The Backstory: An Ode to Legal Pads -- and a Chance to Win

More than a century ago, back in 1888,
Paper scraps were thrown away,
Being considered second rate.
They called them sortings
Thomas Holley saw the waste
He took his motley hoardings
Glued them in a stack
Sold them in a pack
And thus the legal pad was born,
A boon to some, to some a thorn.
Iconic with its one and a quarter trim
Tall and narrow, perfectly slim,
That margin created for a judge's notes,
But I like these pads for my anecdotes.
Basic yellow contrasts so well with blue ink,
The clarity appeals to me,
And even helps me think.

I hate spiral bound notebooks. They're too flimsy and you can't use the total area. Composition notebooks are great for taking notes at conferences. Their stiff covers add support for when you're writing without a surface.

But for making lists, for working through problems, give me a legal pad any day. Something about them spurs my creativity.

What about you? Do you like legal pads?

Comment on this post before Friday and you could win a 12-pack of legal pads.

http://boingboing.net/2006/09/19/inventing-the-yellow.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4673512

 

My Favorite Coffee Mug -- and a Contest

I find it helpful to have a rhythm to my day, especially since I work at home. Without the need to be somewhere at at certain time, it's so easy to let the day get away from you.

I wake up around seven, throw on clothes and walking shoes, and take Jax for a long walkies. When we come back, I make him his breakfast, make myself breakfast, and make a cup of coffee in my favorite mug.

This is a mug that David (my husband) bought for me one Christmas. He said it reminded him of me. That is a compliment, because the design on the mug includes fashionable women in bright colors. Inside the cup it says, "Paris Is Always a Good Idea." That's a reminder of how we visited Paris when Michael was only 22 months old.

Something about the heft of this mug delights me. It's really a two-cup vessel. Not only does it remind me of David, and the good times we've had together, but it also reminds me to fill each day with beauty. And that, I think, is a wonderful way to start each day.

How about you? Do you have a favorite coffee mug? Why is it a favorite? Does it have a saying or an image on it? Please share!

On Friday I'll choose one lucky commenter and send him/her a Starbucks gift card.

That Aha! Moment When a Project Comes Together

 There is a moment in every creative endeavor when the imagined outcome becomes real--when you can see past the mess and the work undone to a successful conclusion.

I reached those points this week in both my newest book and in the dollhouse I'm entering in the 2016 Creatin' Contest.

HONEY B's SWEET SPOT

This is a love song to the quaint Lake of the Ozarks shops that I remember fondly. There's an inn called The Lodge of the Four Seasons, so Honey B's will feature all four seasons. But getting the project together has been challenging because I've been so immobile. At one point, I thought about pitching the whole mess.

But recently the floor plan showed promise. I could see how the pieces would fit. The front porch is shaping up, too. I love the old-fashioned metal chairs. I hope to add cushions to them.

To get that color of yellow, I used nail polish. The table is a fake barrel with a circle that looks like wood but is actually mat board. I stopped into a local framer's shop and asked if he had any scraps he was going to toss. He brought out a stack of mat board a foot high. I even made the shutters around the windows out of it. The pumpkin setting is by Betinha Murta, a very talented miniaturist.

Here you are looking down into the building.

I painted the back wall, and I've made a tree that will go in the left corner. The fireplace is egg carton bricks and paperclay. The gingerbread house is by Betinha. The table, chairs, and tea cart are plastic by Chrysnbon, but my husband's furniture repair guru gave me small bottles of the stain he uses. You would never guess these items were plastic. On the left wall is a vintage dollhouse cupboard. Can you see the bear in the far right? I'm planning to elevate him by putting him on a platform. There will be curtains over the windows, which is why I didn't add trim.

LOVE, DIE, NEIGHBOR

It started as a short story, but this prequel to the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series will be a full-blown novel. This isn't the final version, but I thought I'd share it anyway. Something about having a cover makes a book feel REAL.

Do you like it?

What Is in My Witch's Hutch...

Creativity feeds creativity. This week I've been working on two short stories for various anthologies. They've been challenging to write, as they don't involve the characters I know best, Kiki and Cara Mia. Several times, I've had to step back and take a macro view.

I ask myself these questions:

* Did I start this story in the right place?
* Have I done the right amount of description, but not too much?
* Is my research accurate?
* Does the story move along at a good pace?
* Is there a satisfying resolution at the end?

Typically, I would take a long walk on the beach and think all this over. However, after reviewing the Xrays of my right foot, doctors have advised me to walk as little as possible.

