Here’s a little of what I wrote about Renée last year on her birthday:
She is a kind environmentalist who is quick-witted and honest. She is political and doesn’t mind sharing her opinions with those around her. Renee raised her family largely on her own in the San Francisco Bay Area where she still lives. She is a yoga devotee, a teacher, an optimist, and – of course – an artist.
Are you glad to say goodbye to 2017? Sorry to see it go? Feeling hopeful for 2018?
The world was a busy place in 2017 – and I’m sure it will be this year, too. I’ve decided to Embrace the Chaos.
Last year, I learned lessons in patience (always a favorite…ha) and discovered that there’s no such thing as perfect (and even if there was, I wouldn’t want it). I re-learned that if we don’t have health, we have nothing. And I remembered that family and good friends is where happiness lives.
Have you made resolutions for 2018? Is that a thing people still do? Rather than resolutions (no more junk food – ever!), I prefer to set intentions (I will do my best to limit junk food). It just feels a little more gentle, yes?
Renée Locks has been part of the Brush Dance family of artists since the 1990s. Her works have been wildly popular with our customers for many years. Many customers will return to Brush Dance year after year to specifically pick up a Calendar or Planner featuring the art of our much-loved Renée.
Many of the items featuring the art of Renée Locks are titled as Live with Intention, the poem by Mary Anne Radmacher. Mary Anne has also been a tremendous part of the Brush Dance extended family, with her own Live Boldly line.
One of the things we most love about Renée is her playful sense of humor. Watercolor splotches and splashes are paired with quotes that invite us to laugh every day with her Laugh Lines Calendar.
Renée lives in the San Francisco Bay Area – close enough to the Brush Dance office that we get to visit on occasion. She taught Western style calligraphy for more than ten years, and taught herself Sumi brushstrokes. Renée believes in giving back to her community, and has worked at local women’s shelters. We also appreciate that she is very active politically. Renée has raised five children, and now has oodles of grandchildren.
Here are links to some Renée Locks items with Brush Dance:
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and even when we are doing our best to live a more mindful life, time can still seem to fly right on by, yes?
During this busy time of year, it becomes even more important to make sure we are taking care of ourselves. Becoming too busy and stressed can lead to a lack of sleep, and illness. While it seems counter-intuitive to some of us (calling all Type-A personalities!), slowing down when we’re the busiest may just be the best thing.
Part of living a slower and more mindful life is making sure we are paying attention to the food we eat. For many, this means more fresh fruits and vegetables and less packaged and processed foods. It means preparing foods at home rather than hitting the drive-thru.
And the Mindful Eating Monthly Planner is perfect for smaller bags or your purse. Here’s a great video of the Monthly Planner – they are new for 2018 and we’re loving them already.
Brush Dance isn’t a religious company. Rather, we like to think of ourselves as all-inclusive with a focus on mindfulness. Religion and prayer are definitely one path to mindfulness and we include several Christian-based Calendars and Planners in our line every year.
Our Angels Wall Calendar (shown above) features black and white angel images with occasional pops of color. Each of the 12 months also features a quote inspired by angels. This title is not deeply religious and would be appropriate for anyone who wants to be closer to the angels. The quote on the cover seems apt: Angels are never too distant to hear you.
Bible Inspirations features uplifting word from and about the Bible. It’s filled with gorgeous nature images and reminds the user that He has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Bible Inspirations is also available in a 7″ Mini Wall Calendar, and a Planner (see below).
Scriptures features hopeful Bible verses and delicate watercolor florals. Many see this as our most traditional Christian title. It’s perfect in any setting.
And, finally, Blessings. This 12″ Wall Calendar is super-modern with its bright colors, graphic designs and fun typography. The messages are comforting and encouraging.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. (Psalm 95:2)
From traditional to modern, Brush Dance has you covered in Christian Calendars and Planners. And if Buddhist living fits you better, we have that, too.
Amazing Planning Power – our Monthly Planners pack a lot of power. They cover September 2017 – January 2020. 32 pages of pure planning power. Each page spread features one month, daily spaces are generous, and there’s a bit of room for notes. Sweet mini grids for the next and previous months are also included.
Easy to Carry! They measure 5″ x 7″, feature just 32 pages. Perfectly-sized for any bag.
The covers are made from smooth, matte-finish, thick paper. While not waterproof, you can definitely get a few drops of water (ok, coffee) on these and not worry about it – just wipe it off and keep going.
