We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kimberly Dodge. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kimberly below.

Kimberly, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

There have been many meaningful projects that I have worked on. I can argue, as a sensitive soul and very sentimental person, that all of my journal projects have been meaningful to me. In my creative journals I keep memories, create art, and write about things that are important to me. They are equally art, emotional journaling, and memento savers. This past year I started a new journal, a reading/book journal. It has honestly been the project that has been most meaningful to me at this time in my life.

I used to love reading as a child. I would devour books, sometimes a book a day. It was such a significant part of my life. But as I got older, my reading habit slipped, my attention span seemed to dwindle, and I found myself reading less and less. Until it became something I rarely did outside of academic purposes.

Then I went through a very long and very difficult bought with chronic illness. I had three major surgeries and one minor surgery, all within a span of 5 years. While the surgeries brought some relief and helped with some issues, during this time I developed Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as well as dealing with some hormonal issues. Each day became a struggle just to get out of bed and do ordinary things. As someone who loves being busy, loves the outdoors, and has always been very driven, not being able to be mobile anymore came as a heartbreak. On top of the severe fatigue, weakness, and pain that accompanied everyday, I began to notice cognitive issues as well. I had brain fog. It was hard for me to remember things and retain information. I began forgetting words. Out of all of the changes I had experienced, this was the most upsetting to me. And I knew that I had to be proactive with it. I knew I couldn’t allow these issues to run me over without a fight. So I determined to pick up reading again, as a way to “exercise” cognitively.

I started a bullet journal solely for reading. I made gentle goals. Each day I would just require myself to read one chapter. I made a tracker to fill in each day I met my goal. I made lists. Lists of books completed. Lists of books I would like to read or that were recommended. And each time I finished a book, I would make a book review spread. I made these fun. They were filled with artwork, collages, beautiful papers and washi tape, as well as honest reviews that captured my experiences and feelings while reading each book. And something wonderful happened. The person who could not get through a book anymore began to read, not one chapter a day, but 10 chapters a day. I began devouring books with the joy I had when I was younger. I finished book after book, fell in love with new series, new authors, new genres. And this reading journal, this habit tracker, truly created a habit that stuck.

The results were good all around. I loved working in this journal, creating these artistic spreads. I loved feeling accomplished when I finished a book. I found that reading helped me escape the fatigue, pain, weakness, and nausea that filled every day. The restrictions I found from my body didn’t exist when I was living in the world of a book. And finally, I found that reading was helping my cognitive functioning. I felt like I could see improvements, and that meant the world to me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Kim Dodge, and I run a small stationery business called “Dodges and Daisies”. I have a small online shop, www.dodgesanddaisies.com, that offers stationery to help people with their creative endeavors, whether journaling, collaging, paper crafting, making beautiful mail, etc. I have been a paper crafter my entire life. I have worked with creative journals for over 20 years, and have been someone who has enjoyed sending letters, postcards, and mail art my whole life as well. I can’t remember a time when art wasn’t a part of my life. I began to turn this love into a business around 6 years ago.

I concentrate mainly on content creation, and share my creative journaling, snail mailing, studio decor, vintage lifestyle, and hygge (creating an atmosphere of coziness) practices. I have been featured in several magazines for my studio decor.

I think what I am most proud of is that I try to be a source of love and support for people through these mediums. Yes, I post about art and vintage decor. My posts feature art journals and pretty mail. But I try to also normalize having conversations about chronic illness and mental health. I try to talk about hard things in order to make others who might be suffering feel seen and less alone. I want to be a light in this world, no matter what I am posting about.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I can say I definitely have goals/missions in my creative journey. One is simple. And that is to bring awareness to slower, mindful, intentional living. There is something wonderful about putting down your phone and physically creating with your hands. There have been studies that have shown that creating, physically creating, is linked to positive mental health. I personally love working in a physical journal. Filling it with artwork, and using a pen on paper to record my thoughts and feelings. I love decorating an envelope and filling it with a handwritten letter. I love the slow practice of sealing it with a wax seal. I love the joy that opening your mailbox to something beautiful and heartfelt brings. I love looking through my old journals and feeling transported back to that time, because of the ephemera that I put in them. I believe that practicing the Danish art of hygge, sipping a hot cup of tea, wrapping yourself in a blanket, reading a book by the fire, is such a great mental health tool for finding peace. I want to share what’s worked well, and has brought about positive results in my own life, with others.

I also want to use my artistic platform to raise awareness for things I am passionate about. Mental health. Chronic illness. Women’s health. The very real things and every day hardships that people with certain illnesses face. I want to normalize having conversations about these topics. And I want to normalize talking honestly about things.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think sometimes non-creatives can struggle with setting time aside to create, and also with understanding the meaning in these types of activities. They might see sitting down to journal as a waste of time, especially if you are adding art to it. They might not understand taking the time to send an old fashioned letter. People also might struggle with not just understanding why others make time to do these things, but also with physically having the time to do things. Work, family, children, school, church, commitments, etc., can all feel overwhelming. I’ve heard other creatives get hurt by comments such as, “How do you have the time for these types of things? Don’t you work?”, “What is the point of that?”, etc. What I would say is this. Creative endeavors do take time. But you can section out small pieces of time in your day or week. I personally feel that creativity is self care. It is one of my biggest tools in my fight against anxiety and PTSD. Both of which I struggle with. Creating, being mindful, working with your hands, doing something you enjoy… it brings peace, joy, and escapism. You can let out your emotions in a safe space. I feel that creativity is one of the biggest tools in our self care tool belt. And you are making time not just to make a journal page. You are making time for yourself, your own mental health. And your own physical health as well. I personally believe it is so important to have moments to be quiet, to reflect, to relax, to put stressful things aside. Self care is not wasted time. It is time that refreshes us to face life with more strength.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dodgesanddaisies.com
• Instagram: @dodgesanddaisies
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/dodgesanddaisies
• Pinterest: “Dodges and Daisies”

Image Credits
All images are my own, edited by myself as well.