4/7/17

What the hell happened this week?!

Greetings, CC community! Item #1 on our agenda...what would you lovely light beams like to be addressed as in these emails? Creative Coven seems like a thing/place. I'm not quite sure how to greet you, so I'd love some suggestions and maybe we can vote on it. I want all of you to feel welcome here and comfortable participating. This is my safe, little introvert digital home. I want you to feel at home here too.

Next item on the docket--the webinar was incredible. In case you missed it, here is the long awaited replay...

https://youtu.be/Zkync8KL1vE

It was GREAT to see what my thinking face looks like and hear how I sound as a robot. What an enlightening experience! This was a lesson in patience, preparation, and paying for better internet...also, being confident enough to laugh at yourself + the universe.

"When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky." ~ Buddha

If you didn't make it last night, I REALLY hope you'll be there next week. We will be hosting a special guest, and I'm super stoked about it! Allison, from Ritual In A Jar, will be stopping by to tell us about her magickal business, and how she is helping witchy women manifest with her easy-to-use, all-in-one ritual jars. I've personally been a huge fan of Allison's from the first day I found her on Instagram. I've performed her Intention Ritual a few times, and I'm waiting for the right time to test out my Prosperity Ritual and take a Money Bath! She has been featured on Spirit Guides Magazine's website in this review of her rituals. I'm working out all of the kinks from last night, so we can have a wonderful witchy gathering with Allison next Thursday, April 13 at 7:30pm (EST).

You can go ahead + register for next week's THINK + THRIVE THURSDAYGATHERING here to make sure you're included in the update emails. Registering for a webinar helps us avoid sending you a billion emails if you aren't interested. Even if you aren't 100% sure you can be there, you can still receive any exclusive content like special freebies from the guest speakers and Q + C we might be including for attendees. Signing up keeps you in the loop, so register ASAP to avoid missing the good stuff:

http://www.quartzandcoal.co/webinar-registration

After analyzing the data from the fancy-shmancy survey I sent out earlier this week, I realize Thursday's might not be the most convenient time for everyone to join us live. I have a few more webinars already planned for Thursday's; however, in the future, we will have a live monthly weekend workshop to go over some of the more technical business stuff with wall charts + other fun props because I'm a huge office supply junkie, and I love being more visual!

I'll plan all newly scheduled future T+T gatherings on Tuesday nights since that was the most popular weekday in the survey. If you haven't had a chance to complete your survey, PLEASE take about 10 minutes to finish those up. I'm trying to structure my webinar guests, emails, and upcoming workshops around your feedback so we can get as much magick out of our time together as possible. Here is the link again:

https://goo.gl/forms/YRYBll8i9Of6QyHE3

Weekly Affirmations from Deja Osbourne

“A FIRE WITHIN ME IGNITES MY WILL TO PROSPERITY AND ABUNDANCE.”

This week, Deja pulled a card for us about our inner fire. She wrote a post about it here. I actually pulled the same card with my morning affirmation spread at work. It pushed me through some frustrating moments, so I could free up the time I needed to work on my passion project (i.e. this email...) Don't ignore the fire. Don't let anyone rain on your desires, hopes or passions on your parade through Dreamland.

March onward + upward!

Don't forget to read your monthly Tarotscope if you missed it last week! And we'll be posting new goodies on the Blog next week. What have you been motivated or inspired to work on this week? Reply back to let me know how Q + C has helped you stoke your creative fire.

I hope you have a magickal weekend!

-- Q + C

www.quartzandcoal.co

Feel free to reply with your feedback! Don't forget to register for next Thursday'sThink + Thrive Gathering with Allison from Ritual In A Jar!!

We'd love to have you in our Creative Coven on Facebook + Instagram. We're also rambling on Twitter from time to time, and Pinterest is FULL of some our favorite inspirational posts. All of your friends are welcome to join our Creative Coven too! Tell them what they're missing, and invite them to sign up for our emails!

3/31/17

Welcome to our Creative Coven! T(Goddess)IF! It's been a busy week here. We've been scrambling around, doing New Moon rituals, writing blog posts + tarotscopes, and finishing up the last few loose ends on the website, so we could share it with all of you FIRST!

