Craft Show

Eventually, the remaining fabric pictures will appear in an etsy store. Eventually. For now, here is a sneak peak at the cuteness. Stay tuned.

The Sketchbook Project 2012

So, there is this really cool traveling sketchbook show that I am currently debating whether to participate in this year. It's the Sketchbook Project by The Art House Co-op. Basically, anyone from anywhere can participate. They send you a blank sketchbook, you pick a theme, fill up the pages, send the sketchbook back, and then it goes on tour. I thought about trying it last year, but the idea of filling an entire sketchbook scared me a way. I love sketchbooks. Other peoples sketchbooks. Especially the ones that are works of art in themselves. Some artists are tremendously talented at turing a simple sketchbook into something beautiful. I've never been one of those people. My sketchbooks have usually been scribbles and, well, sketches of something that might become something someday. I've used them as a place for rough drafts, often tearing out pages I did not like. But at the same time, I've always wanted to be one of those people with the beautiful sketchbooks.

The 2011 tour came to Atlanta and a friend and I spent a few hours perusing through some of the sketchbooks. There were over 10,000 of them! Yes I said 10,000! I looked through approximately 10-12 of them. Just being there, surrounded by the books sparked my desire to have my own book among them next year. Not all the books I saw were perfect works of art. Mine doesn't have to be. I should do it just for fun. Right? Right?

New Blog!

I'm starting up a new blog dedicated to my writing. Duke and Lola will now be all about art. If you would like to follow my adventures in novel writing please check out:

A Novel Experiment

Stay tuned for more art!

Atomic Punk Space Cadet

This year's Halloween Costume is my favorite so far. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if it would all work out. I couldn't find the exact pattern for the dress I wanted to make, so I altered one that was kind of close. Besides that, I pretty much made it up as I went along. All the little girls that saw me in costume were fascinated and drawn to me. Must have been the pink hair!

NaNoWriMo

November is just around the corner, and so is National Novel Writing month. I placed a link on the side bar. Last year, I took the challenge set forth by NaNoWrimo and tried to write a 50,000 word novel in only one month. I did not make it to 50 last year, and I am still debating on whether to try again this year. I had set a personal deadline for myself to finish at least one manuscript before November, to free myself up to participate in NaNoWrimo again. I'm still not anywhere near where I need to be on either of my novels in progress. So the verdict is still out.

I've come to the realization that I need to adjust my writing schedule. As it stands now, I usually only write on Sundays and I loose my momentum between each week. I've tried writing a bit during lunch breaks at work, but that doesn't leave me enough time to get immersed in the story. So last week, I decided to try to get up early and write before work. The days I succeed in dragging myself out of bed are great, and hopefully I can make a habit of it. Otherwise, it's going to take me forever to get a first draft finished.

Illustration Friday

Caged

I saw the most ridiculous fashion trends while researching for work the other day. One of them happened to be men's ties made out of feathers. They looked rather creepy. When I saw that the word for Illustration Friday this week was "caged," this image popped into my head. Bird cage headdress anyone??

Shut Up!

At least, that's what I'm trying to tell myself. Just shut up and write! I have had a couple of good writing days since my last post, but only a couple. More often, I sit down to write and start to question everything. It usually goes like this: is that the right direction for this story? Is it any good? Maybe I'm just kidding myself and I am meant to only be a reader. You see, mean. Shut up, right?

I am capable of writing a novel. I have written novels in the past. I do have good ideas that make good stories. The first draft does not have to be perfect. I can do this. These are the things I should be telling myself, what I will start telling myself. And hopefully, the mean little voice will go away.

My advice to myself is this: Writing is what you love, so let the characters take you on this journey and enjoy the ride. Stop worrying about doing it wrong. Remember that art is subjective.

Just write.