My house has been like a circus, seriously; (come watch the three rings!). And since I don’t have a book or anything else recently published to tout as many of my other partners have done this week,( and my proposed guest once more took a raincheck), I was once more up a creek.
Jeff-The-Hound has another blog, “Write By Salter” and his most recent guest ,Leigh Verrill-Rhys, (who has graced our pages here), talked about other creative outlets. Take a look:Write By Salter
I believe that people who are creative in any area are usually creative, period, but I can’t speak for them all.
Many famous singers become actor; many actors become directors. Many singers paint, many actors write. I have had the most experience with two types of creative people, those who cook and those who write and believe me when I tell you that they are far from mutually exclusive. There are a great number of foodbloggers out there to be read. And looked at, as most food blogs are filled with pictures, so photography comes into play. And the bloggers are often not stay-at-home foodies. Some are retired from all sorts of work, some work part-time and some are still in full-time careers. You may be surprised at the number of doctors who not only enjoy being creative with food, but take the time to blog about it.
I like to take nice or interesting pictures but I am a shutterbug, not a photographer, although I could get pulled in that direction very easily enough if I let myself. I sew, I have quilted and embroidered. I have put my hand to some crafts and I have done a small amount of art, (although I have been happy with little of what I have finished). I enjoy interior decorating, but my biggest love had always been being creative with food.
I learned the true art of cooking at my mother’s elbow, literally. We come from a long line of renowned cooks,( only an aunt and I did it professionally and her career was short).
Whereas my mother put emphasis on taste and eye appeal of foods, I took it farther to fancy confections as well and made highly decorated cakes and candies. I would have told you for years that I truly loved making beautiful and flavorful food more than anything in the world because it appealed to most of the senses: Sight, smell, taste and feel. (In some cases, you can hear food, but that is a stretch, even for me!)
However, I keep going back to one of my first loves: writing. I may not do it as well as the foods I can create, but done right,I hope that I can make people see, feel, hear or even to taste and smell what I am writing. I truly enjoy teaching through my easy entertaining and food blog:Tonette Joyce, Food, Friends, Family, but poetry, articles, plays and stories really are my passion. I have even returned to songwriting.
As much as I enjoy watching people devour something I made, writings last a whole lot longer, and maybe people will ‘devour’ my writings over and over again.I can hope.
How about you? Do you let your creativity flow in more than one direction?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
For someone who was “up a creek,” you have posted a topic which inspires thought this morning, Tonette. I too, believe we all have our talent/s if we allow them to come forth. I, like you, like to cook when I have someone to cook for. I’ve been told I’m a good cook, too! But it’s hard to find the inspiration when I’m only cooking for myself.
It’s not really a stretch to say you can “hear” food. Think of frying chicken. Imagining the sound alone brings thoughts of smell to your senses. I know anything fried these days is said to be unhealthy, but I have memories of before I knew any better! Just sayin’
I say, Go Jeff! I’m a partner on this blog and I run my personal blog, but I don’t think I would like to run two or more by myself. Not my talent.
I’ve always loved to sing . Have sung in front of others all my life. I’d absolutely love to sing professionally, but for now I now sing with my church choir. Hymns, and other songs to God, are so Beautiful!
Dancing would be another talent of mine. Whenever music comes on it flows through me, whether or not I am consciously aware of it. My body just starts moving. I’ve been complimented on the fact that others can SEE the music flowing through me when I dance. Back in the day, I Belly Danced professionally.
Now that I’ve got professional dancing out of my system, I’ve learned I enjoy writing even more!
I guess I’ve always been an extrovert. I like to be up in front doing something in front of people. I’m just a born entertainer.
Giving speeches in front of others has never bothered me, either.
When I started this response, I had trouble thinking of any other talents I have, but once I started writing about it they just reminded me of them!
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My dear Janette, you would rather HAVE to be an extrovert to be a belly-dancer! No, no,I was not an extrovert at all.And sing?Oh, you do not want to hear me sing!
I very much enjoy blogging.I know many prolific novelists who blog only when pushed and with great trepidation.I am sorry for them.
Check out my FFF blog.I put my ego on hold and will not out any complicated or fancy work on it. All the recipes are easy and some have extra-easy shortcuts.You can take little effort and make something different for yourself, or if you have a guest.
And since you like to cook, consider guest-blogging there.I have had several writer friends come in when they have work to promote.
Thanks for taking the time here today,Janette.
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great column today.
Thanks for mentioning my other blog and my guest, Leigh Verrill-Rhys.
Yes, I believe creative people are very often creative in more than one area … or they can be. Some may choose to “shut down” creative outlets B, C, and D, in order to focus on creative outlet A. But, as you point out, many who excel in one or more fields also have deep talent available in other fields of expression.
Even within the area of WRITING alone, there are NUMEROUS ways to express one’s creativity. Some blog, some write letters, some post on FB (or elsewhere). some write how-to books or articles, some review other publications, some write graphic novels, stage plays, movie scripts, songs, poetry, short stories, biographies, histories, or novels. Just within novels alone, there are perhaps 100 different TYPES of novel (in terms of genre or sub-genre), not even to mention stand-alone novellas or multi-title series.
When we talk of creativity, I say there is no limit. Or, perhaps I should say, our only limits are what we cannot imagine.
All THAT said, to exercise creative expression, it’s very helpful to have peace and quiet, low stress, and uncomplicated schedules. And EVERYbody has that… right?
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LOL! Not me, not here! (#1 Son took left this morning to go fight a wildfire in Idaho, as if I needed more stress!)
As for writing, yes, in my case, anyway. Maybe I stretch myself to thin and should concentrate on one area more, but gee, when something hits my fancy, I go for it. I failed to mention the children’s story that is trying so hard to make me decide what formula to use.
And,oh, now, if you’ll excuse me until later,I have a school bus to meet and noisy little granddaughters to bring to my house.At least none of the grandkids have extra curricular activities this evening…unless I forgot something!
Peace? Sometimes. Quiet? Almost never. Stress?YES!
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LOL! You are Too Funny, Jeff. And I quote, “All THAT said, to exercise creative expression, itās very helpful to have peace and quiet, low stress, and uncomplicated schedules. And EVERYbody has thatā¦ right?”
Gotta agree with you, too, Tonette. You would not BELIEVE the number of uncompleted manuscripts I have on my cyber shelves. Every time I’ve gotten going on one, since I began writing, ANOTHER has appeared in my life to DISTRACT me! As I said in a previous post, without my online 100×100 loop, my romantic fantasy, CONNECTIONS, would not even be here today! And yeah, there’s a children’s series by another one of my personalities , in the works, too. And a contemporary by someone else, um, shall I say, in my mind, too. LOL! The characters in my psyche always have something going on!
Bless you with your life the way it is at the moment. Enjoy it, one day too soon, it will all be a memory.
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Yes,Janette, but at the rate things are going,I’m afraid that I will soon be a memory!
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Practice relaxation techniques. Is there no one else there you can delegate to so you don’t have to do everything? We can’t have you “soon a memory”! Take Care of Yourself! š
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Thanks for your concern,Janette. Don’t get me started! It hasn’t gotten me yet.
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Since you were so kind to check up on me, and as soon as I finished responding to that message, I came over here. Talk about the whack upside the head. I definitely believe in having various creative outlets. As mentioned many times before on the blog, I’m a former competitive baton twirler. My favorite thing even as a teen was to create my own routines (even if they were only performed on my front porch for no one…unless I caught my mom spying on me.) I also teach a kids dance class. I enjoy other creative outlets too, but I know time and money can often preclude a person from getting too involved into too many of them. (Scrapbooking, painting) I also like to cook, but I clearly lack the eye for presentation. I proudly claim the title of world’s ugliest birthday cakes. So you’ll never see a picture of any meal I cook posted on Facebook. My family is happy as long as it tastes good. Looks aren’t everything. š
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Taste is definitely THE TOP priority in food, for sure,Micki.I mean, how many fancy birthday or wedding cakes have you tried to choke down? In my case, a lot…of OTHER PEOPLE’S! LOL!
I see that you have been quite busy of FB with the kids this Summer; We’re just glad that all is OK, we sincerely miss you…and I personally find you very inspiring! Thanks for putting me onto the 100/100 challenge.I was putting off really jumping into writing again.I simple can’t wait until things are completely settled down…it isn’t ever going to happen!
Glad you came in!
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Sorry … I’m late!
Creativity is not one of the words I’d put in the same sentence when it comes to talking about me. I write, but I don’t like cooking, sewing, knitting, playing music …. you get the gist. I’m glad I’ve found an outlet in writing …. and I present a radio program, there’s a bit of creativity involved I suppose!
Great post today, and I promise one day I’ll get over to your food blog and visit you there as well!
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Well, Iris,I have heard from other who claim the same as you.I am glad that you and the others have found that creative outlet in your life; it is sad but there are some who never really give themselves a chance at letting their creativity come forth. So many finally think they might want to try but decide that it is ‘too late’.It is never too late.There are many writers and artists who ‘come out’ later in life.
You are welcome over at FFF anytime, Iris! I use it to teach that cooking and entertaining need not be frightening of difficult.I have put my ego on hold a bit and don’t show off my ‘fancy work’, as I don’t want people to take a look and think they can never get to that point, nor do I have complicated recipes that overwhelm them.I want people to cook, and have guests and make it simple for them. (However,I AM tempted to put some of my fancy cakes up on the FB page! Naughty me!)
The offer stands to come and guest blog if you’d like.I have writer friends come in and either share a simple recipe or two or there is the option stands to tell a story or talk about hosting,or a hosting mishap.(The readers love those!) I have traffic from allover the world, so if you’d like to tout any works, the offer is open.
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Hi Tonette,
Thank you for your fun blog. You are quite the creative! Like you, my life has coursed through many channels. Each time I change directions friends/family will comment, “But I thought you liked what you were doing.” And indeed I did – and do.
The common denominator is creativity. Whether I arrange flowers at a curbside stand, clip hair into an asymmetric do, evaluate someone’s gait, or illustrate a collection of pigs, my creative juices flow. And they keep on flowing – in spite of the on-going learning curves. A few months back I began a blog. Now, I’m learning how to podcast. Life is so much fun!
Take care and thanks again,
Robin
Robin Ball Designs
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Thanks for coming by,Robin.Yes, we really should stretch ourselves in whatever area is worth a try, but,I think maybe I find myself trying to do too many at lone time!
You sound like you have a lot of fun.
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Hi again Tonette,
Thanks for including me in your community. Yes, I do have fun. A friend once shared his daily mantra with me and I whisper it to myself everyday – Above all else, life should be fun!
Take care and make it a great weekend,
Robin
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