#31 - Out like a snail...

So a couple of things, as it got closer to the end of the month I had to decide the whole lion/lamb thing... but of course, the weather is not cooperating with the old adage... and then... my friend recommended this book to me, which I've just finished, The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey which is all about this woman who is bedridden by illness who watches a wild snail for about a year... it was a lovely book, full of wonderful imagery, and interesting information about snails... It also had a few haiku about snails which I adored... so I've been kind of obsessed with making a snail. But of course, I couldn't felt one, because my sister made of all things, a snail... What came to mind was paper mache but I kept being concerned about the time, and needed a day or two prep...

So today... what am I going to do? I go into my art room, and there on my table from yesterday are bits of melted solder, and one is this perfect snail - well perfect if he only had another antennae - oh wait, there's a nice little bit I think will work perfectly... and oh, how perfect, March is not going out like a lamb at all, but a snail - taking it's own sweet time...

(if you're keeping track, the snail's shell is a part of a copy of a bromoil I created years ago of this great topiary garden at a gorgeous estate in England...)

No fear here.

My son Alex loves Ralph Steadman, the artist who created many cover illustrations for Hunter S. Thompson's books.  They compliment each other nicely; both are a little eccentric at best.  I tried to emulate Steadman's style on this card (was mostly successful with the color scheme - his artwork is incredibly detailed and original; I can see why Alex likes him so much.).  Hunter S. Thompson's writing is a little scary for me (take Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas...enough said) but he always had kind of an iconic look about him - big glasses, cigarette hanging, giant cars.  When he died, his friends shot his ashes up into space...

#30 - now & then pendant

The problem with not starting a project until 9pm every night, is well, yeah, that... like the fish plate, there's not enough time for the layers to dry before you have to call it a wrap, get a photo & pop it online... (I had to keep my fingers crossed that Ray didn't use the downstairs loo before the paint dried - lol)

I keep having to just get something done... which is still good, I'm still doing it, but I tend to reach inside my box rather than outside...

So it's a 'now and then' pendant... of course, this "box" needs to be reached into, because I'm still totally learning how to solder... I'm thrilled that tonight I didn't catch anything on fire, that's a first for me! Must be getting better! But of course, I used copper tape that was not conducting the solder in parts, so I'm not sure what's up with that, just made it a tad lumpy 'round the edges!!!

Is it spelled correctly?

In this day and age of "did you google that"? I decided that the creator of the dictionary should be included in my author pages.  Spelling seems to be so much easier than when I was growing up...Microsoft underlines a mispelled word, dictionary.com gives it multiple definitions and google does everything else.  But I love a dictionary best!  I have a great old discard with wonderful illustrations - now that's a book!  Sorry about the bright read ink, Noah - I thought it would be a little more subdued, but hey, at least you got a card!

#29 - fish plate

Back before Adriana and the studio, Ray & I used to go skiing a lot... I have this shirt I bought one trip that says, 'Just because I slept with you last night, doesn't mean I have to ski with you today' (still makes me giggle).

That's how I feel about the fish plate, 'just because I made you day 29, doesn't mean I have to keep you all year...'

(I'm so going to run out of switch plates...)

Hopefully, I'm on the right road.

I remember recommending TC Boyle to my sister; I had just read The Road to Wellville and loved it.  She and I usually adore the same books and she was thrilled because her book club was reading Tortilla Curtain, also by Boyle.  I had read that book too, but I wasn't the first thing I read by him...it's a very intense, sad story.  Poor Sarah, that was her first (and last?) taste of this writer that I can't put down.  Getting this one done was tricky - I worked all day, shopped after work, came home and made dinner for eight, cleared up the kitchen, had little Dade sleep over - I am truly amazed that I got this photographed and on the blog this morning!  Dade is sitting behind me working on a puzzle and singing.  I forget sometimes how delightful the two-year old mind is!

#28 - it had to start somewhere

A little collage of the beginning of my dad's story... kind of... not entirely... my favorite element is the envelope sent to my grandparents old house two years before I was born! What chance do I have if they saved things like the envelope?!!? (& the stamp had already been ripped off!)

Have you seen Lucy's pocket??

