No Black Friday Deals Here

Just a Recipe for Multiplying Joy

As your inbox fills with holiday promotions and discount codes, I’m here to share something different. While there’s certainly delight in finding the perfect gift (and I’ll be first to admit my excitement over new art supplies!), I’m spending time on creating and connecting more than consuming — food and digital content, both!

Last week, I embarked on my most ambitious watercolor project to date — a painting that challenged not just my artistic skills, but my entire creative philosophy.

As someone who typically thrives in artistic chaos, embracing quick experimentation and spontaneous creation, I decided to step outside my comfort zone. Why? Because I have long been drawn to artists like Tansy Hargan and Kate Rebecca Leach, who have this methodical elegance about them.

Since I “heart” everything they share on Instagram, I decided I wanted to experience what it would feel like to slow down and trust a more deliberate process.

Nine hours. Two days. One expansive watercolor painting.

The journey taught me unexpected lessons about patience and process. I discovered a newfound appreciation for artists who dedicate days to a single piece, and gained profound respect for the focus required to create something aesthetically calming.

I also loved incorporating metallic accents (confirming my belief that gold can add sparkle to almost anything), but this grounding experience ultimately validated something I have always believed: it’s possible to be deeply inspired by someone else’s artistic approach while recognizing it’s not your natural path.

Let me repeat this: It is possible to be deeply inspired by someone else’s artistic approach while recognizing it is not your natural path.

And I emphasize this to tell you that you don’t have to do what I do. You may have your own style — or you may not even know what your style is — but it doesn’t have to be mine or anyone else’s … you’ll come into your own through your own process in your own time.

The most meaningful part of this story isn’t about the painting’s creation but about the learnings that came from it. And what it led me to.

A day after I finished making this labor of love, I cut it up.

Not something most people would do.

But as this one large painting turned into 27 smaller ones, I couldn’t help but admire how they had become their own little masterpieces … and each piece would touch a different life instead of decorating one wall in my home.

While there was initial hesitation about cutting up something that took nine hours to create, I don’t regret it. It just helps me along my mission: to amplify the happiness quotient in my corner of the world.

These small tokens carry outsized impact. They become unexpected moments of recognition, ways to thank people, and reminders to those who receive them that they matter.

They transform a solitary artistic experience into dozens of personal connections.

My daughter, instead of being shocked at what I did, decided to create her own “big masterpiece” with the intention of cutting it up this week to create her own little tokens of love.

In this season of gratitude and giving, I am finding that this exercise offers a beautiful complement to traditional gift-giving — something that can’t be wrapped or bought.

This could have been one big painting that would have made me smile each time I looked at it, but now it’s a powerful vehicle of kindness in its new avatar

To those who’ve joined me as kindness ambassadors, distributing their own artistic tokens of appreciation to strangers, thank you.

To those intrigued by the idea: start small.

Consider transforming an existing piece of art sitting in your drawer into multiple unique gifts.

In the end, I’ll always return to my natural state of artistic experimentation and chaos. But this experience reminded me that our art serves its highest purpose not when preserved intact, but when broken apart and shared widely, creating ripples of connection that extend far beyond our studio walls.

The joy multiplies with each piece shared, and in this season of gratitude, what better way to express appreciation for the everyday moments and people that make our world brighter?

I’ve been deeply moved by the stories pouring in from fellow artists and kindness ambassadors who have embraced this practice of creating and sharing gratitude tags. Each submission reveals a unique approach to spreading joy, from intricate hand-painted designs to simple but powerful messages of hope.

If you’ve created your own little tokens of appreciation, kindness and joy, I’d love to include your story in the kindness ambassadors section of my upcoming book. Your experience could inspire countless others to start their own journey of creative giving. Simply share your story by filling out this form — and as a bonus, you’ll be entered into a special giveaway if you submit by November 30.

Remember: your art has the power to exponentially multiply happiness in ways you might never imagine. Whether you’re an experienced artist or just beginning to explore your creative voice, there’s someone out there who needs the exact message that only you can create.

And if you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s a link again to my YouTube demo from November 16.

Some of the comments folks shared after participating in the live demo or watching the replay. I hope you’ll make some time for it.

Keep creating. Keep sharing. Together, we can amplify the happiness quotient in this world, one piece of art, one gesture of gratitude at a time.

XOXO,

Mansi.