Clockwise from the top left:  Stuffed Monkey became this seasons favourite.  (He was a stuffy of mine that I was willing to get rid of and my mother, Zoës Grandma, did not want to see go.  She slyly let Zoë take it home with her on a day she came down with a fever...sneaky grandmothers...), Blue/Grey light jacket | A gift from Auntie from Korea, Grey hair band | Carters, Grey hoodie sweater | Kids Gap, Flower Baseball Shirt | Carters , Duckie/Chick Halloween Costume | Winners, The Secret Life of Squirrels Book | Gift from Great Aunt & Uncle during a visit, it makes us all laugh.  Slip on Shoes | Joe Fresh, Jeans | Second hand from a boy at Church (they are girl jeans).  Girlfriend Jeans | Carters (they did not fit this season due to the width), Plaid Shirt | Carters, Polka Dot Pants | Gift from Auntie from Korea, Grey Flower Dress | Carters, Blue Romper | Joe Fresh, gift from Grandma.

I am finding more and more that no matter how many clothes my child has, it is those few favourites along with the few that work and fit so perfectly that end up being worn over and over again.  

It was fun to go out and purchase a halloween costume for her this year and a few Autumn staples like the Plaid shirt and the baseball long sleeve shirt.  It was even fun to have her Auntie to return from Korea with a few clothing goodies.  Polka dots on a toddler girl is immense fun.

The biggest realization after Autumn was over was that it was time to go buy more socks.  Summer, the season of bare feet, is officially over.  After the first few colder weeks I realized four pairs of socks on rotation were not going to cut it.  So we went out and bought a few more pairs and of course are constantly loosing them...

Toddler socks are so so small.

I just love seeing her seasonal life come to a close like this.  

If anything, these are great memories. 

This video is about January motivation and I highlight two important factors into how to begin a new year.  Claiming your work and what you do and are without shame, and finding joy in the process.
Work and Life should never be too serious we can't find the joy.

Watch to hear more and see the new mug!

Clockwise from top centre :  Folded a second hand blue dress that has been featured before, Felt hat | Indigo, Cable Knit sweater | Suzie Shiers, Wine Dress | BCBGeneration, Socks | Bluenotes, Prestige Jeux Ginseng D'escargot | Korean Product from best friend, Second Hand Blue sweater | Given by another best friend, Folded Black shirt | H&M, Skinny Jeans | The Gap, Brown Faux leather Jacket | Bootlegger , Folded off white tank top | Forever21, Tufted Quarter Length Sleeve Shirt | Modcloth, Nautical Keds | Keds, Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin (Because I started reading it first day of Autumn) | Chapters, & Grey Duffle Bag | Hershal

This Autumn I was able to enjoy the results of my capsule wardrobing labour and I loved every minute of it.  Some items are missing from this shot, due to being busy and not carefully gathering every piece but on a whole, these are the main articles from the last season.

Three items pictured here that I am sad to part with after this season:  

Nautical Keds : I wore those beauties everywhere and wore them clean apart.  One shoe is fine, but the right shoe came apart along the sole and sides.  

Leaf Earrings:  Left behind by a friend who said to keep them, I've had these earrings for about two years and have always enjoyed wearing them.  They were old and not in the best condition but I was still sad when I lost it's partner.

Faux Leather Jacket: Bought in 2011 from (I believe Bootlegger), this jacket has been fun to pair with dresses, jeans, black pants, skirts etc.  It was the go to for an outfit boost.  After six years, the faux leather began to flake badly around the sleeves and collar.  Sigh...another one bites the dust.

Three items I am thrilled to have as additions this year:

Hershel Novel Duffle Bag:  I have always wanted a trendy duffle bag since being a teenager.  Sleepovers have a way of making you notice these things. Finally, I felt the time was right and found this lovely grey bag.  I love the style of Hershel, especially the shoe compartment in the Novel design.

BCBGeneration Wine Dress:  Bought from a boutique for my good friends wedding, this dress is perfect for autumn with it's wine tone and ability to pair with black hosiery and boots.  It's an Autumn dream dress.

