A Surprisingly Colorful Way To Meditate Plus An All New Workshop

There's something so appealing about coloring mandalas...the continuous circle of shapes...the discovery or creation of patterns...the combination of colors...the relaxing act of coloring...all of this creates a very soothing, meditative experience.

In fact, coloring mandalas is considered by some to be a wonderful meditation technique.

If the idea of sitting on a mat and observing your breath for 30 minutes sounds like pure torture, then coloring a mandala might be just the meditation method for you.

As you may have noticed, I love mandalas! My Creative Oasis Coaching logo is a mandala and I regularly share mandala coloring sheets in my classes, workshops and coloring parties.

(*By the way ~ my August Creative Oasis Coloring & Wine Party sold out so quickly that I happily scheduled another one for September too. You can find all the details here.)

In addition to coloring, over the years I've discovered other ways to create mandalas that are simple to do and creatively satisfying.

I'm delighted to offer a new workshop devoted to creating mandalas this fall!

Discover the creative magic of making mandalas in this unique, low-pressure workshop. No previous experience, skills or talent needed ~ just a desire to dive into the creative process while playing with art supplies in a way that brings you creative fun and fulfillment.

We won't be meditating, but we will enjoy a great evening of creative camaraderie and chocolate!

WHAT

Mandalas ~ Mandalas ~ Mandalas 

Workshop

WHEN

Wednesday, September 9, 2015 

6:30 to 9:30 pm 

WHERE

Pigment School of the Arts

4605 West Lovers Lane

Dallas, Texas  75209

COST

$125 

(includes all creative supplies, handouts and yes, there will be chocolate)

*NOTE ~ Class size is limited to 8 & pre-registration is required.

To save your seat, purchase your class below. 

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please feel free to share. If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Join Me for a Creative Oasis Coloring Party!

Have you heard the good news? 

Coloring is the latest and greatest in stress-relief and adult creative recreation. 

Seems like every time you open a paper, read a magazine or check your Facebook feed there's a new article popping up about the benefits of coloring for adults. There are even a slew of new coloring books hitting the market designed specifically with adults in mind. 

Have you read those articles and thought, "That sounds fun. Maybe I'll give it a try someday," only to find that "someday" never seems to come around? 

That's why I'm inviting you to join me for a Creative Oasis Coloring Party! 

You'll enjoy some low-pressure creative play using crayons, colored pencils and watercolors while learning simple ways to weave more creative fun into your busy life and why creativity can be so beneficial for your overall health and well-being. 

What could possibly make a Creative Oasis Coloring Party even better? 

The location ~ the lovely times ten cellars in Dallas! (So we'll during our party we'll combine the health benefits of wine with the health benefits of creativity, how fun is that?)

Want to join us? Please register online to purchase your ticket and reserve your spot. (*NOTE ~ Tickets will not be sold at the door and pre-registration is required so I can be sure to have enough space and supplies. Thanks!)

Here are all the details: 

 

What:

Creative Oasis Coloring Party

Where: 

times ten cellars

6324 Prospect Avenue

Dallas, Texas  75214

When:

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

7:30 to 9:00pm

Cost:

$25 (includes creative supplies and one glass of wine)

*NOTE: Tickets must be purchased prior to the event since there is limited space and we want to be to have enough of creative supplies for everyone attending. 

I hope you'll join me for an evening of wine, creative camaraderie and coloring fun!

I'm also happy to share my Mid-Week Oasis Moment with you ~ bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration and motivation delivered each week. (Of course you can unsubscribe anytime you wish.) 

xo ~ Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

Happy Independence Day from Me & Georgia!

Here's to celebrating and embracing your creative independence today! 

From my star-spangled Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

10 Inspiring Ideas to Help You Create the Summer of Your Dreams

Click Here

Summer will fly by before you can say "fresh-squeezed" lemonade! 

Use my free "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Wish List Fun Sheets to take your first small (fun) step to making sure your summer isn't over before you've had a chance to enjoy the relaxing and delightful creative experiences you desire. 

Click here to let the fun begin! 

