Needles and Pens

Every so often, someone will ask me, “Why Needles and Pens ?” Since my blog appears to be all about sewing, shouldn’t it be “pins?” It makes sense, right? But the play on words was intentional. When I started this blog, I was at a crossroads, trying to decide if I should keep plugging away at freelance writing or delve headlong into my newfound love of quilting. I thought, perhaps, that I could do both... Needles AND Pens. It seems that the quilting won out. For the past ten years, I’ve been learning and playing and experimenting and creating art in a whole new medium – and loving it. I do so little writing these days, I can’t honestly call myself a writer anymore. Still, the urge to write – really write – resurfaces now and then, in the never-ending quest to discover God’s purpose for me in this life. (Yes, I’m 45 years old and still trying to figure out what I’ll be when I grow up!) I wonder if I’m making a mistake, virtually ignoring that writing gift. I wrestle with those t...

Yes, it's true. I'm coming out of hiding. It's time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival ! This is my first time joining in the Festival, but I'm so inspired by the creativity and variety of quilts I've seen so far, I can't wait to do some more blog-hopping. But first, to share a quilt story of my own -- and hopefully break my blogger's block. Here goes... Prior to 2002, my knowledge of quilting was definitely limited. I was completely immersed in trying to build a career in freelance writing, and as fate would have it, I eventually landed an article assignment on the topic of quilting. In my search for resources, I met some wonderful, knowledgable quilters through an online quilting group... long story, short: In no time, I was completely hooked on quilting. One of my favorite writing resources was also an online group of wonderful, knowlegeble women, called Momwriters . Besides the nitty-gritty how-tos of publishing, help with article quotes, and encourgi...

Computers can take over your life, if you let them. I’ve noticed, increasingly over the past few years, that I spend an awful lot of time in front of the screen, much of it very unproductively; playing solitaire, reading email, blog-hopping, web surfing. Had I spent all of that time writing, researching, and finding markets, my writing career may be going somewhere other than the dusty back shelf. Even worse, all that time in front of the computer would have been much better spent interacting with my family. But it’s hard when the computer resides in your main living space. Beckoned by the ever-changing wallpaper and the promise of a friendly email at the click of a mouse, I’m drawn to the screen like a magnet. And if I’m not glued to the computer, one of my kids certainly will be. It's high time the spell was broken. And so began, “The Experiment.” I’ve spent weeks now, clearing out an unused bedroom, painting, decorating, organizing, until there was only one thing left to do; mov...

As I contemplated the whole “passion” prompt this weekend, my thoughts turned to the things I enjoy doing, the self-fulfilling activities that bring joy into my everyday life. I found it difficult to zero in on a theme, however, so I mentioned it to my 13-year-old daughter: “Oh, that’s easy,” she said. “Really. And what would you write about?” “Music.” Of course! For her, it is easy. She eats, sleeps, and breathes music. Oh, there are other things she enjoys; her friends, her family, her pets, the occasional video game, but for the most part, it’s all about music. She sings, she plays guitar, she writes lyrics, and if she’s not singing, playing, or writing music, she’s probably online, printing out more lyrics. At this stage in her life, music is her life. It was easy for me, too, at that age. I ate, slept, and breathed horses. I spent my earliest years desperately wishing for a horse of my own, saving my every dime in a little tin box for the day my dream would come true. When it f...

A (Tooth) Fairy Tale I don’t know if there’s one tooth fairy that covers the globe every night, or if it takes a whole battalion of them to make the rounds, but I have a hunch it’s the latter, because when I was a child, the tooth fairy never failed to deliver. I’d snuggle in to sleep at night, careful not to disturb the newly-displaced tooth under my pillow, and then wake in the morning to find a shiny new quarter had taken its place. It was there every time. It was magical. But the tooth fairy assigned to my children is either dreadfully distracted or just plain slow. Or maybe there really is only one fairy and she’s become senile after all these years. Either way, she repeatedly forgets to visit in a timely manner, and more than once, I’ve had to cover her back. A disappointed child comes down for breakfast with news that the fairy was a no-show, and I have no choice but to go upstairs, rustle the covers, and “find” the missing dollar at the foot of the bed. “It was there all alo...

One of my all-time favorite authors is Dr. Seuss, so I enjoy occasionally writing something Seuss-inspired. This week’s prompt seemed like the perfect opportunity! Fridge Space (a la Seuss) One quiet day I sat watching TV What a day to relax! (But it wasn’t to be.) I heard a loud knocking Oh, who could be here? I went to the door… It was just as I’d feared. He had come unannounced (as he’s been known to do) that Cat in the Hat, and Thing One, and Thing Two! Before I could stop him He barged through the door, Nearly knocking me, shocked and dismayed, To the floor. “Oh thank you for having us! No need to fuss! You just sit in your chair there And never mind us” To the kitchen he went, With the Things at his heels, Inviting himself (and the Things) For a meal. I quietly followed To see what they’d do, The Cat in the Hat And Thing One and Thing Two. He opened the fridge And cried, “What a disgrace! This fridge is a mess! Just look at this place!” “Where are the vegetables? Where is the me...

