Tag Archives: Art Journaling

You’re Invited….

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Posted by kritzau on May 31, 2011 – 10:18 am
Filed under A Beautiful Mess, The Book, Workshops/Retreats

Join us with your friends on Saturday, June 18th at 7:30pm in Monrovia, California for an unforgettable evening of sharing from the heart. 

Register now to share your original:

* essay
* poem
* spoken word
* song
* photograph
* painting

We will meet the weekend before Summer Solstice to celebrate the changing of seasons. Using that prompt, please create something, or pick something you already have with a similar theme to share. If you would like to just come and savor the evening, you are welcome to do that as well!

Please RSVP for this memorable evening garden party by clicking here. If you would like to participate in the evening, please comment on this blog and Kristin will be in touch with you shortly with more information. Drinks and appetizers will be provided. Tickets are $5 a person at the door.

Making a Mess in Colorado

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Posted by kritzau on May 23, 2011 – 6:25 pm
Filed under A Beautiful Mess, Art Journaling, Workshops/Retreats

A lot of paper was ripped in the past four days. And with every tear, I pray that something in the world was stitched up.

I flew to Denver last Thursday.  It was the fourth trip I’ve been on in a month.  This spring has encompassed another country, another county, another state, and all different kinds of amazing events and people at every stop.

The three events scheduled for this past visit flew by, but not without moments to pause, to meditate, to share, to laugh, to rip, to cry, and to heal. I met over 30 women this past week (and even more up north in Modesto) who are longing to find depth, connection, and growth in their communities and with themselves.

(centerpieces for the event at Big Valley Grace Church in Modesto)

A trend is emerging at these workshops of women being reintroduced to the right side of their brain: the creative, intuitive, fluid and often ignored or undervalued side. Through ripping up magazines, finger painting and throwing “normal” structure out the window, we began to breathe a little easier, deeper, and truer together — all at different rhythms, but side by side nonetheless.

It wasn’t without rules though.

“Rules?” You might ask, “I thought perfectionists were trying to recover from those?”

These were different: Read More »

Shadow of Myself: A Confession

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Posted by kritzau on April 4, 2011 – 7:58 pm
Filed under A Beautiful Mess, Art Journaling

I forgot something the last couple of months and for that I must apologize.  You made me remember.  I have forgotten myself.

Last week when I pieced together the pictures of our homestead, I was struck by the surge of energy I had in working on it as well as the almost 200 visits (and counting) to that entry in particular.

I’ve been in a season of emergence. A season where new dreams and desires are materializing while also colliding with other’s expectations and voices.  In this process, I lost my voice.

It wasn’t abused or beaten down – it just became hidden while I tried to envision my life in and through other people’s eyes.  My writing became project driven and uninspired.  It was hard to show up to myself and to others around me.

This all happened quietly and subtly.  Writing and expressing myself were harder as I tried to think about what others would want to read instead of what I wanted to say. Creating was even worse as it became forced and bland. And I was eating quickly and too much – trying to take in as much of life as I could, but it was never satisfying and left me feeling ill and bloated. Some people call this a funk. Read More »

bless.you.

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Posted by kritzau on February 9, 2011 – 9:41 am
Filed under A Beautiful Mess, Workshops/Retreats

This past weekend I met an extraordinary group of women. Their hands and their spirits were gifts to my soul during the two days we spent together.  They showed their true colors in many different ways.

It was such a supportive group that blessed one another.  It was as true when someone sneezed, which happens often on the homestead, as it was when someone started crying.  Maybe it was that many of them had never done anything like this and were so open to the experience of it all.

Maybe it was the need to just rest, not only in a nap, but into who they really were.

No matter the reasons, most of the women started as strangers and left as friends. They laughed, shared, got messy and held the space for each other.  We dialogued about creating compassionate space for one’s self because how else can you be part of a community if you don’t know what part you play? Read More »

Perfectionist Pictures

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Posted by kritzau on January 24, 2011 – 9:01 am
Filed under A Beautiful Mess, Art Journaling, Workshops/Retreats

Saturday I had the honor of hosting a workshop at my home.  I was excited even before these seven women came over because I knew a little bit about almost all of them and also predicted that they would get along splendidly.  Lucky for me, I was right.  They came in ready to slow down, relax, breathe, and share and I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day with them.

We all need permission from each other once in a while to show the true colors of our souls and our colors came spilling out.  They merged with one another and what seemed unbearable and lonely before transformed into something with hope, messy yes, but beautiful because honesty was present.  So enjoy these pictures of our day together and I hope at some point, I can share this experience with more of you.

(Become a fan too!)

tweets and workshops

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Posted by kritzau on January 11, 2011 – 9:42 am
Filed under A Beautiful Mess, Workshops/Retreats

just a few quick items:

> Kristin is on Twitter – follow her shorter musings there – would love to see more of you (and follow you)

> There was an error on the newsletter listing two dates for the Perfectionism Workshop (new tag line – it’s about releasing perfection, not perfecting it).  The workshop is on Saturday, January 22nd. There are still spots available – would love to have you come.  Click here and scroll down for more information.