Mighty Girl Art™

Take a Walk on the Wild Side...

2012-01-08T19:33:00.000-05:00

You don't need to be an artist to take a Mighty Girl Art™ workshop, you just need to be female.

Creativity is your birthright!

Intuition is an integral part of creativity...as is playfulness, and wonder. Mighty Girl Art™ focuses on these key elements to evoke a sense of sacredness in the creative process, foster awareness, and nurture self-esteem.

WHEN: March 24th - April 14th.
*Registration closes on March 16th.

WHO: Mighty Girl Art™ workshops are designed for tweens/teens, but women enjoy them immensely because within us resides all the ages we've been. Little ones can participate with the help of a big sister, aunt, mom or grandmother.

*There is a translator button on the site so Mighty Girls around the world can tune in!

If you don't think you're creative, this is the session for you!
If you know you're creative, but have a nasty habit of comparing yourself to others, this is the session for you!
If you're shy, or just need your space, this is the session for you!
If you just can't get enough of Mighty Girl Art™, this is the session for you!

WHERE: Online. Create at your own pace, alone or with friend or family member. Host a Mighty Girl Art™ Spring-e-session party and invite your friends over to your screen and join the fun. *It's a buy one, and bring your bunch free!

WHY: Because we are the gateway to this planet, and that alone is a gift worth celebrating. Because women are born creative, and it's vital that we take time to explore this gift. Because honoring ourselves is equal to honoring life itself. BECAUSE IT'S FUN!

HOW: Weekly videos, journal prompts and craft tutorials. These exercises are designed to enrich your life, not interfere with school, work or family time. The class site will remain open until summer so there is no pressure.

*Paypal will redirect you to THIS sign in page, please bookmark that page. The classroom will be locked until March 23rd - at that time you will be able to access the classroom and get familiar with the space. The weekly sessions are password protected and will appear in the menu bar each Saturday. Your password will arrive via email on March 17th. Please make sure that the email address you use for Paypal is the SAME email you wish to receive your password as that address will go directly into the class roster. You will not be able to see the weekly sessions without this password!*If you know someone who would benefit from a workshop like this, but cannot afford the fee, please contact me. I don't want her to miss out on this.

Tools needed:

Your hands
your hearts
your inherent intuition

Materials needed:

Journal – Moleskines are great, but anything will do.
*Boardbooks make wonderful art journals, but will need to be sanded and coated lightly with gesso first.
Pens, colored pencils, markers, paints, crayons - whatever you have on hand
Magazine images, papers for collage
Mod Podge
Purple-pink tissue paper
A small crochet doily – found at craft stores like Michaels, Joanns, thrift shops, ebay or your grandma's linen closet
Charms, beads, found objects like feathers, shells, twigs etc
Jump rings - found at craft store (clasps, jewelry wire optional)
Silk cord or hemp cord, or necklace chain of your choice
Fimo Efaplast clay – found at most craft stores
A pliable branch that you can easily bend into a circle
A small, interesting, vase worthy branch
Pearl cotton crochet thread

Misc:

Sandpaper, Scissors, Paint Brushes, Jewelry Pliers (or regular pliers will do)

Holiday Heart of Wonder

2011-12-23T07:38:00.004-05:00

Dear Mighty Girls,

Wishing you a happy holiday....

May you awaken to the mystery of being here...
May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
May you respond to the call of your gift and find the courage to follow its path.
May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.

- John O'Donohue

See you in the Spring!
Wendy

Mother of All Releasing Ceremonies

2011-12-15T08:49:00.011-05:00

"Now is the season to know that everything you do is sacred." - Hafez

Dear Mighty Girls,

This weekend I will be participation in my friend Pixie Campbell's Mother of All Releasing Ceremonies and you too can be a part of this wonderful event!

Those of you who attended the Wintry Session of Mighty Girl Art™ may recall the Releasing Ceremony we performed on our last day. Those of you who attended the Summer Session of Mighty Girl Art™ have had the joy of connecting with Pixie on the phone and are already familiar with her awesomeness.

On Saturday, family and friends of many faiths and cultures will be gathering in my home for our 4th annual Winter Solstice Party. We will be offering the bundle supplies for guests who wish to participate. You too may gather your friends and family and hold a Releasing Ceremony of your own.

When trees are pruned of weak, diseased, or dying branches, it enables the tree to produce healthy, strong branches so it can flower and bear fruit. So too, when we release what is no longer working for us, what is no longer serving us or the greater good, we are making room in our lives for growth. We enable our lives to flourish. I like this sooo much better than traditional New Year's Resolutions.

Lets release the party poopers like fear, hurt, worry and open the door for more welcome guests like courage, healing, confidence.

Everything you need to know is right here...

some inspiration below (don't forget to turn off the music player in the sidebar before playing the video)...

some instructions!

Wishing you & your family a happy holiday season,
Wendy

"May you awaken to the mystery of being here...

May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.

May you respond to the call of your gift and find the courage to follow its path.

May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.

May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder. "

- John O'Donohue

Wintry Workshop: Day Four

2011-11-20T10:41:00.015-05:00

"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose..."

As the sun began to rise, I prepared the studio for the last day of our Wintry Workshop.

When the girls arrived, we sipped hot cocoa and discussed our projects for the day. The girls were excited to see how their mugs from last week turned out.

When we were done sipping, we took our mugs to the kitchen then returned to the studio to begin creating. I noticed a sacred circle, a cocoa ensō left behind on one of the project sheets and it reminded me of Maezen. I smiled thinking of the weekend she spent in my home, her teachings, how hyper my son was that weekend, and the teaching in that also.

The ensō is a symbol for when the mind is free to let the spirit create. The cocoa ensō was a complete ensō not a broken ensō and this just happened to be the completion of our Wintry Workshop.

Our first project was a little felt bird ornament from the book, "Fa La La La Felt" by Amanda Amanda Carestio.

The girls began by cutting their patterns...

Then they stitched...

Between stitches, there was sharing, stories and laughter...and if these little birds that they created could come to life, they would sing such sweet songs.

We also made hand painted Papier-mâché ornaments....

and while the ornaments dried, we savored our S'mores.

I wanted to close the Wintry Workshop with something special. I asked the girls if they would like to have a releasing ceremony and they loved the idea! I learned about releasing ceremonies in the Soulodge of my friend, Pixie Campbell.

I think this ceremony is far more profound, than a traditional New Year's Resolution. When I think of the word resolution, I think of the world resolve, which is to transform by reducing or dissolving. In music it means moving from discord to harmony.

I asked the girls to think about something that they've been keeping to themselves, something that has been a burden to them...a fear, or a hurt. I asked them to consider the possibility that holding on to such heaviness may not serve them, and that they may be lighter or freer without it. I then asked them to write their hurt, anger, grief or fear on a piece of paper and crumble it up.

Then they lined up in front of the fireplace and tossed it into the fire. I found myself saying things like "goodbye, you don't serve this girl, she is stronger without you"...

The girls sat around the fire until each wadded up burden was reduced to ash.

We hugged and said said our goodbyes.

Dear Mighty Girls,

As you know, the Summer session of Mighty Girl Art is a celebration of self, and in that place we discover the power of our creative gifts so that we can move into Autumn with a sense of strength and purpose.

The Wintry session of Mighty Girl Art gathers in late Fall. Here we explore ways to channel our creative gifts in order to bring joy to others in the coming winter holidays. If we look to nature as our guide, we can see that winter reminds us to slow down, to listen. We are so busy during the other seasons and winter invites us to take time to rest and to reflect in order to understand the wisdom we have been given throughout the year.

When I was a little girl, my Great-Aunt had a statue in her den that terrified me. It was a statue of a dancing goddess with a bunch of arms. It was so freaky that I couldn't even look at her. It wasn't until I became a woman that I understood what it meant - that she was a symbol of the creative feminine force. We have a capacity for great things. We give birth, raise families, raise pets, have careers, nurture friendships, we cook, clean, bake, garden, sew, knit, weave, write, paint, draw, dance, sing, run, hoop, climb, swim...we have such full lives and we do so much that it would seem as though we have a multitude of arms. We must remember to save a set of arms for hugging ourselves, for nurturing ourselves, for filling ourselves up so that we have more to give. For the record...I do think that a man should open the door for woman, not because she can't do it herself, but because her arms are so very full.

Thank you for giving me the gift of yourself! I've enjoyed my time with you greatly.

I will be going into winter hibernation to work on my projects, my studies, celebrate the holidays with my family and prepare for a Spring session of Mighty Girl Art. Know that in taking this time to hug and nurture myself, I will return in the Spring with open arms and more to give.

Until we meet again, I offer you an excerpt from an inspiring poem by May Sarton...

