Hi, I’m Dana — the artist, author and creative coach behind Mind My Doodles.

Mind My Doodles began as a personal way to quiet racing thoughts and slowly became a children’s book, art studio, and creative space for busy minds of all ages. Through doodles, stories, prints, and workshops, I create gentle ways to pause, play, and reconnect with creativity.

Where the doodles began

I have always been a creative person and loved finding ways to bring creativity into whatever I was doing. But oddly enough, I had always kept my distance from drawing.

For a long time, I told myself my drawings were not realistic enough, polished enough, or “art” enough to count. Then, after my social feeds decided I needed to be flooded with videos of people drawing intricate patterns, I decided to give Zentangle a try.

It was not a good fit.

I became so focused on getting the patterns exactly right that it started to feel more like work than a way to unwind. I certainly was not feeling very “zen” about it.

Then one day, I stopped trying to follow a method and simply started filling a page with different lines, shapes, and patterns. The lines were not perfect. The circles were uneven. I had no plan, no rules, and no pattern to follow.

Two hours later, I put down my pen and realized my brain had finally quieted for a little while.

So I kept going. I started setting aside time to doodle, and each time, it gave my busy mind the same kind of pause.

That is where intentional doodling began.

What the doodles have become

As intentional doodling became part of my norm, I found myself wishing this creative outlet had been introduced to me as a child. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that gap still exists for many kids today.

That realization inspired me to write Mind My Doodles — a children’s book with a story kids could understand, a feeling they could relate to, and a simple creative tool they could try right away. While the book was written for children, the heart of it holds true for busy minds of all ages.

What started as one book idea has grown into something much bigger.

Mind My Doodles is now a place for that idea to keep expanding — through future books, doodle-inspired art prints, custom pieces created with care, and creative experiences designed to help people slow down, explore, and make something without pressure.

Embracing the art of the doodle

My artwork leans into expressive linework, imperfect shapes, and intentional pops of color. I am not chasing perfect lines, exact symmetry, or anything that feels too polished. The beauty, for me, is in the movement, variation, and unexpected details that emerge along the way.

Ink is my primary medium, but I also love incorporating watercolor and letting the linework showcase how different colors and hues meet, blend, and overlap.

Whether I am creating a print, a custom piece, or a page from a larger idea, I want the work to feel both calming and intriguing — something that invites you to look closer while also giving your mind a place to settle.

And more than anything, I hope it reminds people that doodling counts. It does not have to be perfect to be meaningful, and you do not have to be an artist to begin.

What I know and what I believe

Here is what I know.

I know what it feels like to have a mind that does not easily turn off. I know what it feels like to try to explain that feeling to people who have never experienced it. I know what it feels like to try suggestion after suggestion and wonder why none of them seem to fit.

And I know how freeing it can be when you finally find something that helps.

That is what intentional doodling became for me — a simple, creative way to give my busy mind somewhere gentle to go.

Here is what I believe.

I believe art is not reserved for people who draw perfect lines or create work that looks a certain way. Art is what an artist creates, and an artist is simply someone willing to create.

Intentional doodling is where what I know and what I believe meet. It brings together the analytical and creative parts of my mind in a way that feels both calming and expansive.

Bringing Mind My Doodles to life has become more than a creative project. It is passion meeting purpose — and a reminder that sometimes the thing we need most is the thing we finally allow ourselves to make.

Thank you for being here

Whether you are here for a book, a print, a custom piece, or a creative experience, I hope Mind My Doodles gives you a small moment to pause, breathe, and create.