Letters Home | New Analog Collage Collection

Letters Home // This analog collage collection started in my kitchen. It’s true! One night, I was loading the dishwasher after we finished our meal. Rag thrown over my shoulder, singing along to the background music and lining plates one by one.

I had asked Alexa to play classic rock like I always do, and Cat Stevens happened to shuffle on. It was a familiar song, but one I hadn’t heard in a really long time.

I remember getting a Cat Stevens CD for my dad for Christmas one year and we played it over and over. As I stood there swaying to Father and Son, I began to cry. It reminded me of home and in that moment, home felt so far away.

In 2006 I packed my little red Grand Am with all of my belongings. With excitement, I took off down our long dirt driveway and the woods of northern Minnesota disappeared slowly in my review mirror. I was 18 years old and I was determined to see the world.

Now, I find myself standing in the kitchen, swaying and singing. Still 2,000 miles away from home. I dropped the dishrag, walked into my art room and closed the door. I listened to the music and let my hands shuffle the paper.

I thought of time. I thought of distance. I felt gratitude and nostalgia. In Letters Home, I explore all of it. Pieces of paper representing fragments of time. Placed together in blocks of memories — with the glue holding them down.

View, shop and collect all 7 pieces, here.

If you’re reading this, I’d like to thank you for supporting my art practice! Whether you like, comment, share or collect my work. It means the world to me!

- Elyse’

Sun Kissed Wildflowers

we arrived beneath 
the same beating heart
joining forces 
earth side
with the strength of 
three sides

clouded in questions
you were
an answer
a hand to squeeze
when shadows danced on the wall
safe, like

ocean potion
and the race of my heart
on my bike
when the rain starts
a slide through the grass 
around the corner, monsters

holding bugs
picking pinecones
isosceles
a mystical buoy 
when the weight was
too much to bear

I see you
when I look in the mirror
when I look at old photos
when I watch my children
their laughter is your laughter
their laughter is our laughter

I don't know if I get a tomorrow
I don't know if you get a tomorrow
But I know what we got

a golden locket
a travel through time
three

forever holding
the belly laughs
of sun kissed wildflowers
echoed in the distance
past the moon
as she rises

Starting Over In Any Moment

In this moment, I’m sitting at a little restaurant by our house. The walk here was so cold that I had to tuck my head into my jacket up to my eyes, dig my hands deep into my pockets and go as fast as I could. I made the trek though, without hesitation, just for a chance to get away from the house.

I’ve always loved the start of the New Year as a way of getting centered and dreaming but this year was different. The first came and went and I found myself feeling more in a funk than I ever have. I was fueling my body with sugar (Ben & Jerrys for dinner, I’m not even kidding) and staying up super late (what do you think happens when you eat Ben & Jerrys for dinner?), waking up early with the boys and dragging.

I couldn’t pick up a camera. I couldn’t finish a sentence. I just sat and doodled in between the rushes of being mom. Honestly, it was my sketchbook and my short workouts that pulled me through. A few days before the month ended, I decided enough was enough and I cut the sugar. I had a headache for 2 straight days.

I came out of that fog a new person. Seriously, a new person! Now, I’m sleeping way better which makes everything in my day better (I can write again!) and now I’m looking hard at 2022.

What should we do?
What can I do this year, with intention?

The word I keep coming back to is FOCUS.

To be honest, I’m so damn over the busyness. The scroll. I deleted Twitter permanently. TikTok permanently. I’m toying with the idea of being done with Facebook for good too.

Although I’ve always loved Instagram, I’ve been a bit disenchanted with it recently. It’s been hard for me to find the inspiration to post. Maybe it’s just a season? My people are there and I love the IG art world.. so it might have to be a pause and come back refreshed.

All I know is I am craving focus. Focus on my boys, my art (photography) and my blog.

I swear, all of this is a never ending process . I try. I fail. I think again. I try again.

So here’s to starting over in any moment and focusing on what is most important to you.

