My Blissdom 2012 BLISS

It takes a couple days of reentry for me to gather my wits about me to write and gush about Blissdom.
I feel really lucky that I have such an amazing pool of talented and KIND people in my life.
From the moment I got to the GAYLORD {um, I love me some Gaylord Opryland} I felt right at home and ready to reconnect with friends and meet new people.

Something always sticks about Blissdom to me.  
The kindness.
It really does overflow and I really do feel included in all aspects of the experience.
Alli said something that made me laugh but it rings so true... She said how they only want the best + the NICEST folks there. It's true. I think the feeling of Blissdom is encapsulated in this idea. I feel welcomed and loved there. I feel loved even for my differences. I feel loved for my gifts + for my abilities. I feel like someone who does not know me will try and get to know me + even if we are very different people with different views on life- it won't matter. We will find something to connect with at Blissdom. We will. I am as always honored to be with these folks.

I liked the conference set up this year a lot. I enjoy fewer speakers + choices in the day so that I am focusing on the tracts that I really need and not overwhelmed by all of the people/speakers that I would like to see. I have to give a shout out to Jeff Goins + his writing workshop. I think that kid is going places. I see him speaking all over the place, throwing inspiration everywhere up into the air.
I had a good moment in that session. I was reminded that I am not a fraud or a fake writer.
Sometimes the bad self talk can take over me and I feel like a faliure because I am not as published as I would like to be. I was reminded to be who I am and this was just what I needed.

The handmade market was AWESOME. Please do it again next year y'all! BIGGER! LONGER! OH YEAH. People responded so well to Little Alouette + I was in the company of so many favorite makers. Heaven!

and just all the people
and just all the food + drink
and just all the learning
and just all the amazing love
it was all
just
bliss

The Creative Connection Event and me

My beautiful panelist peers: Sacred Suds, Liv , Sarah Jane 

The bar was rocking with my roomie Suzy and our pals Debbie and Melissa. 

The Creative Connection Event is an amazing conference in Minnesota.

I attended the first one in 2010 when Scout was just a wee newborn and this year I went back on my own for some creative renewal. I was on two panels with these fabulous women and had a booth at the spectacular market. WHIRLWIND.

My beautiful panel Crissy and Becky

I love this woman so much. 

I am unsure how to describe this event. It is part inspiration and part business event. You are able to take art and craft  and cooking classes all day long. They have cheese making to painting and everything in between. You can learn from panels and workshops on how to grow or start a craft business and you can shop the amazing market too. You can hear keynote speakers and become inspired and motivated. You can meet with editors and industry leaders. It is so much rolled into a conference where EVERYONE is kind and engages with each other.

I loved meeting so many cool people. I loved all of the keynotes:

Hello! Fabulous women all around me!

I have more to say about this magical event.

I will be giving shout outs each week to all the gorgeous women that I met in Minnesota!

First one:

Check out this Darling:

Amy Barickman 

She is an amazing sewing and crafting goddess!

{more about her later- she gave me a pattern and I am going to make a dress!}

Work it. Own it. Own it.

Karen took my photograph at a time in my life where I feel way less beautiful than ever but somehow in these images I see something lovely. Some badassery as she calls it.
I feel like she got my soul in these shots.
And you know our souls are never fat.


Karen Walrond is the author of The Beauty of Different. {buy it people}
She also has a life goal of photographing 1000 faces.  {my god I could be in a book someday}
She is smart and sexy and so very beautiful.
And she is kind.
And she is loving.
And I am proud that she is my friend.


A major highlight of Blissdom was our tiny photo moment together.

returning from Bliss

I have a lot to say about Blissdom- I just got back last night. It was awesome. I forgot my camera so I need to wait till peeps start flickring and I can add some pics and tell you about the conference.  Did you attend Blissdom? Did we meet? I loved the way we all talked to each other. The kindness that was everywhere...

Last night I wrote this because CCR was playing all around me.

Flash Mob Resource Party {human sparklers}

There are so many amazing people in this world.




I found out a long time ago that the way to deal with feelings of "other people are cooler than me" bull crap is to just stop saying things that are negative like that.
Someone asked me at Alt why everyone knew me.  

Wow. Everyone knows you Amy.
I stopped in the hallway and said :
nope- I know/meet everyone and then they know me...there is a difference.

