Modern Prairie Girl

I have a very sweet family that have been clients for awhile at LBI. The mum is English and is game for anything session-wise, so we decided to really do it up for her daughter Alice (who has an accent also—how perfect!) out in the Magic Forest. To say that this was a fun shoot just doesn’t do it justice. Everyone involved (including my two friendly make-up artists/costumers who saved the day–thanks Julia and Robin!) made it very special for me and for Alice.

OX.

Anne Gericke, a German jewelry artist, is amazing. Found her via BeachBungalow8~

So clever! I would imagine it’s a bit like playing dolls when you’re little…so fun to dress up the figures and think of themes for the story inside. I loved making dioramas when I was a kid—shadow boxes are a bit like grown-up dioramas.

I’m feeling the need to make more “Shadow Chic” box jewelry for my Etsy store. I’ve got some interesting silhouettes cut out–they just need occupations and a background to live in.  This is the one I wear all the time and it makes me happy.

 I’m thinking about bringing some to Brave Girl Camp in October and giving them to women who inspire me…because we really need to remember that “we had had power all along”.

Happy Wednesday, Lovelies…

OX.

Another book to carry with me everywhere I go. Patti Digh, writer of this book and 37 Days blog, has an amazing way with words…and ideas…and philosphy…humor…you name it. I love her writing style, and more importantly, she’s really made me stop and think about the important things.

Her mantra is to be mindful and live intentionally…something I, uh, struggle with sometimes. So this week I had two moments that stopped me in my running-100-miles-an-hour tracks.

One involved string cheese.

Seriously.

String cheese.

I was having a there’s-nothing-in-my-fridge-to-feed-the-kids-while-we-fly-solo-without-PH.

Tired and I must admit, a little cranky.

Well the mood didn’t improve as I reached in the refer for some pizza cheese as I had a very heavy-with-sauce waiting Boboli on the counter.

Bugga! No cheese.

So the Blair women began scavenging for something to finish our dinner and voila’…we had an idea.

Yes, lovelies, that is string cheese in rows on our pizza. I was about to be sad about our pizza predicament, but instead we took a picture and got a good laugh out of it.

In fact, we laughed a lot that night. A little “Wipe-Out”, some funny dogs chasing around the kitchen island antics, mixed with some bedtime tickling and I came out of my funk.

Truly a mindful evening and I just wanted to eat up my daughters, because they know how to do this so much better than me.

Most kids do, in fact.

We could learn so much from these sweet creatures.

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Mindful moment #2 was simply a beautiful sunset (pic doesn’t do it justice..point-n-shoot being the only vehicle of sunset-catching devices on the seat next to me). We were rushing around like the activity hopping chicks that we are and almost missed it. I was at the stop sign, going through the mental list of all of the things that didn’t get done that day…and WHAM…

Mr. Sunset called to me and said “Halt, Activity Hopping Chick…LOOK AT ME.” It was a nice moment to remind me of all the blessings that summer has brought.

The MPG reading gals I met at BH Flea…thank you for your kind words…that moment was special for me.

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On a side note, got wind of a new book today that looks very, very good—cute cover too.

I heard about “The Handmade Marketplace” on Kimberly Wilson’s podcast and fell in love with Kari, the author’s, vision. If you sell on Etsy or at craft/art shows, she seems to have nailed it. I can’t wait to get it!

Book-buying…

yes…I have a problem, friends…there is just too much talent out there and I want to devour all of it in one big bite!

I hope this summer is winding down for you in a smashing way~

OX.

What an amazing day…

Leah the Fabulous unveils Belle Blanc in all its glory at BH Flea Market~

Robin , Leah, Julia & Michelle worked hard to get that booth ready for the Flea Market–it is gorgeous!

Robin and I didn’t get to do our usual “mirror picture”, but I’ll settle for us all in Leah’s clothes feelin’ good…

I was fortunate to have two of my favorite girls stay with me before the BH sale…Robin calls us Paris Peach (Kim), Diva MPG (yours truly) and Cupcake (Tiffany)…I don’t get to see them enough and it shows—we cram about two weeks worth of conversation into a few hours.

Michelle, my future partner-in-crime for the Gypsy Junk Prom, has been an amazing help to L the Fab—she is a SuperStar.

Our sweet boy…where was the other boy?! Hiding, I think. Jermonne had no shortage of love goin’ around on Saturday.

