The Other Side of Somewhere

The Haiku Apprentice

I just finished reading The Haiku Apprentice: Memoirs of Writing Poetry in Japan. 

The book, written by an American diplomat living and working in Japan, details her introduction to haiku, her participation in a haiku group, her attempt to understand the art of haiku and her struggles of writing her own personal (and authentic!) haiku.

In this book the author goes to great lengths to pin down exactly how to write haiku poetry (and there are definitely specific elements involved in creating true Japanese haiku, beyond the three line, five-seven-five syllable pattern we all learned in school).  She also discusses differences in Japanese and Western styles of haiku, and she does all of this in a lovely and well written memoir.

I admit, haiku is one of those mysterious poetic forms that, because of its minimalism, intimidates me (as both a reader and writer).  I also admit, that traditional Japanese haiku are not my favorite.  I prefer modern, western-influenced haiku as they have more meaning and relevance to my own experiences and culture.  Jessica (9 to 5 Poet) writes wonderful haiku; this is one of my favorites).

After reading this book, I find myself inspired by the form ... maybe I'll even do a little scribbling of my own.

I've added this book to my reading list over at goodreads.com.  If you have a list at goodreads, please feel free to add me as a friend - I'd love to see what you're reading. 

In the Kitchen with Laurie

I started my one year art project last week. These are the first six daily atcs (Artist Trading Cards).  Only 359 to go - ack!  You can see each card in detail over at my flickr photostream, where I upload these daily. 

It's been a bit difficult to muster up the enthusiasm to do these because it hasn't even been a week since Mr. P.'s departure, but once I get started on one, I feel my creativity stir ... I'm sure I'll be back in the studio with more regularity and enthusiasm very soon.

At this time of year, I always find myself reading Laurie Colwin, in particular her cooking essays (Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kichen and More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen).  It is so nice to read books about cooking that aren't written by a high brow Chef or a TV Personality or a snotty food critic.  Laurie Colwin's style is down-to-earth, totally no-nonsense, encouraging, witty, amusing, and real.  She is someone I would've enjoyed having a meal or cooking with.  In these books, published in 1988 and 1992 respectively, she covers topics dear to many of us in 2007 (organic foods, buying locally and seasonally, for example).  These aren't your ordinary cookbooks, they are essays about food and cooking that happen to include recipes and methods.  I defy you to read these without chuckling or nodding your head in agreement at some of her cooking experiences.

Sadly, Ms. Colwin died suddenly in 1992, making these two volumes all the more precious; there isn't anyone writing about these topics today that writes the way she did and we are all poorer for it.  I can't recommend these books heartily enough.

When I read these books, I am always inspired to try something new in the kitchen.  Today I am making Lemon Rice Pudding (to be found in More Home Cooking, p. 15).  That I am even making rice pudding is a testament to Ms. Colwin's writing - I am not a fan of rice pudding, normally.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

In the meantime, check out the new blog banner I whipped up for the Christmas season ...

Art Dolls and Discounts

This book ...

... is stunning.

My friend Sandy has a doll featured in this book (page 43!) and she let me paw through her contributor copy.  Wowza!  The array of materials used to create these dolls is vast (everything from paper, cloth, and beads to cultural and traditional materials such as fish skins).  The styles cover everything from highly realistic to whimsical, creepy, and everything in between.  Truly a book to return to and savor.

I mostly work flat on paper and fabric and I always will because that is what makes me happiest, but looking at the work in this book makes me want to experiment with the doll form. 

* * *

A couple of blogging milestones are in the near future - my second year anniversary and the rapid approach of the 500th comment.  I believe there will be some sort of something to commemorate that 500th comment so don't be shy - hee hee! These milestones combined with the kick-off of the Christmas season leads me to offer my blog readers a discount they don't have to trample their fellow citizens to receive:

For friends in the U.S.: free shipping on anything in the Boodzoo Studio shop.

For International friends: 1/2 off shipping anything in the Boodzoo Studio shop.

This offer is good for one week only, through December 1st. 

To get the discount, please follow these instructions:

1. Purchase the item you wish to purchase in etsy.  Then leave etsy.

2. If you're using PayPal, login to your PayPal account, and click on "Send Money".

3. Simply send the total (price of item less shipping fee) to my paypal address, which is: boodzoo at gmail dot com (without the spaces and including the @ sign, of course).

4. If you'd rather send a check or money order (US only), please email me for the mailing address and to let me know your order has been placed.

