2023 Artful and Intentional Living

I have just finished my 2023 altered book of intentions and wanted to share the pages and intentions I identified for this year. This year marks 15 years of this creative practice!

The process begins with preparation, including finding the children’s board book I will be using, getting the book ready to create, gathering materials, and prepping the creative space I will be working in. I then direct my focus to intention, which includes creating a list of words I want to guide me throughout the new year ahead with meaning and purpose. From this list, I shift to creation, crafting a page inside my altered book that symbolizes or embodies each intention.

This year I chose the intentions: Meaning, Resolve, Respite, Anchor, Tempo, and Artistry. I primarily used material from my paper stashes, magazine photo collage, dictionary pages, ink, paint pens, washi tape, handmade paper, and oil pastels in a 5×5 children’s board book.

Meaning

Resolve

Respite

Anchor

Tempo

Artistry – The heart piece was done with the handmade paper I made in a BlendJet blender I recently purchased— I wrote on small pieces of paper things I wanted to let go of/transform, ripped them up, put them in the blender to pulp, and then formed new paper from it— other pages/intentions also include hearts with the same handmade paper….

As the year unfolds, I revisit my altered book of intentions to reflect on and witness their transformation. I am grateful I am also able to participate in this process year-round within an inspiring digital community of women who are engaging in this creative practice as part of Prepare.Intent.Create.Transform workshops.

What are some intentions you have for this year?

Prepare. Intent. Create. Transform. 2023 Creative Offering

As many of my creative friends & followers know, in 2008 I started an annual end-of-the-year creative practice where I would create an altered book or art journal identifying intentions I wanted to focus on, invite in, and give to others during the new year ahead.

Last year, I launched an updated ebook and virtual workshop & group opportunity to inspire and discover the hopes and aspirations of intention through this creative practice. It was fun and inspiring to gather together in this special way to artfully work on this process together. It is hard to believe another year and another book has transformed. It is that time of year I begin to do a final look at my year through the lens of my intentions.

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Shortly, though it will be time for this artful process to begin anew – Preparing, intending, creating, and transforming a fresh book, a new space and art for a new year ahead. Year 15 of this awesome creative practice.

For 2023, I am excited to offer the workshop again!

I hope you will join in if it interests you:

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• 1 copy of my Prepare, Intent, Create, & Transform eBook. 10 full-color pages describing how to engage in this creative practice.

• 3 live virtual eWorkshops focused on developing, making, and reflecting on your 2023 altered book & intentions. January 8, 15, & 22, 2023 7-9 pm EST

• 4 additional quarterly, live virtual eWorkshops throughout the year to check in about our 2023 intentions & make art together for further exploration & insight. March 5, June 4, September 3, & December 3, 2023 7-9 pm EST

• Recorded slide presentations of the eWorkshop content in case you cannot attend one of the events or want to save the information for your future reference.

• Access to the eWorkshop’s private 2023 FB group to stay connected to Prepare, Intent, Create, & Transform participants and creative motivation all year long!

$74.99 USD

Purchase Link

or Scan the QR Code below:

Those who purchased my 2022 eBook or attended 2022 eWorkshops, are eligible for a $25 discount off this year’s package. Look for more information about this in the 2022 FB group and in email communication to past participants.

Please note: eBook purchases are automatically sent to the email used to make your purchase. Please check your junk/spam folder if you do not receive your eBook once your purchase has been fully completed. All sales final. Email gretchenmiller@cox.net with any questions.

THANK YOU!

Wishing you an artful 2023!!

Mission Statement Crafting

Recently I attended a retreat where part of the day introduced a closer look at the meaning behind mission statements. A mission statement offers intention and guidance towards ones goals and potential, often empowered by important values and beliefs.  A common practice in organizations and companies is to have a mission statement that helps define and offer focus about what the organization does, its purpose, and values.

Also introduced as a component of self-care during this retreat, mission statements can also be created as a personal declaration that helps define meaning, intentional living, and our own values that guide and empower our work, life, and goals.  It also helps strengthen resilience and compassion satisfaction, especially important for combatting compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization, and burnout. After reflecting on this practice more, I was inspired to create a mission statement collage to explore this idea deeper.

Before crafting the collage I used a provided template inspired by the work of Covey, Merrill, & Merrill (1997) that offered a series of “it is my mission to” prompts. I also discovered there are a lot of mission statement generators and builders online if you want additional help!

Creating this collage also will serve as a visual reminder to continue reflect on and refine.

It is my mission to

Live mindfully with intention and courage

Work creatively to help others

Continue growing and learning

Love unconditionally

Be grateful, calm, and present

Become open to what unfolds

Believe in humanity and the greater good

Promote hope and possibility

Strive for grace and presence

Seek understanding with integrity

Creative Deed 365: June Offerings

Wow- Here’s month 6 (!!) of this year’s 365 project!

I’ve kept playing around with textured backgrounds using gel pens, acrylic paint, & stamp ink for a big chunk of this month’s creative deeds….. Fun! I also decided to stay with the half sized index card format for the majority of June’s offerings.

