may collection {now in the shop}

My new Soul Mantra May Collection is now in the shop!

During the past few weeks, I've been really inspired by the incredibly gorgeous spring we've been having. The joy is pretty contagious, especially when everywhere you turn, from corners of our backyard and neighborhood to gorgeous Pt. Defiance Park, there are happy blooms in all shades and sizes leaning toward the blue sky smiling down on us.

Seriously. Spring has been ridiculous this year. 

When my mom was visiting, she, Ellie, and I went on a walk in a nearby park. When we got home, I went into my studio and gathered beads in all the colors we'd seen. From the pale blue of the sky that day (shown in the kyanite in this bracelet) to the vivid tulips (shown in these moonglow necklaces and bracelets).

your heart knows the way (available here)

When I was hammering the phrases in the lockets I've paired with some of the necklaces, the phrase, "your heart knows the way" came whispering to me followed by the word "trust." I've paired the two together with these happy beads as a gentle reminder to listen to what you know. This is my favorite necklace in the collection (and you can customize the word on the heart in case you need it to say something like "brave" or "open" or "love").

Being open to the inspiration around me has really changed the way I'm approaching my jewelry collections, and I think the results are simply more representative of me and what I believe. Always a good thing. I'm so grateful that I live in this corner of the world.

See all of the collection here.

this is...

This is not a post about how I haven't been to Paris yet.

This is not a post about how sad I am that I didn't have professional photos taken while I was pregnant or right after Ellie was born.

This is not a post about how I'm still thinking about the food Persephone made at the Feast Retreat (and how I need to make some in my kitchen).

This is not a post about why I (still) watch Grey's Anatomy.

This is not a post about Millie's chronic ear infection and how she's moved on to the needing to see a specialist phase and how intense, sad, and expensive it is.

This is not a post about how I want to teach more workshops around the country and how I'm wondering how to make that happen.

This is not a post about how much I really want to start an art journal practice.

This is not a post about me sharing how I really feel when someone says, "Soak up every minute. They just grow up so fast. You will miss this."

This is not a post about the incredible number of words Ellie says in a day or an hour and how much that sound delights every corner of my being.

This is not a post about how much I really want to be invited to a party where I can wear my never-been-worn favorite party dress.

This is not a post about how much I still love my hair cut.

This is not a post about how much I miss you.

This is not a post about the quiet moments when doubt sneaks in.

This is not a post about the exquisite taste of fig jam + goat cheese + prosciutto.

No.

This is a post about one family taking a walk in their neighborhood on a Sunday evening and finding the most incredible evidence of a Pacific Northwest Spring along the edges of the sidewalk. Walking, running, naming every color and every shade of every color, telling me which flowers to photograph, and chatting the entire time. 

This is a post about getting back into nature in the simplest ways to clear one's head of all that chatter.

Yes, this.

(These colors inspired several of the new soul mantra necklaces in the shop.)

love this: succulents

top photo: my kitchen window, pots from Home Depot | wreath from Pottery Barn (and awesome tutorial for a DIY version) | my hanging terrarium from my brother (similar terrariums here and here) | terrariums with wood base from West Elm | terrarium necklace from Fairie Nest on Etsy

It's official: I am obsessed with succulents! And I've gathered a few succulent-inspired items to share today from pins I've come across on Pinterest (and from my home).

For Christmas, my brother gave me that little hanging terrarium + tiny succulent, and I have kept it alive (aka I have remembered to give it a quick shower once a month), and it just makes me so happy.

Then a few weeks ago I started seeing Elise's Instagram photos of her succulents (and the cute favors she made), and suddenly I started to become a bit obsessed with the thought that this could be the plant I could have in almost any room in the house. And. keep. alive.

Yes.

So when my mom was here, we went to Home Depot and bought several small succelent plants for the kitchen, family room, bedroom, and studio. They are so darn cute!

I'm thinking about getting a few terrariums like the ones from West Elm because I love the idea of adding a bit of moss and maybe a few good things that Ellie brings home with us from our walks along Puget Sound.

And I'm learning I'm not alone with this succulent obsession. When I posted a photo of ours on Instagram and Facebook the succulent lovers raised their hands. Next up is researching how to add them to our backyard because they thrive outside here in the Pacific Northwest. 

