Creative expression and exploration have saved my life more times than I can count. I call myself a creative encourager because I believe so strongly in the way intuitive, process-led creation can call us back to ourselves, and become an integral part of our mental and emotional health. I’m an art journaler, poet, writer, photographer, designer, and all-around creative-loving person who wants to help you find your way back to intuitive artistic exploration, in whatever method resonates for you (and if you’re already there, I’ll cheer you on and help keep you going).

After over a decade of publishing my digital magazine and over 300 soul prompts on my Patreon, I’m thrilled to finally release my own paperback guided journal on Amazon! Check out Messy Beautiful You, a vibrant and gentle guide designed to help you reconnect with your self and soul even if you only have five minutes at a time.

Right now, my favorite space to create and hang out is in my Patreon community.

Here are my current offerings on Patreon:

SOUL PROMPTS

$3/ month:

• Weekly soul prompts (plus a massive archive of nearly 300 previous prompts). These are like soulful journal entries, including inspiration from my week (such as poetry drafts, gorgeous photography from my new home on the Oregon coast, peeks into my art journals, etc.), thoughtful and evocative links to what I've been enjoying and/or learning from, and what books I'm currently reading. Each weekly post sums up with a soul prompt for the week, which can be explored via written journaling, art journaling, or simply contemplated as you go about your day.

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

$5/month:

• Monthly code for a previously published issue of The Phoenix Soul digital magazine

• Access to an ever-growing freebie library of art journaling printables, zines, printable art, phone wallpapers, etc.

• PLUS previous rewards (weekly soul-prompts)

ART PRINTABLES

$7/month:

• Monthly: at least 3 new PDFs of soulful, colorful printable collage elements, designed to help jumpstart your art journal pages (plus instant access to all printables already released)

• Tips on how to use these elements in your art journal, planner, or any kind of paper crafting you prefer

• All previous rewards (weekly soul prompts, monthly previously published issue of digital magazine, & access to freebie library)

Print these vibrant elements and have them ready to go whenever you are, so you can dive into meaningful creation right in the middle of your messy/beautiful life!

ART MAIL

$15/month:

• Monthly: 1 envelope of art mail bursting with colorful and inspiring bits of beauty, including items like original mixed media art, handmade cards, bookmarks, stickers, art journaling collage fodder, and more. Every month is a little different, but always full of color and life!

• Access to my online art classes, including Your Soul Story (intuitive magazine collage), Wild Voice Within (found poetry), and more.

• All previous rewards (weekly soul prompts, monthly previously published issue of digital magazine, access to freebie library, at least 3 PDFs printable collage elements monthly)

In my Patreon community, we celebrate and honor however and wherever we are in life, even/especially when it looks nothing like we expected. We meet right in the middle of our messy/beautiful, aching/healing lives. We practice compassionate presence with ourselves and each other. We believe in the transformative power of creativity and its ability to bring us back to center. I’d love to create in community with you!

PS: You do NOT have to consider yourself an artist or writer to be in our community! I believe we are all creative beings, and I think you’ll find uplift and inspiration even if you have no desire to create anything yourself. You can still use my prompts to reconnect with your self/soul on a daily basis.

More about my story:

The Phoenix Soul is my long-held dream come to life. I published 64 digital issues of The Phoenix Soul magazine (featuring a vibrant and heartfelt staff, plus countless amazing guest artists and writers), and I was so dang proud of them! I felt lit up, sizzling with purpose and passion. Then, in true phoenix soul fashion, my life fell apart. After birthing my beloved son, postpartum anxiety and depression grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go. Chronic sleeplessness and intense overnight parenting left me on the brink. Something had to change. I pressed pause on publication and focused on getting through—then healing. I began building our free collaborative blog, where I now publish the same kind of emotional truth-telling and magic-making poetry, essays, and more that readers fell in love with in our magazine.

But my phoenix soul story was long from over.

I found sanctuary and community on Patreon, pouring my heart into weekly “soul prompts” (like journal entries, touching base with whatever I’m wondering or learning about that week, whatever I’m exploring in my creative practice, and more), and creating soulful art mail for higher tiers. Creating for one-on-one individuals, filling envelopes with handwritten love notes and bits of beauty and inspiration . . . it helped heal my aching heart. It gave me creative outlet when I’d lost the ability to create my beloved magazine. And it gave me a fresh way to connect, with my signature vulnerable and real sharing, in a more contained and intimate community. I will forever be grateful for “my people” on Patreon and the way they help keep my creative spirit alive. I continue to adore creating there currently and have plans to grow my community in new and exciting ways.

Then, a huge long-time dream came true . . .

In late autumn 2022, my family and I took a giant leap of courage. We sold off and donated most of our belongings (including our home of seventeen years), packed our tiny U-Haul, and moved cross-country from South Dakota to Oregon. We’re now exploring the Oregon coast, eyes wide in wonder, faces lifted to sea breezes, feet traveling forest and beach paths. There’s something mysterious and magical about this craggy coast, where forest and ocean meet and meld. I feel like Alice tumbling into Wonderland, complete with giant red mushrooms at my feet! My camera is never far from my hands, and poetry is bubbling up and out of me again after a long drought. Though life here includes both brutal and beautiful moments, something about it all makes me feel vibrantly alive again. I’m healing, at last. I can’t wait to share this adventure with you through art, photography, poetry, and more.

Come join me at my new additional brand, Love from PNW, to enjoy more Oregon inspiration! This second brand is a work in progress & will include much more in the coming days.

My Instagram friend @wordsartmagic commented recently, “Watching your wonder as you explore your new surroundings is joyful, thank you"—and it got me thinking. I’m coming up with fresh ways to create and share my Oregon explorations with you. I’ve been creating found poetry on found objects (seashells, driftwood, clam shells, stones). My camera roll is filling up and my poetry journal is getting thicker! I’m also creating one of my favorite things in years—a colorful guided journal with soulful prompts, which will be published print on demand via Amazon. Yes, that means a physical copy you can hold and scribble your dreams in! I can’t wait.

Are you excited to hear updates? Wanna grab coupon codes and behind the scenes peeks? Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll be the first to know (plus you’ll get a free issue of The Phoenix Soul digital magazine).

I believe:

• your messy, complicated, richly layered life is beautiful . . . just as it is

• your story matters . . . the one only you were born to tell

• our everyday world shimmers with magic and mystery (if only we look)

• we can cultivate hope and healing, even/especially among our bumps and bruises

• you + me + we are stronger together than we could ever be apart

• we are all phoenix souls, able to remake ourselves as often as needed, to rise from the ash of what was to embrace what is, and what yet can be