Create Beautifully™

"Laughter is medicine." Charlotte Edwards not only believes this whole-heartedly, but gets about as literal with that phrase as you can, bringing in whatever she can to her team of nurses in the NICU when things get heavy and intense. She's a believer in the power of people's stories, and that not only SHOULD we tell our stories and listen to those of others, but that we MUST. And that doing so in...

Do you wish you'd had adults around when you were little who truly SAW you and helped point you toward the things you were naturally interested in and encouraged you to pursue the things you were naturally good at? If so, you're not alone.   My guide/guest today is Ann Sensing, a sound healer + mentor. She and I dive into her story about how she found her calling even though the adults around her...

If there's anyone who seems destined to have a podcast, it's Nicole James, who used to be told by her ex-husband that he hated the sound of women's voices. And that's just one small piece of this woman's story.   In this episode you'll find someone with the will to create the life she's always dreamed of, no matter how long it took, or how much it didn't start out at all as she'd planned. Within h...

This SPARKLE SNACK is JUICY, y’all!! A friend on Instagram posted about how we are all masters of containing and judging our self-expression and WOW has this been rolling around in my brain. What a concise and blunt and accurate way to describe what we do to ourselves - and thus our happiness - day in and day out!!! Let’s discuss this and see if we can find our gateway earring to our next level of...

It's the inaugural episode of the "So You Want to Start a Podcast" miniseries!    We kick this off with Sonja Thompkins, a brick-and-mortar-owner-turned-coach, who is ready to tackle her third attempt at a podcast!  Zero shame here. Sometimes it takes a few stops and starts to really figure out how to create a way of working that honors how we work most effectively, and throws out all the "best" a...

In this inspiring episode, we dive deep into the transformative power of self-love and body acceptance with the incredible Sarah Jane Chapman, creator of the "Be With Your Body" tarot deck. Join us as Sarah shares her remarkable journey from battling an eating disorder and managing type 1 diabetes to finding healing and empowerment through embracing her body.   Sarah's personal odyssey led her to...

Starting September 5, an incredible 10-episode limited edition series will be rolling out. I was in a podcast bootcamp and I was inspired by so many women’s stories and the way starting a podcast was on their hearts as a way to help others. So, I invited them on my podcast. This series is called, “So You Want to Start a Podcast,” and it’s a place for women to share their visions, practice using th...

6 Months.  25 Episodes. Alright! Rockin' that consistency so far, my friends!! Curious as to how it's been? Wanting to start your own podcast and wondering what the process might be like! Check out this episode! In this episode I share what's worked so far: Setting the structure up to work FOR ME Having guests Being able to go with the flow Creating content that resonates with others Creating cont...

Ready for some SPARKS of goodness? Introducing Sparkle Snacks! These mini episodes will come out from time to time whenever something is really lighting a fire in me and feeling so alive. It could be about where we give away our power, how to cultivate more self-trust, the way we see ourselves in photos, anything that’s related to living fully into who we KNOW we were meant to be, find ourselves s...

Imaging planning your day based on the time the sun sets?!   Bea Mangar is a nomad from the island of Mauritius (vacationed on by the likes of Whitney Houston, Gwyneth Paltrow and JLo).  She and her husband move homes and countries every couple of months, having no permanent home address. And inside what might sound like an incredible mix of awesome adventures and a lot of moving parts, Bea runs a...

I'm always thinking about the things that feel harder for me than for other creative entrepreneurs. It's likely that I have ADHD and I'm also an Enneagram 7 (Wondering what the enneagram is? Check out this episode first .) so some of things I really struggle with are:   Shiny object syndrome Disorganization - well, constantly searching for the PERFECT organizational system for whatever I'm working...

We've all be there - kicking ass and taking names. Doing sit-ups and drinking smoothies. Taking meetings and talking masterclasses. Feeling like we've figured out the things that hold us back and we're moving into a new era - no more old habits! Onto bigger and better things and new and improved ME!!!   ...and then...BOOM. We slide. We pick a fight. We let a long weekend turn into a long week and...

