Create YOUR Life - Ursula Markgraf

Free affirmation cards for you! (pdf-download)

By Ursula Markgraf | June 5, 2015 - 06:53 |May 30, 2024 Create YOUR Life

So, I finally have a new goodie for you. How is that? Do you like affirmation cards?

I created a sheet of affirmation cards around self-care.

You can download the affirmation cards HERE for free.

(Just right-click on the sentence or on the image below and use save-as.) Then you can print the pdf and use it.

And if you are new to my site and love affirmation cards, you can create your own alongside me with my free mixed media affirmation card workshop.

And if you enjoy the affirmation cards or my free workshop, please consider sharing this post!

You would make the day of an artist SO much brighter! No kidding.

THANKS so much! *big hug*

And if you don’t wanna miss, when I’m sharing goodies in the future, hop on over to my newsletter list! ;-)

Yes, I’d like to stay in touch!

Wishing you a wonderful day and hope these free affirmation cards are helpful to you.

Let me know in the comments!

Dance in the moonlight

By Ursula Markgraf | May 21, 2015 - 12:41 |May 4, 2024 Create YOUR Life

19 Comments

The last couple days I have been working on my first ever video about my little German book I had created.

(Or rather had my husband working on it and was trying to be super helpful by commenting on everything that I did not like yet.)

But … as you are probably not too interested in a German book – or video about it ;-) – I was thinking what could I share with you. And one of my fav quotes came to mind.

(I hope I’m not the only one seemingly addicted to quotes!)

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

Oprah Winfrey [click to tweet]

Love that quote as much as I do? Click on it to tweet it!

Mixed-media art print “Moonlight” – SOLD OUT

You know, quotes are awesome. But in the end they are just beautiful words …. if we do not act upon them.

So go on, celebrate your life! Today! :-)

And don’t forget to dance in the moonlight. ;-)

P.S. The next video that I create will be a workshop video … so stay tuned if you are keen on videos. ;-) Might take me a bit … but it will happen! That’s a promise. :-)

What you should definitely do today

By Ursula Markgraf | May 4, 2015 - 16:07 |May 20, 2018 Create YOUR Life

9 Comments

Meine kleine Reise zu mir. 10 Schritte zu mehr Selbstachtsamkeit - von Ursula Markgraf

This is a little reminder to up your selfcare. :-)

Over the last weeks I was working on a project where I had to think about selfcare ALOT.

I just published a little booklet in German that’s all about selfcare. If you do read German or are just curious, you can take a peek HERE.

But the thing is, as the deadline drew closer and there was still so much to be done … what did I drop first? Even though I was reading, writing and thinking about it all the time? Of course. My selfcare. And what happened?
I did not feel good, I got even a bit sick, and my mood was of course nowhere near where it should be. I did not enjoy life, bitched at my husband and kids, and simply did not feel like my usual self. (I really hate that feeling.)

“Tree” – available as postcard HERE :-)

Lesson?

There is no right time for selfcare. It is ALWAYS time for selfcare. Selfcare is not the luxury you add on top of a good day.

Selfcare is the underlying foundation of everything else.

Yes, I know. I probably will have to re-learn this lesson over and over and over again. Cause even though I know by now how important selfcare is for me, my well-being and ultimatley everyone around me – I still forget.

I still work too much or too late. Or both.

I still eat in a rush cause I want to finish something for work and did not take the time for lunch that I should.

I still skip my yoga or meditation when I think I’m short on time.

I still try to “push through” when there is alot to do.

Yesterday I stopped. Even though I had a gazillion things to do – I took a break – or rather – I slowed down. I meditated first thing in the morning, I ate my lunch outside in the yard on the swing, I read a chapter in my fav book on my way to pick up my son instead of doing work on the train … and you know what? Yes, I did not get everything done that I wanted to.

BUT – noone died! Everything is still fine. AND when I went to bed in the evening I actually felt good. Not completely exhausted and edgy and irritable. But good.

So, this is my gentle reminder for you to take better care of yourself today. TODAY!

What will you do? Tell me in the comments?

Will you drink an extra glass of water? Sit for 10 minutes in the sun? Or just stop working early? Can not wait to read your comments!

“Play time” every day? That’s how I do it.

By Ursula Markgraf | April 28, 2015 - 09:52 |May 5, 2024 Create YOUR Life

I’d love to know what are your favourite ways to fill your play time?

Why do I create what I do?

By Ursula Markgraf | March 31, 2015 - 08:58 |May 20, 2018 Create YOUR Life

1 Comment

Quite some time ago I took part in an artist bloghop, where one question I had to answer was: Why do I create what I do?

