Grab Bag Friday: Splish Splash! Book Giveaway

Hooray! Intrepid illustrator Amy Schimler has a brand new book out. Splish Splash! is an interactive "touch-and-hear" board book all about the sounds of a river. As usual, Amy Schimler's illustrations are bursting with color and whimsy certain to delight readers young and old.

To make things even more exciting, Amy is hosting a book giveaway on her blog. Stop by Red Fish Circle before March 20th for a chance to win a hot-off-the-presses copy of your own!

Grab Bag Friday: Monkey Bread

Okay, so this image has nothing to do with monkey bread. It's a glimpse of the cute fabrics you could win if you head over to my friend Amy Schimler's blog before Monday. Hurry, go! And when you finish entering the contest, then you should make some monkey bread!

A student recently gave me this recipe and my sister and I tried it out last weekend. We can report that it is super fun to make (anything that gets rolled into balls then coated in butter and sugar is right up my alley) and it tastes delicious. Imagine a sticky bun, only slightly less sweet.

We decided it's a great rainy day activity (especially good for kids to help with) and a perfect treat to bring to a potluck!

Tajuana's Monkey Bread

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 pkg yeast
1/3 cup raisins
1 egg
1 cup warm water
2 tsp butter
Flour
¼ cup butter
1 banana – diced
Finely chopped walnuts
Bundt pan

1. Add sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in bowl. Mix together. Set aside until step 14.
2. Place flour and yeast in bowl.
3. Add raisins, walnuts, and banana. Stir in.
4. Add egg to flour mix.
5. Add water and 2 tsp butter. Stir until dough pulls from side of bowl.
6. Put dough on floured surface.
7. Shape into giant ball.
8. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth (if you add banana, it will still be sticky even after kneading.)
9. Cover dough with bowl for 5 minutes.
10. Grease pan while dough is rising (butter works best).
11. Melt ¼ cup butter. Save until step 14.
12. With knife, cut dough into 4 pieces. Cut each piece into 8 pieces. If you feel these are too large, you may want to cut them smaller.
13. Form each piece into a ball.
14. Dip in butter. Roll in sugar mix. Put in pan. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture on top.
15. Cover dough with plastic wrap and cloth towel.
16. Place pan in warm place and let dough rise for 30 minutes.
17. Heat oven to 375.
18. After 30 minutes, remove dough coverings.
19. Bake bread for 25 minutes or until brown.
20. Take out of oven. Immediately turn upside down onto serving plate. Serve warm or cool.

*If you put the plate on top of the pan and then flip them both over, there is less of a chance that it will fall apart.

Make Something! Amy Schimler Fabric Benefit

How sweet are these fabrics? You may have guessed that they're so terrific because they were designed by illustrator extraordinaire Amy Schimler.

All October and November, profits from sales in Amy's etsy shop will go to benefit her close friend who lost her house in a recent flood. So if you have any decorating or holiday gift projects coming up, please do stop by and pick up a yard or two. You'll not only get to make something whimsical and fun, you'll also make someone's disaster just a little bit easier to bear.

And while you're at it, don't forget to check out Amy's newest book: What Do You See?

Quick! Go Win Amy Schimler's New Book!

Amy Schimler, intrepid illustrator and designer of all things whimsical and fun, is giving away a free copy of her new book. But she's announcing the winner TOMORROW (Tuesday), so you've got to head over there fast to get in on the action.

You may remember Amy from an interview I did during the last Robert's Snow Auction. Well, since then, she's been a busy bee, designing all kinds of great fabrics and I'm excited to announce that her newest book, What Do You See? (A Lift-the-Flap Book About Endangered Animals) written by Stephen Krensky, just came out this month.

What Do You See? is part of a new series of books by Little Green Books that intends to "get little ones excited about going green." The aim of this particular book is to get kids interested in and aware of endangered animals. Amy Schimler's illustrations along with Stephen Krensky's text give you just enough hints to guess which animal might be hiding in the scene before you lift the flap for the satisfying reveal of a smiling rhino or intricate Monarch butterfly.

