Creative Decisions

Decisions aren't always easy, especially when it comes to creative playtime. I spend most of my "empty" time writing, although I have to get back to work on a beadwork project that is due in November. I have my BFF Sharon arriving at the end of the month for four days of rollicking fun at the State Fair and Renaissance Festival, and Ren Fest itself starts in two weeks. I'm trying out various test runs for my holiday Solstice cards and in the middle of all of this - I was tempted to go off course and play with another opportunity - the Mystery Box Challenge.

The Mystery Build Challenge sounded really fun. Kits are half-price
now since the deadline is so close. If you're tempted, and you
have the time, it's a good time to indulge.

The Mystery Box Challenge, as featured on MysteryBuild.com is tempting, oh so tempting. But I also know what free time I'll have between now and the deadline of October 20th, and it's just not going to happen this year for me. But I had a lot of fun looking through their gallery of previous winning entries. I've done this type of contest before and had a lot of fun with it. I've even won in the past, although not this particular contest so don't look for my name/entry among the winners. But there's something so intensely satisfying about using items provided in a mystery box or bag to make something else. It's a little bit of magic.

Imagination is everything! Without the ability
to imagine and dream, we would lose that unique
part of us that defines our humanity. 

Isn't that rather like what authors do when they craft something from their imaginations, put it onto the screen or paper, and craft a living, breathing story from those parts? A good story resonates with you and stays with you coming back to haunt you again and again. A good tale begs to be read again and again, delved into and examined in detail, and analyzed, in a way.

Sometimes creative activities demand to take precedence. This
is Bob Evans, a woodcarver, who gave up a lucrative career as
a counselor to become a gypsy woodcarver. Read a bit
more about him and see his works by following the link. 

Sometimes, as I read a book or start a new work by an author, I stop for a moment to reflect on how very much I am enjoying getting to know the characters presented, how much I like the plot and how those characters and that situation is coming alive for me. I want my own crafting to have that kind of life and it frustrates me when I cannot craft a sharp enough blade to whittle my characters into life. But I never stop trying. I keep writing and writing and writing.

I won in Camp NaNo this July, but it was a close thing. I ended
up with only nine words over my goal number. Whew!

Camp NaNoWriMo just ended on July 31st and I met my word count goal (by only nine words!). It was a near thing. I had my Ardor in August story - only the first draft, then I pulled it into word and revised, revised, and revised again. But after my AinA, I was at loose ends and still had 2500+ words to write to get to goal. I ended up filling in with a lot of miscellaneous stuff, including a children's novel which I tried twice, with a resounding thud of "Nope - just can't seem to write in that genre successfully," and a scream or two in the background. But now that I survived the experience, I'm thinking ahead to November and my month of insanity as I once again accept the challenge of NaNoWriMo. Time to start getting my research under my skin so that when the gate opens, this horse can race.

I love the sound and songs of the Big Band era of music. Sirius
radio has one station that's all Big Band sounds of the 1940's. 

Have a great Thursday, everyone. I'm going to activate my four-month trial of Sirius radio this morning and maybe listen to some Big Band music or some sublime jazz on my way home tonight. Happy, happy!