Getting Ready for The Firebird Festival

December 12th is the Phoenxville Firebird Festival, one of my favorite events of the year. I had an idea this year to have a workshop for kids to make a lantern for the Festival. I contacted the Children's Librarian at the Phoenixville Public Library and am delighted that they are going to host the workshop from 10 to 4 on the Saturday December 5th, a week before the Festival.

Each year several artists are invited to set up an Arts Bazaar outside, in the midst of all the action, and I'm so honored to be one of them, for the past four years. Festival activities include dancers, a parade, storytellers and other entertainers, giant bird puppets flowing though the air, music galore, etc! The evening culminates with the burning of the gigantic wooden bird that is being built by volunteers as I write.

It is absolutely breathtaking to watch this gigantic bird burning in the night. There is nothing quite like it. To see flames like that, in the shape of a giant bird is really a wow wee experience. Witnessing something burn is a usually a complete tragedy, but in this case, it's beautiful, intentional destruction. This festival attracts thousands of people who stand there screaming, shouting and wowing while it burns......

I traditionally offer Phoenix wands for sale for the kids. I made about a thousand of them a few years back and have about 250 left. I drew and colored the bird image, printed tons of them on card stock, cut them out, and hot glued a chubby craft stick, with the words "Let your light shine" stamped on them, to each bird. Then I tied silky yarn and tinsel on the sticks. I sell them for a dollar each, a lovely inexpensive bird wand to wave around.......The wings are folded in such a way that they flap back and forth.

I also just cranked out a dozen recycled can candles......using decorative papers and the same phoenix image. These candles are made of soy and are triple scented with vanilla oil. Each one will burn for about 80 hours! I actually bought the candles, in the cans a few years ago....knowing that if I tried to make candles I'd burn something, myself or the house down, or all three.

I also designed some beautiful silk stuffed birds and will probably make a couple of dozen of them. I love designing things, and it was very fun figuring out a good way to make the birds, then designed a wire hanger, and great packaging......I'll take a picture of my prototype and post it next. I just got a live tree from the grocery store to hang them on. It came covered with hideous velveteen ribbons, but once they came off the tree is perfect. And after the Festival we can plant it somewhere.

But before doing much more, there's a regional La Leche League conference happening next Saturday about five minutes from my house, and the WrapADoodle inventory is really low .....so off to the sewing machine I go. Sewing on and sewing forth.....

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The Capture and Return of Bald Beatrice the Baby Mermaid in Media

Come to the Middletown Library in Media, PA

for The Capture and Return of Bald Beatrice the Baby Mermaid Show,

a highly engagng 100% interactive theatrical storytelling event

with beautiful handmade puppets, props and costumes.

Family Entertainment for ages 4 and up!

Saturday November 7, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.

Participants choose the characters they wish to portray

(mermaids, sharks, fish, seahorses, pirates and more)

and together we create a rip roaring sea adventure.

Puppet making afterwards!

The Middletown Library is located at

21 N. Pennell Road in Lima PA 19037

610-566-7828

(it's not too far from the Brandywine Penn State Campus)

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WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

Heading out to vote this morning, I’m wondering about this whole “Take Back America” movement. It seems to be people who basically want everything to be the way it "used to be", whatever that means…….On the other hand, many people say they want change, but I’ve learned that people actually resist change, no matter what they say.

The fact is we simply can’t go back, just as we can’t bring back our breath after we exhale. We have to take a new breath.

Life is a movement, a spiral that just keeps on going. Part of this movement is America and the rest of the world, moving forward, as into the future. There is just a natural unstoppable force that pushes and pulls us forward, even though many are ranting, raving and hanging onto the status quo for dear life all the way.

The American Dream that everyone is grieving the loss of is imploding. The concept of every man for himself is over. Wake up and smell today's coffee. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! The you can do anything you want in America and make a lot of money, and spend it on yourself via an extravagant lifestyle is really the most boring, useless, immature concept ever. It’s so yesterday! The measure of success has changed dramatically. Things do not make people happy, plain and simple.

I’d love to see America lead by example. Just as individuals need to look inward and improve their own conduct and character instead of complaining about everyone else, so should our country focus on becoming, among other things - socially, educationally and economically just and demonstrating true respect for the natural world. That is the updated and forward thinking American Dream.

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The Omo People

This amazingly beautiful video really sparked a smoldering flame in my heart. because I have been a staunch supporter of and advocate for kids drawing on themselves all my life. It's a primal and beautiful inclination that adults scold against, which always make me cringe with dismay.

Why not draw on yourself? What possible harm is there in it? This is one of the most creative activities known to mankind for ages and ages. Adults get worked up sometimes over the completely wrong things and this is on the top of the list. I know many reasonable, so called peace loving parents who let their kids play Grand Theft Auto, yet will get riled up about their kids writing on their bodies, clothes and shoes. These same parents buy expensive clothes and other products for their kids with corporate logos and slogans written all over them.............What is the world coming to?

When our son was in the eighth grade he mentioned at dinner that one of his teachers had angrily told him that she never wanted to see any drawings on his arms ever again. He had drawn some kind of a tattoo design the night before, at home, so it wasn't like he was doing it in her class while she was teaching. And quite frankly it was a pretty nice drawing but that is entirely beside the point.