Instead, I've used crafting as a way to disengage. And it's possible, entirely possible that I've gone too far! Chris and I decided that for our second Dollhouse Decor & More book, we'd focus on Halloween. Miniaturists LOVE witches' cabinets. (Go to Etsy or Pinterest and you'll see there are tons of them for sale.) I decided to tackle my own version. Of course, buying the stuff to fill it would have been easy, but that was beside the point. I also didn't want it to be too cute. I wanted to straddle a line between gothic and fun.

I'll post a list of everything in the cabinet on my Facebook page, http://www.Facebook.com/JoannaCampbellSlan

Marvelous Monday Contest: One of a Kind Driftwood

Driftwood piece measures about 30" long and 7" wide. To see a larger image, click on the photo.

While walking on the beach, I often find intriguing pieces of wood that have been washed, weathered, and worried by the salt and sand. Dragging them back to the house can be a challenge, especially when they're as heavy as the piece in the picture above. But...I loved the round holes, the color and the texture. Unfortunately, there were stray screws that stuck out the backside. That meant I REALLY had to drag it home, because I have this rule: If the wood is dangerous to a person walking barefoot, I won't leave it on the sand for someone to step on.

I showed my sister, Jane, the piece. She fell in love with it, so I gave it to her. A friend of hers cut off the screws that stuck out on the backside. I don't know where she found the verdigris mermaid hanger with the porpoise hooks, but I think they're the perfect embellishment. Best of all, when she finished, she gave the piece back to me! Now it's destined to hang on my bedroom wall.

You see, when you make things, you wind up with fantastic belongings that are unique--like this one.

Maybe it's because I'm a writer, but I'm also drawn to anything with a story behind it. I'll always remember picking up that piece, seeing the screws sticking out, carrying it home (it was heavy!), showing it to Jane, giving it away, and getting it back!

~MARVELOUS MONDAY GIVEAWAY~

Tell me about something you made that's unique, and I'll send you a piece of decorated driftwood.

~ LAST WEEK'S WINNER~

The random number generator chose "Petite." If you are the person who commented using the avatar "Petite," you can claim your prize, a copy of Sweet Revenge, a Lady Arianna Regency Mystery by Andrea Penrose, by sending me an email at JoannaSlan@aol.com with your postal address. Please put Marvelous Monday in the Subject Line.
"Petite" has a week to claim her prize.

Concentrating in the Midst of Chaos

Unlike my life on Jupiter Island, where it's very, very quiet, and I can go days without seeing anyone, here in the metro DC area, I am surrounded by people.

Now people are okay. Lovely, interesting, enticing, but when I want to write, I see everyone in my world and paint them with one big word--DISTRACTION. Because when a live person talks to me, I can't hear my characters. When a living being asks, "What were you planning for dinner?" My cast of characters sit down and shut up. That illusive word, the one just beyond my grasp, flits away.

I can write non-fiction in any circumstance. Because I worked at several newspapers where there were no cubicles, only "bull pens," I trained myself to block out those distractions.

But with fiction, it's so much more subtle. With non-fiction,  you do your research or think through your premise, or construct your linear pattern, and then transpose that onto paper. With fiction, it's like being lost in the center of a giant labyrinth, and you have to choose a direction. Will you follow the lead of this character? Should you emphasize this plot twist? Can you expand on this interior monologue? Or do you need to trim that dialog and add a punchy cliff-hanger to the end of that scene?

Frankly, the gazebo looked just fine to me before it got a new coat of paint!

 Even when David is quiet in the other rooms, I feel myself waiting for him to speak, to need me, to do something! Anything! There's a sense that I can't totally let myself go because I might be interrupted! And that's my problem, not his. 


So when he went off to work, I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally! I could sink down into the world of my characters and know I wouldn't need to come out until I was ready.

But no sooner had David's footsteps faded than a crew of workmen arrived to paint the gazebo outside my office window. Bless their hearts, they talked and joked and banged around.

I seethed. I gnashed my teeth. In fact, I actually chipped a tooth in frustration!

I couldn't go on like this. I couldn't leave because I needed this particular computer configuration, and it's not portable. I couldn't ask them to leave because they were only doing their jobs! Then it came to me. I've tackled this problem before. So I clicked on the i-Tunes program and made a selection. For the rest of the afternoon, I switched off between Gregorian chants and "Learning Anytime," a mix of subliminal tones and music that aid concentration.

In fact, I found myself to be so productive while listening to my "noise blocking" tunes, that now I automatically turn them on when I start to write. I'm listening to them now!

How about you? How do you write through distractions? By the way, the Hemisync organization also makes a nice listening aid called, "Concentration." Have any of you ever tried subliminal aids like these?

