The Mythical Makeover Experience
Quest For The Grail Within
A 3-day creative online experience • February 21-23, 9am PT/12pm ET • $47
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"I was struggling with a sense of loneliness and feeling a bit hopeless ... Is the best behind me? I was feeling pretty despondent. Then I took one of Minette’s Mythical Makeovers and it's like light started shining in my life again." - Elizabeth Dufour
Midlife isn’t an ending—it’s a threshold and a portal to reinvention.
Have you been asking yourself big questions like Who am I? Do I have the courage and confidence to be my truest self? What happened to that adventurous spirit that I used to be?
Those are the questions we will contemplate together in the Mythical Makeover Experience, a mini-retreat where we will explore the deeper spaces, the mysteries and the qualities that make you unique. It's time that you feel courageous, confident and clear about who you are at this particular moment in time.
The Mythical Makeover experience is based on an original story by Minette Riordan, Ph.D. “The Quest for the Grail Within: A Tale of Midlife Awakening.” In this modern myth, our heroine, Miriam, unearths a bronze cup in her garden and goes on a quest to discover its origins and meaning. Along the way she meets various characters, goes through several challenging trials and eventually arrives in the Valley of Mirrors where she hopes to find the answers she's been seeking.
Inspired by the themes and inspiration of Miriam's journey, go on your own introspective and creative adventure. Like Miriam, you will discover that you don't have to travel alone!
I believe that where women gather magic happens. Every time I lead one of these Mythical Makeover Experiences, I am so inspired by all the women who gather to connect, to share their stories and to create magic together.
Join me for this 3-day live online creative experience happening February 21-23, 2025 at 9am PT/12pm ET. Each call is 90 minutes long.
Your destiny is waiting for you!
The Mythical Makeover Experience is designed for you if you are in the 2nd half of life and are ready to rediscover your true self and reconnect to your purpose. Now is the time to find the key to creating a wonder-filled and joyful new story for your life.
What is included with The Mythical Makeover Experience?
3 90-minute Live Online sessions where the Magic happens: Friday, February 21 at 9am PT/12pm ET, Saturday, February 22 at 9am PT/12pm ET and Sunday, February 23 at 9am PT/12pm ET
3 pre-recorded mini-art lessons to support your creative journey
Transcriptions of all videos
Replays of live sessions
Digital copy of the short story for you to read ahead of time
Suggested supply list
Beautiful digital workbook to guide your creative quest
Bonus video lessons to get those creative juices flowing: create your mixed media game board for the journey ahead.
Online forum for connecting and sharing with the amazing women who are gathering for this course.
Use markers, paints, collage, journaling and other mixed media elements to create a magical game board for the journey ahead...
Featured Story: Quest for the Grail Within
by Minette Riordan, Ph.D.
Be inspired by the story of Miriam, a middle aged woman longing to find her joy and passion, as a mythical reference guide to explore the archetypal inner seeker active in your current life. Explore themes like resilience, facing the past, choosing your future, sisterhood, finding your creative voice and more!
This creative quest is designed for the midlife woman who loves:
Making art and writing
Self-discovery
Curious inquiry
Gathering in community with other women
Longing for a Playful Yet Deeply Transformative Experience? Here's what to expect:
Reconnect to your authentic, creative self through art & writing
Design your own set of paper dolls and magical game board to discover what awaits you on the next stage of your journey.
Reconnect to wonder and the pure joy of creative expression.
Write, paint and collage a new narrative of purpose and courage as you discover how strong you already are.
By the end of the Mythical Makeover experience you will have:
Created a meaningful story board and set of paper dolls that represent you as the heroine of your own story with wonderful sisters to travel over the mountain with you
Uncovered deep wells of inner strength and resilience to become the creator of your own life.
Feel empowered and ready to step into the role of heroine in your own life.
If you’ve read this far and you are nodding your head “yes”, yet you still have some questions whether this experience is right for you, let’s talk about them now…”
Frequently Asked Questions
This is an expressive arts experience designed to guide you back to you! We all get a little lost from time to time. You just need to find the right path back to your beautiful, authentic self. This is not an art class. The focus is on the process, not the product.
You won't need to spend hours each day on the short assignments although you may want to!
You don’t need to have any special supplies or experience for this creative journey. I encourage you to create with whatever you have on hand.
You do not need to be an artist and may feel like: “I’m not very creative.” This is perfect for you. It will remind you that yes, you are creative and simply need to find your voice again.
Yes, all the sessions will be recorded if you can’t attend live.
You will have access to the classroom indefinitely if you can't participate live.
