inHERview: Christine Chitnis

this month's inHERview is with a dynamite beauty, Christine Chitnis, writer and crafter extraordinaire (and more, so much more...)!

i had the privilege of traveling to Squam Art Workshops with Christine after she responded to my post on the SAW message board requesting a ride to the september '09 session. this is how i first came to know Christine, through her generosity. when i met her and after we spent some time talking and getting to know one another i thought, "this woman is a force." truly. i am deeply inspired by the inventive, cheerful and graceful life she creates day by day.

Who are you?

I am a writer and crafter...a maker of many things. I am both a world traveler and a homebody. I am a city mouse and a country mouse. I dwell in the opposing sides of myself.

Where can we find you?

Here, there, everywhere. This year has been a "vagabond year," involving tons of travel; Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Croix, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Montreal, New Hampshire, Michigan...the list goes on and on.

What makes home "home" for you?

My home is filled with things I made with my own two hands...furniture I rescued from the side of the road, refurbished and painted, pillows I made out of tea towels, all sorts of treasures. My home is filled with color and light, I think it is an extremely cheerful place to be! And how could I forget my chickens...who entertain me constantly with their silly antics. They make my backyard the place to be!

My community is also a defining characteristic of "home." My husband works for Brown University, so the academic community is an important part of our social life. I love the local merchants who make our town the vibrant place that it is. I am our library's #1 patron...I am there every other day checking out a book or ten! Community is a large part of what I define as "home." We are lucky to live in the thriving, diverse community of Providence, RI.

Where do you feel most at home?

If I am surrounded by my family I am at home, no matter where I happen to be physically.

How do you spend your days?

I spend my days writing, dreaming and creating in my studio. I love having my own space in which to spread out and make a lovely mess.

How do you spend your nights?

I love the moment when my husband comes through the door. Dinner is simmering on the stove, music is softly playing in the background, and all feels right in the world. We always sit down together for dinner and talk about our day, it keeps us feeling connected.

How do you spend your weekends?

Weekends are for travel, exploring new places. One of the many things that I love about living on the East Coast is that we are close to so many amazing places; Maine, New Hampshire, Boston, Vermont, Newport...the beach, the mountains, the city. We are so lucky to live where we live. We can hop in the car or catch a train and in a few hours, be in a whole new world.

How do you define your tribe?

The people who, because of their presence, make my life richer.

Who is a part of your tribe?

This past year, my tribe has grown in ways that I never anticipated, and that is due to my attending Squam Art Workshops. I met Elizabeth and we immediately hit it off...we have since traveled together, laughed together, philosophized together. She is "my people." Through her I have met and grown to love the fabulous Swirly, the lovely Jeanine, the hilarious Kellen, and so many others.

It also helps that Elizabeth's man and my man get along. Men must be kept occupied so us ladies can freely do our thing! They are like children at times, "oh look, a ball, go bat it around for a while so we can talk"...but we love them despite this, or maybe because of this!

The original member of my tribe...my best friend in the whole world (besides my hubby), is my mom. She is at the heart of everything I do. I also have a small handful of friends from college and my single days...they knew me way back when, and loved me anyway...those are truly great friends!

What does December mean to you?

December is a time for giving thanks. It is a time to reflect on the year coming to a close. It is a time to be with family and friends. It is a time to practice simple living...small, thoughtful, handmade gifts instead of consumerism and greed. Also, as a Catholic, it is a time for remembering the true reason for the season...that small child born in a humble manger.

I am loving this quote for December: "A small gift given with true sincerity is often worth more than a valuable gift given without it." -Blessed Henry Suso

What adventure are you participating in?

I am on my way to India for the first time this month. My husband is Indian, and ever since we were married, he has been eager to show me his country. I can hardly wait to experience the rich colors, spicy air and friendly, crowded streets.

As far as writing adventures, I have some incredible, big, huge projects in the pipelines. But they are top-secret and cannot be discussed yet. Let's just say 2010 will be an exciting year, career-wise!

What are you reveling in?

The fresh snowfall and my warm cup of coffee...does it get any better than that?

What are you committed to?

Growing as a person, writer, wife and friend.

What song is singing to you right now?

While pondering your questions, I was listening to Chaka Khan's "Love Me Still" with Bruce Hornsby on piano. Jonatha Brooke introduced me to this song at Squam, and it is so beautiful...it is on constant repeat!

If you were to "tell the world just one thing" (as Jewel sings) what would that "one thing" be?

"Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it." -William Penn

A fantastic reminder to forge your own path, no matter what the masses may be doing.

Links to Christine:

http://christinechitnis.com

http://lavenderlimes.blogspot.com

inHERview: Susan Tuttle

this month's inHERview is with Susan Tuttle. when setting up this inHERview Susan asked if she could respond by offering a photograph as an answer to each question. we both loved the idea & i trust you will, too.

when i think of Susan & her body of work the word mystical comes to mind. i looked up the definition of "mystical" here & found these words resonating with my vision & experience of Susan: "Of, relating to, or stemming from direct communion with [universal life force]." for me, there is an energy in Susan's life & work that connects/re*connects me with something ancient while grounding me in the center of my heart/life. i am grate*full for such a being. thank you for being, dear Susan.

and to you, dear reader, thank you for stopping by. please enjoy these views...

