Hey friends, deepest exhale. Winter is here! I am sending this from a snowy Scottish landscape on a sleepy Monday evening. My guest Monique Francis is so dear to me, I love the way she embodies creativity and all the care and intention she brings to community. I hope this conversation will bring some joy you too. Here is some of what we talked about: Creativity as a refuge Exploring different arts & crafts with childlike wonder Building community online and offline DIY monastic life and not being part of transactions Monique is a disabled and monastic creatrix who is grateful to be a guest on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples in so-called Vancouver, Canada. She's the founder of Fully Woven, a crafty care collective and Prioress of Sanctuary of the Arts, a contemplative arts community. She's also in the process of establishing a Free Little Art Gallery (FLAG) in her neighbourhood. Monique's had various roles throughout her life - Anglican sister, grief counsellor, somatic therapist - all of which have the common thread of being collaborative practices. She delights in a pared-down pace for her daily rhythm with her beloved dog and cat companions, and believes quite firmly a day is not complete until a mess has been made at her craft table. fullywoven.com Love, Yarrow