tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256334392024-03-07T22:32:52.664-05:00doodles and noodleskids, books, artCarol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-40349380946566016272012-02-22T20:37:00.000-05:002012-02-22T20:37:11.593-05:00Pug Love: A Birthday and Books for Koko, My Faithful Fuzzy Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Koko</em> Acrylic Painting by Sara Baicker-McKee</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;">I was never a dog person. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Except for a neurotic collie that my parents gave away when we moved from California to Virginia when I was a year old, my family always had cats, not dogs. Thanks to Diddle, Mittens, Lucy, and Jelly Bean, to this day, I am sucker for purring, sandpaper tongues, and the way a cat rubs against your legs. </span>(Okay, this is completely off topic, but that reminded me. Let's say you're working on an illustration and you need a photo reference of a "kitten rubbing against someone's leg" - let me give you a tip. Do NOT do an internet search for that phrase. The images that come up do not bear much resemblance to young felines.)<br />
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Anyway, I always figured I'd have a cat someday, but when my oldest son turned out to be allergic, we opted instead for a series of little caged critters: mice, a hamster, a guinea pig, a chinchilla, a whole mess of roly poly bugs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini-beaded Koko. By Sara, age 10 or so.</td></tr>
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Life was good, right? Only not for my youngest, my daughter Sara. Almost from the moment she was born, she had A Thing for dogs. As a tiny infant, her eyes widened and her whole body quivered whenever she spied a dog. "Woof" was one of her first words. By the time she was a preschooler, she preferred her cousins' threadbare hand-me-down doggy costume to even the sparkliest princess getup, knew the distinguishing characteristics of dozens of dog breeds, and she and her best buddy got in trouble at preschool for only speaking in dog and preferring to consume their graham crackers and milk doggy- style. (By that I mean no hands! And don't do an internet search for that term either!) When Christmas and her birthday rolled around, every year Sara's wish list contained just one item: a real, live dog. If she couldn't have that, then nothing, thank you.<br />
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Despite this pressure, I did a pretty good job of remaining canine-free. I had three closely-spaced kids, a menagerie of critters in cages, and the occasional uncaged "visitor." Plenty of mess and noise and walks and poop to deal with already. And despite the promises of my daughter and other family members, I knew who would end up taking care of any dog that entered the household.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puppy Koko. By Sara at age 8</td></tr>
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Then I made a deadly error. For the first time since my kids were born, I went away by myself on a just-for-fun girls weekend.<br />
<br />
And came home to find myself a dog owner. Well, a dog-owner to be, since the puppies were too young to leave their mother.<br />
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For the twelve years since then, as predicted, I've had even more mess and noise and walks and poop to deal with. And yes, I've been the primary caregiver for Koko.<br />
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And I've loved it. Koko captured my heart from the moment she entered our house, a round-bellied, wrinkle-faced pug puppy who charmed us by wearing an old sock with holes cut out for her head and legs, wrestling Big Kitty, the huge stuffed animal sent home with her, and chewing everyone's shoelaces to shreds. <br />
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For the first few months, we regularly debated who was smarter, Koko or a post, and the post usually won. But over time, thanks to being very strongly motivated by any remotely food-like substance, she has proved herself to be a fair bit sharper than the post. She easily learned the usual tricks like "Sit!" and "Stay!" and "Roll Over!" and "Bang! You're dead." But she also learned trickier tricks, like how to balance a cheerio on her nose and wait a <em>long</em> time until you say "okay!" to toss it in the air and catch it neatly in her mouth, and how to jump through a hula hoop like a circus dog (though no longer so high as she used to), and, perhaps trickiest of all, how to walk around a treat <em>just lying there on the floor ripe for the gobbling</em> when ordered to "leave it!" Plus she learned the commands in French, as well as English. Pretty good, huh?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDod3E-kDkUHWSsmT2OYjjwX_HAVwEn4_QhPhku6XQF63aCpzPzXx4oRtXmXIOiBbXbj8AvGCvN8wXVHdztZfqHbWpliXehUnC2VRp-Lr3E2pUCUc-PKu4F-RzySrSCXQCAGMYg/s1600/058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDod3E-kDkUHWSsmT2OYjjwX_HAVwEn4_QhPhku6XQF63aCpzPzXx4oRtXmXIOiBbXbj8AvGCvN8wXVHdztZfqHbWpliXehUnC2VRp-Lr3E2pUCUc-PKu4F-RzySrSCXQCAGMYg/s400/058.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miniature Koko in polymer clay, by Sara around age 10.</td></tr>
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Perversely, for twelve years, she has refused to learn the command "Come!" - but breaks land-speed records to be at your side if you even spell the word "treat." (For that matter, she recognizes several dozen spelled words, for some reason, all food-related...). She even figured out how to shove a chair around the kitchen to get on the table or counter if someone foolishly left food up high, only giving up the practice once arthritis got the better of her joints.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koko. Illustration in cut paper, polymer clay and wood by me (Carol Baicker-McKee) from unsold picture book, <em>Little Dog</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>She has her flaws too. She snores and snorts and never stops obsessing about food. She <em>loves</em> people - but other dogs not so much. She whines without stopping when she goes for rides in the car. She sheds - way more than a dog so small should, and all year round to boot. If there's a dog, horse, giant squirrel, bad guy, scary music, or loud singing on TV, she attacks the set so ferociously we had to build a fence around it and get a DVR so we could replay the scenes we missed. If you're petting her and stop, she puts her paw on you to remind you to continue. And repeats the next time you stop. And the next time. She has perfected the head tilt and sigh that makes everyone feel guilty about not sharing their food.<br />
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But somehow, none of that matters to me, the cat-lover. (Though it all drives my husband, a lifelong dog guy himself, absolutely batty. Go figure.)<br />
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We celebrated her birthday this year with a tea party by the fire. Nice and cozy for all our aging bones.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIYLNEIvPYaCMP-lHP1BX93vPgb5LE_6rU0aTnH9DVJREorGQ4AqO1GoqaPRf2YmZOZYOI8gED09-J_7E3dpUwUTFF9Eq8BDi9tdn6CFGNzt3xKKb6cuja55LxJEecl0Dwjww6A/s1600/065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIYLNEIvPYaCMP-lHP1BX93vPgb5LE_6rU0aTnH9DVJREorGQ4AqO1GoqaPRf2YmZOZYOI8gED09-J_7E3dpUwUTFF9Eq8BDi9tdn6CFGNzt3xKKb6cuja55LxJEecl0Dwjww6A/s400/065.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The visiting cat was invited but declined.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She had some work to get done on the computer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrP0Av_J5Y5XqelbIpU06cUisrR5GupS7FVI1CN3SXeONqhKRY1MnLicEr8-E4HFCDxCroU_8DYIPyK57mpPcN8dM5ZafATyZALrWqUU26ZodYfBJsG0J3HgCeziNsGSxBAB3pPg/s1600/kitty+on+computer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrP0Av_J5Y5XqelbIpU06cUisrR5GupS7FVI1CN3SXeONqhKRY1MnLicEr8-E4HFCDxCroU_8DYIPyK57mpPcN8dM5ZafATyZALrWqUU26ZodYfBJsG0J3HgCeziNsGSxBAB3pPg/s400/kitty+on+computer.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And then she needed to wash her hair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIIL3lMzgEHBb5E4paeYaFzWecQfm378MNI6z1KskAZ3X6hyP2Bx6HMZaLkeTTXd7lpnkt8DP2E9Pj_Tv0DMlx-oeTcml3dUZsGYJbIbWN4dM7lF-n3N1e5mc2wiIp7QHwL5qaw/s1600/kitty+in+shower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIIL3lMzgEHBb5E4paeYaFzWecQfm378MNI6z1KskAZ3X6hyP2Bx6HMZaLkeTTXd7lpnkt8DP2E9Pj_Tv0DMlx-oeTcml3dUZsGYJbIbWN4dM7lF-n3N1e5mc2wiIp7QHwL5qaw/s400/kitty+in+shower.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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I'll polish off the celebration with a few of our favorite children's books featuring pugs (though of course, none is as cute as Koko - who even made this week's <a href="http://www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2012/2/20/mondays-pets-on-furniture-and-something-special.html">"Pets on Furniture" feature</a> by Kim on the addicting design blog <a href="http://www.desiretoinspire.net/">Desire to Inspire</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO7t2lPlo93AVt60r0zQquFgJ95TYEDg-3vwMIhP8S5KVnpPinja0VedN9lMT5y4CPYk4TxQUAol_pqb7Dq945vKAZJufuuNIWj3T04J4WPCTf0QF7fc8PLJ8ZQ_rsy_9vlbMjw/s1600/eloise-and-weenie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO7t2lPlo93AVt60r0zQquFgJ95TYEDg-3vwMIhP8S5KVnpPinja0VedN9lMT5y4CPYk4TxQUAol_pqb7Dq945vKAZJufuuNIWj3T04J4WPCTf0QF7fc8PLJ8ZQ_rsy_9vlbMjw/s400/eloise-and-weenie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eloise and Weenie by Hilary Knight for Kay Thompson's <em>Eloise</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>My family has loved the <a href="http://www.eloisewebsite.com/">Eloise books</a> by Kay Thompson and illustrated by fab <a href="http://www.hilaryknight.com/">Hilary Knight</a> that were favorites of my own as a child. They co-star Weenie, Eloise's "dog who looks like a cat." Hmm. Maybe that's why I like my pug so much.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHoq0gScQoehsy3DGgdDLgFhAWQKrDBinOxQCapzv_RD-2oey5LKmEIhXSLSlCSL9mERyPjwmkPPLZvMj6hd68cP8sGKIygtdkI425XTbgI_vNX9KsjIdLFrnxAuupBJpWzdgXw/s1600/goodrich+zorro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHoq0gScQoehsy3DGgdDLgFhAWQKrDBinOxQCapzv_RD-2oey5LKmEIhXSLSlCSL9mERyPjwmkPPLZvMj6hd68cP8sGKIygtdkI425XTbgI_vNX9KsjIdLFrnxAuupBJpWzdgXw/s320/goodrich+zorro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Say <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Say-Hello-Zorro-Carter-Goodrich/dp/1416938931" target="_blank">Hello to Zorro</a> by <a href="http://cartergoodrich.com/#/carter" target="_blank">Carter Goodrich</a> is a relatively new book (2011) and is as suitable for families welcoming a new child as it is for pug lovers or dog lovers in general. Mister Bud has his life all figured out - until the usurper pug Zorro shows up and wrecks everything. (Fortunately it all works out. Phew.) Goodrich does a great job of capturing the big-dog temperament of pugs, as well as their stocky physique and no-nonsense expressions. Love!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennifersattler.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKTfrkPfLQ6rNYnvZzDSxDAokCKEfiK7DtxR0KQwPoXNPqTifi3iZ-w51oC2vjcuwThAoWrBXoTKd-pOg-3jD7vDr_hc9RzL5LQydtLQmokLZE3ONPGqiESSE-rrXgbO5VXmfdA/s1600/chick+n+pug.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://jennifersattler.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Sattler's</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chick-n-Pug-Jennifer-Sattler/dp/B006CDD0M4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329959135&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Chick 'n' Pug</a> is another relatively recent title (2010) and tells a tale of mistaken impressions. Chick, having read books about a superhero pug is ripe for disappointment when she finally meets a real live pug - who is more like the typical couch potato of the breed. But again, all works out!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OpynEGOUw6I6Pc_Yn8-FKxaFVwkgkkYrGw3UrU0g_5bKTPfB_zR9kF5WKUcYFYd5q6AvLe25T7lx5j_9xJvT20_j1bj8debbaGB3hNQqqBQI7o7Sz3nRqCFt31w8C-wgfCHNkQ/s1600/molly+moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OpynEGOUw6I6Pc_Yn8-FKxaFVwkgkkYrGw3UrU0g_5bKTPfB_zR9kF5WKUcYFYd5q6AvLe25T7lx5j_9xJvT20_j1bj8debbaGB3hNQqqBQI7o7Sz3nRqCFt31w8C-wgfCHNkQ/s320/molly+moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For older readers, I recommend the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_5?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=molly+moon&sprefix=Molly%2Cstripbooks%2C174" target="_blank">Molly Moon books</a> by <a href="http://www.meetmollymoon.com/" target="_blank">Georgia Byng</a>, beginning with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Molly-Moons-Incredible-Book-Hypnotism/dp/0060514094/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329959225&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Molly Moon's Book of Hypnotism</a>. Molly is a quick-witted orphan, and the pug is, uh, the bad-tempered sidekick of the villain - but it's all lots of fun for middle-grade readers.<br />
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<strong>One final note</strong>: my dog-loving daughter Sara is all grown up now and paints wonderfully sensitive dog portraits like the one that opens this post in her smidge of free time. If you're interested in a portrait of a beloved pet, you can contact her here through me. Just shoot me an email at baickermckee[at]gmail[dot]com or leave a comment here with info on how to contact you.Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-16185825706273698892012-02-10T11:43:00.001-05:002012-02-10T11:55:37.089-05:00More Homemade Valentines: Quilled Hearts and Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4voxdswWDnZ1TAEp2atpXmo1yJXjjHG1t3cXrrRjGtxGABjwBvg6M2IY8jI1mzUyMT-fxwCYFATaTUK8NlcwM2BMKcURMvLoEIjrf0R7TFHeDqGxGs1yoO2IDMDqm5LY7xFzL5A/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4voxdswWDnZ1TAEp2atpXmo1yJXjjHG1t3cXrrRjGtxGABjwBvg6M2IY8jI1mzUyMT-fxwCYFATaTUK8NlcwM2BMKcURMvLoEIjrf0R7TFHeDqGxGs1yoO2IDMDqm5LY7xFzL5A/s400/013.JPG" width="337" /></a></div>For those of you more interested in making <em>pretty</em> Valentines with your kids than the humorous bodily-noises variety I featured in yesterday's post (<a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2012/02/homemade-valentines-of-borderline.html">here</a>), I bring you a technique that's:<br />
<ul><li>relatively easy (though a tad time-consuming), </li>
<li>relaxing (a good project for while you watch TV or chat with friends/family), </li>
<li>versatile, </li>
<li>inexpensive, and</li>
<li>impressive-looking</li>
</ul>It also goes well with chocolate! What more can you ask for?<br />
<br />
(I apologize for the blurry photo above. It was the only one I had of a quilled Valentine I made for a friend last year. I nearly always forget to photograph our Valentines...)<br />
<br />
<div>Although I'd fooled around with quilled pictures as a kid, it was an article on breathtakingly beautiful quilled Valentines in a February issue of Martha Stewart Living a few years back that sparked my interest in trying it again. You can still find step-by-step descriptions of the how-to, as well as suggestions for an assortment of quilled Valentine crafts on her website <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/quilling?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/card-making-techniques#slide_11">here</a>.</div><br />
I'm not going to repeat the full how-to since I don't think I could do it better than Martha, but I'll outline the materials and basic steps I used to make the Valentine above. Then you can make your own version - one of the great things about this craft is that you don't have to be a confident artist to come up with your own lovely designs or make something that looks remarkably polished.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Materials and Tools</u></strong><br />
<ul><li><strong>Paper</strong> To make the Valentine above, I cut strips from bright copier paper and lightweight cardstock. (You can purchase special strips in different widths intended for quilling, but they tend to be expensive. Since uniformity is not crucial for this project, I'd go cheap.) You'll also need a piece of heavyweight cardstock or a blank card for the background. If you don't have colored paper, don't fret: white-on-white quilling looks elegant.</li>
<li><strong>Paper cutter </strong>Or a ruler and steady hand to make your strips. (Or quilling paper already in strips.)</li>
<li><strong>Scissors</strong> For adjusting length and fringing. It's nice to have decorative scissors that scallop the edge before you fringe, but they're not essential</li>
<li><strong>Glue</strong> Ordinary white glue is perfect. (I apply it sparingly with a toothpick.) A glue stick can work too, but may not hold some of the heavier blossoms.</li>
<li><strong>Curling tool</strong> You can buy commercial quilling tools (see here), but a skewer or skinny knitting needle works pretty well too. (Inna Dorman on her interesting kids and craft blog <em><a href="http://increations.blogspot.com/">Inna's Creations</a></em> also has instructions for making a simple but effective quilling tool<a href="http://increations.blogspot.com/2009/10/paper-quilling-for-children-10-tips.html"> here</a>.)</li>
<li><strong>Tweezers (optional)</strong> Help keep glue off your fingers and creations, but not essential unless you're working very small.</li>
</ul><strong><u>Steps</u></strong><br />
<ol><li><strong>Make a heart "frame" </strong>I used my paper cutter to make a long strip of 1/4" cardstock, folded it roughly in half and then curled the loose ends toward each other, glued them together, and bent them into a loose heart shape. I applied glue to the edges with a toothpick and arranged the heart on my blank card. (I deliberately made mine assymetrical, but you could use a heart template to make yours more perfect if you prefer.) Hold down for a minute or so until the glue sets up.</li>
<li><strong>Make an assortment of fringed flowers </strong>These will look kind of like daisies or asters. Cut strips of different colored papers in an assortment of wider widths. (Mine varied from about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch.) I didn't bother to scallop mine, but you can. I speed up the fringing by first folding the strips and cutting through 4 layers at a time. Be careful not to cut all the way through! Roll the strips into a coil and then bend and ruffle the "petals." I used tight coils for the centers, but loose coils work too.</li>
<li><strong>Make some bell flowers </strong>The Martha site has step-by-step instructions, but basically you make a tight coil and poke in the middles, adjusting until you have a smooth "cup."</li>
<li><strong>Make a few other shape flowers</strong> I did some iris-like flowers from quilled teardrop shapes. Martha shows how, plus she has instructions for roses, which I didn't use here but have incorporated in other cards. (They're a bit more fiddly, especially for beginners or young kids.)</li>
<li><strong>Arrange the flowers within the frame </strong>I do this first to make sure I've got the space reasonably full but not overcrowded.</li>
<li><strong>Make stems and leaves </strong>No firm right or wrong way to do this. I mostly bent and loosely curled narrow green strips for the stems. Teardrops make nice leaves. Try varying sizes, with smaller leaves toward the ends of stems. Also, varied shades of green can look attractive</li>
<li><strong>Glue everything in place </strong>It takes a little time for the heavier flowers to "stick."</li>
</ol>Obviously, these do not mail well in a regular envelope...<br />
<br />
If you enjoy this craft and want more ideas for projects, here are a couple of good sites for inspiration and tips:<br />
<ul><li>Ann Martin's blog <a href="http://www.allthingspaper.net/">All Things Paper</a> (while you're there, check out her beautiful <a href="http://www.allthingspaper.net/p/quilled-marriage-certificates.html">quilled marriage certificates</a>)</li>
<li><a href="http://increations.blogspot.com/">Inna's Creations</a> (which I mentioned above) Lots of ideas for "flat" quilled projects for both kids and adults (see <a href="http://increations.blogspot.com/search/label/quilling">here</a>) and also cool 3-D projects (see <a href="http://increations.blogspot.com/search/label/3D%20quilling">here</a>) to try once you master the basics.</li>
<li>And if you really want to see how these techniques can be used for real art, check out the work of master quiller Yuliya Brodskaya <a href="http://www.artyulia.com/index.php/Illustration/PAPERgraphic">here</a> and <a href="http://www.artyulia.com/index.php/Art">here</a>. Her stuff just blows my mind.</li>
</ul>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-50043651975327804652012-02-09T14:15:00.000-05:002012-02-09T14:15:58.806-05:00Homemade Valentines (of the Borderline Inappropriate Sort that Boys Might Be Willing to Make)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433277945246910226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW4TaOg6xUdPwx132SjHaBmRZ5oMxUrMDZxeWIYsJd5PTZLahqaszkjwpUVrlewUNyscZCTDPVwFDaQ80WlYJMC2pYOsGUItZ842aXpIHOEDzdEYPIMoEJSAfO8wKtr8fQGvAyw/s400/hp_scanDS_921610535911.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 333px;" width="333" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valentine for his classmates. By my son at age 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Valentine above almost got my son kicked out of school.<br />
<br />
Long time readers of my blog as well as my unfortunate offspring will know that I have rather rigid rules for school Valentines. (See this previous<a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2011/02/happy-valentines-day.html"> post</a> for example.)<br />
<ul><li>First, you must give Valentines to ALL your classmates so as to avoid hurt feelings. </li>
<li>Second, and this is the even more important one: no crap TV character ones from Walmart. You have to make your own.</li>
</ul>These rules resulted in my children creating exquisite works of art that I will treasure forever.<br />
<br />
<div></div><span style="font-size: large;">Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha HA!</span> <br />
<br />
<div></div>Okay. The truth. What they resulted in was a bunch of crap "homemade" Valentines. Usually wonky construction paper "hearts" slathered with strange assortments of stickers, stained with tears shed during the inevitable frustration tantrums, and finished with lollipops taped to the front obscuring their signatures. If they bothered to sign them. But at least the cards didn't have TV characters on them...<br />
<br />
That was until I discovered the six secrets to getting boys involved in public declarations of love (or at least sort-of-liking). <br />
<ol><li>Let them use normally off-limits equipment in my studio, like the fragile light table or dangerous xacto knives</li>
<li>Encourage them to incorporate their current passionate interests</li>
<li>Assist with the boring parts like signing their names, putting the cards in envelopes, and addressing them (by "assist" I mean "do it for them")</li>
<li>Incentivize frequently with samples of the candy included with the cards</li>
<li>Maintain low quality standards</li>
<li>Have them write love poems</li>
</ol>The first five secrets I figured out on my own. The last one, though, is thanks to their wonderful kindergarten teacher, Ms. Frey. She introduced them to classics of love poetry like:<br />
<br />
<em>"I love you, </em><br />
<em>I love you,</em><br />
<em>I love you divine.</em><br />
<em>Please give me your bubble gum.</em><br />
<em>You're sitting on mine."</em><br />
<br />
The Valentine featured here took my fine-motor challenged child hours and hours to make. Not to mention the ages he spent creating the verse. In the process:<br />
<ol><li>I let him use my light table (which is how the writing is more or less in a straight line). Also I let him use the xacto knife to slice a piece of scratch paper to shreds, even though that had nothing to do with his project.</li>
<li>I let him incorporate his current and longstanding interest in loud burping.</li>
<li>I allowed him to sign his name only once and then photocopied it. And I did all the stuffing and addressing.</li>
<li>I fed him lots of lollipops while he worked. Lots.</li>
<li>I mentioned the lack of rhyme in his rhyming verse and the half-finished border around the heart only once and didn't say another word when he insisted he was done.</li>
<li>I laughed - genuinely - at his funny poem and drawing. Actually I rather liked the absence of the expected rhyme. It was another little touch of humor (though I'm not certain it was intentional).</li>
</ol>Then I sent him off to school with his packet of Valentines. Where the room mother at the class party saw his card and then expressed her <em>shock</em> at its inappropriate "potty" humor and attitude toward females to the longterm substitute (the original, beloved teacher had just started a sabbatical). Where the new teacher then confiscated all my son's Valentines. Where my son then dissolved in tears but fortunately waited until he was outside the school to call the teacher many, many mean names of the sort that might get a kid kicked out of school.<br />
<br />
We actually resolved the incident amicably (after I had my own temper tantrum in front of my husband). The teacher apologized and let Eric distribute his cards another day, and they were great buds the rest of the year. And I had a pleasant chat with the room mother (who obviously had no sons of her own), and although we were not exactly best buds after that, well, we weren't best buds before either. <br />
<br />
On second thought, maybe you should just to a run to Walmart for some TV character Valentines after all. But don't forget the extra lollipops. You'll still need them for the signing and addressing part. (Though perhaps you prefer high quality dark chocolate like I do.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3qfeyP4EdT7lx2wROEh40l-GEwsT0qDcqVoY3mODzCcxLeNlBJEpSkDCcauyWU43qmsnsLX0JMQ5oKFi5pYxRedw6_rQ-jdAGUvDRONDXqHgxAhptVcjOYNtZyGWf-Bj8CasmA/s1600/Somebody-Loves-You-Mr-Hatch-9780689718724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3qfeyP4EdT7lx2wROEh40l-GEwsT0qDcqVoY3mODzCcxLeNlBJEpSkDCcauyWU43qmsnsLX0JMQ5oKFi5pYxRedw6_rQ-jdAGUvDRONDXqHgxAhptVcjOYNtZyGWf-Bj8CasmA/s400/Somebody-Loves-You-Mr-Hatch-9780689718724.jpg" width="348" /></a></div><br />
P.S. This is my favorite Valentine's Day book. All my kids loved it too, even though there is absolutely no mention of farting or burping in the whole story.Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-84942518441041136692011-10-31T12:39:00.000-04:002011-10-31T12:39:09.609-04:00Happy Halloween!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KEA2_f0Hm-KuCITxy4ztimsayXAFf0pBKHF5wouZ_B7cbQRjQeR3v8OWSt_7k23jpawFuUuWAlYbPCiMlL_29V_CzlFrcVc-e5mYJC-XGIGy_PEr2V2-Kryw3sMeBWrfgtOyEg/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KEA2_f0Hm-KuCITxy4ztimsayXAFf0pBKHF5wouZ_B7cbQRjQeR3v8OWSt_7k23jpawFuUuWAlYbPCiMlL_29V_CzlFrcVc-e5mYJC-XGIGy_PEr2V2-Kryw3sMeBWrfgtOyEg/s400/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Hope you have a day filled with treats and only nice tricks!<br />
I'm planning to start blogging here again - I've missed all of you.Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-87576686839999045292011-08-05T17:52:00.000-04:002011-08-05T17:52:01.572-04:00Children's Books Spared from Lead Law's Axe! Hooray!<b><i></i></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><em>This post also appears on my group writing blog, </em><a href="http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/"><em>Route 19 Writers</em></a><em>.</em><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4YA7Snd5DUQSvOrOgbgiVRd1TXqGwVM4zpr0C-s-iCArMz9LjGrngM_1oB_7Os8Fy76SbJXLy6kyTKCQ73hrZvDlAl3ti_Z_Y4uU0Beeb3GP2sYHbe3Rxn5hgYUmozqLMKF9/s1600/Ring41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4YA7Snd5DUQSvOrOgbgiVRd1TXqGwVM4zpr0C-s-iCArMz9LjGrngM_1oB_7Os8Fy76SbJXLy6kyTKCQ73hrZvDlAl3ti_Z_Y4uU0Beeb3GP2sYHbe3Rxn5hgYUmozqLMKF9/s400/Ring41.jpg" t$="true" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration by Arthur Rackham for Wagner, Richard (translated by Margaret Amour) (1911). <i>Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods</i>. London: William Heinemann, New York: Doubleday. Public domain image obtained through Wikimedia Commons via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Haukurth">Haukurth</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Over the years, children's books have battled many dragons: censorship; competition from TV, video games, the internet, etc.; slashed library and school book budgets; changes in bookselling; changes in publishing. Oh! And horrid picture books by celebrities. <br />
