Creative JumpStart

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This is the text of my newsletter for October 2022 and I thought in case you have missed it or not signed up for it -I should post this important information regarding Creative JumpStart and more :)

Onward and Upward

Happy October! I hope you’re having a wonderful start to the month. September was good for me. I launched my new workshop, Artful Adventures with Henri Matisse, and I made a big decision, one that was very tough but definitely necessary.

With a very, very heavy heart, I have decided to go on a CJS hiatus for the time being. As you may know, every year since 2011, I am joined by some of my highly talented artist friends, and together we present a month-long workshop aimed at helping our attendees build a daily habit of doing something creative. 

I have so much love for CJS and have worked super hard to give it life all these years. But right now, I feel as though I don’t have the capacity to commit 100% to CJS, as you deserve and as I have in past years. So I think it’s time to step back, rebuild my habit of creating daily 😉, and think about how I can re-engineer the CJS experience.
 

It all started with an idea.


Eleven years ago, when I quit my job as a paralegal to become a full-time artist, I had no idea what a ride this would be. All I knew was that I wanted to make it work. Everything was fun. It was exciting, and I had a lot of ideas, one of which was Creative JumpStart. 

I combined what I’m passionate about – collaboration, bringing people together to create something special – with what I wanted to make – an inspired and lively community of artists and students – and CJS was born. 

I’d taught on other people’s online platforms and (naively) thought, “I have a bit of know-how; why not just host it on my little blog and see how it goes? Can’t be too hard, can it?”

I hosted the first Creative Jumpstart with 30 artists. There were thousands of sign-ups, and the whole thing was terrific, but it was a nightmare! I woke up to hundreds (and hundreds) of emails asking for a password. My blog couldn’t handle the traffic. And all of this was happening while I was at a Convention!

You can ask my wonderful friend Birgit Koopsen, with whom I roomed in California, how it felt to share a space with someone wide awake at 4 am, responding to emails, hitting the show floor to work after that, and then networking until later in the evening. LOL! Thanks, Birgit, for being such a support all those years!

As the years went on, I felt that to run CJS the way I envisioned, I would do some things differently. First, I wanted to make the experience less cumbersome for students, which meant building a classroom platform from scratch (there were no Teachables or Kajabis out then!). Second, I wanted to ensure enough value for the artists to participate (I.E., cold hard cash in addition to the visibility and relationship-building 😉), so I decided to charge for classes moving forward. 

I invested in making CJS better each year after, and I loved it. Aside from part-time help from my excellent assistant Kim and my web designer, I did everything myself – content creation, marketing, website/classroom maintenance, community building, registration, and administrative duties – the list goes on! But collaborating with so many artists (many of whom were able to use CJS as a launchpad to host future workshops) and interacting with the students every day (and seeing their creations) made it all worthwhile. 

And then came the pandemic. Given that so many of us artists had lost income from being unable to teach in-person workshops, I wanted to make sure that CJS remained a significant income booster for each of us and worked super hard to make it happen. And on a personal level, preparing for and managing CJS kept me sane during that tough time. Like all the years before, CJS21 was the highlight of my year. 
 

Onward and upward.


But as life goes forward, seasons change, and I can say that this theme has definitely played out in my work and personal life this year. 

While running CJS22 in January, we moved to our new home and began renovating. We also helped sick inlaws move into assisted living. On the work side, I implemented a new forum for CJS22 (which didn’t turn out as functional as planned), but I still had the best time checking in with everyone and viewing their unique creations. 

I also took some time to create solo online workshops and to paint, which I realized I hadn’t painted regularly for the past two years (or even did much of my art journaling). I noticed how hard it’s been to carve out time away from the computer to do activities outside of the administrative computer things I’ve been doing for so long. 

During these computer breaks, I had space to think about CJS and how it’s been functioning lately. Unfortunately, the truth is the cost of keeping CJS afloat has become more prohibitive. And it’s a bit of a catch-22 because to get more students and optimize the workshop experience, I have to invest more money and, in turn, charge more for the workshop. Then, of course, charging more for CJS means losing people we’ve had a long time who simply cannot pay more than its current price.  

On top of the financial piece, running CJS as a primarily one-woman show for the past 11 years has had its trying moments, and honestly, I’m feeling burned out. I quit my paralegal job to become a full-time artist, and I’m craving the time to focus on that. 

