hip tranquil chick

more inspiration

2009-01-06T15:51:00.003-05:00

thanks to lauren for sending her lovely flower and inspired drawing from last night's teleclass. i also appreciated her comment asking whether i was keeping my e-mail "hours." way to hold me accountable!

new year, new you teleclass

2009-01-05T22:28:00.003-05:00

fresh off tonight's teleclass with other lovely ladies from around the globe. attached is a gorgeous visual of notes taken by the artful woman herself. wishing everyone a lovely start to the new year. each day offers a chance to start anew.

may 2009 be full of sparkles, joy, do-gooding, simplicity, and tall vegan boots!

tranquil space world tour musings

2009-01-04T23:05:00.003-05:00

i've taught the 3-hour new year's reflective practice at all 3 tranquil space locations over the past few days. alas, my "world tour" is over. so fun to see all the inspired and excited faces ready to take on 2009.

since returning from oklahoma a week ago tonight, life has been moving at uber-fast pace with a return to my over-packed days. i'm losing steam and my mindset is suffering. despite the fact that i love so much of what i do, i'm longing for the quieter days of december. the inbox wasn't as out of control, the projects were pending, and i even took some days off.

january is always a hectic month at the studio and with numerous changes and some fun additions (like the exciting creativity classes at the showroom - click on image of events and a big online TranquiliT sale), it's in full swing.

a friend asked me today if i had chosen a word for the year - something to focus on. the word that immediately came to mind was spaciousness. more time between meetings. more time between appointments. more time to get to meetings and appointments. more open space in my schedule. less travel. less scheduled time. more space in my closet. more open space in the various nooks and crannies at home. less heaviness. more joy. more laughter. more organization. more reflection. less frustration. ah, spaciousness how i long for more of you in my life in 2009. now i ask . . . what is your word?

a day in pictures

2009-01-03T21:49:00.004-05:00

i got home from the studio around 11pm friday night and crawled into bed. read some of the martha stewart biography that i've been absorbing and off to dreamland. up after a long slumber and dashed to TranquiliT's showroom for our planner pad par-tay led by the lovely julia and jlo from last week's podcast. attached are two photos from the extravaganza - note beau on the far right who got the recording equipment set up for those who purchased the class via mp3 since they couldn't make the event live and in person. your mp3 is coming soon!

next i dashed to our arlington studio to teach my 3-hour new year's reflection practice to a group of lovely ladies. then a jaunt to whole foods where i dined on yummy cucumber/avocado sushi and a to-die-for cupcake. the meal looked so pretty that i had to photograph it to share. truly one of the prettiest cupcakes out there! now i'm desperately procrastinating the edits to a 30-page document due tomorrow. oh how i'd rather crawl under the covers and enjoy more slumbering. alas, it's time to make it happen. after a day of fun plan pad decorating and teaching, i'd better start the editing process . . .

hip + tranquil upcoming must-haves

2009-01-02T17:15:00.003-05:00

i wanted to share some exciting upcoming events in celebration of the new year!

new year, new you teleclass on monday, january 5

4-week living your yoga series at tranquil space starts thursday, january 8

all-day new year's gala on saturday, january 17

liberation house: yoga with house music by dj on monday, january 19

5-session online creativity circle starts on monday, january 26

wishing you a very fruitful start to our new journey into 2009.

life is not about finding yourself. life is about creating yourself. - author unknown

bon jour 2009

2009-01-01T09:27:00.001-05:00

muse from january 2009's tranquil space museletter:

bonjour and welcome to 2009! this is our chance to get it right, start anew, and make some changes. the possibilities are endless. a new beginning is offered every day, not just january 1. each morning you are given a fresh canvas on which to paint. you choose the paint colors, the strokes, the pace, and the other players. your life is a constantly evolving work of art. create your new year consciously through reflection, intention, and action.

reflection: reflect on lessons learned in 2008. write out a year in review. note highlights, lessons learned, and what you have to be grateful for from these key experiences.

