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My local newspaper has a weekly section devoted to Things To Do for members of the community. Sometimes it’s a concert, or the mention of an exhibit at a local museum, college or something “downtown” on the historic square. 

I usually gravitate towards the activities which are free, instructional or open to the public. There’s so much free stuff out there to DO if you really look for it, and I find that people who are open to sharing what they know creatively open my eyes in unexpected ways. 

So I jumped at the chance to attend a workshop slash meeting to learn even more about one of my favorite instruments: the dulcimer. I have three–two are pictured here–along with a variety of other stringed instruments in my collection. Most of them I can actually play a little, but when the opportunity arose to attend a session with folks who actually DO play, well yes. I went. 

 I knew no one in the room when I got there. The group leaders gave us history, demonstrations and then encouraged us to “noodle around” on our own with the sheet music provided. 

Looking all around the room, I could see that no two instruments were alike. Likewise, the playing style(s) of individuals while on their own were different. So when we came together to play the song, we stayed together–mostly–to learn something new. As we return home we can use that new skill to create something unique. Oh, and now I have a few new friends.  

I couldn’t help but find a parallel to that in my writing too, so as I’m noodling around on this Work In Progress, I’ll do well to remember that it will be my style, my voice and my POV that will make my writing become alive. 

Happy Creating!

I’ve had plenty of opportunities to work on a great many projects, and some of them actually get completed! Here are a few examples: three handwoven scarves made from handspun yarns. One hand knit hat, also created from handspun yarn. 

 I’ll call it “research” for my current writing Work-in-Progress. I spun the yarns. I made the hat and scarves, too. 

I demonstrate hand spinning in public and talk about alpaca one day a week. Sometimes I’ll meet another fiber crafts person and we’ll talk about yarn. When I visit the Farmer’s Markets, I have a chance to purchase fruit or vegetables that we aren’t growing for ourselves. There is SO much to taste at a Farmer’s Market. The colors in the vendors’ booths are delicious, too!

It’s not that I procrastinate too much and don’t get anything accomplished. 

It’s just that there’s SO much that catches my creative eye, and I want to sample some of it all, you know?

Happy creating!

 I know, I know…..if it’s true that busy hands are happy hands, then I must be close to delirium by now.  But I’ve been writing.  

 And going to car shows. 

And looking at collections of typing machines. 

 So when I get back to the typewriter, the words spout forth in some long kind of FreeWriting gusher, and I’m okay with that. This coffee mug reflects my sentiments, exactly.. 

 Happy Creating, everyone!  

Every so often, I find there are days, weeks sometimes, in which I get not-as-much-accomplished-creatively as I’d like. Call it a time warp if you’d like–I usually do– however THIS time (pun intended) I need to be a little more ruthless.

Distractions abound. You may know what I mean: simple tasks of day to day living are necessary to maintain a household. Can’t do THIS now, because of THAT which needs to be done before THIS can happen. I was going to do this, but then somebody calls and could I please do this other instead? And regular jobs may pay the bills, but take away from unstructured creative time.

Pffttt……..!!

If I’m doing all that, then the result is I’m not doing the other, creative THIS.

I’m searching for ways to have more hours in a day.
How do you find balance in your creative time, with everything else??

Every so often, I begin to think about how my life has changed and is changing as a result of the technology we have in the 21st century. I’m old enough to remember having taken a typing class in high school and having to wait my turn to use one of the six electric typewriters. Other than that, I learned to type on a manual typewriter.
Really.
Six.
Electric.

I never got really fast and my method was more like “hunt and peck” so I was never right up there at the top of my class. (Yes, our high school classes were very small and we took typing through the “business” department.) But I liked the sound of the machine and own a few manual typewriters as collectible items. I still have and sometimes use an electric typewriter out in the barn. Remember, I can travel through time by going from my back door, through the yard, and out to the barn.

Flash forward to now, where the ever-present means of communication(s) via laptops, on cell phones, or through voice/text messaging through my phone can sometimes occupy a great deal of my time. I can get lost for hours checking this and that, researching and reading new ideas, and checking social sites.

I’m easily distracted. I need to focus or I’ll not get anything done and I KNOW this about myself!

Anne Lamott, whose work I admire, made a point today on a social site in which she said (I’ll paraphrase) that almost anything mechanical can be fixed by unplugging it and then plugging it again. People too, she added. I know that can be interpreted in a great many ways, but after I complete this post, I think I’ll unplug. I’ll pick up and visit with an old musical friend. And just for a moment, I’ll call it “research” on my next writing project and then pick up a pencil and write on paper.

Spending time with a long time friend……

I’ll be back. I hope you’ll find a way to get something creative accomplished, too!

I’ve just returned from a wonderful conference for writers and illustrators, the SCBWI Southern Breeze Springmingle 2015. Our speakers included Neal Porter, Guiseppe Castellano, Meg Medina, Karen Grencik, Elise Howard, Bill Mayer–and included even more agents, editors and published writers and illustrators. My head is FILLED with many new ideas and I would like to thank all the volunteers and attendees who contributed.

Seeds have been planted. Figuratively AND literally.

Now that I’m home, and out here in my garden, I’ve built a tiny greenhouse. I can just barely see the new seeds begin to come forth. Do you see the tiny sprout in the center of the dark, brown earth? Look closely. It’s there. It will most likely take a while to turn into something able to thrive out on its own and much longer to produce vegetables. That’s okay. I can give it water, make sure it receives sunlight and I know it will grow.

Thank you to the panel of speakers and attendees who’ve helped plant seeds of creative ideas. I will nurture them, every day, and look forward to see what grows.

Happy Creating!