Women's Circles: A How To Video!

Hello Pumpkins! Today we're talking Womens Circles. I remember a time when Womens Circles seemed like a girl-scout-goddess-dream that I could never achieve--circles were for wise women, or women who lived on beaches. LAMESAUCE! Circles are achievable.

Circles are healing. Circles are Empowering.

When I decided to begin my circle, I was surprised by the lack of actual information available. There was a lot of really beautiful vague fluffy talk about the bliss surrounding circles, but I wanted to see bullet points. I wanted instructions. So, in an effort to spare you time and frustration I made this short video tool kit to get your circle kick started!

*RESOURCES*

Here are a few sites and titles to get you started, Kittens!

Casting The Circle: A Women's Book of Ritual: This book is great: it's practical, well organized and full of how-to information for beginners. I refer to this book constantly.





















The Millionth Circle: This is an immensely helpful book that describes the functions of womens circles, offers trouble shooting solutions and reads like poetry.





















The Goddess Circle: If you haven't met Goddess Leonie, you should. Her site is full of amazing goddess goodies and offers a digital womens circle. She's got workbooks, videos and an astounding sparkling pile of resources. Check it out!

Grrrl Camp Recap!

Hello Cherubs! This weekend my womens circle tore it UP at Grrrl Camp: a paint spattered punk rock island for lost girls! It was what we wished girl scout camp had been like, complete with opening ceremony, raunchy camp songs and Southern Comfort. Guests sported their best camp attire and rough-housed till the sun went down! Here's a recap of the festivities:

Camp Counselor: Yours Truly.

Your Co Counselor: Skallywag (aka Mom) serious trouble maker,
belly dancer extraordinaire and destroyer of beers. As you
can see, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

We had a kick ass craft table fully stocked with googly eyes.
The McGyver Craft Challenge was brutal! Many good
pipe cleaners were lost. Camp is NOT for the faint of heart...

After a wicked water balloon fight, intense tug-o-war competition
and recovering from Red Rover--we broke out the war paint.
Here's Anna showing off her sweet sleeve.

After an entire day of shenanigans we needed SERIOUS refreshments:
Cue the brews and smart dogs. These ladies brought a MOUNTAIN of
food. Lost Girls never go hungry. :)

And to close, an awesome drum circle! We shook it till our scout sashes fell off. We had a blast watching the fire-fly firework display flickering in the woods while we stumbled through songs we thought we'd all forgotten.

We went to bed sunburned, reeking of bug spray, with new friends and bruises. It's good to be a grrrl.

Womens Circle: The "C" Word

Hello Shortcakes!* It was a flurry of activity at HerSpeak HQ this week! It was a blast to take full advantage of the invigorating full moon and meet with my women's circle! Amid the massive protesting and tumultuous political climate here in Wisconsin, it was grounding to get together and hide out with friends. This month our discussion focus was creativity: What was the last creative project you worked on? Do you feel like an inner creative life is vital? What or who makes you feel like a juiced-up genius? What forms does your creativity take? Oh...and cupcakes. :)
*We took turns describing our creative practices, and the difference between pipe dreams, wishes and goals. You couldn't help but get jazzed listening to everyone speak electrically about the amazing plans they have and using sailor speak to spill their super secret creative desires. Every time we meet I am joyously surprised by what bubbles up to the surface when spit-fire women get together.

*We closed the evening with a wishcasting: everyone took a moment to cook up a creative wish. Each of us lit a candle, wished with vigor and were backed with the enthusiasm and strength of the group: "I wish for my band to have a righteously kick ass stepping-out show." "As Molly wishes for herself, so we wish for her also!" We lit candles for members of the circle who couldn't attend due to life difficulties and sent them our Love. After all wishes were cast, we blew out the lights birthday-cake-style, sending our good juju sure-fire out to the Universe!
Here's wishing all of you in the blogosphere a breathtakingly creative cycle! Until Next Time- Much Joy & Merry Making!

Everything is New: Womens Circle Bon Fire

Hello Sparrows!* Story Time...
Recently our women's circle gathered in my mum's backyard under a full moon for our First Annual Fire Ritual. We bundled up and walked down the hill where were greeted by an impressive funeral pyre--we had things to let go of.

We huddled together and were covered in purple sage smoke. All of us brought items to cast into the fire: years of journals, letters that were never sent, messy paperwork, regrets, hurt, burdens and napkins jotted with fears. In turn we each offered them to the fire with relief and tears. We were proud of each other--proud that we could be naked like this, be honest. We asked that our sicknesses and worries be lifted from us and that the holes in our souls be filled with the warmth of our pits' hot amber sparks and strength.