I bought the book a couple weeks ago, and put it in a stack in my living room where parents often read to younger siblings while waiting for my students to finish their lessons. I've enjoyed opening the music room door to hear cries of "It's a panda!"

All the books in the Little Green series are made from 100% recycled material and you can visit SimonLittleGreen.com for eco-friendly tips, games, and activities. You can enter the contest to win What Do You See? over at Amy Schimler's blog.

Grab Bag Friday: Oral History through StoryCorps

For Christmas this year, my mom got me a copy of the StoryCorps book, Listening is an Act of Love. StoryCorps is a project to preserve the tradition of oral history, or more plainly, to keep people telling and listening to stories.

There are mobile & permanent StoryBooths all over the country...where people can walk in and record their stories. Anything they want to tell. A daughter interviewing her 96 year old mother about her first date, two sons remembering their father's baseball career, a child interviewing his mentor, Hurricane Katrina stories, 911 stories, stories about miracles, stories about love, fear, and hope. Real stories from real people.

Well, yesterday, for Valentine's Day, Amy (illustrator extraordinaire) over at Red Fish Circle sent me a note that she had posted the Danny and Annie Perasa StoryCorps segment in honor of the day. There are two short clips, one recorded in 2004, and one recorded just a few days before Danny passed away. It's just a couple of regular people talking about love, but I found it so profound and moving.

You could easily spend hours at the StoryCorps site, for exactly that reason. It's the small stories, the real stories, the everyday simple stories that are the most profound. This is real life. As the StoryCorps tagline goes, it's "the conversation of a lifetime."

Grab Bag Friday: Amy Schimler & Wisconsin

Ok, so these two things have nothing to do with each other at all. They just happen to be on my mind on the same Friday.

Item 1: Art!

Remember Amy Schimler from my Robert's Snow interviews? Well, it turns out that she has a very cool collection of wall art and an online store with all kinds of bibs and onesies and tote bags. If you know anyone who is getting ready to furnish or re-vamp a baby room, the wall art could not be more perfect. You can see all the canvasses at Oopsy Daisy (I *love* the underwater submarine!)

Item 2: Wisconsin!

My dad sent this to me. I know this is one of those forwards that you get from every aunt and uncle and co-worker, but it totally cracked me up. As a native Wisconsinite, I find it hilarious. I mean, I grew up in a town where our big summer event was the annual PolkaFest, I had to wear a snowsuit over my ballerina Halloween costume, and it was the law that you could drink at a bar at any age as long as you were with your parents. There are things in here that will probably make sense to anyone who lives in a remote area, but if not, you'll just get a nice sneak peak into the first 20 years of my life.
It's funny 'cause it's true. :)

You know you're a Wisconsinite when:

1. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway.
2. 'Vacation' means going up north past Hwy 8 for the weekend.
3. You measure distance in hours.
4. You know several people who have hit deer more than once.
5. You often switch from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again.
6. Your whole family wears Packer Green to church on Sunday.
7. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.
8. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings and funerals ).
9. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
10. You think of the major food groups as beer, fish, and venison.
11. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife or girlfriend knows how to use them.
12. There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm at any given time.
13. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
14. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
15. You refer to the Packers as 'we.'
16. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction.
17. You can identify a southern or eastern accent.
18. You have no problem pronouncing Lac Du Flambeau.
19. You consider Minneapolis exotic.
20. You know how to polka.
21. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce.
22. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.
23. Down South to you means Illinois.
24. A brat is something you eat.
25. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole shed.
26. You go out to fish fry every Friday.
27. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.
28. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.
29. You find minus twenty degrees 'a little chilly.'
30. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Wisconsin friends.

Robert's Snow: Amy Schimler Interview

Here is another great snowflake for Robert's Snow. I'll be featuring Lee White on Tuesday, and you can check the sidebar on the right for all the rest of this week's snowflake features.