Who are you?

Where can we find you?

What makes home "home" for you?

How do you spend your days?

How do you define your tribe?

What does November mean to you?

What makes your heart sing?

What nourishes you?

What dream are you dreaming?

What are you harvesting?

What words are speaking to you right now?

If you were to "tell the world just one thing" (as Jewel sings) what would that "one thing" be?

inHERview: Dixon Hill Girl

this month's inHERview is with Helen of Dixon Hill. Helen is a wildly talented big dreamer.

i met Helen at Squam Art Workshops, where we shared a cabin, sat fire*side & walked paths through the woods ~ arms & hearts linked together.

Helen's participation in the inHERview project provided me with the opportunity to discover more of her giftedness. she is a flavor*full one, this Helen. read on & savor the delicious*ness...

Who are you?

I'm a country lass at heart, rooted in place and season. A dreamer, tumbling with ideas. A perfectionist who's trying hard to reform (and failing miserably). A big kid in grown-up clothing. A girl who's desperate to give something of value to the world. And a creative spirit, of course, who just likes making stuff.

I remember telling my first-ever schoolteacher that I liked 'making things'. And that's pretty much what I do. I've dabbled in soap-making, chocolate-making, glass-painting, and textile art of various kinds. I've been a piano teacher, apprentice florist and a nervous harp-player at weddings. I'm a would-be writer, beginner photographer, an event designer extraordinaire (well, lots of piano parties, several egg-rolling contests and one wedding to date...but it was a pretty spectacular wedding if I say so myself...and I'd love to do another J).

As a child, I dreamed of becoming a Blue Peter presenter (BBC children's magazine programme - the presenters get to make lots of things out of sticky-backed plastic). In the end, I did something even better. For several years I ran crafting workshops, initially for children, later for adults, too. They were the perfect vehicle for my disparate crafting tendencies because we made something different every month (though we never did use sticky-backed plastic). Miniature gardens one month, handmade beads the next, Easter bonnets or cosmetics or bird food the month after that...whatever we did was tied to the seasons and traditions of life.

Three years ago I left the workshops behind to accompany my husband to the States. But now I'm back. Bubbling with creative ideas, dreaming big dreams.

Ten random facts about me:

1. I collapsed at the altar on my wedding day (I was ill L)
2. If I laugh too much I get hiccups
3. I was thrown out of the Brownies for earning too many badges (it's true)
4. My nickname used to be Helen Hat (I always wore hats)
5. Despite years of trying, I still can't roll my Rs
6. I usually prefer to sit on the floor, rather than in a chair
7. I love to read aloud to an audience
8. If I turn round one way, I feel obliged to turn back the other way to unwind
9. My secret talent is an ability to divide pies and cakes into an odd number of evenly-sized pieces
10. I look seriously younger than I am J

Where can we find you?

Online, you can find me at my very young blog, Dixon Hill Doings.

Or twittering at: http://twitter.com/dixonhillgirl.

And you can see images of my world here - on Flickr. That world exists in the Pennines of northern England, where I live in an old cottage on a hillside, surrounded by moorland and sheep. And I love it!

What makes home "home" for you?

My little family - cat, dog and husband.

Where do you feel most at home?

With my wellies on my feet.

How do you spend your days? Nights? Weekends?

They all run into one. Maybe I should consider defining them more. For the moment, at pretty much any time of the day or night, weekday or weekend, you might find me walking the moors with my dog; sitting at my desk, connecting with the world via my laptop; engrossed in some creative project or other; chatting with friends and family; cuddling with my cat; or perhaps playing the piano. Oh, and occasionally doing everyday, household stuff! My special treat when I feel like being indulgent is to watch a film.

Having just returned from the States, I'm not yet doing anything that officially resembles 'work'. But plans and schemes are afoot!

How do you define your tribe? Who is a part of your tribe?

To me, tribe is about belonging. And, in truth, I'm an outsider, a fringe-dweller. I always have been. I'm coming to the conclusion of late that lots of us creative types are. I've never felt I quite fit anywhere and, until just recently, it bothered me. I longed to fit in. But these days I can accept my 'edge-ist' nature and am looking for the silver lining.

Having said that, I have many circles of friends and acquaintances. I'm especially at ease with children and with elderly folk. I have a great extended family as well as a much-loved surrogate family who treat me as one of their own. For many years, my piano students formed another family of a kind for me. And there've been other groups along the way, tribes where I've fringe-dwelt more or less comfortably, some fleeting, some more permanent, some in the real world, some in the virtual. I recently declared myself in need of a new tribe with which to connect and share in a meaningful way...and, just a couple weeks later, found myself amongst the Fireside Beauties. Someone was listening.

What does October mean to you?

Autumn! - always my favourite season; a drawing-in of the nights and of the year; a bittersweet, melancholy something hanging in the air; turning leaves, crunchy leaves, glorious colours; lighting the fire for the first time since spring; wood-smoke curling into the sky; pumpkin-carving gatherings around the kitchen table; harvest festivals; my brother's birthday; digging out my snuggliest wrist warmers, cowls, coats, boots; soup and other comfort food; berries in the hedgerows; Russet apples, pears, pomegranates and figs; sedums and dahlias and crocosmia in the garden; and the Virginia Creeper blazing crimson on the front wall of our cottage.