As I contemplated this "foul" topic today, so many images came to mind. Shall I write about my foul smoking habit? My ex-neighbor with the excessively foul mouth? The stuff at the back of my refrigerator? No. I wanted to write something meaningful, something deep. For inspiration, I went to the Concordance to put the word into Biblical perspective, then to the quotations pages looking for guidance from the “great ones,” and finally to my fellow Scribblers, to gather their collective take on the subject… …and then, I was completely intimidated. Talk about talent! You see, this is my first attempt at Sunday Scribblings , and I can’t help feeling that I’m in over my head. Not only have my writing skills become rusty of late, but the depth and passion in the posts I’ve read so far has my head spinning. I know it isn’t a competition, but still there is a niggling voice in the back of my head, dripping with sarcasm, “Do you really want to make a fool of yourself? Okay then, go on...

This week's Photo Hunt theme is "skinny," and I had a really hard time coming up with an idea. Skinny... skinny... What do I have around here to show, "skinny?" Hmm... Then it finally came to me. Duh. Needles ... and Pens ... LOL (In case you hadn't noticed, that's the name of my blog!) Join the Photo Hunt !

Haven't posted in a few days, and I even missed Wordless Wednesday yesterday, but I have managed to tick a few items off of my to-do list this week: * Balanced my checkbook, got caught up on bills and started my ledger for tracking income and expenses. Made my first weekly deposit into a Christmas savings account. This is a first! * Mailed off my daughter's broken camera for repair, a camera that has been sitting in its box for several months now -- and it's a better camera than my own! She got a new camera for Christmas, so I may be keeping this one. * Finally wrote a review for my last Book Awards Reading Challenge book, Holes , which I actually read long before Christmas. I really need to get going on this, if I'm going to meet the challenge by June! * Stuck with the diet and exercise program. Trying not to obsess! lol * Finished my nine-patch blocks for my next Quilts with Love quilt, and started setting them together. I have a huge box of 4-1/2" squares th...

This New Year’s Eve, I went through my photo albums and reminisced about all the holidays, birthdays, weddings, and other events of 2007: - My husband and I reached 41 - Our children turned 20, 9, 18 and 13 – lots of milestones! - Three new babies joined our extended family. - Two new pets came into our home. - We celebrated the weddings of family and friends - We saw our two oldest children dressed to the nines for prom... If not for photos, I wouldn’t remember a thing! Fortunately, I do keep records of certain things, too. Heaven knows my memory needs a backup: - My weight fluctuated from 175 pounds, down to 134, then back up to 149 by years’ end. - I quit smoking – for one month. It was my longest smoke-free period in 26 years, and provided lots of insight for my eventual, final, once-and-for-all quit. (Which WILL happen!) - I completed 13 quilts, five were rescued from my UFO (unfinished objects) pile, another two, for charity – and I finally have a homemade quilt on my own bed! - ...

The other day I was blogging about how I plan to start marketing my children's writing, once the new year rolls around. Well... Recently I had a call from my parents, telling me of a news story they had seen about a local publisher of a glossy, regional magazine, branching out into publishing children's books. Why didn't I submit "our book?" "Our book" is One to Ten and Home Again: A Counting Book of Sounds , a children's picture book that I wrote, my mother illustrated, and we published as an e-book in 2002. I marketed the e-book for some time through my own website, but that eventually became cost prohibitive. And, well... I guess I got discouraged. Since the closing of the site, the book has basically languished in the file cabinet. Likewise, I filed this new publishing opportunity in the back of my mind, where it likely would have languished -- until a few days ago, when my dad called again. He had spoken with the publisher and told them about ...

Children’s book author, Barbara O’Connor, recently interviewed author/illustrator Brian Lies at her blog, " Greetings from Nowhere .” I found this quote from Brian particularly inspiring, as I’ve been hedging, once again, about whether or not to pursue my children’s writing dream. “I think getting published is a lot like golf (which I don't play)--if you perfect your swing, the ball should go more or less where you want it to. Likewise, if you learn to tell stories in an original and compelling way, either in words or pictures, and hone your skills so that they're truly professional. . . you're going to get published. It may take a while, but you'll get published.” ~ Brian Lies, children’s book author/illustrator I guess I just needed to hear that from someone who has been where I am now. I feel constantly pulled away from my children’s writing. I tell myself I can make a better income writing for adult markets, magazines, newspapers, websites, where I’ve experien...

