Listen to the Review

     My favorite line from the recent review of my CD is spontaneous shared at the end of the interview:

"This is the kind of CD that's going to have people talking about similar mishaps and similar instances in their own lives - which is what personal stories do, that's why so many of us tell them because when we tell them we get to hear so many delicious stories."

     I'd love to hear your delicious stories spawned from listening to my CD. Get the CD by clicking on the Buy Now button on your right. Listen - then share your stories with me!!!

         You can listen to Linda Goodman's review of "Wears Like Iron" at  http://lnkd.in/jufNq3

Save the date! 

June 16th - 2 pm 

387 North Water

Idaho Falls, Idaho

The Stillwater Mansion Est. 1997

Presents: Wears Like Iron CD Release Party 

There's nothing that compares to hearing a live storytelling performance. Come hear Teresa share the tracks from her latest CD surrounded by the victorian ambiance of the Stillwater. 

RSVP 208-200-4473

Wears Like Iron - Review

Check out this legit review that is scheduled to be featured on Here Women Tell (http://www.herewomentell.com/) beginning May 14th!

I don't tell for fame or glory, I tell in the hopes my experiences can touch, lift, or inspire others. I tell because I believe our world will be a better place if we can only understand and respect one another. Linda Goodman's generous review makes me feel as if my efforts have wings.

Thank you, Linda.

Wears Like Iron - Reviewed by Linda Goodman 

            "In her sweet, clear voice, Teresa Clark blends folktale and personal story, generations of family wisdom and experience, and the wonder of rare insights that seem to come only after we have lived long enough for our memories to span the decades.

            In Wears Like Iron, Teresa bears her heart to the listener, and the listener feels honored to be a confidant.   There Was a Time wraps a personal story about an inconvenient grandmother inside an honored folktale that pays homage to the wisdom of the aged.  Think that youngsters are not interested in the lives of pioneers? Think again.

            Grandpa’s Gift is a story of religious bigotry going up against a wall of faith.  Courage passed from generation to generation is doubly strong. Bigotry and ignorance do not stand a chance against a true believer.

            Watch It will bring a smile to the face of anyone who has ever had a bad experience as a new driver. Can bad driving really be genetic?

            The title track from this CD, Wears Like Iron, is a thing of beauty. The Barbizon satin that Clark uses in her quilting is “soft as a whisper, cool to the touch, and wears like iron.”  The ties that bind, however, are formed by family love. Clark reminds us of this in a way that we will not soon forget.

            Clark’s stories are rich in detail and exquisite imagery.  As I listened, I vividly saw the grandmother who rolled her support hosiery down “like donuts” and let them fall “in a puddle” at her feet. I felt Clark’s fear as she was confronted by one who did not respect her faith.  I remembered driving mishaps from days past. I reached for my mother’s quilts for comfort. For me, this CD was a walk down Memory Lane, one that I did not mind taking, for a change.

            Laura Dowling designed a beautiful cover, featuring a sepia toned heart, that perfectly captures the intensity that builds through this CD.  There were some distractions created by glitches in the sound, particularly in There Was a Time, but they did not take away from my enjoyment of the stories. Clark’s fine writing and melodic voice form a magic carpet that lifts the stories beyond technical imperfections."

 Buy Wears Like Iron here! Simply click on the Buy Now button in the column on the right.

Save the date! 

June 16th - 2 pm 

387 North Water
Idaho Falls, Idaho

The Stillwater Mansion Est. 1997
Presents: Wears Like Iron CD Release Party 

There's nothing that compares to hearing a live storytelling performance. Come hear Teresa share the tracks from her latest CD surrounded by the victorian ambiance of the Stillwater. 

RSVP 208-200-4473

     Once upon a time I told some of my grandkids a folktale that included some Water Buffalo leaving their droppings in holes in the road so people wouldn't trip in them. It's just a sweet little tale that brings on the giggles. Yesterday those same grandkids went for a walk with their momma. Along the way Hadley observed there were a lot of horse droppings in the road. To which her little sister, Madison, declared, "I put those there so you wouldn't step in the holes!"
     Okay, as a grandma I obviously love this exchange. Why? They remember the story, thus they remember me. (That's always good.) Plus, what began as a folktale will now evolve into a family story. It will be one of the oft-told tales that brings smiles to faces for years to come.
       
     That's why I tell, teach, preach, and demonstrate story.

     I love the organic way story swirls and weaves around us. In my mind the demarcation between folktale and family lore is fuzzy at best. We learn, remember, cherish, and reflect best through story. We honor the past and inspire the future through story. Recent studies have even identified that metaphor embeds more deeply into the memory center of our brain than simple data.
   
     That's why I tell, teach, preach, and demonstrate story.