Are you a succulent lover too? Would love to hear about any secrets/tips you have.

seeking evidence in a well-lived home

succulents in the family room

Every now and then when I look around my home, I get overwhelmed by what I think other people's expectations are for a home. How neat, how "company ready," how "clean it should be so you can hire a cleaning lady" kind of expectations.

peek at the beginnings of our nature table

Last week, I almost got bogged down in that overwhelm again as I looked at the tall stack of random clean laundry on the dryer, the "never can get it white" grout in between the blue tiles of the kitchen counter, the paper that never finds the right spot to land.

where her shoes land before bath each night

To clear my head, I turned to my camera as a way to seek evidence of how we are really living in this home.

a new jewelry collection in progress

the two Mickeys she insisted Grandma sleep with while she was visiting

bathtime/bathroom time needs

left behind after the last breakfast tea party with grandma

And I kept finding these beautiful pieces of us. The bits of clutter and real that reveal who we are in our beautiful, often messy, lived-in, little home. 

Sometimes you need the close-up lens of the camera to push you back to seeing what you actually know.

a favorite happy bowl

An invitation

Use your camera lens to capture the evidence of a life well lived in your home. Notice the little details beyond the surface. This would be an awesome Project Life prompt (especially if you don't have a lot of photos one week). 

***

In Inner Excavation, there is an entire chapter about what we gather to us. The book invites you to dive deeply into noticing your world, noticing you through self-portraits in photography, poetry, and mixed media.

Order your own copy signed by me here.

story excavation retreat: registration is open!

I am delighted to announce that registration for the Fall Retreat, Story Excavation, begins today!

This is the retreat for those of you who have been asking me when Jen Lee and I were going to join forces for a retreat!! I am truly so excited that she's coming to join Kelly and me on the Oregon Coast this September 11-15. 

At Story Excavation, we will really get into our "story" dig sites and explore several ways to excavate our stories, including: the art and craft of storytelling, the creative power of community, and meditative art practices. 

We will also have some juicy conversations around navigating our public and private lives online, how we practice creative self-care, and how collaborating deeply inspires Jen, Kelly, and me.

And of course we will be recharging, walking along the Pacific Ocean, laughing into the night, and so many other good things. And my dear friend Sasha will be joining me again to nurture and nourish us in the kitchen.

Find out more about Story Excavation and register here.

a corner of my studio

Finally added some goodness to the wall space above my studio altar. When my mom was here last week, we put up a lot (I mean A LOT) of photos + art in our home and in my studio. This corner of the studio was the last piece, and it is so meaningful to me. The artwork, aluminum Instagram prints (printed by PostalPix), and mirror really do tell a story.

First, Danielle Daniel's girl "Emily" reminds me of the little girl me, eyes wide observing everything. The stories Danielle tells in her artwork are so tender and brave and vulnerable and beautiful. When I bought this painting, I was thinking about Ellie, but when it arrived and I looked at it, I knew it really was me. (Visit Danielle's shop here.)

Second, Lori Portka's painting "Everything I Need" represents this moment to me and is a daily reminder to trust what I know. I love Lori's story about this painting and am so honored to have this girl and message in my studio. (Visit Lori's shop here.)

Third, the four aluminum prints are some of my favorite Instagram photos. They represent what I want to bring into my life right now and in the future: more travel, more teaching, more moments out in nature, and more putting pen to paper and writing my next book. Love that I could just put them right onto my wall with the little foam sticker that comes with them from PostalPix and they will be easy to change out as my intentions change. Actually thinking about creating a 9x9 grid of them on a wall inside.

Fourth, we have the happy mirror (found at a local art + craft store). There will be many self-portraits taken in this mirror, and it is a place for me to practice the mirror meditation. 

This corner truly is like a self-portrait of where I've been, where I am, and where I want to go. And each time I light a candle on my altar as I get ready to work for the day, I'll be able to take a moment and center with this goodness around me and then get to it (especially to the manifesting those intentions part).

Something Good from PostalPix

Delighted that PostalPix is sharing a coupon code so you can try them out today.

Use code lizpix20 to receive 20% off of your total order. The code is good through the end of day PST on Thursday 5/2.

