I mentioned last week that I’d been reading a lot. The last ten months have been full of strife, stress and worry. Life often leaves us feeling depleted. It’s important to fill your creative well. And my well felt very, very empty. I couldn’t see my way to doing the things that I have always done to feel creative. And because my creative well fuels my writing, I haven’t been writing very much at all. But it’s time to change that and to be able to do that I have to once again fill my creative well.
My sister gave me a watercolour journal for my birthday. I cracked it open and feathered through all thee crisp clean pages waiting for colour. I love playing around with my watercolours. Nothing too serious. I find inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest and go from there. Lots of times I’m happy with the results. But mistakes will be made. There will be times when I don’t like the colour combinations I’ve used or the strokes or the idea anymore. Or a host of other things. But none of that matters because it’s all about the journey. It’s about exploring. Not about criticizing my efforts.
I’m also working on a very little something for my granddaughter. It’s something I’ve never tried before, a little attempt at a tiny magazine. She may like it, she may not. And that’s okay. It’s not something precious. It’s just a little something I wanted to try that might make her smile. What she does with it is up to her.
So there it is, a little look into my creative process lately.
Until next time…
How are you filling your creative well these days?
It’s been a dreary couple of days here on the prairies but the Thanksgiving prep has begun. The menu is set. Turkey and all the trimmings. I’m planning on making both a pumpkin and apple pie. So, fingers crossed it all turns out.
Top Five Writing Things I’m Thankful For This Year:
Putting together a series ‘bible’ for my upcoming Whisper Creek books.
Listening to Jennifer Podemski talk about her journey as an First Nations actor and producer in the entertain industry.
I hope that wherever you are, you are surrounded by peace and kindness. And if that is not the case, may you find a few moments of respite from it all.
Until next time…
I hope this weekend you are able to take advantage of both a quiet corner and a good book.
Highlights have been the slightly cooler temperatures. It was a hot summer, which was wonderful, but cooler is always a relief come September. It’s also been a month of great books, of digging in flowerbeds, and getting out and about.
Highlight of the Month:
Hearing Jennifer Podemski tell her story as part of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum‘s Solistice Speaker Series was the highlight of my month. She spoke her truth about being an Indigenous person trying to find her way in the entertainment industry. Listening to how she is working to create more opportunities and breakdown stereotypes was incredibly inspiring.
Her latest project is Little Bird and you can stream it on Crave.
Bezhig Little Bird was adopted into a Jewish family at the age of five, being stripped of her identity and becoming Esther Rosenblum. Now in her 20s, Bezhig longs for the family she lost and to fill in the missing pieces. Her quest lands her in the Canadian prairies where she discovers that she was one of the generation of children forcibly apprehended by the Canadian government through a policy, later coined the 60s Scoop.
Remembering the children. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day) is Saturday, September 30, 2023. You can find out more about the impact of residential schools, the children who never came home and survivors from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
Quick little check in today. Time has gotten away from this week. I’m trying to get some kind of fall routine going.
I wanted to share some of my inspiration for my hero, Ridge Bennett. A landscaper with a heart of gold and a troubled past who’s looking to reconnect with his teenage daughter. The hero and heroine in this book are forty years old and have been around the block, so to speak. Both of them are starting over from very different places. It’s been fun finding a middle ground where they can be together.
August is winding up, which is giving me have all the end of summer feels. But it’s not pumpkin spice season yet. Don’t get me wrong, I love autumn. But I’m not ready to embrace all the wonders autumn brings. So, here’s hoping for a lovely September.
Not included is a photo of the best ice cream cone I’ve had in a long, long time. It was Raspberry Macaroon (Vegan) in a waffle cone from Village Cream in Calgary. Oh my word. Delicious.
I spent a few days in Calgary visiting my sister and her family. We packed a lot of goodness into our visit. From a visit to a delightful boutique romance bookstore, Slow Burn Books, to a Fibre Arts Exhibit, Entwined and Entangled, at the Leighton Art Centre, We dined at Merchants in the Marda Loop area. My nephews are fifteen and twelve and they have a family tradition of playing a simple but lively card game called Anomia when they go out for dinner. No one looked at their phone once. Of course, we fit in a game of Scrabble.
We went the theatre to watch the Barbie movie. it was as awesome as everyone is saying! Highly recommend. We watched Red, White and Royal Blue based on the popular romance novel by Casey McQuiston. (Amazon Prime). Loved it. Recommend. We watched Fisk (Netflix). So funny! Definitely check it out and see if it might appeal.
Harvest is in full swing, kids are getting ready to go back to school. It’s the time of cooler evenings and backyard fires. Tan lines will begin to fade and the leaves will start to turn. Until then, I’ll be soaking up the last month of summer. Going to the pool, golfing, eating all the market garden produce, and praying the frost holds off for a few more weeks.