Building a Fairy House

Growing up in Southern Indiana, I learned to entertain myself with whatever was at hand. My neighbor's yard had an old tree with exposed roots. Inside those roots, I built fairy houses.

This weekend I had an irrepressible urge to try my hand at yet another fairy house, but this time I didn't want the elements to make short work of my efforts. Months ago, I purchased a wooden box from JoAnn's Fabrics, knowing it would make a great miniature room box. A couple of weeks ago when we cleaned the garage, I found a light, a Christmas tree sized bulb on a switch. Last night I set to work.

Here's the empty box, the light fixture and a few "found objects."

I added burlap to the inside walls, and brown paper to the floor. I started gluing pieces of driftwood and roots from a ficus tree around the opening to make a frame. I also made a loft to the right.

I drilled a hole in the back and stuck the light through. I created a "fixture " to go over the bare bulb. The  fixture is a grouping of jingle shells, very thin shells, that gives off a warm golden glow. I also added seashells to the wood around the front opening. Oh, and I made a bed out of palm tree fronds, a "hamburger" sea bean, and three shells. There's also a table made of a stone and olive shells.

Here it is nearly done. There's a sofa made of a seagrape leaf, a footstool of a sea urchin shell, a ladder made of twigs goes to the loft. On the table is a placemat of palm fiber, a shell plate and food. See the chair of twigs?

For me this was like taking a mental vacation. Maybe that's why the Brits say, "Away with the fairies," meaning that someone has lost their mind!

Why It's Important to Protect the Creative Process

I think you're absolutely wise to protect your fragile creative projects as they're being brought into the world. There are certain stages of a project when you really should choose very carefully who you share them with. 
                                                                       --Linda Dessau, Creativity Portal

Lately I've had several experiences that have reminded me exactly how fragile the creative process is. Last week, a friend from Washington, DC, confided that during National Novel Writing Month, she gave up on the memoir she was writing. "I have a whole new respect for you authors."

When I queried her, she admitted, "The dialogue. It just didn't come out right."

I explained to her that on a first pass, it probably wouldn't. I encouraged her to try again. "This time, don't judge your work. Just blurt it out onto paper or your screen. Writing is a process of discovery." I recommended that she read William Zinsser's Writing to Learn.

A young man in Pittsburgh who writes poetry told me, "I quit. I couldn't get a whole poem I liked. It seemed to take me forever."

This tangle pattern was inspired by the work of one of my students yesterday.

I told him that Carl Sandburg was known to carry scraps of poems in his pockets. A line or two. A word. "Don't judge your work while its in progress. You have to sit down and invite the muse, because unless she's invited and you wait for her, she won't make an appearance." I suggested he read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.

A couple of days later, here in Florida, I attended an art exhibit. All the work was done by local elementary school students. And the work was magnificent! Unfortunately, the evening was ruined by the woman in charge. She simpered around behind the microphone and explained that we were all present to view the efforts of "students trying hard to be artists." After more dismissive commentary, she suggested that the students should come up as she called their names to claim their "little awards." (Yes, LITTLE awards.)

People like that are natural born killers of the creative process. When my friend quit writing her memoir, it was because she heard that woman's voice in her head. That's also why the young man put aside his poetry.

Last night I taught my second class in Zentangle. As I moved from student to student, my heart was full of love for all of them. It takes courage to be creative! I felt so very, very lucky to witness these brave souls as they tried their hand at something new.

What do you think? Do you believe that creativity requires courage? Do you hear a voice of negativity in your head when you try something new?

'Yes, and...' A Valuable Tool for Creative People

I've heard Chris Grabenstein's presentation on his days as part of an improv group twice now, and each time I come away inspired. One of the techniques the actors used was to tack on "Yes, and..." to anything their improv partners said. So if Chris and a pal were doing a skit about stuffed animals, and the second actor said, "My teddy bear owns an elephant," then Chris would reply, "Yes, and that elephant is purple. I love purple elephants." Or whatever.

When you're involved in the creative process, there're a lot of "Oops" moments. Times when things don't go according to plans. My sister, the art teacher, has counseled me not to give up too quickly on my artistic endeavors. Instead, Meg says I should see what I can do with what I've already done.

Chris uses the "Yes, and..." technique in his writing. I'm trying to do more of that. I'll admit it certainly adds to the unpredictability of any plot! I think it will, ultimately, make my work more lively and interesting.

Recently, I used the "Yes, and..." technique when working on my Zentangle designs. I tend to think of ink as permanent, don't you? Well, it's more maleable than you might think. I learned this while trying to correct a tangle with a white ink pen. You can use the white ink over black ink AFTER the black ink dries. Of course, you can't always tell when black ink IS dry, so that's a challenge. And then because I was so "into" what I was doing, I forgot I was working with ink and not with pencil! I tried to smear the ink the way I would graphite. And guess what? I had a "Yes, and..." moment! I learned that you can smear white and black ink!

Here's a sample of my process:

I was disappointed with this tangle. It's an attempt at "Punzel," a tangle that takes practice.




I defined the ribbons a bit more and added circles to the outside of "Punzel," the main tangle. I've started the shading process with those lines in the upper right circles.

Okay, now I put white ink over the black lines and smeared the two inks with the paper blender and my finger. I also used graphite to shade around the bottom of the circles and of Punzel. Finally, I thought the shading on the fourth ribbon from the bottom was too heavy so I went back over it with my white ink pen. Ta-da! Much better I think!

So I'm curious...can you think of ways you can use "Yes, and..."?

Decorating on a Dime

My sister, Jane, turned me on to HGTV. Now I'm addicted! As Jane says, "There's always a happy ending." She's right. And gosh, watching it sure gets your creative juices flowing.

My favorite program is the High Low Project. Sabrina Soto designs a jaw-dropping room for a lucky couple or person. Then she reveals the equally jaw-dropping cost. Next, she goes out and replicates that expensive decor for a fraction of the cost.

What have I learned by watching the show?

* Mix expensive items with cheap ones. No one will know, and you'll save buckets of cash.

* Shop around. You can find a cheaper copy of almost anything.

* Make it work. Repurpose things so that they serve your purpose, not the original one.

* Cover it with paint and no one will know. You can paint almost anything. Metal, glass, etc.

This empty bottle washed up on my beach. I added a smooth sea pebble, string, and a slipper shell. If you could see it in "real life," you'd see the wonderful pitted surface of the glass that makes the bottle very interesting.

* Study the high-price objects and copy them. I watched Sabrina and a co-worker replicate an expensive piece of art that looked like an empty wine bottle with a starfish stuck on it. That tickled me because I'd done a similar job on a bottle I found on the beach. (See above.) I felt great about recycling these found objects!

* Whip out that sewing machine and hop to it! The fabric portions of any room can easily be the most costly.

* Shop a variety of stores. My favorites are HomeGoods, Target, TJ Maxx, and Bed, Bath and Beyond. (Love their coupons.)

The second show I watch regularly is Secrets from a Stylist. Emily Henderson pinpoints clients' design style by observing what they like, listening to them, and asking them to choose one item from an array of things.

I looked in my husband's dresser drawer and saw all tailored clothes in khaki, white and navy. He sent down a model ship that he loved. He collects books about maritime antiques.

So this weekend I set to work. I knew our bedroom was a bit too fussy for my husband's taste. I admit it was bit too twee for mine. The bed was covered with a busy patterned dust ruffle, a white coverlet, and pillow shams that were too frou-frou. Instead of being soothing, the effect was tiring.

I found a Ralph Lauren coverlet at HomeGoods for only $40. I added a tailored bed skirt and shams that I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond with my coupons for 20 percent off. Around the flange of the shams, I added a navy grosgrain ribbon. I moved pillows from the livingroom into the bedroom, which was a good repurposing because there were too many pillows on sofa. It had become annoying to move them each time I wanted to sit there. I found an ivory throw at Target, along with a wonderful lamp that looks like a surveyor's instrument. The brass trim on the stunning wood is reminiscent of sailing devices. You can barely see my recycled glass bottle on the side table.

I think the finished look is much more tailored, sophisticated and...nautical. I hope David likes it! I find it much more restful and soothing.

See the surveyor-ish lamp? Next to it is the salvaged bottle. The trim on the ivory pillows is ribbon hand-sewn on and also adhered with "magic" hem tape.

Living and Giving Hope--This Bracelet Could be Yours!

by Joyce Roseman

As a creative artist, one never knows where their stroke of genius might take them. In our family, we have had many laughs over the “pipe dream” ideas we thought could make money. Perhaps you can relate!

Over the years, I have worked as a wood crafter, seamstress, faux painting artist, formulated the best recipe for gourmet biscotti and become a redesign/ trash to treasure expert! There was never a shortage of creative juice in our home. I lovingly created a beautiful home for our family from thrift store finds, cast off’s from friends or treasures in the trash! I was the queen of thrift store shopping before it was cool and hip!