I don’t know how long this hiatus will be, but what I do know is that I am SO thankful for your tremendous support throughout our many Creative JumpStarts together. I’m grateful for your inspiration, spirit, and commitment to CJS, and I will always carry that with me! 

Thank you for letting me share CJS with you all these years and for (hopefully) giving you a jumpstart in your creative journey!

Happy Arting!

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Jenny Sawyer

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    Dear Natalie,
    I’ve done 4 Creative JumpStarts and have loved every minute of it. Thank-you for curating this wonderful start to the year and a big thanks to all of the contributing artists. I m sorry to lose this this creative start to my year and the really great community who take part.
    It has been a joy, and I wish you well in all of your endeavours.

    Reply

  • Kristen Powers

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    Dear Natalie,
    I admired you from afar for years before being asked to teach for CJS. Which was a dream for me. I was and am honored to be a small part of your journey. I thank you so much for all you have done for me and for the online creative community! I can’t wait to see your next chapter ❤️

    Reply

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Jump with CJS22 and MORE – Last Day

Jump back into learning and creating!

Today, Sept 5 is the LAST DAY to save with our Labor Day Workshop Sale and Last Chance Sale!!! Refuel your creative side this fall with an online mixed media workshop. Just enter the coupon code laborday20 to save 20% off all my Online Workshops*. In addition to that, it’s your last chance to sign up for Creative JumpStart 2022 and right now it’s just $59.

Jump into something new and fun and challenge yourself to make a commitment to your creativity. See you in the classroom!

*Sales end Monday Sept 5 2022 at 11:59pm EDT (NYC time). 20% off sale excludes CJS22.

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Last Chance: Jump with Creative JumpStart 2022

Jump with us! Creative Jumpstart 2022 is on sale now until Monday, September 5th*! 

Have you ever felt that tapping into your creative side is hard to do? Even if you love art making or crafting and/or do it for a living, getting in your creative zone can sometimes be a struggle. Mix in being a bit of a perfectionist, overthinking, time constraints, feeling unmotivated, and judging your work and/or comparing yourself to others, and artmaking can be such a trying thing! If you feel like I’m preaching to the choir, I have just the thing – Creative JumpStart.

Creative JumpStart was created for hobbyists and artists alike to learn from the best of the best and take action to build a creative habit.

By joining CJS, you’ll get to learn techniques from yours truly, as well as 37 other uber talented mixed media artists.

The workshop can be completed in about five weeks (if you are doing the lessons daily, as recommended) via 38 pre-recorded lessons. There’s technique and project based lessons, tons of tips and tricks from our artist teachers, and all the lessons are around 10 minutes in length and designed to help you make creating a doable, daily habit.

Are you in? 

Register for CJS22 between now and Monday, September 5th, for $59 (previously $79). This is your Last Chance to sign up for Creative JumpStart 2022 and also the last chance to enjoy the CJS extravaganza while we take a break from the programming for a year or so.

*Sale ends Monday, September 5th, 2022 at 11:59pm EDT (NYC time)

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Get ready to Focus your Creativity!

Bring some focus back to your art making with an online workshop! Life is a juggling act and it’s easy to let some of the most joyful activities fall out of focus now and again. It’s time to change that and Focus your Creativity.

We’ve got two sales going on right now to help you with that. Our Creative JumpStart Last Chance Sale AND our Labor Day Workshop Sale. Now thru Monday Sept 5th* you can save on both CJS22 and all my online workshops. It’s a nice opportunity to redirect some energy back into your creative practice with technique and project lessons to stoke your creativity. Just enter the coupon code laborday20 when you check out to save.

Creative JumpStart 2022, for those of you who aren’t familiar with CJS, includes 38 different lessons, each taught by 38 different leading Mixed Media artists. The lessons include a broad variety of techniques, projects, and styles and are designed to fit in a busy schedule – whenever you could use a Creative JumpStart ;)

Whether you’re just getting started in the mixed media world or are a mixed media veteran, CJS is a magical and interactive experience created just for you. You can expect to:

  • Be challenged on your journey 
  • Take action on your goals 
  • Discover how your art making creates connections with people, places, and things
  • Understand how you connect with certain materials
  • Gain access to a plethora of artistic techniques to learn and master

Register today for just $59.