5. If you have any questions, please email me **before** paying. 

I will be adding a few new things to the shop over the next couple of days, so do check back.

Prairie Girl at Heart

I picked up a cute book at the bookstore today, called: The Prairie Girl's Guide to Life (How to Sew a Sampler Quilt & 49 Other Pioneer Projects for the Modern Girl) , by Jennifer Worick.

I was smitten with the idea of this book, as Little House on the Prairie (both the books and the TV show) was a major influence on my little girl self.

Besides most of the Little House books, I have The Little House Cookbook which was written by a woman who wanted to recreate the recipes in Laura Ingalls Wilder's books for her own daughter.  The book includes recipes for Molasses-On-Snow Candy (which I am determined to make if we ever get a big snow.  As a child growing up in hot climates where a snowflake would've been as alien, as, well, an alien, I longed to make this treat.  Now I actually live in a place where making this treat is possible).  The author also includes a recipe for the heart-shaped cakes topped with white sugar that were wrapped and placed in Mary and Laura's Christmas stockings and which left both girls in awe. 

**happy sigh**  (I love those books).

The book I bought today is kind of a sassy take on pioneer traditions and is meant for the indie crafter and homemaker.  There are instructions for taking a sponge bath, whittling, making a quilt, rolling your hair in rag curlers and making a rag rug, recipes for bread-and-butter pickles and rhubarb pie, and even a foot diagram for how to dance a waltz.  I've only paged through it; it's a book with a cute premise and worthy intentions, but doesn't have the charm of The Little House Cookbook and the original Little House books.  Still, I think it will be a fun book to add to my prairie collection.

Day Sixteen: NaBloPoMo

I'm Title-Less

Very little time for much other than last minute work on my items for Handmade Parade, but Mr. P. took me to the bookstore this afternoon for an hour wandering the stacks.  Just being in a bookstore fills up my creative well, but it is hard for me to leave a bookstore empty handed.  Especially hard to resist a good art technique book.  Looking forward to delving into a bit more once the hustle and bustle of the craft show is over.

Prepping for this show has been such the learning experience for me.  One thing I've learned already is that it is nearly impossible to explore and experiment with new ideas and possibilities while trying to make a good quantity and variety of wares for customers to choose from.  Knowing this will help me should I decide to do this kind of thing again.

Really excited about the event.  We're doing some set up tomorrow and then the parade comes to town on Saturday! 

Day Eight: NaBloPoMo

Bookshelf

I admit to feeling a bit left out of the excitement surrounding the release of the final installment of the Harry Potter books.  I read the first Harry book and found it cute, but not really my cup of tea.  (I found the description of the sport he plays at Hogwarts, for example, to be tedious and yawn inducing).  My curiosity was not peaked enough to continue reading, nor have I ever seen the movies.  But, I am tickled by the enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the release of this last book.  Never in my life, have I ever seen such excitement about the release of a book (and of course, some of this is because everything is a Big Media Event, but I choose to believe that most of it is a true love of the story). There is a whiff of magic in the air tonight as people stand in line at bookstores to get the new book as soon as it is released.  I wish I could be in on that. 

Instead, I'm celebrating four of my most magical reads this year, both fiction and non-fiction. 

I highly recommend:

Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett.  I wrote about this book in more detail (and shared a piece of art I made inspired by this book), here.

Next up is Out of the Dust, a book for children written entirely in free verse, exploring the tragedy of a family in Oklahoma during the Great Depression.  The poetry is so exquisite, you can practically feel the dust in your hair and in your mouth and all around you.   

Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian is a fascinating story about a family made up of vastly differing viewpoints who have to find a way to deal with those viewpoints (and each other) after a family tragedy.  No matter what your viewpoints on the subjects of hunting and animal rights, the author makes you see what informs and drives those differing viewpoints and the vast grey areas that exist in issues like this.  His book The Water Witches is another book that tackles both sides of a hot button issue, this time on environmental matters.  (Both of these books are fiction and involve interesting characters in intriguing situations).

Finally, The War of Art: Break Through the Block and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.  This book was recommended to me by a teacher and artist at Art & Soul.  I highly recommend it to all creatives.  The author is straightforward and talks about all kinds of issues creatives face (including many things we don't even talk about amongst ourselves).

I read like a fiend, and have already read so many good books this year.  Currently I'm reading Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (sadly, this was never assigned reading in my school years).  What about you ... what are you reading?