Diary of a Smart Chick

Various writings from a curious mind

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  • About Me or This Blog,  Mental Health

    Launching Crochet Saved My Life: Early on My Book Publishing Journey

    August 25, 2019

    This was originally a guest post on the website Whip Up. I wrote it to promote my then-new book, Crochet Saved My Life. That was back in 2012. Since that post is no longer up on the original site, I thought I’d re-publish it again here. It was an early step on my self-publishing journey and my explorations into Crafting to Heal. There I am … a doubled-over heap of empty sobs balled up onto the bathroom floor, rocking back and forth trying to calm away the palpitating pain. My mind keeps racing around and around, exploring the tempting (but frightening) options for suicide. I could take some pills, I…

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    Literacy Volunteer: Appreciating the Ease of Reading and Writing

    August 19, 2019
    drowning feeling in depression

    Dr(Owning) and S(Wallowing) in Depression

    May 23, 2019
    blog typewriter

    Hello world! (Again)

    September 2, 2018
  • videocracy book
    Book Review

    Videocracy: Forms of Collaboration on YouTube

    August 23, 2019

    I recently read the book Videocracy. There was so much rich stuff in there about collaboration. Here are some of the things I learned and thoughts I had while reading this book. Videocracy: About the Book First I’ll tell you a little bit about the book Videocracy. It is all about YouTube trends. The head of the company’s “Culture and Trends” department is the author. Naturally, he has a lot of interesting insight into video watching trends. I think there’s some bias on his part to see YouTube as a mostly great thing. However, in spite of that there’s tons of interesting information in the book. I’m currently working on…

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    Book Review: Always Too Much and Never Enough

    September 4, 2018
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    Recommended Essay Reading: The Artist as Culture Producer … and Thoughts on Creative Collaboration

    August 18, 2019
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    5 Books About Walking to Inspire as You Move through the World

    January 7, 2019
  • creative duo Orange Barrel Industries
    Art,  Interviews

    Creative Duo Interview: Orange Barrel Industries

    August 20, 2019

    A portion of the interview about this creative duo was originally published in Happily Hooked digital magazine.  Orange Barrel Industries is the collaborative art business of creative duo husband-and-wife printmaking team Hannah and Blake. They are a witty pair who got married in a series of art events. They share on their website, “At first, Blake thought Hannah was some kind of itchy, excitable midget and Hannah found Blake to be an uppity ascetic. It turns out, they were both right, but they learned to love each other, anyway. They bonded over their shared passions of printmaking, drawing, cooking and hard work.“ I had the opportunity awhile back to interview…

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    Interview with Needle Felting Artist Weijue Wang

    September 7, 2018
    we shall overcome by Ellen Schinderman

    Interview with Thread Artist Ellen Schinderman

    September 7, 2018
    India photography by Danielle Da Silva

    Interview with Director, Photographer and Activist Danielle da Silva

    September 7, 2018
  • literacy volunteer
    About Me or This Blog

    Literacy Volunteer: Appreciating the Ease of Reading and Writing

    August 19, 2019

    This post originally appeared in 2007 on my old blog: Real Words for a Real Writer. It’s about my brief but memorable experience as a literacy volunteer. When I was about eighteen, I signed up as a Literacy Volunteer of Tucson. My work with the group didn’t last long (what can I say, I was eighteen and not exactly committed to anything for very long periods of time). However, it left a lasting impression on my life. Although I obviously knew that there were illiterate adults living around me, I hadn’t really understood until working with one what that meant on a daily basis. And I hadn’t understood until that…

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    Hello world! (Again)

    September 2, 2018
    drowning feeling in depression

    Dr(Owning) and S(Wallowing) in Depression

    May 23, 2019
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    How Writing, Crafting, and Depression Came Together in a Book

    September 19, 2019
  • artist as culture producer
    Book Review

    Recommended Essay Reading: The Artist as Culture Producer … and Thoughts on Creative Collaboration

    August 18, 2019

    The Artist as Culture Producer: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life is an essay collection edited by Sharon Louden in an effort to combat the stereotype that artists are working in studios alone, toiling away in solitary – even self-absorbed – pursuits. The essays are each by an artist who “reaches outside of the studio to extend creative energies and pursuits into his or her community.” She goes on to say she chose these artists for many reasons including their generosity and that “they inject creative culture into the cracks of society, where they alter the direction of small towns and large cities”. Each of the essays is as different…

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    Book Report: The Battle of Junk Mountain

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    Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her

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I commit to using my skills / experience in writing, crafting and therapeutic creativity to assist others in understanding, exploring and achieving their creative dreams, honoring their artistic selves and healing their inner and outer worlds. This is done primarily through the channel of crochet but incorporates information from other areas of craft, art, creativity, and psychology. Subscribers receive my newsletter and additional rewards at various funding levels. As we reach collective milestones, I donate copies of my books to those in need.

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