Price! At just under $10, Brush Dance Monthly Planners are perfectly priced. Talk about value for your money – for $10, you can be organized through 2019.
Here’s a closer look at the planner (no audio = safe at work!). If you can’t see the video below, click here.
Life is Beautiful is the one I have in my bag right now, but if that’s not your cup of tea (pun intended!), we have five other covers – definitely something for everyone.
Finally, I can’t let today pass without acknowledging the importance of this day in American history. I am grateful for the first responders of NY and beyond, sad for all of the senseless loss, and hopeful for the future.
While we mostly work from home, when we do meet in the office, we always check out each other’s Planners. Which cover are you using this week? Show me how you use the lay-out. Where did you get those stickers?!
The Life Organized: Family Planner Stickers shown above are the perfect combination of style and function. I love the bright modern colors, fun designs, and the variety of shapes include. What I really need, though, is the functionality – this pack include five sheets of stickers to help keep track of events like birthdays, anniversaries, and, yes, paydays.
Today, our Creative Manager, Susan, shares some of her favorite items with us. In case you missed them, here are links to the other posts in this series: ShawnaKarma
Susan has such an important job at Brush Dance. She is responsible for our products from conception, through printing and production. It’s one of those positions where a person needs to be both creative/artistic and well-organized. A rare combination, and she fits the bill perfectly!
Our 2018 Dreamer’s Realm Wall Calendar is one of Susan’s top picks. She said, “Catrin Welz-Stein’s art is so magical and beautifully painted that it is a treat to look at each image for a month. I will never grow tired of her work.”
All of us love this Planner (and the coordinating Journal!). Susan says she gets lots of approving nods while carrying this Planner – and she wishes she could use it for four years instead of one!
Well. Sometimes, you just have to say it how it is, right? Susan thinks this pair of Blue Q Socks would make a great gift for all of our feminist friends. She loves the bold and colorful Girl Power statement. These socks are not just pretty – they are comfy and hold up great.
The adorable Coin Purse above would make a great gift. Susan envisions filling it with pennies and presenting it as a fun-filled (?) birthday gift! Ha!
The larger tote is, “distinctive and colorful. You can use it for your airport gear (the zipper keeps things secure!), beach stuff, kid stuff, or for anything that won’t fit in your purse. And since it’s about 15 inches wide, it’s not too big or cumbersome.”
Susan’s final favorite pick is Table Topics. She had this to say:
My family has lots of talkers. And, we all love games. Table Topics is a catalyst for interesting and lively conversations about things we’ve never talked about as a group. When was the last time you discussed:
Have you ever been escorted out by security?
Who’s had too much plastic surgery?
Would you rather spend a week in jail or serve two weeks community service?
You’ll learn a thing (or two!) about your friends and family, and have some fun in the process. If you exhaust these 135 questions, there are plenty more versions of the game you can pick up.
And there we have it! Susan’s Favorite Things! I love that she has eclectic taste and a great sense of humor!
I also wanted to let you know that we’re planning some exclusive sales for people who are on our mailing list. You can sign up on our website!
Our brand new Karma Planners are ready for shipping! This product has been years in the making and we are so excited to finally be able to share it with you!
Karma Planners have it all!
November 2017 – February 2019 (one week per spread)
B5 Size – 6.9″ x 9.8″
Very High Quality Paper
Sturdy Cover and Wire-O Binding – this thing is made to last!
Elastic Band
Check lists, room for notes, and a bit of inspiration
Yearly and Monthly Planning Pages (conveniently located at the beginning of the book)
Numbered Pages (and a nifty index to help you stay organized)
Lined and Dot Grid Pages at the back of the book – perfect for journaling, note taking, planning projects, or doodling
There’s so much to show you, we’ve created a video of each Karma Planner right on the product pages of our website. Or click here to see a video. (No need to worry about volume if you’re at work – all of our product video are without sound just for you!)
Our Karma Planners are not the least expensive items we sell – at $22.99 each, these books are totally worth the investment toward getting organized and staying that way.
We couldn’t be more proud of our new Karma Planners. See all of them right here.
This is such an exciting time of year at Brush Dance. All of our shiny new items are arriving in our warehouse. Orders are streaming in. And 2018 Calendars are shipping out to our retail partners and website customers. Exciting times!
We love our new Monthly Planners. They begin with September 2017 and go all of the way through the end of December 2019 – more than two years of planning bliss. Love, Love, Love!
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