March 24, 2014 – 10:08 pm
Spools of thread at the dry cleaners, Berkeley, CA
Grocery crates, Berkeley, CA
Spools of thread at the dry cleaners, Berkeley, CA
Vivienne McMaster, Berkeley, CA
Field trip to the dry cleaners, Berkeley, CA
This is quite possibly my favorite class I have ever created! We are just starting week 2 of the Treasure Hunt: Collecting Color e-course. If you want to jump in, you are welcome to join in!
As Ben lay his head down on the pillow, he said to me with unbridled excitement, “I can’t wait to get my white belt tomorrow!”
My immediate thought was this: He’s not getting his white belt on the first day of class! He’s going to be so disappointed when he finds this out…
“Ben, I don’t think they give out white belts the first day of class. Don’t get your hopes up, okay?” His face immediately crumbled + squished into a cry and tears pooled in his eyes. “I’m not talking to you!” he shouted. “You just ruined all my happiness!”
And this is what we do, right?
With love in our hearts, we try to protect our kids from sadness and pain. We try to shield them from what we think will hurt more – being blindsided by disappointment. It’s vulnerable to want something. Especially if we don’t know if we will get it. We would rather say to ourselves, Well, it probably won’t happen. Or, It would be nice if it happened, but I don’t really care. We get so good at protecting ourselves that often our desires never even make it to our radar.
I could see in this moment with Ben that I really was ruining his happiness. I was squashing his delight. I was telling him in some subtle way to not want what he might not be able to have. Probably because I couldn’t be with the vulnerability of it.
Could I have just let him have his excitement?
The next day we went to karate class. And after breaking a board in two, Ben earned his white belt. ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS.
And me? I earned a valuable lesson in desire. (Maybe even a white belt)
We want what we want. We will get it or we won’t.
But it takes courage to want something. It leaves us vulnerable and that’s why it feels scary.
But to desire is our birthright. And maybe even half the fun. Maybe even half the joy.
In the past week, I’ve taken myself on several color collecting field trips. And guys, you’re in for a treat! Color collecting is SO. MUCH. FUN. I had forgotten.
But that’s the thing, right? We forget. And we take classes like this so we can remember.
To attune our eyes to color.
To attune our eyes to beauty.
To attune our hearts to what is good + right about the world.
It’s like a waking up practice, a gratitude practice and a creative practice all rolled into one.
Not only will we be attuning our eyes to color, but we will be exploring what really makes color have an impact in a photograph. Also, what colors turn you on? How does composition effect the way color is perceived? How do you create an abstract composition with color? All this + more. With some love sprinkled in.
Starting March 17th, 2014 we will spend 30 days living in full color. You can register here! (Just $49 dollars)

Here is a sample of one of the prompts:
So excited to bring you a brand new e-course! That’s all about collecting color + bringing more joy into your life. Color makes us feel alive. And if we attune our eyes to color, we find it everywhere. More details below!
Let’s go on a treasure hunt!
Remember how much you loved treasure hunts as a kid? We’re bringing the joy of that time back. Further your creative practice with photography, get a spark of inspiration directly in your inbox each day and share the spoils of your hunts in an encouraging Flickr community for other treasure seekers.
Starting March 17th, 2014 we will spend 30 days living in full color. You can register here! (Just $49 dollars)
You will get:
- A creative photo prompt each day
- Creative musings & photo tips by Andrea to inspire your work
- A warm, encouraging community space on Flickr to share your work and support your fellow treasure seekers! (I will be popping in there each day to view your work and support your practice)
Benefits of treasure seeking:
- Jumpstart your creativity or add a new spark to your existing practice
- Come away with a collection of creative images illustrating your life right now
- A gratitude practice using your camera as a tool + beauty as your lens
- A whole month of drinking in everyday beauty
- Inspiring photos taken with your camera phone or whatever camera you love most

Superhero Journal sponsors are, well, super! So check out what Carly Fortin is offering up in March. If you’d like to see your e-Course, Etsy shop, blog or business on the sidebar or in an upcoming Super Sponsor Spotlight, we’d love to have you. Just send a quick email to Amber at: [email protected] to get all the details.
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What if the only thing blocking your deepest desires were the things you didn’t want in your life anyway?
What if by releasing the things that don’t serve us we were inviting in what we most need and want in our lives?
What if you had a companion, someone to guide you through the process of clearing your home and creating space for what you truly want in your life?
Welcome to New Minimalism: More of What You Love (less of everything else). Over the course of 4 weeks, Cary Fortin will lovingly guide you through the process of creating a space that is at once simplified, full of ease, and a true outward representation of who you are.
As a highly sought after Space Clearing expert, Cary will teach you for $99 the exact process and tools her clients pay thousands of dollars for.
In just 28 days you will:
– Know exactly how you want to feel in your home
– Learn how to clear stagnant spaces and invite flow back into your life
– Tap into the joy of letting things go
– Master how to elevate your space to a new level of beauty and ease
The next session begins Monday (March 3). Click here to learn more.