And to be honest, I get asked this question quite alot. In different versions. With “What is mixed media art?” and “How did you end up doing this?” it is dfintely in the top 3 of questions I get asked.

So, why do I create what I do?

Because I want to change the world. Even if it is only for one person.
Because I believe that each person has to live their life THEIR way, in order to be happy.
Because I am certain that everybody can live their dream but we often simply forget our dreams or where discouraged in the past.
But figuring out what makes YOU happy is the only way to live a happy life. Which everyone deserves!

"Trust" -mixed-media art by Ursula Markgraf

I create in order to remind women of their dreams. I create to remind YOU of your dreams. I create mixed-media art pieces. I create sketches. I create books. I create postcards. And I am certain many more things will follow. I create because I love creating – it is what I just HAVE to do – and it helps me to tell women that their dreams are imporrtant. That it is important to listen to them. And that it is not selfish to follow them. That you need to find your own definition of success in order to be happy. And that it is possible to live your life according to your own beliefs. I want to encourage you to take your life into your own hands. I want to inspire and empower you to follow your own dreams.

Just recently I started to re-write an ebook about how to create a wonderful year for yourself, which I had published in German in January. I wanted to make it better and put together a questionnaire so I could figure out what customers would like to see differently or would want improved. There also was a field for “Other feedback” and in one of them I read:

„Your workbook, dear Ursula, has given my life a new direction. I am now clear on what I want and what I do not want and I even created directions on how to get there. This is something that no money can buy and I am endlessly thankful to you.”

(This is my translation of it as the original feedback left was of course in German. But I tried to stick to the actual words as closely as I could.)

The questionnaire was filled out anonymusly, so I have no idea who wrote this. But while I had tears in my eyes when I read it I thought to myself – THIS is exactly why I do what I do!

So thanks to whoever wrote this – it made my day and showed me that what I do can make a difference. And I am endlessly thankful for knowing that!

Now, I’d love to know – what do you do? And why do you do it?

Did you ever have such a moment, where it was just crystal clear to you WHY you are doing what you do?

Wanna know what you are?

By Ursula Markgraf | February 11, 2015 - 20:00 |May 20, 2018 Create YOUR Life

Who would you want to send one to?

Have a wonderful year 2015 (plus ressources)

By Ursula Markgraf | January 6, 2015 - 11:06 |March 18, 2024 Create YOUR Life

4 Comments

Have a wonderful year 2015 (plus ressources)

A new year started …. and I am a lover of new beginnings. I love the feeling of endless possibilities, that nothing is set yet, all open. Explains probably why I love Mondays, moving and new notebooks. ;-)

And even though most people do not share my Monday-love, most of you probably agree that the beginning of a new year has some sort of magic to it. Many people start a new year with resolutions. Unfortunately that has never worked for me. I always ended up not feeling good about myself and about what I had achieved cause usually I would find my list with resolutions sometime mid-year and realize that I had worked on none of them. :-( A tad frustrating.

At some point I simply gave up and ditched resolutions for good. But by now I have found some awesome alterantives – rituals that work for me and that help me to create a wonderful year:

1. Word of the year

Two years ago I tried something new. I decided on a “word of the year” which stayed with me the whole year. Last year I wrote a blogpost about it. For me this works really great as it is alot easier to implement than resolutions. And it is alot easier to remember, too. :-)
My “word of the year” for 2015 will be EASE. What is your word of the year?

2. A workbook or planner for the new year

Last year I tried something else that was new for me. From a friend I got a wonderful workbook which helped me to plan out goals, to write down ideas, wishes, dreams. I loved this idea so much. I also used the wonderful free New Years Revolution kit by Do what you love. You can find this year’s version HERE. Go download it and try it out.

3. A visionboard for 2015

Last year I also created a vision board for 2014. You can see it below. I LOVE creating visionboards. You can make them big or small. I even created one in a notebook. You can create them for the whole year or for a project. They are so much fun to make and such a strong and powerful visual reminder. I hung my visionboard in my bedroom, so I can see my dreams each time I wake up or I fall asleep. :-)

If you would like a bit more instruction on how to create a visionboard you can check out this offer by the lovely artist Desiree East – she will lead an online-workshop on how to create your own visionboard January 11th.

So, now you have three ritual- ideas that you can use to jump-start your new year – having a “word of the year”, working in a planner for the new year and creating a visionboard. Which ritual do you like best?

Or do you have another ritual that you use to make certain that 2015 will be YOUR year?

Some gifts from St. Nicolas – for you

By Ursula Markgraf | December 6, 2014 - 18:49 |May 20, 2018 Create YOUR Life

3 Comments

"Calm Christmas" - mixed media art by Ursula Markgraf

Today on the 6th of December we celebrate St. Nicolas day here in Germany. It’s a sweet tradition – I think – that goes back to the story of a good man called Nicolas (who became bishop) who gave the poor money. The story says that he would sneak up on the roof at night and throw little pouches with money down the chimney … and the money would end up in socks and shoes that were put on/near the chimney to dry.