Kim was saying that this image brought tears to her eyes because she cares for this guy so much—easy to do.

This was my fave shot of the day…

Okay…surprise #1…………………………

Kim is working the door at BH and comes careening over with a human person in tow…she plunks this lovely in front of me and who is it?!

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Seriously….

KELLY RAE ROBERTS!

My indy heroine.

Remember this?

and this?

and even this?

Such wonderful inspiration derived from reading and journaling in Kelly’s book, ”Taking Flight” and taking in  her heart-felt words on her blog. She is one-in-a-million to me and it was such a special treat to meet her (and that cute bump she has goin’ on…just a few more weeks left!)

Oh, my…do I even look star-struck from the back? teehee…

…it was a strange emotional thing that came over me when I saw her (a bit embarrassing, actually), but I think it came from deep, deep down place where all of these wonderful creative stirrings have been brewing for so long…In a word,

it

was

fantastic.

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Surprise #2….I got to sing a little.

Random, huh? For lovelies just joining us, this is my past life…my past love…my past dream of sorts. It’s what I did in college and while after and now…. not so much. BUT…this sweet boy who kind of became a strolling musician for awhile wandered over. I asked him what he knew and BOOM! We were jamming. It was a blast…felt so, so good to belt it out I think Tweetie Bird has the footage…maybe she’ll copy us in.

So…there was a lot of this….

(via Tiff)

…and a lot of this…

(Cindy, Kim and Heather B.) hanging out at the after-party…

But mostly it was just feeling the blessings that this group of people have brought into my life.

I am so very grateful.

Have a wonderful week, sweet Lovelies~

OX.

I’ve been mistaken for Elida before around town (believe me, I’ll take it   ) and I do think we have similar eyes…she is a Creative Sister, for sure.

So…Elida…master of the collage miracle (explaining the whole shebang here with gusto)…

worked with the ladies to create their pieces for the better part of Saturday. There were some great messages in them…

While they worked away, I got the chance to talk with each woman one on one about their dreams (pie-in-the-sky and all) and changes that need to be made..not to mention hard-core goals set and a plan for follow-through also materialized. For me, these conversations were the best part of the weekend. I love working with women about what their next move is…it excites me to no end…I’m even more excited about hearing what each of them is going to do in the next year.

The thing I didn’t expect was that through hearing their dreams and helping them formulate plans, I needed to make one very special step myself. I talked to myself for the whole 2 hour drive home (never mind the people in the next lane looking for my earpiece and then discovering that I am a lunatic) and I made a promise to the muse…little thing that she is tugging on the back on of my shirt, asking me to make the time for her…she needs to know where to find me—-that’s the problem..every time that inspiration kicks in, it’s in a predictable place and time and there really hasn’t been one in months.

So…

I decided to give it to her.

It will be on Tuesdays..

Creative Tuesday will not be touched by outside stuff…

It’s me…

an idea…

some gel medium and paint…

some printed digital images…

ephemera…

loud music (The Weepies or Jack Johnson)…

tucked away in my art cave.

I’m giving this a month to see if it makes a difference in the BEGINNING and the MAKING…I’m guessing it will.

Now…this art cave is yet to be. Currently this room at the studio (about 15 mins. from my house) is covered with cay-rap, props, wardrobe for shoots, a very large bull-in-a-china-shop tandem (if you can believe it) and a deflated Areo-bed. Yes..deflated. Silly, silly girl who lets stuff get strewn. Why does she do this? I just don’t know.

I do plan on shooting in there every once in awhile for that special family who needs “bed in the window shots” in natural light, but for now I’m thinking inspiration think tank-land needs to materialize…and quickly.

A Room of My Own.

The Super Barn will come…there’s no doubt in my mind that it will appear behind my house at some point with a big, lofty ceiling and a white floor and a massive train station clock mounted on the front…

Barn dream via.

…but for now, it will be a room in the back with all of my gear and it will be fabulous. I can feel it.

So, dear lovelies…what is something that you can do to ignite your own your muse today? This week? This month? This year?

I’m betting there’s a move that can be made, but hesitation wins and you feel stuck…unstick yourself by saying it out loud to someone you love.

We’re cheering for you, sweet creative friends…

OX.

p.s. the most a-maz-ing Barnhouse experience this weekend…lots to share of Leah’s clothing line and the fab vintage friends who rocked the sale…can’t wait to share!