your border punch to create a decorative edge on the bottom of the rectangle. (See image C.)
7. In the top corners, punch a hole approximately ¼” wide.
8. Repeat and steps 1-7 and create 36 rectangular flags for your garland. Mix it up, and try pressing other shapes or items between the waxed paper. You can use feathers, thread, scraps of paper doilies, stickers, seals, lace, and ribbon bits. You can also stamp images or patterns on the paper using rubber stamps and ink. Allow time for the ink to dry.
9. Once you’ve created all 36 flags, string them on your rick-rack, spacing them about ½” apart. (See images D and E.)
{images and tutorial by la la laurie via martha stewart}
Read more >>color inspiration :: january {white}
White is purity, a fresh start, an open expanse, endless possibilities, and a blank page or a clean canvas – everything we associate with a new year and a new beginning. white is often also thought of as cleanliness, so if you are thinking about clearing and cleansing out your physical space, your body or your mental clutter, channeling white is wonderful.
White is also the first chakra right above your head and it represents purity and balance. It contains all the colors and is sometimes referred to as ‘the many colored lotus’. white is aligned with the moon and is connected to sleep (or insomnia), and dreams. too much white and you could be left feeling cold, drained, and empty.
White’s element is Air
here are a few ideas inspired by this month’s color, White:
mindful tips as you begin :: setting intentions
{my word for 2012}
with the idea that setting intentions is a guiding practice that comes from within, a way of being rather than a plan for doing, here are some thoughtful tips to help you as you focus on the “now”…
- Decide who you want to BE
- Ask yourself what do i need to let go of, what do i need to embrace?
- Get clear about something you want and write it down (and repeat it to yourself often)
- Align you actions to how you want to exist in this world
- Keep gathering information and inspiration to fuel your practice daily
- Create a tangible totem for your intentions (a collage, a small alter with your word, a memento to carry)
- Start each day consciously by doing something to demonstrate your commitment to your intention
- Allow for imperfection. it is a practice after all
- Acknowledge and celebrate each step along the way
wishBIG ecamp :: registration is open!
it is almost that time again… get ready to gather round the creative fire!
February 19 – 26, 2012
last spring we embarked on a wish-filled journey of such wonderful depth and creative breath, joined by uniquely inspiring teachers and so many heart centered, talented campers. we dug deep, got messy, shared and gathered, and created art, community and connections that have lasted since. this winter we will embark once again on something truly magical! come immerse yourself in a week of creative exploration and self discovery.
wishBIG winter 2012 workshops
Connie Hozvicka :: Let It Loose :: Grab some poster board and your paints–we’re gonna Let It Loose with our paintbrush and get FEARLESS™ with our creativity!
Vivienne McMaster :: Twirls and Jumps: Connecting with Whimsy and Wonder through Photography :: In this workshop, Vivienne will lead you through playful and energizing activities, inviting you to take photographs that can’t help but make you smile.
Chris Zydel :: Riding the Wild Wave: An Intuitive Guide to Navigating The Cycle Of Creative Flow :: Creative flow. That enchanted state where we feel connected to something larger than ourselves. Where we experience ourselves as tapped into our juice, our mojo, our creative moxie. But it can be incredibly elusive. It seems like we often have to just wait for it to show up. It starts and then it stops. We are in it and then all of a sudden it’s gone. And while it’s true we can’t command a force as wild and immense as our creative juiciness we CAN create conditions that allow us to make contact with it on a more regular basis. And keep that connection going. This workshop will help you to learn how to do just that.
Amy Palko :: Journey to the Center of Your Soul :: Create personal visualizations that reconnect you to your core! In the chaos of the everyday it is easy to lose your center. One of my essential practices that I regularly use to bring me back to center is guided visualization. I will take you through the process step-by-step using a range of multimedia to help deepen your practice.
Miranda Hersey :: A Life of Intention: Your Map for the Next 12 Months :: In this workshop, you’ll create an empowered and inspired map for the next 12 months that moves you toward your longer-term goals. This process involves naming your intentions, gathering your assets, and making your map.
