Abandoned Work

There comes a time in every writer's life when we must abandon the piece we are working on and move on.

What? You say, I could no sooner abandon my work than abandon my own child!

Yes, it's true that we writers to become extraordinarily attached to our work. And after all the time and effort that goes into birthing the piece, and bringing it into careful existence, it's no wonder. But there are times when, try as we may, we simply cannot get a piece to move forward. It remains obstinately mired and floundering, and we flounder right along with it. Our muse flees, and creativity vanishes like the early morning mist. At these times, what may be required, is to cut and run while you still can!

But all is not lost. Consider these words from The Pocket Muse: Ideas and Inspirations for Writing by Monica Wood: If, after all your best efforts, the piece you're writing must be abandoned, do not despair. There is no such thing as wasted writing. Sometimes you must search and destroy, search and destroy, search and destroy before finding your true subject. Kiss those hard-earned pages goodbye -- fondly, if you can manage it -- and take out a beautiful, clean sheet. The new, marvelous thing you are about to write will emerge not despite those abandoned pages, but because of them.

And so, do what you must. Tuck those pages away in a drawer, toss them into the fireplace, or attach them to a bottle rocket and send it into the sky. It matters not. What matters is that you set yourself free. Your work will live on in new and glorious ways!

All it takes to start is a fresh sheet of paper.

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

Think of the person who annoys you the most. Close your eyes,
and mentally send them to the farthest place you can think of.
Can you picture them there?

Now, open your eyes and begin writing with the phrase,
"The postcard arrived in the mail today..."

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

As I was walking through the woods one day, I happened upon a....

You fill in the blank.

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

Write about the elephant in the room.

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

Are all your characters reasonably attractive? Ugly someone up and start anew.

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

Write about two people trying to fit into a space (physical or metaphysical) meant for one.

The Tempest

My latest creation. Large, faceted Sodalite teardrops hand-wrapped in sterling silver wire. It was my first time with this technique, and if you think it looks easy, let me tell you, my friend, you are grossly mistaken. I used an entire order of sterling silver wire (what is it, 5 feet?) to wrap these babies. I think my mistake was using dead soft wire. It kept getting kinked up, and it's so soft, there is no way to straighten it back out. All attempts just led to breakage. So one length of sterling silver wire and two hours later, viola! After all, it is the end result that counts, right?

I named these lovelies after a poem I wrote several years ago entitled "The Tempest". Read it and perhaps you'll see why...

The Tempest

The wind is a torrent of darkness
Tossing the churning sea
The rain slices down in it’s madness
And chortles in it’s glee
Leaping and dancing blissfully
In it’s dark and twisted game
Daring the ocean to retort
And buffeting it to shame
In it’s heart it knows no mercy
No stillness lingers there
No goodness can become of it
Within it’s evil lair
It takes the sea it’s captive
And clutches it deep beneath
Then sets it free to burst forth
With what it may bequeath
On and on through the endless night
The tempest rises and falls
Shaking an angry fist to the sky
It smashes the watery walls
‘Til at last it robs all breath within
And takes on a more silent form
As it sinks to the grave of the ocean floor
And finds death at the end of the storm.

I wrote that on March 20th, 1998, at the age of 21. It's actually one of the last poems I ever wrote. Somehow I seemed to dismiss penning verse as a childish pastime. I wonder why? I miss it now, the way the words seeped across the page, so fast my hand could scarcely keep up. At the time it seemed like a never ending well, but it has long since dried up.

I wonder how long the drought will last...

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

Change a "thank you" to a "screw you" and see what happens.

Infinate Possibilities...

So, we just got back from spending the weekend with my Grandparents at their home near Harrisburg. We had such a great time. We spent the days playing with the kids in the pool (the water was 85 degrees!) and the evening sitting around the table playing cards, chatting and laughing hysterically. I love my family!

Being the bead-obsessed girl that I am, on the morning after we arrived, I borrowed my grandmother's phone book and did a quick perusal for bead shops. I found one in nearby Carlisle, and luckily, my Grandma and Aunt were happy to drive me there. They used to own a jewelry store, so they know a little bit about my sickness. ;)

The bead shop was called Infinity Beads, and they had a wide selection of gemstones, crystals, glass, silver and anything a beader could want or need. I had given myself a mission, however, to find something unique and unusual and stake my claim on it. After more than an hour of "scanning" it was time to get serious and make my choices. I ended up with some great-looking chartreuse pottery beads and some tribal carved bone which will become a bracelet and earrings. I also found some neat-looking seed pods called "tears of Job", which are going to make fabulous earrings. I bought enough for two pair, because I am definitely keeping one for myself! I love taking the ordinary and turning it into something incredibly unique.

I'll update you on how they turn out!

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

Write about the one who got away...