Now I become myself.
It's taken Time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people's faces…
Run madly, as if Time were there,
Now to stand still, to be here,
Feel my own weight and density!
All fuses now, falls into place
From wish to action, word to silence,
My work, my love, my time, my face
Gathered into one intense
Gesture of growing like a plant.
Grows in me to become the song,
Made so and rooted by love.
Now there is time and Time is young.
O, in this single hour I live
All of myself and do not move.

See you in the Spring,
Wendy

Wintry Workshop Day Three

2011-11-13T08:47:00.013-05:00

"The rehearsals of milky November...
the clairvoyance of snow." - Patricia Hampl

At dawn, I prepared the studio for the girls.

Once they arrived, we discussed our projects for the day while sipping hot cocoa from thrifted red mugs.

One project for the day was a Snow flurry mobile. My son and I make paper snowflakes each winter...we make garlands, mobiles and even starch them to our windows. When I saw this mobile in Gifted Magazine, I just had to share the love of paper flurries with the Mighty Girls.

They got right to work and snipped...

and snipped...

Then they stitched...

and stitched...

and stitched the snowflakes into strands to hang from their branches!

We also made hand decorated mugs! I first learned of this technique when my favorite designer, Lotta Jansdotter shared it at Pebeo. Since then, it has popped up nearly everywhere....like here, here, and here. These amazing pens can be used on all sorts of pottery and is permanent once baked. The pens were donated by the generous people of Marker Supply!

They were all so imaginative and reflected the personality of each girl. One of them fashioned her mug after a Lotta Jansdotter design.

We ended the morning with our wintry tradition of S'mores...

while I swept up the blizzard in the studio.

Wintry Workshop Day Two

2011-11-05T14:13:00.031-04:00

"as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending" - e.e. cummings

This morning at dawn I began setting up the studio for day two of the Wintry Workshop. I thrifted some red mugs for the girls which will be used in a project next week.

Today we'll be working on two new projects...Snowflake Talismans (inspired by these)...

and Winter Bloom Hairpins.

The girls arrived and immediately filled their new mugs with hot cocoa while we chatted about the projects for the day. Then we got right to work on our Snowflake Talismans.

They were lovely!

We tucked them into little organza pouches and created gift cards.

Next we made Winter Bloom Hairpins!

During which, one of the magical sprites accidentally turned herself into a fabulous crow.

And the hairpins were fabulous too!

Lastly, we finished up our felted soaps from last week.

Of course, such gorgeous creativity makes one rather snackish so we made S'mores in the fireplace.

Then we tidied up and went for a walk.

See you next week, girls...Don't forget your branches!

Wintry Workshop Day One

2011-10-29T15:22:00.042-04:00

"And they are the sort of people who know that there's always something. Something to invent, something to read, something to bite, and something to do, to make a sanctuary, no matter how small." - Lemony Snicket

As the leaves begin to fall, and the days get colder, shorter and darker with the earth’s tilt, we move into a season of thankfulness and giving. In this sanctuary we celebrate the gift of our artistic nature by creating handmade gifts for our friends, family and ourselves.

I began setting up the studio before the sunrise....

I spritzed the studio table with a bit of Joy Juice flower essences by the amazing Lotus Wei. Then I lit a java log in the fireplace so it would be toasty and ready to welcome the girls.

For the felting water, I'll be adding a few drops of "Nurture the Goddess" shower gel so that it doubles as a hand soak, and we'll be using the lotion on our puckered hands after our wet felting projects. This wonderful duo is a gift to the Mighty Girls from the generous peeps at Bodhichitta Botanicals. Their products are lovely and made with both flower essences and essential oils.

Before the girls arrived, we received the gift of unseasonable snow flurries which provided the perfect backdrop for our Wintry Workshop. What could be more perfect?

And then the girls arrived...

We warmed up with a cup of organic hot cocoa...

then I introduced today's projects - felted rocks and soaps. Felted rocks are very popular and turning up in design mags and stores like Uncommon Goods. They make wonderful paper weights and are a perfect gift for teachers.

While the felted rocks took a tumble in the dryer, we worked on felted soaps. Felted soaps are a real treat and are sold in stores like Anthropologie. We used a natural and wintry peppermint soap.

The soaps were placed on a drying rack until next week, and I removed the felted rocks from their tumble. They were dry and ready for their gift tags.

Did I mention the scalp massager?

And to finish the morning, we made S'mores in the fireplace.

See you next week, girls!

MGA Tour - Girl Scout Camp

2011-10-08T19:20:00.010-04:00

Share the gift of who you are...
it's why you came to be. - Deborah Latzke

I drove the beautiful winding roads to the campsite and the scent of Autumn blew though the opened windows bringing with it memories of my own childhood adventures as a scout. As I approached the camp, the excitement was evident and the girls took turns introducing themselves to me. They started their own campfire and began making S'mores. Sated and sticky, we moved into the lodge.

I sat upon a rocking chair near the fireplace. The girls gathered 'round.

"I want you to picture yourself in this story", I said, "because we are all a part of it...there is great wisdom in this tale and it may be different for each of you. When you find your truth, hold on to it because you will need it for our project".

I read slowly, deliberately, taking time to pause now and then to hold their gazes.

"Those who listen carefully, will here her whisper...all answers are found within..."

When I closed the book I explained that we would be making Wisdom Necklaces based on the messages in the story. The girls were rapt with joy. Together we created miniature oak leaf charms.

On the back of the leaf, each girl wrote the message that she received from the story.

When we were finished, I gave each girl a piece of chocolate with a little message under the wrapper and we took a walk in forest before I headed back home.

Thank you, troop, for inviting Mighty Girl Art™ to circle with you...and remember this, what you believe will become your truth.

With love,
Wendy

Mighty Girl Art™ Scouts

2011-10-07T17:27:00.007-04:00

"The secret of making the best person:
it is to grow in the open air
and to eat and sleep with the earth." - Walt Whitman

I am pleased to announce that Mighty Girl Art™ will be making art with the Girl Scouts tomorrow at their campsite !!!

See you soon, troops

Mighty Girl Art™ Wintry Workshop

2011-09-28T10:52:00.004-04:00

“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.” - Joseph Campbell

Dear Mighty Girls,

I am delighted to share my sacred space with you for our Wintry Workshop. This workshop is a bit different than our Summer Celebration of Self. In this workshop we will unleash our mightiness to create artful gifts for the upcoming winter holidays. We'll play some tunes, sip hot cocoa and if it gets cold we'll make S'mores in the fireplace.

You are a gift!
~Wendy

Yes, You Are Wise: Day 5

2011-08-13T05:48:00.031-04:00

"Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable." - Mary Oliver

The last day of camp was a day of celebration mostly...

Since the girls are not old enough for champagne, I bought some champagne grapes....

and the girls toasted each other and I think I might have heard some clinking of imaginary fluted glassware.

There were FOUR lovely gifts today. One came from the inspiring author SARK who sent her "Awesome Anytime Adventure" e-course so the girls and their moms can begin a new journey together now that the summer session of Mighty Girl Art has come to a close.

And this gift came from the kind and generous Hay House Publishin g who sent positive affirmations cards for the girls.

And from kindred spirits, copy of Wild Sister Magazine! A WebZine created to empower and inspire women.

And my friend, the wild and wise Pixie Campell sent the girls a bag of gemstones. I passed the pouch around the circle and each girl picked the stone that felt right. Then we read about the properties associated with each stone. Many of the girls already knew the names of the stones which completely blew my mind.

The girls surprised me with a gift too! Somehow amidst all the creating they managed to sneak off and make me this beautiful flag, aided and abetted by my assistant Chelsea, and my intern Ann.

And just when I thought my heart couldn't possibly burst open any wider...the Mighty H presented me with a gorgeous mer fish necklace that she made herself. Yes, I spent a good part of the morning on the verge of tears.

We finished up our bird totems...

"These souls were explicitly created to fly through more than one world and to return, ever return, to tell the stories of what can be seen when one is allowed to soar." - Clarissa Pinkola Estes PhD

And made tissue paper flowers for these cool vases.

After the moms arrived we circled and had our closing ceremonies. During the validation ceremony the girls took turns revealing all the wonderful qualities they had witnessed in each other.

In our Belonging Ceremony, I passed around a walking stick that once belonged to my late father. Each girl took a moment to stand in her power, and acknowledge her maternal lineage.

There beneath the prayer flags and hanging vases, we celebrated with a pizza party sponsored by our beloved Ledo Pizza!

Together we took down the tipi and packed up our camp. I removed the flowers from the hanging vases and left them in place of our sacred circle...

It was an honor to hold presence for these girls and I feel so blessed to have spent a week with them. They are wise, they are strong and I will miss them madly...

(At this point you should probably turn of the music player in the sidebar so that you can hear the girls' message)

Until next time...