- Elyse’

“Missplaced”

Analog Collage
6x6, 2022

Portrait Session, Nadiya

It was the nearing the end of fall and winter began showing it’s face. Although I was a bit nervous for the cold, I knew we’d make it work.

I followed the weather close and as the day approached I was delighted to see the temps would be perfect! The day before? Cold. The day after? Super cold. What luck! I knew then it was going to be a special shoot.

And special shoot it was!

I’ve met Nadiya and worked with her family before so it didn't take long for us to get comfortable. I was instantly reminded why I love taking senior portraits.

It’s such a unique time of life, really. A chapter ends and so much is beginning.
I’m always left feeling inspired and quite honored to capture the time.

Nadiya was confident and her energy radiated in such a way that made my job very easy. I can’t wait to get out there this summer and shoot some more portraiture!

If you’re in need of photos, please reach out. I’d love to discuss it with you!

Nothing Against the Moon

Nothing Against the Moon

I look up at the sun and I ask her to stay
it's nothing against the moon, really
it's just that I don't want this day to end
this perfect Tuesday in August
a fresh 34
the sun is making it's way through the sky, nevertheless
my eyes squint a bit
stay, I whisper, begging
and I know this feeling all too well
like when I grasp his tiny hand
enveloped so deeply in mine
asking the stars or anyone that would listen
to keep him this way
everything about him needs to stay
but tomorrow comes
and he's taller
and I know it's a request that can't be attained
but I'll ask anyway
I'll ask the sun
if she can stay

Paris Starts with a Dream

It started a decade ago. I was 24 years old, renting a room in Las Vegas and had very little to my name. I was sitting in the coffee house dreaming, like I often did. Where to go? What to do?

Naturally, I made a list and right at the top it read, “Sip coffee while wearing stripes in Paris.” It seemed incredibly far fetched at the time but even if it did, I still believed! It took over 10 years but my husband Tom and I just spent my 34th birthday in the city of light. It was the best and I want to share it all!

So there I was. I sipped coffee (a lot of coffee) and I wore stripes… and I fell head over heels for the magical city of Paris, France.

—————————————————

Making an international trip happen right now was tricky. We knew though, if we planned ahead and took all precautions, we could make it happen.

As we prepared for our time away, I devoured Kimberly Wilson’s blog posts and podcasts. If you go to her website in the search bar and type “Paris”, you’ll find so many amazing resources. She loves art, books, yoga and healthy food… so all of her recommendations were incredibly appreciated.

—————————————————

This blog is what I would like to offer up about our trip — for anyone dreaming about Paris or planning to go. I share my favorite places, the biggest challenges we had and the best moments. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions!

Preparing for our trip and obtaining health passes

I really should have Tom write this part of the post but I’m going to do the best I can. We (by we I mean he) watched as the rules and regulations changed for traveling to Europe day by day right up until the week we left. We weren’t even sure we were going to be able to swing it and were ready to postpone if needed.

When we heard about most places requiring health passes (proof of vaccination / negative test in the last 3 days) my husband got on it. He scanned our vaccination cards and got an application in right away. Unfortunately, as we read on twitter, there were a lot of people waiting and waiting to receive them. After a bit of digging, Tom tweeted an EU official and emailed him per his request (in French using google translate).
Not long after we were printing out official health passes. Incredibly smart on his part and now, Paris was really happening!

*We would say about 50% of the places we visited needed to scan our health pass before we entered.

Our Flight

We excitedly flew Air France for the first time. It was a straight shot from Minneapolis right into Paris. It was a huge Boeing 787 and incredibly smooth to fly. Tom, being the total airline nerd that he is, upgraded our seats there and back.
I think the flight was his favorite part of the whole trip, I’m not even kidding!

The flight was just under 8 hours and went fairly quickly. Having time to read, write, chat and connect with each other was just the absolute best. I even watched a movie which I never make time for at home. The meals they served were delicious and pretty fancy. We even got some shut eye which was unusual for me — the lie flat seat made it possible for my tall self to get comfy and it makes such a difference feeling rested after a flight instead of drained!

