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PRESENTSCHAPTER 1: Knowing Our Needs

Thank you for taking this step to create a deeper connection with each other. Over time, the impact on your relationship will be life changing. Each month you’ll set aside uninterrupted time to spend together - to work on the art project and engage in meaningful conversations using the curated Conversation Starters.Each person has an important role in nurturing this deeper connection.Below are suggestions on how to proceed: Before starting this journey, partner with each other to find a time on the calendar to make it a priority. This may take the form of a few sessions to place on your calendar this month. Consider planning a meaningful way to start this experience - plant some seeds, light a candle or share an intention, for example. The younger person is tasked with asking the questions. Answer authentically. Listen with curiosity. Respond with questions of your own that feel natural to you. The questions are intended to be asked and answered by each person, knowing that some adjustment may be needed, depending on age and ability.I’m Amy, founder of Amy’s Art Palette, and creator of The Duet Project.2

Does another question come up from these questions? Ask! The way to get more comfortable asking questions is to ask more questions! Don’t interrupt while the questions are being answered. It’s in the silence that thoughts are forming. Be honest and authentic with your answers. Some of the questions may require some thought. Remember, it’s wise and appropriate at times to say “I need to give that some thought.” Stay off your phones. Only use them for watching the time-lapse video, playing music, or in case of an emergency. Have fun being creative and vulnerable with each other! Remember, it’s not about the product of what you create, but the journey you take to get there. It’s my aspiration that you’ll notice a deeper sense of trust and understanding as you embark on this journey together.Thank you again for joining The Duet Project! I’m so excited for you to get started. Xoxo, AmyP.S. Having these supplies on hand will be helpful for many of The Duet Project activities. You can find these supplies at a local art supply store. Click Here to Purchase Items on AmazonScissorsTacky Glue +Glue StickGlue Gun + Glue Gun SticksBlack Sharpie MarkerPencil3Use #TheDuetProjectTag @AmysArtPaletteDon’t forget to share your creations on social media!

This Duet Project edition leads you through a String Art Creation with each nail representing life’s pillars and values. While you strengthen your connections throughout your time together, rounding the colorful strings around the different nails and weaving them across your design, the intention is to offer a meditative grounding feeling to enhance your experience together.Not knowing what the end product will look like is part of the beauty of the project, and when we use curated and thoughtful questions to reveal surprising layers of our personality, we learn more about each other and ourselves.Podcast............................................Demonstration/Art Supplies....Templates.......................................Instructions....................................Conversation Starters.................Reflections......................................Printer Friendly Pages................5679121316IntroductionKnowing Our NeedsWhat’s Inside:4

The PodcastThis podcast was born from the positive impact that The Mother Daughter Art Project, a monthly subscription box membership, was having on so many family dynamics. The impact was meant for all pairs, which led me to develop The Duet project.Most of The Duet Project sessions include a podcast episode borrowed from The Mother Daughter Art Project and shares insights and expert perspective about the connection we encourage in each session’s experience. Creating a stronger bridge between people is the essence of what I do.You can impact others’ lives by sharing this experience with those you love.Click Here to Listen!5

How To Video + Art SuppliesWhat You Will Need: Wood 8”-10” wide, at least one inch thick, wood circle or rectangle (can also be any piece of wood) Sandpaper Embroidery Floss 1” nails (silver, brass, or gold colored) weight: 18 Small hammer ¼”x 2” piece of cardboard to help space the nails. A popsicle stick will also work. Templates on the following pages.Click Here to Watch!6Click Here to Purchase Supplies on Amazon

TemplatesClick Here For a Printer Friendly Download7

TemplatesClick Here For a Printer Friendly Download8

InstructionsCreation Session #1 Choose a shape from the included templates or create your own. What’s important is that it fits the space. Tape it to the center of the wooden base.Using a pencil, make small dots on the wood, at the edge of the paper, about 1/4 inch apart. (Hint: The width of a popsicle stick is the perfect size.) Important! There must be a nail at each corner or tip of a curve, so be sure to make a mark at each of those points FIRST! It’s also okay if the nails are not exactly 1/4 inch apart, but they shouldn’t be closer than that.Ask the questions!Home supplies needed: scissors, tape, pencilThe “Creation Sessions” are meant to help you find good starting and stopping points.9

