Transforming Self and Home In the late spring and early summer of 2022, my husband Jonathan and I went through Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. We’re relatively neat and averse to clutter, and we had just moved in October 2021 so, to be honest, I didn’t think we would … [Read more...] about Life-Changing Magic, Part One
Inspiration
Embracing Ritual in the Everyday, Part One
Fantasy Afield began with the goal of finding (and celebrating!) magic in the everyday. And for me, a lot of that magic comes from transitioning routines into rituals. In this series, I'll explore personal transformations from routines into rituals. I'll also look at some of the thought leaders … [Read more...] about Embracing Ritual in the Everyday, Part One
Advice for Attending the Carolina Renaissance Festival
A few tips to make your day easier and more fun! This year, my husband and I had the pleasure of returning to the Carolina Renaissance Festival. We made our first trip in 2019 and loved the experience—I don't know why we hadn't ever been before! Then they had to cancel the festival in 2020, so … [Read more...] about Advice for Attending the Carolina Renaissance Festival
Tools for Fiction Writers: The Language of Magic
In this post in our Tools for Fiction Writers series, we look at Naomi Novik's Uprooted and the unique way she sets up magic in her world. Like many novels, Uprooted celebrates language and storytelling. However, I want us to delve deeper than that. We'll examine how Novik … [Read more...] about Tools for Fiction Writers: The Language of Magic
The Power of Choosing Yourself as a Creative
encouragement & empowerment for creatives There's a special power to choosing yourself as a creative, a freedom and empowerment to believing in your creative dream. But if that's true, why do we face so much resistance around our creative dreams? Why is it so difficult for us to put … [Read more...] about The Power of Choosing Yourself as a Creative
Tools for Fiction Writers: Synesthesia
what is synesthesia? Synesthesia: a blend of sensory details that creates concrete images for your readers Fiction writers are both artists and craftspersons. To practice our craft, we need to be familiar with our tools and study others' processes, methods, and polished work. That's … [Read more...] about Tools for Fiction Writers: Synesthesia
The Seasons of Creativity: Autumnal Reflections on the Creative Process
Do you feel as though you've hit a creative rut? That it's time for something new, but you're not sure what? Or perhaps you're feeling like there's too much on your plate, or that there aren't enough important things on your plate. seasons of creativity This blog is, in part, an … [Read more...] about The Seasons of Creativity: Autumnal Reflections on the Creative Process
The Magic of Adding More Plants to Your Life
Have you experienced that feeling of ease and calm when you walk into a greenhouse or garden space? That rush of oxygen, and the scent of green on the air? Do you smile when you see the lines of mums outside the grocery store in the autumn? Or feel inexplicably happier when you notice the garden … [Read more...] about The Magic of Adding More Plants to Your Life