Be the Queen of Your Own Story with Minette Riordan, Ph.D.

I have been holding on to some lovely pieces of vintage fabric from Michelle Cox and finally pulled them out for this hand-stitched scroll.

Her fabrics add so much color and texture to any fabric art and I’ve loved incorporating them here instead of hoarding them…

This one isn’t finished but it’s ready for a pause and I will come back to it later this summer.

I’m loving making these longer pieces and experimenting with new stitches, patterns and fabric.

I have a gorgeous antique spool for this one, more photos to come.

Last week Dina VanDecker- Tibbs and I had the honor of spending time creating, teaching and sharing with a wonderful group of women.

We created a seasonal wheel of the year with a focus on plants and elements and archetypes. We made mixed media dolls to represent seasonal archetypes that show up in our lives.

We laughed, we cried, we ate and drank lots of hand crafted tea blends from Wise Roots Apothecary Dina’s store in a manitou Springs.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this elemental event!

I’m hosting a retreat with my friend Dina, the Elemental Wisdom Retreat, in Manitou Springs, Colorado. We love this little mountain town!

I got up and out early for a beautiful walk along the creek path, hugged some willow trees, talked to this cute black squirrel, got some awesome dog therapy from a few local dogs and enjoyed the sound of the creek. Also found some fun local art too!

My favorite way to start any day is out in nature and it’s such a great way to get grounded and connected before leading a retreat.

Can’t wait to welcome our guests later today.

100 Days. Five themes. Countless insights.

When I started this 100 Days of Creative Discovery project, I thought I was exploring my word of the year: visibility.

How do I show up more fully?
What gets in the way?
Why is being seen sometimes so uncomfortable?

What I discovered was something much deeper.

Over the course of 100 days of creative reflection, intuitive collage, journaling, soul scribbles, tarot, and honest self-inquiry, I explored:

Days 1–20: Reclaiming My Voice
Days 21–40: Embodied Strength & Vitality
Days 41–60: Creative Courage & Expression
Days 61–80: Identity, Authenticity & Wholeness
Days 81–100: Spirituality, Meaning & Sacred Legacy

Along the way I uncovered old stories about belonging, visibility, creativity, aging, self-expression, spirituality, and purpose.

I remembered how much I love intuitive collage.

I rediscovered parts of myself that had been waiting to be acknowledged.

I explored what it means to trust myself, honor my body, welcome all of who I am, and live with greater reverence and intention.

And perhaps most importantly, I realized that the question beneath all the others is one that so many women ask in midlife:

Who am I now?

This final video is a flip-through of all 100 days, the lessons I learned, the surprises I encountered, and what emerged when I committed to showing up for myself day after day.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Whether you’ve been here from Day 1 or you’re discovering this project for the first time, I’m so grateful you’re here.

✨ I’d love to hear from you:

What is one thing you’ve learned about yourself this year?

The past few days of my creative practice have been… revealing.

Where I’ve been performing instead of telling the truth.

What parts of me I’ve kept hidden just to belong.

And reconnecting with my inner child — the playful, magical, expressive part of me.

Even bringing in tarot opened something deeper.
Let go of self-doubt.
Make space for movement, play, and truth.

This is what creative discovery looks like in real life.

5-10 minutes a day of connecting deeply with my inner voice through art and writing.

What are you noticing about yourself lately?

See my full 100 day project on YouTube - link is you know where 😉

There’s something that shifted for me over these last 20 days.

Not dramatically.
Not all at once.

But quietly… steadily… something softened.

This part of my 100 Days of Creative Discovery was all about **embodied vitality**.

And if I’m honest, my relationship with my body has not always been one of kindness.

Like many women, I’ve spent years:
Trying to fix it
Push it
Change it
Ignore it

Or asking it to keep going… long after it was asking me to stop.

But these past 20 days invited a different question:

What if my body isn’t a problem to solve…
but a partner to listen to?

What I’m learning at 61 is this:

✨ Strength is not punishment
✨ Rest is not weakness
✨ Slowing down is not failure

And vitality?

It doesn’t come from doing more.

It comes from **listening more deeply**

There were days I felt strong.
Days I felt exhausted.
Days I didn’t want to show up at all.

And all of it belonged.

I’m not “finished” with this work.

But I am more aware.
More compassionate.
More willing to honor what my body is asking for now.

This is what embodied vitality looks like for me today.

Not perfect.

But present.

See the complete journey and process over on my YouTube channel.