One such stroke of genius caused us to build a pergola on our back patio from a neighbor’s throw away lumber. I posted pics on HGTV and DIY Ideas websites, both of which gave me some national recognition! In August 2008, I was featured on the 3rd episode of HGTV’s new show, Rate My Space!
Two years ago, my husband, Glen, had another creative stroke of genius. As is common for a music teacher and family of musicians, he was always changing someone’s guitar strings. One day while wrapping the old strings, he had a thought and shared the idea with me. It took me about 4 months to consider his idea. What can I say! I had run thin on “pipe dreams” ever turning into valid occupations. But, I listened and got to work creating the first recycled guitar string jewelry designs! We began to share the idea with friends and before long we were selling Strung Up Jewelry to friends, family and at shows. It was thrilling to say the least!

At this same time, Glen and I had launched a non-profit foundation. Concerts of Hope Inc’s mission is to give hope to persons suffering with mental illness. My husband has successfully battled mental illness since the age of 17. As a couple, we have gained valuable insight into how to maintain your dignity in spite of the stigma and stereo types surrounding bipolar disorder. We had lots of opportunities to throw in the towel and give up, but instead we clung to hope in spite of some really adverse times.

Our dream was to travel the US sharing music, art and our inspirational life story every where we could. So, we put together a plan. The summer of 2010 was spent selling everything we owned. By August, we had purchased a 5th Wheel RV and this was now home for us and our three teenage daughters! We exchanged suburban life for life in 350 square feet!

Funds ran a little low and things didn’t go as planned. Our daughter sold her beautiful Honda Civic after 3 months but we just could not sell our van. So, plans to buy a truck to pull our 5th wheel were put on hold.

November was upon us and TN was getting cold. We needed to move to warmer climate. But how? Well, the cool thing is, nice people are everywhere (if you look for them). Not by coincidence, we met a couple who offered to tow us to our first destination – Florida. A family had offered to host us on their beautiful 10 acre farm in Deland, FL. And so for 4 ½ months we enjoyed Florida farm life and got better acquainted with RV life.

By spring 2011, another friend offered to tow us to our second destination. Being parked close to the beach in south Florida has been really wonderful. We were able to find some really great locations for vending and have been having a swell time selling Strung Up Jewelry. Not to mention we have met some amazing people who love what we are doing! It was here in the sunny south that I met a beautiful lady by the name of Joanna while scouting for sea shells. Coincidence? I don’t think so!

Well, patience finally paid off. The final pieces to the puzzle had come together and we purchased our truck. We had the 5th wheel hitch put in our truck just last week. Now, the opportunity to finally travel all over the US is finally becoming a reality.

Living and giving hope to people is what we are all about. I believe being creative is a real gift and being able to make a living doing it is a little slice of paradise! If our family can inspire people to do anything, it is to “FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.” And – don’t ever give up – never. Our non-profit foundation seeks to inspire people to follow their dreams, pursue mental health, manage their lives, and seek faith. Through art, music and sharing our life story, we hope others will be inspired to Live and Give Hope!

To learn more about our family visit the following links:

Concerts of Hope

Strung Up Jewelry


Sincerely for Hope,

Joyce Roseman

**
How This Bracelet Could be Yours!

Note from Joanna--I'll randomly select one lucky commenter and Joyce will custom made a bracelet like the one above for her/him. You have until Tuesday to respond!

Expand Your Creativity with This Simple Tool--and the Jane Austen Book Goes to...

I asked Sue Grafton what she was going to do when she got to the end of the alphabet. As most of you know, she's famous for her A Is For Alibi,etc., mystery series. She said, "I just hope I can make it to the end of the alphabet. It gets harder and harder to come up with new ideas and I don't want to repeat myself."

All of us creative types get stuck in ruts. Scrapbookers use the same color combinations over and over. Stampers use the same inks. Authors create characters with the same or similar personalities, physical characteristics, or backgrounds. And those who love to Zentangle use the same patterns over and over. So my Zentangle teacher came up with a brilliant idea. She created a icosahedron, a twenty-faced "polyhedron" that can be rolled like a die. On each of the faces, she put a different "tangle," or Zentangle design. Now when she gets stumped or can't decide what to draw, she simply rolls her die.

I loved the idea so much that I made a pair of dice for myself with Zentangle designs on all the sides. In fact, I think the idea is so cool and creative that I plan to make a pair or more of dice with character traits. One might have physical characteristics. One might have backgrounds--ethnic, social, religious. One might have professions, and so on.

That's another reason I love crafting. Once your creative juices start flowing, you never know what ideas will come!

Want to make your own icosahedron? Here's a pattern.