See what others say about previous Mythical Makeover Experiences
"Minette has a remarkable ability to create a safe and warm environment. I felt at ease enough to share my thoughts comfortably within the small group. Thank you, Minette, for taking my on this journey!"
Marleen K.
"I took this class and it was soooo wonderful! Minette is a wonderful teacher! [Using the] story made it very unique and lots of fun to get to know yourself more deeply! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!"
Shelley R.
"I am starting fresh on this journey and I'm ready to start pushing myself to be courageous and brave! I also wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Minette for this class, it has helped me in so many ways and even ways I didn't know I needed help."
Charity B.
"I got so much more from this workshop than I could have anticipated. The course is extremely high quality and offers something individual to everyone who would participate. I highly recommend the Mythical Makeover Experience and Minette!"
Kate R.
"I would just like to say a big "Thank You" to Minette and everyone who attended the live sessions and everyone who posted their work on Facebook. I have loved this whole experience - it has been such great fun."
Jillian F.
"Been really enjoying this and realizing how much I’m being called to make space and time to be creative again... to let go of criticism. Just wanted to thank everyone for sharing and a special thank you to Minette Riordan for this course and platform to share with each other."
Kel R.
Rekindling Forgotten Dreams
In part one of the story, Miriam finds a buried bronze cup that stirs forgotten dreams and rekindles her curiosity. She is called to go on a quest to find the meaning of this magical cup. You will make a paper doll and Grail cup to add to your game board.
Connecting to Companions and Challenges
In this part of the story, our heroine meets two wonderful traveling companions who help her to overcome challenges of her past on her quest to find the Grail within. Create 2 more dolls and other elements to add to your game board.
Finding your Inner Grail and Celebrating Wholeness
On this final day travel with Miriam and her sisters to the Valley of Mirrors where at last they come face to face with the truth of who they are and encounter this sisters of the forest at their round table, each with a magical cup of her own. Create a magical mirror to add to your game board.
For only $47.00 here's what you get when you register for The Mythical Makeover Experience:
3 90-minute Live Online sessions where the Magic happens: Friday, February 21 at 9am PT/12pm ET, Saturday, February 22 at 9am PT/12pm ET and Sunday, February 23 at 9am PT/12pm ET
3 pre-recorded mini-art lessons to support your creative journey
Replays of live sessions
Digital copy of the short story for you to read ahead of time
Suggested supply list
Beautiful digital workbook to guide your creative quest
Bonus video lessons to get those creative juices flowing: create your mixed media map for the journey ahead.
Online community (optional) for connecting and sharing with the amazing women who are gathering for this course.
Your Path to Wholeness Begins with The Mythical Makeover Experience.
If you've been focused on caregiving or career and feel disconnected from yourself, this is your chance to put your needs and desires first.
If you're navigating a transition, feeling stuck, or wondering what’s next, this journey will help you find clarity and inspiration.
Whether you’re an experienced creator or just beginning to explore your creativity, this challenge will awaken your imagination.
Combine creative expression, storytelling, and journaling in an immersive, soul-nourishing adventure.
Take a pause to reflect, recharge, and reignite your inner spark in a supportive, inspiring environment.
Meet your guide on the Quest: Dr. Minette Riordan
I was that girl who always had her head buried in a book.
My grandmother had a beautiful old set of books full of fairy tales that I would devour every time I went to stay at her house and now I have a few of those old books that I cherish.
Reading always took me away to another world and time, apart from whatever I was experiencing in my real life like troubles at school, my parents getting divorced and remarried, our home burning down…
Like you, I've experienced many ups, downs, wins and losses in my 60 years on this planet. They all weave together to make me the person I am today.
As I grow older, the stories and memories of the past feel like threads of a narrative that are sometimes elusive and sometimes obvious. As someone experiencing all the ups and downs of midlife over the past few years, I found that exploring stories of my past offered insights and the voice of my Inner Child still wants to be heard.
Being a deep seeker and lover of stories and self-discovery, I often find myself asking curious questions like: Who am I today? What do I really want? How do I want to live my life?
If you are asking yourself some of these bigger questions, the only way to find the answers is to go within. And you don't have to journey alone: sign up for the Mythical Makeover Experience now and join me.
"I’ve discovered that not only does creative work produce end results, it’s the process itself that inspires productivity in other areas. Sitting quietly and putting images or colors on a page not only relaxes me, it opens my mind to ideas and concepts in other areas of my work. Whether you think you’re creative or not right now, this workshop will bring you peace and confidence that you are creative!" - Sherry Hess.
© Minette Riordan/Mindful Patterns, LLC 2025
