January's writers group

Over Christmas with a little time to myself I finally managed to finish a story.

The start was easy, as they so often are, but then I got a bit stuck.  My character takes his dog for a walk in the park and they find a footprint in the snow.  But who's footprint?

I put it to one side and did something else.  

Just before Christmas I re-read The Shining by Stephen King.  I particularly love the hedge animals and I suddenly realised that my footprint didn't have to be from a 'living' creature.  Suddenly everything became clear.

I read it out to the writers group today to be greeted by silence.  They didn't seem sure but all agreed that it was sinister, which is kinda what I was aiming for.

I must try and keep the momentum up and write something else for the next meeting.

This months homework:

Try writing two short stories which interlink; this could be with characters who appear in both, or an event which is experienced in each, for instance.  The link can be quite brief – just something to make your reader excited that they have spotted a link.

Many writers do this, my example was David Mitchell in Cloud Atlas and Ghostwritten.

Sketch books

When I was in the 6th Form doing A-Levels I spent most of my time with an A3 sketch book under one arm.  This was useful for deflecting lower school students when walking round to classes and for sitting on when the sun came out but the grass was still a bit wet.
Of course it was also useful for keeping arty stuff in too.
When I went to Art College I also had an A3 sketch book, this was full of drawing exercises and experiments.
As soon as I finished there the sketch books stopped and went into the loft, where I recently found them again.  So interesting to look through them.

Later I did some creative writing and on all three modules we were encouraged to keep a writing note pad, to jot down ideas and thoughts that might be useful later.  This is something that I've continued to do, although I've found that once an idea is written down I stop thinking about it and so never write the story.  Best to keep the really good ideas in my head for a bit.

Then last year I did a design module and we were encouraged to keep a sketch book again.  I had one but didn't really use it to its full potential.  It was a half hearted sketch book.

But now a year later I have bought myself a new sketch book, just a small A5 one, and some nice pens and I'm starting to jot down ideas and things that inspire me.  It is after all one thing to think about making paper and making books and creating 'art' and actually doing it. I hope that I can keep it up and find it useful.

Wedding flowers

With Christmas out of the way and the start of a new year, I don't really have an excuses for not thinking about the wedding anymore.
So to start I've been thinking about flowers.  I love flowers but think they normally look best while still attached to the plant they grew on.  I also hate the idea of the amount of money and resources used to grow and then deliver a bunch of flowers from some far flung land just for one day here.
So I have two choices, I can either grow my own or I can make some.  As I have plenty of time, and I love playing with paper, I thought I'd start by making some.  I came across Lia Griffith's DIY Paper Roses and just had to have a go.  They are pretty simple but look great - especially in a group.  Plus they won't care if its hot and I can keep them for as long as I want after the wedding.
I've seen other designs too and will be having a go at as many as I can, until I find the perfect bouquet.

Slouchy wool hat

Rib and stripes - the easy bit

With stripy triangles to finish the top of the hat

Texture

So a few weeks ago I decided I wanted a slouchy wooly hat.  But could I find one I liked?  Of course not!  Then it occurred to me - I could knit one.
So with the help of my good friend Katie and some books from the library, I've done it.
I started with some rib, then made stripes by switching between stocking stitch.  This was the easy bit and done by the beginning of the week, and then I had to ask Katie's advice on how to finish.  Advice came just in time for me to take my knitting to the Family Christmas Dinner, and rather than be bored in the afternoon, I managed to finish the knitting side of things.  Once home I stitched it all together and a hat was born.
I am so pleased with it.  Its exactly how I wanted it and yet I just made it up.  I love that it came from my own fair hands.  I really can't wait to make some more stuff and try out more stitches. Thanks Katie!

Last Creative Writers of the year

Today we had the last meeting of the year for the Creative Writers group.  
As many of the members are also members of the Poetry group, which meets the week after, and as that would be Christmas Eve we decided to mix the groups together.
What a success!  It was a really good meeting with a lovely mix of poems and stories and even a hymn (which was sung).  And there was Christmas food.
I didn't have anything to read, but I have at least started a new story and I have the idea for a second.  Progress.

No homework this month, but I suggested that if anyone had time for writing they could either use one of the homework's from the past year that they had missed or they could go back to one they had done and review it.

craft&design magazine

I love a competition.  I don't often win, I'm lucky in other ways, but I still love to enter them.  (I love a survey too.)
So imagine my surprise when I received an email to tell me I'd won a years subscription to craft&design magazine along with a wall planner and calendar.  All from a tweet I'd see on Twitter.  
Yesterday my first issue arrive and although I haven't had a chance to read very much of it, the images look amazing.  If nothing else I rather think I'm in for a very inspiring year.
Thanks craft&design magazine.  I can't wait to have a proper read.

Boxes

I love boxes.  And I love making them.  So when, while browsing the web for wedding things, I came across these designs I couldn't wait to give them ago.  Only problem was that when I printed them off they were too small, but this was soon fixed with a little creative photocopying.

There were something like 10 different designs but either they weren't very good designs in the first place or the photocopying messed them up and so they didn't all work.  My favourite design (below) looks great but I can't get the last two tabs down without ripping the card.  Its quite disappointing.  When I have some more time maybe I'll see if I can correct them.

Woollen experimentation

Years and years ago my Dad taught me how to knit.  But although I knew about pearl and plain I didn't know anything else and I just forgot about it.  Every so often I'd think 'I really should learn how to knit again', but I'd never do anything about it.
Then (a couple of weeks ago) I decided I wanted a wooly hat, but I couldn't find any I liked and the one I did I can't get in the UK.  And I suddenly thought - I could make one!

Cue my good friend Katie.  We've been friends for a good 10 years and throughout this time she has always been knitting.  What I like best about Katie's knitting is that while she can and does read patterns, she is happy to try out her ideas without a pattern (her llamas are amazing).  This is my sort of creating.  So over she came for the afternoon, and once we had some wool and some needles we got started.  So far I'm just practicing but if you look (hard) at the above photo you can see the start of some ribs.
This is going to take time and practice and as yet I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it, but I know that Katie will be there ready to help when I need it.  That is, after all, what good friends are all about - I hope I can repay the favour some time.