Does Your Home Art Reflect Your Writing?

I've blogged before about my carnaval mask collection, so you're familiar with it by now. This is my newest addition to the family; my husband named him "Pablo." Pablo is a reproduction mask made in Mexico. We stumbled upon him at an antique gallery in Denton, Texas last weekend. My husband and I swore we weren't going to buy anything, just window shop, but as always, that's when we find something we just HAVE to have. Pablo is now hanging above the fireplace with his other friends and is quite happy, as you can see.

My mother recently came to stay with me and help out, since I've been recovering from two hospital visits and dealing with some pretty serious medical issues in the past six months. (I'm going to be having another surgery soon, but it's not scheduled, yet.) We moved at the end of April due to my health issues and it's been a slow process of unpacking, since the move wasn't planned, we hired a company to pack and move us, and my husband works long hours. I'm still living out of boxes as I type. My mother helped with some asked me one night while she was here, "How come you have so many decorations that are different mythical creatures and gods and goddesses?"

I hadn't really thought about my house being a multicultural/mythical endeavor before, until she mentioned it. Good question, mom!

The answer: Because I like pieces that speak to me. Every piece of art I display in my home reminds me of a story I read or a conversation about a story I'm going to write that I've had with my husband in the wee hours of the morning when we should both be sleeping. I believe art tells a story and my photos do as well. That's why I fell in love with photography, because photos hold emotion and tell a story I can escape into through the lens. So naturally, as a storyteller, I'd want to surround myself with stories in art. Wouldn't you?

Ask yourself the same question: Does your home art reflect your writing? If not, you might want to immerse yourself in your local art museum and see what pieces speak to you. You might be surprised about the stories they have to share and the writing journey your friends may take you on. And if you're suffering from writer's block, a trip to your local library or a bookstore for a collection of paintings or photos might just be the inspiration you need. Or perhaps, you already have your muse hanging on your wall right in front of you and you don't know it! If not, you should find one and put it up. My first royalty sale ever was generated from a piece of art hanging up in my house. It's been a good luck charm for me ever since. Find yours and use it. And good luck!

Imbolc & the Celtic Goddess Brigid

Many pagans, witches, and Wiccans, whichever you call yourself, celebrate Imbolc today. As Americans, we know today as Groundhog's Day, the traditional day when we find out if the legendary groundhog sees his shadow, heralding six more weeks of winter.

During Imbolc, in the Celtic tradition, the goddess Brigid is welcomed into your home, symbolizing the return of the Goddess as maiden. The maiden is young, vibrant, and full of possibility. The goddess Brigid is the triple goddess of fire, poetry, and inspiration. Colors associated with the holiday range from lavender and white to the more traditional red and white, depending on which you choose to incorporate into your home.

How fitting for us writers to reflect on this tradition today, whether you call yourself a witch or not! Buy some fresh flowers to brighten up your writing office and give you that boost of energy to get those last 100 words written or one last submission sent out before your family gets home for dinner. Light a candle and reflect on what inspires you as a writer. Take a walk outside to get those creative juices flowing or light some candles and draw a bath with your favorite scented oil and relax, letting your imagination go. Today is a day to renew your commitment to yourself as a writer. You can even ask the goddess Brigid to bless your work in the next year. I'm sure she would be pleased to hear from you.

Happy Imbolc, writers!

Lake Michigan & Home- A Photo Essay

One of the first places I visit after arriving in Milwaukee is Lake Michigan. The lake centers me. When I feel unbalanced, nothing is better for peace and tranquility than the sound of the waves washing ashore and the gulls flying above. I miss the lake terribly when I am away in Texas. This park is my favorite place to mull over my life and writing, etc. It is also a source of inspiration for me and I want to share it with you, my reader. Hopefully, it will bring you a good story or poem. I also am including a few nature photos from my parent's backyard as added inspiration. Happy writing everyone!

Mistletoe & Egg Foo Young

This holiday post is brought to you by the late Midnite, one of the neatest family pets I had the privilege of being friends with growing up.

I'm going home for the holidays for the first time since I moved away in 2006. Money and schedules haven't allowed me to come home as much as I would like, but I'm looking forward to being with my family and celebrating traditional Peevy style.

As I lay shivering in the early Texas morning hours, I pondered what to blog about. I decided to share some of my family's holiday traditions with you. As a writer, I often draw upon personal experience to make my stories richer. One small detail or two can add more depth to a story. If I were writing a holiday story, I might include something from my background. You can do the same and include something from yours.

Here's a few of my holiday traditions:

1) I'm not really sure how this came about, but each year now, my family gets Chinese takeout on Christmas Eve. My mom used to cook a huge dinner on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. One year she rebelled and we've been eating Port China ever since. I'm not complaining. I am an egg foo young fanatic and it is traditional for me to eat this on Christmas Eve every year. I have kept the Chinese food tradition alive with my husband and his son.

2) My family has never been a live Christmas tree family. When I moved away from home, I figured out why. It's hard having a live tree with pets running around the house and the needles clog up your vacuum. My parents are on their third fake tree. This time they were smart and got a prelit one. I highly recommend this experience. It makes trimming the tree so much easier! My family's tradition is to put the tree up as soon as anyone can move to do so after Thanksgiving.

