I have decided!

If you read my previous post on my business Goals for 2011, I posed a few questions to myself about the future.  So . . . I have decided, in part, what I want to do.  The 'decided part' is to start a new blog with an emphasis on writing, not handcrafting.  I love writing, and don't do enough of it. 

So, My new blog is called Abigail's Attic.  Here's my first post about my best friends!  Although the URL address for Abigail's Attic was already taken, you can find me at  http://atticreflections.blogspot.com/

I hope you will want to join me on this little journey!  I will be moving my river of stones posts to this site and, very soon, will be moving my Abby's story posts there too!  Yes, I will be finishing the story, for those of you who were following it last year. Yay!

Ambitious!  Maybe, but it will be fun!

Dew Drops of Life

I was cruising the blogs, yesterday, when I found one that had a challenge to write little short passages about a  polished moment of paying proper attention, called 'small stones'.  Reason for the exercise was to choose something to write about every day, to help you to connect, to help you to love everything you see - the light and the dark, the happy and the sad, the beautiful and the ugly.  The PROCESS of paying attention is what's important.

So, I have elected to write about the above picture for today.

Blades . . . emerald blades . . . arbitrarily random . . . soft, velvety and verdant . . . with the weight of the morning.  Weight not hard to bear,  not a millstone but life's vitality "a vapor that appeareth for a little while and then vanishes away".



What's Your Dream?

What's Your Dream? Challenge

Those of us who love to craft, like all the other people in the world, have dreams! It's always the question on any interview form: What do you dream about accomplishing? or Tell us your dreams for your business.

Dreams come in all forms. A little list of short term goals for your shop i.e. between now, thru Christmas and on into the New Year. Or a long term "someday" wish. The other day, I saw an interview where someone wanted to have her own show in a gallery. Another person wants to have her own studio. If you could express your dreams, how would you express them? Would you draw a picture of what you see in your thoughts? Would you get serious and write out a business plan? Is your craft business a means to a bigger dream? Or do you just push your dreams as far back in your mind as possible.

I like to make lists. Something practical that serves as a check list that guides me into the future. I'm more practical than flamboyant-- lists serve me well.

So, I decided to host a little challenge. Take a few days to think about your dreams. Write out some thoughts, and do a blog post about your dreams for your crafting business, or your family or whatever you dream about. I know, sometimes, we are afraid to put them tangibly on paper. It's a little scary! But, after you think about it, and gather your thoughts, do a blog post. Then, come back here to my blog, comment, tell me how it went and leave your link. Get all this done by August 14th and on Sunday August 15th I will list all of your posts in my blog. Also, I will be giving a surprise gift (in a reusable angel gift bag) for the most inspiring (to me:-) post!

Oh . . . . and tweeting, and facebook posts are appreciated to get the word out! Come back and comment about your tweets and FB posts, and I will use them if I need a tie-breaker!--I'm sure your finished products will all be wonderful!) I'll share mine on August 14th!

It should be fun to share our dreams! Happy dreaming!!

Creative Writing

After reading a creative writing magazine article about storytelling, an idea popped into my head! [To give due credit, the idea also came from a foundation of a blogger friends recent series of continuing posts about what to do with a six pound zucchini by homemadeoriginals!] The article author asked a series of questions that one goes through when thinking about writing a story. I asked myself some of the questions and came up with this idea: How many ways can I tell the same story? What are some of the different perspectives, or viewpoints that the story can be told through? What good can come from telling the story over again? And what new information can we glean or enjoy from the retelling? So in the interest of working on my craft--in this case--my writing skills, I will proceed tomorrow with "Twice Upon an Afternoon Stroll." I don't know how many times I will revisit this idea, but I should be fun to stroll together and I hope you will join me!