design – Careful Crafters

cathARTic explorer

Posted on April 16, 2024August 16, 2025 by Maria Bo in content creation, design, elearning, healing, mindfulness, Nature, Photography, tiktok, youtube

I have incepted a new project called cathARTic explorer. This is a combination of nature and creativity to reach catharsis for healing, so the pathway is called ‘cathartic explorer’ via cathartic art. Think of this like being an arctic explorer – both dangerous and thrilling at the same time as that is what it feels like to face an uncharted territory. I have been practicing cathartic arts for years and have finally decided to take it up a notch and to inspire others to do the same. No, I don’t hold a degree in art therapy however it is not necessary to have to experience creative catharsis on your own, nor do I need one to share my ideas with others. I have designed a brochure for this project but it also works as stand alone infographics. Below you will find some videos I composed YouTube. Essentially, my videos are a form of healing art coming from a mindful baseline.

More about my background

In my training I have learned I need to “walk the talk”, I also need to prove it, and I have. I am not coming from a clinical counselling background but rather a designer who has experienced life-long anxiety challenges. So I feel called to share with others, what helps me.

For the creative, technical and delivery aspect of this project, I pull from all of my academic training: BA in Image Arts, MA in Communication and Technology, Certificates in e-Learning and Digital Media. This is combined with my wellness training: Mental Health Ambassador using the REAL-SF framework, Ecotheraputic Guide focusing on indoor and outdoor sources, Healing with the Arts for addressing the self critic, mindful training: MBSR practices for catharsis, and Reflexology for self-applied tension relief. Additionally, I integrate my self-directed studies of Scandinavian cultural history and archeology. I also have drama and theatre arts production training.

I am a peer-to-peer facilitator in what I practice – cathartic art – using mostly digital technology and handcrafting. I do not provide clinical counselling or treat for mental health disorders as that is not my area of training or expertise.

This training exposé is the backbone for my life’s work and proves my learning commitment and capability to you. Living my life with an anxiety disorder, I have found that through nature and creativity comes an incredible form of relief, enjoyment and purpose. I spent my earlier years as an experimental filmmaker whose films about mental health transited the film festival circuit and independent TV (Hot Docs nominee for Neurofeedback about mental health, Victoria Film Festival gift recipient for Breaching about orca captivity, Canada Arts Council for Sea of Souls about animism, as well Images Film Festival, Zed CBC, Knowledge Network, W Network and others). Visit my past portfolio site for more examples. I have returned to these roots to bring you with me into this uncharted territory, you will find your capabilities are limitless.

Who is this for and what to expect

Various types of mediums and outcomes are possible through this pathway and the process will be delivered both in-person and through e-learning. You will have the opportunity to produce your own cathartic stories through nature art, experimental videos, images, cards, and crafts. See my previous post about the Luna Saga for an example of my own story where you will have full exclusive access to that work through a video version, so you can see the outcome of a 20 years in the making cathartic story. Also, completing my masters thesis helped me to resolve my anxiety with a traumatic situation I faced so that I could finally write my Luna Saga. So from my own personal experience, I feel this pathway could be beneficial for those who want to learn how to creatively bolster digital tools to address stress, fear, grief, self-esteem, discrimination, bullying etc but is open to anyone who wants to manage personal / professional well-being. So to recap:

You:

are not to here to seek clinical counselling and diagnosis
- but requires listening and compassionate guidance
want to explore natural forms of healing
- through mindfulness and ecotherapy
are seeking to explore creativity with digital tools
- using a digital device, Canva, TikTok, YouTube and apps
are looking to tell a cathartic story
- through image, video, card making
want to establish a ritual routine going forward
- combining nature, creativity and catharsis

You will be trained in the digital medium(s) of your choice through the process, given the support you need to see it through and fun rituals for going forward. To recap my areas of creative expertise are:

Digital and natural mediums:

image capture through digital device & manipulation with apps
producing experimental videos & vlogs for TikTok and YouTube
blogging with WordPress
collage and (story / oracle / tarot) card production with Canva
nature-based handcrafting / Lego building

Outcomes:

identify creative project goals
establish mindful & nature therapy practice
apply creative and digital tool training
produce cathartic art
implement a personal craft ritual

Delivery: 1 to 1 online or in person

Prerequisite: Recommended but not required Wellness in the Digital Age

Required: A digital device

Cost: By donation

Disclaimer: This pathway is intended for adults and is not a diagnosis, treatment or replacement for medical treatment, clinical mental health counselling or art psychotherapy.

