I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, amongst a brood of men (five brothers), so I think God already set the tone for my life’s work.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the little buggers, (men, that is) but I also know that times they are-a-changin’.  We, as women, are at the forefront of monumental change.  We are frontiering the new face of the feminine role in this new era, and we have centuries to make up for (our species has been more than just a little repressed).

Now, I’ve donned many career hats in my lifetime…started in the corporate world of advertising, sales, publishing.  Then I did a 180 and dove headfirst into the complementary health field where I practiced massage therapy, craniosacral therapy, reflexology, yoga and meditation.  I believe my journey, every step of it, was leading me to where I am today. Read on…

Through an uncanny turn of events, my life began to change.  I’d had physical issues off and on since I was 17 years old – mainly digestive and ‘female’ problems.  While returning to school to become a massage therapist I was also experiencing some neurological symptoms.

In 1996 I had to have abdominal surgery  – good-bye uterus, tah-tah ovaries, adios to parts of my bowel.  One year later I was diagnosed with a rare neurological spinal condition and was instructed to give up my work.  Once again, I had surgery – on my head this time.  Ouch-ee mama.  If that wasn’t enough, I began having severe vertigo post surgery and was barely able to get out of bed.

I felt devastated, depressed, sick and lost. I was stripped clean of my identity (or so I thought) and saw myself as an abandoned child with no where to go and nothing to do…no job, no energy, no purpose.  I was screaming to God for help.

He/She answered me – keep reading…

I was always a creative person, I suppose – a creative thinker, talker, planner/organizer, decorator, gardener.  I never gave it much thought actually.  I did always admire people who were artistically gifted, that’s for sure.

After months of various holistic therapies, and feeling a bit more like myself, I knew I had to do something to make myself feel lighter, happier, and connected.  That’s when the idea for Play Days for women popped into my head.  I wanted these playshops to inspire women to understand themselves more and to laugh, play and have fun…something as natural to me as breathing.

From these Play Days, a gift presented itself in the form of painting, and creative writing.   I took to both like duck to water.  Each piece of abstract artwork or writing I create is like a birthing process for me.  They allow me to hide within the strokes, slashes, textures, colour and words, speaking out and waving to the observer, giving them a glimpse of who I am, with all my gnarls, knots and soft spots.

The creativity portal, once opened, allows for more inspired ideas, leading me to another light bulb moment.  The motivation behind this one was to get women to wake up to who they really are, and the power they possess.  I asked myself and friends, what do women want?  The answers I received were Peace within, more self-confidence and ease in expressing ourselves and asking for what we want, more play, joy, fun, saying “I can” versus “I can’t”, challenging ourselves to try new things, etc.  Princess and the Pea(ce) was born and set me on my path; to assist women in kissing themselves awake, stepping into their own glass slippers and creating their own happily ever laughters.

The youngest of my creative children is the “Smarty Party’…custom designed parties for the kid in you who wants to have fun, play and learn something as well.  Looking forward to many  Smarty Parties’ and the opening of the next creativity portal…the next adventure!

Stay tuned or jump in with me, for the well is never dry when you tap into the food for your Soul…your creativity.