The Mommy Project

Ann Wood Handmade: Creature Comforts

Trolling the internet for creativity is an interesting thing. Turns out it's not that hard to find people who are capable of really beautiful things once you really start looking. The hard part is realizing just how incredibly untalented and incapable you are of creating something even half as interesting. Ann Wood is one of those artists that stopped my surfing in it's tracks. Her handcrafted birds, boats, insects, and castles are somehow both intricate and simple. And of course, she's got a line of handmade ornery looking owls so she pretty much had me right there. Take a moment to check out her online shop for an opportunity to own one of her one-of-a-kind designs.

 

Wendolonia: Lunchbox Eye Candy

When I originally conceived "The Mommy Project" this is EXACTLY what I was talking about. Moms finding any which way to fulfill their creative drive. Wendy Copley may be out of her mind for designing and documenting the daily bento box lunches she prepares for her kids but she is also clearly talented. Her faq page on her website, Wendolonia is hilarious and shows she has a definite sense of humor about her creative venture. And you have to applaud her answer to her most frequently asked question, "Why do you do this?" She says:

"I'm a creative person but I'm also a busy person. I don't always get time every day to scrapbook, sew, write, craft or do any of the other hobbies I love so much. But I have to make my kid a lunch every stinkin' day, so I figure if I'm going to have to do it anyway, I may as well take a little extra time to indulge my creative side and enjoy it."

Amen. Please take the time to go on her site and look around- Wendy's got lots more creative projects beyond her bento boxes and everything is super pretty to look at.
 

Reader Project: Get Published in The NY Times

Rachel Birnbaum is one of the funniest people I have ever had the pleasure of becoming friends with. She has a full-time gig as an advertising copywriter but she has always written longer form essays as a hobby. For the past few years, she has begun getting her very humorous pieces published in newspapers like Newsday and the New York Press.  On July 25th, Rachel accomplished what many writers only dream of, she had an article about taxi etiquette published in The New York Times.  I talked to Rachel to find out how she did it and what it meant to her.

When did you develop your love of writing?

I've been writing since high school.  I initially began with creative fiction, composing lots of little short stories.  Most of them have never seen the light of day, and probably never will. Unless of course you get me drunk enough.  Then I’ll pull out my notebook from under the bed, and together we’ll understand why I soon switched over to writing non-fiction and personal essays. 

What is your writing process?

For me, the process of writing is as much an emotional journey as it is a creative one.  There are mini-triumphs, moments of dread, panic, procrastination, euphoria, relief.  In high school I was on the cross-country team. Even though I was hands down THE slowest team member, I still experienced that runner’s high that people always talk about.  When I construct a satisfying group of sentences or start to see an essay come together, I actually get a writer’s high.

What does writing essays fulfill for you that writing for your day job does not?

In my role as a copywriter, there’s actually less writing involved than one would imagine. In the age of 140 character sound bytes, advertising messages need to be quick and grab people instantly.  (I’m sure I’ve lost at least 50% of your readers by now.)  I actually like to be long winded.  And it's nice to write freely without having to calculate where the sell copy comes in.

 

How long has being published in The NY Times been a goal of yours?

Oh, man. For a long time.  I was published in Newsday a few years ago and the rush of seeing my name in print lit a fire under my ass.  I have an incredible writing teacher named Sue Shapiro and she says that “clips are like crack.” Once you first see your name in print, you want to repeat that feeling as often as possible. I set my sights on many newspapers but The New York Times is obviously the gold standard.     

Did you write your article with The Times in mind?

I’ve always been a fan of the Complaint Box column in the Metropolitan section of the Times and they accept unsolicited submissions.  After a cab sharing experience I’d had not long ago, I felt I had an interesting enough angle to construct a piece that would be a good fit for the column. It took me about 4/5 weeks to write and edit the article. I tend to lack writing motivation for months, then suddenly find my groove and eat, sleep and breathe a story until it’s just right. But getting into The Times is tough, and I didn't actually think I'd hear back from them. 

Did you get any feedback on your piece before you submitted it?

Prior to submission, my writing group and my writing teacher, Sue read my piece and offered feedback, criticism and suggestions for editing. I get attached to words and sentences, and trustworthy outsiders help me knock out extraneous or irrelevant tidbits that I wouldn’t have the heart to remove myself. UPDATE: Rachel's husband was allowed to read it as well but whether or not she followed his suggestions is unclear.

 

When did you find out it had been accepted?

I submitted my article the very first week of May and by the end of that month I got a maybe.  In early July, I got confirmation over email that they were going to run it. I had just left a yoga class and I actually jumped up and down in the middle of a crowded street. I must have looked ridiculous but I was genuinely thrilled. I didn’t tell anyone about it in advance though, because I didn’t want to jinx it. I didn’t want to be the struggling actor who invites all of their friends over to watch their big scene…only to discover that their part ended up on the cutting room floor. So I kept my mouth shut for about three months. On July 25th, the day the piece appeared in the print and online editions of the paper, I called and emailed everyone I knew.  

What was it was like seeing your name on a byline in The Times?

It is one of my biggest personal accomplishments to date.  To be able to say that my writing has appeared in The New York Times is a huge coup. It also makes me want to churn out more and more of these little pieces and satisfy my publishing fix.  Once something is published, it feels real. It’s out there in the world.  And that’s much more gratifying than keeping it stowed away on my laptop. Or hidden under the bed for that matter.

Read Rachel's published NY Times article here

Read Rachel's published essay in The New York Press here

My First Post

In a nutshell, I'm still trying to define The Mommy Project. I have an 8 month old daughter and that in itself is certainly a project of massive proportions. And I have a career as a Creative Director so creativity and design is a constant focus that brings one project after the other. But I want The Mommy Project to be more about creative women that are pursuing their dreams and ambitions in ways that work for themselves and their families. I find the moms who are opening new businesses, reinventing themselves and playing by their own rules truly inspirational. And it's clear that their families are part of what inspires their creative pursuits and success- big or small, business or personal. If there is one thing that being a mom has taught me, it's that life is in a constant state of change, so rather than nail down a really specific goal to dedicate myself to, I'm gonna give myself some space to develop this blog into what it wants to be over time. To figure out what inspires me the most and what I am motivated to accomplish- because of, in spite of and alongside of my husband and my baby girl. On a project by project basis, of course.