here we collide

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[herewecollide]

We're moving ...

but not too far away! Here We Collide started as a creative project of To Write Love on Her Arms and is now merging with the main TWLOHA Tumblr. You can follow all of TWLOHA's thoughts and updates in one spot—from news about the organization, to behind-the-scenes glimpses of TWLOHA's events, to the artistic, hopeful posts you've come to expect from Here We Collide. (If you're a fan of the Collective, don't worry, there will be challenges and prompts for you to engage with from time to time.) 

If you haven't yet, follow TWLOHA on Tumblr and Twitter. 

[blindgurl72]

Drawing/Doodling is just something I do, no matter what mood I’m in. It’s a way for me to feel free and to have complete control. Rules do not exist, so I draw whatever is on my mind. Sometimes I love it, hate it, or am just completely confused by it. Well, whatever is, having a pen in my hand puts me in a place of comfort.

[herewecollide]

For this week's Collective, we wanted to hear about what you use to express yourself creatively. Today's featured submitter uses drawing not only for creative expression but also for comfort.

[herewecollide]

"There will be moments when the drought of joy seems unending, instances spent pretending that everything is alright when it clearly is not; check your blind spot. See that love is still there, be patient. Every nightmare has a beginning, but every bad day has an end. Ignore what others have called you; I am calling you friend." 

-- “Instructions for a Bad Day,” by spoken word poet Shane Koyczan

[violet--journey-blog]

This week’s Here We Collide Collective asked: What tools do you use you express yourself? Tell about your creative process.

I tend to use two different tools of expression equally. First, is my acoustic guitar. I love using my guitar to express my emotions because nothing can really compare to hearing your emotions. Writing what you’re feeling can be therapeutic, but hearing your emotions is beautiful.

My second tool of expression is my journal. I like to write about important things and what I’m currently feeling. I love being able to look back at a certain day and being able to relive memories or remind myself of special days.

[herewecollide]

Do you ever hear your emotions in music? Today's featured Collective submitter does when playing acoustic guitar.

[herewecollide]

We're thrilled that today is World Book Day, a global celebration of reading! At TWLOHA and Here We Collide, we believe books are powerful tools of expression, growth, discovery, and healing. There are a number of ways you can mark your love of literature: talk about books that have changed your life, spend some time at the library, give a classic book to a friend, get lost in a story before you go to sleep, maybe even write your own.

[effortlessly]

So, this is my camera. Well, my former baby to be exact. Since then we’ve grown up a bit, upgraded. It seems that a camera is one of the best ways I can find to express myself, you may do it differently though. I like to take photos though, show them off to others and share what memories I have. I express myself through photos, through editing them and putting them up for everyone to see. I don’t really think there is a greater, nor more fun, way of expressing yourself. It’s good too, you can hide yourself behind this giant black object and behind the computer to edit them. But since then I’ve come out of my shell a lot. I’m not afraid to jump out from behind the camera and say “yes, this is me, and this is my work”. I wouldn’t trade the way I express myself..

[herewecollide]

Today's featured Collective submission talks about photography as a creative medium. What do you use to express your creativity?

[herewecollide]

A flickr user's Reflections of Amsterdam album features pictures of the city's reflections in puddles. How can you see your home in a different way?

[adventuresofachildlikewonder]

I have some time on my hands so I thought I would submit to the Here We Collide Collective this week.

Lately I’ve been finding myself expressing my thoughts through string art. This started as a simple craft found on Pinterest (see the Ohio String Art I made over the summer) but, I just found so much joy in turning a simple piece of string into something incredible that I became addicted.

I was inspired to do a heart for my mom for her birthday. It didn’t turn out exactly right so I used a piece of string to form the word “love” next to the heart. This sort of became my own creation from the blog instructions I was following.

Then I wanted to challenge myself. So I decided to make an elephant for my sister. And more hearts. And more love.

Sometimes I find myself looking at a blank slate (whether that’s a piece of wood or a wall) and dreaming how I could make it different or beautiful. String Art has been my answer to that. I found the white walls in my apartment to be boring and empty, so I built a few string art designs on the walls to make them more creative. I used the word “adventure” in my living room because it’s my favorite word and reminds me of all the great adventures I’ve had lately.

Honestly, this is exactly how I think. I’m a writer and an entrepreneur.  I draw sometimes and I carry around a writing pad to sketch out designs or simply just spit out words onto paper. But string art gives me the opportunity to just put nails on something and use string to connect the different points. There’s no real rhyme or reason to it, but sometimes I just like to turn the music up and make something beautiful.

It’s just string to some people. And it looks easy to most people. But it’s a way to express myself and take those lingering thoughts and ideas to create something tangible.

And that’s how I express myself.

P.S.

I sell these and do custom designs through etsy.

www.etsy.com/Shop/StringITs

[herewecollide]

Today's featured Collective submission shows how something as simple as string can be used to express one's creativity.

[herewecollide]

You, in all your beauty and your brokenness, are reason enough.

[sleepycricko]

I don’t know if you can see it but my notebook which is one of many, my computer showing itunes because of music and a pen because i love to write.

My creative  process i have to have a pen a paper by me at all times because just this random thought for a great story or a poem comes to me during random times. I literally have 6 different notebooks full of random stories and ideas. 

Music helps me write it puts me in a mood I want my character t be in or my song. It’s something that blocks things out so I can just write for fun. 

[herewecollide]

Today's featured Collective submission shows us that creativity doesn't always have to spring from huge and elaborate setups. Sometimes it can be as simple as music and a pen.

[herewecollide]

Photographer Joel Robison creates a magical fantasyland through his photos, taken in the nature and scenery of his quiet hometown nestled away among the Rocky Mountains.

[herewecollide]

Here We Collide Collective: Express Yourself

For last week's Collective, we had you photographing your shadow and sharing the result.

This week, we want to know what tools you use to express yourself—a pen? A computer? A camera? A guitar? Send us a photo of your artistic instrument of choice and tell us about your creative process.

Don’t forget to use the tag “Here We Collide Collective” on your submissions!

[herewecollide]

Today is Self-Injury Awareness Day, and the start of Self-Injury Awareness Month. We offer you some encouragement and inspiration through this picture sent in by our friend, Corrie. 

[renwheels]

silhouette 

[herewecollide]

It's amazing how our face can help tell our stories, where we've been and where we hope to go. This week's Collective is asking for your creative shadow self-portrait. How can you express yourself through just a shadow? 

[herewecollide]

An incredible example of what it looks like to find friends in unexpected places.

[braelynn]

Me walking along the lake, my camera accidentally went off. Yet this picture truly shows who i am; its blurred at the edges, like the shadow itself doesn’t know where it ends and the rest of the world begins, it just knows to keep on moving forward, through the rain, and the cloudy sky, just keep moving forward, and hoping that the sun will shine through…

[herewecollide]

Today's featured Collective submission is a shadow on water. Even the pictures we don't mean to take can capture beauty and our personalities.

[herewecollide]

Artist Alex "Hense" Brewer transformed this abandoned church in Washington, D.C. into a stunning work of art. What is something you may have forgotten about but you could now see it with a different perspective?