Once a month the blog will feature a SoulCollage® idea/tip, for actual collage making. I get most of my ideas from other SoulCollagers® and my "mistakes," as I have no art background, just many hours of SoulCollaging® and seeing many SoulCollage® cards created by others. This is the first SoulCollage® idea blog post and it's about combining backgrounds.

​Sometimes I find lots of backgrounds I like and want to use them all, and sometimes I find a background I mostly like, but I wish the sky were a different color, for example. Both of these occassions call for combining back grounds. This example has three combined on one card, plus the mouse, and that's the whole card. It reminds me that the world is big and likes to be gently explored.

In this second example the backgrounds are combined vertically with ocean water on the left and hot geo-thermal water steam on the right. It ended up being a card about awesome diversity and solidarity in women.

I often end up with space as a secondary background, too, lately. It's a fun way to mix and match and find unexpected combinations. 

It too often goes without saying that SoulCollage® has great therapeutic benefits. I am neither a therapist, nor any other kind of professional in mental health, but I am a patient/client of the U.S. mental healthcare system, and I've had therapists who have  encouraged me to do as much SoulCollage® as possible because they've seen the immediate and lasting benefits for me. That's just my case and my experience, and it's why I tell people they have to experience SoulCollage® for themselves in order to truly understand the power of it. Once they do, they understand!

I got deep into SoulCollage® a few years ago when I was deep in depression. I never thought I'd be depressed, let alone a person who lives with depression, so it was a tough transition: confusing, tiring, draining, and I tried everything to make it, and the anxiety and panic that went with it, go away. I had a good job with good benefits so I could purchase too many self-help books, take vacations, spend time with friends and family, meditate, keep pets and see a primary care doctor, medical specialists, a mental health therapist, naturopath doctor, accupuncture doctor and massage therapist. And still the anxiety and depression persisted.

In order to get me pointed upward, and at least stop the downward spiral, I remembered SoulCollage® from a girls weekend a long time before when I noted that I'd do it again. I even collected supplies that were never touched. I finally made time to SoulCollage®, and I made a lot. It started me on a path of healing unlike anything else. It's a way for me to put feelings onto a tangible thing for studying and contemplating, a way for me to look inward, a way for me to let go. It's personal and quiet, yet there's comfort in sharing space and SoulCollage® cards with others who are on their own healing paths and love SoulCollage®. As an introvert, those two parts of SoulCollage® are particularly appealing to me. I'll continue SoulCollaging® forever, I hope. The more I do it, the bigger and clearer the messages get. I laugh, cry and cringe. It never ceases to amaze me. Now I love sharing it, too!

MMSoul is happy to announce its own regular blog with new posts every 7th, 14th and 21st of the month. Each will be a short article having to do with upcoming events, Megan's personal experiences with SoulCollage® itself including tips and ideas, and other items of interest. Please comment and share. All are welcome!

The MMSoul newsletter will still come out on the 1st of each month with the regular SoulCollage® food for thought, information, blog exerpts and other fresh, new material.  Follow us on Facebook for new blog notifications and all else MMSoul.