Eye Cream "Prestige, Beaux Ginseng D'escargot" : Given to me by my bestie from her year in Korea this eye cream is a dream.  It rolls on underneath your eyes and has the perfect cooling affect.  Who knew I'd enjoy putting snail stuff on my face.  Take it from me, the Koreans know what they are doing regarding skin care.

It's been just over a year since starting to curate and develop capsule wardrobes and I am starting to see the benefits and careful deliberation pay off.

When you have less choices it frees you to make choices that are truly and abundantly reflective of you.  Now when I get dressed, I feel as if I am meeting with my true self and love the artistry of getting ready.  Sure, I may lust over the endless wracks of clothes in the mall, but in the end, it is those carefully selected pieces that truly give me joy, a sense of self and of purpose.

So long...farewell....

So epically sad to see these go.... they saw me through postpartum and many blues dances.

A series on the types of conversations I have with my best friend about clothes & accessories.  Somewhat foolish, somewhat serious, but mostly a series for the joy of it.
This episode discusses Winter Dresses.

Winter Reflections - Amy Grace

In order for me to truly reflect, I have to set the stage.  The artistry of setting the atmosphere is half the process.  Don the attire, light the candle, crack open the new journal, play the music and surround myself with any tokens of meaning and symbolism.  

The stage has been set, the character (me) has arrived on mark and it's time to begin.

2016 I learned

• I can set in motion anything worthy of doing
• I love sharing work based off of real and relevant topics
• I crave likeminded individuals 
• I enjoy quality in food, clothes & media
• I am a natural at what I do

2017 I desire to

• Have a work practice that truly reflects my goals/visions
• Carefully curate lifestyle choices to reflect who I am
• Develop work relationships via sharing, collaborating and supporting
• Take myself out of my own box.  
• Claim my place as a creator, writer and woman

It seems I have been battling fear from the start and although those roots have been dug out, there are always remnants to weed out.  More and more I get that feeling I was made to be a bit of a fighter.  The timid girl who keeps getting pushed into fights she never wanted, and yet realizes it's the only way she'll get the chaos in order. 

This is my year to claim it.

Claim.

Wrapping up 2016 was a type of aching surrender.  A type of allowing ones spirit to fall into what life was bringing together.  Maybe it is the writer within me, the type of ways in which I see these life moments happening, or maybe, it's the way Gods spirit moves within me.  

I have been drowning in the ocean trying to maintain my heart this past season.  Often aching for the right time, words and authenticity just out of reach.  

Craving intimacy in people.  Aching over thoughtlessness.  Doubting the depth of projects.  

Loving deeply the child.  Cherishing the celebrations.  Surprised by the creativity.

A new year to live and there is a burning thrill to be gaining new ground and discovering new parts of myself.  Claiming my right and talents as a writer and performer.  Curating work and discoveries without shame. 

Letting go of the expectation to be understood and allowing my faith in Grace to carry me into the wilderness of creative living. 

It is forever moving how different women of different creative mediums can gather around a table and a theme erupts.  Naturally.  Without effort.

It's one thing to say it in a whisper to yourself, it's another to hear it said in different ways from different mouths in one evening. 

Being okay with where you are at in the moment. Being okay moving in the direction that seems right, yet not necessarily what was originally planned or dreamed.  Being okay in limbo.

The realness is this:  We come to this space to feel validated, comforted and encouraged.  We come together to be okay.  And sometimes another persons 'confidence' can make us feel less okay.  As if they have something we don't.  In truth, they only have the 'okayness' in themselves that we desire we ourselves also had.  

It's a journey of being real and authentic with oneself.

Whats up for The Creatives in 2017?  

We'll just have to wait and see...

In the least amount of words for you...

1. This stunning season of masterpiece character development & cinamatography.
2. This powerhouse woman on the 'Election'.
3. This sweater...for the chill.
4. This cream.  Because it's lovely to look at.
5. Embarrassed & Admittedly, this reality TV Show season 33.  For the generational topics.
6. Moments dancing with her.
7. Her early return.  For the depth.
8. This new shade.
9. Warm visits in this home.
10. Back in this town. 