Dhruvi Kakkad felt all the feelings that the majority of my brand photography clients come to the table with - thoughts of "Am I worthy of investing this money into photos of myself for my business?" Worried that she wouldn't know what to do in front of the camera or how to pose. Overthinking outfit choices and more.   And once she got the photos, she went on a journey. She found herself critiquin...

So, it's time for some brand photos?! Maybe your'e pivoting, starting an entirely new business or ready to uplevel, but either way you're ready for a big girl photoshoot. Yas, friend!    Ok, your friendly brand photographer is here to help you get the most of out of your time and money. I've got 4 simple steps you should take when choosing your brand photographer so that you can sit back, relax, h...

In this episode, astrologer Danielle Beinstein and I dive deep into what it means to truly move into your unique soul path & how astrology can play an helpful role in that movement. How do you get off the sidelines where it can be so easy to sit and watch and plan and take notes and try to prepare for every minor and major mishap and just JUMP IN and TAKE ACTION?    We've all heard it before -...

My guest today has been around the world and back, living many different "lives," joining the army, brand photographer, SEO guide, substitute teacher and more. On the surface it can look like she's bounced all over the place, but what she's done is actually stay true to her values. By following what's most important, she's always known which choice to make when her seasons of life were calling for...

"The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter - often and unconscious, but still a faithful interpreter - in the eye." -Charlotte Brontë   Being a brand photographer, I know that most women aren't HUGE fans of seeing themselves in photos. Some squint and hem and haw, choosing just the right photos that they're not *too* critical of, and some simply can't even bring themselves to book a shoot with me...

Ah, this episode is such a treat! My guest today is Katey Windholz, a choreographer at my daughters' dance school.  Although she teaches a variety of styles, she's the head of the tap program there. She's always had a creative brain around music, hearing the "holes" in songs and mentally filling them with beats that she would translate into choreography.    This past season, she was working on a t...

In this vulnerable and personal episode, join me as I take you on a transformative journey through my experiences with body image, breast implants, explant, and the pursuit of self-love.    As a teenager and into my 20s, I struggled with having small breasts, and in this episode, I open up about the challenges I faced during that time. From clothes that didn't fit properly to the frustrating searc...

In this captivating episode of Create Beautifully, we delve into the extraordinary journey of Fanacek, a remarkable individual who's fighting against the tide of a corporate career to reclaim his true passion for TV and film.   Join us as Fanacek shares his poignant story of being raised by television, with absent parents who often left him in front of the screen. We explore how this early immersi...

Join in on this episode of the Create Beautifully podcast, where my guest and I delve into the realm of entrepreneurship and social media, uncovering the fears that hold us back and the transformative power of embracing vulnerability. In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the all-too-common fear of putting ourselves out there on social media platforms for our businesses, afraid of being ju...

This past weekend I took my 10 year old and almost 13 year old to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert.  My 13 year old is neurotypical, while my 10 year old is neurodivergent.  I definitely learned a few what TO DOs and MANY what NOT to dos - cue the mom guilt.   In this episode, I'll share my experience, what didn't go so well (panic attack, crowds) and a handful of tips that can make YOUR experie...

As a brand photographer, I have heard countless women express their dissatisfaction with how they look in photos. But negative body image is not limited to professional photoshoots. It's a pervasive issue that affects many of us in our everyday lives - perhaps way more than we realize.   In this episode, I'll explore the damaging impact of negative body image on our mental and emotional well-being...

In episode 8 I shared my story of honoring my season particularly when it came to 2022 and the unexpected event of taking my daughter out of public school and out of competition dance in order to homeschool and help calm her nervous system overall.   For this episode, she'd asked to come on and share HER experience of that time. She talks about the stress she was feeling, what homeschooling was li...

This episode is WILD.  Have you ever had a healing session with someone who was given the divine gift of discernment and feels their head nod or shake in response to what is true or isn't true for YOU? Well, I have, and it was deeply impactful.    My guest on this episode is a former photography client and a friend. Chris Hancock has a background in traditional psychotherapy, but after a dark nigh...