To begin, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this new adventure, and lighting a fire in me. This is something I have dreamed about for a VERY long time. Secondly, this email will be longer than most to help us get better acquainted. Thank you for taking the time to learn more.

Recently, I have been focused on coaching creative entrepreneurs and other brilliant artists who have wonderful products or business ideas. Most of my clients are so smart and capable, but they seem to be lacking the direction or guidance they wanted to really launch their businesses or take things to the next level. Confusion, fear, anxiety, and doubt were encumbering these people brimming with talent and exciting ideas.

I started noticing a pattern. No one believed they were already an entrepreneur or small business owner. They didn't think they met their self-imposed job description, giving them the permission needed to claim their own title. But, what is an entrepreneur anyway?

I'll be getting into the multifaceted details about entrepreneurship in my new, FREE email course. This collection of easy to follow, self-discovery exercises will walk you through the steps needed to believe in yourself and your ability to create a successful business. This course is an introduction to growth mindset and the Law of Attraction called Honoring Your Inner Entrepreneur. This course will be sent out every few days for a total of 6 emails in 2 weeks to complete your transformation. There are more details about it on the START HERE page.

**The password to access free classes is: OPENSESAME (case sensitive)**

Next, I'd like to introduce myself and a few members of our Creative Coven! Both of these wonderful witches are clients of mine, who have become good friends. They are held in such high regard, I have asked them to share their talents here to add another dimension to this weekly content. I present to you...

DEJA OSBOURNE, GRAPHIC DESIGNER + OWNER OF DEJA DREW IT

I worked with Deja on her Kickstarter project for the Manifesting Prosperity & Success Affirmation Deck earlier this year. The minute I started talking to Deja, I knew she was a game changer. Her work ethic is undeniable, and she can crank out amazing designs in NO TIME! She has helped me with several of my other clients--creating logos, press kits and promotional images for their social media. She is also in the process of creating a beautiful female empowerment, self-care ritual deck. She has so many incredible ideas we can't wait to share with everyone. Every week, we will be featuring one of her affirmation cards on the blog!

This week, Deja coincidentally drew a card about gratitude after reading the TuesdayTest Drive email with my FREE Daily Meditation Gratitude Journal page. The universe works in mysterious ways. More about her weekly affirmation can be found HERE. The free journal page is now linked on the website. When new members sign up they will receive it instantly, but if you missed it earlier this week, you can get your copy by clicking the link above. There is also a brief description about how I use mine on the blog.

NEXT UP...

SARAH SHIPMAN, ARTIST + WRITER + OWNER OF OUR TAROT

I meet Sarah on Kickstarter, as well, early on in her Our Tarot campaign. We put our heads together and clicked instantly. Ideas were flowing all over the place! I helped Sarah keep it together through her whirlwind success once Our Tarot was spotted by the gracious Priscilla Frank, who wrote a lovely article in the Huffington Post Arts + Culture section about Sarah's tarot deck. Her campaign took off, and she raised DOUBLE her goal to create this unique, modern collection of art + magickal women.

Sarah will be contributing a monthly tarotscope, featuring the cards from her deck to predict some fun, eye-opening insights for your zodiac sign. This is such a fun way to collaborate, and I can't wait for you to read yours!

Finally, it is time for me to formally introduce myself. My name is Nicole, and I am the mastermind behind QUARTZ + COAL. It is my vision to create a community for people like me, who have struggled all of their life to find a place where they feel like they belong. Whether it was at school, a job, a social event or a gathering with family or peers--as hard as I would try--I never felt comfortable.

I've been learning how to live with anxiety, depression and society since I was in second grade. I have always been a "night owl." It's nearly impossible to fall asleep with such a loud, busy, buzzing brain full of ideas, lists, and fear. The more I learned about the world, the sadder I seemed to feel.

I was always the angsty teenager, doing everything I could to set myself apart but stay hidden simultaneously. I wanted so desperately to embrace all of my uniqueness and still be accepted. We all struggle with this challenge, but it seems to be especially difficult for creative introverts, like us.