Channing Lai is my husbands cousin.  I have met her only once in person and have adored following her spirit and growing energy for life via social media.   

How would you describe yourself?

Fairly easy going person that loves to travel, experience outdoors, and live life to the fullest. The saying of “you only live once” is way too overused, but I really believe that life is too short, and the Earth is too beautiful to not try to experience it to the fullest.

What role does rock climbing play in your life?

Probably a bigger part of it than I would like to admit. Actually, I was pretty inactive and unfit before I found rock climbing. Rock climbing has led me to be much more outgoing (climbing a great way to meet people), outdoorsy and its a great way to combine it with my love of travelling. Also, it is an activity that me and my husband do together so it’s a good bonding time.

What are you currently working on/aiming/preparing for?

Enjoying life. It has been good to me, I plan on living it to the fullest while I am still able to.

What was the last book/movie that left an impression on you?

Channing Lai

I recently finished “A strangeness in my mind” by Orhan Pamuk , and it narrates a traditional Turkish yogurt street seller life as he struggles to maintain a small business selling traditional food through the modernisation and changing tastes of Turkey. This book really brings home the pace of modernisation; every time I travel to China, I am shocked at the changes that has occurred since my last visit and saddened by the loss of traditionalism and rural life. But one cannot lament too much on the loss of the traditional way of life, as modernisation must no doubt be more comfortable, life must move forward, and we humans must adapt or lose out on the game of life. (So don’t wait until tomorrow to travel and see the world, because who knows if it will be there in 10 years!)

What advice would you give to other outdoor/creatively driven people?

Don’t be afraid to try new things. Even if you end up not enjoying it, at least you have tried it. And it you do enjoy it, then it is all the better.

10:16am | Yoga finished | Coffee Poured 

Wrapping things up.  Personal life is taking the front seat.  Christmas eventing and friends wedding events taking the spare time.  Toddler has the rest.  

For a month I'll break here.  I'll reluctantly submit to needing to re-evaluate and focus on a few other more important things.

Present for the season, present for events.

& I'll listen.  Listen for where I should focus next.  

Isn't December a wonderful time to listen...

12:35pm | Lunch finished. | Toddler occupied for a moment...

Emotions.

We all have them.  Just because they are quiet does not mean they are not there.  They are always with us.  For a toddler, they are the first thing present in any given situation.  

This can be taxing.  Living life with emotions front and centre most every moment.  At the same time, it can be very enlightening.  What kind of freedom in the self does it take to say: 'This is me, in this moment, right now.  This is everything I feel on the inside and I want it out.'

Society calls this 'weak', 'frustrating', 'control yourself'.  

Toddlers call it 'communication', 'self-expression' , 'learning'.

How do I remain strong in my emotions while weathering the storm of another?

Know oneself.  Do not be ashamed of the needing to unload, look at everything and wail.

Find places that are safe to wail and be relieved.

This Week:

MIND: Take mental/emotional breaks from the dailies once a day. (zone out at least once)

BODY: Savour meals at the table. 

SOUL:  Enjoy decorating for Christmas.

10:24am | Toddler with play dough

Wake up.  Smoothie.  Yoga.  Podcast.  Get dressed.  Lipstick.  Gather hair, & twist into bun.

It's Monday Bunday & The New Year itch.  

That space between Thanksgiving and Christmas where events happen and yet truly, the main thought is 

"It's time to make new again.  Time to find my wings in the back of this years closet and put them on again."

Or maybe it's that idea that what is new is better than what is old?

Either way, new with purpose gives way to something undiscovered.

It's time to put hair in a bun and let the dreams come alive.

This Week:

MIND: Begin decluttering not just physical but also mental space for the new year,

BODY : Enjoy the various dance events this week & let loose.

SOUL: Take note of what feeds the spirit.

12:45pm | Toddler cozy on couch, blanket overtop

Started the week off with a bang.  An impromptu date Sunday Night and a visit out with a longtime family friend Monday morning.  We are home now.  Almost nap/rest time.

Seasons.  We are always in one type of season or another.  Busy, quiet, surrounded or lonely.  The point of seasons is to learn, grow, gain and deepen in life.  