<br />
They sometimes emerge from these battles a bit singed or bloodied, but emerge they do.<br />
<br />
Then a few years ago, another threat quietly crept into the children's book world and threatened catastrophe, especially for libraries and fans of vintage books. In 2008, in the wake of recalls of popular toys (made in China) for high lead levels, Congress nearly unanimously passed a law intended to protect children: the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This law, among other things, required that ALL children's products aimed at kids 12 and under be tested and certified to be (basically) lead-free. Lead is a known neurotoxin and children are especially vulnerable.<br />
<br />
Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, the devil is in the details, and unfortunately the law failed (among other flaws) to exempt zillions of products that pose no significant threat to children. Like books. Which have NEVER been implicated in a single case of lead poisoning.<br />
<br />
Not only did the law require expensive testing of each of the components of new books (which would have driven up the cost with no increased benefit to kids), it was retroactive, requiring testing and certification of previously published books. Here's why this was terrible for libraries and used books:<br />
<ul><li>Testing is terrifically expensive (and hard to obtain) and libraries and used sellers were required to test every children's book in their collections or for sale.</li>
<li>The mandated testing is <em>destructive</em> testing - which means after submitting a book for testing, the library or bookstore would no longer have the book to circulate or sell.</li>
</ul>To make things even worse, the Consumer Product Safety Commission discovered that a handful of children's books published before 1984 contained lead in excess of the new stringent limits. In some colors. On some pages. Never mind that a child would have to<em> eat </em>hundreds of books before raising his blood lead level noticeably, the law was inflexible, and the CPSC banned the sale or distribution to children of books printed before 1984.<br />
<br />
Fearing lawsuits, some libraries and many used sellers did remove older books from their shelves. But the reason your local library may not have a nearly empty children's department is that the CPSC has issued a variety of stays of enforcement and temporary exemptions (plus there are bunch of feisty and renegade librarians out there) - but all these stays and exemptions were set to expire at the end of this year. And every attempt to amend the law or repeal it has failed.<br />
<br />
Until this week!<br />
<br />
Here's the start of the <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/48209-children-s-books-finally-receive-exemption-from-cpsia-testing-requirements.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+Children%27s+Bookshelf&utm_campaign=568971a8ea-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email">announcement of the amended law</a> in <em>Publisher's Weekly</em> (written by Karen Raugust who has done a terrific job of covering CPSIA book developments for PW):<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Monday, three years after the August 2008 enactment of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, publishers of ink-on-paper books and other printed materials suddenly received news they’d been hoping for from the outset. Both the House and Senate passed an amendment to CPSIA that exempts “ordinary” children’s books, along with a few other classes of products (e.g., all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles), from the law’s testing provisions</span>.</div></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It also removes the retroactive provisions of the original law, so old books are officially safe again!!! You can read the rest of the good news <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/48209-children-s-books-finally-receive-exemption-from-cpsia-testing-requirements.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+Children%27s+Bookshelf&utm_campaign=568971a8ea-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email">here</a>.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Children's books win again!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sadly, for people who care about kids, the battle to make CPSIA reasonable and effective is far from over. Many, many safe and valuable products were given no relief, including original wall art for kids, small batch handmade toys and apparel (made with all safe components), limited batch items aimed at kids with special needs, and many, many more. Get in touch with your congress-folk and let them know you want further changes! You can read more about how the law affects other products <a href="http://www.learningresourcesinc.blogspot.com/">here</a> on the blog of a producer of quality educational products for kids; warning: Rick Woldenburg who writes the blog is angry. Understandably.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'll leave you with images of a lovely vintage book now spared from the toxic waste dump: <em>Ameliaranne Keeps Shop,</em> "Told in Words by Constance Heward; Told in Pictures by Susan Beatrice Pearse" as it says on the title page. My copy was published in 1928 by David McKay Company, and the story about the kind and resourceful Ameliaranne is as charming and fun to read now as I expect it was nearly a century ago. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr_aDE_hlWhFxqUqLsvZu4MIXyUyRUxk7KrecKAOq9KsvKdyUhY_G0u1-mjY4DvYmXiVWxQ0SUal1L21gy5R60aKeAoO-uf-t3RwJMviawAFPPHDccwofCEiZMHjE8s9sjFAk/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr_aDE_hlWhFxqUqLsvZu4MIXyUyRUxk7KrecKAOq9KsvKdyUhY_G0u1-mjY4DvYmXiVWxQ0SUal1L21gy5R60aKeAoO-uf-t3RwJMviawAFPPHDccwofCEiZMHjE8s9sjFAk/s400/001.JPG" t$="true" width="285" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Isn't it gorgeous? And though a few of the Ameliaranne stories are available as downloads, what a shame it would be to miss the visceral experience of holding this beautiful small book! And smelling it - it has a wonderful scent of bookcloth, glossy paper, and time. And love.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_DWorVcdmsiEEjX-fzy0tVOpiQjzFlF9KvGQXxN3kRgMETPoOwBUY0l9-oaQLcfTgSXz2Un4tajpshosa7PZIOV7fv_YMz89Y2WFDqXnJ4_w2y8uHIV7kePu0mRCOZ749Ixj/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_DWorVcdmsiEEjX-fzy0tVOpiQjzFlF9KvGQXxN3kRgMETPoOwBUY0l9-oaQLcfTgSXz2Un4tajpshosa7PZIOV7fv_YMz89Y2WFDqXnJ4_w2y8uHIV7kePu0mRCOZ749Ixj/s400/002.JPG" t$="true" width="290" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Because who could not love Ameliaranne? In this tale, she has to think on her feet and figure out how to thwart a nepharious imposter trying to make off with the shopkeeper's money.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX5G_o0zroflI1HbCwJImnuNjAN-ouqQeTOeffW9b7wWSubRKDpgdhOZgN2SfagaOFsmRF9o3dk4EIbUMbBgeo-jesDq1Mdi_NkkIY4iMIZD9j7XErm-DT6INmwszU76iwHZx/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX5G_o0zroflI1HbCwJImnuNjAN-ouqQeTOeffW9b7wWSubRKDpgdhOZgN2SfagaOFsmRF9o3dk4EIbUMbBgeo-jesDq1Mdi_NkkIY4iMIZD9j7XErm-DT6INmwszU76iwHZx/s400/003.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Fortunately she is as clever as she is good-hearted.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKZJrHfJt-3U6-XqxqSCI9DU-1N8WjFWyHTUjZzbCRUDS4FKezhWHcsCZZpRz5Uo1-R4jdn8gX9yOclVGp_k3zoJlA4p5ssUEbUSTdpLlCW7fsaNForncf3PqXyr_fNdZw_iK/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKZJrHfJt-3U6-XqxqSCI9DU-1N8WjFWyHTUjZzbCRUDS4FKezhWHcsCZZpRz5Uo1-R4jdn8gX9yOclVGp_k3zoJlA4p5ssUEbUSTdpLlCW7fsaNForncf3PqXyr_fNdZw_iK/s400/005.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It all works out! For Ameliaranne, the shopkeeper, and Ameliaranne's young siblings who want to go the picnic but need new shoes which their washerwoman mama can't afford.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JBnaTElFvnmMzv-fO8jnSZIxCvVJrAUWCRtjjaNTvvyHIpnPvi0SCTO9aoQZidrobd55xJ919nfOPoJcZtXwP1tWtgaZsvNGbUAoOBteB3wK4KCHCW12uU1N6C-smO1enCtq/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JBnaTElFvnmMzv-fO8jnSZIxCvVJrAUWCRtjjaNTvvyHIpnPvi0SCTO9aoQZidrobd55xJ919nfOPoJcZtXwP1tWtgaZsvNGbUAoOBteB3wK4KCHCW12uU1N6C-smO1enCtq/s400/004.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Even the endpapers are breathtaking.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It is exceedingly hard to track down information about the authors and illustrator of these books, but you can read a little more about the series of Ameliaranne books on Jane Moxey's lovely blog Moxey's Musings <a href="http://moxeymusings.blogspot.com/2009/09/ameliaranne-and-other-stories.html">here </a>and find a list of all the Ameliaranne titles (which were written by a variety of authors but always illustrated by Susan Beatrice Pearse) on a Fairacre Wikia page <a href="http://fairacre.wikia.com/wiki/Ameliaranne">here</a>.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'm jumping for joy!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-56616079809495601932011-02-14T14:14:00.003-05:002011-02-14T14:21:40.021-05:00Happy Valentine's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6Kx82NhWqUnCXDKS3jOLaj6flVlZfjtec-NhBavFrW6mfPsi8S_yBLeN5rUsGsI2RWZKOM8nJg1UnoGcKeTgjExCiWKDbC5kr3w2oqSkUiXJJWVTx6IgaaA8J22mJUO1muWNCA/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6Kx82NhWqUnCXDKS3jOLaj6flVlZfjtec-NhBavFrW6mfPsi8S_yBLeN5rUsGsI2RWZKOM8nJg1UnoGcKeTgjExCiWKDbC5kr3w2oqSkUiXJJWVTx6IgaaA8J22mJUO1muWNCA/s400/021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>When I was a kid, my favorite part of Valentine's Day was <em>not</em> candy, getting tons of mail, or finding out that someone I liked liked me back (though of course I loved all those things), but making my Valentines. I spent weeks before the big day dreaming up different designs and then troubleshooting construction problems (my Valentines always had some complicated paper engineering thing going on, with windows or doors that locked with a lollipop stick, folded paper springs that made hearts pop out when someone opened the card, or other pop-up features). And then there was the making phase, parked at the kitchen table with my mom and sisters and piles of construction paper, doilies, and gobs of old-fashioned paste. I have conveniently forgotten the temper tantrums that traditionally accompanied my over-reaching projects.<br />
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The happy memories are no doubt the reason I often spent every February 13th when my kids were young once more parked at the kitchen table with mounds of craft supplies trying to coax my craft-indifferent sons to make their own Valentines too (and then staying up late finishing them up when the boys abandoned the project midcourse and I couldn't bear to think about some poor classmate being left out).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgWV_9Ls4reja5KciOv2xPdeW23JlP_NCdDdy1E8K0dgOH_FwUVM34FA9jWJUkhKw7e63Hp_cAhb3dv5E7VcsLwORY06oeCArBneVV8MyfMTi9FNoJFoumUv-Oe7KP13JLWDjpw/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgWV_9Ls4reja5KciOv2xPdeW23JlP_NCdDdy1E8K0dgOH_FwUVM34FA9jWJUkhKw7e63Hp_cAhb3dv5E7VcsLwORY06oeCArBneVV8MyfMTi9FNoJFoumUv-Oe7KP13JLWDjpw/s400/023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Fortunately for me, my daughter was a different story. She liked to make things too. And still does to my everlasting delight.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXh3UccxZxNfsYgDic4HdkNaEd87Nqgp7VGIHVBzlleSyQIX1u7ZXJJBo4mlo0cVlyJQsmnNJaXr1Y5MsEkdJRGOMmAfnLrj7Yq_tO5loNJH411npKO750hfAZ-Z55T8pG_E8Xw/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXh3UccxZxNfsYgDic4HdkNaEd87Nqgp7VGIHVBzlleSyQIX1u7ZXJJBo4mlo0cVlyJQsmnNJaXr1Y5MsEkdJRGOMmAfnLrj7Yq_tO5loNJH411npKO750hfAZ-Z55T8pG_E8Xw/s400/027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The little matchbox Valentines she made in first grade remain one of my all time favorite Valentine projects. (The little love bugs inside were NOT my favorite - too fiddly for little hands.) These Valentines were also a favorite of my middle son's, because not only did he do something similar, albeit simpler:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklAqBWD9vYRuAAcDCo0iWqbhAwPIpdYuYVVRrFA-wF48DNr8k7w7rtxZQ-Cz8Q67JyfeIeaeTNFaC8qGepJcldNw5ZYMHi0NFnhPMZ_9PM8-nEwdeFM8rusirdx06cINoG9_-zg/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklAqBWD9vYRuAAcDCo0iWqbhAwPIpdYuYVVRrFA-wF48DNr8k7w7rtxZQ-Cz8Q67JyfeIeaeTNFaC8qGepJcldNw5ZYMHi0NFnhPMZ_9PM8-nEwdeFM8rusirdx06cINoG9_-zg/s400/024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><em>I let him keep the giant ziplock bag full of the matches we dumped out of the sixty-some little matchboxes! Which was a LOT of matches.</em><br />
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He spent the next zillion summers constructing elaborate if rather wobbly structures from the matches and glue and then setting them alight (under adult supervision, in the driveway, on low wind days with a bucket of water handy, but still). I am a terrible mother obviously.<br />
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These are very simple Valentines to make, possible to do at the last minute if you have a spare box of matches handy. Simply cut a paper strip long enough to wrap around the box, draw a design on the front (my daughter designed four different buildings - the flower shop and house shown at the top of this post, and I think a school and a library, but I guess I didn't save samples of them), and then glue it in place. For mass production purposes, I pasted up the four designs on a single piece of paper and photocopied them, and then my daughter cut out the strips and glued them around the boxes -- but one of kind designs work too. <br />
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I recommend putting some heart stickers, a sweet note or a little candy inside (as my son did) rather than spending a bazillion hours gluing miniature googly eyes and punched heart "wings" onto glass gems. Fewer frustration tantrums for everyone that way.<br />
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I'll close with a photo of my pug, Koko, who is celebrating her 11th birthday today. In style.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN28VMoPvTsDiuHGTiYBIu8NS04ujpZWg4lD80eKbuUrW79HiRkVGgHlsw00GsjDcSs0y7IxHHOQgW0d-ENKuFCkqBjd06ZA-43otcacUaHh6J7IJZIBPSms7k4a73INZuYhgLcw/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN28VMoPvTsDiuHGTiYBIu8NS04ujpZWg4lD80eKbuUrW79HiRkVGgHlsw00GsjDcSs0y7IxHHOQgW0d-ENKuFCkqBjd06ZA-43otcacUaHh6J7IJZIBPSms7k4a73INZuYhgLcw/s640/032.JPG" width="462" /></a></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-59407430935164383352010-12-21T23:48:00.001-05:002010-12-22T08:33:34.717-05:00Cut Paper Christmas: Encore with a Solstice Slant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrFOtNyfN05imIAm9p_g-rnBIAe43aAHe9SQppKjbItQvmWyZT5h1ByDv3wWL4M5sePMJ6RkwQgix4K53Vj1C3LnWzJ0OpBnSpJEUBIIq8Dbxk9E5SIk4wk7Ta3kAWxaEIHaPTw/s1600/hp_scanDS_101130843497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrFOtNyfN05imIAm9p_g-rnBIAe43aAHe9SQppKjbItQvmWyZT5h1ByDv3wWL4M5sePMJ6RkwQgix4K53Vj1C3LnWzJ0OpBnSpJEUBIIq8Dbxk9E5SIk4wk7Ta3kAWxaEIHaPTw/s400/hp_scanDS_101130843497.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My goodness, there has been a lot of Christmas-time paper cutting at my house over the years! Here are some more paper cuts that we've done in years past - some by my kids, some by me - mostly with a snow/winter theme. I'll add some tips for making your own.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The snowmen above were part of a large quantity of paper bag papercuts we made one year to adorn our packages, which were wrapped with either plain white or plain red paper. One of my kids did the cutting for the one above, following a free hand drawing I did on the back side of the paper. It was cut on a fold (sort of paper doll chain style, only with just a single repeat). I reused the lightweight paper bags the kids took their lunches in - they have enough body/stiffness to cut cleanly, but are light enough for small hands to get the scissors through two layers easily. The eyes and buttons were made with a standard circle hole punch. I let all my kids graduate to real scissors (often Fiskars embroidery scissors) at a relatively young age (6 or 7) and just supervised their cutting. No one ever got hurt, not even a smidge, though my guys did not have especially good fine motor skills. (I think kids are sometimes more careful when they're using real tools - and the results are definitely superior.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYCfEUjSD60BapSqURuOem8Ih5_AX4E3TNfVHS5cYf0-fOHUKrCWGTeLf_smEP9C2IRjRHhaivv4o1GnWRSMlVciLPCDx0gKVbP8xBrIoKUnp5VRCBlvKZ1CEbfyKolC4ZH-Row/s1600/hp_scanDS_1011308463419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYCfEUjSD60BapSqURuOem8Ih5_AX4E3TNfVHS5cYf0-fOHUKrCWGTeLf_smEP9C2IRjRHhaivv4o1GnWRSMlVciLPCDx0gKVbP8xBrIoKUnp5VRCBlvKZ1CEbfyKolC4ZH-Row/s400/hp_scanDS_1011308463419.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The house above is basically the same method, but a single picture with no fold/repeat. Also cut by a child (though I may have cut the windows - don't recall). For interior cuts (like the windows and door), I usually (re)folded the paper so the kids didn't have to poke scissors into the middle of the paper to get the window or whatever started. Afterwards, I ironed the paper cuts on a low setting to get out the folds. (You can even mist kraft paper lightly to steam it and make it smoother.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOe5nGNNbHevc_iiyEcvpAFDD81jisXiikhmRnKDDIgVgX1yK5kSSGGOq2qXTx9N6WqXDdJuyldzjDd47J65JSVDyhyRsHSXQ-JxxpMcbwPVAI3Absh8h4Vu9VOx5P1GqyDQ4UNg/s1600/hp_scanDS_9111615352814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOe5nGNNbHevc_iiyEcvpAFDD81jisXiikhmRnKDDIgVgX1yK5kSSGGOq2qXTx9N6WqXDdJuyldzjDd47J65JSVDyhyRsHSXQ-JxxpMcbwPVAI3Absh8h4Vu9VOx5P1GqyDQ4UNg/s400/hp_scanDS_9111615352814.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>This was our Christmas card one year. I apologize for the crappy image - my cheap scanner seems to have a tough time with hard edges and it's made them look all uneven, which they aren't in the original. I cut this one, using a craft blade rather than scissors. The papers are thin origami papers, though a heavier paper likely would have worked equally well.<br />
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What I like about it is that the polar bear is a negative - I cut away part of the blue paper to leave the figure. The moon and stars are also negatives. It's somewhat trickier thinking the drawing through - and also harder to cut (you have to be careful not to cut away the lines of the legs and make an effort to keep the lines thin enough), but going slowly and holding the thin unconnected bits with a fingernail to stabilize them as you cut are the keys. I start first with the small interior cuts, like the space between his hind feet and the rearward front leg - it's easier to do those while the paper is still mostly whole. Then I cut the edges of the lines for the legs before cutting away the rest of the interior bear. Last I cut away for the snow and forming the outer edges of the polar bear's legs.<br />
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The shadow is a piece of gray paper added separately - though obviously I didn't think through the direction the moonlight would cast it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNW5Y060If6jVZKFgo5yhAsGi8dHzIb-l82v8BaLdl7-Uxrt2UFvyteXb-eTCTud_G5NB4ekhAn2jDmPGPXDYG6cLR0DVG1txfmt6PWYurVDmSJ-hPlHOlm4XA7S1C_0nBDkxHA/s1600/hp_scanDS_10122122232921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNW5Y060If6jVZKFgo5yhAsGi8dHzIb-l82v8BaLdl7-Uxrt2UFvyteXb-eTCTud_G5NB4ekhAn2jDmPGPXDYG6cLR0DVG1txfmt6PWYurVDmSJ-hPlHOlm4XA7S1C_0nBDkxHA/s400/hp_scanDS_10122122232921.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
This was also our Christmas card one year - made by my oldest when he was in kindergarten. We planned the picture together - and what was notable was his idea not to show the whole person, just part. That's an unusual approach for a child that age - but it shows the value of sharing good art and talking about it with your children. Just before we made this, we visited the Carnegie Museum of Art here in Pittsburgh. I have forgotten which painting served as his inspiration, but I clearly remember our discussion about cropping images and choosing what to show and what to leave out.<br />
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He cut the snowflake freehand (I folded the paper for him first). Making snowflakes was a constant winter activity for my kids in those days. Then he cut out the shapes for the mitten, sleeve, face and hats from white paper following lines I helped him draw on white printer paper. He also cut fringes from black construction paper for the hair and shirt cuff and we glued everything onto another piece of black paper. I cut the curves for the eyes and nose, and he made circles for the pupils with a paper punch. To make the cards and gift tags, I photocopied the image, reducing it to a variety of sizes and ganging them onto a single sheet so I could print a bunch at a time. This was pre-photoshop years! We cut and pasted the images manually onto white cards or manilla tags. They looked pretty sophisticated for a five-year-old's work.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggnONtvQUEjo-QavSGaSqitF3XJM7Ef6o8y_MM-23Mwob3Xb4CSZJSS-vmLg_iPgsk5pbcMzhMg7QGyzhPVyJHFtZBOPAc5NX2TdmLuPlRQI9QUMdGZGjVtNaAfyJ2CW8M4LBiw/s400/hp_scanDS_10122122322545.jpg" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The images above and below were cut by me from silhouette paper, using a craft knife. They look challenging (and were, because the originals were fairly small - but carefully planning and working slowly are again the keys to success. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Real silhouette paper is nice to work with - a good weight and reasonably strong. You can buy it <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/hygloss-black-silhouette-paper/">here</a>. For these kinds of images, I draw the image on vellum tracing paper with a soft drawing pencil (like an Ebony pencil - love those guys) because they make nice thick lines that are easy to leave behind as I cut. It's best to use a slightly dull pencil. I then turn the drawing upside down onto the back (white side) of the silhouette paper and transfer the image with a wooden stylus. This means the final image will have reversed back to the same as your drawing. Be careful not to press too hard or the lines will show through on the final silhouette.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQXP6EY9NeBbLJS3Bbe5ilPLDVqWu5N-7kXl2C1UsKhQfq1n9caWQVW5SzFgUhX_nUXlNAA8S7AoemMEh8sCPHM1UdI2vZSlIx4Qe2-8gfGs_waISGiJRinNAxqrNdXZq1EHEPA/s1600/hp_scanDS_10122122333058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQXP6EY9NeBbLJS3Bbe5ilPLDVqWu5N-7kXl2C1UsKhQfq1n9caWQVW5SzFgUhX_nUXlNAA8S7AoemMEh8sCPHM1UdI2vZSlIx4Qe2-8gfGs_waISGiJRinNAxqrNdXZq1EHEPA/s400/hp_scanDS_10122122333058.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwQpm6N4hjNJOXPvdmmi9kYHFDtANajmhQjwH5wosi2BuUgO_gdL-BN2EOtTDv12jvmC53mE4jbrVKjmAdnZ_IGbu9wiX9ZvcqAkjTzo1SlsB3z_-aXqj6hoWRwkTywpjTI86KA/s1600/hp_scanDS_10122122341856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwQpm6N4hjNJOXPvdmmi9kYHFDtANajmhQjwH5wosi2BuUgO_gdL-BN2EOtTDv12jvmC53mE4jbrVKjmAdnZ_IGbu9wiX9ZvcqAkjTzo1SlsB3z_-aXqj6hoWRwkTywpjTI86KA/s400/hp_scanDS_10122122341856.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Again, I always do all the interior cuts first.<br />
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I like how the pinecone and some of the needles "violate" the borders in these. I always like that in book illustrations too. The illustrator Tomi Ungerer often had elements in his pictures violating the borders.<br />
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You can often reattach bits you've accidentally cut away by taking a thin scrap and gluing it to the back side of the main piece and the cut away part. Touching up with a little permanent black ink will hide any telltale white lines.<br />
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Below is a Santa cut by my son when he was nine or ten. I did the drawing, and he did the cutting using embroidery scissors and silhouette paper. I cut the black frame for him with a craft knife - it gives the work a nice finished appearance, I think.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI4cLcZoIqWZTjghdCkUdL02xaDlvu76coNomOKO7TbpPNMM9LeqTpt0Hla1dOfndeaTxF5u4z5twOKuCPzNIqpJcU8CmBNgsEn7MYykdSwJ9hVLEdOSC3v8pV5IXoJiR25F-vw/s1600/hp_scanDS_1011308512611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI4cLcZoIqWZTjghdCkUdL02xaDlvu76coNomOKO7TbpPNMM9LeqTpt0Hla1dOfndeaTxF5u4z5twOKuCPzNIqpJcU8CmBNgsEn7MYykdSwJ9hVLEdOSC3v8pV5IXoJiR25F-vw/s400/hp_scanDS_1011308512611.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><br />
My son wanted to make a Santa holding a star like the one in this charming, quirky vintage Christmas book first published in 1956. It's by Mary Chalmers, one of my all time favorite writer-illustrators.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8IXvt2yyrPG87FYpTglIivs7lDpNMP4vwFU16IAiZOguDIL4ZpUGRASo4NQveAozGLob8gLE8m1XYU0EVBj18jSLdwx0QkpW_tLY4XiNuRVhbcn8QZhL5gwED97C1hkQAINddA/s1600/xmas+story+chalmers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8IXvt2yyrPG87FYpTglIivs7lDpNMP4vwFU16IAiZOguDIL4ZpUGRASo4NQveAozGLob8gLE8m1XYU0EVBj18jSLdwx0QkpW_tLY4XiNuRVhbcn8QZhL5gwED97C1hkQAINddA/s400/xmas+story+chalmers.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Elizabeth discovers the star for the top of her tree has gone missing, and she bravely sets out into the snowy woods to find a new one. This was a favorite holiday story in my family growing up. We always called the book "Wizbiss" - which was how my younger sister pronounced the protagonist's name. <br />
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Unfortunately, the original, which was lovely and just the right size for small hands, belonged to that same younger sister, and I wasn't able to steal it away once we were grown. For years I tried in vain to track down a copy of my own - luckily it was reprinted a while back, though in a larger, glossier format I just don't like nearly as much.<br />
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Sigh. Books like this that were scarce before CPSIA have only become rarer still. But if you want an old copy, you can hunt for one on sites like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.alibris.com/">Alibris</a> and <a href="http://www.abebooks.com/">AbeBooks</a>.<br />