I’ve also been making a creative stockpile from this month’s creative deeds for next week’s Creative Deed 365 Minneapolis where I’ll be leaving them out and about on my way to and during this year’s national art therapy conference.

This month’s video featuring Days 153-181:

Bring on July! 🙂

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Related Posts:

Creative Deed 365: May Offerings

Introducing: Creative Deed 365

Creative Deed 365 Artful Beginnings: Creating It Forward in 2015

Creative Covenants Inspiration

Creative Covenants @ Spectrum 2015

Earlier last month, Hali Karla Arts’ holistic online creative circle Spectrum opened to much excitement and anticipation! I’ve so enjoyed seeing all the creativity, inspiration, and encouragement being shared within this community.

In this post I want to share a peek into some of the Creative Covenants that have been made by Spectrum participants (and who kindly gave me permission (thank you!) to share their art with you!).   Each time a new collection of Creative Covenants graces the Spectrum community space, it’s exciting to take in what has been created- in form, colors, symbol, intention, and the promises being made to ones creative self.

It’s also a delightful surprise to see the different ways everyone’s Creative Covenants take shape, the materials being used and how each set has its own artful personality, creative energy, and enthusiasm:

Celeste’s Creative Covenants

Celeste transformed her Creative Covenants into these round beauties! (left image are the fronts & right image features the backs)

Laurie’s Creative Covenants

Laurie included her heart shaped Creative Covenants in her art journal!

Carol’s Promises to Her Creative Self

Carol has been working on a series of different Creative Covenants on cards and tags that honor her permissions and celebrations!

Eleni’s Process & Creative Covenants

Fun to see Eleni’s Creative Covenant process from start to finish!

Britt-Marie’s Creative Covenants

A beautiful collection of Creative Covenants created by Britt-Marie!

Witnessing these Creative Covenants and many others come to life through art expression is a sacred reminder of the power of intention & its important value in our creative life.   What a courageous, soulful adventure this has already been… Thank you Hali for bringing everyone together through Spectrum’s art filled invitations!

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Spectrum 2015

• 25 contributors, 26+ workshop invitations, multi-media online community •
Registration open until Nov. 1 – Join in anytime!

twentyfourteen revo’lution lookback

The end of year calls for an annual revo’lution reflection!  ‘Tis the season!

The 6 intentions I choose for 2014 were grace, tranquility, mercy, blithe, soul, and openness… and with the help of the revo’lution altered book I created at the beginning of this year and inspirations from my revo’lution making Pinterest board, here’s a lil’ twentyfourteen lookback:

“To accept grace is to accept the vow to give it…”  ~Max Lucado

i believe in grace & choice

Finding calmness in creativity….

Tranquility and Creativity

“Let our hearts be led by mercy….”

Mercy FTW

“Openness is a virtue, and this virtue will set you free.” ~ A Flourishing Life

Fresh Air

“Whatever is good for your soul… Do that.”

reclamation

“Carry a sense of openness and wholeness within you.” ~Barbara Ann Kipfer

Open <3’d

I continue to find this creative ritual so very valuable… and year #6 is no different…  I treasure what each intention has taught me & inspired throughout 2014 with life affirming lessons in hope, renewal, choice, and acceptance.

What were some of your 2014 intentions and how did they inspire your year?

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Related Posts:

Prepare > Intent > Create > Transform: ready for revo’lution [2014]

2014 Creative Planning

Creative Chain Reaction

3×5 365: 10+10=20 [ICAD]

A little bit of inspiration in words + images from the past week and then some… 10 more days of 3×5 365… 10+10=20:

3×5 365 10=10=20

“I now see how gifts like courage, compassion, and connection only work when they are exercised. Every day.” ― Brene Brown

 

day 11: the joys of meandering

“The artistic image is not intended to represent the thing itself, but, rather, the reality of the force the thing contains.”― James Baldwin

 

day 12: measuring

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path…” ― Winston Churchill

 

day 13: my happy place

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.”― C. JoyBell C.

 

day 16: love [reclaimed space]

“You must reclaim what you never lost…” -Gnarls Barkley

 

day 19: responsibility

 [on being] faithful to [external] responsibility + [inner] authenticity

 

3×5 365 on the flipside

“Only in the darkness are able to see the stars.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

day 20: see the light

It is exciting to be approaching the completion of month #1 with this new project! The connection and new flow for this ICAD practice is starting to gradually emerge, which continues to be an interesting process. Stay tuned for more 3×5 365 progress at the end of this month!

If you are looking for a space to exchange inspiration, strengthen, or begin a creative practice, one of my online workshops in this year’s 6 Degrees of Creativity, Everyday Creativity is dedicated to sustaining (or starting) this kind of adventure with ideas, resources, and a supportive space to keep encouraging your artsy spirit throughout this year. Whether it is a 365 project, weekly, or monthly art happening!  I am super looking forward to bringing this kind of creative energy to 6 Degrees of Creativity.

Everyday Creativity

Related Posts:

In the Presence of Now: Creating One 3×5 At a Time

3×5 365 Begins

2014 6 Degrees of Creativity Workshops-On Sale Now!