The collage page is also from the same book except it was almost completely unfinished - it only had the girl on a yellow background.  I had stuck her down years ago, but every time I looked at her I couldn't figure out what she should be or do.  Then a nursery rhyme came to mind, a pocket, a ribbon...and yes! one more day down.  Little Lucy Locket came alive (at least on paper).  I think nursery rhymes are being passed down less and less.  I used to add one to each storytime I taught; sure they all knew Humpty Dumpty and Baa Baa Black Sheep, but lovely little ones like Lucy Locket and Polly Put the Kettle On were like singing songs from Mars.  It's sad they seem to have disappeared a bit. That said, I think I'll go put the kettle on.  

A little Sunday on Monday

 We had such a busy, exhausting weekend in NYC that when I got home at 7:00 I was crazed about what I could do...so I cheated, just a little.  I looked through art I had already started and I added to it.  Imagine my pleasure finding a bee themed page....The Secret Life of Bees had some blue asters added, as well as a title and a few miscellaneous ink strokes.  There is an Emily Dickinson poem (previously added) by the larger honeybee "The Pedigree of Honey does not concern the Bee - A Clover, anytime, to him, Is Aristocracy."  Thank you, Emily.  I love that little poem.

#27 - the book (partial...)

For years Marla & I have sent a circle journey book back and forth, we create a page and write a little letter... it is 'the' book. And it's so exciting when it arrives because you have no idea what will have been created in it... Can't remember exactly how long it's been, Marla has the first one at the moment, but our daughters been sharing their own for 6 or 7 years, and we already had a good year or two under our belts... my word. In searching for a link to add to this post, it seems they may have gone out of business, that makes me so sad, because they've truly brought such joy to us over the years... A couple of years back, I emailed them and told them of our fun adventures, they sent me a free book as a little gift!
So today I started a project that was a tad too ambitious, instead I made my book page, but of course, I can't actually share it (teensy teaser photo). So I'll share a story. (How unlike me!) For probably 3 years, I've had this great b&w image of triplets who were cheerleaders for some team, and were wearing these great white (almost go-go) boots and all kicking simutaneously in a can can type way, loved it! Saved it for some fab inspiration. Tried to image transfer it into the book, wrecked it... so now it's a background! But I don't have to worry about it anymore!!!!

#26- Purple slippers

Tonight is Earth Hour, so not only is there the pressure of creating & posting, but I need to get it all done by 8:30pm so I can turn off all our lights, computers, etc., for an hour.

Hope you're participating too!

www.earthhour.org

This one's for my sister...

So lately I've been a little at a loss, my author cards have been uninspiring me but I am determined to keep going.  Yesterday I was reading Sunday's NYT Book Review (finally...had to fit it in before this Sunday!) and saw there was a new book coming out about the artist Mondrian.  My "literary link" would be the book about the artist, I was all set.  There was a great photo, in a perfect cube shape...brilliant!  I could incorporate it into a Mondrian-style painted card.  I went online and looked at different images, found one I liked and I was set to go.  With one exception - it wasn't a new book about Mondrian, it was about Modigliani (the guy who paints mostly women with really long faces).  Oh no!  Right then the phone rings and it was my lovely sister.  I relate my woes and she just laughs and tells me it's just funny; why not make a Mondrian/Modigliani card?  Why not, indeed?  So this is for you, Sarah!

#35 - Birthday Cards

One of my favorite stores, Colorful Creations, has started this 'craft it forward' plan at their store. You make handmade cards for different things, this month was making cards for soldiers stationed overseas to send home to their families, Operation Write Home. Thought today, being Marla's birthday, was a great day to make some birthday cards.

Happy Birthday, Marla. I love you. Hope it's your best year yet!

by the sea

I had to smile this morning when I received a gorgeous beach tote from my sister; not only did it have the same mellow vibe as my artwork for today, but it was created with the same colors as I used, too.  I love my sister - she always makes me smile, and it's always amusing how much we think alike!  This photo is about 11 years old (where does the time go?) on one of the gorgeous Cape beaches. 