With gratitude,
Wendy

"It's one of those magical places wise people
like to talk about.
One of the things they say about it, that is true,
is that, once you've been there,
you're there forever." - Mary Oliver

A heartfelt thank you to the Mighty Moms for giving me the gift of your daughters for a week; to the generous sponsors for the beautiful gifts that you sent to the girls; to Ledo Pizza for providing a delicious celebratory feast; to my assistant Chelsea, my intern Ann, and to my friends and family for their inspiration, encouragement, love & support!

*Postscript: On August 18th I nearly fell off my chair to discover this message in my in-box, delivered to me by the manager of a certain inspiring woman. Though it was sent to me, in truth the message is really for the girls. I think I'll frame it and hang it in the studio:

Congratulations on the work you are doing. Empowering women is vitally important at this time in history.
All the best,
HR

This Brief Moment: Day 4

2011-08-11T14:07:00.011-04:00

"How could anyone believe
that anything in this world
is only what it appears to be?" - Mary Oliver

As I hauled the tipi over to the grassy knoll, I discovered an egg shell that dropped from a tree above me. I placed it on top of the heap in the wagon and brought it with me to the campsite where I placed it into a nest that I use as a centerpiece for our circle. The nest was given to me some years ago by my friend Pixie.

After we raised The House of Belonging, we spotted one of the Mighty Girls and her mother in the distance taking the scenic route to the Mighty Girl Campsite.

Once everyone arrived and was in circle, I presented the daily gift...

Sent to the girls by the generous people at Chronicle Books...a mother/daughter journal entitled, "Just Between Us"

*Note the little bird on the cover....hmmmm

Before continuing the work on our art journals, I offered the girls a creativity prompt. Same story from yesterday, but this time I ended with a new question..

You see a bird flying above the tipi. She calls to you saying, "I am you and I have traveled a long distance. Come with me, I have something to show you."

What did she show you?

I asked the girls to consider these words while they embellished their journals. They got right to work adding fibers, and found objects to the journals. There were cicada wings, and wild flowers and all sorts of wonders being incorporated into their work. I showed the girls how to use a hand drill and some of them began drilling holes into the twigs that they found and affixed them to the spines of their journals with fibers.

For our second project of the morning, I passed around some photos of common local birds under which I printed their corresponding animal totem description. I asked the girls to choose the bird that they were most drawn to, and to read about its unique qualities. Then I passed around some paper mache bird forms and asked the girls to look carefully at the photos and paint their chosen bird totem. On the bottom of the bird they will write one word from the totem reading that really resonates with them.

During this project there was a Bluebird flying all around our campsite. I went to the tree where it rested and found a nearly neon Bluebird feather and gave it to one of the girls. The Bluebird seemed to linger around the campsite and it dawned on me that this was our totem animal for the day...and right on cue! One of the girls left the tipi to observe it more closely as it was the bird she chose.

"Bluebird: This is symbolic of a passage, a time of movement into another level of being. Specifically, it is connected to the transformation of a girl into a woman...and a new confidence and happiness in coming into your own." - Ted Andrews (Animal Speak)

While the birds dried in the sun, the girls sewed their prayer flags onto ribbon. They will hang their prayer flags in the tipi tomorrow for our last day...

We will finish up any detailing on our projects, and mostly celebrate. There will be pizza and champagne grapes and our beautiful closing ceremony and their mamas will join us.

See you there....

Wisdom walk: Take a short walk with your mother and look for beauty.

This brief moment
let us take a walk
and see how beautiful
the world is - Cynthia Rylant

Some Days I Feel I Have Wings: Day 3

2011-08-11T05:44:00.020-04:00

I am both of the earth and I am of the inexplicable
beauty of heaven
where I fly so easily, so welcome, yes,
and this is why I have been sent, to teach this to your heart. - Mary Oliver

I didn't get to see our morning totem animal because I was in the studio printing plates for transfer images while Chelsea and Ann raised The House of Belonging. I was a bit off kilter as the night before I had accidentally fallen asleep before I finished all the preparations for the day.

The girls reported seeing all sorts of creatures, one of which was a butterfly. I would like to think that butterfly was our totem for the day since yesterday we made some playful butterfly imagery. And unbeknownst to the girls, we were using butterfly imagery for our art panels later.

"The butterfly reminds us that life is a dance of joy. They teach us that growth and transformation does not have to traumatic; it can occur gently, sweetly, joyfully" - Ted Andrews from Animal Speak - This book was given to me by my friend Pixie Campbell.

Today's gift was provided by the generous and thoughtful people of Hay House Publishing. They sent the girls a "Creative Dream Game" by SARK.

An interesting behind the scenes story regarding this game...apparently the game is no longer being made. However, Jacqui, the magical publicity director at Hay House was searching the warehouse for inspiring gifts for the girls when in her search she happened to find some of the games....the exact number of games needed for camp!

"It was meant to be", she said. I agree.

Today I gave the girls an imagery prompt for their journals inspired by "Woman Who Lives Under the Lake" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes PhD

You see a bird flying high above the tipi, she says, "I am you, and I have traveled a long distance. Come with me, there is something I must show you."

What does her wings look like?

I then showed the girls how to make transfer prints and gave them the images that I had printed in the predawn hours of the morn. They got right to work....

This is just a small sample of their beautiful work. Their transfer prints are stunning.

Our next project was to complete the art panel we started the day before. We used a butterfly shaped dye cutter and punched out butterflies from colorful papers. One butterfly for each year of their life thus far. We wrote empowering words on the wings and glued them to the canvas board that they painted earlier. We added black satin ribbon tied in a bow to hang the art panels. This project was inspired by the butterfly collage posted at Crafty Crow.

Before packing up camp, we finished our prayer flags. We will sew them onto ribbon and the girls can hang them in the tipi tomorrow morning.

Wisdom Walk: Take a short walk with your mom. Look for found objects for your journal...cool twigs, a special rock, flowers, a leaf...something that catches your eye and feels right.

Never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often - Mary Oliver

Mysteries, Yes: Day 2

2011-08-10T04:19:00.015-04:00

"Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood...
How rivers and stones are forever
in allegiance with gravity
while we ourselves dream of rising.
How two hands touch and the bonds
will never be broken...
Let me keep my distance, always, from those
who think they have the answers.
Let me keep company always with those who say
"Look!" and laugh in astonishment,
and bow their heads." - Mary Oliver (Evidence)

I got up at 4 this morning to share with you some of the beauty that I witnessed yesterday. I was so exhausted after the clean-up and prep-work that I fell asleep beside my son and never made it down to the studio to upload photos.

Dragonfly was at the grassy knoll to greet us in the morning as we raised The House of Belonging.

(Click on photo to enlarge / and read Dragonfly totem)

Chelsea surprised the girls with marvelous signage!

The gift of the day comes from the generous folks at Kiki who sent the girls tote bags and their summer issue!

The day was a whir of activity as we added backgrounds and layers to our journals.

And began the prep work for another project to be revealed later - art panels.

And a few moments to kick back...

And we made talisman necklaces! Talismans date back to antiquity and are believed to bring good luck or protection to the person who wears them.

There were Art Warriors!

And there were Art Goddesses...

There was a brief shower and as promised...a rain dance!

We took flying portraits to be used as imagery in our art journals...

And I was blessed to be in their company...

Wisdom Walk: Take a short walk with your mom and look for birds. Remember the first bird you saw. If you find a feather, take it, say thank you and bring it to camp.

In the Wild Branches: Day 1

2011-08-08T19:44:00.025-04:00

Here, we nourish the creative life,
Here, we howl. - Clarissa Pinkola Estes PhD

(Fox reading by my dear friend, Pixie Campbell, click on photo to enlarge)

As Chelsea and I set up the tipi this morning we chatted about the totem animals that greeted us each morning during MGA 2010.

I said, "Lets see who comes to visit today".

No sooner had those words left my mouth, a fox appeared. (Photo above) She sat there and stared at us for quite some time. We knew she was there for us.

Entering the House of Belonging...

(The gorgeous Gypsy Caravan flags were donated by Art To Go and we're thrilled to have their creative presence in our camp!)

Anne, our 2011 intern arrived. Soon after, the girls came and I invited them to use the body markers and tattoos until all eight AMAZING girls were there. Then we formed a circle.
We meet in a circle. Why? Because the circle is an ancient symbol for the feminine. The circle is associated with wholeness and protection. It is a sacred ceremonial space where everyone in the circle is equal.

We began the morning with our Belonging Ceremony. I told them that we are here to celebrate our power and that one of the reasons we are mighty is that every single human on this planet arrived here through a woman - we are the gate keepers to earth. I recited a passage from a David Whyte poem...

"You are not a troubled guest on this earth,
you are not an accident...
you were invited from another"

I tied a piece of red Tibetan silk yarn around my wrist and began announcing my maternal lineage...