March is flying by. Not much to tell you about except that the writing is going well. So, yay!
Mood Board
My heroine is not only looking to open up her family home as a bed and breakfast. She has a sideline gig as a baker. She also makes petit fours, which are delicate little cakes, for her friend, Clare, and her ladies aid group to sell at the Whisper Creek farmer’s market.
So, if you’re in the mood for tiny cakes inspiration, check out this recipe tutorial for stencilled petit fours from Cake Journal. Aren’t they adorable? And made with store bought pound cake!
The great thing about being a writer is getting to incorporate ideas into a book that I can’t make happen in my everyday life. I love the idea of stepping through a large metal ring into another part of a garden. I’ve given Charlotte that dream and Ridge, the hero, is just the person to make her landscape dreams happen. I love the idea of a moon gate leading to a midnight garden. It sets a very romantic mood. Who knows what can happen when one finds themselves in such a garden? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
Landscape Design: Davis Dalbok & Tim O’Shea Photo Credit: Davis Dalbok Source: SFGate
There is both a parlour and a library in the book. Below is my inspiration for the library. I love the dark blue colour of the builtins combined with the rug and the light. I could spend hours in this room curled up with a good book. In the early days of Darcy House, which was built in the early 1900s, this room would have been Charlotte’s great great grandfather’s office. I like to think this maintains the mood of what would have been his domain and turns it into something that appeals to everyone looking for a cozy spot.
On the cusp of 2023, I’m thinking about writing goals, reading goals, and life goals, or whether or not I’m going to make actual goals, as I clean my office and get ready for a new year.
I had never heard the term depth year before this week. Anyone else? Or is it just me?
“You take a whole year in which you don’t start anything new or acquire any new possessions you don’t need. No new hobbies, equipment, games, or books are allowed during this year. Instead, you have to find the value in what you already own or what you’ve already started.”
David Cain
A couple of reasons why 2022 is a good year for a depth year:
1) I love a good challenge and to shake things up.
2) I want to simplify and to be less of a consumer.
3) It feels like I’ve already started the process though I haven’t been calling it a depth year.
There is nothing like having to pack up your possessions then unpack them again to make you realize you have way too much stuff. The real eye opener was that fact that I hardly missed any of it while it was tucked away in boxes. Check out this article: 7 Reasons We Buy More Stuff Then We Need. I did a major purge while packing up. I’ve done another purge while unpacking. I have a plan for the items I’m donating. Does anyone else tend to set these aside and purposely forget about them so you don’t have to deal with them? Or is it just me?
Time to start fresh and use the things I own. I bought them with the best of intentions. Something about the items appealed to me. But there is a double cost to most things we buy. One is the initial price. The second is a cost I don’t really think much about and that is the time it takes to put the item to use. In some instances, learning to use it takes time and practice and money. In others, it’s taking something you had a passing fancy in and then realizing the experience wasn’t one you’re invested in.
I think craft supplies is the place to start for me. I love them, or perhaps I should say I love the idea of them. All the colours. Textures. Sizes. Shapes. So many possibilities and I’m a creative person. And who didn’t overindulge in the buying department these last couple of years? Waves hand in the air!
But where to start and how to keep my goal small enough as not to be overwhelming. My answer: an art journal. Which I had started and abandoned. It’s an excellent no stress way to incorporate all kinds of mediums. And to work on my word of the year, Dream.
So, once a week I’m going to work on a page in my art journal. It will be interesting and once the weather is warm enough I can take it outside. Time to get inspired and do some dreaming. It promises to be loads of fun.
Until next time…
Anyone else art journal? Or thought the idea sounded good but haven’t started yet? Maybe some of you are attempting, or have attempted, a depth year? What are your thoughts?
Every December I pick a word for the upcoming year. Except for 2021, which I skipped. Which likely explains my choice for 2022. DREAM. Of possibilities. Both fantastical and ordinary. Chasing the dream, not in a busy, get it done kind of way, but a whimsical exploration. To play and paint and stargaze. Purely for the joy and entertainment of it all.
This is me on a long ago trip to Vancouver gazing out over the water while on a dinner cruise. Can staring off into space considered a hobby? If so, it’s a favourite of mine. Always dreaming up stories.
The longer this pandemic drags on, the harder it is to take time away from the overwhelming amount of statistics, the constant updates, the frustration, and the worry. Now it’s winter and getting through the next couple of months seems rather a daunting task. There’s not much I can do about the pandemic, other than getting my booster, washing my hands, social distancing, and wearing my mask, or the long winter months ahead, but I can dream. I can add joy and playfulness into each day.
Somewhere along the way play turns into something immature and unwelcome as we get older. But 2022 is going to be my time to practice taking a break from reality, to remember to play and laugh. I will remember it’s okay to be silly for a few minutes each day and that adults need recess, too.