All my Online Workshops are on sale right now in fact, and there are lots of opportunities for learning, fun, and a renewed focus on your creative side.

Go on an Artful Adventure with me and let the artwork of master artists inspire and guide you…

Or get the Best of CJS from years past if you missed those workshops or are looking for more bite-sized lessons…

Join Birgit Koopsen, Marsha Valk, and myself as we explore mixed media surfaces in Beyond the Paper or inspiration through style eras in time in Time Traveler.

Whichever Online Workshop experience catches your eye (check out the shop here to see all the workshops I currently have available), the goal is to refocus you on your art making and creative side. Carve out some time each day or week to express yourself, hone your skills, let loose with your supplies, and feel the joy of creating.

See you soon in the classroom!

*Sales end Monday, September 5th 2022 at 11:59pm EDT (NYC time). Use coupon code laborday20

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Creative JumpStart 2022 – LAST DAY Cyber Week Sale!

Cyber Week Sale ends TODAY, December 3, for Creative JumpStart 2022. Sign up HERE before 11:59pm ET tonight for $55 and get in on the action! The classroom is open and our new forum will help you get to know the CJS22 community before class officially begins on New Year’s Day. Now is a great time to join Creative JumpStart 2022!

This year our theme is Creating Connections and we’re exploring everything from making connections between your ideas and creating artwork, your materials and what they can do for you, and drawing from your personal connections as inspiration for what you create.

This year for Creative JumpStart 2022 we have 38 different mixed media artist teachers who are guiding us through 38 unique video lessons – some project based and others technique based. Play along each day beginning January 1 or go at your own pace. Sign up for our daily emails for more direction and ways to approach the lessons. Most importantly, Creative JumpStart provides you with a supportive community of artists and students to help you on your artistic journey.

Jump with us – sign up HERE today!

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Creative JumpStart 2022 – $45 Cyber Monday Sale!

Creative JumpStart 2022 is on sale TODAY! Sign up now for just $45 and enjoy some serious Cyber Monday savings on the ultimate Online Mixed Media Workshop – Creative JumpStart 2022!

We have an incredible lineup this year of super talented artist teachers (familiar faces for CJS and some new ones too), 38 inspiring video lessons, and a NEW classroom forum to help you kick off 2022 feeling connected, motivated, and ready to create!

This Cyber Monday deal is just today, so don’t delay – you must sign up by 11:59pm ET today, November 29 to get the deal. Sign up HERE.

Check out our promo video:

What is CJS22 all about? Our theme this year is Creating Connections and our 38 artist teachers are exploring how we connect with artmaking, our materials, our surroundings, and the people in our lives through some unique video lessons. Here is that lineup of Creative JumpStart 2022 artist teachers who are ready to guide you:

What kinds of lessons can I expect? A variety of Mixed Media topics from art journaling to collage, from mini book making to stitchery, from watercolor to gelli printing, and MORE are covered in Creative JumpStart 2022. Get ready to JumpStart YOUR Creativity with 38 unique lessons.

When does class start? Creative JumpStart 2022 officially begins January 1, 2022 with the first lesson but you may access the classroom as soon as you sign up. There you will find the Forum where you can begin to meet the other students, supply lists to help you prepare, and maybe even some bonus content as we move through December ;)

What about that exclusive CJS22 foam stamp? We are pleased to be offering another CJS exclusive foam stamp design this year – LOVE. It can be found here and is limited edition so it will only be available through 2022. Pick one up today and let’s start spreading the CJS LOVE!!!

You can learn more about Creative JumpStart 2022 right here on the website and if you are ready to jump into a daily habit of creativity in 2022 – sign up TODAY for just $45. See you in the classroom!

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Creative JumpStart 2022 – Get Ready to Jump!

Creative JumpStart 2022 is here! Check it out now and then get ready: it officially goes on sale Monday, November 29th so mark your calendars for the ultimate online mixed media workshop!

We’re back with another fantastic lineup of your favorite artists (and some new faces too), lessons, and an online classroom to help you kick off 2022 feeling inspired, motivated, and connected!