As always, for ease, we had two backpacks and two carry ons. I always skip the alcohol on the flight and double up on the water which can feel not as fun when you have free alcohol but it’s always so worth it to feel good when you land!

Getting Around Paris

When we arrived in Paris, we took the Métro (subway) from the airport to our hotel. We had to switch lines at one point and needed a few different sets of tickets. Honestly, this part confused me a bit and I happily clung to my stuff and followed Tom. He’s amazing and I could never appreciate him more for all of his intense navigation skills when we’re in a foreign country!

The majority of our trip was spent walking. Being able to get dressed, grab my bag and head right out the front door was one of my favorite things about Paris! One day I actually put on 25,000 steps! That’s a lot of walking. (I once again brought only Birkenstocks. I will learn one of these times!)

Although it felt incredibly touristy, we didn’t pass up a chance to do the Big Bus Tour. This hop-on hop-off bus picked us up close to our hotel and it went everywhere. We stopped at The Louvre, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées and more! It was a great way to rest our feet, take photos and see it all!

Toward the end of our trip, we used Uber for our super long treks, mostly just one way. The price wasn’t too bad, although the Métro was much cheaper. It was cool to see the city from the streets and ride in foreign cars.

Our Hotel

We stayed at Hôtel Eiffel Turenne and we really enjoyed it. It was about $100 a night which felt like a steal for Paris! The location was good, there were plenty of cafes around and it was easy to get anywhere we wanted to go! The room was small, clean and perfect for our needs: to sleep! Oh and it was a 5 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower! Speaking of…

The Eiffel Tower

I feel like nothing says you’re in Paris like the Eiffel Tower. It’s the landmark that upon seeing it, planted my feet firmly on the ground — I’m here. We’re in Paris.

When we got to our hotel on the first day, our room wasn’t quite ready so we dropped our bags off and walked 5 minutes to the front lawn of the Eiffel Tower. My heart burst! There were people taking photos, people drinking wine, people eating cheese and baguettes just enjoying the moment. It was so big and at night… it lights up… it sparkles! And it’s beautiful.

We had planned to do an Eiffel Tower tour, we were going to do all three levels but we mixed up our tour time and missed it. It was such a huge bummer but a reminder that stuff like this happens when you travel and you really truly have to let stuff roll off your back and keep moving! It’s all part of it. We made a vow to come back and decided we could do the tour then!

Shakespeare and Company - Bookstore

When we began planning our trip, we each made a list of things we would like to do. Shakespeare and Company was my number one. I’ve seen this independent bookstore on different blogs and websites over the years as the most famous bookstore in the world!
I have to say, it was so cool. A maze of rooms with books stacked from top to bottom. Old feel, new feel and buzzing with people. I snagged a poetry book and a book on Paris, both stamped on the inside cover with the Shakespeare and company logo.
Joy, absolute JOY.

Notre-Dame

Another must see on the trip was Notre Dame, the medieval catholic cathedral. As you probably know, it burned and was heavily damaged in 2019. They are working on it now and it’s set to open back up to the public in 2024. Although we didn't get to go in, it was still such a site to see! The size, the architecture was all so stunning and it felt surreal to be there. I hope that we are able to go back when it is open once again! Notre-Dame, Paris

The Louvre

Louvre day was such an exciting day — walking up to it truly gave me butterflies. I read that it’s the world’s most visited museum and historic landmark. I’ve seen The Louvre in movies and shows and so being able to get in line and then to head down into the Pyramid was just… the coolest.
Being surrounded by art, some of it’s so old — it’s hard to wrap your head around it all. We waited in line to visit the Mona Lisa too which was unreal!

On the flip, there was a lot of art I wasn’t familiar with. Next time we go I’ll have Musée d'Orsay on the top of my list as it was recommended as the best art museum by my art friends! Still though, The Louvre was a must see and perfect for our first trip!