Let life be as quiet or as surrounded as it needs to be.

I am enjoying more cups with others.  A season of seeking relationships.  Seeking the right people.  

Enjoy your cups with those who deepen you in places of grace, love and inspiration.

This Week

MIND:  Enjoy Christmas songs in piano practice.

BODY: Enjoy Autumn walks as a family.

SOUL:  Enjoy friendships

"Creative self-care...what do you think this is and how do we maintain it?"

We find in discussion together that it is first, the awareness of self-care.  When one has an understanding of what one needs to be whole and well, we then can better nurture our creative spirits further.  

Creative self-care can be each-other, quiet, loud, a lot or a little.  It can be doing something tangible like reading a book or doing something intangible, like being quiet and reflecting.

I sense we all need to be supported in ways that will protect our tenderness, yet also push our strength. 

I sense that when we allow ourselves to trust that the season we are in is the right season, no matter how debilitating or brilliant, that we will gain not just the surface from it, but the depths of it.  That brilliance is not just shine, it is quality work.  That debilitation isn't just dark, it is illumination of truth.

I sense that we all want seasons where we are something like creative gold, yet, I also think it's the realness of our other seasons that create that gold.

So may we be gold makers.  Seekers of more than just the shine, but of the deep.

In the least amount of words for you:

1. This show for all it's cinematography and character development goodness.
2. This chair for reading.
3. This book for the cover as much as the story.
4. Jennifer Lawrence in this film.  Because J-Law.
5. Finding 'The Dunwells'.  Especially this song.
6. The Gaps random sales for these skinnies.
7. Seeing this capsule all bundled.
8. This accurate personality test.
9. Being Interviewed on this podcast. 100 ep.
10. Watching these two get married.

10:02am | Tea brewed | Toddler playing with play dough

When you are a mama, you must multi-task to a certain degree.  It's just a way of life.  Some adapt to it well, others struggle more.  Either way, we all do this thing called life.

I love the process of embracing my unique life.  Of course, there are circumstances that have arisen, choices I have made that have carved this life into being in more complex ways.  It is the unique carving that has made us whole.

So I guess it being October thirty-first,  Halloween, that makes this resonate.

Every pumpkin is carved different.  By it's designer, it's maker.

This Week:

MIND: Take the opportunities to practice and create.
BODY: Maintain balance in meals
SOUL: Find heavenly enjoyment in the quiet moments of the day.

Nicole Payzant | Photographer

I met Nicole as a child and we rekindled a friendship in our early twenties.  Nicole is one of the most lovely women I know.

1.How would you describe yourself?

I am a lover of love... and maker of things. 
There enters wedding photography. 
I am introverted... a bit of a hermit, even... a proper cat lady even at 26. 

2. What role does creativity play in your life?

Since I was a child I have been labeled with the word "creative". I think that label has evolved in my lifetime. 

My mother is a creative. She thrives on making and creating. In my home, tole painting, scrap booking, puzzles, cake decorating, and other crafts were a normal sight. I remember painting with shaving cream on the bare kitchen table as a young child. It has always been a part of who I am, and what "play" is for me. I've never known anything different. 

To many people, "creative" was a way of saying "artistic". 
In THAT context, it became both a source of pride and also pressure to perform. I think it still is. I was good at creating because as with everything I gave it my full attention. My desire to excel meant I continued pushing my abilities. There became an expectation, a standard, that I had to meet--or surpass--before I'd be happy with a project. 

In the last couple of years, with "the creatives", I am reclaiming the label of "creativity". Removing the pressure. Focusing on the pull towards creative play. 

Even if it is simply colouring with crayons. Learning to crochet a scarf. Teaching myself basic embroidery. 

3. What are you currently working on?

Professionally, I am finishing up my 2016 season with a few engagement sessions for next years' couples. I will have a few weeks before picking up the camera again.. I'm looking forward to that break. 

I have also been creating a list of little things to make and do this November/December, for the sole purpose of bringing me creative joy... recharging my batteries. 