What makes your heart sing?

Sunshine and blue sky; smiles; flowers; fruit; fresh air; birdsong; the smell of box trees; the sound of a distant aeroplane on a lazy, summer afternoon; church bells; bookshops; blank journals; colour and texture; beautiful textiles; cashmere cardigans and pretty dresses; the voices of those I love; the faithful, unquestioning devotion of my lovely cat and dog; the satisfaction of having created something; the possibilities the internet has opened up for us all; the possibilities life offers us; early morning stillness and ravishing sunsets; being appreciated; having my creations appreciated; living in such a beautiful spot on this earth; knowing there are people who love me so much they will always be there for me; giving; discovering that I’ve inspired or helped someone; the excitement of knowing there’s so much more to this life than the physical world we see; finding like-minded souls in all parts of the world; listening to the Afternoon Play on BBC Radio 4 whilst I craft or bake; losing myself at the piano; the reception my fledgling blog has received.

What nourishes you?

Time spent each morning in stillness and meditation and prayer; being outside, steeped in nature; the love and support of those who love me; sunshine; sleep; lots of fresh juices and smoothies and salads.

What dream are you dreaming?

Of hosting creative retreats in the not too distant future, here amongst the beauty of the Pennines; where folk can come to be inspired and to connect with themselves, one another and with the world in a fresh way. I figured out a while ago that my purpose in life is to create, to inspire, to encourage. This is one of the ways in which I’d love to see that worked out.

What adventure are you participating in?

The adventure of life! Sounds totally corny, but it’s true. However, I only began to gain a full awareness of life as an adventure two years ago. I’d moved to America most reluctantly a year prior to that, giving up a life I loved. At the same time, I knew there was something more out there for me. I hadn’t a clue what it was. My only hunch was that I shouldn’t fill the void I’d created with activity for activity’s sake. So instead, I sat with the space - just left oodles of time free of any fixed obligations and waited to see what would come. At first I was aimless and lonely. But gradually, the journey began to unfold. It’s very difficult to put into words. It was partly discoveries about myself, partly discoveries about life; and a large part of it was a new and positive outlook which came to me unsought. The connections which led me from one thing to another probably wouldn’t be obvious to anyone but me. But lead they did...and have gone on leading to this day. The bottom line is that I’m now aware of a joy in simply being alive that I never experienced before. I’m so incredibly excited by the possibilities life holds and our power to create the lives of which we dream. And it just keeps getting better.

What are you reveling in?

Being back on the moors and geographically closer to the people who mean the most to me; the earthy colours of October; crisp mornings, misty mornings; autumnal fruits; blogging; a ‘dress phase’ in my wardrobe.

What are you anticipating?

The prospective visit of a dear friend and her daughter, all the way from Texas (my ‘roomie’ from Squam in June; we’ve communicated on an almost daily basis ever since).

What are you committed to?

Sharing myself in whatever way seems appropriate. At the end of the day, I have nothing to give the world but myself. If I can help or encourage or inspire or delight someone by sharing whatever time, resources, wisdom, experience, talents life has gifted me with…then I’ll do it.

Seeking the common ground. Focusing on the things which unite rather than the things which divide us as individuals and as communities. We’re all on this journey together, and we’re a lot more alike than we tend to believe.

Helping people to discover the joy of creativity and all that brings with it - self-discovery, confidence, possibility, connection, satisfaction, joy.

What song is singing to you right now?

A song I wrote back in the summer, entitled, "The Colours of My Dreams." Writing it was rather an extraordinary experience. The music came first, the words only revealed themselves gradually. It was as if they were already there, fully-formed; I simply had to peel away the layers one at a time to discover them. So first one phrase would come to me; then another. It wasn’t really a conscious process. And I had about two-thirds of the words in place before I realised what the song was about. Most odd. Anyway, it turned out to be about a girl who is finally stepping out of the shadows and into her own glorious light. So I guess it‘s autobiographical. I always knew deep-down that I would be a late developer in terms of finding myself and my role in life. I’m so grateful that my time appears to have come.

What words are speaking to you right now?

Barbara Sher’s book, "Refuse to Choose!" I’m a scanner all right (if you haven’t come across the concept, it’s someone who has so many interests/abilities that they never know which to choose….and they either flit from one thing to another or never actually do anything because they’re frozen with indecision or fear of making the wrong choice). The problem is, I’m so much of a scanner that I read the first couple of chapters with exultant joy and relief…then got side-tracked by something else of interest and the book got put on one side. Must get back to it!

If you were to "tell the world just one thing" (as Jewel sings) what would that "one thing" be?