Jenna McGuiggan :: One-moment Memoirs :: Some experiences beg us to write about them, but we often feel overwhelmed when trying to capture the whole story at once. One Moment Memoirs helps you take a relaxed yet focused approach to telling life’s big and small stories in bite-sized pieces.
Stacy De La Rosa :: 100 Steps Photowalk – A Journey Into Seeing :: Bring your camera, some comfy shoes, and step into the present moment where we will awaken to the beauty that lives all around us.
Rachel Awes :: Art Affirmations for Your Whole Self :: Open your arms wide to being nurtured and lit by receiving messages we all need to hear and believe about ourselves at various stages from birth to present. create artful affirmations to go along with these. examples will be given and simple materials will be used. your whole self is invited to show up…real, raw, and thus, beautiful.
your week at ecamp will include:
- 8 (2 hour) online creative living workshops from a host of fabulously inspiring camp counselors, each bringing their own special talent and insight to help you wishBIG, createBIG and liveBIG!
- daily ecamp mail! inspiration postcards (sent via email) created especially for YOU by our talented teachers for a little extra creative spark, each day of camp.
- evening campfire gatherings designed specially for the group and the work at hand! these fun and inspirational nightly gatherings are created from what comes up specifically for us as a group… i tune into the thoughts and activity of each day and thoughtfully carve out space for a relevant community discussion. these tend to be intimate, powerful and wonderfully connective whether you sit in the circle quietly or dive deeply into the conversation.
- supportive kindred community with our own private group for sharing thoughts and work throughout your camp experience, as well as individual support and cheering from each of our ecamp counselors within their workshop and beyond.
- an easy, go-at-your-own-pace format that allows you to work through the workshops in a way that best meets your needs. all classes will be available online for one month, and are self paced.
register here, or join us for free as a Co-op member!
A WIshful Year :: January {begin}
every january, i begin the new year and fresh slate with a brand new planner pad. i love the empty pages. i love the fresh from the printer smell. i love the possibility of what the year will hold. as i begin, the first thing i love to do is collage the cover and personalize my planner since, while i am in love with the layout and design of this product, the cover is less than pretty.
it’s interesting, every year i do this i see themes emerge in my color and image choices even though i always randomly cut and tear. there is a plume if inspiration that already exists in the space around me and it’s like i’m gathering bits and pieces of that energy as i glue things on the page. i love that about this process.
every year, i am also a little sad to let go of the latest cover… i do fall in love with them. it is the one thing i carry with me everywhere i go and use every single day, so it’s very much a part of my life. right before making my new one, there was a moment i thought that i wouldn’t create another that i love as much and had to propel myself a bit to just begin again. this letting go, necessary to step into the space of the next year.
i kind of laugh at the silliness of this, but in this small way i realize now how this relates to all new beginnings… garnering the conviction while grabbing hold of the momentum to move you from one thing to the next. you always have to let go in order to catch what’s coming at you.
so as you embark on new beginnings in your world, big and small, know that they are all significant. they are all moving you forward. to begin, all you need is that few seconds of lift off and a place to land your next step. beginnings aren’t always monumental and earth shattering. most often they are little earthquakes that shake up your day and give you the space and energy to take on what’s ahead. this movement IS your life, and you’ll find yourself beginning again and again and again.
as it turns out, i love my newest cover! the adventure it implies, the illustration of the juiciness and rich depths i feel pulled to in this beckoning year. a big swath of nature and green and sea present in my days ahead, intermixed with that savvy urban zest that always energizes me. a beautiful beginning, indeed.
Wishful Living Assignment: create a New Year Collage for yourself. whether it is for your art journal or planner, or as a vision board to hang in your studio or creative nook, it is a wonderful reminder and ritual to carve out for yourself and honor another 365. this should be an entirely random process, no need to think about intentions or words or color schemes… just see what emerges. be sure to share what you’ve created and leave the link to where you post your piece! i’d love to see your new beginning.