In the Presence of Now: Creating One 3×5 At a Time

[Things end because…. something else is ready to begin.]

The last 10 days of my 3×5 365 project has been an interesting transition from 2013’s 365 project. A mixture of loss (from the familiarity of what was) mixed in with much excitement (about what can be), along with a reminder (to just be present in the here and now).  A helpful, simple tool I’ve started to use for this gentle reminder into the “presence of now” is this handy (and free!) Gratitude and One Minute Meditation app.  For me, this added practice helps re-frame and create a moment of pause before beginning to work on the day’s 3×5.

As I’ve started to embark on this new 365 adventure, these beginning days have been spent getting to know and being present to this project’s new form, being, and structure…a building of rapport and flow connected to this project’s voice.

I’ve already noticed how much I really do enjoy having the 3×5 space to [breathe], create, and play in.

I am eager to see what develops in these sacred spaces over time.. remembering to embrace this process one 3×5 at a time.

[ “Tomorrow will always hold curiosities but it is the enchantment of today’s possibilities which has me true to the present.” ] ― Truth Devour, Wantin

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Related Posts:

3×5 365 Begins

Heart Space: 365 Days of revo’lution making

Revo’lution Bits: My 365 Project Begins

Prepare > Intent > Create > Transform: ready for revo’lution [2014]

ready for revo’lution 2014

 

[prepare…intent…create…transform]

I’ve spent the first few days of January working on the pages of my 2014 revo’lution book, transformed & altered from a small children’s board book.

My 2014 intentions for this year are Grace, Tranquility, Mercy, Blithe, Soul, and Openness:

[Inward grace calls me here….]

Grace

 

[That tranquility you call peace… lives in my heart]

Tranquility

 

[Your mercies are new + begin again everyday…]

Mercy

 

[Boundless + Free…]

Blithe

 

[Listen to + trust the voice of your own soul…]

Soul

 

[Abundance everyday…]

Openness

Revo’lution making for the past 6 years has taught me how important intentions are for new beginnings, change, growth, challenge, and transformation.

I want to share another annual revo’lution making tradition that always inspires me–this year Lani created a Create Happiness Revo’lution and transformed her board book pages into a downloadable PDF that you can find here. I am also excited to read that AJ who was an active participant in my 2011 21 SECRETS revo’lution workshop continues to engage in this creative practice and will be working on her revo’lution book throughout this year. Having just finished my 365 revo’lution and taking time throughout the year to focus on this intention manifesting process, I love that AJ will be spreading out her 2014 revo’lution love this way!

If you’re interested in creating your own revo’lution, check out my ready to revo’lution e-book or consider joining in on this year’s 6 Degrees of Creativity where I’ll be offering an art journaling workshop dedicated to revo’lution making (includes the e-book!) as one of 6 online workshops dedicated to concepts of connecting, collaboration, art-making, and creativity into an engaged community of artists exploring transformation and using art for good. Registration goes on sale in a couple of weeks (stay tuned!) and will be open until July 31.

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Related Posts:

Heart Space: 365 Days of revo’lution making

A Simple Reflection on 5 Years of Revo’lution Making

Handmade Revolution Making Continues @ 21 SECRETS Art Journaling Workshop

2014 Creative Planning

As I start to transition back into the work week after a restful holiday break, I thought it was great timing to play with my new 2014 Planner I just purchased and received from Teresa Robinson (aka @stargardner) last week via rightbrainplanner.com.  Right brain planning combines art journaling and creative planning into one practice and Teresa’s 2014 Planner includes templates, ideas, monthly prompts, and tons of inspiration to get started!

Imagination is the beginning of creation.  You imagine what you desire.  You will what you imagine and at last you create what you will. ~George Bernard Shaw

Teresa’s 2014 Planner and all its elements can be used in so many different ways!  I’ve decided to use an old, unused watercolor sketchbook for my monthly planning pages.  This sketchbook provides plenty of extra room for art journaling and its pages are super thick.  I also see myself using the Planner’s elements in my ongoing smashbooking, 3×5 365, gluebooking, and in my art therapy work with clients.  Thank you Teresa for all these creative possibilities!

You can also check out more art journaling inspiration from Teresa at the The Art Journaler.

Making space for that [something] will reveal what is truly vital for you. ~@stargardner

I also finished my 2014 revo’lution art journal this week-end (hooray!), which I’ll be sharing here soon. It’s a really nice feeling to start the new year grounded in intention and to have this direction guided and supported by my creative practice.

Intention… is where we begin…

The time I’ve had off has really been like a little mini creative sabbatical!  I’m grateful I’ve had more time to do art, check out art, prepare projects, and get ready for the abundance that this year holds in opportunity, connection, and creativity.

[Today is Day One]… Beginning New & Inspired By…

I’m excited to share a look at my next few months ahead: art therapy happenings & creative stuff I’m up to in twenty14. I hope we’ll meet up or connect at some of these events or offerings!

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Related Posts:

3×5 365 Begins

Creative Goodness with Gluebooks: eBook [Free!]

Ready for Revolution Art Journaling eBook Now Available