Blog — News

And we're launched!!  Please visit the Storm Journey Story Cards crowd-funding site on Kickstarter, to join the effort funding this printing project. 

Watch my campaign video and read about this powerful conversation tool to help us talk about the hard things that matter.

If you like what you see and want to make a pledge, you're essentially pre-ordering your decks.  And if we meet our goal, we'll be able to give them for the holidays.  

Let's do this together.  We belong in a story of hope!

UPDATE:  Campaign success!

179 people helped raise $13,325 to get these new decks printed.  Hurrah!!  And THANK YOU!

Storm Journey Story Cards will be available in this website shop soon, around December 15.

Hurrah!!  Finally, after two years out of print, the Storm Journey story is ready to go in a new deck format.  With 26 Story Cards of art and text, and a Guide Booklet full of Conversation Questions, this is a resource made to spark meaningful interactions about the more difficult aspects of life.  

The Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign starts soon, with your chance to support the printing process and pre-order your decks.  Watch the campaign page here, and you can sign up to be notified the minute it launches.

I'm excited to offer this new tool, and hope it will be useful to help us move through struggle and into community.

--Melanie

It's quite a milestone:  I've sold 1800 Listen For Joy Art & Wisdom Card Decks, and I just received the third printing of 1000 more.  Wow!   My inventory shelves are full again, and I love imagining all those cards and booklets inspiring people all across the country and the world.

It made sense to celebrate with a Second Edition for this latest printing.  I wanted to incorporate a few tweaks to help new customers understand the purpose of the decks a little better.  But don't worry-- the cards themselves are exactly the same!  In fact, if you held the old and new decks side-by-side, the differences are small.  I made some slight changes to the box cover titles, back-of-the-box words, and booklet text.  

The most noticeable adjustment in this new edition is a shift in the order of the booklet sections.  I switched "Out of Balance" and "In Balance" on the card theme pages.  Simply put, each page now ends with the more positive "In Balance" paragraph.  It's an uplifting difference that simply hadn't occurred to me when I first created the decks.  If you already use the decks, you might try reading the sections in this new order to see how it feels to you.

Other than that, the images continue to inspire just as they are, and I've only changed a few words of the text here and there.  Two and a half years ago, Christianne Squires of Bookwifery and I did some rather fine listening, writing, and editing that has stood the test of time.  I'm still humbled and amazed by that whole process.  Thank you, Christianne!

I hope you'll continue to recommend the decks to your friends and colleagues, and to give them as gifts as the occasions arise.  Your support means the world to me, and it keeps these Art & Wisdom Cards moving out into the world to serve hearts, minds, and spirits.  Thank you.

Watch for a new crowdfunding campaign coming soon-- it's time to reprint Storm Journey in a new Story Card / deck format!  I'm excited about the change and timeliness of that story.  Please sign up for my email newsletter list at the bottom of this website page (if you aren't already on the list) to be sure you get the latest news.

Thanks again, and blessings!

I'm giving thanks for a new business coach, a timely entrepreneurial grant, and great sales at an international Play Therapists' conference in Texas.  I had no idea that a focus on business would be such fruitful spiritual practice. 

More than ever, I want to share the gifts of art and wisdom I've been given.  So this year I've worked extra hard to implement some new strategies to welcome more customers and expand my connections.  You've likely seen the new website, but behind the scenes you haven't seen the new shipping application, social media classes, bookkeeping changeover to Quickbooks Online with a new chart of accounts, new shipping strategies for traveling sales, and extra inventory and shipping shelves in our garage.  Each of these steps required flexibility, courage, and trust-- all qualities my soul has been wanting to practice, I guess!

But wait, there's more-- the Spirit isn't finished inviting me to make sales and goals into prayer and gratitude.  My next projects to build my business spiritually and systemically include a cash flow analysis, integrating inventory systems with bookkeeping software, and adding a few new conference exhibitor events. Thank goodness I am working with some terrific teachers, like my coaches Julianna and Kris at WESST and Susie and Sammie at Checks and Balances For You.

Along the way, I've received some surprising affirmation and support. For example, the inventory/bookkeeping work has been supported by a generous Power Up matching grant, sponsored by Power New Mexico and administered by WESST.  And I've made some fascinating new friends who like talking shop, literally.  :-)

Thanks be for all of this amazing help and faith in my work!

I look forward to growing the ways I can serve, as I stretch my skills and spiritual imagination in the business world.

At last... the long-awaited website update!  After many months of work, you're now enjoying the fresh and improved www.ListenForJoy.com.  Hurrah!  I hope you'll take a good look around and feel inspired by what you see.

The biggest change is in the Shop, now empowered by Shopify for a much better purchasing experience.  Customers can use any credit card now, rather than the required PayPal account from my trusty but rusty old website.  Email notifications and tracking numbers are available now too.  Consider buying Original Art more directly, or search the Shop for categories of Standard Art Prints, Giclée Art Prints, and Art & Wisdom Card Decks.  Better photos and descriptions of all the products throughout, don't you think?

For a final fancy touch, go to the Home page and scroll down to see my latest Instagram posts in little squares ready for your viewing pleasure.  Technology is amazing!  

Help me welcome the new website in July with a Kick-Off Celebration offer.  When you make a purchase July 12-31, I'll include a free single Art Card personally and prayerfully drawn just for you.  It's super fun for me to choose them as a blessing, and inspiring for you to find out what card you receive!

As always, if you have questions or need help navigating the new site, just let me know.  Use the phone number or "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. 

Thanks, and enjoy!  --Melanie