Waldorf Doll

My daughter was in one of the local Waldorf parent-child classes this spring.  The program focussed on a slow separation process between parent and child. Towards the end of the school year, the parents could leave the children alone with the teachers, but had to stay close. That is how I happened upon a parent craft circle that was happening weekly in another room. Everyone was making Waldorf dolls. The basic pattern for each doll was the same and the technique very specific and meticulous. There were three different skin color fabrics, and after the head and body were done, everyone chose how to make their own hair texture, color and style. The clothes and accessories were also endless and much fun to explore.Here is the doll I ended up making. The mornings went by too fast. We all had a lot of fun, and I can't wait for school to start again in the fall.

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The Weaving of a Dream, Marilee Heyer

For this post I decided to review one of my favorite NOT new picture books. I have quite a few. When I looked some of the books up on Amazon, I saw that many of them were out of print. How disappointing. These are fantastic books; they should NEVER go out of print. Why do books go out of print that fast? Luckily, Marilee Heyer's The Weaving of a Dream, is still available, even though only in paperback. The book is a retelling of a Chinese folk tale. The water-color and color pencil art is breath takingly beautiful. Heyer's attention to detail is unbelievable and she is a master at painting fabrics, patterns and texture. I heard Marilee Heyer speak at an SCBWI conference years ago. She has a background in fashion illustration, and has a strong interest in history, antiques, and combining Eastern and Western themes. These interests are represented in her work in the most wonderful way.

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What Makes Us Happy?

I just came across this wonderful article on a study done by Dr. George Valliant.

He has been following the lives of a group of men for decades, hoping to find out what makes a happy life.

The article is fantastic, the embedded video is endearing, eye opening, and wonderful to see.

Enjoy, and be happy.

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Paper Flowers

Sorry for the hiatus. It’s been a busy two weeks. But I am back and it’s time to talk about Flower Girl. Where I grew up in Belgium, children exchange flowers for shells on the beach every summer. 

It’s been a tradition for as long as anyone can remember. The flowers are made with crepe paper, thin metal wire and plant sticks. The paper comes in all different colors and the sticks in many different lengths. The result is a colorful array of personal creations. I went back there not so long ago and there were bright little flower shops all over. My childhood beach memories washed over me like a big wave and I came up spitting bubbles and a new picture book idea. I did research, then started sketching and writing.  Here are a few images I want to share with you.   
I tried out a few different approaches. This image is watercolor and china ink. The image below is painted on newspaper covered wood.    

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The Story Blanket

I picked up a picture book at our local independent bookstore. The Story Blanket, written by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz, illustrated by Elena Odriozola. I am always on the lookout for new and fresh looking illustration styles and the cover of this book, immediately jumped out at me.

I leafed through my new find and was happy to see that the cover wasn't the only lovely illustration there. Believe me, it happens often that a book doesn't measure up to it's cover, but not this time. "You didn't read the story?" you ask me, "It's a picture book, a quick read!" I have to admit a little secret of mine, I didn't read the story, and it's certainly not the first time I buy a book just for the art. Last night I read The Story Blanket to my 3 year old daughter. Oh, what a nice tale. I loved it. The main character Baba Zarrah unravels her beautiful story blanket piece by piece to secretly knit warm clothes for the villagers. There is a lot of snow and no way to go to the town for new yarn. The story is sweet and warm and good. And, as I said before, the illustrations are great. Every single page is beautiful. Elena Odriozola, I am a big fan. The layouts and use of white space in masterful, the bright colors complement each other fabulously and the character design is original and fresh. A new favorite book in our picture book library.

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Knit Bella & Bean Hat

I know, it's been a while... What can I say. I have been knitting. After being asked a few times if the Bella & Bean hats were available somewhere, I decided to knit a couple of sample hats. You know Bella & Bean, from the book Rebecca Kai Dotlich wrote and I illustrated. The one that is at the top of your shopping list! Anyway, so here it is the hat as Bean sports it in our book, and below is the knit version.

It's a pretty tall hat!

I am planning to make some in different colored stripes. Maybe I will have to open that Etsy shop I've been thinking about, after all.

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Lovely Mayfest

In between rain showers, in a nearby park, we celebrated the coming of spring, with people from my daughter's school. Everybody brought flowers to share for making crowns, we danced around a Maypole holding ribbons and we shared a delicious picnic. We had a lovely time and I wanted to share some pictures with you on this dreary NY day.

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Breakfast with Seven Imps

Rebecca Kay Dotlich and I just enjoyed a fabulous cyber breakfast with Julie, over at Seven Imps.

What a fun experience we had. Come see and taste with us.

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Madame Pamplemousse

One of my very favorite writers is Roald Dahl, in particular his books for children. Even though I reread his books again and again with great pleasure, there is always a sad empty space in my heart longing for a new Matilda, a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or any of his other whimsical and incredibly funny books. The unfortunate fact is that Roald Dahl will never write another book because he went to Oompa Loompa heaven. 

Recently, however, that sad place in my heart became a lot smaller. I discovered Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles, by Rupert Kingfisher. Madeleine has to wash dishes in her terrible uncle's restaurant every summer. She is a very promising little chef, but Uncle Lard is a very insecure and jealous man. Luck brings Madeleine to Edibles, a little shop owned by Madame Pamplemousse. But then Uncle Lard forces Madeleine to spy on Madame Pamplemousse and that's when things become complicated...

I loved, loved, loved this book! Kingfisher's very fulfilling world of heroines and villains is one to be reckoned with. From the dark and musty store, Camembert the incredible cat, to the pig-like Mr. Lard, Madame Pamplemousse kept my attention from the moment I opened the book until I put it down. I can't wait to read more of Kingfisher's work! And I have to mention that the cover art is very inviting, and the pen and ink interior illustrations are much fun. Sue Hellard certainly lived up to the challenge. Thank you for a great book.

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Our First Week-End in the Country

We just went back to our fixer upper in the country after a five month hiatus. All in all it wasn't bad. No major plumbing explosions, no break-ins or roof leaks, just a decaying dead dear in the front yard, (yuck!) some new critter house mates, a dead bird in the chimney, and the usual suspects, an army of little biting black flies waiting to eat us up as soon as we set foot out the door.

Don't get me wrong, we had a great time. We assessed all the work we still need to do on the house and the yard. We ate outside on the back porch, we walked to the river and we pulled out many many weeds. Okay, we're a little overwhelmed, though nothing the soon to be sweltering heat of the City can't take care of.

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