This week I had grand plans. I imagined sitting down with a cup of coffee (or a Diet Dr. Pepper) and writing one of those thoughtful blog posts that wanders through ideas before gently arriving somewhere meaningful. But another project had other plans for me.

I was determined to finish Tokens and Talismans before the end of the month, and every spare hour found its way into filming, editing, photographing, writing lessons, and making tiny objects filled with meaning.

So this isn’t the fancy blog post I imagined. And maybe that’s exactly the point!

One of the hardest lessons for artists is accepting that we don’t have to do everything perfectly all the time. We spend so much energy trying to make the work just right that we sometimes forget to be kind to the person making it.

I’ve come to believe that one of the most important Objects of Devotion we can create or care for is ourselves — not in a grand or self-important way, but in small ways.

Giving ourselves permission to stop for the day, or to leave something “good enough.” To make something just because it brings us joy. To trust that not every painting, collage, vessel, or talisman has to carry the weight of the world. Whew!!

The funny thing is that when we stop demanding perfection, our work often becomes more honest. We’ve talked about this before. The work becomes more personal. More alive. Perhaps that’s why this new workshop has become so dear to me.

Tokens and Talismans is all about creating small objects that hold memory, intention, hope, gratitude, protection, or simply delight. They’re humble little pieces—made from found objects, handmade clay elements, paper, thread, fiber, and whatever treasures have been waiting in your studio for the right moment.

They’re reminders that meaning doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from attention, from choosing, and from caring.

So instead of polishing this blog post for another day or two, I’m sending it along just as it is and inviting you to see what I’ve been working on.

I hope you’ll join me for Tokens and Talismans: Personal Objects of Meaning and Small Devotional Collections. I think it may be one of the most joyful workshops in the Objects of Devotion series so far.

And if this week’s post feels a little less polished than usual, perhaps that’s my newest devotional practice.