And regretted it.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Here is my latest jewelry creation, and my favorite piece that I've made as of yet. I call it "Bohemian Rhapsody". I've had a lot of special orders come in lately and thanks to a weekend vacation and a subsequent killer cold, I am days behind in my work.

It's not all bad though. Being sick this week gave me a lot of time to think about a book series I've been plotting for years but have never seemed to be able to put more than a chapter or two of down on paper. The characters have pretty much taken hostage my every waking thought this week, and are beginning to tell me more about themselves, about their secret thoughts, about their pasts and their future. Every day it's a new discovery. Every day they've got a tidbit more to share. Every day they confirm to me that theirs is a story that needs to be told.

Consider me a willing hostage. ;)

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

I've decided that maybe I'll try a Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt. What do you think? It seems to me that there must be other people out there like myself who enjoy a creative kick-in-the-pants. ;) It's worth a shot, anyway.

So without further ado, here is the first (and hopefully not only) installment of the Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt.

1. Take two people who can't stand to be in each other's presence and force them to take a taxi together. What happens?

If my prompts inspire you to write anything, I'd love to hear it!

A True Artist

I picked up the latest issue of Stringing Magazine last week. I love this magazine, because it offers not only great technique, but a wide array of visually stimulating wearable art. And as it only comes out 4 times a year, it's a rare treat for jewelry artists like myself.

So, as I'm flipping through the magazine for probably the fifth or sixth time (each time you look, you notice some detail you passed over before) I realize that there are three designs in particular that have really captivated my attention on each perusal. All three unique and different, which is why I was quite surprised to read that they were all done by the same artist, and a man at that, one Mister Andrew Thornton.

The designs are as follows: The Raven Queen, a dark and stunning combination of black Rutilated Quartz and Lava that I will file away in my mental rolodex for my own future designs, Flight Patterns, an artistic blend of peacock pearls, garnet, watermelon tourmaline and copper chain that showcases a darling bird bead and toggle clasp, and last but not least, The Lotus Eaters, which features glowing chalcedony and pineapple quartz, mixed with sterling silver, all centered around a gorgeous green-blue ceramic pendant.

These three designs alone would have sold me on the magazine, but as it is, the pages are packed with many other lovely, original designs, though perhaps not quite as original as those of Mr. Andrew Thornton. I discovered that he has his own Blogspot, by the way. It's andrew-thornton.blogspot.com in case you're interested in checking it out.

Well, Mr. Andrew Thornton, you've inspired me. Inspired me to branch out of my own comfort zone, to say "the heck!" with symmetry and perfectionism, and to begin to design from the heart, from the soul. To just let go and let come what may. To be inspired and to inspire.

Maybe one day you'll find a design of my own gracing the pages of this fine magazine. ;)

The Mists of Morning

Once again, too much time has passed since I posted last. I have been so busy with my business, Whimsies Boutique, I've hardly had a moment to breathe! Above is a pair of earrings I created just last night. They're called "The Mists of Morning". They're made of pale Blue Agate Rounds, 6mm Indian Sapphire Swarovski Crystals, 4mm Light Azore Swarovski Crystals and Bali Silver hung on Sterling Silver earwires. The beads themselves whispered their name to me the moment I placed them together. :) Ah, see, there is the writer in me peeking out!

I'm still enjoying my Etsy store (whimsiesboutique.etsy.com) though I'm slightly disappointed that I haven't made more sales. It takes a while to break into a new site though, so I'm not being too hard on myself yet.

I've had a bunch of special orders lately, which take up the most time, as it is no longer my own vision I'm trying to bring to fruition with gemstones, but rather me trying to capture the vision of someone else, and play it out in a way that hopefully goes even beyond their expectations.

I am severely disappointed though that the bead show I have been attending (okay, I've been there twice, but still) has seemed to drop off the face of the earth. When I was there last, they told me that there would be another in September, same as last year. But yesterday when I logged on to their website, there was no listing at all for that show for the rest of the calendar year! Living in the Northeast, there are not a lot of Bead Shows around here. Even the one I was speaking of required a 2 1/2 hour drive. But it was totally worth it for the variety of unusual beads at rock-bottom prices I always came home with. *Sigh*

Well, I'm off. I have a huge Firefighter Birthday party to throw for my middle son, who is turning 4 tomorrow and aside from the presents, I have virtually nothing done. I am such a procrastinator!

Get Lost

Today is Wednesday, which means that tonight at precisely 10:00, my butt will be planted firmly on the couch, elbows on knees, eyes riveted to the TV screen while I watch my favorite show.

The questions, the mystery, the suspense... the writers of Lost know how to tell a story. They give you just enough information to get your hooked, and then slowly begin to reel you in.

I can't understand those people who say the answers don't come quick enough. Don't they realize that every question answered means a nail in the coffin for the show?

