From my Bookshelf.

It's no secret that I adore reading and I adore the changing seasons.  

Surrounding my home with little bits of seasonal decor / items keeps me feeling fresh and renewed daily.  It's a trick I play on my anxious spirit and I love how it grounds me.

For the Summer these reads already on my bookshelf are the perfect fit for hot days in a hammock, on a beach or even curled up on the couch while it rains. 

Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery

Being a Canadian east coaster means this just comes with the territory for summertime.  Not only is summer the time of year we visit the Island but it is also the setting of most of this classic book. 

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

Not only is this a rapid read, but it is deep and comical.  I have a hard time with books about racism, the war etc.  Mainly because I find they leave me greatly affected and sad.  Which, of course is important and something I believe any piece of artistic work should aim to do.  Reveal truths and be raw.   But one isn't always in a place where being deeply saddened by literature is desired.  This book brings such a great literary addition to my library.

The Nest - Cynthia C'Aprix Sweeney

You either love it or hate it, and I LOVED it!  Maybe it's the way this writer makes everything feel classy and absolutely real at the same time, or maybe it was the ending.  Either way, family dramas are always a win for me.  I read this quickly.

Better Than Before - Gretchen Rubin

I read this last summer alongside my Aunt and underlined the heck out of it.  Reading about personality and characteristic tendencies is a great discussion tool and there was nothing like sitting on my Aunt and Uncles porch with white wine while my toddler napped discussing our own traits in the summer heat.  Reading this book and the conversation around it is one of my favorite summer memories. 

In this episode I talk about my Summer Shorts.

IN THE PAST:
Summer Toddler Capsule Wardrobe

Power hour.  

An hour set aside to collectively, or solo work through items of a project / work to create movement and flow in a short period of time.

This is how one does it.

1. Show up.

The real struggle is in the first step.  Show up.  Just show up for yourself to do this.

2. Set the timer.

One solid hour.  Sixty Minutes of focus.  It's a thing.

3. Take no more than 2 minutes to make a list.

Seriously, don't think hard about it, write down everything you can think of and the moment you have to stop to think about 'one more thing', Stop.  The hour isn't worth anything that is not on the top of your mind. 

4. Power through

Make the decisions, the calls, the scheduling and do don't let fear stop you.  How?  Accept that you may make the wrong decision, you may rush it or it might not be right.  Decide that the task doesn't match your values and cross it off.  Who cares.  You did something.

5. Listen to the timer.

Once the sixty minutes is up.  Stop.  You did it.  

Don't overthink this process. 

Less is ALWAYS more.  

Making space.

At the beginning of the summer I wrote down my three values this season.

Writing.  Beach.  Water

Three things.  

Somehow I keep finding ways to sabotage them.  Be it adding another responsibility to my list, saying yes to something I felt obliged to say yes to.  Make my weekends busy with to dos when I could have been at the beach, the list is endless.

Before I enter August, the mid way mark, I want to honour myself and these three values.  Because clearly I haven't done it yet.

How?

When I review the upcoming week ask myself, is what is filling my days and time reflective of these three values, writing, beach and water?

If not, then do what needs to be done to postpone, delegate, renegotiate but do this every Sunday.

Begin each week knowing that I am honouring these things.

Every season has it's needs and goals.  This summer I need to respect myself and these values long enough that they get heard. 

IN This video I discuss my Grandmothers vintage Maid of Honour Dress and get a little Julia Child on.

Looking for inspiring notebooks after a meeting...

I have begun to collaberate with a group of women on a potential project.  It means we meet together on an almost bi-weekly basis and come together with our skills.

It's quickly being revealed to me, that this collective process is a vulnerable one.  Where you have to relinquish your understanding of yourself into a group mentality and allow your thoughts to be witnessed by the whole.

So far I have learned:

Be Humble.
 

As much as we are all experts in our own fields, talents and previous experiences, coming together for a 'new' idea, requires the ability to set that aside and see what a 'collective' of these skills brings forth.

Be Open.

It's easy to be resistant to what we aren't good at, or perceive to be skills we don't have or aren't interested in.  Coming together often means being open to grow in new areas and taking on something we might not find easy or natural to us.

Be Imaginative.

Thinking outside the box and realizing that in the beginning stages anything can go.

Be Constructive.

It's important to bring constructive thoughts to the table.  Thinking and communicating in a way that brings unity, depth and understanding is important.  Especially in the beginning stages, how we interact and honour each other in ideas sets the tone.