"Hanging Popcorn at the Beaver Lodge" by Amy Schimler
available for auction: November 26-30

ABOUT AMY SCHIMLER:

I want to live in Amy Schimler’s art. I want to hang out with the industrious beavers and catch the fireflies hiding in the grass. Her whimsical snails, raccoons, frogs, and birds are welcome in my house anytime. And I’ll tell you the secret why: every time I look at them, I can’t help but smile. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen a particular image…there is something so inherently joyful about this work.

Amy studied painting and fiberarts in Boston at the Museum School of Fine Arts and Massachusetts College of Art. She continued her studies in textile and surface design at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her designs can be found on all kinds of surfaces: children’s books, wrapping paper, fabric, t-shirts, the list goes on. Her clients range from Target and Baby Gap to Robert Kaufman Fabrics, Fisher Price, and UNICEF. In fact, a brand new Amy Schimler fabric line titled Creatures and Critters is due out in January (you can see a sneak peek on her blog). Amy's blog, Red Fish Circle, is definitely worth the read...you'll be rewarded with glimpses into works in progress, new paintings, and even bunny slippers. You won't be disappointed by a visit to her website, either.

And to top it all off, her studio sounds magical. Read on to find out more...

How did you get started as an artist?

I think I have always considered myself an artist, even as a child. I started to take it seriously, however, when I joined a cooperative clay studio in Cambridge MA in my early twenties. I worked as an occupational therapist professionally, returned to art school to study painting and textile arts, raised a family, and finally was able to support myself full time as an artist. The best part of the evolution for me was that I got to experiment with a lot of different media; clay, metal, paint, fabric dyes. When I took my first textile design class at RISD, I was hooked.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by so many different things; Children's artwork, the textures and patterns found both in nature and man-made materials (peeling paint, rusted metal), my dog's comical shadow, color, great lyrics, vintage fabrics, ethnic textiles. Honesty inspires me.

Who are your favorite artists?

Some of my favorites are Milton Avery, Maira Kalman, and Sara Fanelli. I particularly like Picasso's sculptures and ceramics. I am drawn to both naïve and narrative artwork.

What is your ideal workspace?

My ideal workspace is quiet, light, and spacious - I never seem to have enough room - I really like to spread out. I live in a small township that is a designated nature preserve. When I walk outside my door I am surrounded by blue herons, swans, beavers, owls, and a captive audience of quacking ducks. It is really beautiful and inspiring.

Your whimsical, colorful designs have shown up all over the place: books, greeting cards, gift wrap. And now, you're starting a new line of fabrics with Robert Kaufman. How did that come about? Are there special considerations you have to make when creating designs specifically for fabric?

Because I was doing textile design for the apparel market it was a natural transition to license my designs specifically for fabric. Robert Kaufman has a line that was a good fit with the type of design that I do. I am very excited to be working with them. When designing for fabric, the end use needs to be considered; for ex. will it be used for quilting, as children's clothing? There are limitations with the number of colors and complexity of the design depending on the printing process used.

Your animal designs are *especially* endearing and appealing--were you around a lot of animals growing up, and do you have any now?

Thanks. I think I addressed this earlier when I was describing where I live. I am surrounded by wildlife. I also have always been a dog owner. I presently own an Italian Greyhound, Beans, who is my studio assistant. She is almost completely blind and fairly deaf, but offers a lot of support. She still walks, more like prances, with a proud hop to her step. Her grace and fortitude inspire me.

How did you come up with your snowflake design for this year’s Robert’s Snow?

I had just finished an illustration of a beaver lodge. I really enjoyed creating it and thought it would be fun to continue that theme. The paddle shaped tails worked great with the shape of the snowflake! Also, I just love the idea of the beavers chomping down on the popcorn while decorating their tree.

Once you began, was there anything especially interesting, challenging, or surprising about the project?

I loved having the opportunity to work off of the computer. Many of my commercial assignments are digital, so I really enjoyed playing with the paints.

What advice would you give to young people interested in becoming an artist?