All the best from my summer Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Have You Seen Katharine Hepburn Skateboard?

Oh how I love this Katharine Hepburn quote! 

It paired nicely with this photo of her skateboarding the first time I saw it. 

This image, not surprisingly, led me down a bit of a google rabbit hole as I looked for other examples of the indomitable Hepburn doing things that clearly pleased her. They were easy to find. 

Hepburn wearing pants at at time most women wore skirts and dresses. 

Hepburn riding a horse.

Hepburn making movies with Spencer Tracey. 

Hepburn playing golf.

Hepburn standing on Cary Grant's shoulders.

Of course, Katharine Hepburn did have a bit of a reputation for being a stubborn and selfish. But, it seems she was more than okay with the trade-off of that reputation for actually living the life she desired. Isn't that why she's such a beloved icon? 

Here's the thing, I believe we do creative self-care a major injustice when we label it (or let others in our lives label it) as selfish! And yet that's what I hear from my clients time and again. 

So many people are vying for their time. They feel selfish when they take time to enjoy their Creative Oasis ~ those creative experiences that energize and delight them.

They need the gentle reminder (just like I do and I'm guessing you do too) that saying yes to ourselves, to the creative experiences that please us, enrich our lives and make us more pleasant human beings, sometimes (make that often) means saying "No" to others. 

Does this thought of saying no to others make you start to hyperventilate just a wee bit? 

If so, this Creative Oasis Challenge is for you! (And I'll join you, I promise!) Practice saying "No" to someone or something that will open up a bit of Creative Oasis time for you this week. Need some examples? 

* No. I can't drive you to the mall right now. I'm practicing my ukulele. 

* No. I won't be able to sit on the committee again this spring. I'm taking a writing class.

* No. I can't meet for coffee today. I'm finally planting my garden. 

Another way you can say "No" to free up Creative Oasis time is to say "No" to yourself. 

* No. I won't check my email and Facebook page every fifteen minutes. 

* No. I won't binge watch "Orange is the New Black" tonight. 

*No. I won't go shop at Target to "pick up a few things." (Funny how that trip to buy the paper towels that are on sale can turn into a cart full of bath beads, summer shirts and a vase you didn't know you needed!)

Here's to practicing saying "No" to the things that keep you from your Creative Oasis and saying "Yes" to giving yourself permission to spend a bit more time with the creative experiences that make your heart sing and time fly! 

You certainly can't please all of the people all of the time. Why not take a cue from Hepburn and spend more time with what pleases you? 

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

5 Ways to Add Your Creative Color to Your Life!

For the background of this Mid-Week Oasis Moment I used a photograph I took in the Chalkboard Room exhibit at the Centre Pompidou on my recent trip to Paris.

The exhibit invites you to step into a room with green chalkboard walls on all four sides, pick up a piece of colored chalk and add your own words or doodles or both.

The result is an exhibit in which you're enveloped by an impressionistic, modern work of art created by people from around the world including yourself. Wow! What a beautiful experience! 

I loved how the chalkboard exhibit felt so welcoming and made it so easy for people to put their own colorful creative mark on the ever-changing piece.

What was it about the experience made it feel so special and wonderful? Here's what I've concluded:

#1 ~ I was completely surrounded by color.  The blending of all of the colored chalk used over time created a beautiful collage of soft color on each wall. I love color, so for me it made for a very inspiring atmosphere.

#2 ~ I was part of a greater good. Because hundreds or more likely thousands of people had added their marks before me it felt good to join in and add my own colorful wishes for the world to theirs.

#3 ~ I was instantly creative. It was easy to jump right in, pick up a piece of chalk and write. The simplicity of the creative act allowed me to be instantly creative without overthinking the results. I spent less than two minutes in the room but I imagine I'll remember the experience for the rest of my life.

#4 ~ I was given permission. Here it is again ~ permission. The instructions to the exhibit gave me instant permission to contribute my creativity to the piece. Think about it. I would never dream of walking up to a piece of art in a museum and adding a splash of paint because I thought it would enhance the piece. But, in this instance, I had permission and as you've heard me say a hundred times, giving yourself permission to be creative is the first small step!