I am Wendy, invited here by my mother Joyce, invited by her mother Irma, invited by her mother Geneva. I passed the ball of yarn to the girl to the left of me and she did the same and so on until each girl recounted her maternal lineage acknowledging that she too, is invited.

After our opening ceremony we began the first half of our Validation Ceremony. Each girl wrote her name on a tag then placed it in a hat. The tags were shuffled and each girl drew a tag from the hat then sealed it in an envelope. She is to secretly observe the girl whose tag she chose and make a mental note of all the qualities that she admires. The mystery of this ceremony will be revealed on the last day of camp.

Before we begin creating, I like to give gifts. This morning's gift was Joy Juice mist from Lotus Wei. I am a big fan of Lotus Wei and I am humbled by their generosity.

We got right to work prepping our art journals. The art journal is the foundation of Mighty Girl Art camp. The girls sanded the pages and applied gesso. This took up most of the morning.

Did I mention the vintage aprons?

While the journals dried in the sun, we began our second project of the morning - prayer flags. Prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom to all beings. We used Kool-Aid to tie dye the fabric. Once the fabric dries we will use fabric markers to write our messages on them.

Before we closed our session, I gave the girls some home work. In the evening they will go on a Wisdom Walk with their moms. The mission of today's Wisdom Walk is to look for circles in nature. They will record their findings and incorporate these images when they begin creating background layers for their art journals.

And the Countdown Begins...

2011-07-31T07:53:00.006-04:00

Mighty Girl Art August 8 - 12th....

See you soon,
Wendy

2011 Mighty Intern

2011-07-28T05:48:00.004-04:00

Dear Mighty Girls,
It is my great pleasure to introduce our 2011 Mighty Intern...

My name is Ann Schindler and I am a graduate of South Lakes High School. In my free time, I love practicing Pilates, writing, playing my cello, and exploring the many farmers markets, museums, and festivals around Reston and Washington, D.C. Soon I will be attending Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. I see striking similarities between Mount Holyoke and Mighty Girl, in that they are both small, intimate communities of girls/women. Such communities have really led me to grow both intellectually and creatively. I am very excited to be a part of the Mighty Girl community for Summer 2011.

Mighty Girls & Moms!

2011-06-13T07:48:00.007-04:00

Scenes from Mighty Girl Art's Mother & Daughter event at ArtisTree Studios in Herndon, VA wherein you will find us celebrating each other, loving ourselves, tandem creating, sharing and feasting. Thank you for having me and I look forward to seeing you again this Fall!

"The present is what your life is,
and you are capable of choosing what that will be…

So come to the pond,
...or the river of your
imagination,
or the harbor of your longing,
and put your lips to the world.

And live
your life.” - Mary Oliver (Mornings at Blackwater)

MIghty Girl meets Momma Zen

2011-05-02T05:16:00.004-04:00

It is nothing you haven't heard before.
It is just a turn you might not yet have made,
or made again, and again, and again.
A turn toward intimate engagement
with the life you already have. - Karen Maezen Miller

She spoke, I listened.
I spoke, she listened.
Gifts in the sharing.
Gifts in the silence.

Dear Mighty Girls,

I have so much I wish to share with you. Thank you, for sharing with me, the gift of yourself.

Mighty Moms, I highly recommend this book...

See you soon,
Wendy

Calling All Mighty Girls & Moms

2011-04-20T14:17:00.006-04:00

Calling all Mighty Girls & Moms! There's going to be a special one day Mighty Mother & Daughter event at Artistree Studios on May 22nd. Click HERE for more information and to reserve a spot!

Girls for Girls

2011-02-05T08:20:00.009-05:00

I am pleased to announce that Mighty Girl Art is now partnering with the United Nations' Girl Up campaign! Mighty Girl Art will be giving a "High Five" by donating $5 from every MGA enrollment to help support girls in developing countries. You can help too, by visiting the above link.

Download a GIRLAFESTO poster for your room or your school locker by clicking the image below!

Announcing Mighty Girl Wintry Workshop!

2011-01-29T05:43:00.010-05:00

What we love, shapely and pure,
is not to be held, but to be believed in - Mary Oliver

Dear Mighty Girls,

Words cannot express how much I enjoy holding presence for you each summer. I always feel a pang of sadness when we pack up the Mighty Tipi and put away the supplies. Some of you suggested holding a winter session and I hear you. I've spent many hours in my tiny studio trying to figure out how to make that happen for you. It finally dawned on me that my humble little studio served only me, but with some careful planning, I could design a more functional space that could be shared with all of you. I'm certain you will find it just as cool as our Mighty Tipi!

Mighty Girl Winter Workshop will be a slightly different format than our Summer Camp. We will meet on four consecutive Saturday afternoons. We'll make cool stuff, celebrate the last days of winter, then we'll celebrate ourselves by making S'mores in the fireplace!

October 29th - November 19th from 9-12pm. The focus of this workshop will be A Season of Giving - to ourselves and to others. We'll be creating gorgeous gifts to keep and to share.

*One of the projects we'll be working on is t-shirts - so bring a tee or two to work on!

There are only 6 seats available. You can reserve yours at the drop down menu in the side bar and clicking "Mighty Girl Winter".

Take a look around...and make yourself at home in your very own Winter Workshop!

With love & gratitude,
Wendy

Send Me On My Way: Day 5

2010-08-06T14:39:00.024-04:00

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
- Walt Whitman

Day 5- our last day: The girls have inspired me greatly and I love them for that. I'm feel so grateful for Chelsea our Mighty Intern, for my friends who sent their love via wish flags, and for our sponsors whose generosity helps us to manifest mighty things. Today was a day of celebration. The sunlight was golden and the grass was wet from a storm that swept through last night. There was an unusual number of dragonflies flying near the Mighty Tipi.

We began the morning with gifts. Todays gift came from our kindred spirits at Papaya Art. They sent the girls a beautiful art panel by the talented and inspiring, Sabrina Ward Harrison. The term "Make Believe" has powerful mojo. It serves as a reminder that the imagination is very powerful and the source of our creativity.

We had a gift for our amazing intern: a sketchbook designed by Sabrina Ward Harrison, a book by Louise L. Hay, and a gift card for art supplies. The girls all carried the gift together. It kind of reminded me of crowd surfing at a concert.

The girls added some final embellishments to their journals.

Then we introduced the girls to Soul Painting. Soul painting or Touch Drawing is a transformational art form. Paper is placed over a freshly painted white board. Wherever it is touched, an imprint is made on the back side. Some of the girls deeply explored the process and not only used their hand, but included their elbows, feet and head. It was quite beautiful to witness.

When they finished their soul paintings they created inspirational post cards to send anonymously to other girls.

Before the girls left the Mighty camp I showed them this little bowl that has been sitting on a table in the tipi all week long. The bowl was given to Mighty Girl Art from Kathie and Sue. It is a woman holding the earth on her back. It represents that we all come to this planet through a mother. What a privilege it is to be born female, to be the doorway to this planet.

Inside the bowl was 8 miniature charms of the woman figure. There was one representing each of us at Mighty Girl Art camp. I passed one to each of the girls to take home with them.

"But there's one left", a Mighty Girl exclaimed.

"That one is me", I said.

Since it was our last day I promised the girls that, after our closing ceremony, we would have pizza party sponsored by our local favorite, "Ledo Pizza"!

Some of the moms joined us for the closing ceremony. The girls formed a circle with their family members behind them. Each of the Mighty Girls took turns revealing the girl they had randomly chosen on the first day, then validated all the qualities she observed and admired in her chosen girl. She then presented the name tag that she decorated to her chosen girl. The tags can be used as bookmarks to remind the girls of how truly wonderful they are.

Next, we said goodbye the same way we said hello, with each girl introducing herself through maternal lineage, i.e. "I am Wendy, daughter of Joyce, daughter of Irma, daughter of Geneva". Each girl took the hand of the one sitting next to her until the circle was closed again.

Together we took down the Mighty Tipi.

How might your life have been different if there had been a place for you...where you were received and affirmed? A place where others had been affirmed before you, each in her time, affirmed as she struggled to become more truly herself.

A place where, after the fires were lighted, and the drumming, and the silence, there would be a hush of expectancy...a knowing that each one there was leaving old conformity to find her self...a sense that all of womanhood stood on the threshold.

And if, during the hush, others had helped you to trust your own becoming...to trust it and quietly and prayerfully to nurture it...

How might your life be different? ~ Judith Duerk (Circle of Stones)

We All Shine On: Day Four

2010-08-05T17:03:00.019-04:00

The only journey is the one within - Rainer Maria Rilke

Day 4: It was a scorcher, but the girls arrived early once again to help set up their camp. I really love these girls and I can't believe tomorrow is our last day. Oh how I will miss them! We started the morning with gifts. Today's gifts comes from the generous folks at Hay House, publishing company of the inspiring Louise L. Hay. They sent the girls a set of cool affirmation cards as well as a story book about abundance by Dr. Wayne Dyer.