I've used them to print out 4x4 photos for Project Life (shown to the left) and 8x8 photos that are now framed and on my wall. The quality is great, and it is such a fun, easy way to get those Instagram photos off of my phone.

This is also an easy way to send some photos to grandparents, and the aluminum prints would make great gifts as they come with a magnet on the back option too.

it's a lot like this...

Frog Creek Lodge front porch . Feast Retreat (photo by Sasha Clements)

When I return from hosting one of my Be Present Retreats, I always struggle with how to talk about it here in this space. Capturing the truly life-changing moments with words escapes me. I seldom take photos because I am too busy with other pieces of the experience.

Feast was one of those retreats where I repeatedly found myself whispering silently, "I am home" as I moved from one moment to the next. I felt firmly rooted in knowing I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, and deeply called to circle with women more often.

On that final Sunday, just as we finished unloading the car back at my house, an email from my friend Sasha arrived. She was one of the first to leave the lodge that morning and during her time alone traveling home, she wrote a poem that captured Feast. 

I stood in my studio reading these words with tears in my eyes so grateful to be on this path.

***

Tiny nature altar . Feast Retreat (photo by Sasha Clements)

I carry

In a basket woven of chartreuse moss,
Stitched together with needles of pine,
Bound with multicolored scarves and scraps of lace from women before,
Strengthened with reeds smoothed flat by rocks of vulnerability,
Infused with scents of rose petals and patchouli…

I carry

Doubt,
Love,
Strength,
Confidence,
Fear,
Stories,
Courage,
Friendship,
Connection.

I carry
The glittery bits that spill out of the cracks
Of souls and hearts and minds,
Wet with tears and echoing laughter.

I carry
A white cup cushioned by a mothers gentle hand,
A white bowl still perfectly warm from the feast of nurturing kindness.

I carry
Circles of fabric and dreams,
Circles of pencil and paint,
Circles from the sea,
Circles of flickering light,
Circles of memory.

I carry it all
In the basket by my side,
In the pockets of my soul,
On the bookshelf of my mind,
In the space around my heart.

I carry
A filled up basket
Forward with me to the next journey.
Fortified,
Ready,
Open.

I carry
All I have gathered,
All I need,
To save myself again.

- Sasha Clements

About Sasha: I am... a free-spirited wild child, tethered to the responsibilities of the real world, walking a tightrope of compromise, and searching for a sweet blend of dreams and reality.

I work a full time as a communications and project coordinator for an electric cooperative in Indiana. After 30+ years, I’m still in love with my high school sweetheart. I’m a mom to a grown son and a “G” (grandma) to a 4-year-old superhero in training. When my alter ego demands creative play, I dabble in writing, photography, food, clay, yarn, and paint.

I believe the recipe for “retreat magic” includes a lovely combination of wise and generous teachers, like-minded souls circled together, and the invitation to share the truth of your story in a safe space. I crave the nourishment this magic gives - it’s why I attend retreats.

Connect with Sasha at her blog.

***

And today, I'm so excited to announce that a sneak peek of the Fall Retreat, Story Excavation, is up over at the Be Present Retreats site.

Registration goes live on Wednesday, May 1 at 8 AM PST.

If you feel called to join Jen Lee, Kelly Barton, Sasha, and me on the Oregon Coast this September, please be aware that the summer retreat sold out in less than 24 hours. We don't want you to miss your spot!

Learn all the juicy details here.

secret messages

Yesterday was supposed to be my first full day in my studio in weeks. But instead, it unfolded a bit upside down.

While gathering the dirty dishes to one place on the counter last evening, I looked down and saw all these happy colors and this message on my mug and I couldn't help but pause and pay attention.

Trusting the process is a true practice. It isn't easy. Some days I look at this mug in the cupboard and practically roll my eyes and choose another one. But this message appears again and again and not just in my kitchen cupboard. 

And when I'm quiet enough and give myself space to really listen to what I know, these are often the words I hear.

Invitation: This weekend, pay attention to the secret messages appearing on your path, and then come back here and tell me about them. 

***

The "Trust the Process" mug is from The Universe Knows. They're having a 15% off sale through May 6. Love their mugs and hoodies.