#24 - the first Adriana as a fairy

I've always wanted to make fairies, Adriana and otherwise, I adore fairies. I totally believe in fairies. And yet, haven't ever created one (other than those little felt/fake flower ones, which I also adore). So here you go, the first Adriana fairy.

(If you were at the AFCC Cape Cod Collaborative today, know I created this after photographing that wonderful event, all 9 hours of it... exhausted...)

It's really a secret.

This bad light is killing me!  Where is the sun?  I just can't take a decent photo today. This author card is of Frances Hodgson Burnett (yes, that's her with her face accidentally painted over!) beckoning you into her secret garden. When my sister and I were growing up we spent most every summer in England.  Both sets of our grandparents were big on taking picnics to gardens and parks nearby and faraway.  One garden I remember fondly is the one at Hampton Court Palace.  Outside the is a large maze made from hedges - our grandparents used to sit themselves on a park bench with their thermos of tea and let us run wild.  What happy memories those were.  I still love to while away the hours in any garden I go to.

#23 - for Japan two

Today I: photographed a pre-school for the second day, agreed with my husband that we should go to the doctor for the 3rd time for my daughter's un-relenting cough, went back to work, got the call that she was going to the hospital for a chest x-ray, went to the hospital and calmed her for that chest x-ray (which thank God was fine), went to soccer practice & walked the dog in the snow & sleet (I know...), gave daughter new medicine which didn't agree with her, stayed up with her while she was sick for almost an hour, spilled my gesso all over my pants, my slippers, the carpet... and my life is still way better than it is in parts of Japan today... doesn't even compare... and gosh, if I can find time to create today, what excuse can I possibly find not to?

I find these beautiful whelk shells on my beach, and they're very often not perfect. I always think that they need to be mended and this is my second healed shell... (the first was in a self portrait I created years ago). Like yesterdays project, again it's healing for Japan... has a map of Japan, an old 'dove of peace' Japanese stamp & the words separately, the word 'healing', a plum blossom, and lot's of gesso to fill the tiny holes... Photographed on a couple of photos of beach roses (rosa rugosa) which aren't beach plums as I'd like, but I couldn't find any photos I'd taken of those...

A certain step.

 I found this Jane Austen quote somewhere and squirreled it away for a rainy day ~ well, it's not raining (or snowing , thank goodness) but I found the perfect spot to use the quote anyway.  Dating certainly has changed a great deal from the 1800's...I'm glad I have someone to dance with!

#22 - for Japan

I love haiku. I think it is such an excellent art form. In fact, when Marla & I first talked about this project I said I'd create haiku for one of my days... and I will... but not today...

Years ago, my family went up to Maine on vacation, on our way home, we stopped to visit Lenny the chocolate moose, why? Well, you know, the world's largest chocolate moose, how could you not? So anyway, as we're going in, I spot this guy, he was so beautiful, and the light hit him perfectly, but then you've got this image of a caterpillar, what the heck can you do with that? Flash forward to 365 days of 'oh no, what am I going to make today?' and out comes the caterpillar. Today I decide I need to create something for all of the people in Japan who are in the midst of such tragedy to share a little love & compassion, and decide I need to find haiku about a caterpillar. So I pull out my one of my haiku books (I'm sorry, you don't have any? hmmm...) and there in the midst of spring into summer, I find that Buson has created my haiku for me (Japanese Haiku ©1965).

There are haiku in this book I can't wait to create for, but you're going to have to wait for turnip season is all I'm saying...

(The frame has already been altered once, my dear sister and I spent hours painting all of these cheap frames silver for my wedding day, this was table #9, hope they enjoyed themselves, know I did... )

A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read.

Well said, Mark Twain!  One of Twain's homes was in Hartford, CT, and his next door neighbor was Harriet Beecher Stowe.  You can see one of the first telephones there, he was an early investor (too early, as there weren't many people who had telephones then and he found that a little frustrating!).  He also was an avid collector of Tiffany glass so the museum has quite a beautiful collection.

#21 - Mimi & her Libra girls

Oh my gosh, it's only March, not my busy time, and I've been working such long days, I can't imagine what's going to happen in my busy season!