intention: set your intentions by getting them down on paper and staying mindful of them throughout your day. collage or write out on paper what you want 2009 to look like. become mindful of qualities you hope to cultivate.

action: create action steps on how you plan to get there. post these action steps where you see them every day.

sample reflection: feeling stagnant and in need of more doing things differently.
sample intention: i want to live more creatively.
sample action: sign up for a watercolor class, wear red, learn the tango, browse the creativity section of amazon.com, read the artist’s way, try your hand at DIY projects (see our sustainable crafting classes at TranquiliT’s showroom), sign up for french lessons, start that novel, get a sewing machine)

as my favorite marianne williamson poem states, "we are all meant to shine and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same." let your inner light sparkle in 2009 through ongoing reflection, intention, and action. watch amazing things unfold. the potential that lies within you is infinite. take some sacred time to mold it and then live out loud!

au revoir 2008

2008-12-31T17:18:00.000-05:00

there are less than 7 hours left in 2008 and it's amazing to reflect on all that has transpired this year: authentic leadership program at naropa university, launching of online creativity circle, visiting my adopted farm animals at the farm sanctuary, taking a solo expedition to nyc for my 35th, moving into our new tranquil space in may, getting honored as a new leader in philanthropy, hosting our 2nd annual tranquil space foundation gala, teaching at kripalu, moving into our TranquiliT showroom (and out of my dining room!), teaching in asheville and san francisco, cabin week with BFF, time with family over the hollydaze, finalizing my second book deal for tranquilista, hosting a holiday soiree for dear friends, interviewing the lovely SARK, hosting our 2nd annual hip tranquil chick retreat in ny, starting 2008 with a new year's gala (click the link for scoop 2009's), and basking in just being with beau + louis.

i've been very blessed this year with lots of memories, oodles of lessons, and a warm connection to many new friends. 2008 has been filled with many challenges and i'm honored to have come through the other side - hopefully a little wiser. may 2009 bring us all continuous lessons, good laughs, opportunities that push our comfort zone, and the wisdom to make mindful decisions. thank you 2008 for yet another glorious year.

yoga . . . on + off the mat

2008-12-30T09:27:00.003-05:00

Yoga is about making friends with life and with yourself. There is no lifestyle, no occupation, no situation that cannot be greatly enhanced by yoga. Yoga is not something that should be set apart from one’s life. Rather it should become the taproot from which the other aspects of your life are nourished and regenerated. ~Godfrey Devereaux

A colleague sent me this quote yesterday and I just love it. I feel like I posted something similar by him before - maybe even the same genius quote. Ah, bears worth repeating!

As the year comes to a close take a moment to practice your yoga off the mat through good 'ol reflection. Yoga on the mat is powerful. Yoga off the mat is critical. It's the icing on the cake to an asana practice. Here's what I hope to do when my day ends in 12 hours:

1. Pull out my journal, have some tea nearby, light a candle, and your favorite tunes playing.

2. Write a "year in review" wrap-up: highlights, lessons learned, disappointments, successes, etc.

3. Write "by this day 2009 I . . ." and list what you hope to have done by this time next year: relationships, home environment, career, creativity, spirituality, exercise, diet, etc.

I find this type of reflection critical for capturing my aspirations of what is to come and honoring what has passed. Yoga off the mat. Namaste.

the making of leopard-print palazzos

2008-12-29T01:05:00.003-05:00

fresh home from five days and four nights in the lovely land of oklahoma which beau describes as very . . . ,well, brown. lots of dead (hence the adjective brown) open space this time of the year.

i arrived with heaps of leopard-print fabric and a pair of palazzo pants i made during a recent private sewing class (where i was gleefully introduced to a serger). so our final day together involved lots of measuring, cutting, sewing, and modeling our new wares and this pictoral journey shows it all.

