I've been thinking more about why I enjoy writing these "You Might Also Like ... " blog posts each month. When something (books, TV shows, recipes, or artwork) makes me laugh or brings me joy in some way, I want to share that with anyone who needs a lift. I also enjoy supporting creatives of all types and one easy way to do that is to help direct more fans their way.
But I'm also doing this as a way to "pay attention to what you pay attention to." (The quote comes from author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, but I most likely first heard it from Austin Kleon.) It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you aren't really interested in anything or that maybe there aren't any patterns to what you like or dislike. I know if anyone asks me about good books I've read lately, I often can't think of a single one. I want to keep better track not only so I can experience more like whatever I enjoyed previously, but also to see if it leads to a new creative project. For me, one of the fascinating parts of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert was when she was in a dry spell with her writing and didn't feel a strong call to write about anything in particular. Once she realized that she just needed to feel a little curiosity about a subject (gardening), she started down the path to her next book. (This article "Elizabeth Gilbert on the Scavenger Hunt of Curiosity" has a good summary of that section of the book.)
On My Work (Art) Table
I'm working my way through an online class via Creative Bug: Lisa Congdon's 31 Day Pattern Challenge. So far my favorite design has been the basketweave (pictured here). My least favorite has been gingham, probably because it's so hard to get the painted lines straight. I'm happy that the next few patterns are flowers and leaves, which hopefully will be easier for me.
In The Kitchen
When it's hot I don't feel like cooking, so I'll just share that I recently had the perfect take-out lunch: the basil chicken sandwich at Modern Market with chicken, arugula, red onion, provolone, and basil aioli on a ciabatta roll.
I did enjoy seeing the photo of this rhubarb-blueberry frangipane tart in all its precise glory.
A few days ago I finished Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescue Animals by Laurie Zaleski. This memoir is unusually structured in that each chapter contains a story about the author's life and a story about one of the rescued animals. I enjoyed the chapters towards the end best, as those dealt with how the author bought and developed the farm. (The earlier chapters were about her childhood, which was difficult.) You can read a little bit of her story on the Funny Farm Rescue website.
In my TBR (To Be Read) Pile
I bought Flying Solo by Linda Holmes and it's sitting on my nightstand just waiting to be read. The description included the words librarian and mystery, so I'm hoping it's right up my alley!
What I'm Watching
I've been enjoying back episodes of $100,000 Pyramid. I have no desire to be on a game show myself, but for some reason I find it soothing after a long day to shout answers at the TV. While a lot of the celebrities are people I've never heard of (sports figures or reality show stars), it's fun to root for the smart and funny celebrities that have made multiple appearances like Leslie Jones or Kathy Najimy.
Made Me Laugh
Cat photos are almost guaranteed to make me smile. I really liked this one of a cat inside a library book dust jacket.
I also loved this poem "Differences of Opinion" by Wendy Cope. Who doesn't know someone like that?
Bead World
How to Price Your Beadwork [video]
This is solid pricing advice! I've been wondering how to price some bead embroidery of mine. I knew that my time would be a big factor as it's so labor intensive, but I couldn't figure out how to account for the number of beads used. This answered that question and gave me many other factors to consider such as my experience.
This fundraiser for my state bead society will be coming in August. It's a chance to win some pretty awesome bead-related items!
New in the Shop
These pen earrings were a happy accident as I noticed that the pen nib charms were about the same length as the dangles in the fringed findings. I like that the charms and dangles blend together a bit. (What writer doesn't want to blend into the background sometimes?) I also like the spiky feeling of the earrings as sometimes what we write pokes people uncomfortably and makes them think.
See you in August!