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I'll leave you with one last snowflake blizzard - arranged into a wreath one year to fill the space above my mantle until I could come up with some art to put there. (We'd just taken down the damaged mirror that was there before and repaired the wall.) I think I got the idea from a magazine. (Martha Stewart?)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIw2SgcADZOpe9N2CufnLu9_QonRFvvZvaQKTxIfdLd1CWKHjVCAgYYy4crxkUao8-ZDnGRoD5JeCt2Yscuv0JfL2yWQl7isBMuPM3D6p_Zo_LH_SPhDH_r_FON2rynUVQR2gOA/s1600/IMG_2053_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIw2SgcADZOpe9N2CufnLu9_QonRFvvZvaQKTxIfdLd1CWKHjVCAgYYy4crxkUao8-ZDnGRoD5JeCt2Yscuv0JfL2yWQl7isBMuPM3D6p_Zo_LH_SPhDH_r_FON2rynUVQR2gOA/s400/IMG_2053_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-85097682583374586002010-12-10T00:11:00.001-05:002010-12-10T09:14:35.601-05:00Sydney Taylor and the All-of-a-Kind Family Books<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2_07dqES1fpqM4uQ2vgOzdyc07YywYM9yTmAX8l6EKMyI-LGWwOJtDTJzpTU5t7K_JI-ooR5aRRCvvPNPDnnllUuMG73cduGwttTp3EqiROpazRoAZ5Y9m60RZQIqHTi8soPBA/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2_07dqES1fpqM4uQ2vgOzdyc07YywYM9yTmAX8l6EKMyI-LGWwOJtDTJzpTU5t7K_JI-ooR5aRRCvvPNPDnnllUuMG73cduGwttTp3EqiROpazRoAZ5Y9m60RZQIqHTi8soPBA/s320/003.JPG" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>First book in the series of five, first published by Delacourt in 1951</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Poop! I started writing this ages ago and meant to get it finished while it was still Hanukkah, but life is hectic these days. Well, it's not too late really, because these books, although they center around a Jewish family, also make fabulous gifts for Christmas, birthdays, and other present-giving occasions. They're universal, timeless, <em>wonderful</em>. (<em>If </em>you can track copies down - only the first seems to be in print still, though some of the others are available new as audiobooks.)<br />
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When I was a young child during the early 1960s, I knew little about the Jewish faith or holidays - even though I now realize one of my best friends was probably Jewish (her mother was a Holocaust survivor). My family, though not religious, celebrated the standard Christian holidays, and at school, we only discussed and celebrated these Christian holidays or the official American ones like Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. The local stores and my community then (Arlington, VA) only decorated for them too, and so if there were Jewish kids in my midst, it just didn't come up. In short, there was little to expand my cultural knowledge - except books, which I was lucky enough to have in abundance. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGaDUkRHbI/AAAAAAAABKM/FzHVM4rQvNU/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGaDUkRHbI/AAAAAAAABKM/FzHVM4rQvNU/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stair-step Sisters checking out library books in an illustration by Helen John</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The <em>All-of-a-Kind Family</em> books by Sydney Taylor introduced me not only to a Jewish family and the special days of their faith, they transported me in space to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and in time to the turn of the 20th century. But however long ago, far away, and set in a different culture these stories were, the characters rang absolutely true to my life and family. Although there were only three girls in my family rather than the five in the books, my sisters and I were also stair-step siblings with similar squabbles, alliances, and shared experiences - and a warm, close family. I particularly identified with Sarah, who, like me, was the square-in-the-middle sister, and who, also like me, wanted badly to be a good girl, but fell short periodically through carelessness or stubbornness. (I was particularly pleased to learn recently that the author, Sydney Taylor, was actually the Sarah of the books, which were based on her own childhood and family. She changed her first name during high school - kind of like I did for a while during junior high when I added a fashionable "e" to the end of mine.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cwmms2B2q_GryxQ6B-gN6aOR8UhyMgjoIwszXlQ8hBZ8eojHjDvc2nBq8rQSj9-3b3vvNj8dAaL2yrHFqC2xVigy9jBtP3P0BJQhe2mXR6bd33YMUQv98dBt52kOvlFitBX4Bg/s1600/7928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cwmms2B2q_GryxQ6B-gN6aOR8UhyMgjoIwszXlQ8hBZ8eojHjDvc2nBq8rQSj9-3b3vvNj8dAaL2yrHFqC2xVigy9jBtP3P0BJQhe2mXR6bd33YMUQv98dBt52kOvlFitBX4Bg/s320/7928.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second book in the series</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My sisters and I loved the whole series of five books, but I think our group favorite was the first one. I do know that after we moved to Ohio when we were on the cusp of adolescence, our tattered copy lived in the crammed-full bookcase in the third floor bathroom. That bathroom boasted a deep claw-footed tub where we took turns soaking away our teen angst while reading voraciously. Over time, that collection of much re-read childhood favorites became known in our family as "The Bathtub Books," and we squabbled again as we grew up and left home over who could lay claim to which ones. Which was silly, since they were all utterly waterlogged, stained, and tattered to the point of falling apart. (You can read more about them and other ideas for encouraging a love of books in your kids in an earlier post <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2007/11/reading-for-pleasure-part-i.html">here</a>.)</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumwRFgbvzlMwweqvFsxYstxcfPx8jxn5XW28drvrmGPt9B5lnYThcByyyOy22OnqPrvixbajIqMbUVv3hMhK_UQJbDI3mnilVfRxajTPETwrcwmrshiUo1b-TiX_9QUwwqRrjIQ/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumwRFgbvzlMwweqvFsxYstxcfPx8jxn5XW28drvrmGPt9B5lnYThcByyyOy22OnqPrvixbajIqMbUVv3hMhK_UQJbDI3mnilVfRxajTPETwrcwmrshiUo1b-TiX_9QUwwqRrjIQ/s320/004.JPG" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third book in the series</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>To me, these books exemplify the best in multicultural literature. They are never preachy or didactic; instead, they focus on characters that nearly any child finds recognizable and interesting and feature strong stories with universal appeal. Long before the American Girls dolls appeared on the scene, they provided a gentle, inviting path into history and caring about people who might come from different backgrounds. And I can only imagine how much they must have meant to Jewish-American children, who at the time had few role models in children's books.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGaB0js90I/AAAAAAAABJ8/ZckLxB2j5QU/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGaB0js90I/AAAAAAAABJ8/ZckLxB2j5QU/s320/006.JPG" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fourth book in the series</td></tr>
</tbody></table>All five books were beautifully illustrated in detailed pen and ink drawings by Helen John, though many of the later paperbacks have illustrations by other artists. Despite searching every which way, I was unable to track down any biographical information about Ms. John, other than a reference to her having been an author as well as illustrator - but then I couldn't find the titles of anything she'd written. If anyone out there knows more about her, I'm dying of curiosity.<br />
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Her illustrations added enormously not only to my enjoyment of the books, they really brought the time and place to life for me, by providing information not necessarily clear in the text. Looking these over again made me sad that relatively few middle grade novels today include any illustrations - kids don't outgrow their pleasure and profit from pictures when they begin to read alone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGaCkHFw0I/AAAAAAAABKE/Ln301ZpR-oA/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGaCkHFw0I/AAAAAAAABKE/Ln301ZpR-oA/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration by Helen John from chapter "Rainy Day Surprise" in All-of-a-Kind Family </td></tr>
</tbody></table>The image above shows a scene from one of my favorite chapters. Papa, who has a junk shop, has just gotten in a large collection of old books. Before he resells them, he allows the always book-hungry girls to sort through them and choose some to keep. Among the treasures they find is a book of paper dolls, a wonder they hadn't even imagined existed. Here's an excerpt from near the end of the chapter:<br />
<blockquote>With the volumes of Dickens, the book of fairy tales, and <em>The Dolls That You Love </em>parceled out among them, they trooped back to the front of the shop to show Papa their finds.<br />
"May we keep them all?" Ella asked.</blockquote><blockquote>When he said "Yes," they could hardly believe their ears. They never thought to own even one book and now they had twelve. It was too wonderful!</blockquote> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7nqcDGLMObn9b_i8ENkSqQ7lhgWtGXN6tGMiDXDoM38r2lvqHUrsDl4ojXyvMIq81DJseRWE6XhA5fXErkTsN-VSAWl1V03jU3ouZZQyUHZHeUxUonSDvJeC3VMM3_JhDpXA3Q/s1600/ella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7nqcDGLMObn9b_i8ENkSqQ7lhgWtGXN6tGMiDXDoM38r2lvqHUrsDl4ojXyvMIq81DJseRWE6XhA5fXErkTsN-VSAWl1V03jU3ouZZQyUHZHeUxUonSDvJeC3VMM3_JhDpXA3Q/s1600/ella.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fifth and final book in the series</td></tr>
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<blockquote></blockquote>Most of my family's copies of these books arrived wrapped in white tissue paper and tied with white ribbon in the giant boxes of Christmas gifts my grandmother sent to our family from her home across the continent in California. Most of the gifts were books obtained from the bookstore where she was a clerk and squirreled away all year until the holidays in a large sandalwood chest she owned. To this day, the sight of red ribbon against white paper or the scent of sandalwood sets my heart beating with anticipation.<br />
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Now for the sad part: as I mentioned in the first paragraph, most of these books are no longer in print, and even the old editions are hard to find. What's worse, many have not been in print for years. Most of my copies are pre-1984, the year of doom under CPSIA. Yes, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act continues to prohibit all children's books printed before 1984 for use by children, regardless of how miniscule the risk they <em>might </em>pose (see the links in the sidebar for more information about the law and the safety of books). Many libraries have already removed all these older copies from their shelves (and discarded or destroyed them); many used booksellers won't carry them for fear of incurring gigantic fines and criminal penalties; and they are getting harder and harder to find at prices families can afford. I thank God every weekend that the yard sale people still don't seem to have heard of the law.<br />
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I have hope that with a new chairman of the commerce committee (Henry Waxman, former chair, will be replaced when Congress reconvenes) that Congress will finally relent and revise the law (or at least hold hearings on it) - but meanwhile, these precious books continue to fade away. It would be a crime if they were lost altogether. After the holidays, please write again to your senators and congressional representative. (By the way, the stay of enforcement for testing of new, harmless books expires in February - so expect prices of kids' books to rise still further and choice to drop still more if nothing happens legislatively. See this <em>Publisher's</em> <em>Weekly</em> article <a href="http://publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/43054-latest-cpsia-hearing-leaves-publishers-empty.html">here</a>.) And maybe we can all persuade Delacourt to re-print them again...<br />
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Hope springs eternal in this season.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGZ_HJQkgI/AAAAAAAABJk/iXpgiAP-iXM/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_94lGRTkELaw/TQGZ_HJQkgI/AAAAAAAABJk/iXpgiAP-iXM/s320/002.JPG" width="258" /></a></div>To end on a more upbeat note, it's clear that many adults still have strong and happy memories of these books. Check out the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Kind-Family-Sydney-Taylor/product-reviews/0440400597/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending">Amazon reviews</a> about the books, and Anita Silvey's wonderful book-a-day blog post on the books<a href="http://childrensbookalmanac.com/2010/12/all-of-a-kind-family/"> here</a>. You can also read a detailed tribute to Sydney Taylor, who lived a fascinating life (including a stint as a Martha Graham dancer), at the Association of Jewish Libraries <a href="http://www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/companion.pdf">here</a>. Finally, much of what I learned about Sydney Taylor, I gleaned from her thorough biography in <em>Children's Books and Their Creators: An Invitation to the Feast of Twentieth-Century Children's Literature </em>(Houghton Mifflin, 1995), edited by the always fabulous Anita Silvey! (If you love kids' books, it's a great reference book to add to your wish list.)Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-14635532722482231352010-12-03T10:44:00.002-05:002010-12-03T11:28:37.701-05:00St. Nicholas Day Paper Boots: For When a Paper Shoe Simply Isn't Big Enough<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuzdXcnbGtOvRpftpUbxbG4nr5zhwaM3FRHF2G7zwUkG9gLR48Vh_R9BXG1-jnBqMyv9Vi7w4bcZ3MiVtAhPc-vQ74a2hGUU-7-cAH5MhbYoIoNzj9liUJLQX3SpGCW2Yw4Nf6g/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuzdXcnbGtOvRpftpUbxbG4nr5zhwaM3FRHF2G7zwUkG9gLR48Vh_R9BXG1-jnBqMyv9Vi7w4bcZ3MiVtAhPc-vQ74a2hGUU-7-cAH5MhbYoIoNzj9liUJLQX3SpGCW2Yw4Nf6g/s400/022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not-big-enough paper shoe - Needs more room for chocolate</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My tutorial for making <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2009/12/get-ready-for-st-nicholas-day-by-making.html">paper shoes for St. Nicholas Day</a> is probably my most popular post ever, which kind of cracks me up, since I hadn't imagined there would be much demand for such a goofy thing as a paper shoe. It's so popular that this cool online magazine, <a href="http://incultureparent.com/">InCulture</a>, asked me if they could reprint it this month as part of their holiday issue. You can find it <a href="http://incultureparent.com/2010/11/st-nicholas-craft-paper-shoe/">here</a> - and check out the rest of the magazine while you're at it. Lots of interesting articles on multicultural issues for kids and parents.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Anyway, I've recently learned there is an even greater need out there: a tutorial and template for a paper <em>boot</em>! Because boots are also traditional to put out for St. Nicholas Day and well-worn ones tend to smell even worse than used sneakers do, if that's possible. More importantly, a paper boot can hold WAY more chocolates and other goodies than a paper shoe can. That's a need I can appreciate.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I didn't really have any idea how to make a paper boot, though, so I turned to my smartest, most trusted friend: Ms. Google. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And she let me down. The only templates/examples I could find for paper boots were really lame. In particular, they failed on the most important characteristic of a paper boot: capacity. This is because they were basically boot-shaped envelopes.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I have limited footwear engineering skills. Really, that paper shoe pretty much exhausted them. Though I do have these really, really cool vintage-maybe-antique children's shoe "lasts." (See, I even know the technical lingo.) They're iron and really, really heavy.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFJj1tqMwg0u4zAQDVXnzzSmubIsrI7O5XG0v4B0hn3DjB7c6LUWTux5Qe8O_Rh283XgrsU02uRlOk9f4WnAFQVHD3g-yQLFsN0zrOy5ADjDmsynpxQBtuuwWf_rBcn2SBbEPHA/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFJj1tqMwg0u4zAQDVXnzzSmubIsrI7O5XG0v4B0hn3DjB7c6LUWTux5Qe8O_Rh283XgrsU02uRlOk9f4WnAFQVHD3g-yQLFsN0zrOy5ADjDmsynpxQBtuuwWf_rBcn2SBbEPHA/s200/037.JPG" width="200" /></a>I bought them at an estate sale recently, even though I have no intention of becoming a shoemaker and don't have young children anymore. My husband says I'm insane. But he says it lovingly, so I forgive him.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So I was kind of stumped. Then I tripped over someone's boots in the hallway (oops - they were mine. It SNOWED yesterday. The nerve.) And then I had a flash of inspiration for how I could adapt the basic St. Nick paper shoe into a paper boot. And it only took me two tries to make something that works.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DlpqEYpypZqwA-vJa1ABKf2EA5gXMwOoY1sSuoCEL-5YIWD_stcHRe-r13HlWhKw_xB2e-Td3L1ruFiny_YmIWj-bMU-gYPq1GU0tnlM7ujNYW2H13_Rt7b7dKxgD-qNClK_Fg/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DlpqEYpypZqwA-vJa1ABKf2EA5gXMwOoY1sSuoCEL-5YIWD_stcHRe-r13HlWhKw_xB2e-Td3L1ruFiny_YmIWj-bMU-gYPq1GU0tnlM7ujNYW2H13_Rt7b7dKxgD-qNClK_Fg/s320/030.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Here's how you do it:<br />
<br />
<u><strong>You'll Need</strong></u><br />
<ul><li>Scrap papers</li>
<li>Cardboard from a cereal box (for making the original shoe, if you haven't already)</li>
<li>Printed templates (see below)</li>
<li>A pen or pencil</li>
<li>A pair of scissors</li>
<li>A glue stick (preferably the strong craft kind) or white glue with a toothpick or something to apply it.</li>
<li>A handful of <em>unused </em>tissues</li>
<li>A smidge of patience and frustration tolerance</li>
</ul><u><strong>Steps</strong></u><br />
1.Make the paper shoe from the template and tutorial <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2009/12/get-ready-for-st-nicholas-day-by-making.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
2. Print out this <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/44599940/St-Nick-Boot-Upper-Template">new template for the boot's upper</a>, and transfer it to a paper of your choice. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPtHcJwK5axsxw48K_Kd3SRpioaQB__JEB6VimKzGxPf8EQ_vD0TmyhjFKaiDxHuVGLhsgmTAOTcw3yPOSmcuEHL7CYhZUUUnm2dwag69xcDN59kY2jf322GK1TxmWu7C7VGeyA/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPtHcJwK5axsxw48K_Kd3SRpioaQB__JEB6VimKzGxPf8EQ_vD0TmyhjFKaiDxHuVGLhsgmTAOTcw3yPOSmcuEHL7CYhZUUUnm2dwag69xcDN59kY2jf322GK1TxmWu7C7VGeyA/s320/023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I used the test print sheet my stupid printer wastes ink on every time I install a new cartridge. Cut out the two pieces. (Mine has nice decorative edging because I accidentally got Sharpie all over it when I was tracing it to make the printable template. I'm pretending it's a design feature.)<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. Stuff the shoe with the unused tissues. (You can reuse them later, so just sniffle for a bit until this is done.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBuuo90YJbVt8eX1m0ehx-Nr_YNOYtF5ppek8S4WliHnn3Xf5G42uMv7SG6xC-c_Y7iH3MDBSNsH5S9DeubEjR8rA85_jIxzwqbCYP3jAGR4TtUmus7NmJZw6IBqZ1_nM27JjZA/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBuuo90YJbVt8eX1m0ehx-Nr_YNOYtF5ppek8S4WliHnn3Xf5G42uMv7SG6xC-c_Y7iH3MDBSNsH5S9DeubEjR8rA85_jIxzwqbCYP3jAGR4TtUmus7NmJZw6IBqZ1_nM27JjZA/s320/024.JPG" width="307" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Stuff them <em>loosely.</em> You're going to need to extract them from the finished boot later.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4. Slather some glue stick on the piece that attaches to the heel and stick it on. Be patient. Wait for the glue to dry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXT9oe9AZJHvFEQn10bc9BUoPQwK16PmjYANCpBVNncZbJc_mmdtC4Ns6Nn58LY6KrP91X1K1V2Fc9AbisRki7k80X5qImn4gCbEH8deXPchH3soKq1xTYHVV7riTRANKEaYO3dg/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXT9oe9AZJHvFEQn10bc9BUoPQwK16PmjYANCpBVNncZbJc_mmdtC4Ns6Nn58LY6KrP91X1K1V2Fc9AbisRki7k80X5qImn4gCbEH8deXPchH3soKq1xTYHVV7riTRANKEaYO3dg/s320/025.JPG" width="306" /></a></div><br />
5. Now glue the sort of pointy part of the other piece of upper onto the top of the shoe. (There are probably fancy technical names for these parts, like "flange" or "gasket" or "whippersnapper," but I don't know them.) BE PATIENT. It will be much easier to do the next, a-little-bit-fiddly step if you let the glue dry.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6c79AVB-iFbalTiSqii6xYhs0rATUg8ybHeJoNOIr8cpm4vG2dkcTTHU1ZkEfRqW8LpmbabgDSc7uwWe6qmtOS4BKDw0dngnAb-sfCQf6BZnCrcEwmlDv2uCGpQU0OnPXeA_Wxw/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6c79AVB-iFbalTiSqii6xYhs0rATUg8ybHeJoNOIr8cpm4vG2dkcTTHU1ZkEfRqW8LpmbabgDSc7uwWe6qmtOS4BKDw0dngnAb-sfCQf6BZnCrcEwmlDv2uCGpQU0OnPXeA_Wxw/s320/026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
6. Pressing hard, run the glue stick along the edges where the boot part will attach to the rest of the shoe upper <em>and </em>turn the corner to run glue along the part that will stick to the piece you already attached to the heel of the shoe. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTveCjIkcV_tSpiXQr7F_V7JTv5J3VgpfD0mWxby2oqycB4Tse1zFJLeaR7Le8LS-FYMOyaCpO81Up0zc_ofU7pdVzAcDBbdU549wlqAIL2bDBfEeXx-khNSq7_ULNNDUft-szZg/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTveCjIkcV_tSpiXQr7F_V7JTv5J3VgpfD0mWxby2oqycB4Tse1zFJLeaR7Le8LS-FYMOyaCpO81Up0zc_ofU7pdVzAcDBbdU549wlqAIL2bDBfEeXx-khNSq7_ULNNDUft-szZg/s400/027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Then stand the shoe up and stick everything together. <br />
This is easier said than done. In truth, it is a bit fiddly. It might not be perfect. I have a little gappy place in mine. That's okay. This is a paper boot, people, not a pair of ridiculously expensive Frye boots like my daughter wants for Christmas. Just pretend you're one of the little elf guys in this story.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8TdoDRRPsWAGoQcQ2gLSvtjwEZn6sfPqZVE-dzPgaPpRgSRKsrxOlnUglcMpVbCfU_vNAhDMp8pff2023eVdNq2x4KBS5QQrkTGZIV21251nTfPTLawbPXPJq_WVGVvHbh4idw/s1600/9780618325931-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8TdoDRRPsWAGoQcQ2gLSvtjwEZn6sfPqZVE-dzPgaPpRgSRKsrxOlnUglcMpVbCfU_vNAhDMp8pff2023eVdNq2x4KBS5QQrkTGZIV21251nTfPTLawbPXPJq_WVGVvHbh4idw/s320/9780618325931-l.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>Only with less hammering. You won't have much boot left if you break out the hammers. <br />
Do one side at a time, because otherwise the glue on the other side will dry out before you finish attaching the first side.<br />
<br />
Here's a closeup of the attached bits.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaaqr_HQvbGPP6kaXCD7g-ybj5bo-OISicjTDeOQ-LnBvLcqJcZlqcwiXgiOMsQOdsJKEPNRMY-rWuoXRKc0orfXWhOkzn7lxBqpq9f6n0-DSl_ycHNS5Z94KIftKJ5-2idaWNA/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjaaqr_HQvbGPP6kaXCD7g-ybj5bo-OISicjTDeOQ-LnBvLcqJcZlqcwiXgiOMsQOdsJKEPNRMY-rWuoXRKc0orfXWhOkzn7lxBqpq9f6n0-DSl_ycHNS5Z94KIftKJ5-2idaWNA/s320/029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>7. After the glue dries, pull out the tissues, wipe everyone's noses, and dispose of them properly. Not in recycling, even though they're paper. Too gross.<br />
<br />
There! Not bad for a paper boot, is it? And it totally beats those envelope ones in the important capacity category. You can have a rush of enthusiasm and decorate it if you want - glue some ribbon or rickrack around the top, attach some real or paper buttons or silk flowers or something. Be creative - I bet you can come up with some very <strike>good</strike> clever ideas using common household items, like flourescent-colored cereals or wheels that have come off little cars. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67Nu79DHNZEge7SZqUQ5UM6QY3ejUZTy8ojo7la3YYxwl4zxX8uS9zfBF-q7im6WfKWf471j4zCx-f-gUp-YBXbjeNaeguJunODDm2vN40_rGC5SMtvp7q_oq_joX98dkdx6oiw/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67Nu79DHNZEge7SZqUQ5UM6QY3ejUZTy8ojo7la3YYxwl4zxX8uS9zfBF-q7im6WfKWf471j4zCx-f-gUp-YBXbjeNaeguJunODDm2vN40_rGC5SMtvp7q_oq_joX98dkdx6oiw/s400/032.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just don't forget to put it out for St. Nick on the night of December 5th. Because it really looks best all filled up with chocolate and other lovely goodies.</div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-32939729578865618312010-12-01T11:43:00.001-05:002010-12-01T22:02:14.562-05:00Happy Hanukkah! With Coloring Tutorial!<div></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6Ax9nGDzsHaHWGymlNe5reVcTTLEwXJsn8phhAAG5BIp_2nJV0k4HBsuqeiHCuqzdT8ktL0CiPD6_n49OI7jZyv_S-DIMAZ4bCAHvjoS78I6ZYDT7R23fCJmRbnX4ME4KGp1Mg/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6Ax9nGDzsHaHWGymlNe5reVcTTLEwXJsn8phhAAG5BIp_2nJV0k4HBsuqeiHCuqzdT8ktL0CiPD6_n49OI7jZyv_S-DIMAZ4bCAHvjoS78I6ZYDT7R23fCJmRbnX4ME4KGp1Mg/s400/016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is a paper doll based on the star of my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mimi-Carol-Baicker-McKee/dp/1599900653/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291212357&sr=1-1">Mimi</a>, which I first posted last year in a longer piece about the holiday (complete with book recommendations and latke recipe) <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2009/12/happy-hanukkah.html">here</a>. I've colored the sheet with colored pencils (though unfortunately it hasn't photographed great and scanned even worse...) Anyway, as a gift for the first day of Hanukkah, I'm going to offer some tips on coloring for young artists.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Below is the uncolored page, which you can dowload and print as a pdf <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24206833/Mimi-Hanukkah-Doll">here</a>. </div><div></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WXlZtqWGN5MebFU0HaMA3-BFiDuqkXu264s4coJ1l0KiLmGHKI8eTH_as9dzbmvYPa7v39lZlJk9roV47hnXzHwa37ZBNIhjlzTsTumcLpWhbFcF_HFtHSuOxtYjf95HhGQeBw/s1600/mimi+hanukkah+doll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WXlZtqWGN5MebFU0HaMA3-BFiDuqkXu264s4coJ1l0KiLmGHKI8eTH_as9dzbmvYPa7v39lZlJk9roV47hnXzHwa37ZBNIhjlzTsTumcLpWhbFcF_HFtHSuOxtYjf95HhGQeBw/s400/mimi+hanukkah+doll.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;"></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">By the way, I apologize if you tried to download this or any of my other free printables recently and got asked to pay a monthly subscription fee to Scribd first. Apparently they were trying an "experiment" by asking people to subscribe in order to use "archived" documents (which they defined as anything that had been on there more than a couple months). They didn't notify users, so I didn't realize. But I've now changed my settings and you should once again be able to download all my printables for free. Sorry! </div><div></div><br />
<strong><u>Tip Number One: Use the Best Quality Supplies You Can</u></strong> <br />
One thing many people don't realize is that the kind of colored pencils marketed for kids are, well, lousy. If you are lucky, you'll get even a small set of artist-quality colored pencils, like <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/prismacolor-colored-pencil-sets/">these ones</a> made by Prismacolor for Hanukkah or Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_p5jZtAndvdDPRDXCwYKBVdOJCoy1Y9RwgVR2bS-OaPearohBZEgustUM8B9V6CqIvQ873cfzQ1vmBCR6FAnG3FSGPfZKeOKfm0XXTxJlfHC5dDT5dcWsIZLp683JHaNnB34QQ/s1600/prismacolor+pencils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_p5jZtAndvdDPRDXCwYKBVdOJCoy1Y9RwgVR2bS-OaPearohBZEgustUM8B9V6CqIvQ873cfzQ1vmBCR6FAnG3FSGPfZKeOKfm0XXTxJlfHC5dDT5dcWsIZLp683JHaNnB34QQ/s1600/prismacolor+pencils.jpg" /></a></div>As you can see, good supplies are much more expensive than the kid-quality ones - the smallest set of 12 pencils is $10 US <em>at 50% off</em> at the above retailer - but they are totally worth it for several reasons. First, they work better which enables kids to produce a better final product which encourages them in turn to work harder and longer at their artwork. Second, kids are more likely to take care of and keep track of something that is special and valuable; this teaches them respect for their tools and good lifelong habits. And finally, giving them "real" art suppplies lets you demonstrate that you take your kids and their interests seriously. Two of the best gifts I ever received in my life were a set of artist quality watercolors that I got when I was nine (and which I <em>still have and use)</em> and a drawing table my folks got me for my birthday when I turned eleven. I still have it too, but my daughter uses it now.<br />