That life is extraordinary beyond our wildest imaginings; that the possibilities are endless; and that we can create whatever life we choose for ourselves. And if you don’t feel or see all that, then ask yourself why not…and keep asking question after question for as long as it takes until you finally arrive at the place where you do feel it. And when you get there, write your own story.

inHERview: Liz Lamoreux

this month's inHERview is with the graceful, generous & open-hearted adventure-ess Liz Lamoreux.

i had the privilege of embracing Liz and sharing space with her at Squam Art Workshops earlier this month. she is truly a connecting, re*connecting force in the world. i am delighted that she has offered herself to us here in this inHERview.

Who are you?

Where can we find you?

I feel very blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest, a place that deeply feels like home although I have lived here for only five years. You can often find me nestled in my little house curled up in my favorite chair, millie (our golden retriever) by my feet, the indigo girls playing in the background...usually a laptop is attached to me in some way or another as I work, play, and connect using this magical piece of technology. My online home is www.lizlamoreux.com.

What makes home "home" for you? Where do you feel most at home?

I am at home when I am grounded, my feet strongly beneath me, and I stand inside the knowledge that people love me just for me. This feeling of love and safety, providing it and accepting it, make home, home for me. I suppose when I find my feet resting in sand while I look out at the ocean is a moment when I feel at home.

How do you spend your days, nights & weekends?

Working from home means I spend a lot of time alone, which is often a blessing as I do feel quite at home in solitude. However, with that quietness can come some feelings of lonely, so I feel very blessed to live with my dear friend and husband who gets me and all my idiosyncrasies. Some weekends, you can find me singing my heart out as I drive to Portland to spend time with some dear friends who live there. I am in the midst of seeking the balance of solitude and connection.

What does September mean to you?

September brings a feeling of internal rebirth as the world around me begins to quiet; I find myself open and ready to dive in to possibility. Lately, I have realized that I often say that "fall is my spring."

What makes your heart sing? What nourishes you?

My heart sings when I hear the laughter of those I love. There is nothing like a moment that includes a group of people enjoying time together and laughing. Yes. That makes me very happy. I also love walking in Point Defiance Park in my town and soaking up the trees and the blooms and the water. I feel very nourished as I take it all in, sometimes through my camera lens. Taking the time to breathe deeply and just notice the beauty of where I live is a gift I treasure.

What dream are you dreaming?

I dream of a little cottage by the sea.

What adventure are you participating in right now?

In this moment, I am in the midst of many adventures. Goodness. It takes my breath away a bit when I honestly think about them all. I guess I could say that I am in the midst of the adventure of manifestation. (I highly recommend it.)

What are you reveling in right now?

I am reveling in the beauty of love and all that love can create.

What are you anticipating?

The October Be Present Retreat (Unearth), which happens in about two weeks. I cannot wait to gather on the Oregon coast with this amazing group of women. Sigh. Yes, I cannot wait.

What are you committed to?

I am deeply committed to the practice of facilitating opportunities for people to share their stories so they can remember and know they are not alone.

What song is singing to you right now?

"Something Good This Way Comes" by Jakob Dylan.

What words are speaking to you right now?

I am currently reading two books by Anne Lamott ("Operating Instructions" and "Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith"). This woman deeply gets it, and if you haven't read her, you should run (not walk, run!) to the bookstore to discover her words.

If you were to “tell the world just one thing” (as Jewel sings) what would that “one thing” be?

Give yourself permission to sit in the quiet and listen.

inHERview: danielle marie

this month's inHERview is with the playFULL, insightFULL & soulFULL danielle marie. this is an extra-special month because it is danielle's birthday month. hip hip hooray!

i have the privilege of being danielle's roomie at SAW in september! after i posted a message on the SAW message board danielle recognized my name & sent me an e-mail. we've been connecting via e-mail for nearly 5 months.

we both feel we've been "divinely paired" in receiving each other as SAW roomies in september. i am one lucky girl. read on & you'll feel lucky to know more about this gorgeous beam of light.

IN THE RAIN GARDEN

Who are you?

I’m just a regular, everyday gal— a friend, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom— you might feel like you’ve already met me when you meet me! I’m also an artist, a dreamer, and a doll maker. I like to write. I am evolving, open, absorbing all I can in this wonderful life. . .

Where can we find you?

You can usually find me around my town or at home with my family. I’m a homebody, a do-it-yourselfer, a list-maker, a volunteer, a rainy-day snuggler. I’m a graphic designer who stepped out of the corporate world for a moment to be home with my children and there is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for that ability and the wonderful, supportive help of my husband! Now that moment has turned into years in the blink of an eye, and as I look ahead to releasing my youngest to the partial school day schedule, I am flaking the rust off the treasure box— discovering clues about what’s next for me!

Online, you can find a snippet of me at my blog, myhiddenmuse.blogspot.com. I use that space as an exercise to keep me accountable to my artistic self— I don’t know much about blogging or even if I will keep it up, but for now it’s like one of my little notebooks. Instead of keeping it on a shelf, I keep it online. It’s one of my many projects.

Some of my other projects— you can see some of my mixed media art published in the May/June 2009 Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine, or on the cover of the first ever 2010 Cloth, Paper, Scissors Calendar! I also volunteer my talents locally to design and publish the monthly newsletter for my church in our town. Oh, and I have a little shop on etsy at bydaniellemarie.etsy.com that I should be adding more treasures to soon.