We immediately began our journal work. I demonstrated two methods of transfer printing and gave the girls copies of their flying photos from yesterday to use for transfers. They tried the water method as well as the gel transfer.

The journals dried in the sun. A flock of Goldfinches tried flying through the Mighty Tipi then miraculously detoured to a nearby tree.

We ended the morning with a new project, Lanterns. The lanterns can be used as a night light or anytime we need to lift our spirits. They are wonderful to honor the passing year, a solstice, a holiday, a season, or a birth.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We are all meant to shine. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” - Marianne Williamson

Shine, Mighty Girls, shine!

Something Wonderful: Day Three

2010-08-04T15:44:00.021-04:00

I
held my breath
as we do
sometimes
to stop time
when something wonderful
has touched us - Mary Oliver

Day 3: My radiant and colorful Mighty Intern, also known as, "The Amazing Chelsea" presented me with a bowl that she made with her own two hands. Yes, I cried. I've gotten juicier with age - tears are part of the territory.

We began the morning with gifts. Today's gift comes from Harper Collins, The Pocket Daring Book for Girls: Wisdom & Wonder! It's crazy cool...'nough said!

Then we went back to work on the journals. We started our writing prompts based on the "I Am" poem. This is a wonderful exercise worth repeating periodically as we become more fully ourselves. For parents it can be a very moving glimpse into your daughter's heart. For girls it can be an empowering and playful way to get to know oneself.

While the journals dried in the sun, the Mighty Girls took flight.

We ended the morning with another project, Talisman Necklaces. The girls have been asking about it since day one and were so eager to get started that when I announced that it was talisman time, they ran to the Mighty Tipi screaming with joy. Talismans date back to antiquity and are believed to bring good luck or protection to the person who wears them.

I poured out the jar of lovely talismans made by Industrial Chic , charms and toggles from Creativity Inc. as well as some found objects from my stash. The girls chose one that they felt connected to in some way. Then they shared their story about the talisman that they chose.

They did an amazing job. The necklaces are BEAUTIFUL!

I was completely swept away by this awesome group of girls.

Blessing Manifested: Day Two

2010-08-03T19:38:00.020-04:00

"Sometimes I need
only to stand
wherever I am
to be blessed." - Mary Oliver

Day 2: I am here to tell you that the girls have officially taken ownership of their camp, arriving early to help set up. This thrills me to the core. They hung the wish flags that they made yesterday along with the wish flags made by some seriously Mighty Mamas!

We began the morning with gifts once again. Today's gift is the summer issue of Discovery Girls Magazine. A magazine for tweens - written by girls, for girls!

Then we started working on our journals, adding paint, oil stick and collage papers, building background texture and layers to work upon in the days ahead.

The journals were placed in the sun to dry.

And we ended the morning with worry boxes. Based on Guatemalan worry dolls that date back to Mayan traditions, they are thought to soothe anxiety and fears. Worry boxes are a wonderful therapeutic tool. Belief, intention and faith can help a young person shed mild to moderate anxiety.

Some mental health experts believe that the rituals surrounding a worry box actually provide some comfort during times of stress or grief. The idea is to write one's worries on a piece of paper and immediately place it in the worry box. Expressing feelings of worry or sorrow in writing can prove to be a cathartic experience. It allows the person to acknowledge the emotional pain and get it out.

The inspiring words on the box are meant to reassure that these worries disappear with time. As worries begin to disappear, one is to replace them with other thoughts until one finds peace of mind....

or even JOY!

House of Belonging: Day One

2010-08-02T20:25:00.011-04:00

There is no house like the house of belonging - David Whyte

Day 1: I am so honored to witness the Mighty Girls of 2010. They are a beautiful, radiant, and creative group. WOW!

We started our morning with our Belonging Ceremony. We circled up and I introduced myself to the group with my maternal lineage, "I am Wendy, daughter of Joyce, daughter of Irma, daughter of Eva, as I wrapped my left wrist with a gorgeous piece of yarn. Then I passed the ball to the Mighty R, and she did the same. Each Mighty Girl recounted their maternal lineage as far back as she could remember until we came full circle and were all connected. Then each of us snipped the yarn for each other and tied the ends forming a sort of bracelet to remind us that we are all connected.

I presented the gifts for the day: Wonderful aromatherapy oil from Escents, a gorgeous notepad from Papaya Art, and a sticker from You Are Beautiful. *If you would like to print your own You Are Beautiful Sticker to give to others, click HERE!

The Mighty Girls picked name tags from my hat and were given a secret mission of validation to be revealed on day 5. For now they will secretly observe the girl they chose throughout the week and make a mental note of all the qualities she admires in her chosen one.

Then we got to work on our art journals. Art journals are the foundation of Mighty Girl Art empowerment camp and we'll be working on them all week. Today, we sanded the surfaces and painted them with gesso. Gesso is a surface primer for painting canvas and other surfaces.

While the journals were drying we got inked...

And defied gravity!

The last project of the morning was Wish Flags to decorate our Mighty Tipi. Based on the Tibetan tradition used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom, it is believed that the wishes, prayers a/o mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space to benefit all. In this spirit, your daughter's Wish Flags will remain in the Mighty Tipi as a symbol of her voice and presence to inspire future Mighty Girls.

A Letter to the Mighty Girls

2010-07-30T05:44:00.003-04:00

Dear Mighty Girls,

I can't wait to meet you all this Monday...to hold presence for you, and with you. It is an honor for me to spend this week with you creating in the Mighty Tipi, our super cool girl fort! I am overwhelmed by gratitude this morning...grateful to all the kindred souls for their generosity and support in helping me to do what I love doing.

To echo the words of Walt Whitman:

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loaf and invite my soul...
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same.

I have perceived that to be with those I like is enough...
To be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough...
I do not ask any more delight, I swim in it, as in a sea.

Get ready to celebrate!
Wendy

I Believe She's Amazing!

2010-07-05T06:16:00.005-04:00

Please turn of the music player in the sidebar before playing this awesome video!!!

Mighty Intern 2010

2010-06-29T09:40:00.016-04:00

Truth be told, it was Satch (my Mighty Boy) who found my 2010 Mighty Intern. We met her at one of our favorite haunts. He was completely smitten with her and with good reason. I hoped and waited for Chelsea to hear the distant drumming and alas, she not only came dancing to the beat, she ran through the golf course sprinklers to join the Mighty Brigade. Chelsea and I not only share New York roots, but we also share the same birthday! You can imagine my joy to discover her hand painted folder...

and her chalking at my doorstep.

It is my pleasure to introduce, Chelsea...

I started my first two years of college at Lamar University in Texas, a very random choice, to get away after high school. I loved the art program, being all on my own and the wonder of being someplace new. I'm currently working on my BFA at Northern VA Community College and plan to transfer to George Mason University to get my Masters in Arts. I would like to one day teach art at a college level.

I've been a girl scout since I was 8, and earned a presidential pin for community service as well as the leadership pin for my efforts in community service projects. It was as a girl scout that I first starting working with young girls. As a troop we hosted science booths at the National Air and Space Museum's Girl scout day. We also lead different patch earning activities and camp outs. In our last year as a troop, we taught young scouts how to lead activities. I have fond memories of staging and organizing an international fashion show of 8 year old girls. I really enjoyed my time as a girl scout, and am proud to be a lifetime member.

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. As a teen, my mother and I took art classes together and share an interest in drawing, painting, and pottery. Participating in adult classes and being treated as a peer, not a child gave me a bit of a creative boost.

In high school I was enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Art program. The international baccalaureate program is an advanced and challenging program quite popular in Europe. I earned a scholastic silver key award and art student of the month at my school.

Though I enjoy painting, I am gravitating towards illustration. I will be exploring printmaking in the Fall. My other interest include playing the cello, baking, and exuberant cake decorating.

I believe I will be an excellent Mighty Intern as I have much to offer and share, not just artistically, but on a deeply personal level. I have grown from a challenging childhood split between the homes of two parents. I also understand the importance of a healthy body image because of my own experience with weight loss and the inspiration I now have to be physically fit.

I look forward to creating, and sharing with all of you.

Chelsea

Mighty Girl Art 2010 is FULL!

2010-06-15T06:57:00.002-04:00

Mighty Girl Art 2010 is full! Online registration is now closed. I'm looking forward to meeting you all. We're going to have a LOT of fun! See you soon....

Celebrate yourself,
Wendy

Kind & Generous

2010-05-18T05:43:00.002-04:00

For your selflessness, my admiration
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound, I'm bound to
thank you for it. - Natalie Merchant

Kindred mama, Deb Williams of I'll Be Yarned cleared out her studio and donated these beautiful fibers to the Mighty Girls! One of them will be used during our opening ceremony.
You'll have to wait and see what we do with it...