     Last week I was blessed to spend some time with some Family Historians. They've dedicated their existence to researching and documenting the lives of the past. Their pride in their heritage and yearning for others to share their passion is palpable. Yet, I saw pain in their eyes. Somewhere along the way the story of the research has overshadowed the story of the people. What we were able to discuss and understand together is the simple fact that focusing on the stories of the people they have researched will embed the memories of those loved ones deeper than all the historical data they find. The dates are important because they bookmark significant stories from real life. But the stories are what make the dates important.
   
     That's why I tell, teach, preach, and demonstrate story.

     So, I have a challenge for you.

Simply making memories with Oobleck!

     Go through the day with story seeking eyes. Recognize those little moments that swirl around you are the stuff story and memory and family history are made of. Observe it, reflect on it, record it, and celebrate it.

     In other words - Cherish the memories!

Titanic Teas

Titanic - simply say the word and the mind conjures up countless thoughts and images.

So much was learned from this epic disaster. My grandma was ten years old when it happened. You wouldn't think a  little girl in Magna, Utah would even remember such a thing, but she clearly remembered the News Boys on the corner selling the Extras that proclaimed the news of the calamity. "It changed everything," she'd say, "We all looked at the world differently."

The Stillwater Est. 1997 recognizes that the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic merits some form of commemoration and reflection. Step into this 1898 home and you're instantly transported to a different time and life style. The Stillwater provides the perfect backdrop for these customized evenings of historical reflection.

I am delighted to be a part of this 1st Class experience at the historic Stillwater. I'll be sharing some inspiring stories and insights from survivors of the Titanic disaster while the Stillwater offers up the ambiance and some tasty morsels from the menu of the Titanic.

Revisit history while creating your own unique memories today!

Check out this news story about the Titanic Teas: http://www.localnews8.com/news/30822173/detail.html

Book a Titanic Tea with the ones you love by calling:
208-200-4473.
Miss Tonia will be happy to accept your reservations.

Dream Fulfilled - The Journey Continues

I've been taking a few days to process all that happened at the Power of Story@Home Conference. I've talked about it and planned for it for so long it's difficult to believe its happened! But it did, and it was wonderful!!! 500 registrants - Bloggers, Family Historians, and Storytellers - all came together and recognized they each had something to learn from the other. Mmmm... I love it when that happens!

For me, however, the part of the conference that brought me the most joy was how many of our attendees were introduced to these worlds for the first time. They came not fully knowing why, but knowing they wanted to be there. They left embracing the discovery that story touches everything!

Shared laughter and insights forged and deepened family bonds.

The delight on the faces of our audiences tells the tale.

I actually got a kick out of hanging out in bathrooms and hallways to listen in as conference guests shared their delight and spoke of their plans to implement all they were learning. I'm aware of several multi-generational families who walked away already communicating on a deeper level. The conference didn't end when the doors closed. Cars full of people shared story and made plans all the way home.

Story turns hearts, it heals, it inspires, it strengthens family dynamics. Families can affect the way they view themselves and the world around them by the stories they choose to tell each other. That's powerful. I was blessed to share this weekend with my remarkable daughters. We took advantage of the I-tell booth and recorded our thoughts and stories about being Clark Women. It was a moment I will cherish forever. We just don't naturally take such opportunities. Story@Home even reminded me to magnify the meaningful family moments I hold so dear.

Storytellers went home entranced with family history research. Family historians went home ready to share the stories that make all those dates significant. Bloggers went home ready to share stories from the past as well as the present in bold and colorful ways. I've even heard from some spouses who didn't make the conference; they declare that there's no way they are going to miss out next year. Which means, of course, that there will be a next year!

Story@Home was not a flash in the pan. We're here to stay and we want to reach out to as many people as possible. But a year is so far away... So, we're taking a condensed version on the road. Look for us at selected Family History Expos. http://www.familyhistoryexpos.com/  

We'll be in Albuquerque in April.

What is Story@Home? Listen to this!

Here's a great interview with Carol Rice about the reasons for the Story@Home conference March 9-10, 2012 on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. If you're still wondering what we're all about this interview will help explain many things.

The interview begins 5 minutes into the program.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/geneabloggers/2012/03/03/telling-the-story-of-your-family-history

Story@Home Website: http://www.cherishbound.com/blog/storyathome/

Come play with me!!!

I love it when the Press gets it!

Got this great write up in the Ogden Standard Times.
http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/02/27/story-tellers-entertain-laytons-apple-village-assisted-living-center#.T06i8lqZAiU.email

The story I told is from my new CD, "Wears Like Iron." (You can order your copy today by using the PayPal link on the right.)

It was a fun afternoon. My favorite part was when the residents shared their stories!

You can create such priceless moments too. Join me at the Story@Home conference to learn how. (Click the Story@Home link on the right to learn more.)

By Nancy Van Valkenburg

Standard-Examiner staff