here.

view from the pier at my mom's house in northern wisonsin

This is my "want to do list" today:

Rest. Find the kitchen table under all the mail. Watch the last two weeks of The Voice. Let the hangover from nostalgia from the weekend spent at my 20-year high school reunion settle a bit. Laundry. Unpack (maybe). Rest. Put email off for one more day. Create a new altar next to the bed to help me reground after all that travel. Dip my toes into Pixie's Boundaries Boot Camp (there is still time to join in!)

I also want to stand outside under the blue sky for a few minutes and maybe even take a nap out there on a blanket. I want to soak up the silence, and then pick up Ellie ready to dive into bubbles and eating dinner on the backporch. And as my fingers itch to keep typing to make this list even longer, I'm realizing it might be time to make a true "want to do this summer" list and start checking things off. (Perfect a biscuit recipe. Pick strawberries. Get in touch with a few people who didn't make it to reunion. Risk saying "hey, do you want to come over for dinner." And how the list goes on.)

My hope is to post here more often. I have stories swirling around inside me and a few other ideas I want to plant in this space. I want to get out my big girl camera more and capture this beauty of this part of the world this time of year. I want to remind you that you are not alone. I want to invite you on a few adventures. Yes yes yes.

But first, I'm going to unearth something for lunch...

seeking magic

At first glance, there was a little girl picking up grass from Grandma's yard and bringing it onto the deck and throwing it everywhere. And it would have been easy to say, "Stop making that mess."

But if you listened closely, you could hear a little girl singing a song about how fun it is to dance and decorate Grandma's house with beautiful golden sparkles as she ran back and forth and twirled and smiled and giggled.

And if you looked really close, you could learn this really beautiful lesson: You really can create your own magic.

Just like that.

(And sometimes letting them make a mess is the best parenting move you can make.)

love this :: everyday outfits (may)

A few items that are part of my uniform around here:

The Living Memory wristwrap from StoryPeople. It says: "I carry you with me into the world, into the smell of rain & the words that dance between people & for me, it will always be this way, walking in the light, remembering being alive together." I've been wearing it almost daily since it arrived last week. It helps me trust I'm walking with my grandmother and my uncle and my grandpa and Traveler my golden and the others who've gone before me. Made well. Love it. So grateful to Brian Andreas for writing these stories. Yes.

Posh Pants from Texture. I'm a big fan and have had a couple pairs for years. Very comfortable and can be worn year round here in the Pacific Northwest. I love "swamp" and "cobalt."

I'm back to my El Naturalista clogs. I bought them about four and a half years ago, and they've held up really well. I'm having an on-again-off again adventure with plantar fasciitis and these are really supportive on the days when my heel is throbbing. Really good for standing in the studio. (And every now and then El Naturalista is on Zulily. I have to usually go up a size to a 40 even though I'm an 8.5, which is usually a 39. I bought these Mary Janes and they just arrived. Here's the color I bought. The inserts I'm trying do fit in them and I'll report back after I wear them for a while. I feel like an old lady writing all this but I also refuse to let this heel pain stop me from 1. living and 2. feeling good in my clothes. {And 3. I bet someone reading this might need these inserts too.})

This hat by Pistal. I know I know, who would have thought a trucker hat would become one of my favorite things. But it is! It has a seahorse + hearts on the front. For real. I love it.

The Ruffled Margins Tank from Anthro is awesome. I went with a Large. The seams down the front are flattering and it is really soft and so lovely on. I put one of my Shimera tanks under for a smooth look.

The new Five Deep Breaths Intuition bracelet in my shop. Love it. Fluorite is my new obsession. This one sold out quickly but is available for pre-order and should ship around May 22nd. I'm wearing about four different bracelets/wraps stacked these days. Makes me so happy.

Check out other everyday outfit posts here.

Quick note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

fill it up buttercup

Kelly Barton and I have gathered up all that we love from the more than 10 retreats we've taught at together and created Fill It Up Buttercup. The retreat version of this adventure will take place September 17-21 at Frog Creek Lodge near the shores of Puget Sound outside Seattle.

This retreat is your invitation to dive into the blank white pages of a journal and fill them with words, watercolors, ink, dreams, lists of good things, photographs, and love letters. 