my mum's sewing machine is a gem and the fabric glides through it so smoothly. such a treat. sewing is truly an empowering art. as a former home ec queen (not kidding - 9th grade!), i can honestly say that sitting in front of that machine and having an outfit or piece of an outfit in a matter of minutes (hours or days!) is such a good feeling!

can't stop thinking about the serger though. think TranquiliT may need one for the showroom! although i may need to call in a consultant everytime that little bugger needs threading. do you see how many spools a serger uses? alas, the creation of these palazzo pants (once cut) was super-speedy and super-fun. and oh-so-comfortable! god bless leopard-print.

tranquility du jour #143: planner pad pursuits

2008-12-28T12:15:00.002-05:00

direct download (mp3)

Bonjour! Welcome to the 143rd edition of tranquility du jour: a guide to bringing tranquility to your every day.

Today’s show menu features happenings and musing on planner pad pursuits with Joanna Lo and Julia Coney.

Workshops + Retreats: Join moi for a "New Year, New You" teleclass on January 5 and our next online creativity circle starting January 26 PLUS events around the globe: a day focused on creating a fabulous 2009 at our 2nd annual new year's gala, a luxurious weekend of tranquility and creativity at our 3rd Annual Hip Tranquil Chick retreat in a lovely farmhouse not far from NYC March 27-29, 2009, a decadent retreat to Costa Rica over Memorial Day, and another tranquility-filled week at Kripalu August 9-14, 2009. All the scoop is on my workshops page.

Featured eco-luxe TranquiliT: skirt pant.

Featured guests:
Julia Coney created All About the Pretty in March 2006 because of her intense love of beauty products. The site is musings of beauty as a lifestyle and not just a product. All About the Pretty was voted one of the hottest top ten beauty blogs by Women's Wear Daily.
Joanna Lo started her fascination with paper organization when she was introduced origami paper as a young child growing up in Taipei. Since then, she has used her work in international trade to expand her knowledge of paper customization products by using any excuse to travel and spend hours and hours in the stationery stores in Taipei, Beijing, Dallas, and DC, as well as online. She also has used the Franklin Covey system, the Getting Things Done system, and loves to combine both paper and electronic planning. PlannerPad personalization is her current passion.

Chic Community: Mingle on our forums, Facebook, Twitter, and youtube.com/hiptranquilchick.

Savvy sources: diyplanner.com, plannerpad.com, template on diyplanner.com, getting things done, planner pad event at TranquiliT showroom (in-person or via mp3)

Au Revoir: To close out the show, we’re playing Mastermind by Dan the Automator and Del the Funky Homosapien from Promonet. You can learn more about their music in the shownotes.

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happy, happy hollydaze

2008-12-25T09:58:00.001-05:00

bonjour from oklahoma! wishing you and yours heaps of merriment, glistening treetops, sleighbells in the snow, good cheer, frosted cookies, and tasty mulled cider. may your holidays be full of festivity! xo

serving up tranquility

2008-12-23T14:21:00.002-05:00

the year is coming to a close and i'm dashing off to oklahoma bright + early tomorrow for five days. one of my favorite rituals to do at the end of the year is a recap of the highlights. i hope to settle in to do this one night next week when we return. i'll be sure to share what i come up with.

in the interim, i wanted to comment on the word tranquility and why i have infused it into all i do. as you probably know, we teach what we most need to learn. i am a doer. love me some doing. when i created the studio in 1999, i wanted it to be an oasis for people to rejuvenate, feel special, enjoy comforting scents, and relish in being. thus, the name of tranquil space fit perfectly. as i continue to create new things, i keep the word tranquil close to heart. not just for fluid branding, but as a conscious reminder to seek tranquility in all i do. tranquility is defined as quality or state of being tranquil; calmness; peacefulness; quiet; serenity. doesn't that sound divine?

my hope is that by sharing my idiosyncracies, passions, creative pursuits, struggles, and joys, i can continue to serve up a dose of tranquility (and occassional laugh + inspiration) for you. wishing you a beautiful holiday FILLED with tranquility!

sing along: these are a few of my favorite things . . .

