Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Visual Planning

Last spring, Shiloh and her biz coach Amy Ahlers offered Dancing Entrepreneur for both Color of Woman students and the general community. We created the folded Vision Plan books (one of the CoW assignments) plus a set of 16 cards to support moving forward with our plans. 

We connected with others in the class (a weekend workshop or 5 week class) and used the momentum of the class to bring ideas into action or products. I developed my virtual Red Thread Circles, and collaborations with other students and IC teachers.

Some of the posts that caught my eye were of Karen Dawn's Visual Planning system, and I joined her Beta Test group on crafting similar systems of our own! I love Karen's creative approach to planning! (Her blog includes some of these teachings!) 

Vision Plan Board

Mine is on a foam board from a vision board class I offered, and has two of the Dancing Entrepreneur action cards, a little vision board we created with Karen, and - pockets. My clothesline is a ribbon, and I just taped the ends to the back of the board using painter's tape! You can use nails to tack the lines directly on a wall - so many options!

Karen uses this 'clothesline' system for organizing ideas visually. She found that when her notes were tucked away in journals and files, they weren't as accessible, and often dropped off her radar. (So me!) You can clip cards directly to the line, or Viola! - make pockets to hold sets of cards with those ideas! (Who doesn't want to make pockets, lol!) 

Larger file folder size pockets can be tacked up, with in depth writings/images. You can clip labels to the front of the pockets, to keep organize. I also like making little vision plans in Zines - these could easily tuck into small pockets! 

Planning pockets

As I dream into new offerings, and projects on my plate, I'm using this system to keep organize my ideas and action steps.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Mystic Canyon

At the beginning of the month, over 200 women in our Intentional Creativity connected and began painting our Legendary woman, MYSTIC. 

For many, this was the first step in the journey to become certified as teachers of the method, for others, a graduation present to themselves, and others yet, from beginners to Guild members, a chance to celebrate and paint with the community. And this year, our Maestra Shiloh is offering graduates the opportunity to to become certified to offer Legend ourselves. I'm both excited and nervous at the thought of crafting my own version.

Underpainting

This is my second time painting a legendary lady this year, as I was on support and painted along during the January offering.  The process of journaling and painting prompts and videos is much the same, this fall's week long virtual process included lots of calls and opportunities to connect! And many of us are still *listening* and painting.

Grounding page

I created Neurographic grounding pages in both my art journal and Smashbook, inspired by this sweet video from Gideon's Light. I was introduced to Neurographica by my friend Karen Dawn, and enjoy it as a daily doodle practice! I've done some as gratitude cards, and introduced it to my Red Thread Creatives group last week.

You can read more about Neurographica in my RT Circles blog post.

Beginning to emerge
I'm painting on a wood panel, which was prepared during Color of Woman 2015, and I'd used for a demo painting. I reclaimed it by lightly sanding, then glazed it to begin anew.  My focus is around walking a Beauty Way, and sharing more from my own inspiration. 

During our week of the Vivid gathering, several musicians joined in, and Shiloh used Juniper Mainelis' beautiful songs as background for some of her painting videos! While I created flower essence "bouquets" for my Color of Woman paintings, a song came through for each of Juniper's!! I am playing my native American flute and using my drum to reconnect.
My Soul Fire painting has a song, Fire Keeper's Lay, which predates the image.

Mayan jaguar totem
During one of our journies to the Mystic Canyon, star jaguar appeared as an animal guide, and I remembered a little Mayan jaguar totem/ fetish I'd been gifted 30 years ago! It was on one of my altars, and I brought it in near her right temple on the canvas. My personal panther kin, Percy, helps paint, and likes to cuddle between sessions.

Rosa Mystica sketch
After adding neurolines to this journal sketch, I brought some to the canvas as well.

Neuro lines
We're only at step 5 - with at least 7 to go (and oodles of journaling)  ... Looking forward to what's next! 







Friday, November 6, 2020

Gratitude and Vivid

This week our creativity community is engaged in a week of journaling, painting, and lots of opportunities to connect, led by different constellations of SiStars, in a gathering called VIVID.

Cup of Creativi-tea

I'm distant learning aide for my Grands, so I've been participating sporadically, and poking along with the painting ("there's no behind!") We began Sunday creating new Cosmic Smashbooks with the Creatrix Catt Geller

The day culminated with the graduation ceremony for the Color of Woman Class of 2020 - what a year for it!!  I am so proud off this amazing group of women who persevered and completed the quest, and those who took extensions and will be continuing on Muse Time! I am a behind the scenes support for these gals, as they move at their own rate, bringing them hummingbird medicine.

I've also been creating Neurographic doodles, and an engaged in a Gratitude practice. Developed by a Russian psychologist, Pavel Piskerev. I am reminded of our Metacognative drawings, and interested to see how the two will interface.

Neuro noodles
Gratitude practice, Day 1
  • This week of Vivid
  • Spending time with my Grands
  • The return of a couple of bodywork clients
Gratitude #1 + Joy Rebels

Yesterday we had a session with one of my CoW classmates, Katherine Whiteman and her daughter Katie (18) who graduated the next year, and is our youngest EC teacher! They led a wonderful session in finding joy - Joy Rebels!

Day 2
I am grateful for
  •  my basically good childhood (50s-60s)with a stay at home, well educated, curious mom
  •  a good, hard working, involved dad
  •  Lots of time in nature, camping, riding the neighbors' horses, just playing! 
Gratitude 
I look forward to getting back to my painting panel, and meet my MYSTIC legendary lady.