GOrillas! on the Move!

Today I had the perfect kind of social interaction day!
Sue Matott, the children's librarian at the Pillsbury Free Library - (our local library here in Warner, NH) - chose my book, Ready, Set, GOrilla! for Storytime!

      [Book Info: "Ready, Set, GOrilla!" - written by Melissa Stoller, 
                         and illustrated by Sandy Steen Bartholomew
                         Spork (Clear Fork) Publishing
                         Released - November 13, 2018]
And she didn't make me read - I got to do the craft project with the kids (the fun part). I had tattoos and coloring pages for them to take home and, in the library, I let them be illustrators and make really cool buttons with their art.

Because this was a group of two to four year olds, I drew simplified characters from the book, in circular frames and pre-punched the circles. Part of the image gets folded around the metal button, so I wanted to make sure none of the important image was lost. I chose the characters with larger areas to color (ie: panda and penguin... B&W - not so interesting).

 Once they'd finished coloring (and their grown-ups were finished with their art pieces too) -

- each kid brought their art over to the button machine and pressed their own pin. Even the shy kids got really into it and helped me pull the heavy lever.

Everyone was really excited by the finished pieces!

Even the scribblier attempts looked like masterpieces once they were mounted and pressed. I loved watching the kids' awed expressions after they loaded up the press, pulled the lever, and then saw the shiny button emerge! SO much FUN!!

And to make it even BETTER! - "Ready, Set, GOrilla!" is the featured book on the StoryWalk this month! So if you are in the area, start at the lower level of the library and then follow the RiverWalk (RailTrail) path to read the whole book. It's a beautiful walk - and a really fun book - but bundle up because it's crazy cold out there!

If you'd like to get your own copy of the book, you can order it from my Etsy shop, Bumblebat or from Amazon. There are really good reviews on Amazon - it's a great book to talk with little kids about bullying and playing fair - and wonderful illustrations! (of course!)

Here are easy links:

Ready, Set, GOrilla! Book on AMAZON (price varies, used copies available too)

Ready, Set, GOrilla! Book on Etsy (Bumblebat.com) - ($25) - comes with an original sketch in the book, lots of tattoos, and I'll send you a file of the coloring sheets you can print out - remind me! Oh, I also will send some cute little pins I made.

GOrilla! and Friends Removable Tattoos on Etsy ($10) - 2 each of five designs. They can also be used on paper.

Ready, Set, GOrilla! Coloring Sheets on Etsy ($3) - a PDF with 5 different pages that you can print out as many times as you like.

Nudge, nudge... this makes a great Holiday Gift!!

My Birthday Week

If you haven't read my late-night, pre-Birthday rant, please take a look - it would mean SO much to me!

I did have a party and it was a lot of fun. It was interesting to note that none of the people that would consider themselves to be my closest or oldest friends, made it to the party. As for Family, my Mom and my daughter were there. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised and heartened by the folks who DID attend! Good food, chocolate, whiskey, and lots of laughter! Thanks everyone!
If you'd like to see photos, follow me on Facebook.

Although, seriously, if you want to see photos, you should follow my MOM on Facebook. Sheesh...

After an exhausting week - which included RE-doing my application for the McDowell Colony Residency, planning the party, packing for my vacation, lawyer emails, etc., and then WAY TOO MUCH DRIVING and chaos - I am, at this very moment... trying to relax and BE on vacation. Well... maybe after I write this blog post. THEN...

So... One week later...

I want to tell you about my Birthday Presents!

If you want to send me a present, or a card, or just insist that I don't look 50... I celebrate all month!
Send it/them here: PO Box 359, Warner, NH 03278.
Wink-wink.

Seriously, these are the Birthday Presents I gave myself in honor of (surviving) 50 years.
(Gold star stickers only go so far).

OK, here's what I wanted (in CAPS) and what I got...

1. FIND A TRIBE -- Midlife Redefine
I did a promo piece for Emily Clement a while back and I've worked with Emily as a Life Coach - she is so much fun and so inspiring! I was whining about how I wished I could continue working with her (private coaching is out of my budget right now), when she told me about a membership group she is starting later this month.

Yes! Life coaching AND instant friends!!! Dream come true!
If you are curious, look here:
www.emilyclementlifecoach.com/midliferedefine
And this is a video Emily made that gives you an excellent idea of what it's like to work with her, and some great ideas to get you started now:
https://youtu.be/5uPAfegkazk

2. MAKE A CHANGE -- Solar Panels
Yes! My very own power station was installed just before my Birthday. Still a lot of things I'd like to do to my house to make it energy efficient, but this is a start.

I got my panels from Granite State Solar through the Solarize Kearsarge program. There was funding available through VSECU (a VT credit union) and 2019 is the last year to take advantage of the awesome solar tax credit!

3. PLAY! -- Lego Ninjago City
I know what you're thinking!!
But, yes, I'm pretty sure this city will fit above my kitchen cabinets with the rest of my city.

There are still three other buildings that I don't have - Assembly Square, the Corner Garage, and the brand-new Treehouse! But I had been getting really nervous that this one would be discontinued soon - and I really need a "Chinatown" for my city! (Or Japantown). I don't care about "Ninjago" anything but OMG! - there's a COMIC BOOK STORE and a SUSHI BAR!!!! Yes, yes, YES!!

This one will take a LONG time to build, but I can't wait to start on it when I get home from Birthday present #4...

4. RUN AWAY! -- Ogunquit, Maine
I have been almost desperate for an escape!

And this is my Place. Although it got off to a rocky start, I am so grateful to be here.