Cafes/Diners

Since we’ve been back, I’ve had quite a few people ask me what my favorite part of Paris was. I’d like to wow them with something historic or typical but all I can say is.. the cafes.
Sitting in a French cafe, facing the sidewalk as the life of Paris passed, listening to the French language, eating the delicious food or sipping on espresso with jazz in the background.
All things were fun and all day was good but mornings at the cafe was my absolute favorite part of the day and of the trip!

French to Know Before You Go

Knowing the basics can be really helpful when visiting Paris! I used Dulingo and also grabbed a French phrase book before we left. Most of our interactions were brief and we got by as a majority of people spoke English (waiters, hotel staff etc.) but we still wanted to be respectful and do our best.

Simple Hello/Good Morning (Bonjour), Good evening (Bonsoir) and thank you so much (Merci Beaucoup), Please (S’il-vous-plait) are by far what I used the most. The most common phrase we used on our entire trip though, was “Bill, please.” (Addition, S’il-vous-plait).

I read this before we go, and we noticed it too. They don’t really bring you a check… people will sit and drink and smoke for hours so when you’re ready to go you must ask for your bill, we got pretty good at it — both staying for long periods of time and asking for the check when we were ready to go!

Dinner Cruise along the Seine

On the night we had the mishap with our Eiffel Tower tour, we cut our losses and went for a stroll along the Seine. It was about 8:20pm when we came up to a boat (Bateaux Parisiens) that was doing a dinner cruise and decided to check it out, why not!
They had two spots available and it left in 10 minutes… talk about lucky! These cruises usually fill up 2-3 weeks in advance!
We ended up getting super discounted tickets that included 2 hours of views, delicious dinner, desert, music and a lot of wine!

Note: If you don’t drink a lot of caffeine and someone offers you an espresso at 10pm, do not accept it. I repeat, do not accept it.

Fashion

Alright, I have a confession: I’ve always thought designer clothes and purses were a total waste of money. Although it’s just not my thing, I feel like I understand it more.
Paris is one of the top fashion capitals of the world, and you knew it when you were there. Women dressed so effortlessly chic and it was really so cool.
There were shops everywhere you looked and it’s such a big part of life — Louis Vuitton, Chanel, YSL, Gucci.
Of course I had to go into a store to just to look and I chose Louis Vuitton. The quality was incredible and the store was fun but my canvas tote from Shakespeare and Company will have to do for now. Maybe someday!

Sneakers & Canvas Totes

As I spent my mornings sipping cappuccino in the cafe, I was consistently observing all that was happening around me. Along with the designer fashion, I noticed all of the women were carrying canvas totes and wearing sneakers.
The canvas totes were old and new, big and small and with prints and logos from many different places. Everyone had one slung over their shoulder.
The sneakers were so fun to see and very much unexpected! Women wearing jeans had on sneakers along with a group of ladies wearing dresses, all sneakers. They were typically white Adidas, Veja, Chuck Taylors etc. or sometimes they would be bright fun colors.
Now this was a way of life I could totally get on board with!

The Catacombs

Remember those lists we made of things we wanted to do? The Catacombs of Paris was one from Tom. Going in, I didn’t really know what to expect and still as I sit here it’s hard for me to find the right words to describe it. If you’re not familiar, the catacombs hold the remains of more than 6 million people. It was created underground, back in 1774, to help eliminate the cities overflowing cemeteries.
You go down 131 steps until you’re underground and then you walk through this labyrinth of bones, millions of bones. The skulls and femurs are arranged in patterns and when you look behind them you can pick out clavicles, hips and arms. It’s not something I ever need to see again but pretty wild to experience it. So many mind expanding moments and this was one of them.

Food

One of my greatest joys of being on vacation is eating! Although I’m not a pastry person over here, I became a pastry person over there. Each morning we started with a warm croissant and a cappuccino — it was heaven! Then we’d typically stop at a restaurant along our path for lunch and split something. We split a lot of meals on our trip so that we weren’t overstuffed and could keep a small appetite incase we saw something we wanted to try.
In the afternoon we’d stop at a restaurant and get a table right by the street so we could sip an Aperol Spritz and eat pretzels before dinner.
We mostly tried to find places that had a good atmosphere above all! We ate a lot of Italian, some burgers and a few fancy dishes.
After dinner, my favorite part of any trip, is Gelato treats and Paris sure didn’t disappoint!