2008-12-22T00:02:00.002-05:00

potbelly pigs
activism
nars glitter eyepencils
TranquiliT palazzo pants
tazo zen tea
tulsi sweet rose tea
damask print
the artist's way
cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes
jo malone red rose cologne
white musk perfume oil by the body shop
where women create
boho mag
lush bath bombs
gabriella rocha vegan boots

sloth sunday

2008-12-21T12:38:00.002-05:00

woke up in time to indulge in my weekly ashtanga yoga fix, but my shoulder continues to squeal at moi. so, i decided to engage in non-harming and crawl back under the covers. feeling oddly guilty about my indulgence of down time lately. it feels so unnatural, but so darn yummy. time with friends, time cleaning out my closet (have 4 bags full of items i don't wear thanks to last night's purge), movies, pet-friendly wineries, and lots of time by the fire. as i type, i'm still in bed with a snoring pug attached to my side. sloth sundays are truly divine - even if accompanied by a twinge of guilt. once i publish this post, i plan to brush this crazy hair (the eyemask i wear turns my hair into an odd-looking beehive daily), dress in my usual TranquiliT togs, don some eyeliner and lipgloss, and hit the yoga mat for some much-needed yin yoga. next indulge in a homemade green-powder infused shake and green tea. then take louis to the dog park and take ourselves to a movie at our fabulous artsy theatre downtown. next to the bookstore to do some browsing, journal writing, and more tea-sipping. finally to a holiday party hosted by a beloved acupuncturist and friend before settling in by the fire to write and plan my short week (2 days at studio and then we dash to oklahoma for 4 days!). ah, sundays started in a sloth-like manner are truly decadent. time to rise and shine.

holiday merriment continues

2008-12-20T19:57:00.003-05:00

beau and i reserved this day on our calendar weeks ago. since we didn't do our annual tradition of taking louis out to the country to choose a tree, we wanted to find a way to escape the city for a few hours. this morning i did some online searching for pet-friendly options hoping for a sleigh ride or equally festive event. i came across the philip carter winery that was having a special holiday event today AND welcomed pups. perfect! we tasted some yummy vino, indulged in cheese + crackers, and enjoyed the country air for a few hours. note louis in mid-yawn!

by the way (confession time), i indulged in 5 cupcakes yesterday. yep, 5! woke up craving one today. held out all day, but we picked up 4 on our way back to town so it looks like i'll get my fix after all. yuuuummmm! i truly can't imagine life without cupcakes. so sad.

santa IS real

2008-12-19T12:05:00.002-05:00

this morning i dashed over to my regular volunteer gig only to find my chair yoga was replaced with children singing holiday carols. alas, i'm still hoping i get my karma points! back home to dine on the two leftover cupcakes from last night's holiday fun and get ready for my day at the TranquiliT showroom. then, i got an e-mail from beau that contained THIS photo. apparently santa (aka carolyn) had sent a dozen yummy holiday cupcakes to the studio! what a treat! i know what i'll be having for lunch and dinner. aren't they gorgeous? merci beaucoup, merci beaucoup, merci beaucoup! my hollydaze are TRES happy (and super-sugar coated).

happy hollydaze soiree!

2008-12-18T23:21:00.003-05:00

tonight we hosted our annual holiday soiree at chez moi for six of our favorite friends. beau cooked, i cleaned and decorated (note the silver and gold charger plates, napkins done in a tent fold, candles everywhere, ambient lighting, rosemary tree, fresh garland, and bowtie on louis - yes, i decorated my pug). this is truly one of my favorite events all year and i love hosting such dear souls for the holidays (especially when sue brings the MOST amazing cupcakes)!

may your holidays be filled with good cheer, yummy bubbly, cupcakes, holiday scented candles, a roaring fire, dear friends, fragrant rosemary trees, and fresh garland.