I approach people. I stick my hand out. I smile and lean in at the sparkly things in life.
I am here for the good ride. I want to meet and interact with as many people as I can.
It does me no good to feel inadequate.
I have this theory that we are all the same really. Shocking? Yes. {epic}

You will surprise yrself at how good it feels to share yrself with others.
People say they are shy and introverted but I am shy too. I am worried what a bold nightmare that I might seem to appear- but it's important. I am not always looking to gather or glean anything from a new person but inspiration. And honey- that's free.  
 It's the hottest commodity around and it will take you EVERYWHERE.

I have to talk myself up to be social too at times. I swear. I am at my heaviest weight right now. I feel less than effervescent. It is a struggle to self love. But I have gifts to share and so do you. We all do. It has been whispered for ions. YOU ARE WORTHY. {we are} Start a flipping revolution on yr coffee corner today. Say hello. {to the people who live on this earth with us}


Erin is someone that many moons ago I started dialogue with bc I thought she was a human sparkler.
{i was so right} We have been online tiny friends- you know- you know of each other and are friends on facebook or something similar but you don't really know each other... you hope that they are offline what you fancy them to be and it kicks major ass when you are right.

Erin is this little dynamo.
I love her and I can feel her love coming right back.
What if I would not have reached out?
I would be in a dimmer place bc this kiddo has light shining all around her.

So- let me tell you one of the amazing things she does:

She has these crazy big circles called "resource parties"
where she assembles people in a giant circle in a hotel lobby or outside.  
Strangers. Yes.
Shocking. Yes. 
 {epic}

And we all write on an index card something that we want to accomplish.
Something we want. YES.
And we go around the circle and read it out loud. This is the {epic} part.
SING IT
SAY IT!
And then- people raise their hands if they can help you with this THING.
This BIG thing! Or SMALL thing.
But it is yr THING.


Like someone says: Hi I am Amber and I want to write for _____ magazine. And then someone across the circle raises his hands and says- Hey Amber- I freelance and I will share my contacts.
They look at each other and connect via cards and the world is settled.
It goes on and on and people find assistants and agents and flats in Paris and studios and on and on.
BECAUSE- we are mighty when we are together.
When we don't fear each other. 

And sometimes all you get is inspired to do something.
But that will sail you places too.
It will make you a human sparkler.

And Erin will tell you about it.
i will make her do it at blissdom 

I hope you are lucky enough to meet her someday.
I hope I am lucky enough to meet you.

fat face headshots FOR THE WIN!

The good news is that I am speaking at ALT next year!
I am so honored to be in the mix of all these smart sassy folk.
Thank God I have @thatpatti as my neighbor/friend/pubmate AND photographer!

She's so awesome. I can just sit on her sofa
and she makes me look less tired than I am.

I hope to see some of you at ALT

xo

We are more alike than we are different

Amy and her Artwork, originally uploaded by Southern Fairytale (Rachel).

When Laura Mayes told me that I had a piece of art hanging in the show at Mom 2.0 I nearly choked. Me?
But, I really choked up when I saw it.
Those amazing ladies had 15 different artists create designs around bloggers words!
It was magic.

Thanks Rachel for the photo xo

My nose feels like Velcro.

I am suffering from a cold. It is devastating me. This winter is the worst.
I am trying every holistic concoction to feel better.
Every cocktail of herb and twig to rid me of this malarkey because I must board a plane on Thursday for Houston!
I am going to Mom 2.0 where I will spin round and round in a sea of pals and even speak a bit on "Why Women Are So 2.0". I am really excited to go- I just hope I feel better soon!
Any good ideas?
My nose feels like Velcro.

I also am taking a wee blog break so I can conference and attend to some Little Alouette business and others things. I have some awesome friends coming over to guest post for me for the next week. I know you will love them! (We may have a giveaway I heard! Awesome.)
I will be back refreshed and ready to burst back into my space with lerv.

If you are at MOM 2.0- follow @littlealouette for chances to win TOYS! xoxoxox
I may even have something to share. xoxoxo


photo via loveyourchaos

Blissdom Conference 2010

I am at speaking at Blissdom in Nashville this weekend!
I got here early this morning and am surrounded
by smart and gorgeous women.

It is lovely.
I attended some stellar pre conference workshops today
and am looking forward to the start of Blissdom in the morning.

I am currently thinking about deep and important issues
from my comfy bed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel:

What am I wearing to the cocktail party?


via pirouettes