I'm going to try making my own air-dry clay. And figure out some outdoor winter decor on a budget. 

Also baking. I am making Christmas baking happen this year. 

4. What was the last book/movie that left an impression on you?

I am not much of a reader anymore... but Eat, Pray, Love. Read on my trip to Sri Lanka this past April. Would read again. 

5. What advice would you give to other creatively driven people?

I don't feel comfortable advising just anyone, as each persons experience is different. But I can share advice I have learned or been told over the last six years:

Keep making. 

If making feels like work, (as will happen when you are a professional creator), try something new. Make room for creative play. Even if it is just colouring in front of the t.v. 

Be conscious of the expectations you set on yourself, and their validity. Use  expectations to drive you--not crush you. 

Learn to say no, and be selective in your creative projects so you are still able to find joy in what you are doing.  I have kept my waitressing job on the side, so I am able to be more selective in what I take on as a photographer. 

"Comparison is the thief of joy". 

11:17am | Sun streaming through windows...

Stumbled upon 16personalities.com over the weekend. An enjoyable share with family & friends. for it's insight and accuracy.

PROTAGONIST (ENFJ-A) 

This is the result I received, and admittedly, very spot on.  Strengths and weaknesses included.

Interpreter training along with theatre training has allowed me the opportunities for self-reflection & continual growth in self-awareness.

Nineteen-year-old Amy said things like:

"This is just the way I am.  I can't be any different.  I am what I am."

"I am loyal, I love hard and I give of myself to anyone who gives to me."

Twenty-seven-year-old Amy says things like:

"I know why I am the way I am and I choose to work past that which doesn't serve me."

"I value authentic relationships and let go of those that don't reciprocate in a healthy and constructive way."

What will 'thirty-five-year-old' Amy say?

Being reminded of my personality and tendencies has reminded me of how far I have come, how I want to continue to grow and develop my strengths and weaknesses and maintain awareness of how I interact with others and my world.

This Week

MIND: Focus on one activity at a time.  Truly giving each the attention it deserves.
BODY: Dress according to activities & to please oneself.
SOUL: Prepare heart and spirit for co-leading worship at church.

11:21am | Toys scattered

Sometimes, it takes a cloudy hearted weekend to create a clearer week.

Lay it all out.   All that raw and real. 

Intentions become clearer, goals become stronger and ideas become brighter.

I guess Autumn has a way of making me want to travel into all that history & shedding worries to make way for a new year.

This Week:

MIND: Maintain work hours.

BODY: Sit down for meals rather than eating standing up.

SOUL: Enjoy music.

This image thrills me.  Seeing my daughters most worn summer clothes displayed and curated as to capture that season of her life, melts my heart.  Many of these clothes won't fit her by next summer, maybe a few will.  It all depends on how her body develops.  Captured here are the clothes I will be packing away in case they either fit her next summer or another toddler appears in our life at some point.

I won't always store these clothes.  At some point I will narrow them down to most likely the yellow dress and those pink Bunny shoes.  A sentiment of her first toddler summer.  But until then these are the clothes that Zoë wore the most Summer 2016.

Clockwise:  Blue Summer hat: Carters, Tropical Short Overalls: Carters, Pink T-Shire onsie: Carters, Blue Birdie Patterned Romper : Joe Fresh, Jean Shorts : Carters (Size: 3 months, Zoë although long, is small in her mid section and still fit into the same shorts she wore as a 2-3 month old baby.)  Ice Cream Cone covered Swim Suit: Carters, White T-shirt with design: Gift from Grandparents from Hong Kong, Yellow Dress hand made from Great Aunt Shelley, Candy Striped pants also from Honk Kong, Yellow Shirt : Baby Gap, gift from Auntie Heidi, White Eyelet T-Shirt : Gift from Auntie Jasmine from Korea, Folded: Summer sleeve and pantless romper : Carters (Used as pyjamas) , Pink Bunny Shoes : Baby Gap.  In the Middle: Striped dress : Baby Gap.  On the side: Folded up Pink & White childs blanket gifted from Auntie Heidi from Kids Pottery Barn. (Given during the summer and dearly loved)