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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Chris Guillebeau's Unconventional Book Tour

Just got home from my first ever book signing!  Oops - that sounds like my book signing, doesn't it?  Well, maybe one day.  :)  But no, I mean it was the first time I had ever intentionally gone to see an author.  Who, you ask?  Chris Guillebeau.  When I heard that he was passing through town on his Unconventional Book Tour, I decided I couldn't NOT go.  It was so exciting to talk to him!  Although, I have to admit, I was as nervous as I am in interviews.  LOL!




I wrote down quite a few nuggets (that one's for Shawn) from his talk  - but here's something that stuck. He was saying that along his travels he comes across so many people with great ideas.  People that wish they would have started earlier...gone after that dream.  And they're kicking themselves for not starting when they were younger, whatever it may be.  They're often stuck in the place of non-action, and wonder if it's too late to begin.

This is exactly how Chris felt 3 years ago when he started The Art of Non-Conformity.  But he did it anyway.

"The best time to start was last year.  The second best time to start is right now." Seth Godin  

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Create with K8


I have recently discovered that I love creative retreats.  I love participating in art activities, doing photography, and being surrounded by other creative souls. 

But one thing I always find myself saying when I’m at these retreats is, “I wish the women back home were here"...or "so and so would love this"...or "why don’t I do this more often?” 

So my plan for 2011 is to bring the retreat to me – and the local ladies.  One Sunday per month, I will invite women to gather at my place for an afternoon of creation.  It’s meant to be a no pressure, no experience necessary, organic & of course fun experience!

Well, I’m happy to announce that the first “Create with K8” date was a smashing success!  Got an opportunity to hang out with some awesome chicks & set some intentions for 2011 at the same time.  Creating Vision Boards was our activity for January.  Can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring!  




Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"

I'm sure you've seen this video before - but it's one that I could watch over and over... I've been thinking about it ever since I started reading Sark's new book - Glad No Matter What (which reminds me...it's overdue at the library - doh!). I just love that Jessica is being a Sark. :) Saw it again recently though on Roots of She - have you checked out this new blog yet? I'm LOVING IT...it's very purposeful & powerful.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Feeling inspired but using self control


Oh man, I’m in that “feeing so inspired and so eager to get out and conquer the world!” stage.  You know the one.  It comes in waves, of course.  Some days you wonder what to do with your life.  I’ve had many of those days.  Years of those days.  

But today…today I am feeling hopeful.   I still don’t know what I want to do with my life - of course - but I don’t care.  I just want to DO.  Learn and do.   But I am forcing myself to stop learning for a while.  (ok, well maybe AFTER I finish my Kim Klassen texture class)

I just finished reading the wonderful Patti Digh’s Creative is a Verb (which, incidentally, is copyright 2011 but I bought it in 2010 – what does that mean?).  But the last page sums it all up for me right now:

“You don’t need to look for answers outside yourself.  No, you truly don’t.  You’ve enough data and information and knowledge and wisdom in the stories of your own life to keep you busy for a long time, if you can pay attention to them, be mindful of them.” 

I have to admit, I’m a self-help/creative-help book junkie…but I agree with Digh when she says, “perhaps reading them only keeps us out of the doing.  So make it a both/and equation.  For every book on creativity you read, you must spend six months simply creating.  Every single day.”

It’s time for me to just do. And create.

So I'm going to exhibit a little self-control and NOT take another course at this moment (frankly, my latte fund can’t afford it!).  But I thought I would share some fabulousness so that I could live vicariously through you.

Juliette Crane's How To Paint An Owl workshop

Self Portraiture classes – Vivienne McMaster

Be Presents Retreats –  with amazingly talented instructors such as Liz Lamoreaux, Kelly Barton, Mindy Lacefield, Vivienne McMaster, Ali Edwards...

Mondo Beyondo Dream Lab –  with Andrea Sher, Jen Lemen, Brene Brown

Anything from Jamie Ridler

What are YOU working on these days?  

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Feeling Stuck?

"In the FEELING STUCK times...when it's no longer possible to be as you were and not yet possible to be as you will be...berating and badgering yourself only makes the painful BETWEEN time more trying.  Remember to ease up, be patient and tender with yourself, rest, and trust that deep within the new growth is germinating.  The next step always unfolds when you're fully ready for it." Robyn Posin



Tuesday, January 4, 2011

On Community


Before I get too far along here, I feel the need to give a big shout out to my Scarf Sisters.  Well, I guess it’s only the 4th post so far...so I’m not that far in.  But I likely wouldn’t have started this blog had I not met this community of amazing women.



I could tell you lots about communities.  I studied them in university.  I work with them in my day job.  There are communities of interest and communities of place – in fact, according to Wikipedia there are 45 different types of communities! (ok, enough random factoids)

But I’ve never really stopped to think about how I fit into these communities.  I’m very grateful to have supportive friends - simply amazing girlfriends - and family around me, and I’ve always been keen to travel & meet new people.  So, I’ve never really questioned that I wasn’t part of a community.  But I guess what I didn’t realize was how much I longed for a certain community - the creative community - until it hit me smack in the face in the fall of 2009!

I’ve always had creative longings...which, long story short, led me to serendipitously land myself at Liz Lamoreux’s Unearth - A Be Present Retreat, where I was opened up to a whole new world of creative dreamers and doers!



It’s such a good feeling to be surrounded by like-minded people.  To go on photo walks and not feel like you’re holding others up because you need to photograph Every. Single. Thing.   Not needing to explain that you are not narcissistic when you’re taking endless self-portraits.  And being able to share your love of buttons, funky fabric, scrapbook paper…and cute hats! 

We’re all on our unique paths, spread wide over Canada and the United States, but the strength of this community is demonstrated by the fact that a year later – this past November – we reunited.  Of course not everyone was able to make it, but those that couldn’t were definitely there in spirit! 



And so, by meeting these wonderful women I have introduced myself into another new community – of creative bloggers – and I can't wait to see what the future holds.  

Whatever your dream, whatever your passion, know that there is a whole community of like-minded people out there just waiting to be discovered.  What is your place in community? Do you long for a certain community?  Perhaps you’re already a part of it…  (daytime group shots taken by Patty Waite)