Be Yourself.

Ultimately, be your glorious and unique self.  You wouldn't be at the table if you did not have your qualities and skills backing you up. A collective is about how each individual brings something to the table and that is your job, to be equally confident and humble enough to know what that is.

*I'll be posting on and off about the journey of my own collective experience over time.  
Stay tuned!!

Rainbow Haven Beach, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Ocean is an Anchor.  

I believe, that it is a place that we can be reminded of our purpose.  Some people say it makes them feel small, but for me, it has always made me feel important.  

That something so grand and so encompassing on the earth comes to lap up on the shores of my life.  That it's whole entirety reflects and interacts with the sky.  

It's a mirror to the heavens.  

Being a coaster by birth means the ocean is in my veins and I understand that for some, it's the mountains, woods, prairies or desert.  Every element that was made is for us to delight in, to see the glory in, and the absolute child-like wonder in.

So Go There
Whatever element in nature speaks to your spirit, I would reach into that.  I would go there and rest in it and find what was made for you there.  So often, we forget that outside our busy lives is the movement of earth.  The inhale and exhale of the heavens touching down to meet us.  

Why?
I come to the ocean not just because I live by it, but because I believe Deep calls to the deep, and that the Grace I seek is embodied in the action of the ocean.  

So I dance, run, play, weep and commune here and spend as much time as I can near the waves of Grace.

I am coming into the realization that in order for me to focus on writing strong narratives and empowering scripts, means I have to humble the voice inside my own head, dream big and enjoy the journey. 

CONFESSIONAL
I am never not talking to myself.  I have an unending voice that rarely, if ever, quiets.  I chalk it up to being trained in simultaneous and consecutive interpreting.  Interpreters are taught to process all aspects of information, visual and audible in the moment it is being made, and also, retain that information for it's relevancy later within the same communication time frame.  

THIS MEANS
I am highly aware of my own and others emotions, perspective, and insights.  I am constantly struggling to let go of what I understood of others, myself and the world around me.  I am quick to be weighed down by myself and others and I find being in settings where I am unable to take a break from people extremely exhausting on my body, mind and soul.  

AS A WRITER
Embracing these sides of myself is what is going to push me forward into this next stage of my work.  I need to protect my work hours.  To follow my instinct on what will bring me focus.  To let go of trying to be all things to all people.  To have space enough to let my own personality fall to the floor as I write.  To let the fears of what others think of my work / life choices be just background noise to my main thinking process.

AT THE END OF THE DAY
This is my life.  My legacy.  My Joy.  Writing is my calling and if all I ever do is write scripts and have only a small audience for my work, than I believe I will have not only filled the calling, but will have lived a life that overflowed with joy for me and those who live with me. 

Two questions that will bring clarity to everyday and overall life.  
What are my individual values?  What are our collective values?

For individual life, partnership, family, work, team, projects, the importance is the same.
 

Knowing them, declaring them and keeping them at the forefront of ones mind as one makes decisions will be not only empowering, but keep the focus on what truly matters.

I enjoy the simplicity of summing up values in three points:

For Myself Individually:

- To have a balanced variety in life.
- To nourish my mind, body and soul.
- To be surrounded by what brings out the best in me.  (empowering women, ocean air, simple living, space to write.)

For Us Collectively:

- To be active in our lifestyle at home and outdoors. (cooking, creating, exploring, community eventing)
- To intentionally interact with books, music, and other story telling methods.
- To create a creative and enjoyable home atmosphere.

Coming back to these points again and again remind me how to keep it simple, honest, joy-filled and fulfilling of where I/We are supposed to be.

Part of my project this summer is to interview relevant people.  Mostly I am interviewing family, but I also am seeking out the relative persons who have a different perspective on this specific topic.  

It's a bit daunting to approach people, even family members.  Asking them questions.  Questions I know that for them may be personal or even hard to discuss.  For me, it's not about the dirt or the messy complexities that are inevitable.  For me, it's about that gold you get when you look at all sides of something.  Someone. 

To do my work properly I need to be brave enough to probe, respectful enough to relinquish control and perceptive enough to see the angles and depth.  It's a multi dimensional thing.  This thing we call writing.  Creating.  

Making something.  Out of nothing. 

