I've never fancied myself an artist. It's not that I don't enjoy doing artistic things it's just, well, my sister is an artist and I'm not. I write. She designs. She got the art gene and I got the writing gene. That's what I've always said. My sister on the other hand, tells me I'm wrong. "It's not that you're not artistic, you just express your art differently, like through writing and cooking." Then she always follows it up with a reminder that I'm the one with the pretty handwriting. Truth? She's right. My handwriting is really nice, and hers is just okay.
But I go through phases with crafty kinds of projects, like the year I was too broke to go holiday shopping and made Christmas ornaments and decorative picture frames for everyone. Then there was the year I stayed home with my son when he was first born and I got mega into scrapbooking. I have a few really great books, and I tried to keep up with it when I went back to work. But by the time he was three, my supplies and my photos were piled up in boxes where they've pretty much remained since. I've hand-painted furniture, made a few pillows, and every now and then I get a creative bug and want to create something. I thought for sure, the writing prompt I presented to the writers in the circle would be the perfect way to appease the bug this time. If I'm to be honest, when I posted the prompt, I had nothing in mind. I had been reading excerpts from books on writing by some of my favorite authors, and I was inspired by the advice to create something. Drop the pen or pencil, step away from the computer, and create something with your hands. I liked that idea... until I had to create something!
At first I waited for inspiration. What do I feel like creating? What am I feeling inspired about? I spent almost forty dollars at the craft store buying supplies to make charm bracelets, a la Alex and Ani. I love those bracelets and I have been wanting to try making some of my own. It was fun for a little while, but I wore my new creation to work the next day waiting on the inspiration, and instead I noticed by the end of the day I had lost most of the charms! Crafty maybe, skilled jeweler, not so much. Next, I thought about cooking something. I have always been good in the kitchen, and when I'm inspired, I can spend all day in there. Some good music and a taste for something special go a long way. But it's been hot, and after working and making dinner, I haven't felt much like cooking. So I waited some more, and here I am less than two weeks away from my deadline to post... to my own prompt, and no matter how much I try to relax and let something come to me on its own, nothing.
It's funny. Thinking back, some of my favorite pieces of "art" were words that I hand painted. Yup, words. I've written about my love of words before. I'm not sure why, but I love typography and words as art. Maybe it's because they hold such concrete meaning. Maybe it's because as an artist, I make a pretty good writer. In the end, I've found the best thing I create with my hands besides food (which wasn't providing inspiration) is writing! I'm most inspired by words. To be honest, I'm not sure this piece of writing is any better than my failed attempts at art. I'm hoping I'll be better inspired by my peers' prompts than my own. But I've produced two pieces. One is a conversational poem (my English teacher friends will have the real name for it) that I'm not sure works, and a silly little piece of writing inspired by one of my favorite clips from M*A*S*H which has to be some of the best comedic writing in the history of any genre, performed by Alan Alda, who I believe played the single best character ever created for television, Hawkeye Pierce.
Word Play
I’d like a word with you.
A dirty word?
the f-word
the c-wordEat your words!
A word of caution?
Choose your words carefully
you’re only as good as your word
Don’t mix words.
A word to the wise or words of wisdom?
Actions speak louder than words
a picture is worth a thousand words
I’m at a loss for words .
I give you my word
words to live by
I’m only as good as my word
Keep your word
You have a way with words
take my word for it
Word
You have my word
May I have a word with you
We exchanged words
spread the word
by word of mouth
What’s the magic word?
the good word
the final word
mum’s the word
I’ll put in good word for you, but I’ll never put words in your mouth. I won’t breathe a word to anyone, and I’ll give you my word. We’ll exchange words, and I’ll hang on your every word, word for word. Dirty words, buzz words, the good word, words of wisdom, words of caution, or famous last words. I’ll play on words, but I won’t mince words, I won’t eat my words, and I’ll never go back on my word. In other words, I choose my words carefully because they’re words to live by and I’m only as good as my word. Mark my words, words to live by. What’s the magic word, the key word, the operative word? Word. Spread the word.
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