Join me at Bookstock 24. Meet and greet 60 local authors. Enjoy author talks and book signings, live music, choir performances, food trucks, face painting, and more. It promises to be a special time for the whole family, so we hope to see you all there!

Saturday, April 6, 2024 11a.m. – 3 p.m.
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, Memphis TN)
For more information - https://buff.ly/3v1shPt

2/10/2017

Picture Perfect #MFRWauthor

Many of the prompts in the 52 weeks-52 posts challenge dare the participating authors to reveal something personal about themselves. This week we are supposed to dish about our hobbies when not writing. Now the easy way out would be to use the hobbies my characters enjoy. But this week, I've decided to go with the intent of the program.

Over the years I've dabbled in photography. Another activity (one unfortunately that is no longer available in my area) is to volunteer at historical museums. I've donned period costumes to give tours, coordinated events, and managed the museum and its collections. And of course, wrote material for the organization such as interpretive programs and documentaries.

Even if you write your manuscript using pen and paper, being an author requires a lot of typing. Handcraft projects help keep fingers nimble and flexible. Beadwork, crocheting, knitting, and cross-stitch embroidery not only serve the one purpose, they provide a creative outlet as well.

Now I've revealed some hobbies, what's yours? Leave a comment if you will. And be sure to check out the posts of the other authors who have challenged themselves to reveal their inner selves and their writing lives.

~till next time, Helen




15 comments:

  1. Now you've made me want to pick up a crochet project to keep my fingers nimble!

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    1. And don't forget the gloves. I not only wear the fingerless craft gloves when I hold needles, but also for typing. I was surprised a the difference it made.

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  2. Sadly I've never been the crafty type. I think I lack the patience it takes to do projects that require that much time and detail. Instead I admire the skill of others when they produce something like that.

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  3. Sigh..I miss crocheting...Maybe it's time to start again.

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    1. when time is limited, small projects work best, since its easy to remember where you were, or simply designs that repeat a stick, then you don't have to track a complicated pattern. but you can only make so make scarfs.

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  4. I do counted cross stitch for fun (aside from reading and tv show watching lol).

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    1. A great thing about handcrafts is that they can be done while watching tv. It might go a little slower, but it is double duty.

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  5. I interned at museum, serving as an historical docent. No costumes, but I had a load of fun. Your historical tour guide activity sounds like a blast. Thanks for sharing a part of yourself.

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    1. When I was in the role of museum director I wore a suit. When a docent or giving a talk on my local histories, depending on where I was giving it, a suit for the social groups but a long skirt with hair in bun for the historical groups. Even found the hoops for the Civil War costume when I moved. Thanks for stopping by.

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  6. I think it would have been cool to work as a tour guide. Great post.

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    1. Besides giving talks on the local histories I wrote, one of my best memories was handling a busload of 65 seniors and the other was jump-starting the towns 360th anniversary celebrations. Me, my husband, and two nieces (age 4 and 6) led the parade. Literally.

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  7. I bet the tour guide thing was a lot of fun! I want to teach my grand children sewing and some of my crafts but right now they aeent interested.

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    1. Crafts seem to go in cycles. Sewing was a big thing when I was in school, unfortunately I only learned enough to pass the course. Now they've not only eliminated home economics, but are working on history next. We got the great-grandchildren interested in sketching. For crafts is was by teaching them to create friendship bracelets. The initial introduction was by taking them to craft shows and historical reenactments. Then we prayed they wanted to learn a talent we had.

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  8. You made me think of my grandmother. She taught me to crochet and embroider - two things I haven't done in ages...

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    1. I hope the memory was a fond one. My one grandmother originally taught me to knit and the other to crochet. The one talent I didn't inherit was the ability to cook on a cast-iron coal-fired stove, and to use a sewing machine. My grandmother won several awards for her sewing.

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