I recently had a request from freelance writer, April Boyer, to reprint an article originally published at Writing World.com back in 2003. It was interesting to revisit this article and recall a time “when life gave me lemons,” and I did indeed “make lemonade.” I’m happy to report that the teen in question has made it safely to adulthood, and I’m thrilled to know that the writing that flowed from the experience continues to inspire. You can read the reprinted article at April’s “Writing Desk” here: Essay Writing: When it’s Just Too Personal And there have been two recent breakthrough moments at my own writing desk… One, I’ve finally decided on a title for my middle grade novel-in-progress. Despite an endless chain of title changes, none has ever felt “right.” But after a full week of nothing but brainstorming titles, from the painfully obvious to the outrageously ridiculous, I’ve finally settled on “PHOTO FINISH." I think... lol And two, thanks to an enlightening visit with my sis...

My quilting friend, Linda, made this leprechaun comment to me, since I’ve had such a streak of random luck going. I love it! Another stroke of luck: I won a pair of tickets to see Gordon Lightfoot in concert, in a random drawing of entries with 95.7 The Bridge radio. The concert was last night and I took my mom, who was dying to see him (and might have disowned me had I taken anyone else). The concert was awesome! I’m in awe of his stamina, still doing concert tours at the age of 68. And he still sounds great, too. But that's not all... Part of the radio package was tickets to the pre-concert party that included lots of free appetizers and drinks -- and more drawings. The very last prize awarded was a pair of passes for a “meet and greet” after the concert. I about passed out when they called my name. Meeting Gordon Lightfoot was very cool. He’s sweet and gracious and doesn’t make you feel like a pest when you ask for his autograph and to pose for a picture. (grin) My mom was in ...

I don't know... I've been awfully lucky this month. I almost hesitate to talk about it for fear of the other shoe dropping... but that's being paranoid, right? lol I just learned that I'm a finalist in the Writer Unblocked "CONTEST, CONTEST!" The writer of the winning word gets a fabulous stack of Writer's Market books, which I could REALLY use. I won't cheat and tell you my word, but please go take a look and VOTE!

Surprise, surprise! I won today’s drawing for the Writer Mama Back-to-School Daily Giveaway , a copy of Michael Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal (Writer’s Digest Books 2007). I’m taking this as a sign -- it’s time to get busy! I highly encourage all writers out there to check out this contest. Just answering the daily questions has brought about some eye-opening revelations on the direction of my writing. Winning this book today is icing on the cake! Christina's comment about my blog has roused some interest in the Library Quilt pictured here. The pattern was designed by Christine Thresh and can be purchased at her web site, Winnowing.com . I made this wallhanging as a gift for a writer friend in a "secret friend" exchange several years ago. If you have any questions or comments about the quilt, I'd love to hear them. ;o)

Okay, so about five minutes after I decided to get back into writing, my stress level increased tenfold. In just one week, my diet has gone out the window, my house is a disaster area, and today I chewed off a fingernail for the first time in over four months. What’s the deal??? I’ve got to figure out a way to do this without giving myself a nervous breakdown… Something else, too, I need to find FOCUS. That’s a big word for me these days. I find myself losing focus all the time. My mind is always wandering (racing, actually) to the next thing before the first thing is complete, or even at a good stopping point. I hate to even think about all the partially finished projects I have, in my sewing room, in my file cabinet, throughout my home. And why am I in such a hurry to “get it all done?” True, I decided to get back to writing because I really need to make an income. But now that I’ve made that decision, I want it to happen yesterday. It’s not realistic, and its certainly not healthy....

No offense intended to the millions of serious bloggers out there, but isn’t “blogging” a funny word? It sounds like one of those made-up words you substitute for cursing. (Now I feel the need for a disclaimer, though I’ve already planted the thought and it’s probably too late.) Disclaimer: None of the blogging references that follow are intended to be substitutes for cursing. I just read a great blogging article geared specifically to writers, The Newspaper/Blog Connection , by Sue Fagalde Lick, though I knew before I started reading, I was bound to be frustrated. Here’s the thing, I’m REALLY late to jump on the blogging bandwagon, but over the last year or so, I’ve been honestly trying to get in the swing. Every day it seems I learn something new -- which I’m probably doing “wrong.” One of the article’s points was that you shouldn’t write on too many different topics, but rather focus your blog to a specific audience. So all that time that I spent trying to come up with a clever name...

I've been participating in this daily contest and thought I should pass along the word to anyone who might want to join in the fun. I've been amazed at the personal insights I've gained just by thoughtfully answering the questions each day. So even if I don't win a daily drawing, I'm already a winner! If you're interested in writing, you might want to check it out. Here's the official info from the site: For Immediate Release: September 1-30, 2007 The Writer Mama, Christina Katz, is giving away a writing tool a day through her blog, The Writer Mama Riffs, every day for thirty days during the month of September. In addition to over thirty prizes such as Writer’s Digest 2008 Market books, she’s giving away ten signed copies of her book, Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids and a one-hour writing career phone consult. Moms and Dads who write are especially encouraged to participate in celebration of this hectic yet wonderful back-to-sc...