✨ The Brilliance Report - Issue No. 31
Thoughtful encouragement and practical ideas for a life that flourishes
Hi Reader!
Have you ever felt guilty for taking a break?
Last time we were together, I encouraged you to make room for the things that refresh your spirit. After sending that newsletter, I realized I needed to take my own advice.
So my mom and I packed our bags and spent a couple of days exploring Grand Haven and Muskegon along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. It had been years since I'd taken even a little getaway, and I wasn't sure how much I needed it until I was there.
Somewhere between the sunset cruise on Lake Michigan, including perfect weather with a full moon rising on the other side of the boat, boarding a WWII tanker ship and hearing the history, and time spent simply enjoying each other's company exploring new parts of the state of Michigan, I was reminded that stepping away isn't falling behind. Sometimes it's exactly what helps us return with fresh perspective, renewed energy, and a grateful heart.
Maybe you've been needing that reminder too.
💡 This Week’s Thought:
Rest isn't something you earn after everything is finished. It's something that helps you do your best work and enjoy the people who matter most.
🎨 In the Studio:
Getting away gave me more than a change of scenery. It gave me a chance to slow down, reflect, and return with fresh ideas. Sometimes our best creativity doesn't happen while we're pushing harder. It happens when we give ourselves space to breathe and notice the beauty around us.
🌸 Business Strategies for Makers + PLR Sellers:
- Schedule thinking time. We often fill every available hour creating, marketing, or answering emails. Set aside just 30 minutes each week to think about your business instead of working in it. Some of your best ideas will come from that space.
- Create a "future ideas" folder. When inspiration strikes, save it in one place: photos, color palettes, headlines, sketches, or product ideas. You'll always have a well to draw from when you're ready to create.
- Review before you replace. Before designing something brand new, look at your existing products. Could one be updated, expanded, or repurposed to better serve your audience?
🌼 Inspiration for Everyone:
- The people you love are never an interruption to your life. They're part of what makes life meaningful.
- It's okay if your most productive moment this week is making a memory you'll cherish for years.
- A slower pace often helps us notice blessings we would have otherwise missed.
🌸 Creative Nudge:
This week, intentionally create one memory.
It doesn't have to be elaborate. Visit a local park, enjoy coffee on the porch, call someone you've been meaning to catch up with, or watch the sunset without rushing to the next task.
The to-do list will still be there tomorrow. Some moments won't.
🌼 Mini Reflection:
"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes... including you." — Anne Lamott
As summer continues, I hope you'll give yourself permission to enjoy the season, treasure the people you love, and remember that sometimes the most meaningful progress happens when we pause long enough to appreciate where we are.
🌸 Wrap Up/Your Next Step:
Take a look at your calendar for the next couple of weeks.
Where can you intentionally make space. Not just for another task, but for something that refreshes your heart?
Until next time,
Melinda
Art Brilliance Studio | Thoughtful resources for purposeful living and business
If you're looking for creative tools, inspiring resources, or printables to make life a little easier or more beautiful, I've included a few of my favorites below. I hope they encourage you on your journey.
My email at times contain affiliate links. If you purchase through my links I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.
🎨 Affiliate Corner:
Here are resources from people I trust and products I love that you might find helpful:
🌼 For my PLR + small business friends:
1) Rachel from Rural Meanings has The PLR Mountain Flip Paper Cube. It’s a new PLR interactive paper craft Canva template. It is only $12 (regularly $27) until August 9, 2026 at 11:59pm PST.
The PLR Mountain Flip Paper Cube reveals six landscape scenes as the cube flips and folds. Inside, you'll find customization instructions, 8 coloured paper cubes with colour coded assembly instructions, and over 25 images to choose from. Made for printable shops, seasonal collections, and creative photo gifts. With PLR you can easily customize, rebrand, and make it your own to sell!
👉 Grab it here.
2) Shannon from Digitally Yours Today has the TPT Digital Product Listing Writer Custom GPT. Only $9 with coupon code: LISTING9 (Reg. $17) thru August 10.
The TPT Digital Product Listing Writer Custom GPT is an AI-powered tool designed to help Teachers Pay Teachers sellers create clear, keyword-friendly product listings faster and with less overwhelm.
With the TPT Digital Product Listing Writer Custom GPT, you’ll be able to create polished listings faster and with more confidence, without the stress, overwhelm, or hours spent trying to perfect your product descriptions.
Whether you struggle with descriptions, titles, keywords, or simply getting products posted consistently, this tool gives you the support you need to simplify the process and move forward with confidence.
