A Mother's Day Edit
In Her Element: Motherhood
Featuring the women in our community, and the routines, moments, and perspectives that shape their everyday.
Former surf magazine editor, Johnie now navigates motherhood in her own way. Between travel, writing, and everyday moments with her daughter, she brings a grounded, intuitive approach to this new chapter.
Saltyface: What has motherhood taught you about yourself that you never expected to learn?
Johnie: Motherhood gave me a lot of clarity on what’s truly important. I think we get stuck feeling beholden to old versions of ourselves, like we owe them something. But all we really owe ourselves is the freedom to keep becoming who we are. The moment my daughter was born, I was able to tap into my intuition in a way I couldn’t before, and I live with a lot of trust in my decisions now. It feels like a super power.
Saltyface: As a busy mom, what are the small daily rituals or moments that help you feel like yourself?
Johnie: I love including my daughter in my daily rituals. She helps me make my latte in the morning and we’ll sit in the sun and read together. We’re both happier girlies if we can get some fresh air, so we get outside together no matter where we are in the world or what the weather is like—that’s my daily moment to feel like myself.
Saltyface: As someone who has spent years telling stories and documenting life through photos and writing, how has becoming a mom changed the way you see and capture everyday moments?
Johnie: For the last ten years working as a writer and photographer, I’ve had a note taped to my desk: “Don’t capture beautiful things. Capture interesting things in a beautiful way.” That still guides my entire way of seeing and documenting my daughter’s life—I hope to always make decisions for myself and for her that feel good in the moment instead of just look good in photos.
Meet Aysia, a photographer and creative director moving between motherhood and creative work, rooted in warm, everyday storytelling.
Saltyface: What has motherhood taught you about yourself that you never expected to learn?
Aysia: I think it’s shown me how much I can actually hold at once. I’ve always been pretty independent, but motherhood stretched that in a way I didn’t expect. There’s a softness to me now, but also a steadiness that wasn’t there before. I can be tired, touched out, a little overwhelmed, and still fully present and loving at the same time. I didn’t know I had that in me.
Saltyface: Motherhood and style seem to coexist so effortlessly in your world — what’s one little thing that still makes you feel like you, even on the busiest mom days?
Aysia: Honestly, just feeling a little put together in a way that still feels like me. Nothing overdone. Something easy I can move in (usually loose pants or a throw-on dress of some kind) and my hair done in a way that isn’t overstimulating. I don’t spend a ton of time getting ready these days, but I still care a lot about how things feel. It’s less about being styled to a T and more about feeling like myself in whatever I’m wearing. A fun necklace and/or a pop of color go a long way.
Saltyface: If you could bottle up one feeling or memory from this season of motherhood to look back on years from now, what would it be?
Aysia: The in-between moments. The slow mornings, being out for hours with no real plan, her little voice, her big laugh, the way she reaches for me without thinking. It all feels really simple but also like everything I’ve ever wanted. I think I’d bottle that feeling of being needed by her in such a pure, unfiltered way.
Founder of a creative agency and host of intentional gatherings, Isabella balances motherhood and style, led by intuition and a deep appreciation for the everyday.
Saltyface: What has motherhood taught you about yourself that you never expected to learn?
Isabella: Motherhood showed me how much strength I actually carry. Not in a loud or forceful way, but in a steady, grounded way I didn’t know existed in me. It’s taught me patience, but also how to trust my intuition more deeply than ever. I’ve learned that I can hold a lot— love, responsibility, healing, at once. And that becoming a mother didn’t take me away from myself, it brought me closer to who I really am.
Saltyface: You’ve documented your experience of becoming a mom so beautifully — how has becoming a mom changed the way you see and capture everyday moments?
Isabella: It’s slowed everything down for me. I notice the in-between moments more… the quiet mornings, the way light comes through the window, the small interactions that might seem ordinary but feel like everything. I’m less focused on perfection and more drawn to what’s real. Motherhood made me want to capture how things feel, not just how they look. There’s so much beauty in the everyday when you’re really present for it.
Saltyface: You grew up surfing and feeling deeply connected to nature — what are some of the little ways you hope to pass that love of the ocean and outdoors on to your children?
Isabella: Just by bringing them into it with me. Long beach days, letting them play in the sand, being barefoot as much as possible, watching the sunset together. I don’t want to force it. I want it to feel natural and part of their rhythm. I hope they grow up feeling at home outside, the way I always have. Like the ocean is a place they can return to, not just physically, but emotionally too.