If you’re going to the Squam Art Workshops this fall, I'd love to meet you there! I can’t wait. Signing up for SAW is what ultimately has led me here— to being inHERviewed by gem! She is my divinely paired roomie, and I am so happy that we have reached out and virtually connected already. Squam couldn’t be happening at a better time for me, and I look forward to sponging up the inspiration— the people, the setting, the challenge of new artistic techniques! Anticipation!

What is your motto for living? Or, what’s on the bumper sticker of your life?

Hmmm. I’d have to say it all boils down to The Golden Rule for me. Do unto others as you would like to have done unto you. How do I want to treat people and be treated? How does this apply to how I raise my kids, be with friends, meet strangers, react in tough situations? I’m a thinker. Always considering. . .

How do you spend your summer days?

Summer is my busy home season. I spend my summer days chauffeuring and accompanying my mini-peeps to swimming lessons, story hours, band practice, soccer camp, playdates, park adventures, grandma visits, and surprise afternoon picnics. The cracks in that schedule are stuffed with good books in rocking chairs on the sunporch, afternoons of art supply immersion, popsicle breaks and quarts of fresh picked berries. It’s a barefoot summer around here. No shoes in the house! And most importantly, the mini-peeps can sleep late while I try to get up early.

How do you spend your summer nights?

After cleaning up the straggling evidence of a full day, I like to relax with my other half on the lantern-lit sunporch or snuggle for a Netflix movie. I like to sneak in a few quiet studio moments, too, but that doesn’t always fit. All in time.

How do you spend your summer weekends?

Summer weekends are even better because we have even more options with the daddy on board. Double the help, double the fun! Kayak jaunts, fireworks, cookouts, drives to the mountains or the ocean . . . it’s all fair game. Sometimes, the best days end up being the ones I don’t expect— puttering around the yard as the swingset squeaks and the long-left project gets finished with cooperation; or we’ll discover a treasure all because of a wrong way turn.

How do you define your tribe?

I think my tribe reaches wide and far. Its boundaries are flexible, if there are any. It’s all encompassing.

Who is a part of your tribe?

You. Her. Him. Them. All of us. We’re like those raindrops on the car window— the ones we probably all watched as backseat passengers on rainy roadtrips— single, trailing, grouping, skipping, joining, racing, slowing, bumping, separating, meeting again. The fluid movement, the morphing shapes, all sparkling— I think that’s us. So, it’s like that. See? Beyond my nurturing family nucleus, I am one who welcomes everyone sharing the window, even for a moment, on our roadtrip through this life. Is that a tribe? I don’t really know. . .

What makes your heart sing?

Oh so many things. On the tip of my mind now: getting lost in the creative process— when the inspiration flows freely and time drops away— the surface builds or the fiber transforms to doll, and suddenly something lovely has been created where there was once just nothing. It’s happy, it’s magical, it’s heart-singing! As if that joyful feeling could be topped, sending those creations out into the world— putting them out there, sharing them, allowing them to be seen and having them be received by people who want to receive them— is a wonderful feeling, a heart-singing high. Lovely.

What do you care about?

Too much! It has been known to keep me up at night. My family, my children, their futures, their health, the trees, that car in the snowbank, the friend in trouble, the homeless at the shelter, the necessity to reduce, reuse and recycle, the economy . . . I am very caring and when I can, I do my best to act on it. If I can help you— I will.

What nourishes you?

Lately, it’s literally been fresh local produce! We joined a Community Supported Agriculture program and it’s a season of yumminess complete with a new cookbook to help us out along the way. I am also nurtured by adventurous wanders, sticky-fingered hugs, the wind, my elephant memory and the snippets it feeds me at odd moments, little lost-my-tooth grins, good music, quiet early mornings, and thunderstorms at night.

Where and/or when do you feel most at home?

In the big, blue chair by the picture window. A cup of coffee in my hand. The sky is just brightening, the birds are in the tree. The house is quiet, everyone is safe and still sleeping. I am awake and at home and there is no rush, there is nowhere to go, there is time, time, time— quiet, breathing, tucked-in time to just simply appreciate . . . being.

JUGGLING * paper collage

What is one question (in your life/journey) you are currently answering?

I went to a yoga retreat for the first time last fall and came away from one workshop with this question: How do you want to arrive? It bumps around in my mind lately as I struggle with the daily routines, choices and changes that happen as I try to achieve a balance between my family life and my artistic life. There are so many ways we are all jugglers . . . How do I want to arrive? as a parent? as an artist? a friend? a wife? all that I am? With bright joy and contagious confidence! I hope I am getting close to that intended answer!

What dream are you dreaming right now?

I dream now about how my artistic life will evolve as I gradually gain more time to pursue it. I dream now about what is around the corner, because I don’t really know. I’m picking up the clues, tuning in to the least static-y channel . . . bzzz, shhhhh, bzzzz . . . and hopefully soon I'll be singing along.

What adventure are you participating in right now?

Well, raising three active little-to-medium kids constitutes more than one adventure, that’s for sure. Everyday is an adventure. So, I think that’s just it! Passing along that joie de vivre— that everyday belief in possibilities— to the three bright little spirits that are in my charge right now, filling them up to the fullest and wisest before I need to set them free into the big, wide world . . . that is my current, active adventure.

What are you reveling in right now?

The fullness of my laughing house in summer and the anticipation of my escape to SQUAM in September! whoo hoo, yee haw, and all that! tee hee.

How do you define joy?

Happiness so completely filling that it makes me want to burst wide, fly, run, spread my arms wide and hug the world! It’s so nice to know that joy is lurking everywhere . . .

I AM: DOLL MAKER, ARTIST, OATMEAL EATER

Tell us 3 playFULL things about you...

1) I am a noticer. My eye catches things that many people miss. The kids love this because they know there’s always the possibility for a whacky find when I’m around. Recently, we obtained a perfectly good discarded wooden chair simply by turning the wrong way out of the usual gas station. Another time, it was spotting adjustable hospital tables left to rust among boulders by the seashore. Score! Reduce, re-use, recycle! Just for noticing.

2) I’m pretty spontaneous. Unpredictable. You thought we were just going to the grocery store? Well, I hope you brought sturdy shoes and a jacket, in case we take an unplanned adventure to find that one tall tree that sticks up above the rest on the opposite mountain or that white farmhouse on the hill. If the light is just right, and we have the time, it’s unpredictable!

3) Let me see if we can fix that . . . Yes, just give me a small tool box, a junk drawer with tape, rubberbands, miscellaneous saved parts, and I can probably mend that racetrack/doll house/necklace/etc . . . And if we don’t have the parts here, we should check the closet in my studio. Because I’ve got pieces of the whole world in there! I’m a this & that packrat with MacGyver tendencies. Look out!

What does summer mean to you?

Firefly winks in the backyard. Smores, family time. SPF. Iced tea, lemonade and hummingbirds. Sand on the kitchen floor. Good reads, lazy mornings, new sunglasses. Birthdays and new beginnings. Summer is relaxation, a necessary preparation for busy Septembers!

If you were to “tell the world just one thing” (as Jewel sings) what would that “one thing” be?

Oh, this is a toughy. Wear sunscreen! Seriously? Okay. It would have to just be: Find your true beat and go with it. Rock on, people! Oh, and smile.

inHERview: dar

after receiving dar's responses to my inHERview - in word & image - i wrote her a little note with these words:

"dar*, to sit and read and receive your words (& images!) - your truth, your joy, your journey - feels to me like sitting at the feet of a guru, a goddess. you bring something eternal in all that you communicate - a deep wisdom - capturing who i believe we all are at the core - whole, lightFULL beings...i deeply, deeply honor & bow to you."

i can't think of a better way to introduce dar & this inHERview...

Who are you?

i am just a girl pretending to be a woman. i grew up poor on the wrong side of the tracks in a small town with a sister who had a severe form of cerebral palsy and a brother who has a severe form of dyslexia. i was annoyingly normal (well if normal is being able to do a catheter by the age of 12) and filled with guilt but luckily i was surrounded by love and books and encouragement and i took out a lot of my angst with exercise, poetry, acting, writing, drawings, my little camera and big dreams.

i am a published photographer and poet and i live with my musician (he's a drummer) husband and sports minded (really into basketball) son in the diverse landscape of western canada. i have an english literature degree and a secondary education degree and currently work as a project coordinator full time during the week and work with my husband as a wedding and lifestyle photographer on weekends.

i am grateful for: family, the light that casts beauty across shadows, music that lifts emotions, a little house and garden filled with colour and love, friends and inspirations, the beauty of nature, the ocean's cold spray, the soft barnacle skin of the grey whale and the possibilities that exist in life.

Where can we find you?

these days, you can find me wandering around my beautiful old quirky neighbourhood with my camera in hand, swimming at the pool, running through tree lined paths and swooshing down paths on my bike or hiking through the snow melt of spring's beauty ... or ... i suppose you can find bits of me on the internet ...

personal:

http://www.djkreutzer.com/moments (my blog)

http://www.djkreutzer.com/daisies (my archived blog)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisies/ (my flickr)

http://www.dpartistry.com (the business)

collaborations ~ because i love working with others:

http://www.pluckthepetal.com/polaroidgirls ~ kristen (http://stickingtothepoint.wordpress.com/) and i and our love of polaroids.

http://www.pluckthepetal.com/thefour ~ its all about the canadian girls ~ kirsten (http://www.landofthelovelies.blogspot.com/); maddie (http://persistingstars.blogspot.com/); jaime (http://www.rhayne73.blogspot.com/); and i (http://www.pluckthepetal.com/samebutdifferent).

jen (http://ceanandjen.typepad.com/) and i used to do a collaboration, 'shared moments', at http://djkreutzer.com/sharedmoments/ but we are starting a new collaboration the first weekend in may called 'the same but different'.

i sell some stuff on etsy at http://daisies.etsy.com and polaroid girls has a new etsy shoppe at http://polaroidgirls.etsy.com. stay tuned for a 'the four' etsy shoppe, coming soon as we hope to raise some money for future offline endeavours.

What is your motto for living? Or, what's on the bumper sticker of your life?

i think i have a lot of mottos for living but honestly, if i had to sum it up, i would say dream big and live large, never give up hope and always love. yup. guess i threw a few in there, hee hee.

