Self-Portrait Challenge ~ What I Wear 4

I remember what I wear. I remember how special it was to wear this yellow dress that my mom made for both me and my doll. And I remember how grown-up I felt being able to hold my brother for the photoshoot.

My clothes are an intricate part of my memories. I remember...

• my favourite red shirt with the alphabet on it that my mom made for me
• that by grade 6 I loved clothes with drama - the red shirt with the ruffles down the front, the pink blouse with the voluminous sleeves (I still remember what the sleeves felt like against my arms)
• the brown full-circle skirt that my friend Carol sewed for me in junior high
• the cowboy hat I got for my 16th birthday from my friends
• wearing red to my formal while all the other girls wore white, yellow or baby blue
• the grey leg warmers I wore to shreds at dance class
• the beautiful white dress that was too formal to wear anywhere but I'd put it on now and again just to see what it looked like
• the first time a bought something I had seen in a magazine (white Esprit flats)
• receiving my Latvian ring
• my first pair of good-quality shoes
• the grey suit I wore for my grandmother's funeral
• discovering that you can wear Docs anywhere, with anything
• clubbing in long black evening dresses, a short gold one and every now and again army pants and a tank top
• the moment I tried on my wedding dress with a veil (That was a real "bride" moment for me. I cried)
• discovering Jamie casual
• manifesting my wishes with boots

I've really enjoyed taking a look at what I wear for SPC this month. It's been a journey of self-reflection and of owning that I really care what I wear. Thanks SPC!

For more self-portraits, go here.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ What I Wear

was thinking about different pictures to share with you this week - maybe my sunglasses, my rings, my glasses (yes, I wear glasses). But I just kept coming back to this picture that I took this weekend. This is what I look like. This is what I wear.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ What I Wear 2

This pic is from my recent wonderful trip to Cape Cod to participate in the Creative Bazaar. As I was planning my travel wardrobe, I picked up a few new pieces. I was so excited to find that I was able to come up with a weekend's worth of comfortable clothes that I felt great in.

You see, I tend to be a bit more formal than most people I know. When people talk with conviction about how they love the comfort of a T-shirt and jeans, I don't relate. (It reminds me of how Shannon says when people want to make a "safe" music choice they pick classical, and it actually gives her a headache.) In fact for many years, I didn't own a pair of jeans.

But I do want to be comfortable. And (as I said last week) for me that means comfortable walking on the beach and then stopping for a glass of wine and maybe bumping into a client. I love this outfit. This is what I would call "Jamie casual" hehe.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ What I Wear

I'm really excited about this month's SPC: what I wear. Hopefully it will inspire me to make progress on my apparently never-ending project of renovating my wardrobe. In the past few months I've finally been making some real progress. This is one of my "Jamie is ready for anything" outfits. (Hmm, isn't that funny. Yesterday I wrote about my common negative self-talk being "Jamie, you're not ready.") In this outfit I feel that I can meet with a client, run a workshop, go for coffee or out for drinks. I could also sit on the floor or sit cross-legged at my desk (though I might slip the boots off)

I never want my clothes to get in the way. As a very "in my body" person, I don't like anything restrictive and won't tolerate anything that causes pain. (Yes, the boots I'm wearing are incredibly comfortable) And I don't want what I'm wearing to stop me from saying an enthusiastic "yes!" to a spontaneous invitation or opportunity. I love clothes that can take me anywhere. Well, anywhere that I'd want to go.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ On the Street

This month's Self-Portrait Challenge is On the Street. This is me on Bloor Street East in Toronto. For more self-portraits, go here.

For more starshyneproductions, go here.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ On the Street

This month's theme at Self-Portrait Challenge is "On the Street." And this is me (in the white jacket) on Bloor Street in Toronto, looking up at the beautiful new addition to our museum, the ROM, that is almost complete. I've always loved the design and am so excited to see it take shape. One of the things that I found so thrilling was when I suddenly got that as the contents of the museum reflect us back to ourselves, so does this new design reflect us back to ourselves as we pass by.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ On the Street

This month's theme at Self-Portrait Challenge is "on the street." I was thinking street, urban when I decided to snap this shot of myself at the subway. It totally cracked me up to see the content of the ad behind me. I hadn't noticed it at all before. A little bit of graphic urban natural on the street. And that combo of cityscape and natural beauty showed up for me a bit later in the day as I was out at IKEA, near a construction site and saw this spectacular sky ~

As well as SPC I'm participating in Michelle's Month of Me, doing something on each day in May to nurture my self and my soul. Today I there were definitely a couple of highlights. My planned treat today was to go out at lunch and buy the new edition of my new favourite mag, Motto. I can't to see what great ideas and inspiration are between the covers, especially since I saw the word "coaches" on the cover!