#5 ~ I was enchanted and inspired by something so simple and new. I've never witnessed or been a part of something quite like the chalkboard room exhibit. Immediately I began thinking of ways to recreate the experience on a smaller scale back home in my classes and workshops.

I invite you to use the following creative prompts inspired my experience in the chalk room to have some creative fun of your own in the coming week:

# 1 ~ What's a creative experience in which I can surround myself with color?
# 2 ~ What's a creative experience that will help me be part of a greater good?
# 3 ~ What's a creative experience that will allow me to be instantly and easily creative?
# 4 ~ How will I give myself permission to enjoy a creative experience?
# 5 ~ What's a simple and new creative experience I can try?

Click here to download your complimentary printable version of these prompts. 

If you choose to play with these prompts, I'd love to hear about your creative experiences! Please feel free to share in the comments below.

Here's to being brave and sharing your creative colors with the world! The world could use more colorful creative energy, don't you think?

Until next time, all the best from my colorful Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Building Creative Confidence ~ April 18, 2015

"Jill's workshop gave me permission to take time for myself and 

not feel guilty about it. It inspired me and got me going!" 

~ Sherry Houpt, Creative Oasis Coaching class participant

My passion is to help people give themselves permission to make the time and space in their busy lives for creative fun and fulfillment. You can imagine how thrilled I was to read the above quote from a satisfied student in a Dallas Morning News article. 

The article by Jamie Knodel went on to share: "For years Sherry Houpt, a Dallas artist, put aside her projects and art while she focused on her kids and art projects for her students at Shelton School. But creative coaching classes helped her reclaim time and energy for her own pursuits. She's since been in multiple exhibits and joined a collective of women artists."

Houpt also said that Jill's creative classes reminded her of lessons that she's been teaching students for more than 28 years: 

Creativity is a gift that should be used. 

Don't be too hard on yourself. 

And, put a priority on your own creativity.

I couldn't have said it better myself! And remember, you don't have to be an artist to be creative!

In my book your Creative Oasis can be so much more that art, music, writing or other traditional artistic outlets. It's any activity or experience that makes your heart sing and time fly. 

It could be gardening, cooking, yoga, dance, entertaining, comedy, reading, scrapbooking...you name it. Whatever puts you in that lovely creative "freedom zone" where you're fully engaged in the joy of the process...that's your Creative Oasis and I'm delighted to help you weave those experiences into your life on a daily basis! 

I hope you'll join me for my upcoming workshop, Building Creative Confidence, where I'll introduce you to some simple and effective ways to move past blocks like procrastination, perfectionism and overwhelm and into the flow of creative momentum! 

What:

Building Creative Confidence Workshop

When:

Saturday, April 18, 2015

1 to 5 pm

Where: 



Creative Arts Center of Dallas
2360 Laughlin Dr. 
Dallas, TX  75228

Cost:
$65 for CAC members
$95 for non-members
plus $10 material fee

*Note: This workshop is limited to 10 participants with
pre-registration required.To register call the Creative Arts
Center of Dallas at 214-320-1275 or visit their website at www.creativeartscenter.org

“I absolutely loved Jill’s workshop.  I learned how important it is to start with small steps. I’m more mindful and aware of new ways to acknowledge and incorporate creativity in my everyday activities. I'm inspired to give myself permission to get the crafty stuff out and use it.  It was like a massage for my mind! Thank you!”  ~ Denise R.

The Creative Magic of 15 Minutes

Does experiencing this type of creative transformation sound good to you? If so, I invite you to set a timer for 15 minutes and dive into one of the creative prompts below. If you like Click Here to download a free printable PDF version.

 ~ "Even When" Creative Prompts ~

# 1 ~ Even though I feel so tired...one small doable way to spark my creative energy for the next 15 minutes might be to...

#2 ~ Even though my to-do list is sooooooo long...one thing I can release from my list right now without the world crashing down around me is...

#3 ~ Even though I feel like I don't have any time for myself...I can hop off the computer for the next 15 minutes and enjoy some creative play by...

#4 ~ Even though I feel so uninspired right now...I open myself to finding some creative inspiration for the next 15 minutes by...

#5 ~ Even though I just want to zone out in front of the TV...I give myself permission to enjoy 15 minutes of Creative Oasis time right now by...

Here's to seizing the next fifteen minutes to experience the positive transformation of creative time!

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan ~ Creative Oasis Coaching

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below! 
If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Have Your Mind Blown

So, yes...I had my mind blown (in a good way) last weekend at the "David Bowie Is" exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. 

Experiencing the exhibit ~ a retrospective of Bowie's career ~ felt a bit like swimming through a magical underwater sea of sounds and sights...or perhaps better to say like floating through an intergalactic dream filled with curious, colorful creations while listening to some of my favorite songs of all time.

Actually, neither of those descriptions does the experience justice.

Perhaps I should just stick with I had my mind blow ~ in the best way imaginable ~ while walking through a multi-media time capsule overflowing with layer upon layer of the wildly imaginative and ground-breaking songs, videos, photographs, sketches, fashion, sculptures, hopes, films and dreams of David Bowie.

Yep...that sounds about right.

This was a deluxe "exposure" experience of the first degree. A chance to step away from my own creative passions, pursuits and dreams and let someone else's creativity wash over me and enjoy the inspiring high of simply soaking it all in.

The experience left me with an ultra-energized feeling of creative possibility...as if I could do, create, share anything I could dream up...as if I could envision, embrace and be anyone I wanted to be...no matter how crazy or out there that might seem to anyone else.

Which, of course, is always true to some degree...but I just needed to be reminded of it. Don't we all?

Since taking a trip to see a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit that will travel to fewer than a dozen cities around the world doesn't happen every day, how can we have our minds blown closer to home? 

A few thoughts come to mind (along with some extremely random examples)...

#1 ~ Movies...a few personal favorites include Koyannisqatsi, Inception, Midnight in Paris, The Prestige (in which David Bowie plays Nikola Tesla), The Illusionist, What the Bleep Do We Know, The Zero Theorem, Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, Being John Malkovich and The Wizard of Oz. (Come on...admit it...the first time you saw the Emerald City you're mind was blown just a little, wasn't it?)

#2 ~ Books...Almost anything by Tom Robbins (including his recent memoir Tibetan Peach Pie) or Kurt Vonnegut or Margaret Atwood, Ishmael, Naked Lunch, A Wrinkle In Time and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (two of my childhood favorites, I still love!)

#3 ~ Music... Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Pink Floyd (pair Dark Side of the Moon with a viewing of The Wizard of Oz for an exceptionally mind blowing effect), the Beatles (Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the White Album perhaps) ~ headphones and incense optional and, of course, David Bowie.

Add to this short list your choice of live music (you haven't lived until you've witnessed Sir Paul McCartney perform Live and Let Die complete with pyrotechnics), performance art (Cirque du Soleil anyone?), theater, museums, planetariums, arboretums...spectacular natural settings and manmade places (a village of Earthships just outside Taos, New Mexico), even a TV show (Cosmos comes to mind) and you start to feel the tremendous potential for having your mind pleasantly blown in a gazillion different ways.

Whether or not these experiences such as these blow your mind, hopefully they'll at least give you a fresh perspective and inspire you to release a few limiting beliefs about what you can and can't do...even if only 5% more than usual.

I'll leave you with a small question and creative challenge...what's one way you might enjoy an experience that will blow away preconceived notions and open your mind to new creative possibilities in the coming week?

All the best from my reenergized Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post and would like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this in my Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Create the Christmas of Your Dreams!

Can you relate to any of these Christmas wishes?

You'd love to make at least one handmade gift for someone special

(perhaps one of the 867 Christmas projects you have pinned to your Pinterest boards?) 