Thank you, Deb!

Wind Horses Arriving!

2010-05-08T05:40:00.004-04:00

“The sight of [the horse] did something to me I've never quite been able to explain. [The horse] was more than tremendous strength and speed and beauty of motion. [The horse] set me dreaming.” - Walt Morey

The wind horses are galloping in from all over the land to adorn the Mighty Tipi with love and good wishes...

This beauty arrived from New England and was made by the loving and talented hands of Nina Beana, Mighty Mama to Gray, Joey, and Lulu!

And this beauty is galloping from Nevada and was made by the loving and talented hands of Joyful Veronica, Mighty Mama to Fiona!

*Would like to contribute your own wind horse to the Mighty Girl Art empowerment camp? Add your wish, hope, prayer or positive affirmation to a 6.5" x 7.5" fabric square (dimensions do not have to be exact) in any medium...stitch, paint, draw, dye...CREATE and spread the love!

and send it to:
Mighty Girl Art
2139 Colts Neck Ct
Reston, VA 20191

Mighty Girl Art in the Press!

2010-02-16T05:38:00.007-05:00

I'm humbled and excited to announce that Mighty Girl Art has been featured in the February issue of Northern Virginia Magazine!

Click on the image to enlarge and read the article...

Mighty Girl Art 2010!

2010-01-25T09:26:00.013-05:00

Calling all Mighty Girls!

How might your life have been different if there had been a place for you...where you were received and affirmed? A place where others had been affirmed before you, each in her time, affirmed as she struggled to become more truly herself.

A place where, after the fires were lighted, and the drumming, and the silence, there would be a hush of expectancy...a knowing that each one there was leaving old conformity to find her self...a sense that all of womanhood stood on the threshold.

And if, during the hush, others had helped you to trust your own becoming...to trust it and quietly and prayerfully to nurture it...

How might your life be different? ~ Judith Duerk (Circle of Stones)

A new adventure awaits you...registration for 2010 is now open!

Dates: Monday August 2nd - Friday August 6th!

*I'm also looking for Mighty Interns. If interested, please click on the "Intern tab" for more info, or contact me ASAP for deets and forms!

See you soon at the Mighty Tipi,
Wendy

PS- If you are interested in hosting a Mighty Mini Pow-Wow or a Mighty MOM Pow-Wow at your home, please contact me directly.

Day Five: Blessing Manifested

2009-07-31T19:12:00.023-04:00

July 31, 2009

When I arrived at our campsite to set up the mighty tipi, I saw this on the ground and it gave me a smile! When I returned with the wagon to pick up the supplies, the Mighty Girls were already beginning to arrive to help.

I decided that our last day together should be flexible and free since it was a scorcher. Our thought for the day was: Being our authentic ourselves helps others to feel comfortable with who they are. The final gift came from Chronicle Books, "Living Out Loud" by Keri Smith, a mighty mama, author and artist who is an expert at being herself.

The girls spent some time looking through their books before we began our projects. Our first project was decorating Mighty K's cast. She wiped out on her bicycle last night and broke her hand. Yet she still came to the mighty tipi!

Next we made lanterns. This is one of my mighty boy's favorite crafts. I gave all the girls a tiny battery operated candle to put inside.

We snacked on delicious banana bread made by a super mighty mom. Later, since the girls felt that their journals were complete, we made tissue paper flowers.

We spotted a wee mighty girl in the distance staring wide eyed with wonder at the mighty tipi so we invited her in to join us.

I think we were all beginning to wilt from the heat so I decided to do the "I see you ceremony". I asked the girls to get their tags from our first day, but keep them well hidden. We formed a sacred circle. The girls had no idea what we were about to do. I asked the girls to address her secret mighty girl with _____, I see you. I asked that when their name was called to respond, "I am here". Then I asked them to tell her all the admirable qualities she observed during the week. I began the ceremony and it went like this...

Me: Mighty V, I see you.

MV: I am here.

Me: This week I saw in you... compassion, humor, and playfulness.

And then I gave her tag that I embellished last night so that it could be used as a bookmark. We went around the circle telling each other what we observed and admired during our secret mission. Giving and receiving. I found it deeply moving and had to fight back tears so the girls wouldn't think I as a complete dork.

After the closing ceremony the mighty intern, Jessica, gave everyone a bouquet of edible plants that were grown by her mother and all arranged in interesting bottles. There was echinacea, purple basil, mint, sunflower and rosemary.

Just when I thought we would all flip out from the heat...

Flippin' Pizza arrived just in time with FOUR pies for the girls!

The girls munched, shared some laughs, exchanged phone numbers before we took down the mighty tipi and said our goodbyes.

It's been a wondrous week. WONDROUS! And I'm going to miss these girls. I'm looking forward to Mighty Girl Art in 2010. And I'll keep you posted about the rumored mini workshops. Until then, I would like to thank my sponsors and my mighty friends for helping me provide the girls with more than I ever could on my own. I would like to thank the mighty moms for the yummy snacks, beautiful flowers, and entertaining mighty boy. I would like to thank my mighty husband for supporting my dream. I would like to thank my mighty boy for his patience and sharing his mama. I would like to thank my mighty intern for her mighty presence. And I would like to thank McCabe for believing in me!

And most of all...thank you, Mighty Girls, for shining so brightly and for blessing me with your presence!

Peace, Love, Free!
Wendy

~*~

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same. - Marianne Williamson

~*~

Day Four: We Shine Infinitely

2009-07-30T14:35:00.029-04:00

July 30, 2009

I am divinely timed and shining brightly
yes, I believe that there is a purpose just for me - Amy Steinberg

Once again the Mighty Girls arrived early to help with setting up camp. We chose a shady location to savor a bit of coolness before the sun shifted. They took turns hammering the stakes of the mighty tipi. My original vision was that I would have the camp set up prior to their arrival, but I am thrilled that they want to help. It's as if they understand that Mighty Girl Art belongs to them. They are indeed, Mighty Girls.

Today's topic was: managing worries and fears. Today's gift came from a talented writer and mama of uber twins, Shawn Fink. This mighty mama made the girls these sweet little flower power fairies. Shawn's message, "Go mighty girls, fly!"

The Mighty Girls were mighty delighted!

We went right to work in our journals, adding more layers before we began the Giving Tree exercise. The girls were instructed to paint a giving tree that would give them anything they felt they needed, like joy, strength etc.

Mighty V, whose sense of humor is as sharp as a tack, noted that in addition to the many lovely things her tree provides, it also gives her ticks.

When everyone was ready to let their journals rest, we moved on to the next exercise...worry boxes for which to empty our worries. This project is inspired by the worry dolls of Guatemala. It is said that worry dolls date back to Mayan traditions and according to the folklore, one gives their worries to the dolls so they can take the worries away. The worry box is a variation on the same theme.

The girls finished their projects faster than I had anticipated, so we decided that we should create some postcards to send anonymously to other girls.

Then in anticipation of our last day tomorrow, the girls took turns writing messages in each others journals.

Before we packed up, I instructed the girls to decorate the mysterious tags they have hidden at home from day one and upon them write the admirable qualities observed during their secret mission. They'll be presenting them tomorrow in an "I see you" ceremony.

Our favorite pizza joint, Flippin' Pizza, is throwing a pizza party tomorrow to honor the last day of Mighty Girl Art...Isn't that mighty AWESOME!!!

~*~

i need to be exactly where i am
i am divinely timed and shining brightly
yes i believe that there’s a purpose just for me
yes i believe that we are light
and we shine infinitely
- Amy Steinberg

~*~

Day Three: Hear the Music!

2009-07-29T16:37:00.025-04:00

July 29, 2009

Last night I worried about the impending rain storms headed our way and actually woke up at 4:30 AM to do some creative thinking about what to do: offer a rain date, or move the camp indoors. I knew that I could not set up the tipi because to take it down in a storm would be insane and I would risk damaging art and supplies. I emailed the girls to say that we would have camp on the deck at my home and when the rain began we would move our gear inside. Everyone was pleased.

The girls went right to work on their journals before I even had a chance to begin the ceremonial bestowing of gifts! Today's thought / topic was "valuing ourselves" and today's gift came from the talented Tonia Davenport who made incredibly gorgeous pendants for the girls. Each pendant had a different message and was delicately wrapped in sky blue tissue paper. The girls picked from the hat unable to see the pendants and it was astonishing how each message truly captured their personalities. Also in the hat was a pile of, You Are Beautiful Stickers.

Mighty V picked, "I am compassion"...take a look at those eyes.
You see it too, right?
She is!

