October 5, 2018 By Marisa Moks-Unger

Find Flow in Florals

Find flow in the freshness of flowers placed in miniature displays!

Flower Power Accesses Flow

Flow is found in oddities. In the unusual, flow is more pronounced. When a passage is meant to be read it is often said to “jump off the page” at you. So it is with flow in regard to flowers. An example I can give you is from a recent trip to a county fair. There in the exhibits of plants was a miniatures display. There were small scaled and magically placed bouquets made from found objects. The one that really caught my eye was one that resembled a scoop of fruity, frozen confection.

Why Flow Keeps It Fresh

Looking at this display, the flow came to me when I saw the contrast in the flower, heavy with color and lush in display, against the bareness of the the handle of the antique ice cream scoop resting in the white dish. Perhaps my vision flowed to the negative space that so nicely balanced the riot of color in the scoop portion of the arrangement. The display had a Rockwellian feel to it or even a Shabby Chic appeal. Here is what flowed from this image: writing prompts.

Go With the Flow

Here are some of the questions that bubbled up as I gazed at the miniature bouquet:

Who or what would you serve a scoop of flowers to that might feast on it?
Would the recipient literally feast on it or would it be a metaphorical one, a feast for the eyes?
Where did the ice cream scoop come from and who was the last one to use it?
Because it is an antique scoop, I wondered what kinds of ice cream did they serve in the 30s, 40s or 50s that they no longer serve now?
What room would you display this arrangement in?
Who would you give it to as a gift?
Where did the person who arranged it get their inspiration from when putting it together?
Are the flower’s colors supposed to symbolize the flavors of real ice cream or sorbet?
What flavors would they be?
If a fairytale was written from this photo, who or what would this fanciful treat be given to and what is the occasion?
If a poem were to spring from this photo, what sensory details could be switched between the taste and the scent to show the visual appeal?
Why would this display catch a judge’s eye? And if you were the judge would you give it a blue ribbon?

Your Turn

Take a prompt from above and write something sentimental, silly or sublime regarding the ice cream scoop and flowers it serves. Or, write your own prompts from the image and see where they might take you.

Here’s to growing YOUR flow,

Marisa

About Marisa Moks-Unger

"Grow Your Flow" is a creativity blog by Marisa Moks-Unger, who has over 20 years of professional writing experience. If you enjoyed this post, please share on your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram accounts.

Scrabble Words for Flow

Create a Word Bank from Scrabble

Word Lists from Scrabble — First play the game, then get writing from your curated word list.

Sunday afternoons find my husband, mother-in-law, and I playing Scrabble. This ritual helps us to pass the time during the pandemic. The games usually run one to two hours. We have taken these games to a new level by anticipating them each week, then carefully crafting our word choices. It helps that all three of us are avid readers and come up with a variety of interesting diction.

Also, the game gets my mother-in-law’s mind off of the local paper’s with its teeming death notices of Covid-19 victims – most from local residential living facilities. And, she is now interested in the fact that I am using these word lists to write from professionally.

Next, free write for a few. Make a list of the words developed during the game. Then use the list as a springboard to write a creative piece using as many of the words as possible. Play with long and short lines. Add some rhymes. Look for alliteration. Give yourself about 10 minutes. See what images appear.

Then, select a genre or two to carry through. As a theme arises from the free write of the word list, follow the lead. Perhaps a poem rises up. Or, a one-act play. Or, both! Choose one genre knowing that you can come back and create more works from any single topic.

Now, it’s your turn! If you have a Scrabble game somewhere hidden in a hall closet, it is time to get it out and try your hand at this writing tactic. It employs procrastination by allowing you to blow off writing at first by playing a game. Then, you are rewarded for the time you invested in the game by writing a piece from the words you and others generated.

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa

TGIFF – Thank God It’s Friday Flow

Cliché Finds Flow on Friday

Congratulations, you’ve made it to Friday. And, at the workweek’s end, there is time to find flow. But, where do you go to find flow? First, realize that flow can happen anywhere at anytime. Need proof? Look at this past post on finding flow in a card and party goods store. Simply click right here: https://wewriteitright.com/visit-flow-in-a-party-goods-shop/

How Gratitude Leads the Way

Use grateful eyes to take in the world around you. Then, instead of planning to hit the bars and clubs when the clock strikes 5:00 PM, other options present themselves during these times of pandemic. Why not take a virtual tour a museum? Or, take a walk or bike ride through a park? Or, spend an hour working on a poem, and essay, or a blog post. When you are grateful for the options you have – even if you are working from home amid shutdowns – then that is enough.

Your Turn

Playtime creates greater flow. — Spirographs, Etch-a-Sketch, and Slinkys are just a few ways to re-enter flow through playtime. What was your favorite activity as a child? When was the last time you tried it as an adult?

Think back to grade school, junior high, or middle school. Think about the electives that you took that helped round out your schedule. Did you take dance or music classes? Weight training? Or, perhaps, like me, you did candle making. Whatever it might be, try to reunite your lost teen with your adult self. Take time to write, dance, sing, paint, or play with your Spirograph! You’ll be glad you did!

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa

Flower Power Accesses Flow

Why Flow Keeps It Fresh

Go With the Flow

Your Turn

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About Marisa Moks-Unger