the chickadee road::studio sessions are back!

While driving home from the Oregon Coast, Kelly and I decided to bring back the Studio Sessions!!

Join us this August for a four-week adventure that will be full of inspiration, connection, peeks into our friendship and our creative worlds, laughter, and a whole lot of love as we support one another in nurturing a creative practice.

Now what does nurturing a creative practice really mean?

Many of us dream of having a week or two or even a whole month where we could travel to a beautiful corner of the world and spend that time creating a new body of work or writing a memoir or actually using the mixed media techniques we’ve learned in the workshops we’ve taken. And then, we’d love to circle in community with other creatives who would say, “How are you doing over there? How did it go?”

This is what the Chickadee Road :: Studio Sessions are about: Creating a virtual space where we can support one another as we take a few minutes or even an hour or two a day to practice and make small moves and big leaps toward the creative dreams that wait within us.

The creative practice you work with will be up to you.

You might want to:

• Journal each day
• Begin a meditation practice
• Tell your story through photography adventures
• Paint, paint, and paint some more
• Draw in your sketchbook four times a week
• Make one small self-care move every day
• Start a blog
• Create an ecourse
• Play with self-portraits
• Have fun with color in your studio/creative corner every day

And each day, Kelly and I will be here to guide you, celebrate you, and inspire you, and your circle of kindreds will be here to catch you as you play and work and find your way.

Details

Dates: August 5-August 31

Where and How: The "lessons" + inspiration will be emailed to you, and we will gather in community in a private Facebook group and in a private Flickr group. 

Four weeks of emails include:

• Videos that take you into our own creative spaces and invite you to be present to self-care and fun
• Lessons about ways to invite in ritual and sacredness to your daily creative practice
• Creativity exercises to support your practice and keep your creative juices flowing
• Writing and photography prompts to keep you grounded
• Stories of our own journeys to reconnect with our creative joy
• Opportunities to share your stories through photos, daily check-ins, and other surprises along the way
• When you sign up, you will also receive an email with information about how to prepare for Studio Sessions, suggestions about how to choose your practice, and other good things
• Note that there won't be emails on Sundays to give you a day to simply catch-up and rest

Supplies needed:
Camera (Camera phone is fine)
Journal or notebook to write in
Simple art supplies that you enjoy working with like markers, colored pencils, crayons, and so on
A Flickr account (optional)
A Facebook account (optional) 

Register:

Registration has begun!

Cost: $69

Questions? Just email us at chickadeeroad @ gmail [dot] com (or through our email form)

Read even more about the course including our FAQ over here.

a moment

Because sometimes when the day starts out upside down, I have to force myself to notice the good. And this happened one day last week.

Instead of just pushing through, I admitted I was having a hard day. And suddenly we were all getting back in bed with graham crackers + peanut butter + the whole family (with the dog snoring on the floor beside us) and I was reminded that I really am loved.

(Sometimes you have to ask for that support to remember. And that is okay. In fact, I think it can save your life.)

I hope you remember you are loved today. Yes.

SoulSisters in October

I'm delighted to share that I'll be teaching at SoulSisters this fall!

This will be a weekend in one of my favorite cities, Portland, Oregon, and it is all about how we can create lives filled with beauty, kindness, and genuine connection. As the organizer of the event, Rachelle Mee Chapman, says, "When you feed your soul with wisdom and bathe your heart in laughter, you’ll feel less alone, more companioned, and full of energy as your return to your (beautiful) everyday world." A big yes to this. 

If you've been thinking about attending a longer retreat but want to dip your toe in before committing to the cost and time of a five-day experience, consider coming along and connecting with the creative kindreds you've been longing to meet in person.

Other teachers and presenters include:

• Kelly Rae Roberts (Wisdom Jam Session)
• Molly Mahar (Personifying Your Inner Guide - How to Trust Yourself)
• Jenna McGuiggan (Story Carnival)
• Bridget Pilloud (Chakra Love)
• Vivienne McMaster (Invite Yourself into the Visual Story of Your Life)
• Rachel Cole (Becoming a Well-Fed Woman: Finding & Feasting on Your Truest Hungers)
• Kate Swoboda (of Your Courageous Life)
• Rachelle Mee-Chapman (Where Soulcare and Worldcare Meet)

I'll be teaching my Poem It Out workshop, which is a unique approach to self-care through the lens of reading and writing poetry. We will explore the world of poetry from a place of wonder and healing. We will read poems that invite us to nod our heads and say, “Me too…me too.” We will unearth our inner poet, face the blank page, and say, “Bring it” and write the words that are ready to burst out of us. We will stop everything to Poem It Out. This will be a workshop for people from all experiences with writing and poetry, including those who think "I don't really get poetry." I can't wait to share this workshop with you!