My mom and daughter were here with me for a few days and my sister came down for a brunch party on my actual Birthday (Sept. 15th).

Now I have the whole treehouse to myself for a few days. And there is a huge table where I have all my comics laid out (no, I haven't done a dang thing yet!)

I've never been here when it's so crowded, but at night, the beach is quiet and beautiful.

And there are so many things to distract me and remind me that I really want to start doing watercolor paintings again (of Dragon Trees!)

If you want to see more pics of Maine, be sure to follow me on Facebook.

5. INDULGE -- Super soft cozy sweater

Well... it was 50% off! And it's SOOOOOO soft and fluffy!! Mmm!

6. CULTURE -- Ticket to "Kinky Boots"

In the 15 years I've been coming here, I've never seen a play at the Ogunquit Playhouse! Probably because it's usually closed (I come here off-season).

But Kinky Boots just opened yesterday- "score by Cyndi Lauper"!! - so I searched every performance on the days I'm here and found ONE single seat available on Sunday! Live theatre is expensive. But I am proud that I could find the last cheap ticket.

OK, that's enough presents for now. I'm hoping to get some sleep. Draw some comics. Talk to the ocean some more. Listen to its advice. Drink at least one more Chocolate-Caramel Martini by the fire pit - hopefully with someone cute to gaze at over the flames- otherwise I'll have to keep drinking until they ARE cute, and get some more definitive images in my mind of where I want to steer my Life next. I'm running everything through the "Hell-Yes!" and "Hell-No!" filters.
Stay tuned!

Studio - Yard Sale - the Tail End

I've still got quite a bit left from last weekend's sale - including the darkroom enlarger, big conference table, art supplies, toys, art books, displays, some shopping bags... and a gazillion rubber stamps. (See some photos of stuff HERE).

Please please please come and get some of this stuff! I need space and I need it NOW!

This weekend is the Warner Fall Festival with lots of cool (weird?) activities and trashy food (omg - I LOVE fried dough!!!) We're going to try and clear out some more stuff, but just on Saturday morning - I want to enjoy the festival too!

If you are in the area this weekend, please come to my:

Studio Garage Sale!

Saturday, October 6

10am-12pm (no early birds!)

on Kearsarge Mtn. Road in Warner, NH

You can bypass the chaos on Main Street by getting off I-89 at exit 9, heading towards downtown, but turn left onto Roslyn Ave. (across from the CAP building), then right onto Kirtland Street.

Last weekend's sale didn't earn much money, but it was a networking windfall. We met so many new friends, and quite a few old ones I haven't seen in... years. There was a lot of laughter too.

I think we had the ONLY yard sale EVER with chalk body outlines and crime scene tape!

My daughter and her friends started tracing each other - just... because...

I'm sure the yard sale browsers thought it was odd that there was a group of kids lying on the driveway!

Chalk outlines weren't enough, there was this conversation:

Lilah: Hey Mom! Do you have any police tape?

Me: Of course. (doesn't everyone?) 
       It's Crime Scene tape - will that do?

They added clues, and "weapons" (note the tiny frying pan!)

Soon the driveway was filled with bodies... some a little bit gory... even Bill's spilled coffee joined the ranks of victims...

 I turned this outline into a mermaid when no one was watching:

 Even the cracks in the pavement got their turn!

Queen Bee!

This was easily one of the most fun Birthdays I've ever had.

Birthdays are a huge deal to me - I like to celebrate that I am still here.

We had planned to take a trip down South this week - but the Hurricanes - "Florence", out in the real world, and "Sandy", inside my head - made us reconsider.

After a few days of puttering, and recharging, I started to feel a little better and got this crazy thought, "I want a party!"

My Guy said, "Sure! A party - I'll get food."

My Mom said, "A party for whom?"

Me me me ME!

Today started with a giant note on my door and a Birthday [pan]Cake with kisses. yum yum.

I got to do anything I wanted all day! (That's never happened before).  So I had a really long walk which included an adventure into a forest on the far side of the river, and lots of mysterious comings and goings in my house.

Lots of food, including a chocolate fountain...
Many hours later, when the House Elves were cleaning up, I heard Laurie ask Bill, as she struggled to clean the cursed fountain,
"I wonder if people actually use these things more than once?"

I'm not telling what I wished for. ;-)

I got folks to write and draw in my "Holiday Book". This is a tradition I started just before my daughter was born and it's kind of amazing to look back and remember events, and non-events.

Caden served as Art Director for Debbee - who documented the event:

 Pretty accurate...

And finally... here are some of the Photo Opp pics (thanks Laurie for the background!). There were Mimosas involved (thanks Christine!)

I know I don't always write about the Good Stuff that happens. This was Good Stuff. And I want to thank everyone who sent me Happy Birthday Wishes on Facebook and elsewhere! Thank you for making it such a lovely day - a little bit of calm and happiness in the crazy-storm that keeps raging around here.

GraniteCon!

The Granite State Comicon was this weekend and, as always, is a great way to kick off my Birthday Week!

This time I not only had my daughter, Lilah, but I had a whole Tribe...

Lilah, Sandy, Lila, Zack, Tim (and Bill - taking pic)

I was able to listen to part of the interview with Caroll Spinney (and his wife) who played the parts of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street.

 The place was mobbed with cosplay enthusiasts of all ages...

 There was a lot of sword play too (as a fundraiser for an animal shelter, I think). Lilah challenged everyone to duels...

Her fencing classes finally paid off! She tied or won most of the matches - much to Bill's dismay...

And I think this...

... was one of the funniest things I saw! (Yes. Superman. Texting.)