i heart santa

2008-12-17T23:58:00.004-05:00

here are some photos of my beloved pug with santa and a snowman at bloomies this past weekend. washington humane society put this on as a fundraiser and it was such a treat. truly a highlight of my holiday! apparently i'm easily impressed . . .

what i want from santa this year:

a clean, clutter-free closet
world peace
health
happiness
a strong economy
mindfulness
the ability to sit still
patience
less harming of animals
compassion-filled eating (choose organic gummy bears!)
more adopting of animals
daily creativity
a potbelly pig
time to write
more time with my 96-year-old gramma
passion
clarity
less stuff
efficiency
efficacy
more trees
a fit physique (think madonna)
quality time with dear friends
opportunity for all
fluid jumpbacks and jumpthroughs (ashtanga yoga, bebe)
handstand (3rd year of trying)
a solid home yoga practice
impeccable time management
a cozy cabin in the woods
lots of peppermint candles
down time
bed days
an abundance of bookstore browsing
detox from e-mail
the ability to always make others feel special
abundance
gratitude
tons of tea sipping

what's on your wish list?

indulge in the following . . .

2008-12-16T22:41:00.002-05:00

a nap by the fire
actually, a nap ANYWHERE
chandeliers (ebay has amazing ones - why not have one in your loo?)
a yummy dose of yin yoga
sweet rose tea by tulsi
facebook (ok, in small doses - can become addictive)
snail mail
the purr of a kitty
the snore of a pug
soft bamboo fabric
an empathetic ear
our hip tranquil chick facebook group
a loving caress
the smell of apple cider
the taste of buttercream icing
share your feelings in a journal
the smell + taste of rosemary
stamp your holiday cards
a sassy scarf
a good book
a photo of your beloved with santa
freshly baked cookies
a decadent massage
a mani + pedi in lincoln park after dark
an inspiring podcast
fresh flowers
pink poinsettias
the french language
an altar in your home
soft sheets
the smell of pine
a frame covered in sparkles
anything covered in sparkles
the smell of peppermint (my fave for candles)
the book fancy nancy
throw a signature soiree (downloadable toolkit on left hand side)
a mental health day, weekend, week, month!
the smell of lilac
glitter
glitter glue
glitter eyelashes
a dance class
a language class
learn a new skill
a regular volunteer opportunity
activism
green living
launch a business
live your passion
let go
laugh
love

OMG: brocade home STORE!

2008-12-14T21:47:00.003-05:00

i received a random personalized e-mail on saturday from brocade home about a holiday store in soho through 12/24! NOW that's worth a trip to new york. the e-mailer sent these fabulous photos. i want to live in the store. enjoy!

tranquility du jour #142: musing on journal writing

2008-12-14T18:26:00.000-05:00

direct download (mp3)

Bonjour! Welcome to the 142nd edition of tranquility du jour: a guide to bringing tranquility to your every day.

Today’s show menu features happenings and musing on journal writing with Samara O'Shea, author of Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits.

Workshops + Retreats: Join moi for a "New Year, New You" teleclass on January 5 and our next online creativity circle starting January 26 PLUS events around the globe: a day focused on creating a fabulous 2009 at our 2nd annual new year's gala, workshops in Asheville and Montreal, a luxurious weekend of tranquility and creativity at our 3rd Annual Hip Tranquil Chick retreat in a lovely farmhouse not far from NYC March 27-29, 2009, a decadent retreat to Costa Rica over Memorial Day, and another tranquility-filled week at Kripalu August 9-14, 2009. All the scoop is on my workshops page.

Featured eco-luxe TranquiliT: lavender-scented eyepillow.

Featured guest: Samara O'Shea is an outspoken advocate on behalf of the written word. She is the author of Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits and For the Love of Letters: A 21st-Century Guide to the Art of Letter Writing. She also runs a letter-writing service at LetterLover.net.

Chic Community: Mingle on our forums, Facebook, Twitter, and youtube.com/hiptranquilchick.