Looking at the surface and not just admiring it's beauty but wanting to get to the depth of where it came from.  I think we were all created to ask questions, doubt, praise and get thrills from the unknown.  We were never made to know everything.  But we were made to reach. 

So I will be reaching for that little bit of Gold we couldn't see beneath the surface. 

Clockwise from Centre:  Key Rock made by Jasmine Alexander, Light Flower Long Sleeve - Carters from Mimi & Yeye, Pink Cat Heart T-Shirt - Joe Fresh, Heart & Sailboat Rocks painted by Jasmine Alexander, Blue Bird Rock painted by Amy Grace, Blue Jogging Pants - Carters, Jean Shorts - Carters, Rainbow pants - Children's Place, In My Heart: A Book of Feelings - by Jo Witeck & Christine Roussey - Indigo - , Red Hooded jacket - From my childhood, Green Pants - Carters, Pink Dress - H&M, Magnetic Doll - Melissa & Doug from Grandma & Grandpa, Whale Panamas - Carters, Tea Set - Hape From Mimi & Yeye , Grey and White Baseball T - Carters, Caterday Sweater - Joe Fresh, Yoga T-Shirt - Carters

Spring was a great season to watch Zoë explore the getting dressed and undressed process.  She's beginning to show preference and have favourites.  She loves anything that has a cat on it, and absolutely ADORES her whale pyjamas that match perfectly with the whale she was given for Christmas by an Auntie.  Zoë also fell in love with this red hoodie jacket that her Grandma put on her one windy spring day (that I wore for a short time as a toddler.  Apparently I outgrew it quickly) fortunately it not only fits Zoë perfectly, but it is a staple item that would never go out of style or loose its quality appeal.  

Littered about this capsule are a few story rocks which Jasmine and I made for Zoë over the past 2 years.   We are into a stage where she not only enjoys putting them in and out of a bucket, but is able to identify the images and make scenes with them.  

Also worth mentioning now that we are in a new stage of toddlerhood with Zoë, the 'In My Heart Book' is a perfect story time read that captures what each emotion feels like.  As an adult I relate so well to the descriptions and often find myself appreciating the reminder of how valid our feelings really are. 

With this Spring Capsule I know that the life of her t-shirts and blue joggers will soon be outgrown and so they will continue to be around this Summer for as long as we can wear them!

In this video I tell my best friend what is going to be on my feet all summer.  
And I also share my love of KEDS! 

Stephanie Hayes - Clark is Salon owner and Hair Stylist of Urban Hair and was introduced to me by my dearest friend Jasmine.  Not only do I absolutely love the atmosphere of Urban Hair, I love Stephanies presence and genuine heart.  No matter where I am at, Stephanie has a way of creating space for connecting and being oneself.  

How would you describe yourself?

I'm an optimist ... that's all I can say, every day , all day, I find good in everything. Being anything but is just a waste of time and energy. Life is to short not to be. Don't get me wrong I do have my cranky days, but they don't last long!

What role does creativity play in your life?

I would not be where I am today if I wasn't creative. My job and business depend on me being creative. Being a hair stylist allows me to channel my artistic side through every client that I do whether It be a simple haircut to a total transformation. Being able to make someone beautiful and make them smile , is how I've learned to grow into the self confident woman I am today.

What are you currently working on?

Well my life is about to change drastically . My only daughter is graduating high school and moving away to go to college, so right now I'm working on not crying everyday ( just kidding). I watch a lot of webinars which help me learn and they offer me inspiration into my business. Right now I'm concentrating on helping my daughter prepare for a new chapter in her life and my life. It's a learning experience for both of us!

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

The Shack!!! I'm not a very religious person but this movie /book touched my heart in so many ways. To see how the character is so withdrawn and full of hate and then is guided by this woman to see the real meaning of his life and how a tragedy can bring such a transformation is beyond inspirational.

What advice would you give to other creatively driven people?

Stay focused and stay on the path that you want to be on. Don't let anyone sway you from where you want to be in life. Learn from your mistakes, make frequent goals for yourself and learn how to achieve them. Don't be afraid to ask For help, but remember they are your goals and only you can turn them into reality ! Oh and one more thing , take pride in what you do, learn to be self confident and never give up on your journey through life.

