All the Things I Wasn’t Allowed to Pick Up in Virginia

This cool hip bone–a deer? And it even has the ball that would go into the socket next to it. Like Lego.

On a wintry Shenandoah VA walk with my Niece, Nephew and Son, there were several things I wasn’t allowed to pick up and take home with me…

This absolutely cool snake skin. I particularly regret not getting to pick this up…

More of the same snake skin…the snake didn’t want it! Seems like I could have had it…

I didn’t really want to pick him up…but I did want to move him off the road so he wouldn’t get squished. We stood and made sure he got across. It wasn’t a very busy road.

These were just neat…but deemed to be possibly poison. Sigh…

And I didn’t want to take this guy at home at all…but I love him!

TLC Book Tour!

TLC Book tours has arranged a great lineup in celebration of the publication of my new book AT NIGHT (Muddy Boots Books, December 2021)! See below for all the tour stops.

Follow the tour!

Monday, January 17th: @celiamcmahonreads

Wednesday, January 19th: @littlelilacpreschool

Thursday, January 20th: @storytimewithshelbs on TikTok

Friday, January 21st: @silver.lining.reader

Friday, January 21st: Bookworm for Kids

Monday, January 24th: She Just Loves Books and @shejustlovesbooks

Tuesday, January 25th: @girlsinbooks

Wednesday, January 26th: @wonderousreads

Thursday, January 27th: @lyon.brit.andthebookshelf

Friday, January 28th: View from the Birdhouse

Monday, January 31st: @rachellelovesbooks

Wednesday, February 2nd: @literannie

Friday, February 4th: @megsbookclub

Monday, February 7th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Wednesday, February 9th: @wereadlikethat

 

Society for Illustrators Annual Best of Kids Books Illustration

Sue and I took our annual trip to 63 and Lexington to the Society for Illustrators Annual Best of Children’s Books Illustration. It is always inspiring! Thankfully, the artwork was the Real Thing–last year it was all printed and framed by the Society because of Covid. There were still no books to sit and look at, but seeing the artwork in all its luscious glory was *almost* enough. It was especially cool to see my colleagues’ (we share a wonderful agent, Anna Olswanger) work–Yevgenia Nayberg’s Mona Lisa in New York and Kunal Kundu’s Wildlife on Paper: Animals at Risk Around the World.

Here are some more of my favorite ones. The Tiffany Bozic one with the tromp l’oeil painting might be my very top fave. Dang. Check these out:

Getting Ready for the December 12 Hudson Coop Sale in the 187 Schoolyard

I am gathering and printing, stamping and sorting, and getting everything ready for the Hudson Coop Sale. Hope you can join Sam and I! I will have copies of all my books available for purchase, including my new book AT NIGHT (Muddy Boots Publishing) (all about nocturnal mama and baby animals and what they are getting up to while we are sleeping.). AND, I’ll have printed tea towels (including two new ones–one with a honey story–with bears and bees and hives, and one Christmassy reindeer), printed cards, stencils, ornaments and more.

We will be in good company with so many other vendors, selling socks, Washington Heights merch, candles, cookies (the amazing Dutch Baby Bakery will be there–yum). Join us! Come hang out and chat–the warm holiday vibes are FREE.

GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy of my new picture book AT NIGHT

The winner of a copy of AT NIGHT is Like Lokon! Congratulations!!

Leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy of my new picture book from Muddy Boots, AT NIGHT!

You can say anything in the comment to be entered, but it would be fun to know if any of you have ever had a memorable encounter with a nocturnal animal. I remember driving home to my mother’s house in Ohio once and seeing a mother opossum running up the hill away from the car headlights with seven or eight baby opossums bumbling along behind her…SO cute.

Who is in the woods at night and what are they up to? Look for mother and baby nocturnal animal pairs in my new picture book, suitable for kids ages 0-9.

No purchase necessary! The drawing will be held November 15, 2021 at 5:00 PM East Coast time, and one person will be selected in a random drawing, and I will mail you a book. US and Canadian entries only please. 🙂

Showstoppers! Now Open til October 31!

The Costume Industry Coalition presents SHOWSTOPPERS an exhibit in Times Square celebrating the artisans, artists and craftspeople who bring the costumes of the theater to life: https://www.showstoppersnyc.com/

Please come to visit this amazing exhibit. It is detailed, moving, educational, and all proceeds from ticket sales goes to benefit the Costume Industry Coalition, founded to keep artisans afloat during the pandemic.

Polly Kinney working on beading for Aladdin–IN the exhibit!

Penn and Fletcher: Ernie shares his crewel embroidery machine from the 60s…

Hochi Asiatico’s amazing gutta painting

Me! In a film in the exhibit, painting a skirt from Moulin Rouge

More me, painting at Parsons-Meares, LTD

Kathleen Weddle working on a Skeletard for Phantom in a film in the exhibit

Me with a unitard I painted for Ringling Brothers

Showstoppers!

Ginny Clow and I enjoyed our appearance at Showstoppers in Times Square! Ginny painted on something for Lion King, and I “fantasy aged” a Hidden Folk costume for the Frozen tour. We enjoyed chatting with the visitors about what we were doing, and asking them what they were up to. Lots of college students interested in theater design and crafts…

I was pleased and proud to be included in this nice article for Theatermania about my pandemic experience. Kenji, the author, met us that day at Showstoppers. These pictures were taken on my phone by a nice Carnegie Mellon student 🙂

https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/showstoppers-exhibit-celebrates-the-unsung-heroes_92735.html