👉 Get it for just $9 here.
3) Shannon from Digitally Yours Today also has the Etsy Digital Product Listing Writer Custom GPT. Only $9 with coupon code: LISTING9 (Reg. $17) thru August 10.
The Etsy Digital Product Listing Writer Custom GPT helps digital product creators generate niche, intent-driven Etsy titles, descriptions, and product tags that improve discoverability, attract the right buyers, and make listing creation faster and easier, even if you’re not confident with copywriting.
Instead of spending hours trying to figure out what to write, this GPT helps you quickly generate optimized Etsy listing elements designed to support better visibility and save you time. What once took hours now takes minutes.
Grab the Etsy Digital Product Listing Writer Custom GPT for just $9!
👉 Get it here.
4) Carrie from Peaceful Passive Income has created the "Wait - I think I HAVE that!" Digital Resource Tracker.
If you're like me, you've probably accumulated quite a few courses, templates, custom GPTs, and other resources at this point in your business. Especially since it's so easy to accumulate resources from bundles and other giveaways!
And the more we gain, the more they remain tucked away in our email inbox. And the LESS likely we are to implement them. Or even remember we have them in the first place!
Carrie from Peaceful Passive Income created the "Wait - I think I HAVE that!" Digital Resource Tracker for exactly this.
You'll get both an Airtable version (free is fine) and a Google Sheets version, complete with walkthroughs and advice on how to keep the whole thing manageable. Never forget again what you've signed up for!
And best of all, it's just $9!
👉 Get it here.
5) Carrie from Peaceful Passive Income also has a new Pink Halloween Clipart Set.
Want a cute and trendy twist on your Halloween products this year? Carrie from Peaceful Passive Income has an adorable new Pink Halloween set that is more "aww so cute!" rather than "ahh so scary!" Master Resell Rights included, so you can even use it in PLR products!
Only $7 (regularly $17) now through August 14th Midnight Pacific. Use coupon code: PINKGHOSTS
👉 Get it here.
6) Carrie from Peaceful Passive Income also has the Cute Clipart Club.
The Cute Clipart Club currently includes...
- 3 new clipart sets each month (100+ images worth $44/month)
- Access to the Clipart Vault (with 5000+ images)
- Monthly bonus content (PLR templates, trainings, etc.) (worth $9 – 37 / month)
- Monthly opportunities to promote products you create using clipart from the membership!
👉 Join here.
7) Julie from PLR Fairy has a PLR Fairy Kids Printables Membership. If you love creating and selling printables, I've found a membership that's packed with ready-to-use resources.
The PLR Kids Printables Membership gives you fresh printable products every month that you can customize, sell and use in your own business.
Inside you'll also get:
✔ New printables every month
✔ Commercial use rights
✔ Canva templates
✔ AI tools and GPTs
✔ Etsy Listing Helper
✔ PLR Product Studio
✔ Training and tutorials
You can join for $15 month (reg. $20 per month) or save with the $150 annual plan (reg. $200 annually).
👉 Check it out here:
🦋 For my faith-based friends:
Faith Lee of Faith’s Biz Academy has an Abide and Build Fellowship:
The purpose of the Abide & Build Fellowship is to provide a safe space for female Christian entrepreneurs from all over the world to forge friendships and support each other on the journey of online entrepreneurship while placing God at the center of business endeavors.
There have been three fellowship sessions so far and you are invited to join our upcoming one!
It's FREE. All are welcome.
Come as you are. =) 👉 Sign up here.
A little about myself:
My name is Melinda. I am a mom to my beautiful, talented daughter, and I also have a feisty little white dog. I am an artist, and my faith is important to me. I love gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, yummy dark chocolate, pretty flowers, and colorful butterflies. I have always loved art! I am a Certified Creatively Fit Coach (CCFC) and have collaborated with my fellow CCFC friends to become a published coloring book illustrator! I have an Etsy shop with personal printables, PLR templates and print on demand products - many of which contain designs from my original artwork! I am a digital content provider. I believe we are the artists and creators of our lives!
My artistic endeavors have given me the wonderful opportunity to connect with creative people from all over the world, including YOU!
I'd LOVE to hear from you, find out more about you, and discover how I can help you! I’m open to products suggestions you’d like to see for your personal use or for business journey!
Just hit "reply" and share with me a little something about yourself! I'd love to support you in any way that I can!
Connect with me on any of your preferred social media platforms!
Facebook
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Etsy