How do you spend your days?


because i work full time and have a pretty demanding career my days are spent sitting at a desk crunching numbers, writing stuff, shuffling papers and doodling in boardrooms. i'm lucky that i have a wall of windows to my right overlooking our city's river valley so i can watch the water flow and the trees change with the seasons. i have a love/hate relationship with my job ... i love that it challenges me and pays for my life and allows me to have a house in a good neighbourhood close to downtown and feeds my obsessive compulsive collection of cameras. i have 8 different polaroid cameras and a film full of polaroid; somewhere in the neigbourhood of 20 other film cameras and we own 7 different digital cameras and i don't even want to talk about the lenses and camera bags and tripods and lights and other accessories. when i feel down about my job, i take out one of my cameras and go shooting and i realize that its all okay. for now. my husband works for an independent radio station as a sound dude and together we have a plan, to someday quit our day jobs and live solely on our creative endeavours. we're working on it, dreaming large and watching cool things happen.

How do you spend your nights?

a typical night looks something like this for me: bike home, go for a run, cook dinner, sit down and eat as a family (when we can), drive my son to basketball, go swimming, pick my son up from basketball, process photos from the weekend or the day because i always have at least one camera with me, write in my journal, if its april which it currently is ~ write a poem and post said poem, spend some time laughing and catching up with each other, snuggle with my husband on the couch and watch a show or a movie, read a bit and then sleep. of course there are variations because some nights there are rehearsals in our basement so the house is flooded with music (i love those nights) and i find it a good time to write or make jewelry, some nights we have basketball games or friends or other assorted events. its always busy but mostly fun.

How do you spend your weekends?

weekends are photography work days so if we have a shoot, it usually falls on a weekend and if we don't have a shoot, we usually spend a chunk of time going out and shooting especially now that it has warmed up. we spend a few hours as a family doing a massive clean of the house since we don't have much time during the week for such things. now that it is spring, we spend a few hours out in the yard gardening and doing general yard work, we typically do this as a family as well. this spring and summer we are doing a few renovations around the house, painting out the trim, new windows in the basement, painting out the basement so these are all weekend projects as well. in the cold dark winter months, i spend a lot of time reading, playing with paints on canvas, writing, making jewelry and contemplating the relax. spring and summer tend to be filled with a lot of activity, road trips and get togethers with friends and family, outdoor activities like bike trips and canoeing, camping (because we love sleeping in a tent) and swimming. we go to a lot of folk festivals and outdoor concerts, some my husband plays and some we just go to hang out and be hippy like for the weekend. i always take a ton of photos because there is so much more light.

How do you define your tribe? Who is a part of your tribe?
its funny because i am not a big fan of the word tribe. funny because i am metis (my grandmother was cree indian) and actually have a tribe i suppose but i don't know, the word tribe feels awfully exclusive to me and that makes me slightly uncomfortable. i grew up always feeling like an outsider and the older i got, the more of a fringe dweller i became. i define fringe dweller as someone who can move in and out of different groups of people but never really belongs to one 'group'. this was true in high school and university and well, it has kind of stayed true in my life. i have a lot of friends but i don't really feel like i have a core group of friends that i could tell you are a part of my tribe. that said, i love people, oh my gosh, i so love people and my friend maddie wrote something about me that was the best compliment ever and kind of defines how i strive to be ... i'm going to quote her here,

"My effervescent friend darlene kreutzer took this polaroid of me when I went to her hotel to pick her up for dinner. Darlene is a true light~filled soul. She is warm and intelligent, vastly, endlessly creative and funny funny funny! What endears me to her the most perhaps is I am amazed how she seems to have an bottomless supply of love and generosity to share with all her kindred friends.

Darlene has receiving arms and is the best listener (and advice giver) I have ever met:) Oh! and when you are with her in a group of friends she has that incredibly rare ability to make everyone feel included, cherished and delightful:)

Oh and one more thing. She has the cutest laugh. Tee~hee!

She actually 'tee~hee's for real'. Honest she does!" (http://www.flickr.com/photos/persisting_stars/3287206823/)

the part that makes me smile large is when she says that i have a rare ability to make everyone feel included, cherished and delightful ... because honestly, i think everyone should feel included, cherished and delightful and so if i have a tribe, i would hope it would include everyone i know, all of my family and everyone i have yet to meet. my tribe is humanity. okay, when i think about it like that, i am comfortable with the word tribe.

thanks gem, for allowing me to figure this out, for asking this question and gently forcing me to think about it.

What makes your heart sing?

that i get to live and breathe everyday in this world of ours and everyday i get to make choices and learn and grow and change and live and breathe some more.

What do you care about?

i care about people as individuals. i care about our earth and nature and the water that flows outside my window. i care about the sky and freedom and choice. i care about helping others to feel good about themselves and their life choices. i care about mental health and poverty and the homeless. i care about wellness and health. i care about beauty and the choice to see the world through that lens and to put out kindness and beauty and hope. i care about children and babies and the soft lines of us all.