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One caveat: artist quality supplies don't have to adhere to the same safety standards as kid materials. Make sure you choose appropriate materials for kids who still mouth things or lack the dexterity to handle tools which are sharp or otherwise dangerous. And remember the real stuff is more likely to stain...<br />
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<u><strong>Tip Number Two: Start Light and Work Darker</strong></u><br />
You can always make things darker, but going light again is less successful. If you start out light, you'll be able to add some darker areas around edges or in folds to give a sense of dimension. In the image below, see how I've colored Mimi lightly all over, then gone back and added darker areas (fading toward light) around the edges of her face and in her ears to give the sense of roundness and/or depth. (I've also used a slightly darker pencil for her nose, mouth and eyebrows, but you can get almost the same effect by using more pressure on the pencil.) Another note: the pink pencil I used wasn't Prismacolor but highish quality kid pencil - and see how much less waxy and smooth the coverage is than with the yellow.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR5mu0PbgLrDdfss0aPQ8jvR6YJjhjBY47jgZW0cftEiNmmGDCPZ_xCLAgcCmqTfvvyc9dXVxOlsEng_7unCR7Uy_-Yq0e_g3lRAr9Bv_IMSkG5e-7qJqnpDFhD2cugNJt2K-BA/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR5mu0PbgLrDdfss0aPQ8jvR6YJjhjBY47jgZW0cftEiNmmGDCPZ_xCLAgcCmqTfvvyc9dXVxOlsEng_7unCR7Uy_-Yq0e_g3lRAr9Bv_IMSkG5e-7qJqnpDFhD2cugNJt2K-BA/s400/027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> By the way, I'm no master with colored pencils (which is why I work in <em>other</em> media professionally). You may notice I still tend to color outside the lines (and I wasn't great at coloring as a kid either). It's okay here, though, because Mimi will get cut out!<br />
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Another tip is to use dull pencils (or crayons) for large uniform areas of color and sharp ones for picking out details. And an advanced technique (which I did not use here) is to go over your colored pencils with a white one - it creates a smoother texture. That's called burnishing.<br />
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One other thing: many art educators frown on coloring; they feel it stifles creativity and doesn't teach kids real art skills. While I agree that coloring alone is not art, I disagree about its value. It lets kids (and adults) experiment and practice with basic skills and color use in a very low risk way. Similarly, using tracing paper, stencils and other "cheating" ways of drawing can help kids develop an understanding of how to draw things and muscle memory that lets them work more quickly on similar things in the future.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><u>Tip Number Three: Shade with Other Colors</u></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">You'll get even better effects using blues, grays, and browns to add more shadows. To decide where to put shadows, look at things around you. In general, shadows go in areas that are under, behind, etc. depending on the light source. Learning to look carefully is a core skill for artists and worth cultivating daily.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsepqzvZnCvCoJ62PRwsZ1zD8t50P22ePW7Zgh7wzoKR8iRcQ1eywlutbKToJXqCDQ_YPnLlyLJVzq1XBxN-rG3moAd8eGD4iQP8hgWhNtzVXXmFYjIWjD5GO4VXBro5sBEpR3w/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsepqzvZnCvCoJ62PRwsZ1zD8t50P22ePW7Zgh7wzoKR8iRcQ1eywlutbKToJXqCDQ_YPnLlyLJVzq1XBxN-rG3moAd8eGD4iQP8hgWhNtzVXXmFYjIWjD5GO4VXBro5sBEpR3w/s400/024.JPG" width="266" /></a>In this close-up, notice how I've used some blue-grey for extra shadows (Payne's Gray is my favorite paint color for adding shadows). I have some around Mimi's nose, the tops of her shoulders, and the edges of her undies (to give a sense of puffiness). There's also some in the folds of her undershirt, but it didn't show up well in this photo.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><u>Tip Number Four: Play with Color - and Leave some Areas White</u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I made Mimi's new dress a pale blue, in part because blue is a traditional Hanukkah color, but mostly because I like how the blue looks against her pink skin - a nice cool (blue) color contrasting with a warm (pink) one. With her underclothes, I went with yellow as an experiment to see which pairing I prefer (I like both, but prefer the blue a bit.) I used my light-dark technique to make the detailing on her dress look different from the main fabric too. And I chose green and yellow for the dreidel and gelt bag because I like the contrast with her dress. (Plus I made the menorah colorful, because I like the joyfulness the color scheme suggests - colors are strongly linked with emotions.)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYRxdzRoRDG-FXiDeP_Ccb2s0UuzHkPGZUzAgmXqwpWH8ar2JSl2K8Hk_nLzr6E1XI_UdjR_FkaEAA8KcMJXcFoVL3jC7GsqcAgRaJe6y82LU5FVp5vKt73V1BHnhwF0FzQ2UiQ/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYRxdzRoRDG-FXiDeP_Ccb2s0UuzHkPGZUzAgmXqwpWH8ar2JSl2K8Hk_nLzr6E1XI_UdjR_FkaEAA8KcMJXcFoVL3jC7GsqcAgRaJe6y82LU5FVp5vKt73V1BHnhwF0FzQ2UiQ/s400/025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">You can play around with creating different shades by layering different colors on top of each other. I didn't here, but it is a fun and often overlooked technique.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Another thing I did was leave some areas white - we forget that the absence of color makes a statement too. So the bib of Mimi's dress is white instead of light blue (looks subtle in the picture), and her tights are lightly striped blue and white. I've also use white for modeling/texture. For example, by leaving areas of white on the toes of Mimi's party shoes, they appear both rounded and shiny. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0OA-82SBPmZifBpNQZUDMKtWbJ0qT7pb8gqHBhwEUmRpH1na9zuNk85S9_aAMLor4Uu8VPVhZ3SpCDz7Sct3Ljh-ncESWXjErF80FjtbNQ50WkHMro36YCCxx9LQacInwqOung/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0OA-82SBPmZifBpNQZUDMKtWbJ0qT7pb8gqHBhwEUmRpH1na9zuNk85S9_aAMLor4Uu8VPVhZ3SpCDz7Sct3Ljh-ncESWXjErF80FjtbNQ50WkHMro36YCCxx9LQacInwqOung/s400/026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><u>Tip Number Five: Add Details, Make Changes, Make It Your Own!</u></strong></div>You don't have to be limited by what is in front of you. I added an "embroidered" snowflake to Mimi's dress and yellow and orange stripes to her undies. I could have done more things - made Mimi a brown pig or even a green one. That's the beauty of coloring and drawing - you can make anything you choose!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've always loved this description of one of the "Useless Presents" the poet Dylan Thomas recalls in his now classic book, <em>A Child's Christmas in Wales </em>by (I know - wrong holiday):</div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"...and a painting book in which I could make the grass, the trees, the sea and the animals any color I pleased, and still the dazzling sky-blue sheep are grazing in the red field under the rainbow-billed and pea-green birds."</div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> And that's it! If you want more advanced tips on drawing with colored pencils, you can also check out this <a href="http://www.ehow.com/way_5294922_prismacolor-pencils-tutorial.html">tutorial</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTEACNsqfBXsRS0tkHNhGR_OA5DLwgnLPufSnusBUJ7TIAk_WXZ4eJw0zQNy1kGodvLzpfSU2oWWUrZMHQuzfU1yMEYubw-mh8KAiLGBhtw1O2TUn592yy8wcAn-I0vnM4smslA/s1600/IMG_4133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTEACNsqfBXsRS0tkHNhGR_OA5DLwgnLPufSnusBUJ7TIAk_WXZ4eJw0zQNy1kGodvLzpfSU2oWWUrZMHQuzfU1yMEYubw-mh8KAiLGBhtw1O2TUn592yy8wcAn-I0vnM4smslA/s400/IMG_4133.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's Mimi assembled but uncolored :(. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">By the way, I LOVE paper engineering. It was lots of fun for me to figure out how to make a menorah that "works." By that I don't mean light the candles on fire. You can insert the proper number in for each day. Maybe you could craft another cool thing for Mimi yourself, like a little box of colored pencils where the pencils really go in and out. Or a dreidel that really works. <a href="http://www.creativecloseup.com/100-exceptional-free-paper-models-and-toys">This site</a> is a cool if nearly overwhelming place to get some ideas and references.</div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-47270629642640049112010-11-25T17:12:00.002-05:002010-11-25T17:20:42.331-05:00Happy Thanksgiving!: Simple Table Decor and a Last Minute Recipe for a Turkey Glaze and Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSB5407NT_IlJIByqI9VWMAra98pcN0juMV5xiHpXgYyW08Ura2DWAZtE2Ox2D9wDAjep4VJ9DYLEV8f9rcMRbCf7O4dSMQtBihd44rlY_C5Q8V_73nmBv-F2jK5nC0fNNfEz7Q/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSB5407NT_IlJIByqI9VWMAra98pcN0juMV5xiHpXgYyW08Ura2DWAZtE2Ox2D9wDAjep4VJ9DYLEV8f9rcMRbCf7O4dSMQtBihd44rlY_C5Q8V_73nmBv-F2jK5nC0fNNfEz7Q/s400/025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We celebrated Thanksgiving a day early this year because my oldest decided at the last minute to spend the actual holiday out of town with his girlfriend and her family. That left Wednesday as the only night we'd be all together. It was so nice having our big meal on Wednesday evening that we're thinking about making it our new holiday tradition; we've spent today relaxing and playing games. It feels to me much more like an extra long weekend, since we don't lose Thursday to all-day food prep, eating too much, and cleaning up. I simplified the menu a bit because Wednesday's busier and I hadn't even baked pies or anything. But I also benefitted from having two of the kids already home from college and work to help out yesterday, so it wasn't too bad getting everything together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLYTy8rKJd9uIBcx3P0EE9mbOPNk1479uHcqqYeVNnssjY7ta8mERuisrKeoQV-H30APf_yX7L0u5B7BPTQpmCYBI0jasNKp4X72w0upnZLyVu8fcsiuMDoFyYMtK1jVK6It_kQ/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLYTy8rKJd9uIBcx3P0EE9mbOPNk1479uHcqqYeVNnssjY7ta8mERuisrKeoQV-H30APf_yX7L0u5B7BPTQpmCYBI0jasNKp4X72w0upnZLyVu8fcsiuMDoFyYMtK1jVK6It_kQ/s400/019.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>My daughter decorated the table, using Japanese maple leaves she'd pressed and an odd assortment of ornaments and candles from family childhoods, like the Thanksgiving candles my husband has used as long as he can remember and the funny little clay pots all three kids made for their kindergarten Thanksgiving feasts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivP3k7qu3OFJE5UpbhILT3hkx5QS27RZb3tH53DYuDDsF0khQ2cFmGl_bTrMAYtVc6BSzzYwkC_5ZI-rXCaSJvvB5Y8Asi5MvPwmZ-0Kp3HAE0MulN21IDMVs_d0AhTCdfVXVKeA/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivP3k7qu3OFJE5UpbhILT3hkx5QS27RZb3tH53DYuDDsF0khQ2cFmGl_bTrMAYtVc6BSzzYwkC_5ZI-rXCaSJvvB5Y8Asi5MvPwmZ-0Kp3HAE0MulN21IDMVs_d0AhTCdfVXVKeA/s320/023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifa9rhGmTvEVicirzEM2hg7Ha2EXN9kn0_E1NHYW7lbvrmS9BK36pUYVQXE60EmKLaSY2lVdCdJCYMmA63anUUSbzZgmob9o3vqzwTSWYoTGl93wjK_mYUfoRSl_H5B72-PDETKw/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifa9rhGmTvEVicirzEM2hg7Ha2EXN9kn0_E1NHYW7lbvrmS9BK36pUYVQXE60EmKLaSY2lVdCdJCYMmA63anUUSbzZgmob9o3vqzwTSWYoTGl93wjK_mYUfoRSl_H5B72-PDETKw/s320/022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We had a turkey breast rather than a whole turkey again this year; I finally realized that since no one in our family especially likes dark meat, it was silly to wrestle with gizzards and trying to get the dark meat cooked adequately without drying out the white meat when we could just buy and cook (much more quickly) the part we all like best. Doh!<br />
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For a couple of years, I bought breasts from Costco that came packaged with a really delicious glaze. Costco stopped carrying that brand and I was feeling sad about the glaze again last night when it suddenly occurred to me to just look up a recipe for a similar one. Doh! again. I found a recipe that seemed promising <a href="http://southernfood.about.com/od/turkeycasserole/r/bl61122b.htm">here</a>, but I was missing some of the ingredients. The recipe that follows is my improvised version. I also added extra liquid to the leftovers to make a sauce that could substitute for gravy (I have one kid who eats gluten-free, which makes things like gravy challenging.) Anyway, it was so good, I actually wrote it down at the urging of the whole family so I'll be able to recreate it again. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXiVPlRGXqT10DrPadSyeZmRQAsaltam0IODpAezrkDM5o3BGcDPjbeZBfbvRjbZhpL_dkMk2W5Dr2dqZ9GLwJ35tAx6g84xbyQxr3epppaK-NL_F7hOj1HRqBdPO6JUXO6icdA/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXiVPlRGXqT10DrPadSyeZmRQAsaltam0IODpAezrkDM5o3BGcDPjbeZBfbvRjbZhpL_dkMk2W5Dr2dqZ9GLwJ35tAx6g84xbyQxr3epppaK-NL_F7hOj1HRqBdPO6JUXO6icdA/s400/026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This picture shows leftovers, because I forgot to take a picture last night. And there's no sauce poured over anything because it was so popular we finished it all last night (and I noticed someone even seemed to have licked the last of it out of the pitcher).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Orange-Chutney Glaze for Roasted Turkey Breast</strong></div><br />
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• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
• 1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
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• 6 ounces orange juice concentrate (about 3/4 cup – I used about 1/3 cup because that was all I had)<br />
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• 2 tablespoons Major Grey Chutney <br />
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar<br />
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• 1 tablespoon soy sauce<br />
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• 1 teaspoon ground ginger or 2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger<br />
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• Pan juices and/or chicken broth and/or sherry or wine<br />
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Combine all ingredients except the pan juices/broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until reduced and thickened. Baste turkey with glaze several times over the last 20 minutes of cooking. (I draped foil over it loosely.)<br />
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Just before serving, stir in enough defatted pan juices/broth/wine to make a sauce of your preferred thickness to use in place of gravy. (I kept it fairly thick still.) <br />
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This would also be tasty on pork I think. I'm going to try it the next time I make a pork roast. For that matter, I think it would be good as a glaze for roasted veggies, like green beans. Hmm - time for some taste-testing experiments.<br />
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Oh, one more thing: you can make a really excellent gluten-free pie crust for pumpkin pie by combining 1 cup finely chopped pecans (freeze them first to make it easier to grind them), 2 T of sugar, and 2 T butter. It tends to caramelize faster than regular crust, so bake for the minimum time and keep an eye on the pies.<br />
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And last but not least, thanks to all of you who read my blog and make such nice comments. I'm grateful for everyone who has stuck with me through a long blog-hiatus. And I also thank everyone whose blogs I follow; I feel so lucky to be part of a creative, and generous community that stretches around the world.<br />
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Happy Feasting!Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-66637715176161548462010-11-21T23:48:00.000-05:002010-11-21T23:48:57.179-05:00Sunday Exploring: Chatham Village<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2V43BXPnWSCAlpgk1x34CmlHj7WKBSUELQppCKEzST-CueENyhGgFeRCwVO4ieIJMNl-7CA0bt2IN-x1mn2tGxBhZVYfuCQy0vfS94bn8KkgVnDq2pxbPDYsqixBGSWQAcouRTw/s1600/IMG_0968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2V43BXPnWSCAlpgk1x34CmlHj7WKBSUELQppCKEzST-CueENyhGgFeRCwVO4ieIJMNl-7CA0bt2IN-x1mn2tGxBhZVYfuCQy0vfS94bn8KkgVnDq2pxbPDYsqixBGSWQAcouRTw/s320/IMG_0968.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Twenty-one years ago, shortly after moving to Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania (a Pittsburgh suburb), I was wandering around my neighborhood with my one-year-old son in a backpack when I met another mom with her young son in a backpack. We shared a nice long walk that afternoon -- and have been walking together ever since. Mary Lou and I have covered a lot of ground, both literal and figurative, in the intervening years. Monday through Thursday evenings most weeks, we log five brisk miles over hilly terrain, usually close to home. On Saturdays, we frequently hit an estate sale somewhere not too far away and walk the surrounding neighborhood afterward.<br />
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But our Sunday morning walks these days are my favorites. A few years ago, we decided to walk every street and alleyway in our town. It took nearly a year of Sundays to finish Mt. Lebanon - and then we branched out into surrounding communities. In the years since, we've covered a good many neighborhoods all around Pittsburgh, and I've learned more about my city from our hikes than I'd learned in the fifteen years plus before that. We especially enjoy cemetaries, the steep hillside neighborhoods where steps often replace sidewalks, and the quirky older communities with interesting architecture and mature landscaping.<br />
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Today we visited Chatham Village, a planned community in the Mt. Washington section of Pittsburgh that's on the National Historic Register. It was developed in the 1930s in the model of the "Garden City" movement launched in England. It's as lovely and well-planned today as it was then. You can read more about it <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatham_Village">here</a> and <a href="http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Allegheny_County/Pittsburgh_City/Chatham_Village_Historic_District.html">here</a>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqPYsekt71-0gPbQZhysJ8vQ1t-palD4AzjZyp1TXoZ2IA0he_kx4iqAxjh7aEkZTdMFKp2YUCddXxni4c_HsG9dM28XJUQiG_snG829wiE_kGWu1Gc8T8skDKqY-yTtaE4B4Nw/s1600/IMG_0969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqPYsekt71-0gPbQZhysJ8vQ1t-palD4AzjZyp1TXoZ2IA0he_kx4iqAxjh7aEkZTdMFKp2YUCddXxni4c_HsG9dM28XJUQiG_snG829wiE_kGWu1Gc8T8skDKqY-yTtaE4B4Nw/s320/IMG_0969.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
The community consists mostly of townhouses grouped in clusters around common greens with curving sidewalks, giving it the feeling of a college campus, I think. And each cluster has a lovely "folly" like the one shown above to house communal garden implements.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFVAs55BHtNThu91UeccLBKWUf4plXsabtQBLEKIf9HDC6lYSp32j4-90AEpXgiKVzGLRfWTsKrfEs_XGDBzMzrIgliOZdpA4Ji895TW57nIIxzrXBicbc0qFTM0Cjrdeyb0L4w/s1600/IMG_0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFVAs55BHtNThu91UeccLBKWUf4plXsabtQBLEKIf9HDC6lYSp32j4-90AEpXgiKVzGLRfWTsKrfEs_XGDBzMzrIgliOZdpA4Ji895TW57nIIxzrXBicbc0qFTM0Cjrdeyb0L4w/s320/IMG_0970.JPG" width="283" /></a></div> The homes have lovely details - red brick, slate roofs, copper gutters and downspouts, limestone around the windows, and crests above the entry ways. And each cluster of townhomes is a little bit different.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUDL9W8_-e3gMbtzKuSrbnhyWNhZOZdinVmbeg_-G1PrwwIS-fAhivgMeGD32rAfjBcLRLF-t-ZhpGyrHALyuarnSUZyDR0I9Y6wVrzJYQjC3J7O7yWqC3wInBnt0lNH3Acajgg/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUDL9W8_-e3gMbtzKuSrbnhyWNhZOZdinVmbeg_-G1PrwwIS-fAhivgMeGD32rAfjBcLRLF-t-ZhpGyrHALyuarnSUZyDR0I9Y6wVrzJYQjC3J7O7yWqC3wInBnt0lNH3Acajgg/s320/IMG_0975.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> Around the perimeter is a large park of virgin forest (dating back to colonial times and before) with paths that curve and wind along the hillside. We saw plenty of wildlife today, including a large buck with an impressive rack.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlR0nl4NIxy6KMk-vs29lib_Vi5I_uCaa-3_0Pf6b726yOLCPxOX42tpY6JbfuhiuXbxL3XIKG3dadB6X0RCTT_7oUfMlHpOONN3CdHy1qLgqEyNWgL2umfaBBkWzSF7TSSVoBg/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlR0nl4NIxy6KMk-vs29lib_Vi5I_uCaa-3_0Pf6b726yOLCPxOX42tpY6JbfuhiuXbxL3XIKG3dadB6X0RCTT_7oUfMlHpOONN3CdHy1qLgqEyNWgL2umfaBBkWzSF7TSSVoBg/s320/IMG_0984.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> This is the updated playground, seen through the mist that hung over the hills this morning.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUZc11O5KSvHyWcyq75fTg2xk29AvMNudcCJY30kmZMppu8DWaekm0vE_OlUL7CiKSUFlyGhowsmo0eHZ5LbZZoaRuH1wGgCRlb21NrKTuMlUbuOywzOTSxLH9qsro8MAUIwE9A/s1600/IMG_0987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUZc11O5KSvHyWcyq75fTg2xk29AvMNudcCJY30kmZMppu8DWaekm0vE_OlUL7CiKSUFlyGhowsmo0eHZ5LbZZoaRuH1wGgCRlb21NrKTuMlUbuOywzOTSxLH9qsro8MAUIwE9A/s320/IMG_0987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> And I arrived home to find that a squirrel has made a nest in the planter atop my rain barrel. And all day since I've been hearing him storing his acorns inside the rain barrel (which fortunately has a screen to keep debris out of the water).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPPn8VlAOJeSb2MIRMCPoObm_hyphenhyphenIdLwfUkXHrJBm1XWJ46sFjbyndQ6_qkdKR6k89pkzTGCnODovIwoihDcE-UhHQ4bLDD2S0BA1ei_W_6H80khKKwhZkUvZQtNvLrt9-cFGlcQ/s1600/IMG_0989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPPn8VlAOJeSb2MIRMCPoObm_hyphenhyphenIdLwfUkXHrJBm1XWJ46sFjbyndQ6_qkdKR6k89pkzTGCnODovIwoihDcE-UhHQ4bLDD2S0BA1ei_W_6H80khKKwhZkUvZQtNvLrt9-cFGlcQ/s320/IMG_0989.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I think he and his buddies are using my squirrel bench as a buffet table. But that does seem appropriate. And maybe there's a picture book in here...Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-63086764634576282712010-11-19T09:45:00.000-05:002010-11-19T09:45:47.491-05:00Route 19 Writers: A Blog for Writers, Readers and Anyone Who Loves Kidlit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpEyUZ2dUPp3Ec_iffN8aGI9GeceXFtdyclu0uGeIs3_d9yCdj42ngonQJakXb1KOA42GNY7Q1QXg4w26wGDlAOdTt-joc0B9ZiuNlPTxhJlMn7E4xtNS3sAc72kRiVFpBuOrwQ/s1600/rt19+logo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpEyUZ2dUPp3Ec_iffN8aGI9GeceXFtdyclu0uGeIs3_d9yCdj42ngonQJakXb1KOA42GNY7Q1QXg4w26wGDlAOdTt-joc0B9ZiuNlPTxhJlMn7E4xtNS3sAc72kRiVFpBuOrwQ/s320/rt19+logo_1.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>I know it seems crazy, since I haven't exactly posted regularly (okay, hardly at all) this past year, but I'm also writing now for another blog. The <a href="http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/">Route 19 Writers</a> are a motley crew of mostly children's book writers who live along Route 19 South in the Pittsburgh, PA area. I've known most of them for years and am in awe of them as both writers and all-around-great people.<br />
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We take turns posting (at least three times a week), usually on a different theme each month. For this first month, we chose the theme "Novels" - but we allow lots of leeway in what to write about. You can see my first post on NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and other motivational writing "tools" <a href="http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2010/11/nanowrimo-butt-in-chair-and-more-tools.html">here</a>. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvXq5xjR2XOqYNs0YmU3yjOePBSu9jg7IJ8sRV5KdBCJqpHARrTuIIub5lPlFFgZB2cLY7ascnOpJXc6-8aIqgZdhmy0H55dmsiJn6DjZdpiz2fjRuEHGewRBBBDYpKX7lWGgGA/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvXq5xjR2XOqYNs0YmU3yjOePBSu9jg7IJ8sRV5KdBCJqpHARrTuIIub5lPlFFgZB2cLY7ascnOpJXc6-8aIqgZdhmy0H55dmsiJn6DjZdpiz2fjRuEHGewRBBBDYpKX7lWGgGA/s640/004.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>It even has the super easy directions for making this charming button chair (get it? Butt-in-Chair? That's the main tool you need to get your novel done.)<br />
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Of course, there's lots of other great stuff to find there too. A report on the great Katherine Patterson and her recent talk in Pittsburgh, a piece on finding your voice, a fabulous tutorial on twisting folktales to turn them into novels, new picture book stories, or tall tales, and even an interesting and funny discussion on figuring out what teens like to read (complete with very, very tasty recipe for Cornflake Chicken - yum.) I hope you'll check the blog out! <a href="http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/">Here!</a><br />
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Next month's topic is Giving and Receiving. I'm still noodling what I'll write about when it's my turn - but I'm already promising some kind of a nice giveaway. (Let me know if there's something you'd like me to write about.)<br />