~ You think it might be nice to use your creativity more than your credit cards this season

You'd like to feel energized and joyful rather than 

Grinchy and stressed out during the month of December

~ You'd love to create special holiday memories that you and your family will cherish 

~ You want to experience what’s most important to you rather than get swept up in the holiday hype

You wish you could release the need to meet other people’s expectations

(Example: you believe using pre-made pie crust is not a crime)

~ You'd like to embrace simplicity rather than giving into the "more is better" mindset 

You'd love the gentle support of a group of women with the same Christmas wishes as you

If you can relate to any of this, I hope you'll join me for Create the Christmas of Your Dreams.

What is Create the Christmas of Your Dreams?

A 3-week teleclass and support group 

to help you embrace holiday happiness, 
creative joy and good self-care this season

What does Create the Christmas of Your Dreams include?

~ 3 weekly calls with beautiful e-mail follow-ups
(all calls will be recorded and shared for those unable to attend live)

~ Enlightening creative prompts to help you 
easily and intuitively choose the Christmas experiences you most want

~ Printable interactive fun sheets

~ Easy and fun dive-right-in creative activities

~ Simple, low-pressure ways to help you enjoy your favorite holiday experiences

~ Permission to practice good self-care 

~ Gentle accountability and support from a compassionate 
group of women who'll be creating the Christmas of their dreams too

~ A private Facebook group for additional support and sharing 
(this is an optional bonus for those who like the idea of having a way to 
communicate and support each other throughout the week in addition to our calls)

If this sounds good, click the button below to quickly and easily register 
and give yourself one of the nicest Christmas gifts ever.

Our first call will be December 3, 2014
1 to 2pm (cst)

Special Early Bird Bonus!

Sign up for this special class by midnight Wednesday, November 26, 2014 and you'll receive a bonus one-on-one 15-minute creative coaching session during the month of December. (This is a special offer worth $25 and only available to members of the Create the Christmas of Your Dreams support group.)

You might be thinking, "Jill, this sounds really good, but..."

~ I'll be too busy during the holidays. This one hour a week will help make the other 167 hours so much more pleasurable and peaceful. And 3 hours of class time averages out to less than 10 minutes per day! As I love to remind my clients, 10 minutes is less than 1% of your day. Don't you deserve something that energizes and delights you for at least 1% of your day – especially during the holidays? Math may not be my strong suite, but I have to hand it to myself in this instance. :)

~ I shouldn't be spending money on myself now. For the price of a mani/pedi you'll enjoy three weeks of creative experiences, compassionate support and a peaceful perspective on an otherwise somewhat crazy season. Doesn't that seem like a reasonable gift to give yourself? Not to mention the fact that by showing yourself good self-care, you'll much less likely to be Grinchy during the holiday hustle and bustle...something your friends and family are sure to appreciate as well.

~ I've never taken teleclass before. Have you ever talked on the phone with a friend? That's what I thought. You've got this! Join me for the free "Warm-Up" call on November 19th to check it out and see how you like it. (Click here to take my quick 5-question survey and register for the free call.)

I'm truly looking forward to helping you Create the Christmas of your Dreams!

Ready to say yes to doing things differently this December? 

Click the button below to join me. 

                                          

If we haven't worked together yet, this is a great, affordable way to experience Creative Oasis Coaching with me. And if we have, welcome back! I'm excited to have you be a member of what I know will be an amazing group!

Remember, if you sign up for this special class by midnight Wednesday, November 26, 2014 and you'll receive a bonus one-on-one 15-minute creative coaching session during the month of December. (This is a special offer worth $25 and only available to members of the Create the Christmas of Your Dreams support group.)                                                                                                    

                                   

creativeoasiscoach@me.com

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

Take the Hop, Skip, Jump Quiz

I’m so inspired by this spunky new guide by Marney Makridakis, called 

HOP, SKIP, JUMP: 75 Ways to Playfully Manifest a Meaningful Life.  

Click here to watch the short, fun video above introducing the latest book by Marney K. Makridakis, best-selling author of Creating Time and founder of Artella Land.

Click here to take a fun little quiz to see whether your style is Hop, Skip or Jump!

Have fun! 

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

p.s. - Because I adore pretty much everything that Marney creates, I'm a proud affiliate of Artella Land and all the creative magic they share with the world! 

