Art, Craft and Needlework, August 2014

[FelineFriend]

Harriet, The cake's beautiful! I used to decorate cakes, too, with some stuff from what was then Ben Franklin. I used a tube of parchment paper with a tip, different tips for different effects, and a special cream in various paste colors, for the flowers. Dcousin-in-law was a teenager, while here on a trip from CA. She earned extra money, as a teenager, for herself, by decorating cakes in the community. I used to practice decorating 1 layer of cake, then drove to elderly friends' homes, to deliver them as surprises. They were all so happy to get a surprise treat from me, their drop-in company.

[Ramblinrose]

The cake really does look beautiful. I'm not very good at decorating cakes but I can bake a mean pie

As far as writing goes I have to strike while the fire is hot otherwise I loose my stream of thought. If I'm in the middle of doing something like housework I will leave things where they stand.... Vacuum in the middle of the room kind of thing... I go in spurts where I write for days or months to by and I have nothing to show for it.

My stories are short.. Two or three pages... and are usually about something that has effected my life. Titles are simple, but important to the meaning of my stories. The Pin is really the story abt my grandmother. Andrew is the story of my friend who dies of AIDs. The Lady in the Sea is about my gym instructor and becoming an American. The "lady" is really the Statue of Liberty. The Robe was written here in the village when I retold the story about my mom's friend during Halloween.

Many of my stories evolved by writing and retelling stories to my friends via email. My friend affectionately dubbed them my "Bedtime" stories and would beg me to write more.

There's a fellow that writes for the southern living mag every month... Sorry I can't think of his name at the moment... And his stories are always the last thing in the mag. My writing is very similar to his style of writing. It usually includes his observations of how certain small events matter the most in his world. He lives in Alabama and there is usually a good dose of humor included in his stories.

My stories are usually for my friends so that makes it easier or less stressful to write. I can't imagine having a writing deadline.

[Harmony]

Creativity is on the back burner here as well. Sometimes I do get ideas...

Harriet, the cake is beautiful. I think I neglected giving your DD Happy Birthday wishes.

A while back I got a bunch of books out of the library about writing. I got totally discouraged reading one book about how one markets herself and sells stories, all that is involved. There is a real business behind all the creativity. I was disappointed it was so complicated and such a little part of it would be creative. Of course, this book was about writing non-fiction and this writer was spending time traveling around interviewing people, etc. So my dream of replacing some of the $ around here died. When I was younger, it was a dream of mine.

[Nancy]

I can not frost cakes or bake pies but I can spin a yarn!
Have 2 jumbo bobbins full and rady to ply of Jacobs fleece.

[FelineFriend]

Writing non-fiction is a lot harder, it seems to me, because you DO need to market yourself, keep up with FB, sometimes have a website and do Tweets. Everything needs to be researched so well, you need to sell yourself, and it just seems to be so much specifics and trouble along with it, so I never pursued it.

I like writing the confession story market, because I can take true life, things in Dear Abby, things in the news or on talk shows, things in the paper, things which happened to me, my family, to Dmom when she was younger, or my growing up, Dfriends I used to know, and my imagination goes WILD. I often times change the sexes of the characters, add 2 more characters, or decrease the # that was there in true life, and I also take a storyline and seem to have good luck if I add 2 - 4 different stories, from different people or times, into 1 story. I enjoy using emotions to make the editor/reader cry, get angry, cheer on the hero main character, laugh, and things, too. I enjoy throwing in something, which is totally unexpected, such as explaining back story, too.

With the confessions market, we don't get paid much, they can and do change titles often, they change the names of the characters, too, and sometimes they cut off the last 100 - 300 words, too. They don't give us a byline, unless we're writing non-fiction for the magazine and even then, you can express that only your initials be used. The fiction stories are anonymous, no "by so-and-so" is used, but they're friendly, in the first person, and readers really get to know the characters, too. I ♥ writing this way.

I took a correspondence children's writing course, for quite awhile. I was terrible at writing for kids, when at the same time I was studying for that genre, I was becoming successful in the confessions genre. I admire people who write articles for National magazines, who write for children and young adults, who write novels, and all, too. But I'm very happy with where I'm at and am grateful I don't need to have the expense of promoting myself, need a website, need to go to book signings, be on FB or Tweet all the time, to drum up sales. I might be anonymous, but I'm very happy being this way.

It's a shame, when a book loses sight of the creativity ideas and tips and info behind the business end of it, which is dry, too impersonal and kills the creative flame. Just my thought on it, is all. Natalie Goldberg is a writer, a teacher of writing and an author, too. SHE talks about the creativity. She's amazing. I love her books. A "Google" or Amazon or B 'n N search, would bring up her books or you could check them from the library. There is also Anne Lamont's "Bird by Bird." Oh, and (I can't think of her name right now ) the lady who wrote "The Artist's Way," is an excellent creativity expert, too. Cameron? I just checked my bookshelf. Her name is Julia Cameron. Out here, where we live, they used to have Artist's Way groups, which met at different members' homes. They weekly shared what they did during the week, would bring their "discovery journal", etc... I never attended a group like this, but I knew several people who did and it seemed that their souls became more enhanced as a human being, a woman, and creative person. It didn't matter if you were an artist, a calligrapher, writer, or chef. This book helped everyone grow more deeply and mature creatively, too. Wow. I couldn't stop typing!

[Nancy]

Yep I have read Julia Cameron "The Artists Way" and "The Rite To Write" & others you mentioned ff. Today I and doing my morning pages to some fun 70's music.

Got my jumbo bobbins today but they need the jumbo holder sigh oh well at least I am learning and in the right direction even if it is frustrating. It is not as much for the upright bobbin holder as I thought it would be so that is good.

[FelineFriend]

I wrote a short story, I had handwritten out for 10 pages. I logged it, edited as I went and submitted it. It took 1.75 hours to complete it. Now I have 10 days, free, to crochet or write letters- or whatever I want to do- before I start January stories on Sept. 1st.

I'll try to crochet this evening, while I write letters on and off.

[Elizabeth]

Here is the latest in my crochet queue:

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[FelineFriend]

Elizabeth, That's so pretty! It can be worn over a sleeveless top or dress or long-sleeved tops or dresses as well. I love the colors and the ripple pattern's making a come-back in kitchen items, afghans, shawls, and you name it. It's very retro and versatile. It's a happy design to look at.

[Nancy]

Elizabeth that is lovely I love those colors.

Knit up a dish cloth final seam on it needs done.