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Oh, the new picture of the frog in my header is one I took this summer of one of the residents of my family's newish pond. I'll leave you with some images of flora and fauna around the pond this summer. (Can you tell I'm already feeling nostalgic for warm weather? Even though I really do love fall too.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkeibQu2-4V3Kwp9fIBrChcKNjUKTIQ72Ayn2SxIR6fAmyvcnWCbfn8_BIKDdCJNhPV6WM0Nnzbqt4VKRuRiQ6_oi8Jk8Rz_Bevziv7wGcnMQ4eIVF_2y-gXR2yFfLb1ycw2zGg/s1600/IMG_0917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkeibQu2-4V3Kwp9fIBrChcKNjUKTIQ72Ayn2SxIR6fAmyvcnWCbfn8_BIKDdCJNhPV6WM0Nnzbqt4VKRuRiQ6_oi8Jk8Rz_Bevziv7wGcnMQ4eIVF_2y-gXR2yFfLb1ycw2zGg/s320/IMG_0917.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNV8xsW24p53W2XIYl3nChtrHAQwVbZMjnYYFOMknSz8Tnfbzc1lg13MJC-_Vwsw_YFM0qy6JnNJCIgLrPvzbfOVtTAp7UVnFxAGv9C-iiR1oI_QsyXe6p9wlpU7wpmayt3bFT_g/s1600/IMG_0904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNV8xsW24p53W2XIYl3nChtrHAQwVbZMjnYYFOMknSz8Tnfbzc1lg13MJC-_Vwsw_YFM0qy6JnNJCIgLrPvzbfOVtTAp7UVnFxAGv9C-iiR1oI_QsyXe6p9wlpU7wpmayt3bFT_g/s320/IMG_0904.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWgEAtWBIMftBhk0y9DtWhxCbmORX7uosrh-QBPvhIAHbgiDN9Ktq3D_kBQG4WCvy-kwRCmt7koCPp5A5i7W1TNiWCEWUiFFO0GUddnLtViMpkShvZXjxHpUCWJT4DplMf7aA1w/s1600/IMG_0892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWgEAtWBIMftBhk0y9DtWhxCbmORX7uosrh-QBPvhIAHbgiDN9Ktq3D_kBQG4WCvy-kwRCmt7koCPp5A5i7W1TNiWCEWUiFFO0GUddnLtViMpkShvZXjxHpUCWJT4DplMf7aA1w/s320/IMG_0892.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> This deer visited daily to clean up all the fallen apples from the tree that's the base for my tree house. She was very considerate and didn't eat any of my landscaping plants.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauFyLBJ5Tr-iBphRx126FdMNUhpoKTdLFNAvdjTDpelrx_CoMTc68tRPx3dYaPEJ_dJTRDRgFG6GwuG3mlGdwO09HbGrMTnatL9UwCLfuLNR0jWvdZCt0U7jgnDdzQuciPiZJRA/s1600/IMG_0896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauFyLBJ5Tr-iBphRx126FdMNUhpoKTdLFNAvdjTDpelrx_CoMTc68tRPx3dYaPEJ_dJTRDRgFG6GwuG3mlGdwO09HbGrMTnatL9UwCLfuLNR0jWvdZCt0U7jgnDdzQuciPiZJRA/s320/IMG_0896.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaPaN2WNmUvXQx0MnffSCyW65MztSb8zdxWJ0FwfUWDE3SlCtn9KECsWHvybUDg2vAV01PrX0yenHThyphenhyphen7w1CooBmW9iGEe8cW7Et3wWaabQbyd-VjOWtjMnsNlyOpZTaInTJ6LQ/s1600/IMG_0911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaPaN2WNmUvXQx0MnffSCyW65MztSb8zdxWJ0FwfUWDE3SlCtn9KECsWHvybUDg2vAV01PrX0yenHThyphenhyphen7w1CooBmW9iGEe8cW7Et3wWaabQbyd-VjOWtjMnsNlyOpZTaInTJ6LQ/s320/IMG_0911.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The fish - mostly just the 12-for-a-dollar feeder goldfish - were prolific breeders this summer. It was so exciting! We rescued a few babies (which seemed to be a popular menu item for the adult fish and the frogs) and a number of them grew quite large by the end of the summer.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7ji2N7SmPvRo-H3hic6hn_dozynmIhM6HB5bQUw9swXxrHuqYXMeX9DDvddN47WuQIxj4jfMJgYgnA25tFfP-gvTC0t2lj4FKxjUCBlLvnR5t2C3H232if44Pp45KjWu7gngCw/s1600/IMG_0909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7ji2N7SmPvRo-H3hic6hn_dozynmIhM6HB5bQUw9swXxrHuqYXMeX9DDvddN47WuQIxj4jfMJgYgnA25tFfP-gvTC0t2lj4FKxjUCBlLvnR5t2C3H232if44Pp45KjWu7gngCw/s320/IMG_0909.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJ3ZG-9MaFt9oy9Z0SZ2ZnkIDRvxorZ4dT072QuWM2IMi-HfsvgWiWozImRbAVDJVD6CmWGU5Z1bMeMk9OcroYf-OScf2PcNL0dL_Efia2rTIhSwcHvqDxVy6OTt-e-OlH-62zg/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJ3ZG-9MaFt9oy9Z0SZ2ZnkIDRvxorZ4dT072QuWM2IMi-HfsvgWiWozImRbAVDJVD6CmWGU5Z1bMeMk9OcroYf-OScf2PcNL0dL_Efia2rTIhSwcHvqDxVy6OTt-e-OlH-62zg/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFq8ey70VGu1Li-A3Uxf3hZWNAdtT6WtPwWDN57O7ew8HkKLHVAJhf9qjua4CNgCb3dmY2QgRIWWzr8MxSq7ijhMnIQeOf9C4qll0eWm4sTK5qu-vfCiwLrV6u1waedWSMQK0Xew/s1600/IMG_0841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFq8ey70VGu1Li-A3Uxf3hZWNAdtT6WtPwWDN57O7ew8HkKLHVAJhf9qjua4CNgCb3dmY2QgRIWWzr8MxSq7ijhMnIQeOf9C4qll0eWm4sTK5qu-vfCiwLrV6u1waedWSMQK0Xew/s320/IMG_0841.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A view of the whole pond and new deck (before I did a lot of the planting around the pond). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So great to be back blogging! I didn't realize how much I missed it until I started up again. Thanks for your patience with me.</div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-6330924944576265902010-11-17T20:13:00.001-05:002010-11-17T22:45:32.824-05:00Happy Birthday, Frances!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y6O7wCOA2DdeARb3PrsDP8ThSaY4sunyEf66xDFSiWQQYKmCyzNVNDUm33yobqvb8_hFlX1dQI0QF7woDQABJbvPxmBRiqeb6IzyDbMcR4wgEbiLYvcug-RFLJ_a75NxoEesGA/s1600/doodles+blog+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y6O7wCOA2DdeARb3PrsDP8ThSaY4sunyEf66xDFSiWQQYKmCyzNVNDUm33yobqvb8_hFlX1dQI0QF7woDQABJbvPxmBRiqeb6IzyDbMcR4wgEbiLYvcug-RFLJ_a75NxoEesGA/s400/doodles+blog+010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/books/bio_macpherson.asp">Karen MacPherson's</a> syndicated<a href="http://www.scrippsnews.com/content/corner-books-harper-collins-reissues-frances-books-50th-anniversary"> <em>Children's Corner</em> column</a> this week alerted me to an important occasion: the 50th birthday of Frances, star of the classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Frances+by+russell+hoban">picture book series</a> by Russell Hoban. (I strongly recommend reading Karen's column - always good and this one is chock full of interesting facts about Frances and how she came to be. Also, if you haven't read the Frances books, it's time to get to the library. Or better yet, go buy them.)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I first met Frances, the strong-willed, persnickety, song-writing, problem-solving badger, when I was a strong-willed, persnickety child myself. Although song-writing and problem-solving weren't my strengths so much, it's still small wonder that I identified with the young badger. The challenges Frances faces are universal ones of early childhood, and she confronts them with a quirky intelligence and creativity that I found both inspiring and reassuring. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWVoAWYlppuKcYHqCHfwEwjVr8Y85-Ue4vbHws1SzEecwzMYaiVC5wBKpDWLpTwZTJtdPUihT1AD4hyphenhyphenK0B60SwEeQMR0GpBUU75tUwY4mZp1FIF11bPHaADVugQ6XSPR4ZjovGA/s1600/doodles+blog+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWVoAWYlppuKcYHqCHfwEwjVr8Y85-Ue4vbHws1SzEecwzMYaiVC5wBKpDWLpTwZTJtdPUihT1AD4hyphenhyphenK0B60SwEeQMR0GpBUU75tUwY4mZp1FIF11bPHaADVugQ6XSPR4ZjovGA/s320/doodles+blog+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To celebrate this important event, I broke out some homemade bread and jam and my copy of <em>Bread and Jam for Frances</em>, my favoritest Frances book of all. Everything was delicious, and the dog enjoyed our read-aloud very much.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Possibly what she liked best was that I shared my bread and jam with her.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji51jnxHHhX9BhYA80LFX3Vwh79ENnuf5xP_cFwVmEMuvYYOhDEXv95UhcgUr_1cfvly7D6tmUx55U-GslYc0x__ab5lJHbiN_FU7VD6fVsK6_RsN2KNaNU4NJoXGTBt3s2Mx0Pw/s1600/doodles+blog+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji51jnxHHhX9BhYA80LFX3Vwh79ENnuf5xP_cFwVmEMuvYYOhDEXv95UhcgUr_1cfvly7D6tmUx55U-GslYc0x__ab5lJHbiN_FU7VD6fVsK6_RsN2KNaNU4NJoXGTBt3s2Mx0Pw/s320/doodles+blog+008.JPG" width="257" /></a>Anyway, I noticed something while I was reading the book: one spread seemed kind of familiar to me. And then I realized why.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The lower image is a spread in my <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mimi-Carol-Baicker-McKee/dp/1599900653/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290051712&sr=1-1">Mimi</a></em> book that I must have unconsciously modeled on the Frances one shown above. How funny!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">By the way, notice how my copy of <em>Bread and Jam for Frances</em> is in black and white with blue washes? At the time the book was printed (1964 - this was a book club copy I got through school), color printing was still both expensive and tedious. Illustrators had to meticulously make color separations by hand, with separate transparencies created for each color used. These were done in shades of gray and took real skill. That's why the old books often had only one or two colors. I feel very fortunate to be able to do my illustrations with full color and any media!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Over the years, the Frances books have been re-released with color. The top image shows two different era versions of the cover of <em>A Birthday for Frances. </em>And here's a comparison of an inside spread.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2n3IyCVecmWJEs0BUMLMiUYRDiK5N91ElAnYHCXjJlqFHqVU3yy0INopoYPFQjU4jqCrlq8oZ_8aMEiQq8nBYVdLLdLulpxORGubv8sYzUFrifBQ2SWIl9KKyyITIY1Qr3LKtw/s1600/doodles+blog+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2n3IyCVecmWJEs0BUMLMiUYRDiK5N91ElAnYHCXjJlqFHqVU3yy0INopoYPFQjU4jqCrlq8oZ_8aMEiQq8nBYVdLLdLulpxORGubv8sYzUFrifBQ2SWIl9KKyyITIY1Qr3LKtw/s640/doodles+blog+011.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's probably just nostalgia, but I like the older one better. (I do like the new color one too - just not quite as much.)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Another interesting thing to note is how much more text-heavy the older picture books were than ones published today. A friend who attended a children's writing conference last weekend said the editor who spoke recommended <em>no more than 50 words</em> for a picture book text. I wonder if the push for shorter and shorter texts for pretty much all picture books has contributed to the decline in their sales; as the <em>New York Times</em> noted <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/us/08picture.html">recently</a>, many parents are pushing their kids to listen to chapter books at earlier and earlier ages. Maybe they would feel less need to do so if they had meaty complex picture books like these old ones available.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here's a brief excerpt of a scene between Frances and her mother to give you a feeling for the quality of the writing and for Frances' personality. Mother is getting things together for Frances's sister's birthday, and Frances is working through her jealousy by pretending to prepare a party for an imaginary pal:</div><blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">"Who is Alice?" asked Mother.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> "Alice is somebody that no one can see," said Frances. "And that is why she does not have a birthday. So I am singing Happy Thursday to her."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> "Today is Friday," said Mother.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> "It is Thursday for Alice," said Frances. "Alice will not have h-r-n-d, and she will not have g-k-l-s. But we are singing together."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> "What are h-r-n-d and g-k-l-s?" asked Mother.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> "Cake and candy. I thought you could spell," said Frances.</div></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">By the way, in case I've convinced you to rush out and buy copies of all the Frances books (and I hope I have), you need to be aware that in honor of Frances' birthday, HarperCollins has released abridged versions of the Frances books in an "I Can Read" format for beginning readers. I haven't seen them yet, and it's encouraging that Hoban and his daughter worked together on the reformat. But I'm sure I'll never love them the way I love the originals - and I definitely recommend reading them first. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Last but not least: food. You can find my recipe for the homemade bread I nibbled today in an earlier post <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2008/11/blunchtime-again-bread-recipe-for.html">here</a>. And, in case like Frances, you have learned to like some other more adventurous foods as well, here is a recipe for soup that I think goes especially well with the bread. I got the recipe from a neighbor, who got it from a cookbook - but I don't know which cookbook and the neighbor has long since moved away. I think it was called Chippewa Soup. I also may not have the recipe quite right. Somehow I never actually wrote it down; I just kind of remember it - plus I've undoubtedly changed it over the years because I am as much a revision addict for recipes as I am for the written word.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZX9Ewtv9wqo2jeanI8sbEECijFR8vbSRJRa8-vfBDH9y3F-QgrCyphkfKWsvFYRbimph7LNC_tNbq8NL7ZYxjl-Td-02_cpFprroTgaBTU-vI3MlSdze18MtWM9yGB3MrNmsG7g/s1600/doodles+blog+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZX9Ewtv9wqo2jeanI8sbEECijFR8vbSRJRa8-vfBDH9y3F-QgrCyphkfKWsvFYRbimph7LNC_tNbq8NL7ZYxjl-Td-02_cpFprroTgaBTU-vI3MlSdze18MtWM9yGB3MrNmsG7g/s320/doodles+blog+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Tomato Vegetable Soup</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">aka Chippewa Soup</div><div style="text-align: center;">aka The Best Soup You'll Ever Eat on a Chilly Autumn Night</div><br />
<strong><u>Ingredients</u></strong><br />
Olive oil<br />
2-3 yellow onions, finely chopped<br />
3-4 ribs celery, finely chopped<br />
2-3 carrots, shredded <br />
2-3 cloves garlic (Note: if you are lazy or pressed for time, most supermarkets carry all the veggies pre-chopped/shredded and sometimes it is just worth the extra expense)<br />
Curry powder to taste -- I use 1 T mild curry powder when making it for people who don’t like spicy stuff (aka children), 2-3 for the more adventurous eaters (aka certain adults)<br />
1 tsp cumin<br />
Ground black pepper<br />
1 26-oz can Campbell’s tomato soup, plus water to reconstitute it<br />
2 11-oz cans Campbell’s Green Pea soup - but NO water. (Yes, it is really gross looking right out of the can. Try not to think about it.)<br />
1 cup milk or cream (more if you prefer a thinner soup)<br />
1 ham hock (optional)<br />
Chopped ham (optional)<br />
Dollop of low fat sour cream (optional)<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Directions</u></strong><br />
In a large stock pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, celery, garlic and carrots and sauté until the onions are translucent and the celery and carrots are softened. Mix in seasonings and cook, stirring, for a minute or two to combine flavors well. Add soups and water (it is really tricky to get the pea soup stirred in well - but worth the trouble because coming across a big lump of the concentrate when you're eating your soup is an unpleasant surprise, in my book). Add ham hock, if using. Try not to examine it too closely as this may also gross you out. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low heat at least one hour (more is better). Stir occasionally to prevent soup from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Shortly before serving, stir in milk or cream (and chopped ham if desired) and heat through. <br />
<br />
This is quite good served on a doily with a tiny vase of violets, along with a crisp green salad and Swedish Sour Rye bread. If you are careful, you can take bites of each and make everything come out even.<br />
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And if you did not get this literary allusion, I am going to admonish you even more strongly to go check <em>Bread and Jam for Frances </em>out of the library.Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-65090927083801091032010-03-18T10:46:00.004-04:002010-03-18T11:02:17.666-04:00Another Radio Day! Parents Rule with Pat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvOXWwzeHi9wMVVS8gRVXojW_JTdA0Rk8a6WoXavgqMAHkQLbBs7uD01h8qE7iwCXXU-uTf5Ipofsdz4RQMeQ8uQeo1e-cR3iiEyBvWbCtafQJqaUYmCOVzYHwBIyxHIMC1rAgA/s1600-h/51Wrf2KZnbL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvOXWwzeHi9wMVVS8gRVXojW_JTdA0Rk8a6WoXavgqMAHkQLbBs7uD01h8qE7iwCXXU-uTf5Ipofsdz4RQMeQ8uQeo1e-cR3iiEyBvWbCtafQJqaUYmCOVzYHwBIyxHIMC1rAgA/s400/51Wrf2KZnbL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449986496565780338" /></a><br />I'm doing a radio show this afternoon on topics from my latest parenting book, <i>The Preschooler Problem Solver </i>(Peachtree, 2009). I'll post the announcement for the show below, which you can listen to on the radio, the internet or by podcast. Pat Montgomery, the host and a parenting expert herself, and I will cover lots of interesting topics, including how to handle oppositional kids, coping with meltdowns, talking to kids about fun topics like sex or family finances, how to help your child make and keep friends, and of course, that perennial favorite, how to get your kid to quit picking his nose at the supermarket. Should be a good hour - please join us or send Pat your questions!<div><br /></div><div>In case you didn't get an email from me about the show, here's the official announcement from Pat:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">It is about time someone wrote a book about preschoolers and the myriad of issues their parents face. My guest this week has done it for us and she is willing to tell all she knows. At least all that will fit into the hour long show!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">Carol Baicker-McKee PhD</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> is trained in child and family psychology, as well as being a mom of three. Her book, <b><i><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; ">The Preschooler Problem Solver: Tackling Tough and Tricky Transitions with Your Two to Five Year Old</span></i></b>, is terrific. She has so many wonderful ideas and insights from all her experience that she shares in this book. <i><span style="font-style: italic; ">And, it is a fun and interesting read!<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><i><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">We are going to discuss:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> The defiant toddler<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> Nose picking<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> Planning for the new baby<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> Toilet training<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> And much more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">You are not going to want to miss this show!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">Blog: <a href="http://www.parentsrulewithpat.blogspot.com/" title="http://www.parentsrulewithpat.blogspot.com/" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 204); text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.parentsrulewithpat.blogspot.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; "> Latest blogs: What to Do if You Witness a Theft?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 1in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-indent: 0.5in; "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">Are You an Olympics Junkie?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 1in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-indent: 0.5in; "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; "> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></b><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); ">You are welcome to call in during live shows with questions or comments. </span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:navy;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: navy; ">404-943-1620</span></span></b></strong><em><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></em></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></b><strong><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#666600;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); "><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><i><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); font-style: italic; ">Be sure to pass this notice on to anyone you know who would be interested in this topic.</span></span></i></b></strong><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#006699;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 102, 153); "> </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#006699;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 102, 153); "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#006699;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 102, 153); ">Knowledge is power. Be informed. </span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); ">As always, you can hear the show locally in <u1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sandy Springs</st1:place> on 1620 a.m. or, for most of you, on the internet at <a href="http://www.radiosandysprings.com/" title="http://www.radiosandysprings.com/" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 204); text-decoration: underline; ">www.radiosandysprings.com</a> or </u1:place></span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); font-weight: normal; "><a href="http://www.americaswebradio/" title="http://www.americaswebradio/" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 204); text-decoration: underline; "><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; "><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/">www.americas</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">w</span></b></a></span><a href="http://www.americaswebradio/" title="http://www.americaswebradio/" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 204); text-decoration: underline; "><b></b><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; ">e</span></span></b><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; ">b</span></span></span></b><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; "><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/">r</span></span></span></span></b><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; "></span><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/">a</span></span></span></span></b><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; "></span><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/">d</span></span></span></span></b><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; "></span><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/">i</span></span></span></span></b><b><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span style="font-weight: bold; "></span><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/"><span title="http://www.americaswebradio/">o</span></span></span></span></b></a></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); "> from 2-3pm EST every Thursday. </span></span></b></strong><em><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></em></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><em><b><i><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold; "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></i></b></em></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><em><b><i><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold; ">Can't listen at that time?</span></span></i></b></em><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); "> </span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); ">Go to iTunes and sign up for free podcasts!! Browse for Parents Rule. That way you will never miss a show.</span></span></b></strong><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); "> </span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: normal; ">Or</span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#003300;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: normal; ">Go to <a href="http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/parents.php" title="http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/parents.php" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 204); text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/parents.php</a> to listen or download at your convenience. Any problems with that, give me a call.</span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); "><o:p> </o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><strong><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); ">U</span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666600;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 0); ">pcoming shows:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:olive;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: olive; font-weight: bold; ">Mar 25 Helping Kids that Others Don’t<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:olive;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: olive; font-weight: bold; ">Apr 1 replay of Nightmares and Dreams<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:olive;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: olive; font-weight: bold; ">Apr 8 Dr. Papciak, our favorite pediatrician, is back<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:olive;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: olive; font-weight: bold; ">Apr 15 TBD<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:olive;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: olive; font-weight: bold; ">Apr 22 Grandparenting<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:olive;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: olive; font-weight: bold; ">Apr 29 TBD</span></span></b></p></span></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-35175508440705609042010-02-04T12:34:00.006-05:002010-02-04T12:54:09.460-05:00Radio DayI'm doing two radio shows today for my latest parenting book, <b>The Preschooler Problem Solver </b>(Peachtree, 2009). The first show today is with Grandparenting Today on WMKV-FM in Cincinnati OH. I'll be chatting with host Sue Zimmermann from 1:30 to 2 pm EST about a variety of topics related to young kids and grandparents. The show also streams live <a href="http://www.wmkvfm.org/Stream/wmkv.asx">here</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Then this evening, I'll be talking about manners for munchkins with Stacey Powells on The Exhausted Parent Network show on KMMT radio in Mammoth, CA shortly after 7 pm PST. You can click on the link to listen to the show live <a href="http://www.kmmtradio.com/kmmthome.php">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Come join us!</div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-72779298382437501682010-01-01T21:19:00.004-05:002010-01-01T22:33:08.571-05:00Peace in the New Year<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIJOFNF_ugBmEzUGj54rsxEX2g_v402LKQ9Ca_DVX3SgNkwQi7JwMvbC4fRbQ4kg6pPn3a5_eBIgSM2SvirG78sYygaopq1784fxQC8BzSw41554nDX038Bz7WJyL6RZKYcoJXw/s1600-h/IMG_2206_1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIJOFNF_ugBmEzUGj54rsxEX2g_v402LKQ9Ca_DVX3SgNkwQi7JwMvbC4fRbQ4kg6pPn3a5_eBIgSM2SvirG78sYygaopq1784fxQC8BzSw41554nDX038Bz7WJyL6RZKYcoJXw/s400/IMG_2206_1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421964024026086162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>I'm making a wish for peace in 2010 - for the world, for my family and friends including all of you, and for myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>The paper crane is a symbol of peace. In 2001, I gave out paper crane ornaments (like the one in my current header) as my holiday cards, and this year I'm planning to make one daily - at the end of the year I'll turn them into something cool and auction the resulting piece for a donation to a peace-related charity (not sure which one yet). </div><div><br /></div><div>The cranes are easy to make once you get the hang of them. A google search will reveal many, many tutorials for making them, including this animated diagram one <a href="http://origami.org.uk/origamicrane.htm">here</a> (I think it's pretty easy to follow.) Adding some beads makes the cranes hang a little better and look good as a stand-alone mobile. I use jewelry wire threaded through a long needle (large enough to fit through the body of the crane, from the center to the point on the top). The first bead can be a charm or dangling bead, and you can add others or just pass the wire through the body. You can also put more beads above if you like, or just make a loop in the wire to thread a ribbon through for hanging. For the last few years, I've made these often, and I keep them on a branch in my living room; if I need a quick gift for a visitor or to enclose in a note, I just grab one.</div><div><br /></div><div>For several years, I've been making the cranes mostly from recycled papers (like the ones in the photos above). Here are a few close-ups of some from last year (though I apologize for all these crappy pix). These ones are from security envelopes:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpLyJud3g4Sv41h6WC6XLTyqPrxi-_Dpd9ZUbBf0NDO_KB9pQAcv3k3jH9lXvDXR5NplVLLuFTdutTw9C8ieylxqlhfJskKVlwmPnSrE9atNqI0gIP00vS15ktviAr5nS4dSYGw/s1600-h/yoko's+paper+cranes.jpg"><br /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC57G8fvd2iTYOSW99d_Gngxed_kHW3OwrJ3igVYuUoY5F3e60a-ku8RZvk5muCkPBYFIGSkNuU6HABWEN7EI6t2sBOZg-_hYDk22YNVvms8QYnGNDZTLvWcV9OdYV2P87otnyXg/s1600-h/IMG_2210.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC57G8fvd2iTYOSW99d_Gngxed_kHW3OwrJ3igVYuUoY5F3e60a-ku8RZvk5muCkPBYFIGSkNuU6HABWEN7EI6t2sBOZg-_hYDk22YNVvms8QYnGNDZTLvWcV9OdYV2P87otnyXg/s400/IMG_2210.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421969349873513074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px; " /><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpLyJud3g4Sv41h6WC6XLTyqPrxi-_Dpd9ZUbBf0NDO_KB9pQAcv3k3jH9lXvDXR5NplVLLuFTdutTw9C8ieylxqlhfJskKVlwmPnSrE9atNqI0gIP00vS15ktviAr5nS4dSYGw/s1600-h/yoko's+paper+cranes.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></div><div>And these are made from (left to right): a page in a magazine, a map, and a calendar page.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrghU1uzG8us5veBU4ujcV6eYYh4E3uCSvGT0WQe8Y55nNWazGUPXQUG0neSOtpBXl1FuTb-V9fHHuk0XLAXgPL7ZGKMbh9frzyzdus_O7BnuEuwW_2MRkQADhsQKAMuvxE_Hp3A/s1600-h/IMG_2211.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrghU1uzG8us5veBU4ujcV6eYYh4E3uCSvGT0WQe8Y55nNWazGUPXQUG0neSOtpBXl1FuTb-V9fHHuk0XLAXgPL7ZGKMbh9frzyzdus_O7BnuEuwW_2MRkQADhsQKAMuvxE_Hp3A/s400/IMG_2211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421969355613432642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 295px; " /></a>There are several excellent children's books about paper cranes, including this one by Rosemary Wells, one of my favorite author-illustrators. Yoko makes cranes to stay connected to her grandparents who live far away, which is a nice use for your cranes too.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpLyJud3g4Sv41h6WC6XLTyqPrxi-_Dpd9ZUbBf0NDO_KB9pQAcv3k3jH9lXvDXR5NplVLLuFTdutTw9C8ieylxqlhfJskKVlwmPnSrE9atNqI0gIP00vS15ktviAr5nS4dSYGw/s1600-h/yoko's+paper+cranes.