Dreams & Wishes Come True Camps

As the wide-open days of summer come to a close, it's easy to be a wee bit wistful for the Creative Summer Dreams and WISH Camps - two magical weeks in June and July when we created ab-soul-utely *magical memories* with two amazing groups of girls, ages 9-13. 

June's Creative Dreams Camp was the birthing place of eight new Super-She-roes, each with her own unique mission, super-powers and attire. We proudly introduce these "Avant Guardians" and unleash their magnificence onto the planet! 

Taquito Vampire Girl

Party Person with Sidekick "Churro Monkey  

The SHELL (protected by her "Shelld)

WEIRDO

Aqua Girl with Sidekick "Nemo"

The BabySitter with Sidekick "Tiger Cub"

GLOBAL Girl

Francesca the Friendly Fairy

Our super-friends boldly donned capes plus designed and crafted individual Shero masks and Power Bracelets, then transported to the playground in high style! There's an undeniable  surge of  confidence and power that comes by simply adding a cape - remarkable! 

(Which begs the question: Have you worn a cape lately? Well, what are you waiting for?)

These prolific super-girls wrote and shared stories and power words 

(made even more power-full when typed on the groovy old electric typewriter!). 

Together, we explored night time and day dreams, made personalized mixed-media dream books,  and added to co-created artistic imagery for our dream "portal" door.  We also collectively painted a giant canvas which was then cut into pieces and sewn into each girls' individual Power Bracelet and  treasured accordion book. 

There was a unique opportunity to co-write our very own "Seriously Silly Song" with local singer-songwriter, Serenity Fisher.  

And to end the week, these super-sheroes activated their cumulative power to plan and present a final "Blamtastic" Event in which they shared their dream-creations and experiences with family and friends. 

Watch our Blam-tastic Video here!

AND -- July Summer WISHes Camp was every bit as magical!!

We got off to a brilliant start learning about the healing power of creating mandalas and then joining together with our WISH-full intentions to co-create a giant mandala out of colored sand.

The next day, we all smeared the creation into a sand-rainbow and, while sending WISH energy, saved a baggie of sand for each girl to use in her Wish Jar later in the week.

We filled "Butterfly WISH Journals" with beautiful mixed-media inspiration, watched WISH-filled words become shrinky-dink necklace art, sewed fun and funky "Freak Flags"- proudly declaring and owning our individual and collective power and beauty. 

We wrote "I am From" poems and hilarious stories incorporating our favorite things. At the end of the week, we used our WISH Mandala sand to put in our very own *WISH* Jar, which was then filled with more star-dust, wish words, seashells, charms, beads and trinkets and adorned in fibrous fabrics and ribbons.

Without a doubt, a week of wishes come true!

Watch July's Summer Wishes Camp Video! 

Whew, now that's what we call "creative collaboration"!! 

And -- wow - didn't even mention the super-charged *Photo-Fun* shoots with LiveinLove Photography founder, Mallory Matson!! In this case, the photos speak for themselves.....

We LOVE these summer camp sessions with the girls, with a whole week to build JOY-full commUNITY and watch as each girl's creativity sparkles and shines. These girls truly bask in their own creative glory and it is a privilege to share these moments and days with them. 

Each camp session was made possible through our proud partnership with Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance (MDAA) and took place in the summer camp bungalow that sits ever so unassumingly behind the Snyder House in Cottell Park. So thankful to MDAA for providing the opportunity and to the girls and their families for allowing us to share this sacred time with each and every one.

We offer Saturday sessions monthly at the Snyder House, alternating between sessions for Girls and sessions for Grown Gals. The next session for Girls is Sat October 13 with a theme of "Trick-or-Treat ReTREAT".  We're offering a Grown Gal Trilogy - three sessions to complete the year, with the option to attend one, two or all three.  

September 8: GIVE. RECEIVE. ACCEPT.

November 17: GRATITUDE. CORNUCOPIA. ABUNDANCE.

December 8: GIFTS. PRESENCE. PLAY.

"You'll KNOW it when you see it..."

Dearest Creative Soul Sister,

This is a heartfelt, reflective story of how one magical weekend retreat changed my life.

