Our March dailydress calendar starts a celebration for Women's History Month ... watch this space

Feel free to download and print out this calendar for your personal use this month.

a bit of history behind Women's History Month:

Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week.” Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”

CLicK here to read to learn more:

https://womenshistorymonth.gov

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Live boldly, wildly, beautifully, uncertainly, imperfectly and completely magically!

“Life isn’t meant to be lived perfectly…

but merely to be LIVED. 

Boldly, wildly, beautifully, uncertainly, 

imperfectly, magically LIVED.” 

Mandy Hale

love, mom

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Always!! cultivate an independence of mind!!!

True elegance for me is the manifestation of an independent mind.

Isabella Rossellini

 

Down on the Farm With Isabella Rossellini

The actress, model, author and filmmaker turns her hand to breeding chickens.

By Ruth La Ferla
https://nyti.ms/2I30dkZ

love, mom

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day42: be authentic ...

“If you trade your authenticity for safety, 

you may experience the following: 

anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, 

blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.” 

Brené Brown

It seems to me that the cost of not being authentic is quite high!! resentment, rage, anxiety ...
But sadly I feel that many times our authentic self gets buried by the difference expectations and messages the we receive when we are young, the 'should' from media, society, community and yes from family and parents?!?!
I was so mindful about giving you extra baggage but these patterns are deeply sown into the fabric of our lives.  But what I want to encourage you to do NOW is to start excavating your authentic self! Become aware of what you truly want in your life, what are your dreams, fears, expectations, not the ones that were handed down to you.
The sooner you become aware of what is really ours and what you inherited, you become more authentic, which is so much better for you. love, mom

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ALWAYS be who and how you are!!!

© virginiafitzgerald gouache 2016

"My wish for you is that you continue. 

Continue to be who and how you are, 

to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. 

Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart." 

— Maya Angelou

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may this dress help us to allow our uniqueness to emerge ...

'from the ground up... ' 7aug14,74F, 5:10pm

“Authenticity is not the search for uniqueness. An oak tree does not try to become an oak tree. A cactus does not try to become a cactus. All living things simply reach for nourishment - they reach for sun, reach for water, reach their roots deeper into the ground. By being open to receiving what they need, they become unique effortlessly. So let yourself fall open. Forget about crafting yourself a unique personality. Just allow. Allow in love. Allow pain. Allow desire. Allow learning. Allow healing. Allow frustration. Allow uncertainty. Allow yourself to experience what you must experience and learn what you need to learn, so that your uniqueness can emerge organically.” 

 Vironika Tugaleva

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Today remember to show up and be who you are!!!!

Today's post is to celebrate the short but inspiring life of Scott Dinsmore, the creator and passion behind Live Your Legend. I learned yesterday that he lost his life while following his passion, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with his wife.  His legacy is following your passion, your heart and living your legend.  I highly recommend that you watch his TedTalk ... it is inspiring!!!



“Being vulnerable means knowing who you are and having the courage to share it with the world. To show up, not as who you want to be or who you want people to think you are, but as you, and to be open and welcoming to however the world reacts to it. One of the coolest parts about doing that? When you’re you, it gives other people permission to be them. And that is one of the best gifts you could give.” Scott Dinsmore

© virginiafitzgerald 2013

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today - take chances, make mistakes, learn, grow, BE YOU and be ok with it!!!

mixed media dress in an altoids tin 2015

"Take chances, take a lot of them. Because honestly, no matter where you end up and with whom, it always ends up just the way it should be. Your mistakes make you who you are. You learn and grow with each choice you make. Everything is worth it. Say how you feel, always. 
Be you, and be okay with it." 
Unknown Author

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may this dress help us to remember it is ALL GOOD!!!!

'departure ... ' one of the first dresses made on wells beach me in 2006.

Do not let the waves of doubt 

wash away your authentic self. 

Dodinsky

having a tough morning ... 

it is  beautiful weather, and the day stretches out before me,

however I seem stymied by all the things that i need/must/have to do ....

and when that happens, the critics come out to play!!

So I am going to get a cup of coffee 

and go meditate and breathe ...

and now whatever I do is fine 

AND

it is ALL good!!! :)

peace, va

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may this dress remind us to be authentic and to be cool with that!!!!

"It's just about being you and being cool with that. 

And I think when you're authentic, 

you end up following your heart, 

and you put yourself in places 

and situations and in conversations 

that you love and that you enjoy. 

You meet people that you like talking to. 

You go places you've dreamt about. 

And you end you end up following your heart 

and feeling very fulfilled. " 

Neil Pasricha

i'm cool with that!!! x

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Today remember your true self, your authentic self . . .

' authentic . . .' #fromthelandofdragons

“Life isn't about finding yourself. 

