February 2006 Newsletter #2

Be Mine O’Valentine

"Are you what other people expect you to be?
Allowing yourself to pursue your creative passions, no matter how deeply buried, is freedom." — Kristi Kovalishyn, Who are you... really?

In This Issue

• February 2006 Journal
• What's New @ the CP
• Inspiring Success Stories

February 2006 Journal

by Chris Dunmire

Creativity Portal / CCA Web Site Changes

On February 1, 2006, Creativity Portal (CP) and the Creativity Coaching Association (CCA) reverted to being independent Web sites. As the CCA database of coaches and the creativity coaching certification program have expanded, both CP and CCA determined that our missions are better served through two independent Web sites. Creativity Portal has enjoyed being the front end host of the CCA Web site over the last five months and proud to support its vision and promotion of the growing creativity coaching profession.

Creativity Portal will continue to support the CCA's philosophy, training programs, and mission to introduce its readership to skilled professional coaches who can help support their work, overcome blocks, and achieve success. Creativity coaches who are members of CCA are welcome to continue submitting articles to the Creativity Portal.

Please visit the official Creativity Coaching Association Web site at www.creativitycoachingassociation.com if you would like to find a professional creativity coach to help you with your creative work — or learn about becoming a certified coach yourself.

Chris Dunmire
Publisher, Creativity Portal

What's New @ the CP

Calliope: What has She Done Lately?

How can I invoke the ancient Greek muse of epic poetry and song?

Invoking the Muse of Epic Poetry
By Molly J. Anderson-Childers
Who is Calliope? The Muse of epic poetry may have inspired Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," but what has she done for us lately?

Ritual de Habitual Handwriting (or Typing)

Besides being a creative outlet and supporting emotional well-being, two more vital reasons for keeping a journal exist. Want to know what they are?

Keeping a Journal to Form a Writing Habit
By Barbara Abercrombie
Most everyone has heard about the emotional and health benefits you get from keeping a journal; writing about feelings and traumatic events is good for you. But for a person who writes there are two other vital reasons to keep a journal.

Leaping into Leonardo

What can da Vinci teach us about learning from our mistakes, being in the moment of an experience, and challenging long-standing beliefs?

Leaping into Our Experiences (da Vinci's Dimostrazione)
By Linda Dessau
You know you're truly living in the present moment when you're lost in what you're doing, when time passes without you noticing, when you're in a trance-like state of concentration or when you're completely immersed in concentration on your task.

Do You Mask Your Valentine's Day Desires?

Where can I find creative paper and fabric mask making inspiration for my child or inner kid at heart?

Creative Mask Making Madness
By Molly J. Anderson-Childers
Creative paper and fabric mask making project inspiration for kids and kids at heart. Plus, prompts for using the masks as the basis for a creative writing story, poem, or essay.

How about ART You Can EAT?

What can one do with a pint of blueberries, three fresh bananas, strawberries, an apple, and a few other crunchy things?

Fun with Food: Art You Can Eat!
By Molly J. Anderson-Childers
It begins with an innocent fruit salad smiley, but then prompts you towards animal faces, celebrity portraits, and designs. Allow the edible ingredients to become the inspiration for a story, haiku, or free-verse poetry! What can YOU create?

Graphic Design Business

I'm ready to work for myself as a graphic designer. What should I know about networking with vendors and obtaining clients who will pay me what I'm worth?

Five Steps to Building a Better Client Base
By Nicholas De Salvo
You are a working designer who has built a solid portfolio and are ready to begin working for yourself. How do you go about building a client base, network with vendors, and get paid what you're worth?

Inspiring Success Stories

Booked for Breaking the Rules

Living a double life, missing book pages, and end result for breaking the rules.

Making Up the Rules
By Preethi Nair
An engaging story from the author of "Gypsy Masala" and "100 Shades of White" that includes living a double life, restoring missing book pages, and breaking the rules.