Crashed!

My computer has died, so it may be a while before I can get back to my blogging. Merry Christmas and happy new year to all of you!

My Poem

I wrote a poem for my son a while back and stuck it on Helium.com. Today I went to check up on things over there...and found that it is still in first after about 3-4 months-1'st of 80!

Wow. I didn't think I could write poetry. Somebody seems to like it.

Merry Christmas to All my Online Friends!

I want to wish all of my dear blogging friends a Merry Christmas!...and happy writing over the holidays!

Writing Grant and Other Things....

I got news on my writing grant application-a no go. We'll try again. :)

Last night we went to hear Todd's sister (Wendy Nielsen) sing here in Moncton. A nice Christmas treat.

It was my youngest child's first time. The orchestra was tuning...he was poised literally on the edge of his seat...then the orchestra stopped and the conductor walked out to the applause of the audience. My kiddo turns to me and whispers, "That was a short one!".

I have not been feeling well for the last three weeks, so Christmas prep and everything has been low key. Lord willing I'll be back to normal soon (whatever that means). :)

We have been hammered by some early snowstorms and will definitely have a white Christmas. We may get our tree tonight. The kids are excited!

Christmas Prep

Most of you are probably almost ready for Christmas. I still have a quilt to finish and a few gifts to pick up. This is a card I made for my neighbour (who is a quilter like me).

Pop on over to Creative Explosions to see my latest crafty thing: fabric postcards. Fun, fun!

On Writing

After blowing up supper (the glass dish in the oven exploded), I decided to give myself the evening off. I'm not feeling well anyway. All in all, a great opportunity to soak in the tub and read a book.

The book I chose, was one I had bought second hand (I think). A 3 in 1 book:Becoming a Writer by Dorthy Brande/On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner/One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty.

I read the intro and the first chapter...and I like it! Listen to this:

"You are likely to hear that your desire to write is perhaps only an infantile
exhibitionism, or bewarned that because your friends think you a great writer
(as if they ever did) [Eve's aside: I am most blessed here.] the world cannot be
expected to share that fond opinion...Books written for painters do not imply
that the chances are that the reader can never be anything but a conceited
dauber, nor do textbooks on engineering start out by warning the student that
because he has been able to make a grasshopper out of two rubber bands and a
matchstick he is not to think that he is likely ever to be an honor to his
chosen profession." -Dorthy Brande

So true. She goes on to say that this book is not like this. So my interest has been piqued.

I find all areas of art to be like this. A hesitant acceptance of those endeavoring to enter into their world. A snooty, looking-down-their-nose attitude at anyone daring to call themselves (writer, poet, painter, quilter....) or even (gasp!) an artist.

I realize that not everyone in these fields view it that way, but in general the art world does.

Yet look at what is classified as art! I'm talking about the stuff you cock your eyebrows at and wonder if your 3 year old could pull that off. :)

If grandmothers' utility quilts of yesteryear can be heralded as art in their mismatched, uneven piecing, surely you and I can pull off the same or better and call ourselves quilter-even artists.