Wears Like Iron

I am so excited to introduce my latest CD, Wears Like Iron. It has definitely been a labor of love and I am quite pleased with the results.

With this CD I am returning to what I was born to do, I am coming home - home to family story. Family informs who we are and how we see the world. It provides the bedrock of what we become. It's not always a world of happily-ever-after, but it is a world that reminds us of where true happiness lies. We become who we are because of the family we surround ourselves with. These might not be stories from your family, but they're sure to conjure up a wealth of memory from your own.

"Teresa Clark delivers! Her easy telling style calls us home, back to the people and places that give us the gentle strength and life lessons we so dearly need. These are stories that can be listened to over and over again whether you are by yourself or with a loved one."

Getting your own copy is easy! Simply click on the Buy Now button on the right of this post. I can't wait for you to hear it.

Of course such a project is never completed without the help of others. I need to give a shout out to TreeHouse Artists for their incredible artistic vision and generosity. They not only listened to my stories, but to the intent of my heart. Designer Laura Dowling captured it all in stunning one-of-a-kind, made-especially-for-me artistry. Art::Music::Design::Story - If you're in the market for creating a CD - Kim Weitkamp and her friends at TreeHouseArtists are the place for you! 

What a week!

Things are ramping up for the Story@Home conference. Last week the board met for a retreat in beautiful Aspen Grove. Not only did I get to spend time in the mountains - which always refills my soul - I got to feel the power of unified dreams and visions as we worked together to make this conference the best it can be.

I feel so blessed to be a part of all this. It's not very often in life that we are able to overlay all our passions into one event. But my love of story, my passion for family, and my commitment to making genuine connections all plays a part in this conference. Yep - I'm loving this!

Come join me in SLC in March! I'd love to reconnect and hear your stories. Whether it's your ancestors, your family, or your friends - everyone has stories that need to be told and heard. The real question is, Are you listening?

It's coming...and I can't wait!!!!!

Celebrate with a Family Story Slam!

I've got a great idea for your next family gathering!

But first - Don't forget you can give a loved on the gift of story this holiday season in a marvelous way. 

They've lived it, now help them learn how to share it at the Story@Home Conference!

At only $265 the gift package is one sweet deal. Your stories matter! Simply click on the link below and go to the registration tab. Don't forget your Family Story Slam tickets too!

Okay - now for the fun idea for your next family gathering!

Happy Holidays! 

Over the coming month or so families from all over will gather together to celebrate their unique bonds, reflect back on experiences shared, and focus on the things that matter most. I’m sure you’ve got some great plans up your sleeve already. I’ve got one more suggestion for you - Celebrate with a Family Story Slam!

We all have them: oft-told family tales we enjoy again and again. But sometimes, they get a little tired and worn out, or the details may fade away into family shorthand. A Family Story Slam is a great way to freshen them up and stir up some good old family competition in the process.


Family Story Slam
You’ll need:
A couple of sets of judges who’ll score the stories on a scale of 1 – 10.
A scorekeeper and scoreboard
A timekeeper with a kazoo or noise maker
Family storytellers
A Fabulous Prize
A Theme Topic such as:
Remember the time?
I’ve never been so afraid!
Wasn’t that funny?
I knew I was in trouble when… – etc.

Here’s how it works.
Put the names of everyone who wants to share a story in a hat. The timekeeper will draw their names one at a time. They’ll have 5 minutes and 5 minutes only to tell their tale. If they go over the timekeeper makes some noise. Now they have 20 seconds to wrap it up. If they fail, the timekeeper lovingly silences them.

Next the judges score the story. There are only 3 criteria: Was it ON TIME? Was it a STORY? Was it on TOPIC? They rate the criteria on a scale of one to ten and call out their scores to the scorekeeper who keeps tally on a board everyone can see.

The winner gets a prize!

Results: A great time had by all and you’ve given new life to those favorite family stories.

Note: Advertise this activity before everyone arrives to really fuel the excitement! Love the experience? Be sure to come to the Family Story Slam at Story@Home and bring your story to a brand new audience!


That’s all you need to get the party started, but If you’re interested in knowing more read on. 

The Rules

·        Story must be true and from your life.

·        Story must be told in five minutes or less.

·        Story must be told live, without notes.

·        Story may be told by one or more people together – but must not exceed 5 minutes.

Tips

Chat over the story with your family.

Clarify your memories.

Compose your story.

(Remember, it’s not a story unless it leads us through an incident that ends in some sort of progress, discovery, or learning.)

Practice your story!