So to celebrate that day kids have to clean their shoes and put them near the door in the evening of the 5th of December. Then the Nicolas will come at night and put small treats, candy, nuts and oranges or little toys in there. Of course my kids totally love that day and are totally excited about it.

But I also wanted to give YOU something, so I created these little pictures with my art-work on them that you are free to download and share in your newsletter, on your blog, on facebook, on twitter … or wherever you might hang out in the virtual world. :-) If you wanna link to my site that would of course totally thrill me, but it is not required.

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To download just right-click on the file you want to save – choose save as – and pick the location where you wanna save it. Then share and spread a bit of joy and calm around. :-)

Have a wonderful St. Nicolas day! xxx

P.S. And if you need some special Christmas cards, you can find some right HERE. I ship worldwide. ;-)

Christmas wishes – instructions for the perfect gift

By Ursula Markgraf | November 27, 2014 - 17:18 |May 20, 2018 Create YOUR Life

6 Comments

Somehow over the years finding the perfect gift for loved ones has become harder and harder. Or is that just me?

I don’t know whether this is because so many things are readily available at all times. Or whether we simply like other things than 10 years ago.

When I created this Christmas card – I named it “Christmas wishes” – I was thinking about what we REALLY wish for. Probably not just at Christmas, but maybe especially at Christmas. We all would like more time, love, health, satisfaction, and joy in our lifes, wouldn’t we? So I was thinking about … how could we GIVE those things to the people we love?

Christmas card “Christmas wishes” – can be bought HERE

I came up with some ideas, but feel free to add your own ones in the comments! Would love to hear them!!!

LOVE

Give something that tells the person every single day how much you value him or her. This could be a piece of jewellery – maybe even custom-made or made by yourself. Or it could be an art print that expresses how important that person is. Or you could simply write an old-fashioned loveletter. Yes, with an actual pen. Or even fountain pen? Not on the computer! :-)

HEALTH

Health is such a huge thing. And as health is not just the absence of illness, there are many things that you can give someone to help them feel more healthy, more well, more whole.
You could give a gift certificate for a massage, for a sauna visit or a meditation cd or course. I am still loving the meditations by Deepak Choprah and putting those on my Christmas wishlist.
Or simply a handmade bar of soap that does not contain unhealthy ingredients – what a wonderful and luxurious way to support someones health. You can also make things like sugar scrubs yourself. It’s quick, easy and the recipient can pamper his or her skin.

TIME

Of course you can not really gift someone time. We all have the same amount of time – so that is that. BUT, you can gift someone special time. Time he or she can spend with herself or himself. (For moms probably THE best gift ever.)
Often we get the perception that we do not have enough time when we’re simply too busy. So helping someone stop the crazy-race for a bit will give them more – consciously spent – time. You could also gift him or her a wonderful looking planner or calendar that can be used to organize time in a better way.

SATISFACTION

This one is really tricky cause in the end there is nothing you can give to someone that will make him or her feel satisfied if they do not have a certain mindset. In my opinion – and experience – feeling satisfied is less about what you actually own or have accomplished, but more about how you feel and how much you are in tune with your own needs and desires. So in the end it really is up to each one of us to make sure we do feel satisfied, but you can still give something that will make it easier for the recipient to find a way to feel satisfied. One of my favourite things to give – and to get – is of course books. And my all-time-favourite in regard to how I feel about my life is “Steering by starlight” by Martha Beck. If it was available in German, I would literally give it to everyone I know!
(And no, this is not an affiliate link. I just simply totally love and adore that book.)
You could also gift a wonderful precious journal with the intention for it to be used as a gratitude journal. Most of us actually have pretty amazing lifes, but with the business and the distraction we simply forget to focus on all the wonderful and beautiful things that happen each and every day. This is also a totally wonderful gift for kids!

JOY

I think this one is the easiest to give. At least if you know the gift-recipient a bit. Whatever this person enjoys will bring her joy. Right?
She likes to draw? Get her colored pencils or a fresh sketch book! (ME!)
She likes to read? Get her a book! (Again – ME!)
She likes to cook? Some wonderful spices or a cooking course. (Not me. Send that to my husband. ;-) )
And if worse comes to worse and you really can not think of ANYthing that this person would enjoy … how about a fresh notebook? I somehow feel that with a notebook you can never go wrong. You can buy them big or small, beautiful or funny, simple or super-fancy.
I recently fell in love with the look of the Paperblank ones – OMG. They look just so wonderful. And the ones by Ecojot – different style – also look wonderful. And love their cause.
Awesome thing is, you can use notebooks for everything you can think of: jotting down ideas, planning your to dos, writing down your dreams, journaling, collecting your fav recipes, glueing photos or little bits and bobs from your every day life in there, sketch, …. The list is endless!
Or is that just me that has a tad of a notebook-obsession? ;-)

I hope I could give you some starters for Christmas present ideas. Let me know what your thougths are in the comments! And if you have a favourite gift to give – share it!