And then some spontaneous soul-nurturing came at the invitation of my husband today. We were at IKEA. Now, if you've ever had the IKEA experience, you know that it isn't always exactly nuturing! But we had put a few things on their big dolly carts and were heading out when Justin looked at me mischeivously and said, "Climb on!" And I did. I stood on that cart and he wheeled me up to the cash. We laughed the entire way. Man, I love my husband! It's wonderful to experience soul-nuturing in a relationship too!

How are you going to nuture yourself today?

Self-Portrait Challenge & M.O.M.

This month's topic at SPC is "On the Street." I've been sick the past couple of days, so haven't been out much. So this is a picture from last year of me on my street. I pass by this mirrored window every day, and one day decided to snap a shot of my reflection.

This month Michelle is also encouraging people to join her in the Month of Me (M.O.M.) where each day we do something to nourish our spirit. When I was reading about her doing it I was like, "Great idea! Wonderful!" and then when I read the invitation to join her, I thought, "I'm just too busy." Silly me. When I'm working hard is when I need nourishment the most! So I'm joining in. How about you?

Yesterday's soul nourisment came from two sources. The first was the 2nd Annual Shyne Like a Star Virtual Dance Party. Thank you so much to everyone who participated. I hope you all enjoyed having some time to dance up a storm! And the second was from my dear husband. May 1 is our dating anniversary and we continue to celebrate it. He bought me these glorious orchids.

And today's nourishment was taking the time to read some of The Alchemist, which I have been reading and putting on hold since Christmas! I was inspired to take the time to read for pleasure by Sunny's recent newsletter article in which she talks about her own relationship with books and also from an organizational perspective, how we might deal with them in our space.

I wonder what will nourish me tomorrow? What will you nourish your spirit with?

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ the body

At first I found this month's topic intimidating and then fascinating. It opened up a brand new experience for me. For the first time I took pictures of my body where I was thinking more as a photographer than as a woman. I became fascinated with the soles of my feet when I saw how wildly wrinkly they are, how the folds shift and change like sand dunes with each little movement.

I am truly thankful for my feet, for the way they ground me and remind me that I'm connected to this planet, this life, for their stability and this newly discovered subtlety.

For more self-portraits, go here.
For more starshyneproductions, go here.

The body inspired this week's Wishcasting prompt too.

Come make a wish for your body.

Self-Portrait Challenge: Resting in Black & White

I enjoy the calm of black and white. Well, when it includes the greyscale in between. Like somehow things are gentler. Like there aren't 1000 things vying for your attention. Only light and shadow and texture. Ahhh....

For more black & white self-portraits, go here.

For more Starshyne Productions, go here.

Self Portrait Challenge: Dreaming in Black & White

I've always thought of black and white photos as dreamy and romantic. Maybe that's because my strongest impressions come from my mom and dad's graduation photos where they both looked so young, so beautiful and so glamorous.

See more black & white self-portraits here.

See more Starshyne Productions here.

And note: Tomorrow I will be launching a brand new project that I'm wildly excited about. I do hope you'll join me.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ Black & White ~ & Grey

February's theme for Self-Portrait Challenge is Black and White. I surround myself with black and white, the black of my hair, my clothes, my eyeliner and the cool, clean white of my walls and my kitchen cupboards. I enjoy black and white so much, that perhaps it reflects in my thinking. And then my darling Bascha reminds me of the beauty of grey.

See more black & white self-portraits here.
Explore more of Starshyne Productions here.

Self-Portrait Challenge: Resolutions ~ To Be Impeccable with My Word

This is one of the Four Agreements. On the Ruiz website, they offer this description:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

At the centre of this resolution is my desire to be true to myself and to others and to only say yes to things that I honestly can commit to. If I am impeccable with my words, perhaps I won't have to eat them.

For more starshyneprodutions, go here.

For more self-portrait resolutions, go here.