The details:

Find out more about SoulSisters here.

If you do decide to join us, I would be grateful if you would use this affiliate link to register or if you register through the main site, it would be awesome if you could tell Rachelle you heard about the event through me. Thank you!

Hope to see you there!

pinned it. did it. {with meg}

Meg is back with another edition of "Pinned It. Did It." I think this just might be the post that gets me to start entertaining again. (Want to come over?)

Enjoy!

*****

Any time I plan a party or event, I get asked the same question: will there be Party Popcorn? It has become a bit of a signature item for me. And to be honest, it’s almost embarrassing because it is possibly the easiest snack dish I’ve ever made. But sometimes the easy things are the ones we go to over and over again. That is the case with Party Popcorn. 

The ingredient list is short: microwave popcorn (I like lightly salted best), candy melts or white chocolate chips, and sprinkles. It has been my experience that the candy melts do the best job melting smoothly and coating the popcorn so I use them exclusively. I find them at Michaels but I’m sure they are available anywhere that sells Wilton cake decorating supplies. 

Start by popping your microwave popcorn. I used three bags of popcorn for our gathering of about 15 people this past weekend (and by the time the party was over, the popcorn was gone). Pop it and lay it out flat to cool. Once cool, separate out all of the un-popped kernels. This is a very important step. You don’t want anyone biting into those kernels. When the popcorn is cool, melt the candy coating. Once it is smooth, pour it over the popcorn and stir it so that the popcorn is coated. Add the sprinkles before it begins to cool so that they will stick. Allow the candy coating to solidify again once it cools and then transfer the popcorn to bowls. 

It is delicious served on the day made or can be stored in an air tight container and served the next day. This snack is so versatile and can be adapted with colors, flavors, or decorative sprinkles to go along with any holiday or theme. I saw where someone used pink and purple candy melts for a Valentine treat. I also had a friend make this using butterscotch chips instead of the white chocolate. The possibilities are endless and I can’t wait to try more of them myself.

Snack Ideas that Go Well Alongside Party Popcorn:

Donut Hole Pops
Chocolate Dipped Tangerines
Birthday Party Pretzels
Chocolate Dipped Tea Cookies 
Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s so fun to have such an easy go-to item that is quick to whip up in a pinch or adds a festive touch in a hurry. And I am such a (recent) big fan of the sweet-salty combo - this hits the spot for that combo. 

Meg Brothers is an artist, photographer, mama, and dreamer. She loves cooking, tattoos, and sporadic dance parties in the kitchen. She prefers dark chocolate, black coffee, and flip flops when weather permits. She is a lover of Pinterest and truly believes in integrating ideas and inspiration - big or small - into normal life. Meg lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Dustin and son, Julian. Meg writes about photography, family, and creative inspiration at megbrothers.com. Find her on Pinterest here and on Twitter here. 

***

Note from Liz: Over here in my corner, I'm trying to "use Pinterest for good." I really see it as a community of people trying to see the beauty and possibility in their lives. I'm adding a few new features here on my blog inspired by or directly about Pinterest as a way to invite others to look for this beauty within a social media community. I look forward to seeing how it all unfolds. Connect with me on Pinterest here. Read other "Pinned it. Did it." columns here.

make a list

Thank you blue sky.
Thank you rumbling waves.
Thank you sand between my toes.
Thank you laughter drifting through the air.
Thank you new friendships.
Thank you bravery that surrounds us all.
Thank you trusting what I know.
Thank you stories.
Thank you food that nourishes.
Thank you breath.
Thank you.

Yes.

***

Over here I'm beginning to navigate that unique time that is re-entry after one of my retreats. The Your Story Retreat was truly incredible. I suppose I say some form of that after each one, but this one, yes, this one, it was some kind of magical. 

Sending light and love to your corner of the world. Tell me what is happening over in your corner. I'd love to know.

Blessings,

Liz

PS If you're feeling disconnected today, make a list of "Thank you." It gets you back in touch with what you know. 

inner excavate-along begins tomorrow!

A quick reminder: The Inner Excavate-along begins tomorrow! You can find out all the details here.

In case you missd it, Effy Wild has put a call out to have others join her for a read along of Inner Excavation. Last year, I led a free seven-week read-along of my book, and the content has been available on my website ever since, but this will be your opportunity to join in and go through it with a group again. Effy's created an information page all about it on her site. And I've actually created a special blog for it here.

