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Creative Awakening 2019 | Creative Workshop in Northern Utah

July 31, 2019

Creative Awakening

This years Creative Awakening was such a beautiful day. I love hosting these creative retreats, I love planning them and teaching others how to do something that they haven’t done before. I am so passionate about creativity, I truly believe creative living is the secret to living a fulfilling and joyful life.

This year we were so lucky to have Cover & Co sponsor the workshop, everyone received one of their beautiful aprons! Follow their Instagram to get more info on when they will open their shop!

One of my favorite speakers said this quote and I live my life by it:

“The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty. Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty… Remember that you are spirit daughters (and sons) of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it–your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination. We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy. Our birthright–and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth–is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things. You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before–colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter. What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you–whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside. If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it.”

Dieter F Uchtdorf, Happiness Your Heritage, October 2008 General Conference

When I get stuck with trying to find creativity in my business I turn to making something with my hands. I love to experiment with all sorts of mediums, I love figuring out something new and it is so fun seeing the finished product whether it worked out or not. When I am in my busiest season in the summer, when I barely have time to get it all done I crave time to make something whether it is baking or sewing or gardening and as soon as I can create it makes the busy season doable and I am able to be refreshed!

This year for the workshop I taught how to naturally dye fabric, I had so much fun experimenting with different dyes when I was preparing for it. It was like magic seeing the results! For the dyes we used avocado pits and skins, hibiscus, alder cone, daffodils, walnut shells, marigold and a variety of herbs.

During the workshop we had so much fun playing with the different dyes and how so many things can affect the color outcome. Several people used dried hibiscus, and all of the colors came out so different. Changing the water source, adding vinegar or boiling it multiple times brought the most beautiful changes. I loved watching the excitement of this who attended.

In the afternoon I taught how to make ricotta gnocchi and fresh pasta. I have always had a passion for making fresh pasta, I started making it in high school and have continued to learn to make different varieties at home, I also took a class in Italy, which I need to do again! I love showing people how easy it can be to make and how it can change the flavors of your meal. I love how food in other countries brings people together, it is an event and it creates opportunities for family and friends to have memories. I think we need to create more food experiences in our culture, I can’t wait until I have a yard and a bigger place to host larger gatherings with family and friends.

As always we ended the day with a beautiful styled dinner, Amber Reverie created the most beautiful atmosphere for us to enjoy our meal. Nikkol with Refine Studio created the most amazing menus and recipe cards, I am so obsessed with them and need one for every meal that I do and every recipe that I cook! For dinner we started with charcuterie boards down the table and Caesar Salad. For the main dish we had Shrimp Scampi with fresh pasta, the pasta literally melts in your mouth! This is one of our favorite go to recipes, it is easy and so delicious! Margaret with Smackerel made the most amazing Lemon Cake, it was to die for! She came to my workshop last year, so I had to support her in her awesome business.

When I was trying to get the workshop to fill up, I had the hardest time until a week before. Throwing a big event like this is super stressful because of the cost of putting it on. A few weeks before the workshop I decided that this would be my last workshop for awhile, I hated announcing this, because I absolutely love doing them. If you have been interested in coming to one, please let me know, so that I can find ways to fill them up a little more, so I am not paying people to come create with me! 😉 I am taking a course currently to learn how to fill up an event, we will see if I am brave enough to try one more time. After the day was over this year, I truly can’t be done, because it brings me so much joy to teach and to see others create and be fulfilled. I will definitely try to keep going forward with more, I don’t know how it will be or when the next one will be. If you want them to continue, please email me so I can find ways to do it! And I would love to chat about you wanting to come.

If you are feeling stuck or unmotivated in your life, find something to bring you joy, find something to touch in your hands and transform, life is always better when you can create something. I love that I can share my talents with others, and hope you will do the same!

To view last years Creative Awakening, click here!