Wild and the Moon

This was one of Kimberly’s suggestions and I am so glad she shared it. My body was definitely not used to all the coffee and bread and by time we made our way to Wild and the Moon, I was aching for it! The atmosphere was so totally up my alley and this Namaste pitaya smoothie was delicious and gorgeous!

Paris Dreams

While in Paris, each night, I posted a thread of photos in my stories on instagram. I got some of the best responses ever — people sharing their trip to Paris with me as well as their dreams to go. I love all of it.
If I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned that Paris starts with a dream. If it's yours, I hope with everything I am you make it there. I am already dreaming of going back!

Tom Ray

Tom, I don’t know how I could ever thank you for all you did to make this not only happen, but with surprises around every corner. You amaze me — directions, language, currency, maps etc. — you do it all with a cool head and focused mind. There were some tough moments, traveling abroad is not always easy but yet, you did it. We did it, together.
Memory makin’, these are the moments.
I appreciate you and I love you so much.

How to Create Through The Chaos | Take + Make Time

It’s 7:08am — I’m helping my insistent toddler pick out the edges of the puzzle he’s going to attempt before breakfast. My little guy just yelled to me from the bathroom that he needs a wipe. Finn pup is standing behind me whimpering because he is ready to be fed. After I pour food in his bowl, I turn around to review my heavily packed calendar on the fridge. Then my mind drifts…

Is it possible to create through the chaos?

I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately.

I’m always on the move and my mind, well — it runs. It runs like A/C on a sweltering day in July.

Creation, for me, has always happened during quiet moments. Focused moments. Moments of solitude where I have time, space and good music playing softly in the background.

So when this summer took off, my creative practice got the back burner. With the boys no longer napping and both of them going to bed later each night, time to create felt like a thing of the past. I got so frustrated waiting for quiet that I was forced to find another way.

So, is it possible to create through the chaos?

YES. YES, it is. This blog post is proof — but it takes a bit of discipline to do so.

Here’s two things that have been working for me:
1. Simplify
2. Take (and make) what you can get

Simplify

I’ve always wanted to do it all. Create collage, shoot photography, edit those photos, read a million books at once, write blogs and so on.
In order to get anything done, simplicity is necessary. Choosing one thing to focus on really helps me.
I also frequently remove tasks that don’t fit my vision. Sometimes when I shoot photography I’ll choose two photos to edit out of 50 that I’ve taken. Is it hard to pick only two? Incredibly hard but that’s the art of it. You have to be able to cull your tasks like you are culling photos.
Go with your gut and be confident in your decision.

Take (and make) what you can get

Secondly, you have to take and make time. This part was the hardest for me because, like I said above, I like to be sitting at my desk in a quiet room with music on to make stuff. That’s just not realistic for me right now and I’ve been pushing myself to do the best with what I have.

The discipline comes when you’re tempted to reach for your phone but pick up your sketchbook instead. It’s keeping a notebook handy when you’re playing at the park with your kids to jot down a good blog post idea. It’s writing during the 20 minutes between getting home and starting dinner. Taking time during small moments in the day to generate and spark ideas.

Now, after you go through your day taking little pockets of time to create, what do you do with it all? This is were you have to make time. For me, that looks like setting my alarm for 5am. This is my biggest secret!

Rising at 5am has been the game changer. It gives me time to sit with all of the puzzle pieces I’ve collected during the day and put them together.
I get a workout in, read a bit, finish blogs and even make art!

I’ve realized there are just too many demands during the day and if I rise at 5am I have about and hour and a half to myself before the sound of little feet come running down the stairs.

You are worth it! XO

Oh, The Magic You Hold