Art of the Song Creativity Corner
"Like sitting with a newborn while she sleeps, before any need arises all potential exists equally. All answers, all ideas, all manifestations exist in peaceful possibility." — Vivian Nesbitt Stopping and Silence

Deck the Halls with Gourdly Grinnings...
By Chris Dunmire, Publisher

If you've watched me "suffer" through my annual bout of October Pumpkinitis, then you won't be surprised to learn that I've been in creative overdrive this week finishing up a special new Creative Slush Playbook just in time for Halloween.

Yes, my latest offering is a 38-page e-playbook titled, Scary Christmas! Printable Halloween Creativity, and it's chock-full of Halloween activities: puzzles, coloring pages, projects, and printable templates — a compilation of my Halloween best plus some brand-new material. (Secret tip: If you're a keen newsletter reader, you'll soon catch on to why this book seems to mix Halloween and Christmas. Yes you will, you little clever you!) Scary Christmas! is now available for purchase and instant download on the Creative Slush Web site.

* * * Special Scary Christmas! Newsletter Giveaway Contest * * *

To keep in the SPIRIT of Halloween, I'm going to TREAT you all to a fun book-giveaway contest for a chance to win a copy of Scary Christmas! No TRICKS, all you need to do to qualify for the random drawing is to send me a little creative story (at least a paragraph or two) that incorporates a one-eyed Jack-o'-lantern, a black cat named Furr-ocious, and your favorite Halloween Candy into a little ditty that I can publish on the Creativity Portal Web site to share with readers. Five creative story writers will be awarded a copy of my new book.

Are you game? Send your submission through the CP e-mail form with the subject "Scary Christmas! Contest" by October 19, 2007. One entry per subscriber. Void where prohibited. Carpe diem. "I" before "e" except after "c".

Chris Dunmire
Creative Director and Publisher

Creative Careers in the Arts Interviews
Interview with Angela Hook: Wire Artist, Author, Equestrienne
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Q: Please tell us a little more about the fantastical, magical creatures you've lately been inspired to create. ...

Creative Solutions & Inspirations from the Modern Day Muses
The Muses Hire a Bodyguard
By Jill Badonsky
How do you begin to embark upon the journey of your creative dream(s) with all the scary things lurking out there to discourage or stop you?

Creative Kidz Projects
Halloween Spooky Stories and BOO! Books
By Molly Anderson-Childers
There’s nothing like a good scare — and in that spirit, I’m here to help you create boo-tiful books filled with your own terrifying tales. (Includes printable project templates for a Jack-o'-lantern BOO! Book.)

Scary Christmas! Tree Printable Halloween Ornaments
By Chris Dunmire
Merry Scary Christmas! Why not? After all, Halloween is the new beginning of Christmas.

Creative Ideas for a Spooky Halloween Party
By Nia Sowden
Throwing a kid's Halloween party this year? Try some of these devilish decorating ideas, ghoulish games, and scary snacklings for the spookiest Halloween party ever!

Inner Critic Got You Down? How to Create a Critic-Free Zone
By Chris Zydel
There are knee jerk, one size fits all learned responses to the scary process of creative expansion that come from your family and culture and show up in your head as the critic's voice.

“What Should I Write in My Journal?”
By Quinn McDonald
We fall in love with journals with lined or non-lined pages, leather covers, inside pockets, ones that are the right size for right now. We bring them home, write on the first page, and then store them on the shelf.

How to Fall in Love with Creating Again
By Dan Goodwin
One of the major reasons why we don’t create more freely and abundantly is simply because we’ve forgotten how to enjoy it.