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpLyJud3g4Sv41h6WC6XLTyqPrxi-_Dpd9ZUbBf0NDO_KB9pQAcv3k3jH9lXvDXR5NplVLLuFTdutTw9C8ieylxqlhfJskKVlwmPnSrE9atNqI0gIP00vS15ktviAr5nS4dSYGw/s1600-h/yoko's+paper+cranes.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 185px; height: 188px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpLyJud3g4Sv41h6WC6XLTyqPrxi-_Dpd9ZUbBf0NDO_KB9pQAcv3k3jH9lXvDXR5NplVLLuFTdutTw9C8ieylxqlhfJskKVlwmPnSrE9atNqI0gIP00vS15ktviAr5nS4dSYGw/s400/yoko's+paper+cranes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421969364403558882" /></a><br />This gorgeous award-winning book by the versatile Molly Bang is one of my all-time favorites with cut-paper illustrations. Her paper sculptures (and the book design) are so clever and detailed and just beautiful - they really make the story come to life. The book was first published in 1985, which means it squeaks by the CPSIA disaster (phew) and is in print still in any event. You can read the Molly Bang's excellent discussion about the Chinese folk tale, her book, and how teachers can use it with their students <a href="http://www.mollybang.com/Pages/paper.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYzeDyIpsz45yZqpwftIpx2RRoc_eRDhWikLxcK21jQuEVrtBWRniTQvRGu4xGUwwJpFVdY648OrrTXWu1oN1yVT_j8Lw8lb-Jhal6_9b3S3UDmKMyGhpClhxIUFCFLS7fZc7qQ/s1600-h/paper+crane+cover.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 357px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYzeDyIpsz45yZqpwftIpx2RRoc_eRDhWikLxcK21jQuEVrtBWRniTQvRGu4xGUwwJpFVdY648OrrTXWu1oN1yVT_j8Lw8lb-Jhal6_9b3S3UDmKMyGhpClhxIUFCFLS7fZc7qQ/s400/paper+crane+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421969361818171138" /></a><br /></div><div>And finally, the book that is synonymous with paper cranes for generations of students: the true story of Sadako, a 12-year-old girl who contracted leukemia in the wake of the atomic bombing of Japan and tried to fold 1000 paper cranes to make her wish of recovery come true (there are conflicting stories about whether she succeeded in finishing the cranes). </div><div><br /></div><div>The book is an excellent starting point for many difficult discussions with older kids and young teens. It's a vintage book, first published in 1977, so the older copies do fall under the CPSIA axe; fortunately, it has been reprinted many times and is still readily available. You can read the wikipedia article about Sadako <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadako_Sasaki">here</a>. Recently, Sadako's brother, who still has some of the original cranes, donated one to the 9/11 memorial. You can read the CNN story about it and see a photo of one of Sadako's cranes <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/17/origami.gift/index.html">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll close with the words on the base of <a href="http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/shimin/heiwa/monument.html">the Children's Peace Memorial</a> in Japan that was inspired by Sadako's story (and <a href="http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/shimin/heiwa/crane.html">to which you can send your cranes</a>):</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i>"This is our cry. </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i>This is our prayer. </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i>For building peace in this world."</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsO2ft8qJ2QKNXULQ83tiKalH8ABhDe-V0jpoWoKGZHV59iED-4QYQjpxZfUrqHRRFuKWqRd6dJqf7Fa0McXF3ubWZTNZCaLR2ikq9K5YWs2Qs96YNfSk36qTNJVJTRrcO12JM_w/s1600-h/sadako+cover.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsO2ft8qJ2QKNXULQ83tiKalH8ABhDe-V0jpoWoKGZHV59iED-4QYQjpxZfUrqHRRFuKWqRd6dJqf7Fa0McXF3ubWZTNZCaLR2ikq9K5YWs2Qs96YNfSk36qTNJVJTRrcO12JM_w/s400/sadako+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421969356168529042" /></a></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-36247458122791540632009-12-22T12:39:00.009-05:002009-12-22T17:08:37.217-05:00Cut Paper Christmas<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUQ4XMUWxkfE9S-wKjipdADRKWCWNMAR_RwGVWpdcm5Xr5n0T0Yp-YPVodYrJHtjvpnpZ2ptDxSCbVEpd3lP-uJxPnL7uE_lWUeZXwOgwQEaGk7QDPPJDz5olhjntyqf2VlfCZg/s1600-h/hp_scanDS_9122213203414.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 395px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUQ4XMUWxkfE9S-wKjipdADRKWCWNMAR_RwGVWpdcm5Xr5n0T0Yp-YPVodYrJHtjvpnpZ2ptDxSCbVEpd3lP-uJxPnL7uE_lWUeZXwOgwQEaGk7QDPPJDz5olhjntyqf2VlfCZg/s400/hp_scanDS_9122213203414.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418135424141354274" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1jXMlTMWHF-BRsCwz-BqHiWvb73XfAYBiigftPdzpkDmdr4Q56Fx_MZTR_kf73NvLYIdgwqs7vlZl5qvFG12GKdynKf6OrcdKTM9-_rRiCYBH2jcAmIKA7rC6SKN5EmifhUpTw/s1600-h/hp_scanDS_9122213263516.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 392px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1jXMlTMWHF-BRsCwz-BqHiWvb73XfAYBiigftPdzpkDmdr4Q56Fx_MZTR_kf73NvLYIdgwqs7vlZl5qvFG12GKdynKf6OrcdKTM9-_rRiCYBH2jcAmIKA7rC6SKN5EmifhUpTw/s400/hp_scanDS_9122213263516.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418135422391324754" /></a>I'm not sure why, but I always have urges to do cut paper crafts at Christmas (which is why the floors are always covered in tiny scraps at the holidays). <div><br /></div><div>The two paper cuts above were leftovers from a flurry I cut one year to decorate packages. They're basically just the snowflake idea. I precut thin paper (these were origami paper) into a circle, folded it in half (right sides together), in half again, and then into thirds and then cut patterns out freehand. There are a few simple tips that may help you make especially intricate ones: first, do the folding carefully and press the creases well (you can even iron them). Second, have a mixture of large cut away areas and others that are narrow and repeating. Be sure to use very sharp scissors; I use embroidery scissors. (Though check out these <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.polishamericancenter.org/Pictures/Wycinanki3.GIF&imgrefurl=http://www.polishamericancenter.org/Wycinanki.htm&usg=__9g0sD2Y0hiIAOFrbwwS4U-dd22s=&h=277&w=280&sz=45&hl=en&start=18&sig2=CCdrn5vZiMvDZaeDLv3pjQ&um=1&tbnid=ooOxjLRIJ8qBjM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=114&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpolish%2Bpaper%2Bcuts%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=qjYxS6eDE47M8Qb66oibBw">amazing Polish paper cuts</a> that were traditionally made with sheep shears!) Finally, take care not to tear delicate areas when you unfold them. (Small tears can be repaired by gluing narrow support pieces to the back of the paper cut.) I always iron my finished piece flat.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjuFUQKTAsAU4fxSyC7F7FJjAiSqPO8_yhCyeUqctdEU3S0GN2TrEcYJPdjcGyMu0vIfiwxoyZhwY2TJHms21C0KYJInT0Hf_gfcWpKZxex11UceH2Li0C6WFAC2OMj5cP2kpKg/s1600-h/hp_scanDS_9121112332954.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjuFUQKTAsAU4fxSyC7F7FJjAiSqPO8_yhCyeUqctdEU3S0GN2TrEcYJPdjcGyMu0vIfiwxoyZhwY2TJHms21C0KYJInT0Hf_gfcWpKZxex11UceH2Li0C6WFAC2OMj5cP2kpKg/s400/hp_scanDS_9121112332954.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418122244039671058" /></a>The paper cut above was done by my oldest son when he was almost 10, and the similar one below was cut when he was not quite 5. You can see he gained a lot of skill in the years between. In both cases, I folded a piece of paper for him (right sides together) and drew one image onto the wrong side, making sure I had an area of join along the fold. By 10 he was able to cut the design out pretty accurately by himself. I showed him how to trim the excess paper close to the drawn lines and then to cut into tight areas, removing sections at a time, rather than trying to cut along the whole perimeter. When he was younger, I held the paper and rotated it for him as he snipped (mouth open - why do kids do that when they cut with scissors?). Even so, he accidentally snipped off the antlers, but they're cute fawns or does anyway.<div><br /></div><div>Other tips to help young cutters: First, work moderately large and minimize the number of curves or delicate stand-alone areas. Also, use a moderately heavy paper, like old paper bags (below) or coated silhouette paper (above). Cardstock is usually too heavy for folded designs - takes a lot of hand strength - and thin papers flop too much, becoming frustrating.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJC2rGU3Bj4q33BLNufaI2vXnS-K0JfTACWb6vz03Lm4pkPFQ8eIsh9zOqBxQaYl_FBPJN8avvQZkbIc1eBkynNAqD3rD0nHI9HQCIndcsCS_G2LDO1ywlI-GoIHDxKzIsZBNLw/s1600-h/hp_scanDS_9121112283854.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJC2rGU3Bj4q33BLNufaI2vXnS-K0JfTACWb6vz03Lm4pkPFQ8eIsh9zOqBxQaYl_FBPJN8avvQZkbIc1eBkynNAqD3rD0nHI9HQCIndcsCS_G2LDO1ywlI-GoIHDxKzIsZBNLw/s400/hp_scanDS_9121112283854.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418122240199577426" /></a>The teddy bear below was by my daughter when she was going on 6. She had better fine motor skills than my son did around that age, and she was able to cut the bear on her own, though I recall cutting out and gluing in place the eyeballs and nose/mouth pieces.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuunEAY1ebVKC5Vco3VCrkdyS1nr_FzF4F7GMlATi_c1wgnkzHuHNgbcvQU5aihZbRH-5-EzVFNJFtx1zOEw6pUmCb1QTy0QGb-U-gvNqOfO5z8W8nuQ7bv7Pq972Katkt5DuCA/s1600-h/hp_scanDS_912111239627.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuunEAY1ebVKC5Vco3VCrkdyS1nr_FzF4F7GMlATi_c1wgnkzHuHNgbcvQU5aihZbRH-5-EzVFNJFtx1zOEw6pUmCb1QTy0QGb-U-gvNqOfO5z8W8nuQ7bv7Pq972Katkt5DuCA/s320/hp_scanDS_912111239627.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418121531566885986" /></a>Can't recall which kid did the penguins below, but they were accordian-folded, like the strings of paper dolls.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNvjSHAfqAInGIOmDRTB81co5egsAiXzCLwmrx79F1fZAY3_IvcmlEAg00qD1wd3ZxMD3cYBuluZCrHP3S11BzMtrxUGqUxUjVHWlXH5UAOZGO7c4vd93frpTEmvZ56Q2oPyQfQ/s1600-h/hp_scanDS_9121112413526.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNvjSHAfqAInGIOmDRTB81co5egsAiXzCLwmrx79F1fZAY3_IvcmlEAg00qD1wd3ZxMD3cYBuluZCrHP3S11BzMtrxUGqUxUjVHWlXH5UAOZGO7c4vd93frpTEmvZ56Q2oPyQfQ/s320/hp_scanDS_9121112413526.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418121525278514818" /></a>The tree below was our Christmas card one year. Last year I made up a page of smaller images to use as gift tags, and meant to post them as a printable pdf - but apparently I never did. I'll see if I can hunt it down and put it up tonight. I made the ornaments with handheld punches while the design was still folded in half.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YJvYVln1dumuI57R-zaC2BOO4Py6nfAQGCCShgGTZIeQo43tBfZgFNkuyGcrdq0iyh8i6cwxaVe7pfodYevvVFR2J4MxhD-PZ7Q4PwNjYaTqmWMrLcspUlVfEYoaQOqKD_mRfg/s1600-h/IMG_2273.JPG"><br /><br /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwG7_qh_Bf5kBnPRZnTjKN6WD0s25i2aniwCxu2iXXd1WmIaIWAFgdnMaCP3YpgtIxMJ33rtcC4pXN9dUGEaQutc1p7WjA4y0rlrY18PA47eyF1eRNUzMH8Fy2tXlMbJSNte6pg/s1600-h/xmas+tree+papercut.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwG7_qh_Bf5kBnPRZnTjKN6WD0s25i2aniwCxu2iXXd1WmIaIWAFgdnMaCP3YpgtIxMJ33rtcC4pXN9dUGEaQutc1p7WjA4y0rlrY18PA47eyF1eRNUzMH8Fy2tXlMbJSNte6pg/s400/xmas+tree+papercut.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418124933963261634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px; " /></a></div><div> Hm. I just thought of one thing that has probably prompted my Christmas paper cut connection: these Danish paper cuts. I bought these at a little shop at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware many years ago. (Sorry the photo is blurry.)</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4G59inV5iDDvgG2uxd3PsIEvNudNlm2Jk7eg_o1N0vKTKhCHtEtGDTrFFVj8Rw9lXFiJbYOAIXKNhA7dEP50C8gNSIOC_M9EQIRgKqxo7rICZa6S_ExA3S0y8ZwqU7o2i27RXxQ/s1600-h/IMG_4148.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4G59inV5iDDvgG2uxd3PsIEvNudNlm2Jk7eg_o1N0vKTKhCHtEtGDTrFFVj8Rw9lXFiJbYOAIXKNhA7dEP50C8gNSIOC_M9EQIRgKqxo7rICZa6S_ExA3S0y8ZwqU7o2i27RXxQ/s400/IMG_4148.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418147252610460770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 400px; " /></a></span></span></div><div>The top red one I hung the Christmas after I got it. Then I decided I could leave it up until Valentine's Day, because of the heart theme. Then I decided I could leave it up all year because of the kitchen/cooking theme. Then it faded to almost white...</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-s_K0AlhvDoxTnvQ7BrWi5BWu8ND4cCb2Ro0CJs23wSLF828FdwJSEMJuBfGUJ5FVMr5nOTxoGqlWr5IPCXtS7L_VmizSeRtmjKWZX1GzB5QAh7k7kpg83Wtg29n2JzJ0s-LIbg/s1600-h/IMG_4141.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-s_K0AlhvDoxTnvQ7BrWi5BWu8ND4cCb2Ro0CJs23wSLF828FdwJSEMJuBfGUJ5FVMr5nOTxoGqlWr5IPCXtS7L_VmizSeRtmjKWZX1GzB5QAh7k7kpg83Wtg29n2JzJ0s-LIbg/s400/IMG_4141.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418147256425995170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 350px; " /></a>I was about to throw it away when I realized I could just paint it red again, so I did! I think it's even brighter now than when it was new.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YJvYVln1dumuI57R-zaC2BOO4Py6nfAQGCCShgGTZIeQo43tBfZgFNkuyGcrdq0iyh8i6cwxaVe7pfodYevvVFR2J4MxhD-PZ7Q4PwNjYaTqmWMrLcspUlVfEYoaQOqKD_mRfg/s1600-h/IMG_2273.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YJvYVln1dumuI57R-zaC2BOO4Py6nfAQGCCShgGTZIeQo43tBfZgFNkuyGcrdq0iyh8i6cwxaVe7pfodYevvVFR2J4MxhD-PZ7Q4PwNjYaTqmWMrLcspUlVfEYoaQOqKD_mRfg/s1600-h/IMG_2273.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YJvYVln1dumuI57R-zaC2BOO4Py6nfAQGCCShgGTZIeQo43tBfZgFNkuyGcrdq0iyh8i6cwxaVe7pfodYevvVFR2J4MxhD-PZ7Q4PwNjYaTqmWMrLcspUlVfEYoaQOqKD_mRfg/s320/IMG_2273.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418121518884085170" /></a>If all those paper cuts sound too complicated for you or your kid, you could make something like these trees instead, which are crafted entirely from recycled materials (from left: newspaper, greenish magazine and catalog pages, and someone's old physic's homework. The stars are from a Triscuits box and the papers are just taped to cones I made by twisting - and sometimes stacking - and taping together subscription cards from magazines. I stuffed extra recycled paper inside the cones to weight them and make them stand better). </div><div><br /></div><div>To make these, cut long strips of paper, fold them in half, right sides together. Mark a line to cut to, and use your scissors to cut fringye-y "bites" up to the line. For younger kids, cut the strips over-wide, so there's less chance they'll cut all the way through, and stretch the paper taut by taping it between two chairs; you can trim the paper near the fringe afterward. Start attaching the strips of fringe near the bottom of your cone in a spiral, anchoring it frequently with small pieces of masking tape. You can make a little extra piece taped into a cone for a nice pointy top, and tape a star on to hide any lopsided parts.</div><div><br /></div><div>I used these for a centerpiece at a party last year, and several people asked me where I bought them - they really come out looking nice.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSchyphenhyphenZFxgMoFwEzNl3x7qISevXnUau5m-jBvq4m2VQg74KwwvQycsWvQM5cGaAyODu66_tgIBWzDZcDJOywN07dCRpooptt1MH8sSyuXnH5XQuzEeJ3HdFTg6-4DjLD0J6JCuheA/s1600-h/pienkowski+cover.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSchyphenhyphenZFxgMoFwEzNl3x7qISevXnUau5m-jBvq4m2VQg74KwwvQycsWvQM5cGaAyODu66_tgIBWzDZcDJOywN07dCRpooptt1MH8sSyuXnH5XQuzEeJ3HdFTg6-4DjLD0J6JCuheA/s400/pienkowski+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418184359113323666" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 286px; " /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvNTpBIs_oJTqE68ei_zKeLKqfeSPMwZpvcRxSvAXUgLK_lrJSwl5oabOJ9qIszhANFK5XijMC2cMeTJK5wkBgcgqJFhtV5Bwaq9hp4HhM5afCPrK8Xj3GymJpJWZlHsxfJWmcg/s1600-h/puttapipat+cover.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">After you finish your craft, relax with Jan Pienkowski's gorgeous silhouette illustrations in his telling of <i>The First Christmas. </i>This book was first published in 1984, making it toxic waste under CPSIA; fortunately there are later printings available.</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Or enjoy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvNTpBIs_oJTqE68ei_zKeLKqfeSPMwZpvcRxSvAXUgLK_lrJSwl5oabOJ9qIszhANFK5XijMC2cMeTJK5wkBgcgqJFhtV5Bwaq9hp4HhM5afCPrK8Xj3GymJpJWZlHsxfJWmcg/s1600-h/puttapipat+cover.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">this incredible silhouette version of </span></a><i><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvNTpBIs_oJTqE68ei_zKeLKqfeSPMwZpvcRxSvAXUgLK_lrJSwl5oabOJ9qIszhANFK5XijMC2cMeTJK5wkBgcgqJFhtV5Bwaq9hp4HhM5afCPrK8Xj3GymJpJWZlHsxfJWmcg/s1600-h/puttapipat+cover.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">T</span></a></i><i><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvNTpBIs_oJTqE68ei_zKeLKqfeSPMwZpvcRxSvAXUgLK_lrJSwl5oabOJ9qIszhANFK5XijMC2cMeTJK5wkBgcgqJFhtV5Bwaq9hp4HhM5afCPrK8Xj3GymJpJWZlHsxfJWmcg/s1600-h/puttapipat+cover.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">he Night Before Christma</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">s</span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvNTpBIs_oJTqE68ei_zKeLKqfeSPMwZpvcRxSvAXUgLK_lrJSwl5oabOJ9qIszhANFK5XijMC2cMeTJK5wkBgcgqJFhtV5Bwaq9hp4HhM5afCPrK8Xj3GymJpJWZlHsxfJWmcg/s1600-h/puttapipat+cover.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"> by Thai artist Niroot Puttapipat. Absolutely breathtaking - and with an amazing pop-up on the last spread. (It's a recent book - 2007 -- so no CPSIA worries.) Although the cover says it's a papercut edition, I think Puttapipat actually made his silhouettes with pen and ink</span></a> (as did Pienkowski I believe). [You have to scroll down to see the photo of the spread - I think I needed to crop the photo.]</span></span><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvNTpBIs_oJTqE68ei_zKeLKqfeSPMwZpvcRxSvAXUgLK_lrJSwl5oabOJ9qIszhANFK5XijMC2cMeTJK5wkBgcgqJFhtV5Bwaq9hp4HhM5afCPrK8Xj3GymJpJWZlHsxfJWmcg/s320/puttapipat+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418121511343396242" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0b99xulBZzv8o7jogslK8lNu6b7StE8Ufh1idkN9Qyanb9BFrqSTIxO94mcc3LCMiZiBJM1MTAZxhUOgNylJvSLZ7FX5PtGMOfMRicGPz0hGDxC-yGpT3nctTNSkPbLCBbQy21w/s1600-h/puttapipat+pop+up2.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0b99xulBZzv8o7jogslK8lNu6b7StE8Ufh1idkN9Qyanb9BFrqSTIxO94mcc3LCMiZiBJM1MTAZxhUOgNylJvSLZ7FX5PtGMOfMRicGPz0hGDxC-yGpT3nctTNSkPbLCBbQy21w/s400/puttapipat+pop+up2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418124930703508434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></a></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-41013134425812329912009-12-21T12:08:00.002-05:002009-12-21T13:33:30.048-05:00Christmas All Dolled Up I<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ec-4Jn5vZp2DOJoiQcvp9KEX7sxFRAny5M-FXedEUncgWHM_y-6D7FDngT1yJSi307TffjyKFO69uDzH1aReQzfSNt25Xzwxn8w4v4Tb3sFzUkRA_4ximCYlXTzL6luk9uMFSg/s1600-h/IMG_4114.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ec-4Jn5vZp2DOJoiQcvp9KEX7sxFRAny5M-FXedEUncgWHM_y-6D7FDngT1yJSi307TffjyKFO69uDzH1aReQzfSNt25Xzwxn8w4v4Tb3sFzUkRA_4ximCYlXTzL6luk9uMFSg/s320/IMG_4114.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417725166807779586" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dolls and Christmas have been entwined in my heart since I found Tiny Tears, above, under the tree the year I was three (I think). She had some great features - she drank from a bottle with real water in it, cried and wet, and her eyes only closed if you lay her down and rocked her. She also came with pleasing accessories - clothes, a doll bottle, diapers, and in my vivid memory, a pacifier that was the only way to make her tears stop. I clearly recall losing the pacifier on Christmas night when we ventured out to my cousins' house for dinner and weeping along with her as she cried out her lifetime supply of tears. But I recently learned from <a href="http://www.dollinfo.com/featuredollwin01.htm">Kaylee's Corner</a> that I have a faulty memory: Tiny Tears didn't come with a pacifier, much less need one to stop crying. It must have been her bubble pipe that I lost as I have no recollection of it in ensuing years.<div> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>As you can see, Tiny was subject to some vigorous playing (and grooming) over my childhood. I practiced my mothering skills on her, cuddled her for comfort (hard body and all), pretended like mad with her, and even used her as an accepting, nonjudgmental confidante. Though I had many much loved dolls over the years, Tiny was and is my favorite of all and still sits by my work area to inspire me.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Did you have a favorite doll?</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>If you'll be giving someone a doll for Christmas this year, and I hope you will be, you might want to consider a last minute dash to the bookstore (or click on an online seller) for a doll-themed book to go with it. Here are few of my vintage recommendations, one holiday-related, some not (and more to come in a later post I hope):</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b><i>The Best Loved Dol</i><i>l </i>by Rebecca Caudill with illustrations by Elliot Gilbert</b></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7zNynC7X4mINePZ0LGu3HoMKqpCe_zslGUGMI2QnIF1hWOUUyaSAGFDxRBRVV7559pzlY88qfs9Fz6-4Wqb1J3U3Guw0Owi-NCGKxjnP9WpmAFjndQwTUO6ItBDsvFvmWN7jHA/s1600-h/best+loved+doll.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7zNynC7X4mINePZ0LGu3HoMKqpCe_zslGUGMI2QnIF1hWOUUyaSAGFDxRBRVV7559pzlY88qfs9Fz6-4Wqb1J3U3Guw0Owi-NCGKxjnP9WpmAFjndQwTUO6ItBDsvFvmWN7jHA/s320/best+loved+doll.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417744487981361266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 292px; " /></a></div><div>This old-fashioned, sweet story is back in print - hooray! - but the vintage copies are more appealing to me. It tells the story of a little girl invited to a party where prizes will be given for dolls in various categories. The girl owns dolls that would likely win prizes, but there's no prize that would be right for Jennifer, the doll she loves best. Which doll will she choose?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-pyGP9sXi0yNxqViycwam9bki_y8mJGNufI1V6o_5OvWSJZIm80Og4h5zyU48BNCMhx_ZtTSeP4rjuMl5DMyQ-7ZB8H1MHW1c2FDQkt_3YM8evK4HDjcS5ZU1t5qFtaANjnGzg/s1600-h/IMG_4103.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-pyGP9sXi0yNxqViycwam9bki_y8mJGNufI1V6o_5OvWSJZIm80Og4h5zyU48BNCMhx_ZtTSeP4rjuMl5DMyQ-7ZB8H1MHW1c2FDQkt_3YM8evK4HDjcS5ZU1t5qFtaANjnGzg/s320/IMG_4103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417725162974398530" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The small rag doll above, perched on a page from the book, was also well-loved (though Tiny still claims my heart). My mother made her for me when I was in third grade and having a rough time with a teacher who was a poor fit for me. The doll wore a dress that matched one my mom made for me - and she fit right in the pocket of my dress, so I could carry her along for comfort without anyone being particularly aware. Her dress (and mine) have gone astray in the years since, but I did sew her a new outfit this year. I'm grateful to her and my mother for making that tough year a little easier.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><b><i>A Gift from the Lonely Doll </i>by Dare Wright</b></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElVlgUnoSz0FTMPAk_apZnSZ5eqgkKKMkcucDpBkHUl76mGn5KOQbzGvt5yBmfQeK1A-Ak63UX8YaGIbLcFHlOXUXoQzvdpA9TFRXSM9M9EJsjkWUw3d0wPdbx3UFfOTcN6snhw/s1600-h/IMG_2687.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElVlgUnoSz0FTMPAk_apZnSZ5eqgkKKMkcucDpBkHUl76mGn5KOQbzGvt5yBmfQeK1A-Ak63UX8YaGIbLcFHlOXUXoQzvdpA9TFRXSM9M9EJsjkWUw3d0wPdbx3UFfOTcN6snhw/s320/IMG_2687.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411833058109032258" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This holiday book was part of a series of books about a <a href="http://www.lenci-dolls.net/History_of_Lenci_felt_dolls.html">Lenci</a> doll named Edith and her adoptive family that included Mr. Bear and Little Bear. As a child, I loved these books because the characters seemed so utterly real (apparently to their creator as well, whom you can learn more about at her official website <a href="http://www.darewright.com/">here</a>.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-GTRKMFAsiL7FVeuE8IqDu_s9krva1OpEzRAmEJQ5UBJA2IeHAQZ_zyJiT0sY4za72zcL1Kt24yc8NKNHNlinKUUBne78aYEfDE8mMjy4REKawBdewnuNJ6PiMl_czVOSd8nJA/s1600-h/IMG_2688.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-GTRKMFAsiL7FVeuE8IqDu_s9krva1OpEzRAmEJQ5UBJA2IeHAQZ_zyJiT0sY4za72zcL1Kt24yc8NKNHNlinKUUBne78aYEfDE8mMjy4REKawBdewnuNJ6PiMl_czVOSd8nJA/s320/IMG_2688.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411833050345184258" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In this book, Edith and the Bears are off to visit relatives for the holidays, while Edith, determined to make something special for Mr. Bear, suffers some handmade gift misfortunes (with which I can readily identify). One thing I always loved about these books was the way the dolls inhabited basically a people-sized world - it underscored my fantasy that dolls were living, sentient beings.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b><i>William's Doll </i>by Charlotte Zolotow</b></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>If you have boys on your gift list, please consider a doll for them too! The dolls (and softie) below are ones that belonged to the males in my household. From left: <b>Ted-Ted</b>, a new baby gift to my middle son, he traveled far and wide with his owner having adventures like falling in the toilet in a Toronto hotel; <b>Scotty</b>, who was a Christmas gift to my oldest the year he got a new brother (I'm going to monitor that child's parenting skills closely when the time comes - he spent a lot of time poking Scotty's eyes, dragging him around by the hair caveman-style, and submerging him for long periods of time while bathing him, also, Scotty was <i>always </i>naked); and last but not least, <b>Pearl</b>, who was beloved by my husband when he was small and later by all of my kids, but especially by the oldest.</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyGsdXpKTc2wt7cBtBKzxR34TS9udjc54RI9Hef28UhgfOUCRRar-_RJtsf40y-cFmEYvr6MQza4SVYn89T_ZMAoYn_tP_1GYokIKvpMIUhF5iOUpet8TNBu8Mh8Hu1X38haazQ/s320/IMG_4123.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417725156506366786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px; " /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>William's Doll </i>was revolutionary when it was released. You can read about it on the author's website <a href="http://www.charlottezolotow.com/willilams_doll.htm">here</a>. William is a little boy who likes lots of playthings, but wants a doll - which his father refuses to buy for him. Fortunately, a wise grandma intervenes, explaining that William needs a doll</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(102, 153, 51); -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; font-family:'Trebuchet MS', serif;font-size:medium;">"so that </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(102, 153, 51); -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:medium;">when he's a father<br />like you,<br />he'll know how to<br />take care of his baby<br />and feed him<br />and love him<br />and bring him<br />the things he wants,<br />like a doll<br />so that he can<br />practice being<br />a father. " </span><div style="text-align: left;">Lest you think this book is outdated and no longer needed, pay a visit to the doll section in any big box or toy store - everything is still pink and girly. And I still know plenty of dads who'd prefer their sons not have baby dolls. Sigh.