So I thought maybe a scrapbook page or two might do me nicely when time is tight... I've always had visions of grandeur of creating these magical books for my daughter, but I'm not a scrapbooker... never have been... by the looks of it, probably never will be... never mind!

Our mother, always calls our daughters 'her Libra girls' which I find kind of funny because we've never been a family that is big on star signs... but something about the fact they're both Libras has always struck some chord... So of course it was the first thing that popped into my head when I came across these two images...

There's a light on...

Okay, so this one is weird and a little scary.  But then again, so was Shel Silverstein - I went back and forth about putting this one in today; but it's what came out when I was creating it so I guess it deserves to be posted.  Every picture of Silverstein I found was pretty odd or a bit intimidating like he dares you to see his childlike side (if you look closely you can see him under the blue paint! I've combined my rendition of one of his poetry books with his photo).  My sister and sons grew up loving these quirky, odd little poems.  Me, not so much, as you can probably tell from this card!

#20 The Boats, day 1

It's tax time, and sadly, I haven't finished my year end stuff yet, & it must come first... what a drag... so I'm going to be a little pathetic until I've got it together, hopefully within the next couple of days... should have been done weeks ago, but as always, I start off strong in January, and end up crazily trying to get it all done, usually until days before it's due...

I created this image transfer diptych for a show I did years ago, had it custom framed, and gave it to Ray as a gift. Spent a ton of money of the framing, and from day one, didn't love it. (Not completely sure I even liked it). It hung on our wall for years, and then we moved. Since we've been at our new house, new for only I think 7 years now, we've scarcely hung any of our artwork up while we've been remodeling. From time to time I can't stand it, and hang up something, but this, well it never really stood a chance. So I've decided to alter it.

The before image is one of the worst photos ever, even has my shadow across it... oops... too late to fix it now! So today is part one, I changed the colour of the frame by adding a bunch of layers of paint and dyes and distressed it... doesn't look anything like the photo!

Feeling a little stowe-ic today

I was looking through a local antiques newsletter for more stuff to cut out and save in my shoes boxes already full of a variety of pictures, letters, numbers, ads, you name it, that I might someday do something with, and out pops this pictures of an old daguerreotype of Harriet Beecher Stowe.  Hooray!  I painted her a new frame, jazzed her card up a bit, and wow ! that one was easy!

#19 - Mermaid

I've been at Geek Girl Camp all day today, which I highly recommend if you get a chance... Finished dinner a little before 9, have to admit, I'm completely head-achey and un-inspired. So I created a tableaux tonight, an impermanent little creation of silliness...

Adriana as a mermaid... two of my favorite things...

We're off to see the wizard.

The Wizard of Oz series is one I've never read - like the 'disneyfied' versions of Peter Pan  & Alice in Wonderland that make people assume they know the real story - that's how I am with this story.  So my version of the wicked witch of the west is Margaret Hamilton, and her scratchy voice calling "I'll get you my pretty...and your little dog, too" comes to mind when I think of Oz.  And I'm not sure those lines are even written them same way in the book.  Legend had it that Margaret Hamilton used to live in the little town we grew up in, she was really seen and always keep the lights out of Halloween.  As a child, I couldn't fathom why you'd want to keep your drapes pulled and hide away on Halloween, especially if you're a sort of witch.  Now, I get it. 

#18 - You Light Up my Life...

Corny title for sure... Randomly decided to make a light switch plate for my room, unfortunately, I needed a photo-copy and all I have is ink jet prints which won't work... So I had to re-use this series of Marla & I - (different images), but think how I'll smile every time I come in and out of my art room. I'll have to find (or maybe make - shhhhh) some photocopies, because I have some fun ideas for this...

The former switch plate from my room (also created by me) now hangs in the dining room, my house is going to be really well decorated soon!!!!

Love stories...

I wonder if Romeo would have sported a "Juliet" tattoo?  I counted the library cards that I'm using for this project and there's over 60 of them left...

#17 - They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace

AA Milne is a favorite in our family, and this poem has been recited more times than I could even begin to count... The last time we saw the changing of the guard, Adriana was 3, it was February, and of course they were in their winter wool, a fun thing to do for sure! These were the leftover photos that didn't make it into the scrapbook of the trip!