What nourishes you?

the heart joy of good friendships, the soul peace of meditation, the strength and bliss i find in running, the happiness of losing myself in the creative process, love. love nourishes me.

Where and/or when do you feel most at home?

three years ago, we bought our first house. we bought our house shortly after our twins had died and we moved in to this little house built in 1945 with its coved ceilings and thick plaster walls, its fir moldings and green gold rugs and we immediately ripped up the rugs to reveal maple wood flooring beneath, we painted the walls in bright bold colours, greens and yellows and filled it with art and photography. our living room is a large room filled with windows, most of them with no curtains, we have filmy see through white curtains on the front windows so we can see the big towering elm trees that line our street. these days, i feel most at home when i am in that room curled up watching the way the sun dances shadows and floods light across the floorboards, turning the yellow green paint into the sun as i breathe in a semblance of myself. our house is a bit eclectic in its colour choice and artwork but i love it when people come over and say how strangely relaxing it is and how much it feels like us. we have even had guests fall asleep in that living room and i take that as a huge compliment.

What is one question (in your life/journey) you are currently answering?


the one question in my life/journey that i am currently answering is how do i fully let go of my anger in a way that honours my right to be angry when it is warranted but doesn't lash out at others. i am working on it and finding that meditation and running helps but it is something that i want to explore me, the emotion of anger. i am figuring out that for me anger is usually more about pain, feeling hurt. i am trying to learn how to allow myself to feel hurt instead of masking it behind the emotion of anger and trying to understand what my anger stems from when i find it bubbling up. does this make sense?

What dream are you dreaming right now?

i am dreaming about photography projects and traveling across the globe. there is still so much that i want to do and see and experience and i feel like i am starting a period in my life that allows for that, for traveling. i recently went to portland, oregon to stay with a friend and it was so beautiful there, both in her house and in that gorgeous city. this fall, i am going to new hampshire to attend squam (squeeeee) and then staying in new jersey with a friend for the week following. i have always dreamed of going to new york city and i am so excited that i get to explore it with people i love. i am dreaming about that and about all the other places i have yet to plan for.

What are you celebrating right now?

i am celebrating the fact that i am going back to one of my first loves, teaching and that the beautiful liz has created such wonderful retreats and that i get to be a part of her be present retreats, http://bepresentretreats.blogspot.com/2009/04/winter-2010-retreat-light-shadow.html ... i am so excited to be teaching again and with such talented women in such an amazing location. how lucky am i. i know it is going to be an absolute amazing experience and that everyone involved from the teachers to the students are going to get so much out of it. it has ignited a spark in me and i am pursuing other teaching opportunities again. i hadn't realized how much i missed teaching until the opportunity presented itself. i love that about life.

How do you define joy?

joy for me is that feeling i get inside when smiles come easily and there is a sense of peace and unity with all parts of myself.

i feel joy a lot actually. when people first meet me, they always comment on how much light i exude and how much happiness and joy they feel from me and when they get to know me they find it strange that i have such a capacity for joy when i have had so much tragedy in my life. i think, for me, its because i fully honour those dark moments and i cherish the moments i have had amidst the losses and i am grateful for every experience i have had even the ones that had me staring at the wrong end of a gun barrel or had me bleeding out my pain because they are all a part of what makes up the landscape of my journey, my life and i love my life and i appreciate so much where i am at, what i have, the beauty that surrounds me and the fact that there are people in this life that absolutely love me, just me, just the way i am. to be loved like that is so huge and so beautiful and so incredibly joyous!

Tell me 3 playFULL things about you...

1. i am a giggler and i laugh a lot, i love that about me.

2. i am in constant movement, i twirl and talk with my hands and my face is in constant motion. apparently, i make some hilarious faces when i am forced into stillness. i like to cross my eyes and make children giggle.

3. i make up words all the time and am not adverse to using sound effects to convey meaning. i refuse to be limited by language and because i learned most of my words from books, i constantly pronounce them wrong (hmmm, maybe that is more quirky than playful, tee hee).

What does spring mean to you?

most of spring means death. i don't mean that in a dark, despairing, i only wear black kind of way. but almost everyone i have ever loved who has died, has died in the spring. its true. three of them in april (my sister, my two twin sons). also where i live, spring means the death of winter in a big way ~ we still have snow in the spring, it has only just recently melted away revealing a ton of garbage everywhere and brown brown brown which in certain lights looks quite beautifully golden toned but its still brown. i look out my cubicle window as i type this and i see the brown of the river, the brown trees, the brown grass. there are little flecks of green sprouting in the ground and there are buds on the the trees, not yet green but am looking forward to the explosion. its not safe to put in 'the garden' until the may long weekend which is a good month from now and practically the end of spring. so spring means death but in that hopeful way, the way that allows me to grieve and honour my loves and move forward with hope as the light becomes longer and longer and eventually the darkness nearly disappears. the beautiful thing about living in a northern climate is that while our winters are filled with darkness, springtime rolls into a time when there is so much light and only a hint of darkness. i am looking foward to solstice when i go a few hours north to the home of my childhood where that night never gets dark, only a splattering of dusk.

If you were to "tell the world just one thing" (as Jewel sings) - what would that "one thing" be?

always belief in the power of you