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b> An CPSIA Update</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">As we near the end of the year, vintage children's books remain banned for sale or lending to children under CPSIA (though most libraries are leaving them on the shelves until ordered not to). There have been some recent developments that give me hope that change may be coming. See this <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6712109.html?nid=2788&source=title&rid=17388635">recent article</a> in Publisher's Weekly about how the law currently affects the children's book market, including vintage books. I was only able to find this <a href="http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=4177">cryptic dispatch</a> about ALA executive director Emily Sheketoff's meeting with the head of the CPSC. Keep pressuring Congress if you care about these old books.</div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-55733127903134818942009-12-16T15:37:00.008-05:002009-12-17T00:12:58.719-05:00Happy Hanukkah!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTEACNsqfBXsRS0tkHNhGR_OA5DLwgnLPufSnusBUJ7TIAk_WXZ4eJw0zQNy1kGodvLzpfSU2oWWUrZMHQuzfU1yMEYubw-mh8KAiLGBhtw1O2TUn592yy8wcAn-I0vnM4smslA/s1600-h/IMG_4133.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTEACNsqfBXsRS0tkHNhGR_OA5DLwgnLPufSnusBUJ7TIAk_WXZ4eJw0zQNy1kGodvLzpfSU2oWWUrZMHQuzfU1yMEYubw-mh8KAiLGBhtw1O2TUn592yy8wcAn-I0vnM4smslA/s320/IMG_4133.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416045012024677458" /></a>Happy Hanukkah! Nearly belatedly! In honor of the Jewish Festival of Lights, I have another Mimi paper doll available to print and color; you can get it <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24206833/Mimi-Hanukkah-Doll">here</a>. There's a brief story-ette about Mimi going to a Hanukkah feast, and it includes a menorah that can stand up when assembled, as shown above. The top part of the menorah is a "pocket" in which you can insert the correct number of candles for the current night of Hanukkah (today is the 6th day of Hanukkah for 2009, so you'd insert six candles, plus the center one or <i>shammes </i>candle, which is used to light the others). I was too lazy/rushed to color Mimi and her menorah, but she looks great "colorized" with colored pencils or crayons.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis19tynyR_2uSPefNYBzLhpTxZLupmy8fPtCX91GQNRbm7iBkiO2r1ZCiBTIvEyu09100nMSoE92boIR1XgEKPDAXQCRb29vswAbUhrVPyhcqagEp9w_tv6D1ZjTbgdZKpZDeehQ/s1600-h/mimi+hanukkah+doll.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 235px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis19tynyR_2uSPefNYBzLhpTxZLupmy8fPtCX91GQNRbm7iBkiO2r1ZCiBTIvEyu09100nMSoE92boIR1XgEKPDAXQCRb29vswAbUhrVPyhcqagEp9w_tv6D1ZjTbgdZKpZDeehQ/s320/mimi+hanukkah+doll.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416045007825864258" /></a>Not sure why this image came out vertically; thought I'd saved it rotated...<div><br /></div><div>Quick question: I've been posting various paper dolls as sort of doodly coloring pages - just pencil sketches, and no color. What do you think - should I keep doing them that way, or would you greatly prefer something more final-artish that you'd have to print in color? (Keep in mind that would likely mean I'd make even fewer of them...)<br /><div><br /></div><div>One of my favorite things about December is the variety of special days (Christmas, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, St. Nicholas Day, the winter solstice, etc.), and the opportunities they provide to learn about different cultures (or even just people who have different traditions). My husband and I both grew up celebrating Christmas, so that's the December holiday we celebrate with our kids, but our extended families include people from diverse backgrounds, including the Jewish faith. We live some distance from them, so our kids have only occasionally celebrated Hanukkah with those relatives. Fortunately, though, we long had a tradition of sharing holidays with neighbors and good friends who are Jewish. Their kids came over each year to help decorate our Christmas tree, sing a few Christmas songs, and have a holiday dinner, and our kids went to their house each year for a Hanukkah feast, complete with dreidel games and songs and decorations. (They always sent extra latkes home for me, the latke-fiend. Yum!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my favorite low-fat latke recipe. I don't have a photo to show you because I haven't managed to make them yet this year, but I'll try to add a picture later. These are quite tasty, though perhaps not as scrumptious as the crispy fried ones. I cut the recipe out of some newspaper many years ago; more than that I can't tell you about its origin. Sorry.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Low Fat Potato Latkes</b></div><div>3 lbs. potatoes (I've used both Idaho and Yukon gold)</div><div>1 onion</div><div>1/3 cup matzo meal or flour</div><div>1/2 tsp baking powder</div><div>3 T chopped parsley</div><div>2 eggs plus 4 additional whites</div><div>salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste</div><div>2-3 T canola oil (I've used olive oil on occasion and that was good too)</div><div>Low fat sour cream and/or applesauce for garnish</div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat oven to 450 F, with a nonstick baking sheet inside. Peel potatoes (if desired) and grate them and the onion coarsely. Squeeze handfuls to remove as much liquid as possible. Transfer potatoes and onion to a bowl, and stir in meal/flour, baking powder, parsley, eggs and salt and pepper. Pour the oil onto the hot baking sheet and spread it around with the back of a wooden spoon. Spoon 2 1/2 inch mounds onto the sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between. Bake until golden, 6-8 minutes (or a little more), turning at the half way point. While they're baking, sing "The Dreidel Song" ("Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel,/ I made it out of clay./ And when it's dry and ready,/ Oh dreidel I will play!") and challenge the kiddies to a game for gelt (the chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil that you may have given out on St. Nicholas Day). You are not allowed to cheat, although you may save a little "grown-ups only" chocolate aside for later. Serve latkes promptly with sour cream and applesauce. </div><div><br /></div><div>Two excellent vintage Hanukkah-related books to enjoy (both fortunately are still available new and both squeak past the CPSIA axe):</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cpUh8KQZgsiBPWukiyEcWaapcKbTZS_b50Pi0y5GKCDuuXVo8tKKFAnTU_auHOf4TJ0_wz1zXysqeAUiZW24i94Ee-LxhY9VPj7e9fBCwrqEejUMjFFP9F3pTi4zK3d5zkEYzA/s1600-h/trees_cover.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cpUh8KQZgsiBPWukiyEcWaapcKbTZS_b50Pi0y5GKCDuuXVo8tKKFAnTU_auHOf4TJ0_wz1zXysqeAUiZW24i94Ee-LxhY9VPj7e9fBCwrqEejUMjFFP9F3pTi4zK3d5zkEYzA/s320/trees_cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416065000869349266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 200px; " /></a></div><div><div> </div><i>The Trees of the Dancing Goats</i> written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco tells the true story of an incident from her childhood when her Christian neighbors came down with scarlet fever right at Christmas. Her family used their Hanukkah feast and decorations to assemble holiday food and lovely trees to rescue Christmas for the sick families. The illustrations are fabulous and the story could not be any more heartwarming or more beautifully told. We read this book every year. Here's a l<a href="http://www.patriciapolacco.com/books/trees_of_dancing_goats/trees_of_dancing_goats.html">ink to her website</a>, with assorted printable and freebies related to this book (and others too)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N-Ldo89nxTDIZH-QwNirtw4PKWpi1Tjj3CoR4mf01sgyh5IyPdJBR-YwMAiVbBvrTyDmm46ot5SikXQhspzs3DAk5RU4BDG3gGSL4XpIV-bjWocsWGw30KUSxaC7_PA8bENSPw/s1600-h/hershel+and+goblins.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N-Ldo89nxTDIZH-QwNirtw4PKWpi1Tjj3CoR4mf01sgyh5IyPdJBR-YwMAiVbBvrTyDmm46ot5SikXQhspzs3DAk5RU4BDG3gGSL4XpIV-bjWocsWGw30KUSxaC7_PA8bENSPw/s320/hershel+and+goblins.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416064682245103378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px; " /></a><div>Next:<i> Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins </i>by Eric Kimmel and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I love this book. It's perfect for kids who like a bit of a scare (though I remember one of my kids made me read the goblins' dialogue in my "regular voice" because my goblin one made the experience a bit too terrifying). It's a longer picture book, which is another reason to save it for slightly older kids. But what a great tale, of the triumph of good over evil, and cleverness over brute strength. Lots of fun. And as for the illustrations, well, sadly the world will never again see the likes of Trina Schart Hyman. She was really something.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Hanukkah! Or however you choose to spell it!</div></div></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-78922129115690887832009-12-10T22:47:00.003-05:002009-12-10T23:05:32.227-05:00My Creative Space - The Holidays Are Coming!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwkK6dHbH_6jxKnZP8U9_sbcRWfrLJiY5oXHYVFXyt-2QmhOJQgkeVciw2BPvpeOdC3vFmhBg0mRt_pu-YjFtW4WM_bI4b2RlElRdNxJc0_zWaS3CtgBq3KqFi-jZDTI17DMJIQ/s1600-h/IMG_4121.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwkK6dHbH_6jxKnZP8U9_sbcRWfrLJiY5oXHYVFXyt-2QmhOJQgkeVciw2BPvpeOdC3vFmhBg0mRt_pu-YjFtW4WM_bI4b2RlElRdNxJc0_zWaS3CtgBq3KqFi-jZDTI17DMJIQ/s320/IMG_4121.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413821093784572786" /></a>Not too surprisingly, I continue to fall farther behind with my attempts at daily blogging this month, even though the weather has been keeping me home and mostly inside - though also computer and sewing machine-free, as I seem to be taking my electrical interference tendencies to the wider community and causing neighborhood electrical outages. (Really we got some of that huge storm that hit much of the U.S. through here - really wild winds and plummeting temps for the last couple days. Brrr.)<div><br /></div><div>On my drawing table this week are the little angels above. I made the prototypes last year (based on the characters in my <i>Merry Christmas, Cheeps</i> and <i>Mimi</i> books) intending them to be gift tags that could be made into ornaments, but never finished them. The dog found the paper prototypes the other day and got completely freaked out by them (they move when she breathes heavily on them), which inspired me to finish them, if for no other reason than the opportunity to freak the dog out in living color.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHQrZabYLa11LzXY1oj81kDGyYYezpKgpgaprt4-gomqqQJPNrWmI9FIfwWStVemAKZfUg961NMIYEItoT53KfWxIzq485UGgruD1IAFUbzGBEF-pfx6cAyP-xPKPSJG3OpW4gg/s1600-h/IMG_4074.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHQrZabYLa11LzXY1oj81kDGyYYezpKgpgaprt4-gomqqQJPNrWmI9FIfwWStVemAKZfUg961NMIYEItoT53KfWxIzq485UGgruD1IAFUbzGBEF-pfx6cAyP-xPKPSJG3OpW4gg/s320/IMG_4074.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413821084261971234" /></a>On my sewing table were also this old doll, in bad need of a new dress...</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_M2Rd25o48zscsjBA5EovKJy4qZj-_-eQlW0EX0EcuShhggSDVOr9ttsVBvm-2b5QzpghD3ZJyoT01iCX8yRO0Mky4YEa1jUBJF3xXb3esmC4EzY4tEfOz984hyphenhyphenTHLPiFbYILg/s1600-h/IMG_4064.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 255px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_M2Rd25o48zscsjBA5EovKJy4qZj-_-eQlW0EX0EcuShhggSDVOr9ttsVBvm-2b5QzpghD3ZJyoT01iCX8yRO0Mky4YEa1jUBJF3xXb3esmC4EzY4tEfOz984hyphenhyphenTHLPiFbYILg/s320/IMG_4064.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413821080705069426" /></a>...and this new one in need of, well, everything.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj45OuXpk4hW44mHJDO4pjOJwiN-EhdbwR-SjiLdMJScdNLiGRJgghMevM_2U6qLfOrvPZWWGDP8_tZRZhusZTiC1BxT527TOBaEyAbfqb2JWW2k2zA1Crhd19Gm-SUPlNEMjsug/s1600-h/IMG_4099.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj45OuXpk4hW44mHJDO4pjOJwiN-EhdbwR-SjiLdMJScdNLiGRJgghMevM_2U6qLfOrvPZWWGDP8_tZRZhusZTiC1BxT527TOBaEyAbfqb2JWW2k2zA1Crhd19Gm-SUPlNEMjsug/s320/IMG_4099.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413821073496353234" /></a>Lots of sewing and ironing!</div><div><br /></div><div>Head on over to <a href="http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/">kootoyoo</a>'s to see the rest of the creative spaces bursting with projects. And take your time checking them out, because Kirsty's taking a well-earned break until after the holidays. (Phew - gives me more time to make some progress on my studio. And maybe finish up some of these projects.) While you're there, be sure to check out the pix of Kirsty's own beautiful creative space. I'm so jealous!</div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-78114356974984183982009-12-08T23:28:00.006-05:002009-12-09T00:26:32.279-05:00Hot+Not: Computers and Piggies and Lanterns, Oh My!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t5I9bqZO7jIVIjUcc_Yel9Bd-OKIvPjkxBD4uIRczRkD7nWRflYZhDE8twG7Gv6TORz-13qF6789gxol-QV65mGY6Oe_WJYr9c18yBuyqS9KaK8lAJIgg7ijwF0R2TBHClGeJw/s1600-h/IMG_4116.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t5I9bqZO7jIVIjUcc_Yel9Bd-OKIvPjkxBD4uIRczRkD7nWRflYZhDE8twG7Gv6TORz-13qF6789gxol-QV65mGY6Oe_WJYr9c18yBuyqS9KaK8lAJIgg7ijwF0R2TBHClGeJw/s320/IMG_4116.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413092588692605442" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Hot. Not. <a href="http://loobylu.com/">Loobylu</a>. Need I say more?</div><div><br /></div><div>This week, I'm starting with the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">NOTS.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Not. Any Computer in Our House. Or, for that matter, any electrical appliance, like say my car. My refrigerator. Half the lightbulbs.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Lordy, it's been a week of technology-related woes, and I still feel a bit shaky. I know I was complaining about this last week, but things just kept getting worse every time I turned around, and of course my husband was out of town for much of the week, leaving me, the person who still struggles even just to turn on the TV (which is really not my fault, since we seem to have like a thousand remotes and way too many buttons and I never have the right ones), to be the family Geek Squad. Mostly that means we were computer-light (hence the week of no posts - but I have lots of stuff half written I'll try to post in catch-up fashion). And the car wouldn't go, so I was stuck at home. And the refrigerator was WAY too cold, freezing all the veggies and making the butter extra-rock hard. Maybe even diamond-hard. And I don't know what the heck was going on with the light bulbs, but they were burning out left and right and I still haven't caught up replacing them.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Making Little Dresses for Little Piggies. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">This little dress was way too small. This little dress was way too big. And this little dress was really too big too, but I fudged and made it kind of fit because I couldn't bear to try again.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BKvWGXg7eySM39L4yXn1zLhEMzXcytKTDh44CoiIhJjFjv1AhjB2NRjszWkDLb2hShvQvDqrdhPheJgxFvGcKhuUNudoFOQGZ9nt4nvcbVFhUpHjxvOHcF3VhYOqDlWjRIa8eg/s1600-h/IMG_4042.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BKvWGXg7eySM39L4yXn1zLhEMzXcytKTDh44CoiIhJjFjv1AhjB2NRjszWkDLb2hShvQvDqrdhPheJgxFvGcKhuUNudoFOQGZ9nt4nvcbVFhUpHjxvOHcF3VhYOqDlWjRIa8eg/s320/IMG_4042.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413093569346954786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 320px; " /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); ">Not getting the recipe for this St. Nicholas Day treat up until today. Two days <i>after </i>St. Nicholas Day.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">These are actually buckeyes, which aren't officially a St. Nick treat, but they are very similar to a traditional St. Nick candy I found online. More importantly, they are super easy, no cook, use only ingredients I already have in the house, and contain chocolate.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Here's what you do: Combine 3/4 cup of peanut butter, 2 T honey, 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers OR crushed breakfast cereal, and a handful of mini chocolate chips in a bowl. Stir and mush around with your hands, adding a little more of this or a little more of that until the texture seems right - sticks together adequately to shape into small super ball-sized balls and doesn't "melt" into a blob if you walk away for five minutes. You can roll the balls in grated chocolate or dip them in melted chocolate for fanciness, but the plain ones taste perfectly wonderful.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">I used natural peanut butter because I think it tastes better, but it does have the disadvantage of having the oil leach out if you don't eat them all in the first hour. Fortunately that is not a big problem.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">That's it! Now the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b>HOT</b>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Little Piggies</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Specifically the hot babes above. I finally finished making prototypes and working up tutorials and patterns for making two different styles of Mimi dolls to go with my book of the same title. It was hard for me because I have not really sewn much with an actual pattern since high school. And I've <i>definitely</i> never made up my own pattern first (as opposed to just winging it as I go). I'm hoping to have the patterns and tuts finished and posted here in the next day or two.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8ld6-RLGfTLTws_gj1LqMRJ1z3pvz-Yd3n90f-Gfg8NWsot5rHL9sno5-SUKkzQpsHdU9busav9oEIkKxt8melHeD9X8Da2Pz9VwtaZwxk6oCKjm04p8fxyXTsyNIPvDkVaDwQ/s1600-h/IMG_4107.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8ld6-RLGfTLTws_gj1LqMRJ1z3pvz-Yd3n90f-Gfg8NWsot5rHL9sno5-SUKkzQpsHdU9busav9oEIkKxt8melHeD9X8Da2Pz9VwtaZwxk6oCKjm04p8fxyXTsyNIPvDkVaDwQ/s320/IMG_4107.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413092583451163682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><b>Mimi 1</b> is posable and intended for kids past the age of putting things in their mouths because she does have small parts (like her eyes, nose, and buttons - oh, and her belly button. And her bunny slippers). (Secretly she's my favorite. Also secretly, I'm giving her to my daughter for Christmas because Sara's kind of gaga for her, even though I messed up Mimi's ear, her legs, and half her other body parts.) I'm working on some other outfits too, like her tutu, jammies, tiara, and cape. And of course Bunny and Frank-the-Roly-Poly-Bug.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><b>Mimi 2</b>, below, is a softie appropriate for babies and toddlers. Her features are embroidered or sewn (her nose and belly button), and she's a little larger and softer and easier for a little one to grasp and tote to bed. She's very sweet and cute, especially for my first effort with this sort of thing, but she doesn't seem quite as...spirited, I guess, as posable Mimi.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKmMXCiN8E1vZYv0dLLsnL_l4ErpguJGveJ4cTeR1V1mgYFvT_tl2ilzZ5TpU5MHsG38U6wDf8Oa-Vw-5kMyLzgf_2DG9aD5bTSUA3zVzWlWIsxZKCChxTrm1__xdCy90j2VO_w/s1600-h/IMG_4108.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></span></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKmMXCiN8E1vZYv0dLLsnL_l4ErpguJGveJ4cTeR1V1mgYFvT_tl2ilzZ5TpU5MHsG38U6wDf8Oa-Vw-5kMyLzgf_2DG9aD5bTSUA3zVzWlWIsxZKCChxTrm1__xdCy90j2VO_w/s320/IMG_4108.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413092580553967714" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMqKFibdHak_fL420j22xX-2x9brlMTzjkHZ8_XfD-Frd6r2MQ9LuqlE_en9y2fh0a6R7sb6KqWvc-aZV_DmfMDO5IlOAmuPqrKFs94cK4Q96swf63W1z_lslUU1fa31wUIaXXA/s1600-h/IMG_4080.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMqKFibdHak_fL420j22xX-2x9brlMTzjkHZ8_XfD-Frd6r2MQ9LuqlE_en9y2fh0a6R7sb6KqWvc-aZV_DmfMDO5IlOAmuPqrKFs94cK4Q96swf63W1z_lslUU1fa31wUIaXXA/s320/IMG_4080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413092593347506018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">SNOW!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Technically cold, but light and magical like this, and in the run-up to Christmas, just right hot for me. Of course, we're getting freezing rain at the moment, but I did enjoy the white stuff while it lasted.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKtocmFdIpU6y9UYZctc2hAzl_UdFAv7BwKpEQMOaLdNQPdS5JvRs9LGiTbVsgyphFMAzKCn21kGouybDEGd-podLB-RqgIfypbESOehetiRVbeqPrNYkhqA2VjaNGQ4wz_Plyw/s1600-h/IMG_4098.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKtocmFdIpU6y9UYZctc2hAzl_UdFAv7BwKpEQMOaLdNQPdS5JvRs9LGiTbVsgyphFMAzKCn21kGouybDEGd-podLB-RqgIfypbESOehetiRVbeqPrNYkhqA2VjaNGQ4wz_Plyw/s320/IMG_4098.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413092576376521218" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px; " /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); ">And Ice!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">As in ice lanterns. I blogged about making these last year <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2008/12/light-up-night.html">here</a>. Jennifer Hedberg, the ice lantern lady I interviewed for the Nick Jr. article that featured them, has added a nice blog to her website <a href="http://iceglobelanterns.com/news.html">here</a> with lots of cool (get it?) new tips, supplies you can order, and pretty pictures. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">My daughter made several of these over the weekend, and fortunately we lit them yesterday (before the temps warmed up and the rain came), even though that was one day early for celebrating La Fete des Lumieres (which is December 8th) in honor of Mary. I'd never heard of the holiday until last week - but as it turns out to be celebrated only in Lyons, France, I think I can be forgiven. Still I'd love to go check it out some day. Here are some links where you can <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_Lights_(Lyon)">read about it</a> and <a href="http://www.lyon-photos.com/fete-des-lumieres/">look at pretty pictures</a>.</span></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-89440103857798724172009-12-02T17:23:00.006-05:002009-12-03T01:19:57.611-05:00Hot+Not: Hearts and Chili and More<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5Q6idrt9sugFc_aVzmQAY0QCGwUtl5pFyMxF7cwoN8rL07kHjos9jvrA8bq9U0p_KJoBe7znjrwQptfYvze0LR_5ewAgEQpIJl0mHvssRo8M9vl4h3d_YCV7aYHKq12LEujmmQ/s1600-h/IMG_4033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5Q6idrt9sugFc_aVzmQAY0QCGwUtl5pFyMxF7cwoN8rL07kHjos9jvrA8bq9U0p_KJoBe7znjrwQptfYvze0LR_5ewAgEQpIJl0mHvssRo8M9vl4h3d_YCV7aYHKq12LEujmmQ/s320/IMG_4033.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410870449610394402" /></a>I'm joining in again with what's hot and what ain't at <a href="http://loobylu.com/">Loobylu</a> (and you should definitely head over there to wish her a happy 10th blogging birthday at a minimum), but I'm starting to squeak in just under the deadline every week - but it's one of the "nots" fault. At least it's not yet midnight on Wednesday (here in Pittsburgh anyway), so here's my list:<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b>HOT</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">A Template for the Scandinavian Heart Tutorial <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Which I posted, um, last December <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2008/12/scandinavian-woven-heart-baskets.html">here</a>. Well, now that I've remembered <i>again</i> how to turn jpegs into pdf files and post them so you can actually get them (I think Blogger still doesn't allow them - somebody please correct me if I'm wrong), I decided to make a new printable (can't find the old one anymore) and quick get it up. You can get it <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/23558206/Scandinavian-Heart-Template">here</a>. It's not exactly pro-quality or anything, but it does get the job done - as shown in the examples above.</span></span></b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kkBuTKo4MQKygClXLiJ3GFb2ZhGjvIsc296dWfP4mk7zwa0fzatpUEdl6E2tRzQcjIhqw9GVKp3gzuyZMnYYbKzVM1I_O0Ek1vheh20YA9-lkuk5QtgL1TT_RLi7qub611nKzg/s320/hp_scanDS_912306136.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410873875351910850" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2H7Fvo07NVW2iZvAmLSvrpyqXQGb21DbolQ-YJ0TSt3nZgoodCDvWN1PeMqLYoJtsBf05p54hQjPYEw4j-jhP6Dq081LiNtF27400pAdGJV7T61L697HoJUpGlFv7_k3l5bbXA/s1600-h/IMG_4036.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2H7Fvo07NVW2iZvAmLSvrpyqXQGb21DbolQ-YJ0TSt3nZgoodCDvWN1PeMqLYoJtsBf05p54hQjPYEw4j-jhP6Dq081LiNtF27400pAdGJV7T61L697HoJUpGlFv7_k3l5bbXA/s320/IMG_4036.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410870444143162386" /></a>This (above, not the chili below) is what the finished templates should look like when you make them out of your cereal box.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyPp7hw5syIWnamma7Z5YM8exeES2EHsFcXx3q6Zac7OLFRXMPEulURrByiq1ZSTf03jS4g3I4s2FK2ZfnkoqkDs0n0jm6RkAExGB-tLaop-mHy7e71AuJ9rP2oP6Jwl2NFPw8w/s1600-h/IMG_4028.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyPp7hw5syIWnamma7Z5YM8exeES2EHsFcXx3q6Zac7OLFRXMPEulURrByiq1ZSTf03jS4g3I4s2FK2ZfnkoqkDs0n0jm6RkAExGB-tLaop-mHy7e71AuJ9rP2oP6Jwl2NFPw8w/s320/IMG_4028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410870438929562706" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Turkey Chili - and Using Up the Last of the Thanksgiving Turkey</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">This is such an easy meal and satisfying on a cold night (and again for lunch the next day) and it makes a nice change from yet another turkey sandwich. I make my chili dinners a little differently each time (my usual cooking approach), but here's more or less the way I did it this time - and it was very good.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Turkey Chili</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Olive oil for sauteing (1-2 T)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">2-3 ribs celery, chopped</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">1 large onion, chopped</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">2-3 cloves garlic, minced</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Other veggies (optional) like shredded carrots, peppers, or finely chopped broccoli, or whatever you have about to go bad</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">All the leftover turkey, cut into cubes - or 1 lb ground</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">2 cans chili beans, 1 mild, 1 medium (you can substitute whatever canned beans you like - I often use one can of black beans - but you may need to increase the other seasonings if they're plain)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">2 small cans diced tomatoes (these had more onions and garlic and peppers in with them)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">1 medium can tomato sauce</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">2 T, more or less to taste, chili powder (although I think that was a tad too much here)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">1-2 tsp cumin</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Dollop of sour cream and/or shredded cheddar cheese and/or rice or something like that (all optional)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Saute the chopped veggies in the olive oil until soft and add the cubed or ground meat. Add the beans, canned tomatoes and sauce and bring to a gentle boil. Add the seasonings gradually, tasting frequently (it's easy to go overboard). Stir in well, reduce heat and allow to simmer until heated through or the kitchen smells incredible. Serve as is or over rice (or noodles, or potatoes, or even toast). Garnish with sour cream and/or cheese, especially if you've accidentally made it too spicy. Great served with cold beer, hot corn muffins and a tossed salad.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Now I'm hungry again.