creative self-care (a one-day inner excavation workshop)

I am so delighted to announce my first local one-day workshop!

Come along and explore ideas and themes brought up in my book Inner Excavation: Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry, and Mixed Media. In this workshop, we will look at how to use writing and photography to find the beauty in the everyday moments in our lives, and we will explore how seeking this beauty becomes a brave practice in self-care. You will be invited to slow down and notice where you are in this moment and to think about how creating a daily practice can support where you are on your journey. During our time together, we will also play with paper and color to create a simple journal to house our inner excavation observations. This day will be all about reflection, recharging, and fun!

Details

When and Where: 
Saturday, October 29, 10 am - 5 pm
Tacoma Pregnancy, Birth, and Family Education Center
7406 27th Street West, Suite 301 (top floor), Tacoma, WA 98466 

Supplies needed:
Notebook + favorite pen/pencil
Scissors 
Digital or instant camera (a cell phone camera is great; if you don’t have a camera, we will have one or two for people to share)

Optional supplies (the following are not required): 
A few copies of photos that you can use in your journal. Examples include: nature photos, self-portraits, childhood photos, and so on. Images from magazines are also great.
A quote or poem that has meaning for you.

Supplies provided:
Kit + all art supplies needed to create the journal 
Printer to print out photos taken during our time together
Other surprise goodies for our adventure

Cost: $130 
Lunch included (sandwich, fruit, chips, cookie from the GreenSpot Tea House)
Snacks and beverages included throughout the day

To register (or ask any questions):
Email me (you can also click the email link in the sidebar)  

Please note:
This workshop is for women only. 
Because this has come up in a few emails, I want to just let you know that even though this workshop is being held at a birth and family education center, the workshop is not about pregnancy or birth and is open to all women.

*****

For several months now, I have been hoping to find the perfect place for local one-day and evening workshops. During this time, I had no idea that Patti Ramos, our doula for Ellie Jane's birth, was living one of her dreams into reality and opening the Tacoma Pregnancy, Birth, and Family Education Center. In July, we had an incredible afternoon that went into the evening brainstorming session and the idea for me to teach a few classes at the center was born. This is the first class in a series that will be taught at the Center over the next few months. I am thrilled that Patti wants to encourage all types of gatherings at her new sacred space.

If you would like to make a weekend trip to the Seattle/Tacoma area to attend the workshop, there are some great B&Bs and hotels here. Just email me with any questions. 

If you are interested in more of a retreat experience, there are still a few spots left at Create Magic, the Fall Be Present Retreat, that I am hosting and teaching at with Vivienne McMaster and Mindy Lacefield.

seeking light

liz :: viv

This girl, she 
stands inside delectable ripening plums
leaps toward illuminating bittersweet blossoms
marinates between subtle hints of coconut milk and opulent purple silk
crawls beneath windows with views of wayside hope and stoppered truths

this girl, she
emerges as the essence of yes

*****

Vivienne McMaster and I are collaborating on a few fabulous in-person and online workshops, retreats, and other goodies (yet to be announced) that we are excited to share with you. As we work together on these projects, we are delighted to share a series of "Seeking" posts on both of our blogs. In each post, we will create a diptych of images, share what we are seeking, and perhaps share information about one of our collaborations! 

Today, we both used the prompt "seeking light" for the photos in our diptych and then paired our photos with a poem note/journal writing. Visit Viv's blog to read her written response to our photos.

On July 16^th and 17^th, we will be teaching a workshop together at Teahouse Studio in Berkeley, California. This workshop is packed full of the creative wonder we are both so passionate about. Woven through the 2-day experience will be some juicy writing prompts and guided meditations led by me and playful and wonder-filled photography prompts led by Vivienne. We’ll also be diving into making a mixed-media journal inspired by my book Inner Excavation. 

Registration for this event closes very soon (June 24), so we encourage you to jump into this experience and join us! We’d so love to meet you.

the midwest inner excavation adventure (come along...)

(photo by CGM Photography)

The Be Present Retreats are heading to the Midwest

I simply delighted to announce that the Midwest Inner Excavation Adventure will be held in the beautiful lakeside town of Culver, Indiana from May 11-15. Culver is a magical place that is very dear to my heart, and I can't wait to connect with those who will be joining us for some play and connection in one of my favorite spots in the world.

Kelly Barton and I will be your guides on this adventure as we explore some of the ideas and themes brought up in my book Inner Excavation: Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry, and Mixed Media. We will play with paper and paint and color, dance inside words and find our inner poet, sit in the quiet, go on photography excursions, spend time with our senses, eat fantastic food, take walks by the lake, and explore our beautiful surroundings. There will be time to create, rest, connect, and breathe deeply.

(photo by kelly barton)

Kelly and I will be team teaching each day using the mediums of photography, writing/journaling/poetry, mixed media art (paint, paper, fabric, and many other good things), and meditation to explore three themes: 

• The Senses
• The Beauty of What Is Real 
• Unearthing the Story 

Each participant will be asked to bring a simple creative toolkit (more details will be provided with your information packets), and many of the art and other creative supplies will be provided. You are going to love playing with all that we are tucking into boxes and bringing with us on this adventure!

An important aspect of this experience is the invitation to listen to what you most need. If you need to head down to the Culver Coffee Company for some coffee with whipped cream, you can take that time for yourself. If you need to take a nap or simply stay in pajamas all day, you can make that choice. If you want to invite everyone to join you in a dance break and turn up some Tina Turner, to put it simply: you have come to the right place.

Bringing these retreats to my home state fills up my heart. (Yes.) And to bring a retreat inspired by a book that I wrote...I am smiling big over here. I simply cannot wait to gather with all who attend and dive into ways we can tell our stories and look at where we are on our paths through poetry, photography, and art. 

To learn more about this retreat, including tuition details and more about Culver and lodging, head over to the Be Present Retreats website. And feel free to send over any questions! Just click the email button in the sidebar.