Visit project development here

Affordable Business Card Deal for Canadians

Posted on April 2, 2024June 26, 2024 by Maria Bo in design

I have come up with this affordable and streamlined service to make it easy for you to get a business card design and pack of cards in your hands quickly. Often, people don’t know where to start and therefore just put it off. But you don’t have to! So if you’re itching to get your project or idea off the ground, this service might be for you. This product can be turned around quickly however I ask for a few days to complete the project. After the card is approved it will be sent to the printer and shipped to you most likely within a week. This service is intended for personal and start-up projects. Should you wish to seek out corporate services then you will be given a corporate rate of $100.00 CA an hour.

For $100.00 CA, you will receive:

3 Canva design mock-ups
1 Final template & PDF proof
50 standard business cards professionally printed and shipped to you
Project file so that you can edit the card and reprint as you need

Here’s a better view, click to enlarge:

Payment through etransfer or cash. Payment is required upfront. There is no refund.

Please note: Due to shipping restrictions, this deal is available for Canadians only.

Alternatively, Americans can still buy this service and then access the file to print in Canva independently. The price remains the same.

Contact me to get started.

Luna Saga Story Cards

Posted on March 28, 2024August 6, 2025 by Maria Bo in design, Digital, Handmade

I created my personal story about Luna / L98 / Tsux’iit the killer whale (solitary orca who lived in Nootka Sound) in the format of cards. This talks about a series of dreams I had that coincided with Luna and how I found some of it to intercept mythology. The original story is over 200 pages including raw journal entries but I recently decided to shorten it and produce a more interactive version such as this. This has been in the works since I first met Luna back in 2003. For this format, I used Canva to produce and design my content and then printed the cards at Moo. The results are beautiful. This story isn’t published however I feel it’s still important to do as a form of catharsis, as I find it helps to resolve my trauma. I chose cards because I personally absorb information differently and prefer smaller chunks so I cut the slack and got right to the point. This is my first step in sharing my own unique perspective of Luna, and in a way is a form of exposure therapy as it has caused me a lot of anxiety. If you are interested in producing your own story cards and would like some creative guidance then please contact me, I would love to hear about your project. All the artwork and writing is my own except where I reference out to external literary sources.

Why I made these cards

My own cultural people are responsible for the forest decimation in Nootka Sound (Denmark), and harmful fish farms on our coast (Norway) in conjunction with the Canadian government – Canada is a country, rather company built on the exploitation of land and resources. Interestingly, Luna brought my attention to this – he led me into the lions den. So, Vikings and their descendants continue their legacy to this day. As a descendent of these people, I feel I was given the challenge to recognize this first hand in my lifetime, where I was born and reside far from the Nordic homelands. I waited a long time to make the associations but it meant reconnecting with my culture first. This whole thing has been an intimidating mental load to carry and that sits on top of the Luna tragedy.

I understand why the Indigenous peoples saw Luna as prophetic, I found the connection also in Nordic mythology. I see it too. It’s tied to environmental change or collapse. Since meeting Luna 20 years ago, I have been living in what feels like the beginning of Ragnarök, with the devastating wildfires in BC. Luna is a kind of mythical conduit for me. I feel this is why Luna came into my life, into my dreams, to show me this connection and it led me on a journey back to my own cultural heritage. As a second generation Danish Canadian, I would like other Nordic people to be aware of this story.

What haunts me the most: Link to the company brochure PDF of Nootka Sound – there is an aerial view of where the Indigenous peoples once lived (Yuquot / Friendly Cove – one of the most beautiful places on earth) and where they were forcibly relocated, next to a polluting mill. Photo taken from inside the reserve at the time it was inhabited (since relocated).

Learn more about the Indigenous peoples of Nootka Sound and how they were negatively impacted by the invasive industrialization in their territories. NFB: The Washing of Tears

Forest Bath Brochure

Posted on March 19, 2024June 26, 2024 by Maria Bo in design, healing, mindfulness, Nature

I designed this forest bathing trifold as a quick reference guide that provides reminders and mindful exercises while in the forest. This brochure also offers a foldout colour photo of a forest bath scenario for visual aid in case it is not possible to access a forest. Looking at a visual of nature is a form of eco therapy and is also effective in calming the nervous system especially while paired with mindful exercises. This would be good to carry while traveling or when dealing with stressful situations. I have added an alternative black and white version that is home printer friendly. Trifold brochures can be professionally printed through Canva; I have used the Canva printing service several times and have been happy with the results. If you need an eye catching brochure like this one, you can get in touch for scope and pricing.

(The neat thing about Canva is that both the designer and the client/team can work together inside of the ecosystem from different locations, streamlining the process. Oh and it’s also fun).

forest bathing procure foldout design front

Eco Therapy Infographic

Posted on March 6, 2024June 26, 2024 by Maria Bo in content creation, design, elearning, Health, Nature

Eco therapy is accessing “nature as therapist” to reduce stress and calm the nervous system. Here is an infographic I made about the different sources that you can use to engage in eco therapy.