(Remember you don’t get a cheat sheet)

Practice so you can keep it down to five minutes.

(Beware the consequences of going over . . . muwahahah)

Tell it to your plants, pets, spouse, kids or mirror.

 (But know they are a tough audience.)

Revise, Rework, Revamp, Finesse

Shave off another two minutes

The Moth of New York City created the Story Slam model. (www.themoth.org)

Have a Ball - A Gratitude Ball

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love, love, love this holiday. The food, the family, the gratitude - what's not to love?!! I wanted to share a fun little tip for sharing the things your family is grateful for. Some of my daughters came up with this at our last family reunion and we had a BALL! ;o)

Here's how it works.

You Need:
1 Large Ball
Multiple Sharpie Markers
Family


Throughout your time together everyone draws on the ball the things they are grateful for.
 All ages can do this. It's not about artistic ability, it's about thinking what you are grateful for and how to illustrate that. You'll be amazed at how seriously the little ones take this and what they come up with!

At the close of your time together everyone shows what they drew and tells what those pictures mean to them. It's a great way to keep folks busy, get them laughing, and get them talking, without them feeling like they are put on the spot.























Plus, the ball holds the memories long after the gathering is over. Every time you get back together the ball is available for play and remembering. Fun! Fun!








Enjoy! May your week be filled with excellent family moments, heartfelt reflections of gratitude, and yummy food. I hope you have a BALL!

Story@Home for Christmas

No doubt the Story@Home conference is going to be phenomenal. Every family has stories that need to be told and there has never been such a broad variety for sharing brought together in one place before. Yet, March seems so far away. Don't make the mistake of thinking you shouldn't worry about it until next year!

NOW is the time to plan. You matter - so do your stories!  If you could give someone this incredible weekend filled with the power of story for $65 off the list price, would you? Well guess what - You can!!

     


Package Price:  $265
Includes:
Full Conference Registration $79
2 Nights Hotel $198
Story Chat Cards $15.50
Storytelling CD $15
30 Days Blogging/Photo Prompts $12
"Tell Me Who I Am" Book $11.99
Guaranteed iTell Reservation
Gift Wrap
A retail value of $330+

Simply click on the Story@Home link below then go to the registration tab. Don't forget your Family Story Slam tickets too!

Story@Home

Photo by Carol Rice

There's a running joke in our family that probably sounds pretty ridiculous. Whenever we see anything that looks remotely like a wagon wheel someone invariably says, "Is that supposed to look like a wagon wheel?" It's one of those family short hand tag lines that carry a depth of story behind it. We all break into laughter while non-family members look on, confused. Every family has such love-filled family code. 

The stories of our family, and our family history, define us and inform us. Story is the hub of the wheel of who we are. Remove the hub and the wheel collapses. Remove the hub and the remaining parts of the wheel can never be re-connected - until a new story hub is created. Maintain the hub and the connections remain solid and purposeful. It applies to families and it applies to the world. Story is the hub of humanity.

The face of how family history is contained is changing. Social media and the Internet are building up a new interpretation of how we share and learn our family's stories. I'm so delighted and proud to be a part of an innovative conference that triumphs STORY as the hub of all it offers. A unique gathering of masters from the worlds of blogging, family history, and storytelling is taking place in March of 2012 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Like spokes on a wheel these presenters are joining together around the hub of story. 

Every presenter is passionately committed to the premise that your story matters, and who you are is important. Whether the story is as fresh as yesterday, a time-honored tale from the past, or somewhere in between each story melds together and creates who you are. Together these presenters will guide participants forward into the wonderful world of harvesting, fine-tuning, and sharing their tales. 

I feel so blessed to be a part of all this. It’s not very often in life one gets to be involved in something that feels so epic! The Story@Home conference is hosted by the largest genealogical organization in the world, Family Search International. The conference is sponsored by Cherish Bound, the only on-line publisher in the world dedicated to helping every family create a library of their cherished family stories. It is also sponsored by the Casual Blogger Network, a dynamic network of blogs targeting extraordinary women doing phenomenal things in the normal course of their lives. 

These organizations, and the presenters they have invited to participate, powerfully illustrate the reality that the world is beginning to recognize story as the hub of our identity. Strengthen and maintain the hub, and you strengthen the world.

Story@Home
I can’t help but snicker, “Is it supposed to look like a wagon wheel?”

Learn more about Story@Home here:

https://www.familysearch.org/node/1363

http://www.cherishbound.com/blog/storyathome/

Next week – What is a Family Story Slam?