It all started seven years ago during a hot Cincinnati July. I had just met an amazing, sparkly woman named Glenda. After a few days working side by side in a steamy creativity studio, she told me about a retreat. She told me it was happening in October at a place called Wisdom House in Connecticut. She told me it was being coordinated by Marney Makridakas and her crew at Artella. She told me Artella was all about the “dance between words and art.” And she invited me to go, too. (Thank you, thank you, wondrous Glenda!)

Glenda with her spirit doll

Now, I had only just met Glenda. I had never heard of Artella. I didn't know a single thing about the setting, the other retreaters, the agenda for the weekend, and I had not been scouting for a possible retreat to go to… Yet, instantly, I knew - and I knew deep and true - where I needed to be come October.

It's hard to give words to that kind of "KNOW"ing (y'know?! ;-)) - there is something visceral, something majorly INternal, something almost divine about it. Such KNOWing is random and spotty in my life  - I am far more familiar and even (dare I say?) "comfortable" entertaining doubts and resistance and what if's and if onlys and.... and all that stuff that applies to the official decision making process.

(Going off on a bit of a TANGENT now - stay with me, if you would - feels important..... As I sit writing, I am ultra-aware of how miraculous it is that I had that moment of KNOWing at all – it is painfully clear that I was never taught to tune into that intuitive spark, much less trust it - no, I had many a lesson in how to weigh pros and cons and set priorities and strive toward goals and improve in linear fashion - but I do not recall a single solitary time when I was encouraged to trust my gut or follow my heart. I'm searching the old memory banks, but --- nope, not finding anything)....

Anyway -- knowing very little, something wise in me took action - I registered for the weekend event, with no clue where I was going, how I was getting there, who I would room with or really what I would do, other than it was related to words and art. Something in me knew without knowing.

Glenda, Tamara, Robin, Lisa & Goddess 

And that one weekend changed my life. I don't say that lightly. And I certainly didn't expect for it to change my life - I just thought it sounded like a fun weekend away - something special to give to myself during a tough transition.... yet, especially now, looking back, seven YEARS later - that weekend gave the deep, real, truest part of me back to myself. The theme for the retreat was "Wild Child" - and that twirly, giggly little girl who got squashed and shoulded and wounded way back whenever?  - well, she came back out to play. And here she remains.....

Gathered in a circle making art in Wisdom House

It wasn't what we DID there that weekend, really - although all of that was remarkable and insanely fun - it was the community of women gathering in sacred space to honor their truest selves. The fact that we gave our individual and collective selves time and energy dedicated to expressing something beautiful - in words, in art, in movement and play and conversation and dreams and laughter and song....

It is really kind of mind-blowing, honestly, to define just how much that single weekend has impacted my life --

* It was the 1st time I was introduced to Laughter Yoga (thank you, Goddess!) - and now I am a certified Laughter Yoga Leader (getting ready to go facilitate a session at the local Retirement Community Center in the next half hour, actually ;-)).

* It was the 1st time I met the Nine Modern DayMuses (and a BodyGuard) and learned about Creativity Coaching, and now I am a certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach (thank you, Jill!). 

Walking Labyrinth at 1 Osprey Lane

*It was where I declared that the next time I moved, I'd have a yard with my very own walking labyrinth (to share, of course) - and now I do.

*That weekend was the first time I dabbled in the genuine magic of women gathering in commUNITY and now, together, Glenda & I co-create and co-facilitate programs designed to provide women and girls with time, space and permission to nourish their souls with words and art in community.

 And ever since we left the grounds of Wisdom House all those years ago, we have eagerly anticipated the time when we might get to reTREAT once again. So, last July, Glenda and I reserved sacred space at Transfiguration Spirituality Center where the tagline is "a place of outrageous hope and extravagant hospitality" and we ignited the flames of women we know (and have yet to know) toward creatively collaborating to manifest another weekend retreat in October 2012. 

Yes, something meaningful and lasting transpired that magical weekend in Connecticut.

This is my story.

And this is my oh-so sincere invitation to you to click the link to learn more about the 1st annual Creative Collaborative ReTREAT: If you feel called to GIVE yourself sacred time, space and inspirational commUNITY, then ACCEPT this opportunity and RECEIVE the multitude of blessings waiting to unfold.

Live a little..... watch the video to see what's in store..... "you'll know it when you see it..."

With so much gratitude and creative blessings coming your way - would love to share an autumn retreat weekend with you, if it's the thing to do....

~Robin Ok