Read more >>i am a poem :: find our beginning
The hour between December and January
is hunger.
It is a tangle of roots dodging worms and
scattered seeds that have died of sorrow.
It is blue without traces of white and
embraces that deceive with their warmth.
It is a time full of sea-questions:
Does the sea miss me and
long for my tears?
Do the crashing waves feel emptiness?
Does the sand remember each footprint
washed to quickly from the shore?
We break open and
find our beginning.
We reach into the darkness and
discover our hands full of yellow stars.
We touch night and feel day rising.
***************
and there is still time to join michelle for 30 days of delicious writing, beginning january 16th…
genius, power and magic
“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”
~Goethe
presenting: a wishful year… with the wishstudio
it’s a brand new year! another 365 (well, 366 in 2012) days to move closer towards our dreams and the life we want to live. there is no better time to start than now, and there is no better way to move forward than with others along side you… wanna be adventure buddies?
right here on our blog, the Wishstudio will be hosting A Wishful Year, a year long project to infuse your life with prompts, stories, resources, and of course, inspiration! every month we will work around a common theme, and build upon this idea throughout the month. it’s free! all you have to do is follow along, dive as deep as you would like, and become a part of the community and conversation by sharing a little of your journey and thoughts along the way.
the way i formatted the year will walk us along a specific path, in tune to the rhythm and energies of each month, but will unfold in ways only time will tell… the journey is ours to discover! let it be a grand adventure.
every month will offer:
* a thematic prompt, one word, as a jumping off point to discuss and discover, including ideas for journaling, creating intentions, mini action plans, and best-life practices
* contributions from talented and soul-stirring creative guests, stopping by to share wisdom, insight and creative spark
* a color pallet for you to play in, and visually connect you to the energy of the month
* an art journaling prompt for you to explore, create, and share
* Wishful Living Breadcrumbs, daily tweets @inthewishstudio to ignite and delight
* free for Co-op members {or $15}, monthly Wishful Living Workbook downloads, for you to capture, create, and compile your Wishful Year journey
* new, The Wishing Well monthly feature sharing ways we can give back and give to one another in small, life-changing ways
* our new monthly Wishstudio Wishful Living eNewsletter, with creative living tips, special treats, and updates… sign up here to get our first issue coming out soon!
our Wishful Year prompts…
January ~ Begin
February ~ Love
March ~ Root
April ~ Grow
May ~ Make
June ~ Connect
July ~ Celebrate
August ~ Rest
September ~ Learn
October ~ Gather
November ~ Gratitude
December ~ Release
we will also continue sharing many of our regular features like Wishmamas, The Studio Table, and A Page From My Journal, as well as events and happenings in the Co-op here online and in the local studio. it’s going to be a beautiful year! grab a button for A Wishful Year and join us on the journey. are you ready to give your wishes wings?
Read more >>welcome 2012
sit with someone beside you * watch the sun rise * spread warmth and love * be daring * love wildly * forgive again * hug tightly * know you are not alone * listen * walk on the beach * chase adventure * let things unfold * have patience * plant seeds and dreams * be someones safe harbor * eat delicious food * take time to cook and savor * play your favorite music loudly * give yourself permission * gather with others as often as you can * write your heart out * dig into your art stash * wander in the woods * make time for what you love * reach out to someone * support local business * move from your heart center * drink lots of water * wear color * twirl and dance * challenge your body to move in new ways * make love * sip a killer martini * get messy * the laundry will always wait for you * get lost in a book * tell your story one moment at a time * start today * learn something new * only look back as a means to move forward * don’t try to go it alone * give meaning to all you do * breathe * let your true self shine * eat chocolate in bed * take time off * hold your loved ones * remember all the blessings * express your gratitude * wear pony tails * paint your toenails blue * make wishes every day * have a kick ass year! * xoxo *
Read more >>-
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