Then we offered thanks, gratitude for all the incredible gifts we experience by throwing a sweet handful of lavender into the flame. Thank you Universe for our families, our food, our resources, good drink, our bedsheets and friendships. We prayed to Great Spirit that we'd ride a kinder gentler vibration and Trust in the Way of Things, that goodness would find us.

We stood together, our faces a-glow, casting long blue moon shadows and let out a wild Howl.

We left the smoldering fire cracking in the yard to pop open bottles of wine. We celebrated because we knew we had each other. We celebrated because we knew we could heal. We celebrated because we know that everything is going to be alright.

Until Next Time~
Much Joy and Merry Making!

New Work, New Events, New Friends!

*Hello Gumdrops! It has been approximately a berziollion years since I've blogged--I've been busy. Real busy. In the best way. :) In a mere five weeks I will graduate as a Big Bad Fine Artist and I've been writing thesis lectures and preparing for my exhibition as well as a few other exciting things. I'm so excited to share it with you! Here's the spark notes recap:

Morrigan 30 x 40 inches oil on canvas

Morrigan II 40 x 90 inches charcoal on gessoed board

Eater 40 x 30 inches oil on canvas

She Ruined Them One by One 80 x 60 inches
in progress charcoal on gessoed board

These are a few images from my latest series of destroyer goddess works titled, Attained at The End of Desire. I feel like I've really hit a turning point in my painting--and drawing for that matter. Drawing and I never seemed to get along but after much arm wrestling we figured out how to make it work. :) Click 'em for a larger view.

Joe and I painting set pieces--working REALLY hard...

This Halloween, Drippy Lip Productions helped our friends Beewitchingbee Magical Supply throw their Third Annual Season of the Witch Extravaganza! This was such a fun project--cool people, a good team and an awesome turn out. We can't wait for next year! You can check out the super cute stop motion movie we made for the event here!

Near the beginning of fall, it felt like the right time--so I rounded up my best lady friends and we coordinated our very first Women's Circle. How incredible. It was a beautiful evening of REAL conversation, healing and of course--snacks. Our next meeting is next week! We're going to try our hands at a releasing ritual. :)

And when I'm not at work or school I've been down in the studio with my band, Onward Rex Goliath, making a record! This process has been amazing. Writing collaboratively with the group and experimenting with recording has opened creative flood gates. Rock and roll, kids!

Aaaand when I'm not working, schooling, making or recording I'm helping my bestest girlfriend in the Universe, Kelly, get married!! She and her soon-to-be-hubby are getting hitched in 2 weeks and this maid of honor can't...freakin....wait. I threw her a sugar coated midsummer Mad Tea bridal shower--if you want to take a peek. :)

Now--I'm dieing to know, kittens. What have you been up to?

Until next time--which I promise will be soon--
Much Joy and Merry Making!

Sacred Commission: Women's Circles

Lake Michigan is cloud colored today--big sheets of ice are jigsawed together in the harbor and the snow keeps snowing. If the cold is good for anything it's getting work done in the studio! Yesterday was the first time I'd left the apartment in almost 3 days, can you say cabin fever? Wowza.
I spent the evening putting finishing touches on another commission piece. This was a total treat to make as I haven't had the chance to play with oil paints in quite awhile. They are such a sensual medium: very responsive to your brushes (and fingers), the have a very particular almost vinegary aroma and a sheen you just can't get with anything else. I also included little flecks of fuschia foil and a dash of sparkley nail polish to give it it a little extra glow. (I had difficulty photographing this piece and getting anything but glare.) As was requested by the masses, here is the finished product:
I was asked to create a dreamy circle of soul dancers gathering in a moonlit garden. I like to think they are enjoying themselves being watched by fireflies, purple stars and mother Moon. Lately, there has been a flurry of talk in the blogosphere about Women's Circles: creating them, attending them, reminiscing about them, dreaming about them, hopes for them. I've always been intrigued, even delighted by the idea but never had the opportunity to partake in one. I've been to book clubs, ladies only cocktail parties, Lady Vampire Balls and Knit'n'Bitch sessions but never to what I've come to understand is a Women's Circle. So I thought--well then why don't I hostess one? Then it occurred to me, I don't really know what it is.

Has anyone out there ever attended a women's circle? Do you want to attend one? What can I expect? What do I do? What do I bring? Does someone lead? Do you determine a theme for what you'll discuss in advance or is it more organic than that? If you have any experiences to share or ideas to add--I'd love to hear your thoughts!

*~Many Blissings, Friends!~*