I've decided to change my project, 16 days done, typical Sarah! Although creating something every day is not a particularly easy task, I've been taking the easy way out of it... Marla had it right from the beginning, doing a theme, she is challenging herself, and will, at the end of the day, get much more from this project.

So if I want to create things with my photographs, that's what I shall do. Starting today, (I know, we didn't start today!), I am going to start on my new theme. I have to incorporate photography - silly me, why didn't I just start out that way? 6 of my 16 projects work, so we'll see how I go as we wind down next February, maybe I'll extend by 10 days, maybe I'll just go with what I've got... I am going to use other photos than my own though, as I have a lot of ideas for my family photos which I didn't take... So it's a generic, photography must be incorporated. Imagine it'll be mostly mine. Sure it'll be mostly my daughter!!!

Three cheers for Sherman!

Earlier in the week I has the true pleasure of hearing Sherman Alexie speak at a local university.  I went with one of my daughter's teachers, much to her horror, so as any mother of a teenager knows, I'm pretty much sworn to secrecy about it.  He wrote (among many other things) a fantastic novel about growing up on an Indian Reservation.  I was so taken by his talk, sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant, but mostly true, like his his brilliant The Absolutely True Story of a Part Time Indian.  The altered background is from a photo I found of the Spokane Reservation where Sherman Alexie grew up.

#16 - {in the photo booth}

I have a bunch of these photo booth pix of our family members, not sure where they all are at the moment, but these were a few I knew where to find... thought it would be fun to do a 'photo booth' series... Included here are our dad (sadly, looking amazingly like when I look in the mirror), Marla & I (we're both wearing anoraks bought for us by our Nanna, which I still have & wear, lol), our very fabulous, very eccentric Great Aunt Mabel whom you'll definitely be seeing more of, and myself and the aforementioned Cappers (Mrs. Tiggywinkle)... I can remember being in these booths, and cracking up, especially when other people were squished in there with me... aren't photos the best thing ever?

So I'm finding that not only do I have many supplies I've never opened, and books I've had to have yet never have done a project in, I also have more stamps than any girl has the right to and again, many are unused... I'm out to change all that! Like Marla's paper, I also have supplies which I never use because, well, I don't want to use them up, how silly is that - thus the swirls...

A little purple today...

While I was looking through my massive amount of paper I've saved over the years (and massive might be too small of a word), I came across some purple tissue that I bought in Chinatown, probably 15 years ago.  I went there with a good friend from NYC and it was the first time I was able to actually poke around and go in and out of the little shops, discovering their treasures.  In one minuscule store, every inch was packed with dragons, and Buddhas, and lanterns, and, much to my pleasure, loads of printed tissue papers.  So, in Thornington fashion (I say  that because I'm fairly certain my sister has the same problem with cool papers that I do!) I purchased much more than I could ever use, and popped it safely away for the next 15 years.  So, as I was rummaging around and found this ancient purple paper, of course the Alice Walker classic, The Color Purple came to mind!

#15 - Strong, Silent Type

I have so many photos, obviously I do, I'm a photographer. But I always want to do things with them, and never do. I'm ready to start concentrating on photographs for a while, I'll probably still do all sorts of crafts as well, but I've always seen myself as creating with my portraits. And yet, I never do, except for one piece of art I created for Adriana, from a show I was in, 5 years ago.

It'll probably take me a while to start creating the things I visualize in my head, but I'm ready to try.

I love these photos of Adriana with my beloved, Bear Bear. This is just in my 'play' book, because honestly, I don't even know how to use half of the stuff I've got! So bear with me, pun perhaps intended, while I figure out what the heck it is I want to do with myself!

Geisha girls

I'm finding this challenge I made for my self (creating art about books & things related to books) has become quite unusual...I have these blank cards and the titles or authors that come to mind are so random.  This one's for you, Arthur Golden, whose book, Memoirs of A Geisha, remains one of my favorites.

#14 - Baby Nut Cap

We're all very pleased for Mama Nut Cap on the arrival of her baby, Baby Nut Cap...