In fact, our theme this year is Creating Connections and our artists are exploring how we connect with artmaking, our materials, our surroundings, and the people in our lives through some unique video lessons. Mixed Media topics from art journaling to collage, from mini book making to stitchery, from watercolor to gelli printing, and MORE are covered.

Check out our CJS22 Trailer video:

What does Creative JumpStart 2022 include? With our Creating Connections theme, we’re all about helping you CONNECT with your artmaking, your skills, and your peers this year. We’ve got 38 leading mixed media artist teachers sharing 38 downloadable video lessons and supply lists to help inspire you in 2022. We’ve got a NEW forum to help you share your experiences and artwork with other students and to seek advice and feedback from our artist teachers. We’ve got daily emails to keep you on track and to help you make the most out of the daily lessons. We’ve got LIVE webinars featuring our artist teachers and special guests, covering topics that are near and dear to the heart of any creative. And let’s not forget about those sponsor giveaways to spice things up along the way!

Who are the Artist Teachers this year? We have an amazing list of perennial favorites that I know you will recognize but we also have some new faces that are excited to bring their fresh perspective to the workshop this year.

Why is Creative JumpStart for me? Creative JumpStart is a unique online workshop with short format lessons – each video is about 10-12 min in length and designed to fit into busy modern schedules. Creative JumpStart features a variety of mixed media techniques and styles to help strengthen your existing skills and to inspire you to add some new ones too. Creative JumpStart is not just a place for learning, it is also a catalyst for creating connections within the mixed media community and the creative world beyond.

Ready to JumpStart YOUR Creativity in 2022? Learn more HERE

Comments (2)

  • Deb Newman

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    Can hardly wait for next Monday to sign up. Sooooo excited. Loved the reveal zoom. Great idea.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      yeahh I am so glad you liked the reveal zoom! Thanks for coming Deb!

      Reply

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Creative JumpStart 2021 Sale Ends TODAY!

Last Chance Sale ends TODAY – Monday, September 13th at 11:59pm ET (nyc time). This is your Last Chance to join Creative JumpStart 2021 – the Storyteller 10th Anniversary Edition!!! Join the workshop HERE.

This workshop launched in January of this year but you can still enjoy 45 downloadable mixed media lessons from 45 leading artists, 4 recorded webinars, artist interviews, downloadable supply lists, student galleries, and even a bonus lesson for just $59!!! Don’t miss out – learn what it’s all about.

And don’t forget the Exclusive CJS21 Love Story Foam Stamp – available while supplies last:

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Last Chance Sale – Creative JumpStart 2021

Did you join our Creative JumpStart workshop in January 2021? If not, now is your Last Chance to join this 10th Anniversary Edition!!! Sign up today for just $59. Sale runs through September 13th at 11:59pm ET (NYC time) so hurry hurry!

Are you getting back into the groove of life now that summer is ending? Are you looking for some artistic inspiration and learning? Creative JumpStart is designed to JumpStart YOUR Creativity even if you have a busy schedule – videos are about 10 minutes in length and cover a broad range of mixed media techniques and project ideas. You can download the lessons and jump into one any time – play along, pause, take your time, and take what you’ve learned to your own projects as well. See what it’s all about HERE.

For our special 10th anniversary this year, we celebrated with our BIGGEST Creative JumpStart EVER – 45 different mixed media artists each shared a unique lesson with the theme Storyteller. Join CJS21 while it is still available: The workshop includes 45 downloadable video lessons, 4 recorded webinars featuring CJS21 artists and Life Coach Karen Auld, downloadable supply lists, student galleries, artist interviews, and a bonus lesson too. Join TODAY.

Although CJS21 originally launched in January 2021 and you won’t be able to play along daily, this workshop is still an excellent resource for Inspiration, Artistic Exercise, Mixed Media Techniques, and Creative Enjoyment. And it’s all brought to you by 45 of the leading Mixed Media Artists out there. I bet you recognize some of these faces:

Sign up today for just $59 and be prepared to Jump into a workshop like no other.

Remember, this is a Last Chance Sale as the CJS21 classroom will close on November 15, 2021 – you can download all the videos and supply lists that you want to by this date and save them forever …and we highly recommend doing so! These lessons can be revisited again and again whenever you need a boost for your creative mojo.

Creative JumpStart 2021 Last Chance Sale

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