See, I'm one of those people who, when reading a good book, can hardly put it down. But once the pages in my right hand start to dwindle in comparison to those in my left, I begin to mentally reprimand myself for being in such a hurry. I don't like to see a good thing end.

It was announced on CNN.com this week that the producers of Lost have signed on for three more seasons. Knowing exactly when the end will be, has given the writers a new sense of direction. From the article, "Lindelof said having the end point in sight was 'incredibly liberating. Like we've been running a marathon and we actually know where the finish line is for the first time.' "

I can hardly anticipate the twists and turns this show will take over the next three years, but I know this: it's sure to be a wild ride! I can't wait to find out what happens next, though I'm determined to be as patient as a puppy, gratefully accepting whatever scraps the writers are willing to toss my way!

After all, all good things must sadly, eventually come to an end.

A Collection of Inspiration

Some people collect seashells. Others Matchbox cars or porcelain dolls. Me? I collect writing prompts.

Ever since that "The Girl and The Box" story back in high school (see archives), I've been addicted. The idea that a single question or suggestion could open the mind up to a world of possibilities is so tantalizing, so wondrous to me.... It's like a fathomless sea of creativity awaits just beyond the bend of the imagination.

I suspect that over the years I've collected thousands of writing prompts. I could probably write a book filled with page after page of them.

Who knows, maybe I'll start sharing them here. Anyone interested in a "Writing Prompt of the Week"? Let me know.

Clickty-Clack

There's a certain romance about a typewriter. A certain satisfaction in each clickty-clack, inking letters, then words, then whole sentences onto a page. A resonance, a permanence, a sense of finality.

These days you must train your ear to hear the whisper of the computer keys. Backspace and Delete keys are too accessible. They cause one to question, to doubt. "Is that really how you want that to read?" "Could the wording be more pleasantly arranged?" Unless you click that print icon, there is nothing to show for an hour's work. A day's. A year's.

I was a teen when typewriters became obsolete, too young to understand the full significance of that change. Computers ushered in a time of super intelligence, of knowledge at the click of the mouse, of drive-thru information. I admit, I am as chained to my computer as the next person, and yet, I cannot help but be wistful for that time, not so long ago, when writing was a process that stimulated all the senses, the smell of the ink, the sound of the keys, the sight of crisp pages piling higher toward completion...

The golden age of the typewriter.

Do you Etsy?

A friend of mine recently introduced me to Etsy.com. It's a site similar to eBay, though much classier, and specifically for people who make handcrafted items. I'm loving it already. I set up shop there the other day, feel free to check it out!

The address is www.whimsiesboutique.etsy.com and I'd really love to hear your thoughts and comments!

Above is a pic of a bracelet I made not too long ago. It features Japanese Cloisonne (there should be an accent over that e, I haven't figured out how to do that on the computer), freshwater pearls and swarovski crystals.

One of these days I'll get back to writing!

Working Girl

I got a job! I can't believe it! After more than 5 years away from the work-force, I am now back in the swing!

It was just a fluke that I happened to stop at our local Michael's Craft Store on a day that they were having a job fair for craft instructors. On my way out the door, I just happened to see the sign, and saved the number on my cell. I called the next day and got an appointment and after a couple weeks of minor mixups (they lost my background check) they finally called me in and asked me to fill out payroll information! So you are looking at the new Jewelry Instructor for Michael's!

What's great, is that this won't interfere with being a SAHM at all. I only need to teach 2-3 projects a month, and if I offer a morning and an evening class, that's still only 6 classes a month I have to teach. The evenings are great, because my husband will be home from work, and I can make arrangements for the morning classes as well. Come fall, my oldest two boys will be in school, so that only leaves my little one who would be in need of a sitter those mornings, and it's just for 2 hours. It shouldn't be a problem.

Anyway, I'm really excited and nervous at the same time! I've taught Bible Studies and Women's Meetings in the past, but never something like this where I have to actually make sure they walk away with a completed project that they can be proud of! I have to use Michael's products exclusively, so it might be a little hard to come up with new ideas and techniques to teach, but I'm going to do my best!

It's going to be nice to get to spend some time with other adults for a change!

Help Me With Formatting?

For the life of me, I cannot figure out why I can no longer leave a space between paragraphs when I post. I leave spaces as I type, but when I post, they are no longer there. Without them, it just looks like a jumbled mess. Can anyone help?

I've messed with my settings, checked out the Help center and wasted nearly an hour trying to find out how that works, to no avail. Obviously, I am no computer genius. If anyone can offer me any assistance, I would be greatly obliged. :)

And now it's mocking me. For some reason it is working in this post, but did not work in the previous 6 or 7. Strange. It also will not allow me to go back and edit the spaces into my old posts.

It seems I have a mystery on my hands.