When is the last time you used a pen or pencil?
I try to write a little by hand every day even if it's just a a grocery list or an address on an envelope. It's funny how difficult and awkward the physical movement of holding a pen can be after just a little time away.
Writing by hand is slower than typing, but studies have shown that writing by hand instead of using a keyboard does improve memory and retention among students. I definitely remember more of what I hand write, which is one reason I really enjoy working with positive quotes in my handmade work. If I'm going to have extra words rattling around in my head, I want them to be good ones! Many artists and creative types do seem to have a lot of negative thoughts ("I can't do this ... I'm terrible at it ..."). Trying to tip your thought balance back into the positive realm could help your artistic production.
Some people have found that those who journal by hand find it more cathartic than those who typed their thoughts onto a computer. If you're feeling disconnected from your work, a little writing by hand may be just the thing you need.
In addition, some physicians say that writing by hand keeps you mentally sharp as you get older.
Need a little inspiration to get started? Here are two recent examples of positive quotes from my own creative work table:
"Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind." - Henry James
As with many quotes floating around on the Internet, its origins are rather dubious. One writer did track down the original in a biography, although there are still questions about who Henry James was speaking to and under what circumstances. Regardless, it's a quote that's stuck with me during the last few months with so much negativity in the news and social media. (If you need a quick a story of kindness, check out the recent one where our local police reunited a kid with a lost stuffed animal.)
Earlier this week I took some time to paint my own version of this quote. I've been doing quite a bit of painting and drawing this year and really enjoy it.
"I am not a teacher, I am an awakener." - Robert Frost
I've found that hand stamping with metal stamps and a hammer has a similar effect on me that using a pen does. Yes, I'm not forming the words entirely by hand, but I do have to think about the placement of each individual letter, which does cause me to slow down. Plus, I find that the repetitive hammering does seem to sear the words into my brain. This is one reason why I'm particular about custom bookmark orders. Each one takes a lot of time to make, so I want the words I'm spending time with to be positive ones. (I don't care if the words are from someone famous or not or if they're beautifully worded. A bookmark that says "Happy Birthday to the Best Mom Ever!" counts as a positive in my book.) I really enjoyed this teaching quote for a recent custom order.
The best teachers do seem to encourage their students to make discoveries on their own. Again, I was unable to verify this quote, but I did find some related information in the book The Road Not Taken: A Selection of Robert Frost's Poems with an Introduction and Commentary by Louis Untermeyer. In the book, the author described Frost as someone who "liked to teach anywhere except in the classroom." He also describes Frost's function as a college professor as one who was "not to instruct, but to excite, to infuse with warmth, and to act as 'sort of poetic radiator.' " So it does seem plausible that Robert Frost said or wrote something like this.
Your Turn ...
Use the medium of your choice to create some word-y art and see if it leaves you feeling more relaxed and positive. You could embroider or cross-stitch a favorite quote on cloth with thread. Or you could quilt with words. You could carve a stamp block with a special saying. You can find peyote stitch charts with the alphabet to create your own seed bead bracelet. I've even seen knitters create mittens with words on them. Go for it!