As we gather in the Pacific Northwest woods, we will:

• Circle and paint and daydream and sketch.
• Sit under shady trees and spin stories.
• Poem it out on vintage typewriters.
• Look for clues and get curious about what we're drawn to and why.
• Brainstorm ways to stay connected to our creative selves.
• Push through the fear of the blank white page.
• Discover our "go-to" creative moves.
• Go on photography adventures and treasure hunts.
• Walk along the shores of Puget Sound and find talismans and treasures.
• Gather up all of this goodness and more into one gorgeous journal.

And there will be food + laughter + good music + light + love surrounding all of it.

Registration opened today and there are just 9 spots left at this intimate retreat. Learn more and register for Fill It Up Buttercup right here.

get outside

These are a few of the things we found when we headed to Point Defiance Park on Saturday.

Really good stuff.

And one of the most accessible practices to help you get out of your head and back into your heart.

Try it for a few moments today. I dare you.

(And if you want to gather with a group of kindreds to practice this simple but profound act of getting outside for a few minutes every day, come along and join Hand to Heart this month.)

hand to heart

The words above hang on the wall at my retreats. I wrote them last year as I focused on what I most wanted the experience to be for all of us. It really comes down to a safe space where we can each just show up as our whole selves.

Yes.

As Hand to Heart has grown into an intimate, nurturing comunity over these last few weeks, it's become apparent to me that the safe space created at the retreats now has an online home.

And this feels like pure magic to me. 

The magic rests inside the way that the members of this community are using this safe space. Some of them have a quiet presence, sharing mostly with me via email. Others check in with the group on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. Some turn to the montly practice each day; others adapt the practice to support their own ongoing self-care. Each person is finding a way to create space for what they need.

The thread that runs through it all is this simple but life-changing act of pausing to bring your hand to your heart, taking a deep breath, and listening to what you know.

*****

On this Monday morning, as I sit here in my studio with blue sky peeking in on me through the window, I know this: My deepest wish for you is that you remember you don’t have to go it alone. 

Hand to Heart is my offering of a companion for your journey. It’s a soft place to land on the tough days. It’s a safe space to practice connection. It’s an invitation to listen and remember what you know. 

Together, we stand tall in the defiant act of seeking beauty even in the midst of the hard, messy times. We practice bravery as we share the stories of how we hold grief in one hand and joy in the other. And we do this by just showing up as ourselves each day.

This program is meant to be a support for where you are right now. Think of it like a companion that helps you reconnect with yourself while guiding you in creating space within and around you. It can be a quiet source of support, always there even as you venture into other online communities and ecourses. Or it can be a daily space for connection. You get to choose how it best fits in your day-to-day life.

Upcoming Practices

In May, we'll explore the practice of "get outside." From taking five deep breaths to artist dates to photography walks to simply letting the sunshine warm our shoulders, we'll look at ways to connect with the world around us as a way to support us on our paths. 

In June, we'll explore the practice of making just "one move" each day that supports our self-care and being present practices.

And this is the part where I tell you: It is okay to come along just for one month or to pick and choose what months work for you. I deeply appreciate how full our lives are. If you feel May's practice calling to you, come along for just one month of community and connection as you explore this practice. 

UPDATE I'm excited to share that Hand to Heart is now a free community of kindred spirits on Facebook. Learn more about Hand to Heart and request to join right here.

here.

here a little one teaches us about resilience.

here a woman feels laughter shake out the cobwebs.

here the flowers are bursting with audible exhales.

here the hummingbird chirps.

here the sky appears with unexpected blue.

here is a dream about picking fresh berries.

here black pen slides across the blank page.

here the old story slips into the earth.

here there is a wondering, a sadness, a hope.

here the neverending cold is not fading.

here beads are wrapped, words are hammered, talismans are created.

here days are measured in mugs of tea.

here hand to heart, breathe in, breathe out.

*****

"Here" is on of my favorite creative prompts. You can use it to capture photos of what "here" looks like in your corner. You can try to make sense of your world with a poem note. You can make a list and add it to Project Life. You can fill up a whole page with here. Try it.

a shop sale

A Spring Sale! Because Mother's Day is around the corner...because you might need some color to brighten your corner...because you might need a reminder that you are enough...

Head over to the shop and then when you checkout, just press the Apply Shop Coupon Code button in your shopping cart. Then enter SPRING15 for 15% off your entire order. The sale is good through Thursday, April 24.