Let your imagination go. What is something you’ve always dreamed of doing, but didn’t pursue? Be aware of your energy levels. We’re all drained right now. It’s okay to start small. Be an amateur. Make mistakes. Try something new. Rekindle an old hobby. Do what’s right for you.
It can focus on creativity, like crafting, doodling, knitting. Maybe exercise is your fun thing. Seriously, the belly dancing class I took way back when was a complete hoot. Go for a hike. Try pickle ball. Maybe self examination brings you joy. I know it does to me: journaling, yoga, meditation. Music is key for a lot of people. Try karaoke, or learn a new instrument, take a voice class (even if you think you can’t sing). Socialize. It doesn’t have to be a big group. Maybe it’s scheduling date night. Go axe throwing. Take in a dance class. Go to a poetry reading. But keep it safe.
Make it Happen:
Clear your schedule. Set aside a block of time, big or small, to be silly and have some fun.
Turn off your phone, TV, and other devices. You can do it.
Give yourself permission to do whatever you want. This is your time to dance like no one’s watching. Or to be still and sit and dream.
Until next time…
Live laugh play. Here’s to a playful 2022! What do you do to take a break from life?
When it comes to creating a character’s personal style it’s not only fun but necessary to use imagery to emphasize personality. Style is a very visual representation of a character’s personality. Just as a character’s style can change to enhance the advancement of their character arc. Like us humans out in the real world, characters have their good days and their bad ones, often in extremes. How they dress or put themselves together can help reflect their state of mind.
Besides the obvious fact of characters having to wear clothes and having those clothes be appropriate to the story and setting, there is something to be learned from costume designers who provide that imagery in movies and on television. There are incredible examples of costuming in television right now and I have a couple of absolute favourites.
Did anyone else binge watch Bridgerton on Netflix as soon as possible? It’s so lavish and decadent and the costuming is an incredible example of what it takes to build a swoon-worthy period drama for television. Lord have mercy, this show!
Bridgerton features approximately 7,500 costume pieces!
The Netflix series Bridgerton costume designer, Ellen Mirojnick, explained to Vogue that “each family and character tells a story through their clothes. Given the sheer number of people on camera, the Bridgerton costume department had to create elaborate outfits complete with headpieces and gloves. Quickly numbering in the thousands, the show had an entire warehouse dedicated to wardrobe and 238 people in the costume department.”
She also explained why we didn’t see bonnets and the linen dresses authentic to the time period and why the costumes are a contemporary nod to the regency era. I love the fresh approach, the diversity, and the entertaining and witty nod to women in positions of power in an era that worked hard to restrict the advancement of women.
My second favourite is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. When is the next season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel coming? We need you Midge!
It’s funny, it’s profane, the clothes in this show. Are. The. Best. And how can we not love Midge as she pursues her passion in spite of overwhelming odds.
“Why do women have to pretend to be something that they’re not? Why do we have to pretend to be stupid when we’re not stupid? Why do we have to pretend to be helpless when we’re not helpless? Why do we have to pretend to be sorry when we have nothing to be sorry about? Why do we have to pretend we’re not hungry when we’re hungry?” – Midge Maisel
Donna Zakowska, costumer designer for The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel who’s stunning way with colour says, “These sort of elements really assert the character’s personality. In a way, Midge is a character that never gives in, even if something terrible is going on. It’s always about putting your best foot forward and an optimism that runs in the character.”
I love Midge’s undaunted spirit and her need to speak her mind, to be heard, and stubborn when confronted with a world that means to keep her inside the box it designated for her. And her clothes tell that story. The colour she wears as she goes about her daily life and the black dresses and pearls she wears on stage when she performs her stream of consciousness comedy act. It is, indeed, marvelous.
The following quote is taken from The Secret Lives of Costumes. It’s a great look into the world of costume design.
“I take my cues from the characters and their surroundings as written in the play, as well as from the stylistic choices of the production. In the same way that an actor builds upon the framework of traits and actions of his or her character in the story, I read what the character does and says for clues about what they might wear. I also need to think about how best to reflect a character’s evolution through the development of the story. Sometimes the character is best served by creating contrast between how a character behaves and what he or she looks like.” Judith Bowden, Canadian Designer
It’s something to think about when creating characters and that it can be much more than adding in interesting bits and quirks. We need to think about style in terms of character development. We all know Eliza Doolittle undergoes a transformation in My Fair Lady. Usually a character’s evolution is not that obvious in terms of wardrobe. Nor is usually as lavish as in Bridgerton or as bold as in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But using subtle changes can make an impact, too.
Do you love a certain TV character’s style? Have a favorite costume from a movie? Use wardrobe changes as a tool in your own writing?