Creative Awakening

Photo from Michele Lee
Photo from Michele Lee

Photo from Michele Lee

Photo from Michele Lee
Photo from Michele Lee
Photo from Michele Lee
Photo from Michele Lee

Creative Awakening

This workshop was held in beautiful Bear Lake, in Garden City, Utah. The Farmhouse at Bear Lake was the perfect place for a retreat! The property was so beautiful and the kitchen was so dreamy to cook in. There was so much space for all of our activities and enough rooms for anyone that wanted to stay the night. I would go back to this venue in a heart beat and I am trying to get my extended family to stay here for our annual Bear Lake trip!! It would be big enough for my large extended family! They fill up fast for the summer, contact them to book your next trip or workshop!

A Creative Awakening 2019 | A Creative and Photographer Workshop

February 12, 2019

Photography Workshop

A Creative Awaking is now open for Registration! I can’t even wait! I am so excited about all that we will be doing! To sign up click here!! If you want to stay the night, it will be $50 for each additional night. Click here to book one or two nights. Workshop will take place at Bear Lake Farm House, in Garden City, UT.

Here are the photos from last years workshop! It was so amazing! Flowers by the talented Amber Reverie.

Early Pricing will expire soon!

Every person has something creative within them, we all have talents, we all have the desire to create something out of nothing. I truly believe as we create, something inside of us is unlocked and transformed. Creativity creates a magical joy that can’t be found anywhere else. When I make something, I am inspired in my personal life and in my business. I love to do and try all sorts of hobbies and arts. But what I really love is teaching others that they can do the same thing, some arts may take longer to accomplish and develop, but the practice of creating is good for the soul.

I am so excited to be hosting this workshop for the second time, last year was so amazing and I can’t wait for what this year will hold!

Come away with me to a beautiful cabin in Garden City, Utah (Bear Lake) and enjoy a day of creation and inspiration. The day will begin with a light lunch and introductions. We will start the day off with learning how to dye fabric, we will be using all natural dyes. We can experiment with Avocado pits and skins, and walnut shells, pomegranate skins, herbs and foliage. I can’t wait to see everyones creation. We will be making a set of 6 linen napkins. The linen napkins will be finished with a rolled edge and will be beautiful for any event. The colors are so beautiful! The dyes will have to sit for the rest of the day.

After we have started the dying process we will learn how to make homemade Gnocchi, it is one of my favorite things to make, it is so soothing and the gnocchi is so beautiful. While we are making the gnocchi I will have set ups for you to practice some food photography. We will learn about different lighting techniques and fun ways to style.

To end we will be enjoying a fancy dinner and of course we will photograph all the pretty details before we eat. Amber Reverie will be coming again to do the florals, she is so amazing!! Menu will be announced closer to the workshop date.

During the dinner and through out the day we will be talking about creativity and how it can help you in your life and profession. This workshop is not just for photographers, it is open to anyone that desires to be creative and inspired. I will be an open book about my success in photography for over 14 years and how I have stayed in love with my craft throughout the years. I truly love what I do, it is a part of me and I know it is because I have let myself live a creative life.

The workshop will begin at 10 am and go to 8:00 pm, there are options to stay over because of the time. Each night will be an additional $50. If you choose to stay the night we can stay up and talk and create as long as we would like. In the morning we can go on a walk around beautiful Bear Lake. Depending on the interest I may host a mini workshop on Monday the 15th.

Click this link to sign up today!

Beautiful Orchard Dinner Party for My Wonderful Clients

October 24, 2018

If you know me I love to throw dinner parties and to cook for people, I enjoy bringing people together. Over the last few years I have been incorporating it into my business by having vendor dinner parties and last year I threw my first dinner party for my clients and I am so sad that I didn’t start this tradition sooner! I love seeing you again, I love to know what is going on in your life and to see how you are doing. I really wanted to have a way to show my appreciation to you because you are the reason I do what I do. It was amazing how everyone had some connection to the other families, we live in such a great community. I wish everyone could have come! With about half of my clients out of state, it is hard to get everyone there. I am already planning for next years party, email me to book your session next year to ensure that you can come to this great event. Fall is such a great time for dinner parties, I was able to use a lot of produce out of my garden and we were able to have fresh pressed apple cider from Paradise Valley Orchard where we had the dinner. I know there are a lot of detail photos, but can you blame me? The flowers were so amazing, Amber Reverie always creates the perfect arrangements for my dinners!