Butterflies, Buddha & Beating Myself Up

This week I went back to one of my favorite pages in my Creative Oasis Journal and played with some digital editing tools to create a new look for it.

I revisited this page because it holds a message I need to hear again (and again) and thought maybe some of you could use the reminder as well.

"If your compassion does not include yourself it is incomplete." ~ Buddha

Do you ever find it easier to show compassion to your friends, family and even total strangers than to yourself? If so, you're note alone. 

I invite you to consider using the quote above as your personal Creative Oasis Mantra for the coming week and practice some gentle self-compassion ~ even if it's only 5% more than you might usually.

Rather than continue to beat myself up because I hadn't created a brand new message for this Mid-Week Oasis Moment, I gave myself permission to visit my journal for inspiration and update an earlier MWOM to share with you. That's how I showed myself some compassion ~ now it's your turn.

To help you get started, here are a few compassionate questions to ponder:

~ What's one gentle way you might treat yourself with compassion this week?

~ What's one easy way you might use creativity to do so?

~ What's one small way you might give yourself permission to enjoy five or ten minutes of guilt-free creative play today?

Click here to see the original post including a 15-second instagram video.

Until next time, here's to treating ourselves with complete compassion on our creative journey,

Jill 

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

Put Away Your Credit Card & Boost Your Creative Cred Instead

When was the last time you received a handmade gift or card or even a hand-written note rather than an e-mail or text for that matter?

Do you remember how it made you feel? Pretty darn warm and fuzzy all over, right?

In this age of dashing into a supermarket to buy a gift card at the checkout counter on the way to a birthday party or quickly typing "HBD" on someone's Facebook page rather than taking the time to write a heartfelt message or even better, actually sending a real card by mail (gasp!) it's easy to see why receiving something created by hand feels like you've been given a treasure.

One of the awesome women in my recent "Living the Creative Life" class felt inspired to create lovely handmade presents (see above) for me and the other members of our group to celebrate our last day of class. As you can imagine, we were all absolutely delighted by her thoughtfulness and creativity!

A heartfelt message written on a piece of brown paper 

tied with twine and decorated with

 fresh sprigs of rosemary and lavender ~ 

truly a gift that touched all of the senses

 ~ not to mention our hearts!

How would you like to enjoy a bit of creative play, boost your creative "cred" and make someone's day at the same time? Sounds good, huh?

Why not create and send a personalized postcard to a friend, family member or even to yourself?

The photo above shows some examples of postcards I invite members of my classes and workshops to create at the end of our sessions. They decorate the front of the postcards then write a special message of encouragement or reminders from the class to themselves. At a future date I use my intuition to drop the cards in a postbox so the makers receive a beautiful piece of mail on (hopefully) just the day they really need it. 

Enjoy creating your own special postcards in 5 easy steps!

#1 ~  Click here to download the postcard template I've created.

#2 ~ Print out on an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of matte card stock then cut in half horizontally. Now you'll have two postcards to create. (Card stock is plenty hefty enough to decorate and send through the mail.)

#3 ~ Embellish the front blank space anyway you like. You may want to cut out images from magazines and use a glue stick to make a simple collage. You may choose to draw or doodle something. You may play with watercolors, crayons or markers. If you're more of a word person, you may want to use only words to decorate your card without any visuals at. 

There's no right or wrong way to do this! The main thing is just to have fun playing with the creative process and materials. 

#4 ~ Write a note to yourself or someone else on the back left side of the postcard. If you're not sure what to write, what if you just copy one of your favorite quotes?

#5 ~ Address your postcards and pop them in the mail! (If you want to send one to yourself why not ask a friend to mail it to you in the future?)

If it sounds like something you'd like to try I encourage you to give yourself permission to dive in and being right now. Just set a timer for ten minutes and go! You'll be amazed at how quickly you'll be enjoying the feeling of creative flow. 

I hope you have fun playing with this low-pressure creative experience. You're sure to brighten anyone's day who is lucky enough to receive your handmade, heart felt postcard!

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill