Category Archives: Humor

Apr14

Creative Juice # 339

Posted on April 14, 2023 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Poems. Quilts. Photos. Tips for Authors. And other good stuff.

A poem written for NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month).
Another poem written for NaPoWriMo.
Another poem. (Can you tell I’ve been reading a lot of poetry?)
Another poem written for NaPoWriMo.
How quilts are judged for shows.
Funny animal photos.
Why author visits to schools are so important.
Lovely photographs.
Beautiful quilt, fairly easy to make.
Authors: write a query letter that gets noticed.
Many of us who live in the West have no idea what life is like in other parts of the world. The life of a fisherman in Senegal.
Art out of a vending machine? (Actually, Vesna is a friend of mine and I love her work! You’d be blessed to score one of her originals.)

Feb17

Creative Juice #331

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Bunches of quilts. A couple of poems. And more.

This poem amuses me.
Celebrity portraits from long ago.
Just in case you didn’t see this on the ARHtistic License Facebook page, here is a beautiful wedding story.
Free pattern for an adorable heart quilted pillow.
Very colorful quilts.
Funny photos.
Five beautiful quilts.
Cheap jeans—there’s more to this story than the price tag.
The genius of Jeff Beck.
A poem (by one of my favorite poets) about her creative process.
Wonderful graffiti quilts.
The quilts of Maria Shell.

Jan6

Creative Juice #325

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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I’m excited for you to see these wonderful articles.

How 36 high school students built a house for Habitat for Humanity.
If you love how children express themselves, then this Instagram page is for you.
These signs made me laugh out loud.
Flowers and fruits in threes.
These books scheduled to release in 2023 are generating quite a buzz.
Works of Pablo Picasso.
Building creative capacity.
Prize-winning wildlife photography.
From the sublime to the ridiculous: the Comedy Wildlife Photography awards.
My favorite way to see snow: through children’s book illustrations.
A photographer critiques Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s “The Harvesters.” More about Pieter Bruegel the Elder from the ARHtistic License archives.
Sketches of San Jose.

Nov17

Creative Juice #318

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Note from Andrea: I goofed. This article was supposed to appear tomorrow, but when I turned on my computer today, I forgot what day it was; I thought it was Friday instead of Thursday and I expected to see Creative Juice up on my blog–so I went to my future-scheduled posts and edited this to publish immediately, and it wasn’t until afterward that I realized my mistake. So, I’m sorry–I’ve got nothing for tomorrow; I jumped the gun today.

Why not spend an hour exploring these 12 wonderful articles?

Witnesses to history. I cried at the story of Princess Diana.
Just in case you didn’t see the sand sculptures on ARHtistic License’s Facebook page. (By the way, you can follow ARHtistic License on Facebook for more creative content.)
Amazing appliquéd quilts from the International Quilt Festival.
For parents of school-aged little ones—a recipe for homemade playdough.
Matisse exhibit at MOMA. More Matisse.
For the dog and cat lovers. LOL.
The art of letter illumination.
Artist Sandy Allnock’s Instagram page.
Striking sculptures made from saplings.
Franz Kline: breaking the rules of painting.
A heartwarming book about an exceptional man, Joey Moss.
Yuko Shimizu’s illustrations.

Sep30

Creative Juice #312

Posted on September 30, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Interesting articles to read this weekend.

During the middle ages, there was a thriving trade in unicorn horns, which were believed to neutralize poisons. Of course, only royalty and nobility could afford them or even a piece of one. Here’s the source.
So many books, so little time.
A London public art walk.
The messages on this veterinarian’s sign make me laugh.
Cute quilt.
A poem to help you stop procrastinating.
Sorry to say, but Etsy is no longer such a good endeavor.
Hiking as therapy.
Gorgeous murals.
Desert southwest art by William Haskell.
I have always wanted to make a cathedral window quilt.
Zentangle ideas.

Aug12

Creative Juice #307

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Quilts. Writing. Art.

I love to see how different people using the same quilt pattern come up with significantly different quilts.
More beautiful quilts. (Keep scrolling to get to the quilts.)
Still more beautiful quilts, including Southwest designs.
A gorgeous quilt, and the inspiration behind it.
What kind of writers group do you need?
Scripture journaling.
“As human beings, we flourish through our collective efforts in society not in isolation. In fact, the degree in which we are able to cooperate and collaborate to build complex and sophisticated civilizations is uniquely human. This trait sets us apart from other species.”
Writers, do you know Margie Lawson? She’s like a magician—do what she says, and your writing will sparkle. Read this article about giving your novel a great title. This article appeared last February, so the course info at the end of the article is obsolete. But if you’re intrigued, check out her website. If you can’t take a class, you can always buy the lecture notes. I have “Deep Editing, Rhetorical Devices, and More.” It’s fabulous.
This is an article in 5 memes about writing (and other kinds of) success. There are a lot of good points in the article, but the fifth meme is in bad taste. Skip this if the f-word will spoil your day.
Funny bumper stickers. (Warning: some are kind of offensive.)
An overview of the popular Fudenosuke pens.
Watercolorist Minnie Small.

Jul22

Creative Juice #304

Posted on July 22, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Lots of artistic things in this week’s offerings.

I find these modern quilts inspiring.
Do you have a consistent art practice?
Breathtaking views of Seville, including the cathedral.
Writer problems: when your book gets translated into a different language.
Love kids? They say the darndest things, don’t they? Check out Live From Snack Time on Instagram.
I love to peek at Suhita’s sketchbook.
Women’s summer fiction giveaway at BookBub.
Any Arizonan will tell you Monument Valley is in Arizona, but wherever it is, it’s photogenic.
Observing absence.
Adorable animal photos.
How to give a good critique on a manuscript.
Nathalie finds neat stuff in her neighborhood.

Jul15

Creative Juice #303

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Heavy on quilt articles this week. And other stuff too.

Taking quilt pictures at the park. The town next to us has a lot of public art sculptures like these. I think I’m going to try this!
Books to read to babies. I’m a big fan of starting them off early! I even posted about it.
I love this artist’s work on Instagram. I discovered her during ICAD.
Winter quilts! Free patterns. I like the Log Cabin in these colors; I also like Bird’s Eye Pine Quilt, though I’d probably not use the pine fabric. (Maybe solids?)
Different interpretations of the same quilt pattern.
Quilted jackets are “in” again.
Read, write, and live with poetry.
Photographs that kind of look like Renaissance paintings.
I always love looking at Audrey’s quilts.
What makes a good story?
I almost laughed out loud.
A trip to the Catskills.

Jun3

Creative Juice #297

Posted on June 3, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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This week’s articles are a gold mine for writers, but there are pickings for other creative people too.

Beautiful artwork.
Hand-lettering tips.
Have you ever forgotten a word and had to make up an alternative term for it?
Do you have recurring dreams? Mine include several houses, including my childhood home, except the door won’t secure. . .
Ways to fix passive voice.
How to draw a frog.
Public speaking tips for writers (but they’ll work for anybody).
Points to consider when writing mystery and suspense.
Novelists, be careful when you injure your characters.
Write an Op-Ed article.
Fiction writers: give your character some internal conflict.
Recommended books on writing. I’ve read 12 of these 34, and I have some of the others. (Yes, I know—I’ve got more reading to do.)

May13

Creative Juice #294

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Lots of articles for writers this week. And for non-writers as well.

Kids say the darnedest things. LOL
What one author does to get in the mood to write.
Beautiful photographs of children on this Instagram page.
Free quilt patterns! (I want to make Flock Party.)
Interesting modern sculptures.
Why representation in children’s literature is important.
How to create habits and routines that support your creativity.
Tips for revising your novel.
Jami Gold’s writing worksheets. Invaluable helpers.
How to give each of your characters a unique voice.
Have you wanted to do street photography, but aren’t sure what you are legally allowed to shoot?
If you’re an author, here’s how you can utilize Medium to market your book.