There is a long tradition in my family of parents calling the school to defend forward thinking, common sensical non-traditional thoughts and actions, and I fell right into line. I called her the next day, assuring her very politely and with the utmost kindly tone, that it was all right for him to do this. She began to protest, but I pulled rank, gently informing her that as his mother, an artist, and art teacher I yes indeedy had the proper authority to make such a call. And that was the very end of that.

Sooooooo, when this amazing video came down the pike this morning I watched it with the proper awe and happiness.



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Please Join us for Collage Cat Mobile Making

Come to the Earth Mart Saturday morning, October 24

from 10 to 12 for the second in a series of Community Arts Events

235 Bridge Street Phoenixville, PA 19460

610-935-1793

We'll be making mobiles. It's for ages 4 through grandparenthood. Only five dollars per participant.
If your'e in the neighborhood, drop by.

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New Coloring Book Cover!

The Golden Rule at Earth Mart in Phoenixville PA

I hope you will come and join me at the Earth Mart this coming Saturday morning from 10 to 12 for Color by Heart, a unique and inspirational coloring experience.

The Earth Mart is a community friendly, artist friendly, happy go lucky eco friendly department store in the heart of Phoenixville. They carry everything including stunning bridal dresses, art supplies, clothing, building supplies, composting equipment, food, paints, local arts and crafts, and on and on. The place is huge and friendly. It's an amazing, wonderful store and presence in the community.

The Earth Mart and I are kicking off a fun Community Arts program for families that will be taking place every Saturday morning! This Saturday everyone will receive their own copy of The Interfaith Golden Rule Coloring Book. I'll bring crayons, colored pencils and markers and we'll spend the morning coloring together, and discussing the whole idea of Treating Others the Way You Would Like to be Treated. Just imagine what the world could be, would be! if we all practiced this simple concept.

These Saturday events are for ages 4 through grandparenthood and designed to bring families and the community together. The cost is five dollars per participant. The Earth Mart is located at 235 Bridge St. Phoenixville PA 19460. It's a couple of doors down from The Colonial Theater, another favorite place!

If you can't make it this weekend, or even if you do make it, mark your calendars for the following Saturday, same place (Earth Mart) and same time.......We'll be making wild cat mobiles out of empty food boxes and junk mail. I've been saving them for weeks now, but please feel free to bring more if you can.

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Bombing the Moon

Bombing the moon for any reason is just so violent and awful. It's insane and should be illegal. If we don't know enough about the moon to have to bomb it to find out, that in itself is enough of a contraindication.

Isn't NASA funded by the government? As in something else we're paying for that maybe everybody isn't in agreement that we should be doing? Some people are calling it probing the moon. Probing is just to gentle of a word for this. Raping and pillaging the moon is more like it.


On a lighter, brighter note here are two cute moon stories.......one of my daughters was looking into the night sky when she was about three and remarked "the moon is folded in half" and another daughter, at about the same age, once described the shape of the moon as "banana".



Future moon stories might be "I looked up at the man in the moon and he had a big scar on his face."







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Creative Contrasting Fall Decor

I love the summer but when fall comes rolling in, it's the beginning of a whole new set of activities, foods, flowers, pumpkins, clothing, etc. Yesterday while taking a walk through a meadow I marveled again at how there is nothing quite as beautiful and stark as freshly fallen red leaves sprinkled all over green grass.

Contrast is the spice of life, and never more so than in nature's design. With that in mind and with Halloween and Thanksgiving looming ahead, I decided to make a patchwork fall table cloth, using contrasting fabrics. The sewing machine is upstairs in the third floor studio, and I kept having to try it on the dining room table, so I got a good workout running up and down the stairs.

That huge wooden table is from Mexico and I got it at Goodwill with two matching long benches and two side chairs for fifty dollars! When I got it home the table was missing the prongs on the bottom that hold it all together........I took alot of good natured heat for that from my husband who is always rolling his eyes at my imperfect used furniture finds.......but all was well when I called the store and they had them in a bag behind the counter......

How do you like those flowers? One trick I've always used is pairing fresh flowers with fake ones, for more va va voom. In this case the large sunflowers are real and the rest silk............Kind of like a padded bra........Haha! Anybody else out there have interesting decorating tricks up their sleeves?

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Seized by A Rainbow Idea

As some of you know, or maybe not, I have over 300 handmade puppets, props and costumes tucked into crates, suitcases and bags, and four stories in my head. I take various parts of this collection to schools, libraries, community centers etc. and conduct interactive theatrical storytelling events with people of all ages.

Participants choose the characters they wish to portray and then together we tell a story. Afterwards everyone makes their own puppet to take home! It's so much fun, super creative and happiness for all. The stories have virtuous themes such as generosity over greed, friendship, plus unity and cooperation.

I have two shows on the mermaid/ocean theme, one called Hooray 4 Bugs, and a winter tale Going on A Sleigh Ride.

I have an idea for a NEW show and am working on it now, so it will be ready in the spring. It is for ages 2 through 6 and is a call and response kind of singing story about all the colors of the rainbow. The kids will pick the color of the rainbow they would like to be. Each group of colors will sing a song to another group, asking them to join until all the colors of the rainbow are in!

I designed the CUTEST little capelet costumes with pointed hoods and pom poms and am in the process of making about 12 per six colors........out of fleece! Adorable! Fleece was on sale for half price so that was a good sign.......I bought a total of 36 yards......and that is alot of fleece.

Also working on getting The Interfaith Golden Rule Coloring Books into stores......

It's wonderful up here in the studio with the windows open. Great weather!

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