About

Breaking Out of the Box

As a mother of two boys, ages 7 and 10, the name Barbie was never mentioned in our house, at least not until the conception of “The Adventure Barbie Project”.  The idea came during a hike with my 7 year old. We came across a small creek and flowing through the creek was a miniature waterfall. I love photography, and I thought it would be fun to photograph the waterfall in such a way of making it look life-size. I needed a model to pose in the picture to give it that illusion and at that moment I thought of the Barbie doll. The idea grew in my mind and I decided to photograph Barbie in the outdoors. I wanted to break her out of her box, dress her in practical clothes and portray her as an outdoor adventurer instead of her current image as a fashionista doll.

Now that I’ve begun the project, I’ve ponder deeper into my reasons for doing such a project. I’ve always been a big advocate of women getting outdoors and taking time out for themselves. I truly believe that nature heals; I know I wouldn’t be as happy or healthy if it wasn’t for my relationship and time spent with nature. But it’s not just being outdoors, it’s sharing the outdoors with others. One of my passions is leading outdoor women’s adventures, including hiking, backpacking and even snow camping. Nothing fuels my fire more than sharing the outdoors with family and friends.

I am truly enjoying “playing” with Barbie, from searching out a wardrobe to the craftsmanship that goes into creating her props and poses. It’s sometimes challenging but always a laugh out loud, funny situation! My boys keep me young but Barbie keeps me silly.

And this is why I’m starting this blog. I hope to inspire the young and the old to get outdoors, adventure a little, and notice the beauty and nature that surrounds us. And if this blog makes them laugh out loud or feel a little silly, well then that’s great too. Now let’s have some fun!