Catie in her downy woodpecker mask she made at science camp.

Every Summer — in addition to camping trips and swimming lessons — I send the kids to at least two summer camps. Lest you think I am the kind of mom who doesn’t want to spend time with her kids…. Well, actually, sometimes I am the kind of Mom who doesn’t want to spend time with her kids. In fact yesterday I just about collapsed after the post-vacation foray to the grocery store. It was all I could do not to throw the ice cream in the freezer and leave the rest of the stuff on the counter while I collapsed on the couch with a martini. But I digress…

As I was saying, the kids go to two summer day camps. Last year they went to a couple of very different types of church camps, which I wrote about here. This year we made it to the first gung-ho “Jesus Freakin’ Loves You!” camp (also known as indoctrination camp). Then we opted for a science camp at one of our big urban parks. The girl’s favorite thing about camp — any camp — is the music. After a day at church camp they come back singing songs with lyrics like this:

I’m gonna clap my hands, I’m gonna stomp my feet
I’m gonna raise my hands, I’m gonna bow my knee,
From my head to my toes and all that’s in between
I’m giving you all of me…

But when they go to science camp they come home with songs like this:

It starts with an “S” and ends with a “T”
It comes out of you and it comes out of me
I know what your thinking but don’t call it that…
Lets be scientific and call it scat!

Yes, we have mastered The Scat Song. Our scientific education is now complete!

I am absolutely spinning from the brain dump of ideas that came from attending BlogHer 07. Paul and I have both had major epiphanies about our career paths because of the conferences. I can’t quite write about them yet, but I’d like as soon as they percolate a little bit.

One of the things I heard a lot about at the conference was in regards to “Art” and “Crafts” and how we use that terminology. What (or who) determines what (or who) gets the “art” designation and what (or who) gets the “crafts” tag? When I asked the Arts and Crafts panel that question Amy Sedaris was pretty sure that if you wanted to be an artist you probably need to be an alcoholic. If you’re sober most of the time you should probably just stick to googly eyes and be done with it. This confirms the suspicion her brother David had already planted in my soul — that if I want to be an artist I really should acquire some sort of life-threatening addiction. (Got any suggestions?)

I’m hoping to interview some art and craft bloggers about the art/craft dichotomy in the upcoming weeks. In fact, I met so many great women writer/artists that I know I’ll be highlighting them for days to come. Watch for interviews, tiny give-aways, and lots of referrals to worth-your-time blogs and worth-your-dollar products. In the meantime, here’s a vintage post from my old site that touches on the art-or-craft topic. May it bring you the kind of inspiration that spawns bravery, action, and artful living.

yours,

rachelle

Broken For You
Posted in Rites & Rituals, Priestess-y things, SFD & Arty Stuff | May 31st, 2005 at 9:25 pm

In the The Secret Life of Bees there is a character who has a unique affliction. She cannot decipher which sorrows are hers to carry and which are for others to bear. So whatever she hears, whatever sad tale she is told, it strikes her with its full grief and terror. Her sisters, good shepherds all, give her a way to express and reign in her sorrow. They help her build her very own wailing wall. With each fresh pain they add a stone, and the afflicted one is allowed to sit and sob, to write her sad tales on small scraps of paper and slip them in the hallows between the rocks. Soon the wall encircles their yard, and while it is not a foolproof system, while it does not protect her from grief, it gives her a way to live.

Being both Jew-ish and pagan-y, I have been captured by this ritual, this concretizing of sad things. Read the rest of this entry »

For those of you who attended the BlogHer session “Its not your size, it’s your passion that matters” I did today with Jen Lemen and Krystyn Heide, here’s some ideas for dealing with the Small Bloggers Blues

1. Take a break from your site meter
2. Redefine success for yourself. List all things your blog does for you (fosters gratitude in your life, helps you hone your craft, organizes your thoughts…)
3. Write yourself an affirmation. I like this one: “My story matters.”
4. Reach out to another small blogger. Take this feeling that you have about being discouraged or not “not mattering” and take it as a cue that you need to reach out to others who are feeling the same
5. Join the SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL google group. (I’ll link to it when it is available.)
6. Follow an comment you like back to the commenter’s blog you’ll probably find an inspirational read from someone who shares your values.
7. Tag your posts with your name (or nom de plume) and your blog name so like minded souls can find you.
8. Remind yourself that you are writing for an audience of one. Make yourself a sticker that says “I heart authenticity.”

Here’s some more tips on branding from literary agent Chip MacGregor. Thanks Chip, for giving me the okay to pass this along!