Mighty K received, "I am laughter" - yes - she is!
Mighty E received, "I am intuition" - yes - she is!
Mighty J received, "I am kindness" - yes - she is!
Mighty L, who is moving to a new town on Saturday, received, "I am courage" - and oh my - yes - she is!

I have chill bumps, people!

We then began working in our journals when it started to drizzle slightly so we moved everything inside.

The girls were wild over the winged cuties from ARTchix studio.

Mighty K created an incredible texture in her journal with blue and gold paint that is way more gorgeous than I am able to capture with the camera. All I can say is that it evokes the feeling of a weathered beach cottage and if you want to know how she did it, you'll have to ask her for yourself in the comments section.

A beloved mighty mom stopped in bearing big bowls of yummy buttery popcorn to fuel our creative fires. Then we began creating our talisman necklaces with charms from Creativity Inc.

The rains came as promised, so...we all ran outside and danced in it!

~*~

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music - Nietzsche

~*~

Day Two: Yeah, You!

2009-07-28T15:37:00.021-04:00

July 28, 2009

Today was another wonderful day at Mighty Girl Art. Early in the morning my mighty boy helped me carry the supplies outside and stocked the picnic basket with water. He even held the door while I hauled the mighty tipi into his big red wagon. One of the mighty mamas came to hang with Satch while I was chillin' with the Mighty Girls.

We began the day with gifts: Garden of Wellness cds by Lori Lite.

I can personally attest to the benefits of guided meditation because this amazing nurse used guided imagery with bio feedback to help me manage the stress of IVF while trying to conceive Satch. I still turn to butter at the sound of her voice.

However, I was trying to find someone who had child specific material and that is how I found Lori Lite. Lori sent her Garden of Wellness CDs as a gift to the girls.

Lori has been featured on CBS News, in USA Today, and Prevention Magazine. Her mission is to "empower children to be active participants in creating their own calm, peaceful, heart driven lives". She utilizes story telling, guided imagery and meditation as tools to help children manage anxiety, and stress while promoting self-esteem.

After the gifts were bestowed we went to work on our journals again, adding collage elements.

While our journals were drying in the sun, we ate our snacks. One of the mighty moms brought over some delicious sliced watermelon. We painted a few rocks and then the Mighty Girls painted themselves!

I asked the girls if they liked the name of the camp and the reply was an immediate exuberant, YESSSS! I asked them what mighty means to them and they replied, "strong, confident, powerful". So, I thought I would give the girls the text prompt, "I feel mighty when I_____", and let them build a page around that prompt. Soon after, messages began to appear on the drop cloth.

The girls have taken ownership of the camp and this thrills me to my core. It's officially THEIR camp! They arrived early to help us set up, take down the tipi and haul the wagon full of supplies back to my nest.

And there was this new message on the drop cloth...

To be continued...

~*~

You're beautiful like a flower
More valuable than a diamond
You are powerful like a fire
You can heal the world with your mind
There is nothing in the world that you cannot do
When you believe in you, who are beautiful
yeah, you, who are brilliant
yeah, you, who are powerful
yeah, you, who are resilient
- India Arie

~*~

Day One: Sunlight & Singing

2009-07-27T17:35:00.017-04:00

July 27, 2009

Sunlight & singing welcome your coming...

What an exciting start! Here's a glimpse at day one in the Mighty Tipi:

After the introductions, we began our opening ceremony - a bestowing of gifts! Rather than the traditional art retreat goodie bag, I decided to present the girls with a special gift each morning that was made by a Mighty Woman. We begin our first day together with a gift created by the talented Pixie Campbell, whom I have the honor to call friend. Pixie is a Native American Indian Medicine Woman, proud mama, and gifted artist. She is strong, yet gentle - playful, yet centered. She made the girls medicine bags of sacred plants to be placed under their pillows at night.

Pixie's message to the Mighty Girls:

Made with LOVE for the creative process, LOVE for the feminine spirit and for those who carry the medicine that heals the world.

Red: for maidens and sacredness
Mugwort: health, hope, protection, dreams
Comfrey: regeneration, wound healing
Lavende: calms, soothes, balances
Juniper berries: purifies for safe, sacred space

After the gifts were presented, we began the ceremonial "I See You" exercise. I asked the Mighty Girls to write their names on a manila shipping tag. The tags were placed in my hat and shuffled. I asked the girls to pick a tag from the hat and hide it from view. I then asked the girls to secretly observe their chosen Mighty Girl all week and get to know her without being obvious, then make a mental list of all the qualities that she admires. The tag is to be kept at home hidden and the mission will be revealed at the closing ceremony.

Hmmmm a mystery....what fun! You will have to follow along with the Mighty Girls to find out what happens.

In the meantime...let the art making begin!!!!

We began prepping our art journals. The art journal is the foundation for our week long adventure. If you are unfamiliar with art journals, just google it and you'll find loads of information, inspiration and video tutorials. The Mighty Girls lightly sanded some board books before giving them a coat of gesso...

and topping them with Liquitex acrylic paints and water soluble oil pastels from Dick Blick.

While the art journals dried in the sun...we ate our yummy snacks and I introduced the topic for the day: Fitting in vs. belonging.

This is a challenge we have all faced as young girls, yes? I clearly remember feeling like I didn't fit in. There seemed to be distinct groups of kids...the popular, the braniacs, the jocks, the bullies and the nerds. Everyone's worst fear was being a nerd. I didn't feel like there was a place for me. Brené so eloquently wrote about this on her blog, Ordinary Courage. I too clearly remember looking into our enormous, noisy cafeteria hoping to see someone I knew whom I could sit with. Now as an adult, and especially since I became a mom, I think it would take a lot to shake my sense of self, my personal power. Yet, there have been times where I've felt a pang of the adolescent inside me...like occasionally at gatherings wherein a small group of adult friends coagulate, to the exclusion of everyone else and talk and laugh about things of which no one else is privy. When we experience this, we often describe it as, "Oh, it was so high school" and we all know what that means. How can we make it better for this generation of girls? What can we do to help build a foundation of confidence, courage, resilience?

There wasn't much dialog from the girls about the topic so I decided to let it simmer and had the girls pair up with handfuls of body markers from Creativity Inc. to create their own tattoos...

Once sated and inked, we began creating our last project for the morning...patterned papers that will be used in the days ahead.

My Mighty boy stopped by and painted with us.

And I'm not sure which Mighty Girl left this message on the drop cloth, but I love you too...

There will be more fun tomorrow...I promise!

~*~

"Fitting in is becoming who you think you need to be in order to be accepted. Belonging is being your authentic self and knowing that no matter what happens, you belong to you."
- Brené Brown

~*~

Letters from Camp: A Mighty Team

2009-07-24T07:41:00.010-04:00

July 24, 2009

A big, warm, hello from Mighty Girl Art. I'm looking forward to making mighty art with you inside our mighty tipi. During our 5 day adventure, we'll be sharing our gifts, sharing our stories, sharing ourselves, inspiring each other and making some really cool stuff. We'll get messy, we'll get silly, and maybe even dance for joy. It will be a wondrous journey. In the meantime, I'm very excited to announce that I have found our Mighty Intern...

It is my honor to introduce you to Jessica...

Jessica is a recent graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and is spending the majority of her summer catching up on four years of missed sleep and leisure reading before she packs up and heads down to the Appalachian Mountains for college. As a vegetarian and a naturalist she is looking forward to a more pristine environment in which to grow both spiritually and academically. Southern by birth - born in Atlanta, Georgia - Jessica appreciates the cultural diversity offered in our NOVA area, is fluent in German , and is learning both Arabic and Farsi. She is a skilled musician who plays the cello and guitar and has recently started learning to play the Banjo in preparation for her college's Blue Grass band. Not without an artistic side, Jessica has won awards in creative writing, has a publishing contract offer on a book, and names the camera lens and written words as her media of choice. When opportunity presents she does find it difficult to resist working with her hands to make whatever she may fancy, including a nearly life-sized, purple, pink, and chrome “Terrordactyl.”

"The opportunity to join Wendy with the Mighty Girl Camp gives me a chance to help another group of budding young women realize their potential and build their strength both from within and with each other." - Jessica

Wondrous Journeys Still To Be Ours...

2009-05-13T08:25:00.002-04:00

May 13, 2009

The Summer 2009 Launch of Mighty Girl is sold out!

Stay tuned for photos and notes from the Mighty Tipi in July!

I would like to thank the Mighty Sponsors listed in the sidebar, whose generous support has enabled me to do mighty things ~ Wendy

Sunlight and singing welcome your coming...