Thoughts of Cappers

Beatrix Potter created one of my favorite characters, Mrs. Tiggywinkle.  I always found her so endearing, toting her steaming kettle around her tiny kitchen, little spines poking out the back of her dress...I think in a way she reminded me of my grandmother, Cappers, scooting around Manhay Cottage, steaming teapot in hand, looking for jam pots in the tiny little kitchen...Cappers was far more cuddly, though! 

11, 12, 13 - New Hampshire Weekend...

I had a lovely weekend, enjoying the company of extremely good friends, laughing and enjoying each other, sending peace and love to a world that is in desperate need, eating & creating... One of the 6 other women I shared my weekend with is an art teacher, and she said she was bringing us an art project. Turns out she brought us two, and let me keep a bunch of supplies (what? you can't buy anything? how about you keep this paper, and these scraps, and....) - oh how I adore her! Oh how I adore all of those women! Hooray for friends with whom you can be your best self.

Day 11 - Mama Nut Cap was designed by Salley Mavor, this amazingly talented woman, who I admire and like, a lot. Her newest book, A Pocketful of Posies has won the 2010 ALA Notable Book & Horn Book Fanfare, and the 2011 Golden Kite Award. Not even sure she's still creating kits, but I've had this one forever, and this seemed a good time to create her... We're all very pleased to hear she'll be having a baby soon! (Mama Nut Cap that is, not Salley...)

Day 12 - My friend, Deb, the art teacher introduced everyone, but me, to Artist Trading Cards. She did, however, introduce me to acrylic medium transfer of magazine images... I am so addicted, you'll be seeing tons more of these I'm thinking!!! Gave one of my ATC's away, that's a lot of the point to swap them, I gave it to Deb as a huge thank you for giving us all the joy of creating together this weekend.

Day 13 - Deb also taught us a bunch of watercolour techniques, she's a great teacher! We had little teensy squares of watercolour paper we practiced different styles and ideas, like putting salt on wet paint, using sponges, and learning gradation of colour... We put those new techniques into two projects, birch trees in the snow and the beach, what fun we had... Each of our finished projects was so different, and yet we loved them all. Who knew I could create a watercolour painting I would like? Even my husband was a little impressed!!!

Baked beans on toast.

When The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver came out in the late 80's, I knew I found an author who would never let me down in her storytelling.  I was right, I have adored everything she's published and she's always on my recommendation list.  Sorry about the beans on toast reference, Barbara...comfort books should be paired with comfort food, don't you think?  And in our family, beans on toast (with or without scrambled eggs) and a hot cup of tea have always been comforting.

Who wants candy?

When moving things around in my little art room (I honestly couldn't call it cleaning at this point) I found these two little house shaped cardboard cards, one I used for little red, and this one with a door, just perfect for Hansel & Gretel.  Now there's a story!  It must have been sorely tempting coming across a how made of sweeties when you're all alone, hungry, and lost.  Good thing they had their wits about them!

Mama Nut Cap

Mama Nut Cap is hanging out with me & my lovely friends in New Hampshire~ photo soon!

Truman

I am really having fun with these author cars, mainly because I've never created a series of anything before!  I chose Truman Capote he's most intriguing, but also because I found this great photo of him!  I envision him surrounded by a cloud of cigarette smoke, fedora on, pacing the floor.

#10 - wampum

Yesterday, they were talking about the fact that a grave found in Chatham may be that of Squanto, today my wampum was done tumbling, thought I should make a tribute to Squanto and the Wampanoags... They did not use wampum for money, but they did use it to make beads to trade with, so it was a form of currency, just not money as I'd always been told.

It takes almost a month to polish wampum so that it keeps it's gorgeous purple colour... Seems it doesn't take long to crack it, like I did to the first piece while I was soldering it, or somehow fade it, like I did to the second piece... yikes. Didn't have any troubles the last time I decided to make a little jewelry... Maybe it's the pressure! It makes a good keychain though...

On Facebook, I did this thing called craft it forward, someone is going to make something for me if I promise to make something for 5 other people over the course of the next year... (of course I had one person beg to be added even though they'd missed it, so I'm making for 6 people!) thought this was going to be my first project for that, but unfortunately, not... Maybe you'll see this project again!!!

