Red Thread Circles

   For the last 6 years, my friend Kathleen has offered a Word of the Year Playshop at our church. In 2023 my  word was  Weave , in 2024,  Balance  (Kauliki), and 2025,  Connect. In earlier years Kathleen offered a linear approach - using Dictionaries and Thesauri to look up possibilities, after a quick review and releasing 'baggage' from the year just past. After choosing our Words, we wrote them on small cards, adding some bling.  Last year, and this, we've used SoulCollage® in the discovery process.  For 2025 , Kathleen invited her friend and facilitator Deandra Ellerbe to lead us in the process. This year, knowing I was taking facilitator training, Kathleen invited me to lead it with her.  Participants making cards It made for a full day!  Our  facilitator training  began this morning, from 8:30-noon. Between teachings, we made a Quickfire Card, and met in small groups for readings. I appr...

  A day or so ago, my daughter asked,  'what is Soul Collage?' ...  here's the elevator pitch: Soul Collage cards combine several images, usually from magazines and calendars, assembled and glued onto a card baking. We  usually   don't  include words on the cards, inviting messages from the image to inform us.  The size is usually either 5×7" or 5x8" - large enough for several images, small enough to work with easily.  When a card is finished, the creator uses several journal prompts to "meet" the cards, and to receive information and insights from the images we've chosen.  The cards represent different aspects of ourselves and of the community around us.  After making several cards, we can use them as we might any oracle deck, consulting or own inner wisdom.  We might draw one for daily inspiration We can choose several for 'readings.'  We can journal more when a card comes up.  We might name them, and often assign them t...

  Got a few SoulCollage® cards? Maybe you’re pulling one or two daily or weekly, using the “I Am One Who…” prompt for insight.  ... And yet —there’s that big, slightly daunting project hovering overhead... What if your cards could help? Let’s gather them together and build your own intuitive Board of Directors!  The practice of “Playing with a Full Deck,” is inspired by the brilliant "Card Games" system of Michele Manos. When you see your deck as a whole, you gain a powerful overview of your Neters ’ collective energy. You’ll discover new insights, identify missing voices, and uncover fresh inspiration for future cards. Don’t have a full SoulCollage® deck? No problem!  Your Intentional Creativity paintings, tarot or goddess decks, or even curated collections of symbols can join the game. Any gathering of archetypal voices is welcome. SoulCollage®  Neters You’ll leave this 90-minute session with: A new way to see and use your cards A method for assembling your ow...

  The sparkle and shimmer we see in opals is called Play of Color (I wrote a harpsong by that name - surrounded by opal geodes!) and informs our painting as well.  No mud, no Lotus One of the concepts we work with in painting is called Mothercolour - more formally: starting with three colors, and mixing a bit of each in varying amounts. More simply - have several colors on your pallet, and mix  as you go, so each color has bits of the others.  Mothercolor sampler The glazing process we use, covering part or all of the canvas with a thin coat of a transparent color at least once, has a similar unifying effect. When in doubt, glaze! Burnish (soft dry cloth) or not - then sit back and journal.  In the early stages, we dumped our water at the end of the day - but as we proceed (and need less and less paint) using 'dirty' paint water also helps bring a little of each color in, which in turn adds Mothercolor harmony.  If you're using white, you might want a sepe...

  At the end of January, I saw an invitation to craft vision boards with one of our Neurographica teachers in an online session. I'd already made a soul collage card for my word of the year - Connected , and loved this invitation of another way to work with it.  I've made vision boards off and on for several decades, and am always intrigued with the images and messages that appear. One of my first Red Thread offerings was making vision boards, in 2016!  Vision board 2025 For the neuropathic vision board class, we used the Feng Shui 'bagua' grid to lay out the pictures in 9 'sections'. After they were in place, we drew neuro lines over the collage, to support our Word and our intentions! I made a smaller board (~ 8x15") w/ some of the left over images I'd chosen - and it's still on my wall 😃. I love that central figure!  ᏗᏓᏂᎸᎢᏍᏗ  di-da-ni-lv-i-s-di Celebrate! I often use lighter weight tagboard for the backing - but this year's boards are on s...

  A few weeks ago, I crafted a card in a Word of the Year playshop with my friend Kathleen.... and I'm excited to join our own  Cindy Jacobs  in a year long journey to  energize our Words, using Soul Collage™ and Intentional Creativity! (Here's a SoulCollage card I made in 2010!) Queen bee During each of our monthly classes, we'll use creative processes to gain further insights into working with our Words, and keep the energy of our intentions alive.  In our first session this Friday, we'll explore the theme of our ’inner Visionary’  creating and 'meeting' a Soul Collage™ Visionary card. Time will be allotted for Journaling, and crafting background papers for several Mixed Media visionary cards. Cindy has chosen a Word of the Year for 14 years, and loves using creative processes to explore and  activate  her words! This is a great way to set your intention for what you'd like to accomplish and gain clarity. Each 3 hour session is offered on a p...

  For Several years, my friend Kathleen has offered a Word of the Year Playshop at our church in January. In 2023 my  word was Weave , and in 2024, Balance (Kauliki)  Kathleen generally offers a more linear approach - using Dictionaries and Thesauri, after a quick review and release of any 'baggage' from the year just past, and then we decorated an Arrow .... This year , she invited a friend who facilitates SoulCollage (tm) to join us, and we chose images! Both Kathleen and Deandra brought a bunch of images from magazines, cards and calendars, and laid them out on several tables,  for us to gather from.  Card size is general 5×7" or 5x8" and we could choose from several colours of mat board for our background . Other materials included an index card, glue sticks and scissors.  My workstation We did a quick year review and release, then choose images, and started to fine tune and arrange them. After we'd glued the images, we paired up, and one of the dyad a...

 A practice I've engaged in several times is choosing a word for guidance over the year ahead.  My friend Kathleen has offered this in early January at our church for 7 or so years (virtually during lock down), and i joined the group again last weekend.  We start with sharing our last word, the a review of the previous year, listing highs and lows - and look for themes. Feel into what you wish for this year ahead, and for a word to support you.  Kathleen invites us to use a dictionary or thesaurus as we come time this word. Last year I chose Weave, as I wanted to share new friendships and experiences. One of my church friends began a singles group, and a Native Voices bookgroup, and I also joined our Edible Landscaping group, so deepened with current friends and wove in new ones!  Weave - 2023 Our singles group meet Saturday for a wee feast,  and each drew a card from a Hawaiian healing deck. My card 'Kaulike' invites balance - and we bespoke finding balanc...

 I'm looking forward to the February Festival -  Resetting the space of your Living Altar,  which Katy  from our  Intentional Creativity  community hosts! I'm also a bit nervous, as I've been invited on board to help facilitate the group this year! You can join the group here Red Thread A decade ago, our IC teacher  Shiloh  issued this invitation:   " I would love for you to finish your painting if you haven’t, and then to clean your studio. Reset your altars. Make new room for the sprouts to come up through the ashes. You need space and time to see what’s coming up and what wants to be shared and prepared for...." Whatever your space and projects, giving time and attention to a reset often inspires us, and gives access to new ideas and insights.  The Resetting group description reads,  "think of this, what if your whole home was a sacred space? Throughout February, (we) will lead a month of consciously clearing spaces in your ...