Alive & Knitting
writing, knitting, and other tangled webs we weave

Feb

8

Week Two Check-In

Filed Under Miscellaneous Musing, Writing

So, how is your journey with The Artist’s Way going?

Did you do your artist date? What did you do?

How about those morning pages? Doing them every day?

I found it really easy to get back into the habit of doing the morning pages. I’ve done this program so many times and each time I start, I wonder why I stopped doing the pages. They’re easy and they work, and they don’t take that much time. It’s amazing how much garbage clutters up my thoughts on a daily basis. The pages let me dump it out and move on. It’s like taking out the trash!

I’m trying to be vigilant about keeping my artist dates. This has been the part that I’ve skipped over or evaded in the past, so I really want to conquer it this time. What I really want is to see how much difference it makes. This past week, I went to a fabric store – still on my fabric thing – but I allotted lots of time to do it. It’s a store I go to often, but I never really look around. Instead of dashing in for a spool of thread and out again, last week I took the time to look at all their fabrics. They had a lot of new spring stock in, plus I went through the quilting fabrics, which I’ve never looked at there before. Brought home a little pile of pretty fat quarters to play with. They’re in bright colours, colours I don’t usually buy, but I liked them. It was fun – and yes, I am a cheap date!

In terms of the writing, I had a very good week. It’s been a while since I’ve had that sense of the words just flowing from my fingertips but it’s back – thanks to Julia Cameron and The Artist’s Way. It’s a very good feeling.

So, how did all of you do?

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Feb

5

Blog Interview at Paranormal Haven

Filed Under Dragonfire, Promoting

Recently, I chatted with Steph, who co-authors a blog called Paranormal Haven, about matters Dragonfire. Well, the interview is posted today, and Steph is even hosting a contest. Thanks for the interview, Steph!

Pop over and have a look.

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Feb

4

Booked!

Filed Under Promoting

Well, it’s done. I’ve booked for the Romance Writers of America’s National Conference, to be held in Nashville this July. The conference runs from July 28 to the 31st and will be at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

I’m not teaching any workshops this year, but will be signing at the Literacy Signing, and will be attending the luncheon on the Booksellers & Librarians Day.I should mention that neither of my 2010 releases will be available at the Literacy Signing – I’ve requested WINTER KISS and GUARDIAN. August and September titles won’t be available at the time of the conference.

I’m quite looking forward to the conf this year – probably because I didn’t go last year and missed seeing everyone.

Anyone else planning to go? It would be fun to see some of you there!

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Feb

3

Eye Candy

Filed Under Miscellaneous Musing

Sadly, I don’t have a cover to share with you yet. It’s close, though!

This is about a different kind of eye candy. FABRIC!

Alicia’s comment yesterday – and my recent rummaging through my fabric stash – has got me looking for fabric eye candy. Here’s a designer who creates some wonderful fabrics – Amy Butler. I liked her Midwest Modern collection (oh yes, a few followed me home) but I really like this new Love collection. (Her site is a bit slow for me, just FYI, although it might be my ISP. I’m having better luck seeing the fabrics on the Westminster Fibers fabric site, which also has Kaffe Fassett fabrics to ogle.)

In fact, I’d love to make a quilt in all her fabrics – because it would be hard to choose which ones to add to my collection – even though that would mean (yes) more stash.

Go play. :-)

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Feb

1

Week One Check-In

Filed Under Writing

So, did you start the Artists’ Way with me last week?

This first chapter contains what might be my favourite metaphor of all time – that of stocking your pond with new images and new ideas so that you have a new store to use in your creative work.

Are you doing your morning pages?

Did you go on your artist date to refill your pond?

I decided to play with fabric this week, and dug out my fabric stash. I have done a lot of sewing and quilting in the past, but not recently. My stash was a mess, everything at sixes and sevens, because I had jammed in things where there was space instead of where they belonged. So I spent an afternoon unpacking the whole lot, playing with colours and textures, rearranging the fabrics, ironing some that looked abused. I had the stereo on and the sun was shining and it was a wonderful relaxing afternoon. I felt restored – and organized – afterward.

What did you do for your artist?

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