First of all to produce work that you feel good about and that reflects your personal voice. I think it is so important to keep growing. There is no end point as an artist. It is a constant journey of exploration and growth. I think to be able to make a living as an artist your desire for having a creative lifestyle has to outweigh the difficulties you may face.

Perseverance is key. There will be rejection because your particular style will not appeal to everyone.

Is there anything else you'd like our readers to know about you and/or your work?

Participating in Robert's Snow is particularly meaningful to me. I overcame a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Disease twenty years ago. It was a very challenging period. I sometimes find it interesting that the work I choose to do is so light and seemingly carefree. I think I enjoy living in this happy colorful space. It is an honest expression of the absolute joy and gratitude I am experiencing in my life. I hope my artwork passes that forward.

Bean's Cartoon Shadow:

Here are the other snowflakes featured today:

• Tim Coffey at The Silver Lining
• Elizabeth Dulemba at sruble's world
• Chris Gall at Through the Studio Door

How you can help Robert's Snow:

• Thank Amy Schimler for donating her time and talents and let her know what you think of her snowflake, "Hanging Popcorn at the Beaver Lodge"...as Amy says on her contact page: "Don't be shy!"
  
• Check out the other Blogging for a Cure snowflake features: a schedule is updated weekly on the sidebar to the right, and previous posts can be found at Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast (Thank you, Jules & Eisha!)
  
• Visit Robert's Snow to view all the snowflakes (not all the snowflakes were ready in time to be featured by Blogging for a Cure, so be sure to visit the official site so you don't miss any)
  
• Bid on your favorite snowflakes during the three auctions held Nov. 19-Dec. 7
• Spread the word! Tell your grandmother, your neighbor, your postman. Send them a link to this post or to any Robert's Snow post.

Grab Bag Friday: Good People Doing Good Things

My mother and I had a long conversation the other night about the under-rated importance of two things:

1. Being thankful
2. Laughter

It's true. Without those two things, I honestly think my life would be drastically different. I decided I'm going to try to dedicate a couple Grab Bag Friday posts every month to those themes.

So. In the spirit of being thankful for good people in the world (see Monkey Woman from last week if you're more in the spirit of laughter mood...ah, that *still* cracks me up), I thought I'd draw your attention to these two stories that really made me smile this week (and I promise, they're not super sappy...just good stories about good people doing good things):

Bill Childs from Spare the Rock Spoil the Child wrote a post about some teeny tiny mittens and an unexpected act of generosity and kindness from a stranger.

Amy Schimler (one of the illustrators who is contributing artwork to this year's Robert's Snow auction) wrote a very sweet tribute to her friend Vi that shows how a kind word can really make a difference in someone's day.

If you have a good people/good things story, feel free to post a comment & share it with the rest of us!

Have a great weekend!

Robert's Snow for Cancer's Cure Gallery Showing

I mentioned a couple Fridays ago that I'll be taking part in the multi-blog promotion of this year's Robert's Snow auction. Robert's Snow is a terrific fund-raiser for cancer research--children's book artists from around the globe have created one-of-a-kind snowflakes to be auctioned off in the months of November and December.

If you are in the Boston area, you can actually visit the Robert's Snow snowflakes in person before they are auctioned off! There will be gallery showings at:

Child at Heart Gallery
Newburyport, MA
October 3-22

Danforth Museum of Art
Framingham, MA
November 4-December 22

If you are not in the Boston area, but still want to see the snowflakes, you can view many of them online. Not all of the illustrators have finished their snowflakes, but many of the ones that are finished have been posted on the Dana Farber website.

I'm so excited to be a part of this effort. I will be posting profiles and interviews with 5 artists...I've already heard back from all of them, and they are terrific, thoughtful, talented people. If you're the kind of person who likes to look ahead, here is my interview/posting schedule for Robert's Snow:

• October 27: Abigail Marble
• November 2: Holli Conger
• November 8: Matt Tavares (from Maine!)
• November 11: Amy Schimler
• November 13: Lee White

Read the story behind Robert's Snow.

Again, thanks go to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast for organizing the blogger promotion effort. What a lot of work! Thanks Jules & Eisha!