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMEnRRXfsoqiHeHHoxLtkOBB1jwYI3o6zXep3BJMM5_sCiMlFyOdafH8B11vYOmuwKvSxylDzhUFm5rlBHbyvO6iV_dC3ot1K4xKYpUl7VAPgQUD0qyjk9HOoKeoHfeP9xoJ-cA/s1600-h/Best+Christmas+Pageant.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMEnRRXfsoqiHeHHoxLtkOBB1jwYI3o6zXep3BJMM5_sCiMlFyOdafH8B11vYOmuwKvSxylDzhUFm5rlBHbyvO6iV_dC3ot1K4xKYpUl7VAPgQUD0qyjk9HOoKeoHfeP9xoJ-cA/s320/Best+Christmas+Pageant.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410870438784868530" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">This Book </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">It's called <i>The Worst Kids in the World</i> in Australia. Here's a <a href="http://usawrites4kids.drury.edu/authors/robinson/">link </a>to the author's website. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This year I've decided to review mostly vintage holiday books (see my nots for why), which is easy for me to do since there are so many I love. This chapter book has been a favorite of my family's for many years. I'm reading it aloud to my daughter yet again (I absolutely cannot shake the daily holiday book readings no matter how old my kids get - I'm worried that next December I'll have to read them to the dog after Sara's off at college too). Anyhow, how can you resist a holiday book that opens, "The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker's old broken-down toolhouse." Fortunately, the book is still in print and easy to find (plus there's a movie version and a play script, though I've not seen either).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Having My Mini Pie Tutorial Mentioned on joepastry </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Great website for foodies. You can find it <a href="http://joepastry.com/">here</a> and read his short post about my little apple pies <a href="http://joepastry.com/index.php?title=joe_in_miniature&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1">here</a>. I'm drooling with pleasure. Thanks to Lisa Holewa, author of the fabulous parenting book <i><a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399534249,00.html">What Kindergarten Teachers Know</a></i> for mentioning the post to Joe.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">College Applications. Getting Done! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">4 down and bunch still to go but we are all less grouchy already. And as a bonus the girl already got an acceptance letter (probably the only one she'll get until April, but it sure does take the pressure off). I would be completely content not to ever edit/proofread another application essay as long as I live.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b>NOT</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Bad Electrical Karma </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">I seem to be breaking (or at least causing to work badly) every electrical item I get near. First one computer, then my email stopped working on the other (and I've lost apparently forever, all my old saved ones in my folders), my car's been acting up, and now my beloved Mac is being as....slow...as...a...turtle...eating....molasses. I've restarted everything and nothing is better. It is driving me insane.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">The *&#%# CPSIA Law </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">Which is not going away, not getting tweaked to resolve its flaws, and is scheduled to move forward with testing requirements come February. Vintage books, despite being so low a risk that NO ONE has ever gotten lead poisoning from one, remain on the chopping block, and I worry what will happen come February. I can still find old kids' books for sale online, but almost none at my local used bookstores or the library bookshop. I worry they're being pulped. I know, your eyes are glazing over. Everyone who knows me is tired of hearing about this - BUT IT IS STILL A REAL PROBLEM! And it's going to get worse. Call your congress people again and give them a good ranting for the holiday. I know I'm going to. Again.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">There, not too bad. Other little grumblies, but mostly life is good. Though my house isn't decorated, I haven't bought gifts much less wrapped them, and the only lights up are the ones I had up in the backyard over the summer (but they still look festive out there, so I think that can count). But I feel merry anyway.</span></div></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-34831006072642428532009-12-01T20:55:00.013-05:002010-12-05T10:37:07.874-05:00Get Ready for St. Nicholas Day - by Making Paper Shoes with My Handy-Dandy Tutorial!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br />
</span></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMQKTxlaHGP0Xo5U1rKkzor4ZmIWmdsSYDDDNjPEGaqUYoXyvHWi5O1KpDW_Vi6PnvARFkQQbBuf4knAxekohVrkaUlm6NEwtETuU2ql0hz5QZVpp_RiilEII9N_PzK9mHXV4lw/s1600-h/IMG_4026.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410694458206480962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMQKTxlaHGP0Xo5U1rKkzor4ZmIWmdsSYDDDNjPEGaqUYoXyvHWi5O1KpDW_Vi6PnvARFkQQbBuf4knAxekohVrkaUlm6NEwtETuU2ql0hz5QZVpp_RiilEII9N_PzK9mHXV4lw/s400/IMG_4026.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 394px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How goofy are paper shoes? But when I checked the stat thing for my blog the other day, I noticed that lots of people have been coming here looking for directions and a template for making them for St. Nicholas Day, which is coming up fast on December 6th. I felt kind of bad because I don't have anything like that on here. And then, probably because I've been busy making little bunny slippers for my Mimi doll, I realized I could figure out how to make some, so I did. These ones are just the right size to hold the bag of chocolate coins St. Nick is likely bringing my kids in a few days. (You can buy the same ones at Aldi's. Yum.) These paper shoes turn out to be very easy to make, and practically free (except for a small quantity of glue) because I used all materials from the recycling bin.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>My husband says blogging is making me completely lose my marbles. He may be right. Only now am I wondering why people would want to make paper shoes for St. Nick Day - for party favors? For a class project? Because they're not sufficiently addicted to chocolate to overlook the fact that their bag of chocolate coins smells a bit like old sneaker if they put out their regular shoes to receive treats, like we do? </div><div><br />
</div><div>Whyever. Here's the tutorial:</div><div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZzn-bWD1smIz1NcQesGwa3iwRLTh3T60HfHD4Wr6K8jwPxlsXL569RIOTdGFoO0ZDvBlGKyV28_DM78UCdZPvFrMnIJq2Y8rBBq60sjyNFpqSl_ZnPklBg6i3Xw8_S4jIct80g/s1600-h/IMG_4014.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410694454027838738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZzn-bWD1smIz1NcQesGwa3iwRLTh3T60HfHD4Wr6K8jwPxlsXL569RIOTdGFoO0ZDvBlGKyV28_DM78UCdZPvFrMnIJq2Y8rBBq60sjyNFpqSl_ZnPklBg6i3Xw8_S4jIct80g/s400/IMG_4014.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 314px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uHDVRuIO9vpAktVmIQhNUrNTnVGp3wQJXFXBN689ATGv-iLq4Hb-JQTtF8InywVbfldfrZrsXX6usyUwC_ZSvwUEIoYHLoOyGTW6k-8PcMaHsmhXn45wjk8CToMvl000EA3Pqg/s1600-h/hp_scanDS_912211385211.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410697871007164530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uHDVRuIO9vpAktVmIQhNUrNTnVGp3wQJXFXBN689ATGv-iLq4Hb-JQTtF8InywVbfldfrZrsXX6usyUwC_ZSvwUEIoYHLoOyGTW6k-8PcMaHsmhXn45wjk8CToMvl000EA3Pqg/s320/hp_scanDS_912211385211.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 246px;" /></a><br />
<div><b>STEP ONE: Gather your materials </b>You'll need:</div><div><ul><li>a printed copy of the template, which is available as a pdf <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/23519889/St-Nick-Shoe-Template">here</a>, </li>
<li>some lightweight cardboard (I used some from an empty cereal box), </li>
<li>some scrap paper (I used the insides of security envelopes, which I am absolutely addicted to these days - I have fits if anyone rips the envelopes when opening bills), </li>
<li>some kind of a quick grabbing glue, like Alene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue, pictured above (and no, Aleene's does not give me any kind of a kickback for how frequently I mention their glues, but I wouldn't say no if they offered one...), </li>
<li>a pair of scissors, and </li>
<li>a pencil for tracing the patterns</li>
</ul></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7X_YjX86hvcBKqeKfoBz0XU05vsI7vGf4XpcGJQeWoNUBxSiYEduKOQwP4SFpUNfqwR6ysWxaMgOnO0x43u2G_iJeR6Sz2xBI4P2VD1MwtY5q8JLYXDPFKQu5MmOfjcCmmmDnQ/s1600-h/IMG_4016.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410694449151650626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7X_YjX86hvcBKqeKfoBz0XU05vsI7vGf4XpcGJQeWoNUBxSiYEduKOQwP4SFpUNfqwR6ysWxaMgOnO0x43u2G_iJeR6Sz2xBI4P2VD1MwtY5q8JLYXDPFKQu5MmOfjcCmmmDnQ/s400/IMG_4016.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 339px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><b>STEP TWO: </b><b>Transfer your patterns and cut out all the pieces</b> I just cut out the templates and traced around them on the back side of my paper, but there are many other ways to transfer patterns, and I will guess you are smarter about the whole thing than I am. <i>Remember that the heel upper piece needs to be cut along a fold.</i> </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>I did cut 2 of the sole templates, so I could give the slippers a nice, finished looking bottom. I cut them with the cardboard right sides together (whatever that is for you) because I wanted the plain brown to show both inside the shoe and on the bottom of the sole. This is because I am insane.</div><div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh0EUnPjDJmbMkc6oswbOfBhfLI68YdZMkamhOpccnEzqR3C4o1-hVSHTSTruXCcWGvsBHJOWjHxBfS4jsFHgEgBTkz55_nNAupvIKmKL3dgmNjEDlsgEn_EksVy6CQMy5B344Q/s1600-h/IMG_4018.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410682835373398882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh0EUnPjDJmbMkc6oswbOfBhfLI68YdZMkamhOpccnEzqR3C4o1-hVSHTSTruXCcWGvsBHJOWjHxBfS4jsFHgEgBTkz55_nNAupvIKmKL3dgmNjEDlsgEn_EksVy6CQMy5B344Q/s400/IMG_4018.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><b>STEP THREE: Fold the tabs on the uppers toward the wrong side of the paper</b> For you origami people, if you're looking at the right side of the paper, it should be a mountain fold.</div><div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihryUDGAkZ5yNQQWlS3XA8KSXybB7sZQIe3k_auP54WWUl63gfk2Vdb1RJPMhrSyCXYCDaZIXlgoKSwomE_pfEtjtgMQIyZAFy7OOW75tf6FGW5rTi_rHd0M2_OIH4CoqoZSRKDA/s1600-h/IMG_4020.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410682828139478514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihryUDGAkZ5yNQQWlS3XA8KSXybB7sZQIe3k_auP54WWUl63gfk2Vdb1RJPMhrSyCXYCDaZIXlgoKSwomE_pfEtjtgMQIyZAFy7OOW75tf6FGW5rTi_rHd0M2_OIH4CoqoZSRKDA/s400/IMG_4020.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><b>STEP FOUR: Ignore the picture above and glue the heel/upper piece on first </b>Or carefully peel the rear part of the toe piece off so you can get the other piece glued in place...</div><div>Start by spreading a thin line of the tacky glue along the outer edge of the bottom of sole A (the top of this piece will be what shows inside the shoe). Glue the upper to the sole starting by attaching the tab along the fold to the middle of the heel. Work toward the front, bending the upper so that the fold along each tab is snug against the sole - should be pretty easy.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>Then attach the toe upper the same way, starting with the middle tab. This is a bit trickier to glue because you have to allow the top of the upper to bow up over the sole, but it's still not terribly difficult once you get the hang of it. Position the tabs at whatever angle gives you a snug fit to the sole.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwtmvYqmzW0EM9vM2J5zT3BxCpDszV4F7-8iWnB5LxPf9yUjsd-8zJtXmnHh_ygcRLgdHEfRAhZOh8LgZFy2SE2_SxOcxxP4tNsig4Rl_uxDWoGiVDwNBrEB3MRQAmAqoX1Vuq5Q/s1600-h/IMG_4022.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410682821930232562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwtmvYqmzW0EM9vM2J5zT3BxCpDszV4F7-8iWnB5LxPf9yUjsd-8zJtXmnHh_ygcRLgdHEfRAhZOh8LgZFy2SE2_SxOcxxP4tNsig4Rl_uxDWoGiVDwNBrEB3MRQAmAqoX1Vuq5Q/s400/IMG_4022.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 305px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8-6TGQ9vb9mBmiV7Ht0vwIZQThVJnHzWw4zgd_BpgeHcwK8zd-rrrB0n9JrSK76TKCWrTedq4l61xYGRgUqbpga8iY_mxS18pqCgj-O_A6Nd_BmaCA8j2Wh5477kisCpPw1KyA/s1600-h/IMG_4023.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410682821136594018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8-6TGQ9vb9mBmiV7Ht0vwIZQThVJnHzWw4zgd_BpgeHcwK8zd-rrrB0n9JrSK76TKCWrTedq4l61xYGRgUqbpga8iY_mxS18pqCgj-O_A6Nd_BmaCA8j2Wh5477kisCpPw1KyA/s400/IMG_4023.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 247px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Xxvu7nSGyC-pMMnpfRoYRAKtaSJqbe6VS5XfdMBm7WNh3c7lGeg0U4DyvFHOWDb3c1uRBaVOVXRXYMgtKoZDe2BXIlmWESoivMIrUHttOeACZC9ZZWBUdi-BLUqY1QbzmNSUg/s1600-h/IMG_4025.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><b>STEP FIVE: Ta-Da!</b> You can be done right now, or be perfectionistic and glue Sole B over Sole A to hide those unsightly tabs on the bottom of the shoe.</span><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410682816671636034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Xxvu7nSGyC-pMMnpfRoYRAKtaSJqbe6VS5XfdMBm7WNh3c7lGeg0U4DyvFHOWDb3c1uRBaVOVXRXYMgtKoZDe2BXIlmWESoivMIrUHttOeACZC9ZZWBUdi-BLUqY1QbzmNSUg/s400/IMG_4025.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 303px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Now you really are done.</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>After </i>I finished this tutorial, I had the bright idea to do a google search of my own for paper shoes. Naturally there are a number of others out there. I like the shoes <a href="http://www.lovebugscrapbooking.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5043">here</a> (meant as a shower favor thing, but that hardly matters) - they're so cute and the template looks so professional - but I do think they're probably a lot more trouble than mine. They're from Lovebug Scrapbook who says they're adapted from a tutorial in an old issue of <i>Somerset</i> magazine.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Now for my suggested twists on a new tradition for celebrating St. Nicholas Day. Take your kid shopping for some new shoes -- for someone needy. "Encourage" him chip in some of his own money if he has any (and if he's 3 and up, he ought to have small amounts to spend, save, and give). Then help him write a note to St. Nick saying he'd like St. Nick to <i>take</i> the shoes instead of leaving him presents in them, and give the new shoes to a child who really needs some. St. Nick will likely leave behind some of these paper ones with some treats anyhow, and a nice note about how he appreciates your child's kindness so much that Black Peter definitely won't be leaving him any coal this year!</div><div><br />
</div><div>You can help St. Nick donate the shoes to a local homeless shelter, women's shelter, or other organization that collects shoes for needy kids. Or you can make a donation to <a href="http://www.soles4souls.org/">Soles 4 Souls here</a>, which does a lot of good things.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410712133691755202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EWtizZiljDKz_JmC3K5FvW7AhkCtJnCDkNKeeynWx6-UnbWPe7D-j_mamc2iXkP2WrmII6rcOiiO2zuYCILdfHwZUXG1OFohqWBCJ6znWaPksstN7bX4B0VArj-h2LfQpQ3D9Q/s320/31506918.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 205px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 185px;" /></span><br />
<div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>While you're awaiting St. Nicholas's visit, you might want to read about him. If you'd enjoy a book that focuses on the religious aspects of the man and his holiday rather than the folktale and celebration angle, I highly recommend my friend Julie Stiegemeyer's book, pictured above. Julie has such a clear, warm writing style that I can't help feeling a bit teary every time I read her books. This one is clearly a standout among St. Nick books too - it continues to be a mega-seller year after year. I have amazon ranking envy... Here's a <a href="http://jottingsandsuch.blogspot.com/2009/12/st-nicholas-day-is-coming.html">link</a> to read more about it on Julie's blog, and also one for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0758613415/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0758603762&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1RD7XY9800CEC68XD879">buying the book</a> on amazon, thereby making me feel even more jealous (in a nice way).</div></div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67Nu79DHNZEge7SZqUQ5UM6QY3ejUZTy8ojo7la3YYxwl4zxX8uS9zfBF-q7im6WfKWf471j4zCx-f-gUp-YBXbjeNaeguJunODDm2vN40_rGC5SMtvp7q_oq_joX98dkdx6oiw/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67Nu79DHNZEge7SZqUQ5UM6QY3ejUZTy8ojo7la3YYxwl4zxX8uS9zfBF-q7im6WfKWf471j4zCx-f-gUp-YBXbjeNaeguJunODDm2vN40_rGC5SMtvp7q_oq_joX98dkdx6oiw/s200/032.JPG" width="133" /></a>Still hungry for more about St. Nicholas and the celebration on December 6th? Check out my last year's post <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2008/12/st-nicholas-day-is-coming.html">here</a> or check out this amazing <a href="http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=235">website</a> completely devoted to the holiday. It has stories, recipes, crafts (including yet another paper shoe one, sigh), songs, e-cards and more.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>Update Note</u> I've added a tutorial and template for expanding the paper shoe into this paper boot. You can find the tutorial and a link to the printable template <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2010/12/st-nicholas-day-paper-boots-for-when.html">here</a>. </strong></div></div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25633439.post-89032736706188120742009-11-30T09:20:00.004-05:002009-11-30T22:56:53.745-05:00Advent Traditions: Encouraging Affection, Kindness, and Gratitude with Tiny Food and Little Notes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iVSAxOpv7VVgZu0yPqp7Ube3dSr8orQ_v0XJZnHmRjpgDYGy6QtFMPC8-5VUU-drPoj2ybD7N3OUVQtZf8R5-f6uhrc38SToQSuziYFykpYyic8pR0v2cIYVzHAMYcIfIHNGCg/s1600/IMG_3991.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iVSAxOpv7VVgZu0yPqp7Ube3dSr8orQ_v0XJZnHmRjpgDYGy6QtFMPC8-5VUU-drPoj2ybD7N3OUVQtZf8R5-f6uhrc38SToQSuziYFykpYyic8pR0v2cIYVzHAMYcIfIHNGCg/s400/IMG_3991.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409903066509943746" /></a>Happy Advent, which I guess technically started yesterday, but in my household it begins officially on December 1st (making me early! At least in the U.S.!) Last year, I wrote about my family's advent traditions which are focused around a little Elf dropping by to leave the kids little gifts and chocolates in a pocket calendar to minimize the "I can't wait for Christmas" whining. I also linked to a zillion ways to make your own creative calendar. (You can see my 2008 <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2008/11/announcing-my-first-annual-advent-blog.html">post here</a> - I checked and all the links still work. Amazing.)<div><br /></div><div>Anyhow, over the last year while working on my <i><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Preschooler-Problem-Solver/Carol-Baicker-McKee/e/9781561454457/?itm=1&USRI=preschooler+problem+solver">Preschooler Problem Solver</a> </i>book, I talked to a lot of parents about their families' holiday traditions and ended up feeling regretful that I'd failed to take our calendar tradition to the next level and use it to help instill some better character traits in my kids. Some families, for example, instead of doling out more goodies every day to their already privileged kiddos, set up a little empty creche with a container of straw next to it. The idea is that the kids (and I guess the adults too) add a straw to the creche each time they do a good deed. The family tries to amass enough kind works to create a nice cozy soft bed for the baby Jesus by December 24th. They didn't mention anything about having to <i>remove</i> straws for evil deeds done to your little brother, but that corollary might be useful in certain unnamed households.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other families have traditions like decorating a tree via good deeds (you add an ornament each time you do something kind), having secret Santas within the family, secretly delivering goodies or thank you notes to deserving people around the community, or putting notes with compliments or promises of a family activity in their calendars instead of sugary things or cute erasers shaped like animals.</div><div><br /></div><div>The closest my family came to some advent altruism was leaving an occasional little something for the advent elf and writing him teeny thank you notes at the end of the advent season. I'm reasonably proud I did that (not every night or anything! I was way too tired, plus struggling to remember to, um, remind the elf to visit in a timely fashion). You can read about sending elf thank yous in a post from last year <a href="http://doodlesandnoodles.blogspot.com/2008/12/thank-you-ideas.html">here</a> and find my pdf template for making a cute cardstock elf mailbox and mini card and envelope <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/9507400/Mailbox-Template">here</a>. Anyhow, today's craft is making elf-sized food and arranging a welcoming rest stop for the present-deliverer who visits your house. This stuff is actually edible, as both I and the dog can attest.</div><div><br /></div><div>Naked Mimi, above (I will finish her dress one of these days, very soon), is standing, or more precisely, <i>sitting</i> in for our elf, who just happens to be 9 inches tall like her, in front of a tempting wee feast, featuring a properly crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cut on the diagonal as it should be, potato chips, apple slices, and bits of a blackberry artfully arranged to look like grapes (until they shriveled up while they sat on the counter for a couple hours waiting for me to get around to taking a picture of them).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNd_PHmg5qD7N76QmJvv0r1Z06H2dohf1h9zimeaVk8kcMar1hrkV2cVoN8ETSJSVKEdWDGdylpCI6zORDZWZ0BycZtjpLd7G86NisOCETMtt4C291oTNbsus9JHuwhRnKZN8YQ/s1600/IMG_4010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNd_PHmg5qD7N76QmJvv0r1Z06H2dohf1h9zimeaVk8kcMar1hrkV2cVoN8ETSJSVKEdWDGdylpCI6zORDZWZ0BycZtjpLd7G86NisOCETMtt4C291oTNbsus9JHuwhRnKZN8YQ/s400/IMG_4010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409903062226807410" /></a>We have prepared almost this same menu with great success for our ant picnics/science experiments on many occasions, and I can testify that the recipes are easy enough for a four year old to manage most of the steps, (leaving only a little peanut butter globbed on the underside of the kitchen table to be discovered at a later date by an unwary visitor's knees).</div><div><br /></div><div>Take a slice of bread (white is best, given the suggested use for the leftovers for "cinnamon rolls" - but you can use whole grain white if your elf is into healthy eating). Cut off the crusts and hand your kid a rolling pin. A full-size one works fine, but it's much, much more satisfying to use one of those little ones that comes with play kitchen sets. (If the bread is too wide for the little roller, you can cut it in half.) Roll the bread out as thin as possible (which is amazingly thin). Cut two small squares to the scale of your choice, and then thinly spread jelly on one side and pb (or vegemite or whatever it's called in Australia) on the other. (Fingers or a table knife work fine for spreading, but again, a toy knife will seem just right.) Pre-slice an apple into smallish bits and give your child a plastic or toy knife to make them smaller yet. One potato chip broken into tiny bits will yield enough elf chips to last him several days. The blackberry thing is probably best reserved for someone with a delicate touch, like <i>not</i> your average 4-year-old boy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrBvE12wlDfz3Q3Uii9-qxb1tN3tLDmDNAJqzp7gZvKr6blC8J3qM7Ya6cVdH19XFhOsGMClHyoxl3dncz1j2tkeXDRu3jDQBE5LLWIULETP-aPnGI73_x7IPfKG7nLovwuWlxg/s1600/IMG_4007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrBvE12wlDfz3Q3Uii9-qxb1tN3tLDmDNAJqzp7gZvKr6blC8J3qM7Ya6cVdH19XFhOsGMClHyoxl3dncz1j2tkeXDRu3jDQBE5LLWIULETP-aPnGI73_x7IPfKG7nLovwuWlxg/s400/IMG_4007.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409903057136108738" /></a>Then it's onto dessert! The cookie plate above features a pseudo cinnamon roll made by spreading a wide strip of the remaining smushed bread with a smear of Nutella (possibly the most heavenly substance known to man), which is then rolled up jelly-roll style and carefully sliced into spirals. If you were being very fancy, you could squeeze a little white frosting on it. I am too lazy. The cookies are made from a small ball of toll house cookie dough snagged from the batch of cookies I was making for the college student about to head back to school after break. For the chocolate chip cookie on the right, I just mixed in a few mini-morsels and shaped the whole thing into a ball slightly larger than a petite pea. The pseudo peanut butter kiss on the left was made from a ball of plain dough, baked along side the chocolate chip cookie (and lots of their little companions) at 375 F for 3 minutes (cooking times may vary by oven - start checking at the 2 minute mark). A mini morsel was pressed into the center of the cookie while it was still hot.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZh9J53KbCwyvoyvFY2zQUe7JNmpa-jGHdYB7OHjYavJhDGjCIrKKvvvWU23FmaZ5EIuh8lXkRJmyD1pgzkfe8X9wiu7zKyjKDmNQJ2rZ7jULCkp1-EMk179BcxMYKIHHFxbbpg/s1600/IMG_4012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZh9J53KbCwyvoyvFY2zQUe7JNmpa-jGHdYB7OHjYavJhDGjCIrKKvvvWU23FmaZ5EIuh8lXkRJmyD1pgzkfe8X9wiu7zKyjKDmNQJ2rZ7jULCkp1-EMk179BcxMYKIHHFxbbpg/s400/IMG_4012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409903051309927074" /></a>If it were the elf's birthday or he'd been especially thoughtful and generous lately, you could bake him a cake like the one above. It was made by baking two slightly larger balls of plain cookie dough (about the size of a smallish grape I'd say) for 3 and 1/2 minutes. After cooling, the top of one cookie was spread with Nutella and the other cookie carefully stacked on top of it. The whole thing was then covered with more Nutella, which proved to be a fairly messy venture. I think you could use melted chocolate chips for the frosting, which might work better as the chocolate would firm up while it cooled (the Nutella stayed deliciously and messily moist, even until the next day). The top was decorated with little holiday cake decoration thingies made of some kind of hard inedible sugar stuff and sold in a little jar at the supermarket. Tiny sprinkles would look nice too and be equally inedible.</div><div><br /></div><div>We arranged a couple birthday candles in button candle holders on the table we set up for the elf, just to make the whole thing look appropriately festive, but I definitely don't recommend lighting these before bed in anticipation of the elf's visit. I believe he carries his own matches and will light them himself when he comes.</div><div><br /></div><div>It would be awfully sweet for your child to make a miniature thank you drawing for the elf and dictate a note for him to read while he eats his snack. A really nice elf might write a note back from time to time, thereby reinforcing good manners and encouraging literacy skills.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next up: preparations for St. Nicholas Day (December 6th).</div>Carol Baicker-McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07190497340312463771noreply@blogger.com2