Meet Nicole! She is the Founder and Stylist at Locally Styled. At Locally Styled, they help women discover and develop a unique style that makes them feel confident and beautiful inside and out. They help take the stress out of getting ready and add a little glam to your life!
It was such a treat working with Nicole and capturing a few photos for her new business. She is so down to earth and thrives on helping people. Check out her website and services by clicking HERE.
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This post is from my previous blog written in October 2016. Inspiration for 2017!
I dig trees.
They always inspire me when I’m stuck.
While attending the Minnesota Blogger Conference this weekend, I was reminded why I started my blog. I’ve been a little lost and not sure of my direction. Listening to Jen Kane speak (keynote at the conference), it made me want to get back to my roots. She reminded me that being authentic is telling the truth – even when it’s ugly. She asked the hard and yet so simple question – am I interested in what I’m writing? It was a moment of clarity on how to continue. On how to bring it all together….the past, present and future.
I started this blog to find and share inspiration.
I started this blog to find my voice.
My voice against and for Dystonia.
My voice against abuse.
My voice to heal.
To find what stirs my soul, to find happiness in a crazy world and remind people that life is too short to focus on the negative. Pain and suffering is only that if we can’t find and enjoy the GREAT moments.
So I saw this tree yesterday. I thought….you know what? Moss is beautiful. Sometimes when you feel stuck, you’re growing something beautiful without even knowing it.
So here’s the inspiration…. 🙂
Are you interested in what you are doing? Do you feel passionate about it? If not, how can you grow and branch out? Jen’s question about writing applies to everything in life.
Embrace your growing moss moments. It’s important to have roots and experience. Keep working hard, even when it doesn’t feel or look perfect…at least you doing it! Just like Thomas A. Edison said…
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time”
Find people who support you! I was feeling super introverted all week and really didn’t want to go to the Minnesota Blogger Conference. A friend and fellow blogger, Laura (One Girl, Two Cities) suggested that I go a half day. That I could handle.
Keep learning and challenging yourself. I learned so much in a short amount of time at the conference. I feel renewed and for this one moment, CAN see the forest for the trees. It’s amazing what trying something different can do for the soul.
Thank you Jen Kane for being so inspiring and real.
Thank you Minnesota Blogger Conference for such a well organized and fantastic event.
Thank you Laura for your gentle nudge.
Dystonia Awareness Moment: I receive 150 units of Botox every 10 weeks by injection into my neck and upper back. I receive approximately 15 shots. First, my Doctor inserts the needle that is wired to a machine that can listen to the strength/intensity of the spasm. Based off that they decide how much to inject into each muscle. Botox is made from Botulinum toxin which causes Botulism & is one of the most powerful, potent neurotoxins known. I have a love/hate relationship with Botox. 🙂 While it helps me, it also gives me a lot of side effects.
Cracked & chipped.
Do any of you ever feel that way? Even just getting older, Dystonia or not, I feel more cracks….more chips.
I look at the corner of this old cabin and I think it is so beautiful. It sits alone on Nisswa Lake. It was a part of an old resort and now it stands among the trees and wild flowers…holding its own. It has a cute screened in front porch that over looks the lake. At night when the sun sets, the rays hit the porch perfectly with orange hues of light. Think of all the life that has gone through that cabin, all the stories it could tell. All the good times so many souls had within those four walls and the memories created there.
That is how I want to walk out of this world. We might feel cracked and chipped but it only adds to our beauty. Just as this cabin…I want to show every line & wrinkle…each telling my story. A life lived well, full of amazing moments and memories.
Among the trees & the wild flowers…..
Photo Credit: Dan Norman
Cinderella, A Children’s Theatre Company Original Production
Adapted by John B. Davidson, Original music by Victor Zupanc, Directed by Peter C. Brosius
This was my first visit to Children’s Theater Company!
My niece Ashley (@mycreativeadventure) attended with me and neither of us knew what to expect of this modern yet traditional spin on Cinderella.
We loved it! What a treat! If I had kids, I would definitely bring them to this show for the holidays. There’s so much interaction, audience participation and FUN! I always love being surprised by the unexpected and I was many times during this show. Also, hearing all the kids giggling around me made the experience even better. This production is just as wonderful for adults as it is for kids.
I was also impressed that there are wonderful things for the kids to do and learn in the program. For example….draw a pair of magic shoes, inspiration to use their imagination and to think beyond the show.
This production of Cinderella is inspired by the old English tradition of Panto. There is slapstick comedy, female characters played by men, a chorus who performs songs and dances throughout the show, a combination of classic songs along with awesome modern songs. I have to say that I don’t always enjoy slapstick humor but the CTC Acting Company members Dean Holt, Autumn Ness and Reed Sigmund were hilarious!
Here’s another reason that I loved Cinderella from the words of the Director, Peter C. Brosius:
In Cinderella, we are reminded of the resilience of the human spirit, that even in the darkest moments, when we feel most isolated and alone there are allies and there powers within ourselves that can give us the courage to persevere and triumph.
The lesson of Cinderella is timeless. What’s fantastic is adding modern twists so that the kids can completely relate, understand and keep their focus on the show.
If you’re looking for a quick snack or glass of wine before the show. Ashley and I enjoyed hitting Agra Culture in the MIA(Minneapolis Institute of Art) before the show. Very cool atmosphere being surrounded by art. 🙂
Click HERE for ticket information to Cinderella running through January 8, 2017.
You can also check out my fellow theater blogger’s, Artfully Engaging with Cherry and Spoon, behind the scenes video by clicking HERE
Regional premiere of The Oldest Boy, a “play in three ceremonies” by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Sarah Rasmussen now through December 18, 2016 at the Jungle Theater.
Letting go – the ultimate LOVE.
The Oldest Boy is about an American mom and Tibetan husband whose three year old son is believed to be the reincarnation of a high Buddhist Lama. Two Tibetan monks arrive at their home unexpectedly, asking to bring their child to India for spiritual training. This huge decision will forever change their lives and challenge their faith.
The Oldest Boy is heartfelt and thoughtful. There’s so much depth, it offers something for everyone and will touch every person differently. Even though I’m not a mother, I connected deeply with this story.
Families can be debilitating and hold each other back in the name of love. When we are allowed to experience the world on our terms without restrictions and judgment, that’s when we discover our hearts. It’s hard to realize a dream, if we are suffocated (sometimes without even knowing because it’s so ingrain in us) with the opinions of our family. What they taught us to believe instead of what we discover. It is hard to let go but it is the ultimate show of faith and love.
The Oldest Boy also shows that we can have as strong of a relationship with someone that isn’t family. In our society, many times these connections are dismissed. The mother talks of her teacher, how devastated she was when he passed but that there was no understanding because it was her “teacher” and not “family”. I think we’ve all been guilty of this, myself included. It validated to not take my kindred spirits for granted because they are part of my family.
This was my first experience at the Jungle Theater. I was a little concerned about parking with the location on Lake and Lyndale but it was a breeze. There is a great parking lot right behind the theater. Jungle Theater has been there since 1991 but when you walk in, you feel a bit like your stepping back in time. It’s intimate and cozy. For tickets and more information about the show, visit jungletheater.com
Then we stopped at the Lyndale Tap House for dinner. The Lyndale is directly across from Jungle Theater so very convenient and a fantastic happy hour.