Life is about creating yourself."

George Bernard Shaw

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may this dress remind you to say 'YES'!!!!!

i thank You God for this most amazing

day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

e.e.cummings

 click here to view entire poem

My wish for you in this new year is to say YES!!!

Say YES to your dreams, your passions, to you!!

Say YES to new adventures, new opportunities, new desires!!

Say YES to your inner voice, your intuition, 

to your authentic self.

This year embrace YOU,

trust you, love you, be you,

wonderful, unique, full of possibilities YOU!!

Happy 2014!!

“The privilege of a lifetime 

is to become who you truly are.”
― C.G. Jung

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may this dress encourage you to take your truth-seeking journey . . .

“I've come to believe that there exists in the universe 

something I call "The Physics of The Quest"

- a force of nature governed by laws as real 

as the laws gravity or momentum. 

And the rule of Quest Physics maybe goes like this: 

"If you are brave enough to leave behind 

everything familiar and comforting 

(which can be anything from your house

 to your bitter old resentments) 

and set out on a truth-seeking journey 

(either externally or internally), 

and if you are truly willing to regard 

everything that happens to you on 

that journey as a clue, 

and if you accept everyone you meet 

along the way as a teacher, 

and if you are prepared - most of all -to face (and forgive) 

some very difficult realities about yourself....

then truth will not be withheld from you." 

Or so I've come to believe.” 

Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Last night I watched the movie version of 'eat, pray, love'. I had been hesitant about watching the movie.  I had LOVED the book and found it quite profound and was suspect of Hollywood's ability to do the book justice.  But last night it felt like the right time.  The book had been referenced to me on a few different occasions and  I had the DVD from the library and it was soon going to be overdue.

Once again I was struck with how the message in Elizabeth Gilbert's story hits very close to my personal journey ~ her quest for truth and spiritual growth.  Now I would LOVE to be able to take a year off and find myself while in Italy, India and Bali, but my life is different and my truth-seeking journey needs to be done here in Natick, with my darling angel daughters, which is all good.

But Elizabeth's ideas and thoughts ring true wherever one is and what made me choose this quote was:

... regard everything that happens to you 

on that journey as a clue, 

and if you accept everyone 

you meet along the way as a teacher

If you really think about those words and reflect on your life it is profound!!!

And I want to thank all my teachers!! 

THANK YOU!!!

and peace ~ 

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may this dress help you discover WHO u ARE!!!!!

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may this dress bring you YOUR love and affection!!

“You, 

yourself, 

as much as anybody else

 in the entire universe,

 deserve your love and affection.” 

~ Buddha

true love for YOUR authentic self

I have recently discovered an amazing website, 

Tiny Buddha.  

It offers thoughtful articles, inspiring quotes, 

forums and exercises to guide one on this journey we call life! 

I have found it helpful, insightful and accessible.  

Below an excerpt from their articles, 

How to Love Your Authentic Self, by Lori Deschene.

This article spoke volumes to my heart and i wanted to share.

To read the entire article either click on the article title above

 or anywhere on the excerpt below:

We all want validation. It’s an intrinsic human need to feel connected to other people; and oftentimes when we feel alone, it’s because we believe we haven’t proven how good we are or can be.

You don’t have to show the world you’re good. You don’t have to try to hide the things you’ve done that might not seem flattering. You just need to forgive and accept yourself and trust that other people will, as well.

Being authentic means being vulnerable–letting people see all your different facets, trusting they won’t judge you, and knowing that if they do that’s completely on them.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be real with people and know the ones who accept me accept me fully, than pretend and then have to maintain the illusion that I am something I’m not.

The article also suggest that I post a picture of myself 

when I was really happy as a way to celebrate my authentic self. 

 My profile picture fits that criteria but those 

who receive this post in an email form you don't see it, so I will repost it here.  

This picture shows my authentic self.  

The picture was taken my David Lang, 

a friend and a person who celebrates my true self, even when I forget her.  

I am hanging out the window of my studio, 

most likely just after one of our mutual shop-talk talks. 

and I was heading back into my studio, tingling with inspiration.  

Because of recent life changes I don't have the freedom 

to be in my studio as I had been before, 

however I KNOW that I will get back there.  

I needed to make changes in areas of my life,

I wanted to be authentic in all aspects of my life.

This choice has definitely rocked my boat, 

but they were very needed changes.  

So right now I am focusing on righting my boat, 

and keeping me and my amazing girls safe and sound. 

During this time, I am learning more about 

how to be my authentic self 

in EVERY aspect of my life, 

before she basically lived in my studio!

The above picture is more recent, 

after my separation, 

and here I am tremendously happy!!!

Here I am embracing my girls AND my authentic self!!

So all is good!!!

peace

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