Digging into magazines, books and the internet, I have carved out a little corner of the world where I feel safe. I have a full-time job, which seems to steal a tiny part of my soul every morning as I pass through the doors. I have an incredible 6 year old son, who is so much like me it fills me with equal parts JOY + sorrow. I know first hand how difficult life will feel to this tender boy. He is so smart, and I want to show him he can do absolutely anything he puts his mind to; he should treat everyone with kindness, respect and sincerity; and he should be good.

I was always encouraged by my mom to believe I could do anything I wanted, and I took her words to heart. I thought it would be a lot easier to figure everything out when I grew up. I didn't consider being fired from jobs I was good at, even if I never liked anywhere I work.

I've learned a lot about NEEDING and WANTING things so far. I've also learned a lot about my own personal power. Never feeling completely drawn to one specific spiritual practice or organization, I was elated when I discovered the open minded, all encompassing nature of witchcraft.

Given it's historically "bad" reputation by people who don't completely understand it, there is something so simple and so obvious about it.

Do no harm.

Use your power to improve yourself.

Protect + preserve nature.

You can worship any gods, goddesses, spirit guides, deities, or other spiritual beings you feel drawn towards. You can love whoever you love. You can celebrate any and all of the days of the year, regardless of your heritage, your belief system, your gender, your family name...

To me, witchcraft is about being limitless. I want to help you tap into the spring of inspiration that never runs dry.

This is a safe place.

We welcome kind words, open minds and good vibes only. I believe helping others, lifts everyone up. I believe you have to fill your own cup first before it can "runneth over," allowing for extras to share with others. In order to overflow, we must tap into our magick. That is exactly what we are going to do...

3/28/17

Happy New Moon, everyone! I just wanted to send you all a quick email with the FREEBIE I'll be offering to all of the future members of our Creative Coven. I wanted you to have it first!

This Daily Meditation journal page has been with me for over 8 years. Gratitude has been a major cornerstone of my magickal practice, and it is one of the main pillars of the Law of Attraction. For those of you who may not have made the association, witchcraft is actually the combination of a love of nature, the desire to do no harm to anyone or anything, and the power to transform things with your thoughts using the Law of Attraction.

Phrases like Good Vibes Only are an excellent example of how mainstream these concepts have become lately. It's ironic when you start really digging into the foundation of witchcraft, Wicca and Pagan traditions, how connected everything truly is throughout history. One thing I love about being a witch, is the freedom to adopt and celebrate any and all aspects of religion and other spiritual practices I feel a connection to personally. There is no end all, be all choice. You can have it ALL!

The good vibes radiating towards you when you share gratitude out into the universe magnifies and attracts abundance right back to you. When we are thankful for what we have, the universe acknowledges this, and makes way for even more good vibes to flow our way.

When using this Daily Meditation journal, I highly recommend taking a few minutes at the earliest part of your day. This helps you focus + set intentions on gratitude as soon as you wake up. It also has a built in to-do list, which helps prioritize action items for the day. You will notice more things you feel grateful for as the day progresses, and you will become very eager to write them down in your gratitude journal the next morning! The awareness it brings to the little flickers of magick here and there, bring back the childlike appreciation for things we typical take for granted, rushing around in our busy lives.

Feel free to share it with me by responding to this email. I'll be sharing a weekly summary of things I was grateful for this Friday in the first "official newsletter." You can expect to find your weekly affirmation for prosperity + success from Deja Osbourne's (@DejaDrewIt) new deck, and a monthly tarotscope from Sarah at Our Tarot! I'm so excited to start this new part of our journey together. It's going to be magickal...

If you have friends who would enjoy getting thoughtful emails like this, learning more about witchcraft, or pursuing an entrepreneurial creative path--invite them to join our Creative Coven! New things are growing behind the scenes and the Coven is always the first to know. Thanks for sending out our good, witchy vibes!

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook + Instagram if you aren't already. We ramble a bit on Twitter too, but Instagram is our sweet spot. You can also find LOTS of inspiration on our Pinterest page! That is my true happy place.

Until next time--cast your intentions to the moon! Plant the seeds you will water and tend to over the next month. The moon will grown, and so will your intentions. Choose wisely.

*All the magickal, witchy, good vibes always,*

~ Nicole

QUARTZ + COAL

http://www.quartzandcoal.co