The Story of Mighty Girl Art™

2009-05-01T10:31:00.027-04:00

Let me but do my work from day to day,
In field or forest, at the desk or loom,
In roaring market-place or tranquil room;
Let me but find it in my heart to say,
When vagrant wishes beckon me astray,
"This is my work; my blessing, not my doom;
Of all who live, I am the one by whom
This work can best be done in the right way."
Then shall I see it not too great, nor small,
To suit my spirit and to prove my powers;
Then shall I cheerful greet the labouring hours,
And cheerful turn, when the long shadows fall
At eventide, to play and love and rest,
Because I know for me my work is best. - Henry Van Dyke

The Story is...I have been wanting to do this for a long, LONG time. I can't tell you how many times I've been told, "Wendy, you should do a workshop for girls", and each time, I felt a pang in my heart. As a young girl, my aptitude tests scored equally high in both science and art. I had no idea what that meant or what to do with that information. All I knew was that I loved making art and I wanted to keep making art for the rest of my life.

After graduating high school, I took as many art classes as I could afford at local universities. I needed to support myself so I also trained as a phlebotomist and medical assistant. I considered going to nursing school, but with every attempt the door closed due to finances a/o timing. A friend said, "Did you ever stop to think that maybe nursing is NOT what you are SUPPOSED to do". I knew that I wanted to play a role in the health and healing of others, but I felt equally passionate about art. I worked as a medical assistant for over 20 years, and never stopped making art.

When I became pregnant and gave birth to my son, I had a very deep awakening. I finally understood the power of the feminine force. It became very clear that I could no longer work in the medical field. I wanted to find a way to empower young girls to discover the gift of their inherent creativity. I wanted to give them what I wished I had at their age.

Four years later, while sitting on a picnic sheet in a beautiful field with my son and feeling completely inspired by our family trip to Squam Art, I said to him, "this is like our field of dreams" and then that line from the movie started playing on continuous loop in my mind..."If you build it, they will come". So, I photographed the spot and entitled the piece, "sunlight and singing welcome your coming".

I wanted the space to be magical and symbolic. I wanted this workshop to be the kind I wish I had when I was a girl. I just knew that the tent had to be round, a sacred circle which symbolizes unity, wholeness and the female spirit.

I wanted a modern day Tipi...and I found it!

Then with a gentle nudge from my husband...

I bought the tipi, The House of Belonging,
banged my drum of intention,
and the girls came, dancing to the beat.

I set a nominal fee for the workshop so that I could reach out to as many girls as possible. There was only one hurdle left - in order for me to show the girls that their voices were indeed valid and honored, I needed to provide them with a variety of interesting and high quality materials to work with. Soon there was an outpouring of generosity from my favorite manufacturers. Every time a box arrived, I found myself in tears. I am humbled by and grateful for the support of my sponsors for without them, I would not be able to manifest Mighty Girl Art™ in the manner in which I've envisioned.

In retrospect, it's fortuitous that so many of my friends are artists, doctors, and nurses. All of them helped me to find my way. I can't help but reflect upon the weekend my friend Maezen, came to stay with me...the morning when she said, "Wendy....Mighty Girl Art is your medicine". I joked about her getting all Pixie on me, but the truth is I was awake for most of that night thinking about the many layers of truth in her statement. The next morning with tears in my eyes I said, "Thank you for being my teacher".

I understand now that the reason I could not find my "calling" (a job that combined both art and healing) was because it didn't exist. It didn't exist because I needed to create it for myself.

Mighty Girl Art™ workshops are small in order to foster a sense of connection and to provide individual attention. I am honored that our classes sell out quickly, but it breaks my heart to have to turn away girls when the class is full. We have given this careful consideration. After many requests for a more sessions, and with the help of my husband, we renovated my old studio to seat a cozy 6 for Mighty Girl Art™ Wintry Workshop. We will soon be tearing down walls and building bridges once more by offering a Spring-e-course for Mighty Girls around world.

Together we will do Mighty Things!

~Wendy

Wendy Cook is a visual artist and Stay At Home Mom, although she prefers the term, "Play At Home Mom". Formerly a NYC native, she is now nesting in beautiful Northern Virginia where she is manifesting Mighty Adventures with her husband and son.

~*~

The things you know before you hear them;
these are you and the reason you are in the world
- William Stafford

~*~

Word on the Street....

2008-12-16T08:39:00.004-05:00

Click on notes to enlarge...

Wanted: Mighty Intern

2008-11-16T10:25:00.004-05:00

If you're strong enough to hold the 12 foot pole of my tipi while I hammer the stakes; if you enjoy making art with a bunch of awesome kids; if you're inclined to bust out a happy dance and not worry about looking like a dork; if you laugh loudly, have a big smile, a kind heart and a sense of adventure...

Click HERE to download an intern application!

Responsibilities include:

arriving early to raise the tipi
assist with camper arrival
set up of tipi interior
set up and distribution of project materials
clean up of project materials to ensure smooth transition between projects
engage, encourage and support girls as they explore various mediums
assist in keeping everyone on task
assist taking down the tipi and overall camp clean-up
assist with camper departure

Registration Form

2008-10-16T05:59:00.006-04:00

One little formality...please download a copy of these registration forms and:

fill it out
then email it to me
or mail it to me so that I have it before camp starts
or at the very least bring it with you on the first day of camp...

I must have emergency contact information in the event that you laugh until your face hurts or you chip your nail polish while dancing for joy or something like that...

Click HERE to download a registration form!
Next click HERE to download the disclaimer form!

*Please note that the address of the camp site is not on the form. This is to protect the privacy of the girls and the camp site. Only the parents of registered campers can access that info. If you are registering your daughter for camp, the address and phone numbers will be in the signature of our email exchange. Please save that information. Thank you.

Mighty Girl Art™ Tour

2008-09-17T11:47:00.004-04:00

Have tipi, will travel! Yes, Mighty Girl Art™ will come to your town, school, organization, camp or art retreat. Please contact us regarding available dates.

via pixels: wendy(at)wendycook(dot)com
via waves 571 268-5070

Mighty Resources

2008-03-17T11:28:00.020-04:00

Amazon.com Widgets

Click HERE to view the complete list of recommended books!

Organizations:

About Face: To equip girls and women with tools to understand and resist harmful media messages that affect self-esteem and body image.

Tao-Girl: Tao-Girls are a community of girls, ages 11-17 who support and encourage each other to be self confident, powerful and bold.

Girls Health: Created to promote healthy and positive behaviors in girls, giving them reliable and useful health information in a fun, easy-to-understand way. The website also provides information to parents and educators to help them teach girls about healthy living.

Girls Inc.: A nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through a network of local organizations in the United States and Canada that empowers girls to reach their full potential and to understand, value, and assert their rights.

Red Moon: Coaching Moms in welcoming their coming-of-age daughters into womanhood with ease and comfort.

Hardy Girls Healthy Woman: A nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and well being of girls and women. Our vision is that all girls and women experience equality, independence, and safety in their everyday lives.

Campaign For Real Beauty: Our movement is building a world where women everywhere have the tools to inspire each other and the girls in their lives.

Guerrilla Girls: A bunch of anonymous females who take the names of dead women artists as pseudonyms and appear in public wearing gorilla masks to expose sexism and racism in politics, the art world, film and the culture at large.

I Am Beautiful: A documentary film focusing on the rich stories women have to tell about coming to terms with their self-images, and explores the obstacles many women overcome to be able to proclaim that they are indeed beautiful from the inside out.

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Coalition to protect the health of consumers and workers by securing the corporate, regulatory and legislative reforms necessary to eliminate dangerous chemicals from cosmetics and personal care products.

Stop Bullies: An anti Bullying Blog created to help provide information and resources for children, teens and adults that are victims of bullying.

Camps, Workshops & Retreats:

Brave Girl Camp: A retreat for women who are ready to meaningfully and artfully move forward on their individual paths.

Cosmic Cowgirls: Their philosophy is rooted in their belief that self expression and creativity are tools for healing and personal illumination.

Imagine a Woman: Gather woman-affirming thoughts, words, rituals, and exercises and experience HOPE-filled resources of empowerment for yourself, and your daughters, granddaughters, and nieces.

Mermaid Warriors: Want to teach your own girl's camp, see McCabe!

Goddess School: Creativity & spirituality to discover the Goddess in You

Squam Art Workshops: An art retreat that has been described as both mystical and magical.

Wish Studio Workshops: Rock your creative girl power! Juicy creative living workshops and a tutu friendly adventure

Make A Difference:

Because I Am A Girl: A campaign to fight gender inequality and promote girls' rights. Across the world, girls face the double discrimination of their gender and age, leaving them suffering at the bottom of the social ladder. Girls are denied access to health services and education, and also face extremely high levels of violence, abuse, and harassment.

Girl Up: A campaign of the United Nations Foundation, gives American girls the opportunity to channel their energy and compassion to raise awareness and funds for programs of the United Nations that help some of the world’s hardest-to-reach adolescent girls.

Tips for Mothers of Teens AND Tips for Dads of Teens

Something to think about...