Creation Session #2 It’s hammer time! Gently tap the nails into each dot. Adult supervision is recommended during this part! Remember, there must be a nail at each corner or tip of a curve. The nails should be about 1/4 inch into the wood and NOT all the way through! Ideally, the nails will be all the same height. Tap gently with the hammer to double check that they are all somewhat level. Make any necessary adjustments to get the nails level. Ask the questions!Instructions10

Creation Session #3 It’s stringing time! To begin, create a loop at the end of the string. Take that loop and place it over one nail at a corner of your design. There should be about one inch of string hanging off the end. Press the string down so that it’s at the bottom of the nail, next to the wood. Wrap the string around the nail and follow the outer edge of your design creating an outline. For each nail, wrap the string around it to keep it taut. Then, crisscross the string back and forth on the nails to fill it in using any pattern you like, or no pattern at all. Wrapping the string at each corner or tip will help your design retain its shape. Continue using that string until you are finished, pushing it down towards the wood... Changing colors is okay! To end the design, use the same looping method from the beginning to finish it. Create a loop, place over a nail, tie a knot, and cut off the extra hanging at the end and tuck it under.Ask the questions!Instructions11

1. Who’s a friend you have that you really enjoy spending time with?2. What is it about that friend that you enjoy? 3. Do you nurture yourself everyday? If so, how? If not, how come? 4. How do you feel when you are not able to nurture yourself in some way on a regular basis?5. How do you speak up for yourself?Conversation Starters6. What situations do you find yourself in that it’s hard to speak up for yourself?7. When it’s hard to speak up for yourself, how do you work up the courage to do so?8. How do you feel after you have spoken up for yourself?Click Here for an e-reader accessible version of this page.12

Reflection PromptsDate:Project: String ArtTheme: Knowing Our NeedsFavorite Part of the Project:Something that surprised me this month:Things I want to remember about this month’s experience:Click Here For a Printer Friendly Download13

As a credentialed art teacher, certified parent coach, artist, camp mom and natural connector, my passion lies in creating projects of all types, and exposing people to new techniques and forms of art.I am a Mom to two young women who became my inspiration for The Mother Daughter Art Project which has grown from a membership to a podcast and now it’s becoming a movement. My goal is to help overcome barriers that prevent us from being creative, feeling connected, and expressing ourselves. The impact of The Mother Daughter Art Project membership on families and relationships naturally led to the creation of The Duet Project experience.I live in Carlsbad, California with my husband Donald and our dog, Oliver. I rarely cook the same exact thing twice, have been called a “connector,” which is the biggest compliment to me, and found coffee in my 40s once I knew I could mix it with chocolate. That’s been a game changer, for sure.Welcome!I’m Amy!www.AmysArtPalette.comI’m available! Retreats Special Events Group Art Zoom Calls14

“The string art project was so much fun. :)Plus, we learned some things about each other that we never knew before!The art project is more than a simple way to craft- —it’s a time we set aside to get to know each other better. The conversation starters are magical!When you have pre-teen girls, it’s sometimes hard to connect. The art project gives us a reason to set aside the screens and really connect.I’ve noticed that when our hands are busy we have an easier time communicating and being open to connection …especially in those pre-teen years.Cheers, Gina”15String Art Inspiration

Printer Friendly16

Printer Friendly17

Reflection PromptsReflection PromptsDate:Date:Project: String ArtProject: String ArtTheme: Knowing Our NeedsTheme: Knowing Our NeedsFavorite Part of the Project:Favorite Part of the Project:Something that surprised me this month:Something that surprised me this month:Things I want to remember about this month’s experience:Things I want to remember about this month’s experience:

1. Who’s a friend you have that you really enjoy spending time with?2. What is it about that friend that you enjoy? 3. Do you nurture yourself everyday? If so, how? If not, how come?4. How do you feel when you are not able to nurture yourself in some way on a regular basis?5. How do you speak up for yourself?6. What situations do you find yourself in that it’s hard to speak up for yourself?7. When it’s hard to speak up for yourself, how do you work up the courage to do so?8. How do you feel after you have spoken up for yourself? Conversation Starterse-reader accessible version.19

Copyright © 2022 Amy’s Art Palette | Amy Millerwww.AmysArtPalette.comEbook Designed by: Sarah DissegnaAll Rights Reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner.