P Is For… Poem!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Mary Economou Green

Crafting Sisters

On yet another Saturday afternoon, sitting with a coffee,

I turn on the laptop, press the zoom link, and with anticipation

gaze intently at the gallery of welcoming faces on the screen:

hostess Amanda, weaving and fringing exquisite shawls,

Alexandra sketching inspirational calligraphy,

Carolyn coloring in Monet hues, Evey carefully crocheting,

Jonni making festive cards with a humorous twist,

Krissy busy journaling, Laura F sewing golden creations,

Laura R painting enchanting scenes in nature,

Nicole knitting complicated, comely sweaters,

Pam felting quirky gnomes, Rachel beading intricate jewellery

(as pet appearances interrupt with their alluring antics).

During discussions, dialogues, repartees, even rants, we

conquer pandemic distress, political angst, societal woes;

uplift ourselves from circumstantial sorrow, individual sadness.

We veer from mundane to philosophical, personal to universal,

ever-sprinkling kindness, laughter, compassion, friendship,

our circle of creative, charismatic, crafty crafting women.

December, 2021.

O Is For… Organization!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Tina Holland.

I have a visceral reaction to the word Organization.  I both love and hate it.

I love when each item in my house has its own spot on a shelf, in a drawer, on a hangar or in a closet.  But when the laundry stacks up, books are scattered, or my latest craft project has exploded in glitter all over my office, then I feel like a failure and I hate organizing my house back to its happy state.

I accumulate less these days.   Mostly because I don’t have the disposable income I had when I was employed so I’m more conscious of my purchases. I buy more ebooks and less real books, I check books and movies out from the library vs. purchasing them.  I buy less clothes, because I spend my writing days in sweats and loungewear.

I still have too much and I just inherited more stuff.  In some ways the stuff of my parents is harder to toss aside than the items I’ve accumulated over the years.

Enter “Swedish Death Cleaning.”  Here is an article that talks about the concept as it relates to personal possessions.

https://www.dumpsters.com/blog/how-to-do-swedish-death-cleaning

I used to get every issue of Storage Magazine and I’ve read Marie Kondo’s “Life Changing Magic of Tidying ” but it just doesn’t resonate the way Swedish Death Cleaning does.  One of the concepts of Swedish Death Cleaning is to prepare so your heirs do not inherit a mess.  So in many ways it encompasses all aspects of your life to include finances.   Perhaps that is why it is appealing.  In handling the aspects of my parents estate, I knew what I did not want to leave my children – the burden of having to figure stuff out.

In some ways it is similar to Marie Kondo’s concept of keeping items that spark joy and minimization, but also it feels less punishing in the sense that I haven’t done anything wrong because that was then and this is now.  I think too that it embraces a sense of legacy which feels very timely.

N Is For… Needle and Thread!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Laura F.

My first blog post for this challenge advocated inefficiency as a way of incorporating more exercise into one’s day.  My second post advocates a different kind of “inefficiency,” but this time applied to needle arts.

Sewing has been a passion of mine for decades.  Decades of experience, however, do not mean that I am the kind of skilled seamstress who constructs three piece skirt suits with two dozen different darts artfully shaping the jacket and a corresponding number of darts, pleats, and tucks transforming the skirt into something simultaneously tightly tailored and figure-flattering (not always a combination that go together).

No, my sewing specialty has always been the type of pattern labeled as “Super-Easy,” “For Beginners,” “Quick and Easy,” “Learn to Sew,” and so forth.  After all, why spend hour after hour after hour on one garment when there was an entire world of potential garments just waiting for my itchy fingers to seize the fabric and plunge right in?  Yes, I spent a lot on fabric, but hey! I spent so little on ready-to-wear clothes!  Besides, I only bought fabric on sale.  I wasn’t completely emptying my bank account and I was having a lot of fun.  Why not continue this same way forever?

Two words: fast fashion.  Like many people who do a lot of sewing, I felt smugly (some might say “insufferably”) virtuous about the fact that I didn’t buy the output of exploited workers in polluting factories run by what were surely evil people.

However, even in my smug cocoon, I gradually became aware that many people who sewed were getting concerned that home sewing could itself be part of “fast fashion.” What about the factories that pumped out fabric instead of ready-to-wear clothes?  What about the way textile workers were treated?  What about the environmental harm done by textile manufacturing?

Need I add that the kind of dirt-cheap fabric I had been in the habit of buying was the fabric equivalent of the worst excesses of fast fashion?

I didn’t want to give up sewing and I haven’t.  But I have made certain changes, some in where I find my fabric and some in how I sew that fabric once I have it.

Thrift store sheets are now the fabric with which I sew most often.  So much fabric!  Oodles of fabric!  Not only that, but the main concern most people have about thrift stores is that so few thrift store items actually get sold.  This might make donating to thrift stores problematic, but it doesn’t mean there are any problems buying from thrift stores.

Once I have this virtually guilt-free fabric, what comes next?  Not necessarily a trip to the sewing machine.  With the super-simple patterns I use, a project sewn on a sewing machine can be finished in a few hours and then.

But what about needle and thread?  What about hand-sewing?  Like all my other good sewing ideas, I did not originate this thought.  I first came across it in an article by a woman who advocated hand-sewing as a way to make sewing a more portable hobby.  I can attest that sewing without a machine DOES make sewing more portable and also – this is the big benefit that I have gained – much, much slower.

I’ve always found sewing supremely relaxing; hand-sewing adds another layer of relaxation because removing the whirring noise of the machine enables me to listen to music, to engage in conversation, or to watch a movie while I sew.  There is a meditative quality to hand-sewing that soothes the spirit.

Are the resulting items as sturdy as machine-stitched ones would be?  Absolutely not.  That’s why I reserve hand-sewing for items that I will not be putting to seam-busting, hem-ripping tests.  A delicate scarf, a loose bathrobe: these are the types of sewing projects where hand-sewing shines.

I expect a sewing machine to be a part of my household right up until the time when I depart for that sewing studio in the sky.  However, making hand-sewing an integral part of my sewing experiences enables me to keep enjoying one of my favorite hobbies in a more sustainable way.  Perhaps hand-sewing could do the same for you.

 

 

M Is For… Makerspace!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

What Is *A* Makerspace?

A makerspace is a place focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and technology all come together and where members can come to use shared tools to make new things. Sometimes called hackerspaces, they can be places where computer folx gather to make technology do things it wasn’t originally designed to do. The history is democratic and distributed, meaning there’s no one body with authority to say what is and isn’t the “way it is;” I’ve heard some say that the hackerspace movement goes clear back to the 1950’s with people working on bicycles to create human powered conveyances of incredible complexity and intricacy.

Makerspaces in pubic libraries and other public shared spaces tend to have expensive equipment that an individual wouldn’t necessarily own, such as a laser cutter, 3-D printer, etc. Collaborative shared  spaces have things like metalshop, woodshop, science labs, programming groups working on functional tech like Raspberry PI, ceramic kilns, sewing areas, and even weaving and spinning. Some have kitchens where members can practice food and fermentation science.

Image used under Creative Commons license.

What Is *Makerspace*?

When I say “makerspace,” I mean the shared space we create together when we put the focus on making. Whether that “making” is craft like knitting and weaving, or cooking, or home design, or coloring in a coloring book, the focus is on the act of creation and creative expression. To hold space for someone is to sit with them with whatever they’re feeling or thinking, without judgment and without offering advice. Giving them the space to be. Therefore, makerspace is holding space for us to be creative, together, and to support each other in that process.

Why Is It Important?

We are inundated with information. We have smartphones, tablets, smart watches, laptops, computers, televisions, and even smart refrigerators. We are surrounded by constant noise. This is not healthy. It floods us with inputs and drowns out our own, innate, inner voice. We can literally no longer hear ourselves think.

To step out of this, to set purposeful space and time aside from it, is not only healthy it is by its nature a radical act. All acts of creation are radical acts: the saying to the Universe, I don’t accept what is, I create the new. When we get caught up in the flow of consumer data and algorithm-driven input, we forget how to do this. Deliberately creating makerspace can help us to gradually remember how, and teaches us how to hold space for ourselves.

What we focus on, grows. The act of paying attention – think about that word, paying – focuses our minds and hearts on something specific. If we focus that on negative inputs like algorithm-driven news and infotainment, we are not, in fact, learning. We are numbing out to what is real – and worse, that negativity grows within us and we see more of it. If, instead, we focus on making, we begin to find opportunities to do so more and more. Try this: close your eyes and think of the color red. Think of flowers and paintings, the sunset, red lips, red nail polish. Think of strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, and apples. Hold that in your mind for the space of at least ten breaths. Then, throughout the next week, see how often you notice red in your environment. Look for it, and note it – even write it down.

The results might surprise you.

How Can I Play In Makerspace?

At Writer Zen Garden, we host weekly craft events on Saturdays from noon to 2:00 P.M. Pacific time. If you would like to join us, hang out and make something, drop your info in our handy form and we’ll include you in our next invite.

You can create your own makerspace by inviting some friends to gather. In the time of pandemic, when it may not be safe to gather in person, (or all your friends are on the internet), you can schedule a Zoom or Google Meet session and try it out.

You can look for events in your community, either by looking up “community calendar” with your community’s name, or check out meetup.com.

Humans are wired for community. If you can’t find yours, make it. Invite folks. Like they say in the movie, Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.”

Together, we can make it happen.

L Is For… Lettering!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Alexandra Sissulak.

My professional career started just over 20 years ago in the corporate world of personal lines insurance for the private clients and family offices. It would seem that work in the insurance industry seemed to flow through my blood based on several generations of various family members. No one ever really finds their way into insurance on purpose; it just sort of all-of-a-sudden just happens one day. Poof! One day you find yourself seated in front of several monitors at a desk in a row of cubicles doing somewhat of a thankless job day-in and day-out, scratching your head trying to figure out how you managed to find your way there.

Before I crash landed in the insurance industry, I was a mixed bag of who knows what. I swam, danced, sang, and played my flute through high school and college, among several other questionable and distracting activities. After college, my creative efforts expanded into photography and videography. Generally excelling in anything which required practice, discipline, tenacity, passion, creativity, and loads of determination. If it was something I wanted to try and do, I simply did it. With the appropriate amount of fear and trepidation, although never enough to deter or undermine me from my path, I pushed forward, breaking though barriers, and carried my way toward the intended destination.

Just over halfway through my career, I made a very bad decision that caused the entire train to derail and jump the tracks. While working for a woman whose image appears next to the definition of the “wicked witch”, I grabbed onto the thread of opportunity and shifted direction and decided to try something new, same industry, just different piece of the puzzle. This cycle of shifting gears went on for several years until I broke. I broke because I was utterly lost and horribly spent and burnt out; chewed up and spit back out again. Rock. Bottom.

It was there, where I was laid on the path, face down in the mud and dirt with the rain soaking me to the bone; cold, shaking, and stained with tears and mud. The dark sky was filled with ominous shadows and clouds, and I closed my eyes and just breathed. It was in that place that I realized not only that the world was so much bigger than me, but also that same world was so much smaller in relation to everything else.

When I staggered back up to my feet and shook myself off, I continued the path. Yes, it was the same path, however I decided I would see things through an entirely different lens and perspective. I also shed the filters, masks, and personas I developed along the way.  Obligation meant something entirely different to me after that. Need vs. Want became obscured.  Instead of racing forward in a mad dash of impatience, immediate gratification, and impulsivity, each step I took was mindful and firmly rooted in the present.

Because I had absolutely no experience in using this approach or living this way until now, I sought ways to become intimately familiar with it and stumbled upon a book “The Guide to Mindful Lettering” by Lisa Funk, and it changed my life. From there, a little branch appeared on my path that seemed to travel alongside my journey always allowing me to dip into my need to bring color, patience, mindfulness, and creativity in my life.  Through the practice of the basic strokes, I was able to satisfy my need for discipline. Using various and differing mediums, I began expressing my thoughts through words and color. It became a blend of visual and written art. Most of my creative efforts in life up until then had been mostly music and dance and lettering become another arrow in my quiver of creativity.

Lettering famous quotes, sarcastic and snarky phrases, or meaningful poetry has brought a space for reflection, thought, and contemplation into my life and feels like I’ve found a piece to a puzzle I didn’t even realize I had been missing before.

For me, lettering has become a way for me to express my truth. However imperfect or messy, brilliant and colorful, simple or complicated. It just is. I found a secret, or maybe not so secret, way to live my life in a way that imitates art. Studying and practicing various methods of creative expression, each representing an entirely unique perspective, has become an invaluable resource when fielding life’s inevitable curveballs.

Learning and practicing brush lettering, modern and pointed-pen calligraphy, and watercolor painting, brings a sense of balance, serenity, and tranquility of mind that my life had otherwise been completely lacking.  While moving through the yoga poses of the sunrise series or dancing provides a physical expression of creativity, there is continual room for improvement, growth, stamina, and flexibility.  Whereas my music performance generally lacks technically and precision, I more than make up for it with a passionate, emotive, heart-felt, and expressive interpretation of the piece.

Lettering feeds my mind and spirit, yoga and dance satisfy my body and mind, and music is playground for my body and spirit. It’s all connected. Mind. Body. And spirit. Personal creative evolution is a large factor in how I arrived at where I am today, and lettering has become a significant landmark in this journey.

K Is For… Killing your Darlings!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Tina Holland.

On Monday I talked about getting from Idea to “The End” of your story.  Today I want to talk about Editing or as is sometimes referred to as Killing your Darlings.

Killing your darlings is a phrase that came about because of the difficult time authors have with editing and probably more likely cutting scenes out.  I understand the cutting of scenes because my writing style is short so I feel every cut shaving off my word count which can mean I’m out of word range for my publishers.

That being said, editing is a very important process in readying your story for the market – whatever market that may be.

I personally love the editing process, but I understand how it makes authors nervous, so let’s talk about the importance of each type of edits and what they do to help your story.

  1. Developmental Editing – Sometimes this is called content editing. This is looking at the big picture of the story for plot holes and character inconsistencies.   I utilize my Critique Group for this as they are able to find most inconsistencies and ask the big questions regarding the story.
  2. Copy Edits – This is grammar and spelling. I recommend that all writers use their spelling and grammar checks in their writing software.  It doesn’t catch everything, but it will catch 90% of what you need to submit to a publisher.  Grammarly and Pro-Writing Aide have free versions you can use too.   A Lot of Indie Authors will pay an editor to look over their story before publication and this is the one most often used.
  3. Proofreading – This is the nitpicky details before you publish.  In my opinion this includes; formatting, cover design, back blurb, backmatter, and anything missed above.  Some authors use Beta Readers for proofing.  Actually this is a good spot to utilize family members who like to read.  While they may not be able to help you with your adverbs, they will tell you if page 16 is blank on the proof copy. 🙂

Editing should be thought of as scary. It is a way to improve your craft and make your story the best it can be.   That’s not to say there aren’t mean editors or critiques that won’t put you down to make themselves feel better because there are.   And if you’ve encountered a person like that then know they are the problem, not you.   There is a way to give feedback on a piece without eviscerating the recipient.   And really we are talking about  Killing YOUR darlings so ultimately any feedback you receive you can take or leave.  It’s your baby and if your story isn’t ready then nurture it a bit more until it’s ready for the world.

J Is For… Just In Case!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

By Rachel Wilder.

If you discover that the shelves are empty at your grocery store and can’t find what you need, it’s not because of overseas conflicts, politics, transportation issues, or the fault of last-minute panicked hoarders. It’s because you have dismal short-term memory skills and haven’t done anything to be prepared, even after 2020. So don’t bother now, you’ll just add to the mess. It was your decision to do nothing.

But your pet? They didn’t have a choice and can only rely on whether or not you actually care or thought about them before an emergency happens.

Emergency Planning for Your Pet: the Basics

  • 5 days or a week supply of food for your pet. Consistently.
  • Medications- refill before you run out. Consider having light sedatives on hand, like those used for fireworks, to help keep them calm.
  • Vet records- easy to find and put in a gallon zip-lock bag.
  • Leashes and collars with current information attached.
  • Microchip.

Plan to take your pet if you evacuate.

  • Sturdy carrier or kennel and the things needed for your pet to stay in it. Dishes, litter box, litter, scoops. Favorite toys and blanket.
  • Water- more than you think, in case you need to rinse them off.
  • Evacuation plan. Who can you go to if you must leave your home? Family, friends and hotels. Many shelters won’t let you keep them with you- remember Hurricane Katrina?

  • Emergency sticker for your home placed by the front door showing that you have pets that need rescuing inside and remembering to mark ‘evacuated’ or ‘safe’ when you leave with them.
  • If you plan to shelter in place- like in the event of a tornado or storm- plan for them as well- but do NOT hesitate to leave your home if that is a safer alternative. Deciding at the last-minute limits your options.

 

Think of them first, and think of them now. Because to them, you always come first.

Resources

There are many websites to help you.  Here are a few to get you started:

 

I Is For… Idea to “The End!”

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Tina Holland.

There are many ways to take your IDEA  to a finished short story, novella or novel. Some work better than others, but that depends on the writer and their strengths and weaknesses.

If you’ve been writing for any length of time you’ve probably heard the terms – plotter, pantser, and plantser.  If you haven’t, here’s a blog that defines those:

https://thewritepractice.com/plotters-pantsers/

There is no right or wrong way to take your IDEA and turn it into a story.  Whatever gets you to “The End” is most important.

I myself fall into the plantser category so I will speak to my process and hope that you are able to gleam some helpful hints from it.

  1. First I write a blurb for the book – sometimes this becomes my back blurb other times my book changes so much it will be radically different. This is basically my story idea.
  2. Next I research my characters. I choose their names and pick their birthdate, birth sign, do their numerology chart, and cast an actor/model/singer to play them.
  3. I plot the 12 key romance scenes and then I go ahead and fill in what I know. I utilize a template by C.S. Lakin.  Which can be found here. https://www.livewritethrive.com/resources/
  4. The steps above are my plotter steps, once these are done I start writing and I write whatever scene I want. Generally I start at the beginning, write a few scenes then go to the end and write that before coming back and working on the middle, and I almost always write love scenes last.
  5. If I struggle during stage 4 – then I go back and research my characters. I utilize “90-day Novel” if my characters require more introspection and motivation.
  6. Once I’ve completed the rough draft I go back and layer in setting, clothes and all the other details like eye and hair color.   Sometimes I have to do this before the love scene because people need to undress and readers like to know where this couple is for the deed.
  7. Now I go back and self-edit the novel. I personally love the editing process, but I’m weird.   Join me in a couple days when I discuss “Killing your darlings”.

 

H Is For… Hibiscus!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Alexandra Sissulak.

Recently, I was inspired to create personalized stationery. The paper serves as the foundation for written expression to thoughtfully communicate and share, vulnerable, deep-level ideas with other beautiful individuals; in worship of platonic love, respect, community, and resonance.  The design of the stationery is influenced by the imagery, meaning, symbolism, and medicinal benefits of the hibiscus flower.

Bright, delicate blooms dancing joyously in celebration with warm, gentle, tropical breezes. Blossoms lightly kissed with humid mists and painted with beads of nourishing moisture. Each petal, leaning further away, falling deeper in submission, arching their heart-center closer to the life-giving source of the sun’s fiery, brilliant, and virtuous rays. The edges of each delicate petal splayed like the hair of a lover relinquishing to rapturous pleasure.

The hibiscus flower is known to symbolize femininity, ephemeral beauty, romantic love and passion, friendship and hospitality, and joy. Representing the power of the divine feminine within the law of attraction; an inspiration of admiration and awe; hinting at fleeting opportunities of the few and far between, to seize the day; vibrant and attention-seeking, evoking openness and sincerity; and a purpose to honor life and happiness.

In spiritual stories and mythologies, hibiscus flowers appear as symbols of forbidden love or diversity; fleeting opportunities and the delicacy of beauty; passion, romantic fervor, and lust; personal power, fame, and wealth; and a conduit for the elevation of consciousness in order to connect with the divine, afterlife, and immortality.

Hibiscus, in the form of tasty, tart tea – similar to cranberries, is a healing ambrosia filled with antioxidants with the ability to cleanse the liver, lower blood pressure, and reduce fats in the blood.

Receiving a hand-written letter on this highly personalized stationery, filled with words flowing from the ink of a fountain pen, is my way of blessing, praising, honoring, and celebrating the recipient through the virtues and spirit of the hibiscus flower.

G Is For… Greek Myths!

Writer Zen Garden Posted on by

Contributed by Mary Economou Green

“Mythos” means speech and story, and Greek myths, originally orally transmitted, began to be written down over three thousand years ago. Myths are found at archaeological sites, on artefacts (including sculptures, wall paintings, vases), as well as in written texts. The function and importance of Greek myths is as varied as the myths themselves.  Some myths may offer historical facts (such as the Trojan War in The Iliad, or sea travel in The Odyssey). Other myths may pose aetiological explanations of nature (for example, the creation of the world, or the origins of humankind). Yet other myths may suggest religious rites. And they may contain all or some of these aspects. Yet perhaps most importantly, myths evoke human emotions and convey philosophical ideas of what it means to be human, and of the meaning of life itself. It is perhaps this aspect of Greek myths that have made them so transcultural and timeless. From antiquity to medieval, Renaissance, Romantic, as well as modern and contemporary periods in our human story, myths have been rewritten, reimagined, reconstructed – often metamorphosing ancient figures, stories, and themes. From Homer to Chaucer to Tennyson to Atwood to Riordan, myths have offered a rich foundation for a new story.

Greek myths exhibit a profound respect of nature, and contain elaborate constructs. For example, the union of Chaos and Eros bringing forth darkness then light, sky, earth, is one which led to the development of scientific thought. Greek myths reflect anthropomorphic gods who are less fearful than in other mythologies. Rather like superhuman beings (taller, more beautiful, eternally young), they yet display capricious natures and are neither omniscient nor omnipotent (even Zeus)! Myths also very importantly express the concept of the ‘soul’ and of an afterlife which suggests reincarnation. Perhaps most significantly, in Greek myths human beings are placed in the center; in fact, we experience the individual in a humanized world grappling with other humans, with erratic gods, and with the question of moira (fate), themes examined  in the great dramatists Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes. Of significance also is that Greek myths often convey a sense of justice, with an emphasis on arête (excellence, ‘good’), which inspired philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.

When we consider our world today, the legacy of Greek myth lives on. Take the Trojan War – we are still dealing with issues such as war, oppression, greed, ignorance, hate. Yet also in The Iliad and in Greek myths in general, we experience love, honor, friendship, and questions revolving around the meaning of life, destiny, justice. And in The Iliad, it is to Helen that Homer assigns the greatest role as creator of art; Helen who expresses the idea of art as immortal. While the war is raging, Helen weaves and sings, noting, “for the sake of dishonored me and the blind act of Alexander/us two, on whom Zeus set a vile destiny, so that hereafter/we shall be made into things of song for humankind in the future” (Iliad, VI, 356-8, my translation).