**

JANE AND THE MADNESS OF LORD BYRON

Our winner of this copy of Stephanie Barron's newest book is Liz V. Liz, if you'll email me at joannaslan@aol.com with your details, we'll get the book right out to you.

Grant Yourself Permission

Without a doubt, the most common questions I'm asked are:

1. How long does it take you to write a book? That depends on the book. Anywhere from a month for a first draft or 18 months or "I wish I knew because I've been working on this idea for years."

2. Have you always wanted to be a writer or did you just one day decide this is what you wanted to do? Always. As a kid, I stapled papers together, wrote on them, and called them "my book."

3. Do you outline? Are you a planner or a pantser (a by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer)? A little of both. I start with a scene or the opening chapters. I work on them to get the voice and the mood. From there I begin to take notes, do exercises, and complete an outline. That is usually modified as the book goes on.

4. What's your average day like? Do you write every day? I try to. I'm not as dedicated to a schedule as I should be. My family comes first. However, even if I'm not working on a book, I generally work on something--blog post, prepping for interviews, editing--every day.

5. Is this your day job? I'm lucky that right now this is my primary job. That said, I still do the laundry, make dinner, and clean my house.

6. How did you know if your book would sell? I didn't. But I wanted to write that particular story, so I did. Afterwards, I felt pretty confident someone would enjoy reading it. But, there are no guarantees in this business. I've seen people with contracts whose books haven't seen the light of day.

7. Where do you get your ideas? I have a big bucket next to my desk. Whenever I need an idea, I reach in and pull one out.

Seriously...my ideas come from all over. Some of them percolate for years. I've been noodling one around, and liking it a lot, but I couldn't get past a certain hurdle. Then I talked with Jeri Westerson while we were at Murder in the Magic City. I told her my idea, I told her the hurdle and she laughed. "Hey, it's fiction. Go for it. I love that idea."

Once in a while, all we really need is PERMISSION. We don't need answers to questions. We don't need expert opinions. We just need a green light. And too often, we look to other people to give us that "go ahead." That's a shame because we give away our power.

When Jeri laughed and gave me permission, I flashed back to a similar conversation with my friend Rosemary Laurey. "It's fiction. You make the rules," Rosemary said.

Hmmm. In that big bucket of fish, I spot a live one!

Everyday Is Mother's Day Memory Questions

(Clockwise from 12 o'clock position: me, Meg, Mom, and Jane.)

I'm a little late with this post because my plane didn't get in last night until after midnight. I flew from Miami to St. Louis after visiting with my mother and sisters, and I was pretty zonked!

People often compliment me by saying, "You are so creative." But really, I'm just one of the four creative women in my family. My mom was a classically trained ballerina, and she's always been a whiz at choreography and coming up with dance ideas. My younger sister Jane has done bead-work for earrings, runs her own blog (SleepCompass.com) and loves to decorate, and my youngest sister Meg is an art teacher at an elementary school, plus a font of all sorts of crafty ideas. Meg taught me to scrapbook. All of us are, in my humble opinion, amazing in our own ways, perhaps because whatever one of us doesn't think up the other surely will.

So Meg got this middle-of-the-night idea. She wrote out these questions for all of us to answer when we went to brunch on my final day in Florida:

Meg's Mother's Day Memory Questions

1. Using your 5 sense, what are some memories you recall from growing up:

* Touch

* Taste

* Smell

* Hearing

* Sight

2. Name 1 thing your mother taught you--

3. Name 1 thing you'd thank her for--

4. Name 1 thing you really appreciate that she did for you--

5. Write a quote your mother often says:

6. Describe a memorable event or trip:

Over brunch, we filled out the questionnaire. The answers led to many great memories, and lots of laughter. I asked Meg for a copy of all our responses, and she suggested I take some blanks home. I plan to have my son and my husband fill these out. Jane thought she should have her mother-in-law and daughter fill them out, too. I think it'll be a pretty interesting family map, defining continents of interests, seas of shared values, and mountains of memorable moments.

So, I'd like to hear what YOU think about the quiz. And whether you try it with your family.

P.S. As I flipped over the papers, while I was copying the questions for this blog, I discovered Meg's answer to "Name 1 thing you'd thank her (your mother) for--" and somehow, I'd forgotten or hadn't heard this over our meal. Meg's answer was, "My sisters."

Being Creative on the Cheap

Last month I bought a handful of "special" holiday cards to accompany gift cards for my family members. When the cashier rang these cards up, I nearly fell over. I'd spent nearly $20 on greeting cards. Umph. I'm far too cheap for that. I vowed, "Never again!"