Top Left - Clockwise: Second hand shirt - from bestie, Darling Magazine Issue #19 - Darling Magazine, White Yoga T - Bavhana Yoga Boutique Halifax, Black pants - H&M, Lace sleeve shirt - Amazon, WE: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere - Indigo , Home is Where the Anchor Drops Pyjama set - La Vie En Rose, Homemade Painted Succulent planter by Nicole Payzant and my daughter, Giving Key : Claim - The Giving Keys, Jean Shorts - Bluenotes, Heels - Call it Spring, Striped long sleeve - Pseudio, 3 sockets - Psuedio, Felt Hat - Indigo

As the season began I realized I needed a few practical items. A long sleeve shirt for the chill that still hung in the air, a light weekend pyjama set that was warm but cool enough for the changing temperatures, and finally, a pair of black heels that I can truly wear and use.  Every woman who wants to add that touch of heels should have a black pair.   Although I do own a pair of black heels they are what theatre would call "Character Shoes".  My character shoes are thicker, with a strap and are perfect for performances but not the type of heels I want to throw on for a classy night downtown.  These new heels are the perfect size for me.  They are not very tall but still add a kick of 'sass and sexy' to my dark jeans or dresses.

Coral has begun to creep into my wardrobe and I am enjoying that pop of colour when I desire to stand out a bit more. 

What isn't pictured here is 4 other sweaters that I have out year round along with 2 pairs of jeans (light and dark), tank tops for wearing underneath shirts and a few other t-shirts that tend to stick around from season to season.  

What I am loving the most lately about my capsule wardrobes is that with every season change I am seeing my needs lesson as I purchase items carefully and complete enjoyment with the clothes that I do wear.  Nothing makes a woman feel more of herself than a well curated wardrobe.  

In this video I share about what items from my closet won't be making the June - September cut. Halifax. Nova Scotia has temps of -20s in the Winter and +30 degrees C in the Summer. Although we fluctuate often in warm and cool, we need various clothing items to match our seasons.

This Summer I am minimizing distractions and focusing in on two specific projects.  This means a lot of time at my desk and a lot of time learning formatting programs and editing skills.  

Both of these projects are women centred and focus on highlighting women through story, history and project creation.

I will be updating on my progress here and starting in July, monthly newsletters.

I am aiming to develop two specific pieces that bring multi-dimensional women to the spotlight and in one project specifically, to give a voice to how personality stereotypes limit our understanding of ourselves and others.  

Women supporting women isn't just a hashtag, it's a force to be reckoned with and I hope that as I bring life to these two pieces I will be able to align this work and myself with women who will breathe life into it and me.  

Heres to the ones who dream.  

No longer teenagers spending a Friday night together, we are adults with careers, a child, two families, a loft condo and all the complexities that those life changes bring. 

We are each others everyday rhythms.  Weaving in and out of lists, expectations and events.  
How do we find each other within the calendar outside of the dailys?

We aim for twice a month.  A bi -weekly affair.  Sometimes its simple, sometimes its extravagant.  

This Spring some of our dates have been:

- Going to the cinema to see Wonder Woman
- Driving to Mahone Bay and walking along Queensland Beach
- An impromptu Lunch at Finbars for Burgers and Beer
- A Breakfast at Portland Street Creperie  

At home, we squeeze in little moments daily.  Nightly showers together before bed.  A TV show we are enjoying together, making dinner with wine and music on... anything to set the ambience and mood for passion and desire to linger with us as we do 'the normal'.

For us, its not about anything out of the ordinary, but those moments that tie us together closer.  
 

In this video I tell my best friend about what shirts I have in my Spring Capsule Wardrobe

I mention
MODCLOTH
PSEUDIO
H&M

In the world of female creative entrepreneurs it can be hard to find and create an atmosphere for coming together in work.  Be it working in different mediums, being in different life stages or how many projects each are balancing.  The struggle is often finding a way to create a space to honour each others work and skills in a productive manner.

I am in the process of learning how to embrace and honour the women around me whom I have fallen into, chosen to and seek out work relationships with.

Honour and grace are two themes I feel have taken root into my heart for these relationships.  I want to honour the skill set of these women.  I want to pass grace when I feel misunderstood or I have mis-stepped.  I want to enter into partnerships that are about depth, growth, building each other up and giving insight into the work we do on a creative and inspiring level.  

It can be a scary journey.  To begin to align yourself with others and combine your skills to make something collaborative or even just to support each others work, but I think thats where the real stuff lies.  Building each other up and not feeling intimidated by the intelligence and creativity of another.  That we all have room at the table together.