Nothing Scares me anymore . . .

Bend into possibility.  Find the Light.  Transcend the mind.

Does your life often feel full of fear, chaos, or anxiety?  I have often experienced a mix of all three.  So, a few years ago, I became a yoga junkie, which helped soothe my “monkey mind” and stressed out body.  Yoga has been my lifesaver.   It has shifted my negative perceptions about my life, and carried me, when I had to forge though tough situations -- deaths, breakups, & uncertainty.

Yoga also has opened my mind to the power of intention.  You really can harness your energy to manifest your dreams.  A great way to begin this process is by remembering to use positive affirmations.  Affirmations are simple words or sentences that you repeat, with intention, to help you create the life that you desire.  

 Positive affirmations help us reduce negative self-talk and remind us of who we are, our greatness and what we want to achieve. 

So, if you are wondering how you can use affirmations -- it’s easy.

I start my day with a hot cup of coffee, soothing music, and a moment of reconnecting and tapping into the flow of life.  I sit in a quiet space, close my eyes, and sink into my soul. . . I connect with my essence--the person that I want to be--the person that I truly am.  Here are some examples of things that I say:

• I am inspired and inspiring.  
• I am love, and I am loved.  
• I am supporting and supported.  
• I am love, light, and truth.  
• I am in the right place--at the right time--with the right people. 
• I am surrounded by positive people that help me reach my highest potential. 
• I bring out the best in others and joy flows into all of my endeavors. 
• I love life, and the best part is, that it is fun.  
• I breathe life into my visions and watch them manifest into reality . . .    

To some this may seem silly, but I dare you to give it a try.  I know that you won’t regret it!  What have you got to lose?  

Ride that River of life. Rapids never last forever . . . smooth waters are ahead.  Stay positive and tap into the flow!

                                                                                                                  Peace & Love -- Paris

Photos by: TBartonphotography

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miso gaga

It only seemed natural. . .  Initially, I had no idea or concept for this shoot, but the minute I threw on the urban outfitters leotard, slipped into the white jacket, laced up the boots, and plopped on the round Ray Ban sunnies -- my inner Lady Gaga erupted.  I knew that this was my character for the day.  Miss Lady Gaga has that wild--over the top thing going, so I knew that my hair had to be something unique.  I remembered that last Christmas, I wore my hair in a bizarre up-do.  I tied my hair into knots until it resembled a turban hat.  I thought that it was cute -- but I think my relatives thought that it was a bit, let’s say, over the top (“”light bulb going off “”)!  This was the perfect hair-do for the photoshoot, so without a mirror, on that secluded Hawaiian beach, I quickly began to tie up my hair . . .

I climbed out onto the rocks and just let loose.  I began to work it and, voila!  Here are the results.  I think that it turned out pretty wild . . . “MISO Gaga” is exactly what I was saying as I was out there in the Pacific Ocean flaunting my stuff.  

Peace & Love - Paris

Photos by: TBartonphotography

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Wild Child . . . .

Have you ever dreamed of a new life?  

“. . . I wanted

the past to go away, I wanted
to leave it, like another country; I wanted
my life to close, and open
like a hinge, like a wing, like the part of the song
where it falls
down over the rocks: an explosion, a discovery;
I wanted
to hurry into the work of my life; I wanted to know,
whoever I was, I was 

alive
for a little while . . ."

- Mary Oliver -

One of my favorite things about modeling, is getting to play a character.  I love to take on and explore another identity for the day.  It’s fun to challenge yourself to “become” a part of your personality that you may not always get to share. This was that kind of a shoot that I did with the super talented, photographer, known as Doubleyeu. It was fun to tap into my inner wild child for the night.

Peace & Love - Paris 

Photos by: Doubleyeu

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Pinch Me . . .

                                           Top: Spell  | Pants: Paige | Boots: Charles David | Jewelry: Luxla  + Spell

I caught a dream . . . Spell & the Gypsy Collective sent me gifts all the way from Byron Bay, Australia. Their clothes and accessories are easily are becoming a favorite line of mine. I know that this fall, I will constantly be slipping into this cozy Kate & the Gypsies Sloppy Joe. Go catch your dream at Spell.

Photo by: jfairchildphoto Hair: Kit Stifel Stylist: Kat Fedorova

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The In Between . . .

                                                                            Jumper: Sugarlips | Vest: F21 |  Jewelry: Vintage & Spell

WHAT DO YOU LOVE?

I have always been a fan of Joseph Campbell -- the following is an excerpt from a favorite interview with Bill Moyers:

BILL MOYERS:  “Do you ever have the sense of . . . being helped by hidden hands?”

JOSEPH CAMPBELL:  “All the time.  It is miraculous.  I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time - namely, that if you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living.  When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you.  I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.”

I have always had an inner faith and trusted in the goodness of life.  As I reflect, amazing things have happened to me when I followed this mindset.  Since “following my blogging bliss” and sharing my passions:  FASHION ART LIFE (which are the heart of charcoal alley) 

amazing things are happening for me.  I am meeting and networking with incredible people -- artists, designers, and photographers.  My self esteem has grown.  People are believing in me, and supporting me.  Doors are opening.  I may not know exactly where this current is headed, but I am enjoying this ride.  If I had one word of encouragement that I would like to share with my readers,  it would be this:  Take the risk!  Find something that you are passionate about -- live it -- love it, and watch it grow into something magical!   

Photo by: jfairchildphoto Hair: Kit Stifel Stylist: Kat Fedorova

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Video Games . . .

Take a peek at this fun behind the scenes video, that Tessa Barton created of our fun shoot in Laguna Beach.

Video by: TBartonphotography 

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It's always summer somewhere . . .

                                                   

We are sun worshipers . . . traveling gypsies at heart . . . mermaids born with feet, so, we packed our bags and took the next available flight to Laguna Beach, California.    

My sister, Zoë Maks and I, played dress up at Crystal Cove.  When we were kids, my family owned one of the beach shacks along the shore.  Being back on that sand brought back a lot of memories.  We styled some outfits and threw some belts in our hair.  We smiled and twirled around in the warm salt water air, while Tessa Barton captured the silly, playful, effortless moments.  Giggling and playing as sisters do, I had a strong sense of déjà vu.  If this has happened before, may it happen again!

Live by the Sun 

Love by the Moon

Go with the Flow

Embrace the Mystery 

Photos by: TBartonphotography

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