So last week I was in Target. (That's TAR-GZEY in case you're sounding it out.) I found a package of 50 blank, brightly colored cards with matching envelopes for $14 and change. Now I can easily make cards, but I hate making envelopes. This packet was right up my alley.

To make the whole shooting match even thriftier, I decided to challenge myself. I decided I would only use materials from my "extra" stash box. (At least, I'd start with my extras and then add to them, as I needed more loot.) See, I keep a cheap plastic container on my scrapbooking table, and when I make an extra embellishment or cut too many letters or whatever, I toss the extra in my stash box.

Over the course of an hour, I was able to create 8 fun greeting cards using my new blank cards and my "extras." Even more fun, because I'd challenged myself to start with the old homeless pieces, I had to really be creative. I had to look at all the old stuff with new eyes.

The cards don't have sayings on the outside of most of them, but that's fantastic. I can customize them for whatever occasion comes up!

And not only do I now have a fun new set of cards, but I also cleared away some of my old odds and ends.

What do you think? How about challenging yourself? Use up your leftover materials and stretch your creative muscle.

Need a Good Night's Sleep? Read this...

The Over-Stimulated Mind

I've learned the hard way not to read a scrapbooking magazine before bed. The ideas buzz 'round and 'round in my brain and I don't drop off to sleep. Has that ever happened to you? Ever get so wrought up about a project that you can't sleep? And I don't mean worried. It's not that...it's more like creative overdrive. The ideas fly around like popcorn in a ripped bag in the microwave.

I mentioned this to my sister, Jane. She works in a sleep lab. Honest! Her job is to help people figure out the reasons behind their insomnia. According to her, insomnia is a national epidemic, one that never happened until our nation went to 24/7 television.

At http://sleepcompass.blogspot.com/ she's posted a list of great tips for getting a good night's sleep. One being never to use your bedroom for anything but sleep and sex. (No idea books allowed.) She shares her blog with another sleep tech and a doctor who specializes in sleep issues. Visit them for all sorts of ideas on sleep--gleaned from decades of working with the problems that keep us from catching those much needed ZZZZZZs.

Here she writes about Courage, her delightful Chihuahua and what we can learn about our sleep from his...and how what we think about can give us--or keep us from--a good night's sleep. (The lovely young lady in the photos is my gorgeous niece, Lexie.)

The Courage to Sleep Like a Dog

by Jane Campbell

And he does, bless his heart. He's a happy boy. Cheerily dragging one of my nieces' Beanie Babies down the hallway, through the kitchen off into the netherlands of the laundry room. Checking out the cat's food and ignoring his own. Pouncing on Spike, the only 20 lb cat with claws in the house, eager to play. When he wants to play, he does, when he wants to eat, he does and when he wants to sleep, down goes the eyelids on those huge Chihuahua eyes. Wherever there's a bed, he lays his head. 180 count sheets or 500, Ralph Lauren bedding or Dora the Explora, 11 o'clock in the morning or 11 o'clock at night, down he goes. He never has "one more thing to do," one more email to check, one more deadline to meet.

Courage trusts. Courage believes. Courage has no fear. That when he shuts his eyes, he'll sleep, opens his eyes, he wakes.

All this is nice and poetic and politically correct. But in my heart of hearts, I know there is another reason why sleep comes so easily to him. He has a clean soul. (Spike sleeps well too, but clean slate? That's another story.) Courage is a little furry piece of Paradise dropped down from heaven in the form of a very, very small dog. Yes, I know dog=God spelled backwards. And so must he. I look at him wonderingly as he sleeps, paws pointed heavenward and know, just know, he's never lived with regret. No "what ifs" and "should haves." He never has a day where he hates himself or life or when he has to convince himself the purpose of it all. He shuts his eyes and sleeps and as I rub his ears or stroke his fur when he snuggles up against me, he shares with me his Peace.

A Creative Fugue State--A Holiday for My Brain

Blame it on Camille Minichino (aka Margaret Grace).

I was on my way to Florida for Spring Break when I emailed her if she’d like some sea shells for her miniatures. She wrote back, “Oooh, yes, I have a little beach scene on my bookcase, and it's seriously lacking shells!”

But somehow I read that as “ Oooh, yes, I have a little sea shell shop on my bookcase, and it’s seriously lacking shells!”

Funny how my mind works. I went to South Carolina and picked up tiny sea shells from the beach. But the whole time, I was thinking about a sea shell shop, which was something I’d intended to create for myself in miniature for years. In fact, I couldn’t get this project out of my brain. One night while I was listening to the ocean, I went online and found http://www.wannainelpaso.com/ I entered a fugue state, which is defined as an altered state of consciousness in which a person may move about purposely and even speak but is not fully aware. My mind was buzzing with ideas. When we got home from South Carolina, I went to Michaels, coupon in hand, and bought a paper mache “hat box” plus a wooden hutch and several bottles of acrylic paint.