How to hold a “Festival of Me”

By Ursula Markgraf | September 30, 2014 - 19:14 |March 18, 2024 Create YOUR Life

1 Comment

You are worthy/ Du bist wert voll - mixed media art by Ursula Markgraf

Mixed media print “Du bist wertvoll” (You are worthy) – SOLD OUT

My birthday is today *yeah* which always makes me feel kinda funny. I do love my birthday and I love celebrating it. But the last years I kinda struggled with the “how”.

How do you celebrate yourself?

The older I got the harder I found that. I did not feel like having a big party. But I also did not want to spend the day just like any other day. What could I do to make it feel special?

When I asked in a group on facebook how others celebrate their special days, Candace – an arty and sea-loving Internet-friend of mine – talked about having a “Festival of Me”. I loved that idea so much that I asked her to write a post for my blog about that. Everyone deserves a Festival of Me, right? So here it is:

Dear Birthday Girl,

Welcome to your Festival of Me.
Today would be a day I take myself to the sea.
By car or van or plane or train or bike
or on my own two feet.

After a fresh, nourishing breakfast with coffee,
and/ or a delicious tea ( I am having a white tea with rose petals today).
Or a joyous sparkly smoothie. What does your body want this morning?
Today could be a day I book myself in for a relaxing massage,
and pamper myself to high heaven and
take a walk or
curl up in a warm spot and
reconnect with every cell in my body.
And tell them, hey, thank you for
always working so hard to take care of me.

I might get my hair done, and have a
giggle with the hairdressers
over trashy magazines.
I might put on that dress or hat or little piece of jewellery
because today is that day
I have been waiting for to wear them.

I would take myself to the forest, or the park or the sea…
with a great book, and my Journal for Me.

In it I would write all the delicious dreams
I would love to have for myself in my life.
This is a safe space, this is a lush garden.
For your dreams, hopes, loves, fears.

I would write all the wonderful things that have happened, big or small.
Look for them.
I will start with : I am alive.
When my head starts to think about things I need to
solve and change and get over and understand before
anything else can happen.
I will rewrite these things to ask:

What is it that I seek?
I seek love, joy, peace, beauty
and fun.
I seek healing I seek feeling like everything is ok,
and there is nothing wrong with me.
I seek meaningful connections with
sisters and brothers of the soul.
And it is done.
You have come such a long way,
you have been loving, you have been brave,
you have always done the best you know how.
And so have the people around you,
whether you know them or not.

Today on my Birthday Festival of Me
is a day to collect all the pieces of me
and love them.

I would read my Journal of Me,
my Mermaid Memo,
often to remind me of where I want to go,
to help me make choices (is this towards what I want?)
and to record the wonderful little things that unfold:
seeing hearts everywhere,
seeing little signs you know are for you or you would not have noticed it.

Remember that feeling of ease and flow when it happens.
Always use that as your inner guide.

Happy Birthday Lovely.

Love,

Candace Loy

P.S

Birthdays are special simply because you were born.
Spend it on your own or with loved ones, however you like!
And you know what, this Festival of Me, could be any day you want!
Schedule it in and make that time the next time you can.
Maybe next weekend? :)

About Candace:

I followed my heart to the ocean and moved from Singapore to Australia to New Zealand,
where I paint, surf, and am researching sustainable seafood and learning how to dive and
freedive.
I lived in Melbourne for a few years when I was in brain research.
It is also where I learnt to surf on the Great Ocean Road.
Melbourne is a city of many festivals:
and so I started treating everything like it was a festival, including birthdays!!
Because things are more fun like that.

On my birthday last year I took myself 4 hours’ drive up north to a beautiful surf break,
and stayed with friends on the way.
The world is your friend when you move around alone.
Pay attention to how you are feeling inside and trust it.
Let yourself chat with people on the way.
A little exchange about the weather, a little giggle over something funny.
These little moments remind us that we are never alone in all this,
we are all in this together.
I love you and have a wonderful Festival of Me.
I have plenty of great stories and eco-friendly products for mermaids coming up.
Including an eco-friendly waterproof journal. Wait till you find out how it’s made!!
Get the free mermaid manifestival and updates at HERE.

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