I'll be part of Effy's Facebook group and will be peeking in throughout the summer and can't wait to connect with you as you get into your Inner Excavation dig site.

You can buy an autographed copy of my book, complete with special note to you, in my shop here and I will get it out to you right away so you can join in!

trust this truth

In this moment,

close your eyes, 

take a deep breath.

Now another. 

Then when you are ready,

open your eyes, 

and say these words aloud:

I am Whole.

I am Worthy.

I am Loved.

Yes.

(You really can trust this truth. I believe it with my whole heart.)

xoxo,

Liz

PS To receive little reminders and love notes like this one in your inbox, sign up to receive my (almost) weekly newsletter here.

summer reading ideas

A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to share a few of your recommended books for summer reading in the comments of this post. What a list!! I've added almost all of them below and grouped them by general "categories." Hope you find a few you enjoy!

Fiction

All That Is by James Salter

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

The Babylon Rite by Tom Knox

Beauty by Robin McKinley

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler

Child of the Morning by Pauline Grege

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

The Cruelest Month: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Divergent by Veronica Roth

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The Drifters by James Michener

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Fall on Your Knees by Anne Marie MacDonald

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

The Garden of the Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer

Half a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Homemade Love by J. California Cooper

Hotel On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Inferno by Dan Brown

The Island by Victoria Hislop

J D Salinger Boxed Set by J D Salinger

The J M Barrie Ladies' Swimming Society by Barbara J. Zitwer

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins

Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister

Kindred by Octavia Butler

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey  

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Light Between Oceans by  M L Stedman

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

Moonlight and Vines by Charles De Lint

Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Nearer the Sky by T. Greenwood

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

The Outlander  by Diana Gabaldon

The Peculiar Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

The Proper Order of Things by Tara Benwell

Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguo

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party: The New No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Novel by Alexander McCall Smith

The Seamstress by Maria Dueñas

Secrets Over Sweet Tea by Denise Hildreth Jones

She Got Up Off the Couch and Other Heroic Acts from Moreland Indiana by Havel Kimmel

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Small Island by Andrea Levy

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum

Unnatural Habits a Phryne Fisher Mystery by Kerry Greenwood

Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Self-Help

Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss

The Age of Miracles  by Karen Thompson Walker

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott

Magical Journey by Katrina Kenison

Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

The Toa of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Women Food and God by Geneen Roth

Non-Fiction

The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes by Shauna Niequist

Clean Food by Terry Walters

Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover's Guide to Vegetable Gardening, Including 50 Recipes, Plus Harvesting and Storage Tips by Will Galloway

Many Lives Many Masters by Brian Weiss

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Mended by Angie Smith

Mosiac of Thought by Ellin Keene and Susan Zimmerman

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

Saturday Night Widows by Becky Aikman

Use Your Words by Kate Hopper

Memoirs/biographies/autobiographies

Dancing with Max by Emily Colson

End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

Fire Season by Philip Connors

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

The Grace of Silence by Michele Norris

Hannah's Gift by Maria Housden

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jennifer Lawson

The Potty Mouth at the Table by Laurie Notaro

Running with Scissors a Memoir by Augusten Burroughs

Satuday Night Widows by Becky Aikman

The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog by Jen Lancaster

This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart by Susannah Conway

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? By Jeanette Winterson

Wild Comfort by Kathleen Dean Moore

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Highway by Cheryl Strayed

Young Adult

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Beautiful Creatures Series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

The Edge of Nowhere  by Elizabeth George

The Ender Quartet Box Set by Orson Scott Card

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The FitzOsbornes in Exile:  The Montmaray Journals by Michelle Cooper

The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart

The Immortal Instrument by Cassandra Clare

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Book One by Ann Brashares

Son by Lois Lowry

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Poetry

Norton Anthology of Poetry by Ferguson et al.

Writing Poetry from the Inside Out: finding your voice through the craft of poetry by Sandford Lyne

A little note from Liz: I'm excited to dive into a few of these books this summer, and I hope you will join me. Please note that I haven't read most of them and am in no way recommending each of them. Rather, this is a list of books from my blog readers and Pinterest followers that I hope will give you a variety of possible books to choose from. You can read more about the books if you follow the links to Amazon. Some people wrote a bit about why they recommended their books, and you can read that in the comments of the original post here. If the recommended book seemed to fall far outside the realm of "summer reading" or was out of print/difficult to find, I didn't include them, but I did try to add as many as I could. You can find all the recommendations in the original post.

Thanks so much for playing along and happy summer reading!!!