On Friday, my husband left town for a business trip. Since then, I’ve done nothing but work on my sea shell shop, ruining a perfectly good manicure but having a ball.

It’s not entirely done…I want to add a few more things and then I’ll close it up and cover the outside and the lid. I made everything but the mermaid (I painted a statue of Ariel), the hutch, the paintings. I created the rug, the lights, the shell trimmed mirror, the table, the chair (except for the painted shells), the postcard stand, the plant, the shelving unit, all the shell displays and so on. In the "ceiling," I put tiny lights. Then, I draped the sparkling net over it to catch the 20 miniature "fireflies."

I’m curious. Do you enjoy more than one hobby? Do you ever get a creative impulse that’s so strong you can barely control it? Have you ever spent two days in your jammies working on a project and forgetting to eat? I feel so refreshed. I've been working on my writing for so long...I'm about 1/3 of the way through Book #3 of my scrapbooking mystery series...that this feels like a restful vacation. A holiday for my mind and my creative juices.

How do you like my sea shell shop?

Celebration!

There’s little to rival the sense of accomplishment felt when a writer sends off a manuscript under deadline to a publisher, as I just did yesterday for my sixth Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery. On time, too. My deadline is August 15, and even when I’m done early I tend to sit on a manuscript for a while and re-read it a couple of times when my mind is fresh.

But there’s more than a sense of accomplishment when I kick my babies out the door for other people to read. There’s angst, too. Did I catch all the typos and inconsistencies in the final draft? More important, did I overlook something even more major--something even Kendra didn’t catch and complain about?

I had my story reviewed by critiquing friends before it became final, and they were great at catching a couple of timing issues I’d initially missed and making other suggestions. And before typesetting and publication, the manuscript will also be read by my editor, a copyeditor and others who hopefully will see anything I didn’t note and give me an opportunity to fix it. Better yet, they won’t find any problems, not even nits, since none exist!

Things have certainly changed since I started to sell novels. I mailed a hard copy of this book off by snail mail. Priority Mail, but snail mail nonetheless. I also e-mailed a version to my editor. I could have put it on a disk and sent it with the manuscript, but this seemed faster, and less likely to disappear by the time the story is ready to get typeset--assuming that’s still what they call it these days, when the type isn’t either cold or hot metal.

Oh, yes. My main blog subject is pets, so I’m not necessarily on topic today. Well, my Lexie, whose counterpart stars in my Kendra books, is proud of me for my accomplishment. She sat on my lap yesterday afternoon after I returned from the post office and licked my chin.

I like this story. Kendra likes this story, even though she goes through a lot, murder magnet that she is.

Soon, I’ll have to start getting my jumbled thoughts together for the next Kendra book. I’ve got some ideas already jelling, but in the meantime I have some work to do on other books as yet unsold that are tormenting my mind....

--Linda

My blog is... no blog!

I'm sorry to say that my blog entry is that I don't have anything exciting to say this week! Unfortunately, I'm too bogged down with life to blog. But I promise I'll have a really good entry next week. It's already in process. Stay tuned!

--Linda

Size Does NOT Matter

So...I was happy making a page the other day when I found myself stressing out because I was using two 4 x 6 inch photos.

See, most of the magazines lately are showing these oversized photos as the focal points on pages.

And I started to feel bummed. Right in the middle of working on the page! Up until then, I was enjoying the colors, the textures, and the theme. But this crummy feeling crept up on me, and I thought, "Really, Joanna, you are just not cutting edge anymore. How pathetic."

(Do you talk to yourself like that? I do. Sad, eh? Mainly it happens when I'm tired, and I've been tired lately. Funny...I wouldn't let anyone ELSE talk to me like that.)

A day later, I received my February/March issue of Scrapbooks etc. Magazine. Inside was an entire article on getting creative with 4 x 6 inch prints. And a few days later ScrapBook Inspirations, my favorite UK magazine, arrived and it showed a page sketch built around 4 x 6's and a gatefold album solely of 4 x 6's.

Here's my point: Everything old is new again.

Here's my other point: This hobby is a particularly trend-driven one. And if I stress over that, I ruin it for myself.

And here's my third point (because 3 is such a good number): Guilt and creativity do NOT go together.

So, I'm going to get back to making pages, and I'm not going to care about the size of my photos. At least, not until the next attack of the ucky comparisons.