(Tomorrow I'm going away for the weekend with a group of friends, not sure how easy it'll be to post, if I'll have internet coverage, etc., but know I'll be creating every day, and I'll put it all up when I get back Sun. Amusingly, although I'm leaving first thing in the am, the only thing I've packed so far is my craft supplies so that I have what I need to create every day!)

song in my heart...

So I had no internet all night, that'll take the pressure off. Except the pressure on my head, how frustrating...

We've only been at this a little over a week, and already I love the things that are happening in my room. I've found some scissors I'd been missing forever, along with my bone folder. Have opened a few things that I purchased for something, just had to have them, and then there they sat, never even opened for months & months, maybe even years...

And then there's 'song in my heart, don't think it's done, don't particularly like the title, but it's a project I started ages back, and just kind of left it mid stream. Love the fact at least it's on it's way to being done. Love that we finally did the tessalation project, even if it wasn't entirely successful, love that one of those loteria cards finally made it into a project. I have been rummaging through my room, and finding all sorts of treasures and bits & pieces that will hopefully, finally find their art.

On Thursday, he ate through four strawberries

Who doesn't love this book?  As a mother and as a children's librarian, I must have read it out loud 100,000 times!  A girlfriend of mine "kidnapped" me from work and whisked me out to lunch (pay it forward to your friends, it's a true pleasure to be pulled away from work on a busy day and laugh with a friend.) and I was telling her about the author cards I've been making and she (being a preschool owner) said "like Eric Carle?" and my mind went "yippee! I know what to make next!"

Watch out, Little Red!

This fairy tale was my least favorite as a child...I loved the basket and the big red cape but when it came to the wolf, ugh.  The thought of the wolf dressed up like grandma waiting patiently for Little Red still makes my stomach lurch.  And now I'm surrounded by werewolf & vampire books in my library collection, and I'm always being asked for more.  It seems my teens are more fearless in their reading selections than their librarian!

International Women's Day

There are twice as many illiterate women over the age of 15 than men.
Women earn 10 percent of the world's income, but work two thirds of the working hours.
70 percent of those living in poverty are women.
45 million girls are denied an education.
Women in the US earn 76.5% of men's gross hourly pay for the same job.

Empowerment begins with teaching our girls that they have worth, that they are unique and special and can do and be whatever they want. Empowerment begins with believing in yourself so that you can pass that on.

*statistics from www.wagggs.org

Slow reader?

This isn't as easy as it looks...making something, photographing it and then posting it daily...my living room looks like it exploded!  Sarah & I learned to needlefelt together and we both have found it's a lovely little addiction!  You can curl up on a chair with your wool and a needle and before you know it, something wonderful has happened.  Sadly, my photo of this little snail is a bit blurry (another challenge to this challenge - my camera doesn't enjoy doing close-ups!).

aka Aphrodite

About a year ago, Adriana bought herself a grow your own Venus Fly Trap kit, that needless to say, didn't grow. She was so sad, so Ray went and bought her a small plant. So we've had this crazy plant in our kitchen that does indeed eat flies, it's kind of picky, but does a pretty good job of feeding itself (which actually works perfectly for me...) So the other day it started spouting this thing, oh no, I thought, what has Ray fed it? But then it kept growing upward, and I realized it was going to flower, how exciting! I read online happy, healthy plants flower annually, so I took this as a fabulous sign that our creepy plant was happy. As soon as the flower bloomed, all I wanted to do was pick it, I waited for a few days, and today couldn't stand it one more minute (perhaps it was the 'off with her head' theme) and off it came. My brother in law Joe, bought me a microwave flower press that at the time I thought I probably would never use... couldn't have been more wrong, have pressed so many different flowers in it over the years, and now it's pressed a Venus Fly Trap flower, way cool. And I like the fact I only have to wait a minute and a half instead of three weeks!!!

Thought you needed to see front & back, as I love the illustration from an old dictionary on the back... Adriana loves the Greek gods, so she was a little concerned that it was Venus as the goddess of love, thus the title... I love the fact it's goddess of spring, beauty and love, perfect timing as it's almost spring!