My brother loves the holidays and always wants to get it done the day after Thanksgiving. When I was five, my mother started the tradition of buying us an ornament each year. I am now 35 and she still buys me ornaments, which is nice. Now that I've moved away, I can look at my tree and each ornament has a memory attached of my family.

3) The Peevy's are not known for their Christmas card punctuality. It's my father's one holiday duty and he usually forgets until a few days before. Some years, he hasn't even remembered to send me a card! He claims it's because he talks to me all the time. Whatever, dad! The Christmas card conversation has become a tradition since I left home in 2006. I like to keep him on his toes.

4) We've always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve. I asked my mother once and she said it all started when they got married and were traveling up north to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It just became convenient. I have continued the tradition with my husband and stepson, though my stepson thought I was crazy the first year, but now he likes it.

5) Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the holiday music. At my parents' house, the music always plays while decorating the tree and opening gifts.

I grew up with a love of music inherited from my father, who played as a professional musician at a local piano bar. (Dad is 78 and piano bars used to be quite popular. They've made a comeback, but it's not the same, according to him.) I took piano lessons for eight years and each year around September, I started practicing holiday music, so that by the time the holidays rolled around, I was ready to perform. My parents' were pretty happy when the holidays were over and they didn't have to listen to me playing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for another eight months.

I've enjoyed sharing some of my holiday traditions/memories with you. What are some of yours?

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - Writing Inspiration #2

My holiday gift to my husband, an original by me.

If you missed the first installment of my Day of the Dead post, you can still read it. It explains the history of Dia de los Muertos and has more pictures for writing inspiration.

What I like about Mexican folk art is how colorful and imaginative the pieces are. There is a celebration of death and life. Since the Victorian mourning customs have gone the way of the dodo, talking about death has become a taboo in Western culture. We don't even like to think about it. When my brother passed away in 1998, I realized this personally. Many people seemed uncomfortable and didn't know what to say to me. It was sad.

When I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2006, I delved below the surface of the Mexican art to discover the meaning. I'd always been fascinated by the subject matter and wanted to know more. It has enriched my writing background greatly and I still have yet to write all the stories I want to surrounding the characters from Mexican traditions.

The piece above is done in watercolor and black graphic ink pens. I am getting it professionally matted and framed. I can't do as much art as I would like, since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2003. My hands hurt a lot, but I still manage to do a few pieces now and then, though it takes me longer. But like my writing, it is an escape from pain.

Here are a few more pictures from my art collection to inspire your stories:



Vintage 1970s piece. The Mask Maker.



Circa 1970s mask.



Mexican Nichos. 

Mexican Nichos traditionally feature loved ones that have passed on, Catholic saints, or cards from La Loteria, the Mexican version of bingo. Nichos originated from church art. In other Spanish speaking countries, they are known as retablos. They are made from tin. You can buy unpainted ones to create your own, something that I am pondering at the moment.

The ones you see here are La Loteria nichos. The top is The Siren and the bottom is El Diablo, the patron saint of lawyers.

I hope these bring you some writing inspiration today. As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

Day of the Dead Skulls and The Witches' Yuletide Ball on December 10, 2011

Well, I finally got around to painting my Day of the Dead skulls for my black Christmas Wreath this year. I'll be posting the picture of the wreath on December 10th for The Witches' Yuletide Ball. I am sure one of my many characters from my stories would approve both of the ball and the yuletide wreath. You can read more about Dia de los Muertos on my previous blog post. Hopefully, the pictures and tradition will inspire some great from writing from all of you, if they haven't already.

If you'd like to join The Witches' Ball Hop, click on the flyer at the end of this post to sign up or follow the link above in my first paragraph.

 

 

 

Deck the Halls

Holly, Mistletoe and Pine

Wassail and Sweets for Everyone

Twinkling Candles Bright

Magick in the Air

Yuletide Carols

Spread Good Cheer

At the Witches’ Yule Ball!

 

The Dallas World Aquarium - A Photo Essay

A few weeks ago, I went to the Dallas World Aquarium, scouting out more story settings for myself and you, my faithful reader. The place is amazing. It's like being inside a rainforest indoors. I had no idea and wish I had gone sooner! Enjoy the pics and get some writing done between now and the new year, folks.

Historic Downtown Savannah, Georgia Part 2 - Photo Essay

As promised, here are the rest of my Savannah pics for you to enjoy or to inspire you to write. (It was raining most of our December trip, so any orbs you see are raindrops, not ghosties.)

The ghost tour I went on was okay, but I think next
time I will take a different one. The dude was a really,
really bad actor, but the tour and history were cool.

We convinced our waitress to let us upstairs in the infamously
haunted Moon River Brewery, previously featured on a ghost
hunting show on the Travel Channel. While we were there,
a tour was going on. Wish I had taken that pub hopping ghost one
and not the trolley. We saw a shadow figure walking around in the
background, but nothing showed up in my pictures later on.

Upstairs is not finished, but down is beautiful.
The food is fabulous and so are the ales. Get the sampler.





 


My favorite Christmas window display.