Savvy sources: letterlover.net, huffingtonpost.com/samara-oshea

Au Revoir: To close out the show, we’re playing Jingle Bells by Dean Martin and Dan the Automator from Promonet. You can learn more about their music in the shownotes.

Leave your thoughts on hip tranquil chick by writing a review at Amazon.com!

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
New to podcasting? Get more info at Podcast Alley.
Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

the gift of a cupcake

2008-12-12T23:30:00.002-05:00

this week has been one interesting challenge after another. sometimes i think the universe is playing tricks. "how much more can she take?" "will this push her to her edge?" "how about this?" ah, our challenges ARE our biggest teachers, eh? after a complete reorg of the TranquiliT showroom until midnight, very little sleep, and a super-long day, i drove out to our arlington studio to teach tonight. i arrived early to set the stage for the yogis' practice and get a little of my own yoga on. shortly thereafter a teacher, who has also had a tough week, showed up with a gift from god - the most ornate, gorgeous, yummy cupcake! truly, i was so touched as i devoured it before teaching. it made my week! then, god gave me more. i came home to a gift basket from my bamboo fabric supplier that contained organic gummy bears. life is now complete. they make ORGANIC gummy bears! sometimes the universe provides unexpected delights to break up life's struggles. keep indulging in 'em with gratitude. happy weekend!

tranquility-filled giving

2008-12-11T16:00:00.003-05:00

tonight 4-8, friday + saturday 12-4, join us at the TranquiliT showroom for 20% off holiday shopping of our eco-luxe line. in addition, check out tranquil space's online holiday gift guide chock-full of green gifts for yogis, babies, fashionistas, and boys - oh, and a 15% off coupon!

i spent monday evening packing up goodies for all those on my list and it feels good to have most of it done. i made some special aromatherapy blends for friends and next week's TSF board meeting and dinner party guests. making gifts always feels so special and personalized. for our teachers, we're doing a special artsy 15-minute photo shoot to capture their personalities - this one is super-exciting for moi. love, love, love exploring creative, unique ways to honor the special people in my life.

play with ways to reach out to those in your life to say you care: make a card. bake cookies. mix up aromatherapy spray. plant a tree in someone's name. bead a necklace. knit a scarf. decorate a 2009 planner. make a terrarium. personalize your favorite book. give a journal filled with your favorite quotes. offer to pet or baby sit. write a poem. sew a skirt. make some cider.

the 80/20 principle

2008-12-10T13:35:00.002-05:00

we've all heard this: 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts. hmmm, wouldn't it make sense to determine the best use of our 20% and do yoga the rest of the time? here's two great articles that talk more about it: 11 ways to boost your life and understanding 80/20. i find myself struggling with this regularly! i hope this may be helpful for you, too, as you juggle the holidays, work, crazy economy, relationships, school, parenting, and self-care. here's to our 20%!

new week, new you

2008-12-08T08:41:00.002-05:00

i'm getting in the habit of writing "new year, new you" taglines in preparation for all my new year events. when i woke up this morning i thought about "new week, new you" as a way to encourage small changes along the way. for example, i woke up at 8 today but stayed in bed until 8:30 - not quite ready to face the long day ahead. then i decided i'd start the day off differently with a blog post, journal writing, hot bath, and then dash to the studio for my 10am call with my accountant.

starting the day or week on a fresh note is a great step toward making change. why wait until the new year? another change i've been practicing is taking more downtime to play. i'm loving it! took a private sewing class yesterday and made some fabulous palazzo pants and a not-so-fabulous top. trying to make friends with my machine (bought 1 year ago - used 3 times) despite my envy of the serger (ideal for knits). to-dos continue to pile up, but that's nothing new. taking the down time during a very hectic time of the year (hollydaze) is worth its weight in gold. try it, i think you'll like it!

take a moment to identify one small change you can make this week. share it on the blog. share it with a friend. note it in your journal. now, get ready for leaping into your week in a different way! new week, new you.