Seven Thoughts On Branding
Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary

I’ve had several authors ask me about the notion of “branding” (currently the hot-button topic among authors and publishers), and I wanted to share a couple thoughts with you, just to help you think through your own brand. I spent a half-day with a branding consultant two weeks ago — a guy who makes his living talking to businesses about establishing and strengthening their brands. (He wanted to talk about doing a book, so we agreed to swap information.) It seems like most of the information we get about branding in publishing circles is rather vague, so I asked him some specific questions about how the concept relates to authors. Some of his thoughts…

1. Make sure you understand what a “brand” is. A brand, in simplest terms, is “what you are known for” or “what a reader has in his/her mind when they walk into a bookstore and see your book.” The consultant I met with (Kevin), said to me, “In many ways a brand is simply a collection of perceptions people have about you.”
What does that mean to you? Consider the question…What perceptions to readers have about you from your books? If they were to read three or four of your books, what images would they come away with? Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a special shout out to all you readers who are at BlogHer 07 today….If any of y’all are planning on attending our 2:45 session, “It’s Your Passion Not Your Size that Matters,” here’s your chance to get a word in early. What are you hoping to get out of that session? Any questions you’d like to ask in advance? My comments are open to you….

The session on blogging is very cut-throat and business oriented. Not a lot of touchy feeling stuff in this lot. The main message is that in order to brand yourself you have to specialize. Not exactly the message a magpie like me wants to here! I like be distracted by sparkly things. I get too bored with just one topic or item. So what’s a girl to do?
Hmmm…the answer might be “just screw branding.”

In an effort not to toss the idea of branding and self promotion completely out with the bathwater, I thought I’d make some notes for a more rational, less discouraging moment. (If it ever appears.) Here are some of the questions that the panelists are asking us to ask ourselves:

What do you want to be known for?
What is your unique promise of value?
What uniquely do you stand for?
What is your 2-3 word tagline?

And here’s an assignment to help you write a blog post that both works your brand and captures attention:

Try writing a post that combines two non-related topics that you just happen to like and hook it back to your specialty?

Oh…the longer they talk the worse I feel. Maybe generalists are doomed to the bread line? I’m pretty sure this is another one of the big problems with trying to making a living via your art. The art/business marriage is certainly a rocky one.

The panelists would really hate “distracted by sparkly things” as tag line. Too vague. How about this one? “Artful things for soulful living”. What do you think?

Well we made it to Navy Pier in Chicago where 800 women bloggers have converged to swap business cards, collect swag, and quite possibly change the world. The Mommosphere seems to have taken over and there are Mommybloggers everywhere. As I wade through this sea of mom-writers one set of partners-in-crime stand out: Emily and Cooper of The Motherhood. These two are changing the world one tiny step at a time, by committing to blogher activism, Mom’s Uprising, and artful living. Go visit them at their first site Been There, or at their community site The Motherhood.

I’m off to learn how to brand myself. Do you think they mean this kind?

Cheers!

Rachelle

Wedding Mint

The Annette Benning

Doris Meets Garbo

Ooooo! I’ve had lots of time lately to fill up my on line shop with a treasure trove of sparkly things! Stop by and see all the pretty new vintage I have up — most for under $20. I’ve also got a new collection of $5 vintage accessories. Vintage items are now easily searchable by size categories: Tiny Girl, Medium Girl, and Curvy Girl. I especially like this dress and would love it to find a new home before the end of our sunny days!

Brand new at Magpie Girl are my eclectic, kitschy bracelets made out of vintage typewriter keys (customized for you!). I’m also offering inexpensive St. Mair and Lucy danglers for your rear view mirror. Oh, and the last of the Bun Bun litter has arrived in three new colors. And of course, I still have copies of Tweet, which is making its way world wide with a slew of recent orders from Austrailia! (So fun!)

Come on by while the shopping is easy!

heart,

the magpie girl

My nephew, Ulysees, sporting my Magpie Girl swag on his bulging muscles.

Hello Lovelies! How nice you’ve all been to me lately with links and kudos and encouragement. I do so appreciate you! My comments somehow caught the flu and forgot to call in sick. I discovered a hidden treasure trove of messages waiting unannounced in my moderation queue — some dating back to July 11th! I hope none of you even dreamed that I would refuse to answer the door when you came knock, knock, knocking. It was entirely technical difficulties, my dears, and now we are back in business.

Paul and I are in Chicago visiting a vast sea of cousin playmates. On Thursday we’ll abandon our girls to their grandparents and skitter downtown to play at BlogHer. We have adjacent rooms with Jen and her sister, Kristen, so it will be all red wine and dark chocolates all the time at our pad. I can’t wait to meet my virtual blogging pals IRL, including Elaine and Jennifer, and of course my partner in crime, Jen. Have you seen her just-in-time-for-blogger product? Dreamy! I do wish Leonie could be there from across the waters, and my nearby neighbor Shari, along with my priestessy friends Rose and Christine. We shall simply have to drink a toast in your honor dear ones!

Jen, Kristen, and I are big believers that small is beautiful, so we are filling our pockets for BlogHer. Will you be there? Come find us for perfectly tiny treasures. Well be the ones laughing our asses off in the hotel bar…

Oh, it’s raining again! Usually it’s sunny by July, even in our grey Seattle. But this Summer brings only extremes — 90+ degrees one week and then more rain in one day then we usually get all Summer. Both the girls woke up weepy and out of sorts today — Cate complaining of a headache and Eden saying she felt “too sad” and had to go back to bed. It’s hard on days like this to always look on the bright side of life. So here’s my list of things to revel in this Summer….maybe we’ll use this rainy day to get that day glo nailpolish on our toes!

Cheers!