Location: Paradise Valley Orchard

Florals: Amber Reverie

Flower Vases: Notary Ceramics

Plates and Flatware: West Elm

Napkins: Sur La Tab

Tart Serving Dishes: Crate and Barrel

As promised I have included the recipes at the bottom of the post!

I prefer fresh pasta noodles, they make such a huge difference. You can follow this recipe here to create the perfect noodle. Sometimes I cheat and use our Phillips Pasta Maker and if I don’t have time for those I will use store bought Country Pasta Homemade Style, Wide Egg Pasta. I will usually use half of the bag.

Cook for another 8 minutes.

Add diced chicken and cook for 5 minutes

Jessica’s Creamy Cheddar Potato Soup

4 cups diced potatoes

2 carrots diced

1/2 cup onion diced

2 tsps fresh parsley

2 tsps fresh thyme

1 tsp pepper

2 tsps salt

Sauté vegetables with herbs and salt and pepper in olive oil for 2-3 minutes, stir frequently potatoes will stick easily.

Add 4 cups of Chicken Broth, bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes

In a small sauce pan create a rue with

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

Stir until bubbly and slightly browned, this will create a great flavor, salt and pepper to taste.

Microwave 2 cups of milk (I just use skim milk and it thickens just fine and a tiny bit healthier than whole milk) for about 4 minutes and then add this to the butter and flour, when you heat up the milk it will help the mixture thicken faster. Once it is thick, add it to the potatoes, once combined add 8 oz of cheddar cheese to the pan. Adjust seasonings as necessary, sometimes the potatoes will require extra salt but the cheese will add some of the saltiness to the soup as well.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 T reserved oil from sun-dried tomatoes, or olive oil

1 C chopped onion

¾ C shredded carrot

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbs dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2/3 C sliced sun dried tomatoes packed in Olive Oil

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (14oz) can chicken broth

3 oz reduced fat cream cheese

optional: 1/2 tsp red pepper flakesOptional: Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish

Place oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often.

Add sun-dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. (If you’re adding red pepper flakes, add them now)

Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Cover pan and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Place soup in a blender (do this in 2 batches if necessary). Add cream cheese. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape, but place a paper towel over opening in blender lid to avoid spills. Process for a few minutes until smooth. You could also add cream cheese directly to the pot and use an immersion blender to combine.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste and then divide soup among bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese and a fresh basil leaf if desired.

Plum Frangipane

Recipe from Alida Ryder

Ingredients for the pastry

250 g flour

100 g icing sugar

150 g butter cubed

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon NoMU Vanilla paste

3-4 tablespoons ice water

Ingredients for the frangipane filling

150 g butter room temperature

150 g caster sugar

1 teaspoon NoMU Vanilla paste

2 ml almond essence

2 eggs and 1 egg yolk

150 g ground almonds

50 g flour

4 large plums thinly sliced

Instructions

To make the pastry, combine the flour, icing sugar, butter and vanilla paste in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs.

With the motor running. add the egg yolks and just enough water for the dough to come together in a ball.

Remove the dough from the food processor and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, roll the dough out on a floured surface and place in a suitable tart case.

Place back in the fridge while you get started on the filling. Pre-heat the oven to 180°c.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla paste, almond essence and eggs and beat well, scraping down the bowl if necessary.

Add the ground almonds and flour and mix until well combined.

Spread the almond mixture onto the prepared pastry and top with the sliced plums.

Place the tart in the oven and allow to bake for 20-25 minutes until the frangipane is golden brown and cooked.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Creative Awakening 2019 | Creative Workshop in Northern Utah

A Creative Awakening 2019 | A Creative and Photographer Workshop

Beautiful Orchard Dinner Party for My Wonderful Clients

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