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!

Comics Camp Day Five

The final assignment was to design our cover!?! That does seem weird to do the cover last, but now it makes sense.

I thought designing the last page was really hard, but this was worse. It took me two hours to think what it should look like and what to use as a title! I ended up using the same layout as for the Ostroboglin page and had the shadows of the Demons mimic the shape of the clouds in front.

As for the title... I searched all potential ideas on Amazon- that was illuminating! If I used a particular word in the title, what other books would show up when someone searched for it? Were those my potential readers? Um, no. I elimated anything with “Demons”. I eliminated all versions with “glitch,” “glitches, glitching....etc.” Also nixed “Begin Again.” Although appropriate, that belongs to my comic magazine series. I realized this story is ultimately about MY relationship with... myself.

FINALLY, I decided to use the original title from the first mini-comic, “We Will Never Leave You”.

We spent this last day of class in the rare book library at Dartmouth (one of our teacher’s husband is the librarian there) - comparing some very strange books and placing them on a chart - text to graphics, and fiction to propaganda. It was fascinating. One of the books we got to handle was from the 1500’s!

Leaving this workshop and group of people was really difficult. Coming home to my empty house was worse. All the grown up stuff I’d left behind (the stuff that makes me miserable and lonely) was waiting for me. Along with three different kinds of molds on the bread on the counter. Sigh. Yes, I could write a comic about that... but I will probably crawl into bed and watch Netflix until I pass out from exhaustion.

GOrilla's Birthday Bash

We had a great Book Birthday on Saturday for Ready, Set, Gorilla!

We took over most of the Velvet Moose Ice Cream shop in downtown Warner, NH and applied a LOT of tattoos... I lost count of how many times I said, "Now press this wet paper towel onto the tattoo and count to 30, OK? OK? Um... 1...2...3...4... ..."

Gopher was the most popular tattoo and also fit nicely on many of the tiny hands.

Coloring sheets were also a favorite activity.

We put the "shopping" area on the other side of the room so there was no confusion.

I signed and customized a bunch of books.

I got to hang out with a bunch of my favorite Big People too! And there were yummy snacks!

 And we made a "Book Birthday" Card for GOrilla!

And then we stumbled out into the town-wide holiday festival... exhausted, but happy.

NOTE: If you weren't able to make it this weekend, we'll also be set up at the PLAYGROUND POP-UP SHOP at the Simonds Elementary School in Warner, NH. The holiday shopping event will be on December 8th, from 10am-2pm.

Ready, Set, Gorilla! - the book and tattoos - will be available as well as Zentangle trading card packs, and We Will Never Leave You (my Demons) comics and buttons too.

And one last thing - if you've seen the book and can think of something positive to say about it... PLEASE leave a review on Amazon. Thanks!

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!

Studio (Garage) Sale

If my studio is in the barn... is it a Yard Sale or a Barn Sale... or a Garage Sale...? Or Studio Sale?

No matter - I have a lot of stuff to clear out!
I had to move out of my big studio in Concord so I have a packed storage unit, a packed garage, a packed mudroom... I have a lot of stuff! On top of that, I have a lot of other changes happening in my life and I need to make room quickly and clear out my house.

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

Studio Garage Sale!

Saturday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Sept. 30

10am-2pm (no early birds!)

on Kearsarge Mtn. Road in Warner, NH

I have quite a bit from the Concord Studio (most is in the storage unit) - art supplies, books, displays, etc. I'll put some photos here too and I'll also list them in the Facebook Yard Sale Groups. There's also quite a bit from all over the house - toys, kitchen stuff (cookie cutters!) and furniture.Here's a little bit of what I've got:

Large, sturdy (heavy) conference table, with folding legs.

 Movie theatre chairs from the old Cinema 93 that I had mounted to a wooden base.

A mini printing press

Two mini-fridges -- a cube, and an under-counter fridge.

Lots of yellow shopping bags -- some with handles and some flat. Many different sizes.

An antique school desk and chair. I always meant to refinish these - the desk would make an adorable bedside table...

 Fabric covered office chair.

Fold out tumbling (exercise) mat.

Unfinished furniture (I used to paint a lot of furniture) - kids' table and chair, and little rocking chair.

Very cool giant birdcage on wheels. (fits a small child or large bird nicely)

Fiskars push-mower (great exercise... the faster you push, the better it cuts!)

Over-sized Alphabet block (storage chest) from Think Big in NYC.

Antique, child-sized, roll top desk (rolling top has been removed)

Hand-painted kitchen table (I carved and stamped the little teapots too!) I think it's about 3 feet diameter.

Big Bucket of miscellaneous rubber stamps. I also have tons of unmounted stamps, and wood pieces available.

Two big bins full of super-cool, antique cameras - Brownie cameras, Polaroids... They are really amazing but some (with leather parts) are more than a little stinky. It breaks my heart.

Lots of art supplies... like these drawers (included) full of metal foils, embossing tools and texture plates.

My beloved Beseler 23CII darkroom enlarger. My daughter asked me what it was and I had to explain what "film" was!!?? I still think that darkroom photography is one of the last forms of True Magic! Watching the image appear from Nothing is amazing!

 A bad pic, but this is a gorgeous, antique, bow front china cabinet - curved glass. (There are three wooden shelves).

Corrugated, folding pedestals with styrofoam and wood tops. Light-weight, but sturdy. Great for a show.

I don't really want to part with this house display, but if I'm offered enough money...
It's one of a kind! The Roof holds rows of journals, books, sketchpads... on the front is an open door to a cozy rugged area. On the back are windows, and the rest of the house is painted with chalkboard paint for drawing on. It is currently disassembled for storage and moving.

There are still two remaining tall bookshelves. These are designed to show the books with their covers facing out (children's books!) They are still in the storage unit, but we can get them out.

This is the best "portable" crib! It's German, I think, and wooden. Very sturdy, has wheels, and it folds down for storage.

 I'm still pulling things from the house, so there will be plenty more! Come and visit us this weekend! And bring lots of cash. ;-)