Illustrating June, and an interview!

Quack.
Hello from the ducks.
We live below a wetland and we have ducks that waddle through every Spring, perch on the roof, and nap in our spongy backyard.
When I found out I was to be the featured illustrator for Puddle Jump Collective's June calendar, it had to be ducks.
At first, I thought I'd go back to my early 90's days and draw a punk girl.

But then I drew this braid girl,

and she seemed to want to be in this picture as much or more than the other girl.
So I put it to a vote on instagram, and braid girl won the polls
and ended up in the final illustration.
Puddle Jump also hosted me for an interview  and a mini studio tour. I hope you like it.

How To Spot a Stroke

Today is six years since I had a stroke.
Because I struggled to find my writing words after the stroke, I turned to art, hoping to find a way to be a writer again.


What do you call that?

A moment that diverts your course and sends you in a completely different direction?
A turning point? A boomerang?

At the time, it just felt scary, and discouraging.

Like when you go through a labyrinth, and you think you're getting close to the center, but instead, you find you have to go in the absolute opposite direction before you end up where you think you want to be.

But see?

How beautiful is it that hard things can become soil for new gardens?
Thanks to the stroke, I am here.
Making books!


Who knew?

Anyway, I guess I just wanted to say how thankful I am.
To be alive today.
Thankful for the way my community lifted me up during that time.
Thankful that this extra hard thing contained ingredients that helped me become an author and illustrator today.

Friends, for every hard thing you face,
I wish you courageous hope.

For every detour, I wish you creativity
that grows and blooms and heals.

And because I'm especially thankful for the people in my life, I made a little thing for you. Knowing the signs of stroke can save your life. 
Please feel free to read and share with your loved ones.
#strokeawareness #strokesurvivor #strokeinfographic

Wish

Writers, illustrators, creatives, this is for you: 

Here's to a new year, 
a new page,
a new chapter. 

May you be blessed with bright and deep,
thoughtful and melodic,
magical and compelling.

Here's to all the stories you hold within you,
to all the books you're just about to write, 
the music you're just about to make,
the beauty you are meant to create.

May you have a year of years. 

A cornucopia of creating.

Also, no pressure. 

Bea and Jules, all together:

Bea and Jules have had a busy month! 

Thank you for following their advent journey, and for cheering them (and me!) along the way. 

Long live the dreamers, 

the scissor-wielders, 

the glitter-lovers, 

outdoor gatherers, sweets-bringers, 
light-finders, 

the merry makers! 

Cheers to you all!

Bea and Jules, Day 25!

Happy Advent!

Happy Christmas!

-

from Jules and Charlie

and Bea -

and me. 

Bea and Jules, Day 24:

Bea and Jules have been bringing home a little bit of Christmas every day. 

But will it work? 

Bea put light jars at every window so her mom could see them on her way home. She hung up all the stick elves.  And there was the music concert. And clove oranges! And cookies!

But what if it’s not enough?

But it turns out, it is.

“YOU are the present, Bea! Every time I come home, it’s Christmas. All your making - every thing you touch, all the merry magic - that just adds twinkle. But I already have my Christmas right here.”

Books!

 

The Legend of the Poinsettia - Tomie dePaola

The Wish Tree - Kyo McClear, Chris Turnham

Bear's First Christmas - Robert Kinerk, Jim La Marche

How Six Found Christmas - Trina Schart Hyman

Christmas Tapestry - Patricia Polacco

Who is Coming to Our House? - Joseph Slate, Ashley Wolff

The Little Drummer Boy - Ezra Jack Keats

The Nativity - ill. by Julie Vivas

Bea and Jules, Day 13

Oranges

Today Jules is making presents - pomanders with oranges and cloves. 

She watched her gran make them, and now it's Jules' turn! 

Won't Gran be surprised?  

Books:

An Orange for Frankie - Patricia Polacco

Bea and Jules, Day 12

DAY 12: Secrets. 

Jules and Bea are Secret Angels this year.

They swapped names. 

Guess who they have? 

Yep. 

They send secret notes every day. 

“Have a good day!
- From, your Secret Angel”

Also they send things like…

Glitter. (Thanks, Jules.) 

A pretty leaf. 

A rock from the parking lot.

A bottle cap. 

A singing train.  (Sorry, Charlie!!)
More glitter!

Books!

    

The Jolly Christmas Postman - Janey & Allan Ahlberg

The Dove's Letter - Keith Baker

A Letter to Amy - Ezra Jack Keats

Fanny & Annabelle - Holly Hobbie

Bea and Jules - Day 8

Bea still really wants it to snow.  

Jules, too!

They gather up glue and clean jars

and a few dollhouse toys. 

Bea glues toys inside each jar.

She makes Jules wait while they dry. 

  

Jules grabs the glitter!

Shake, shake, shake!

Now, close the lid.... Shake again

Snow globe!

Bea and Jules, Day 7 - Night Tree

Day 7: Night Tree.

Well! 

Jules may have planned for the animals to wake up and talk on Christmas 
Eve, but the animals didn’t know they were supposed to wait.  

Maybe they already had something to talk about.

          “Psst! Spread the word! Feast at the Night Tree!”

The treats Jules and Charlie made are already gone. 

Nibbled up. 

Vanished.

            “At least they had a party!” Jules sighs.  

That’s okay. There is still plenty to do to bring Christmas to everyone else. 

Books ! 

THE FRIENDLY BEASTS - Tomie DePaola
THE NIGHT TREE - Eve Bunting
OWL MOON - Jane Yolen, John Schoenherr

Bea and Jules, Day 6

Day 6: 

Gifts for the birds. And beasts.

According to legend, animals have the power to speak to humans for one mysterious hour every Christmas Eve. 

Jules wants to be ready! 

She and Charlie make treats for the birds and all the other animals - peanut butter-birdseed-pinecones, birdseed cakes, and strings threaded with berries - and hang them up on an outside tree.

Now, she and Charlie have to wait until Christmas Eve to find out! 

Will the animals come?

What will they say?

Bea and Jules, Day 5

Day 5: Tree hunt

Gran had a fake tree last year, but Jules is pretty sure a fresh tree will be just what Gran needs to feel better. 

Uncle Moony is not convinced, but Jules is good at arguing. 

They go to a tree farm thirty minutes away. 

What do you think:
Fake or fresh trees? 

Day 5 & 1/2:

On the way home, Jules sees a cloud of birds.
Jules wonders what kinds of holidays birds celebrate. Uncle Moony tells her this bird cloud is made up of starlings, and a group of them is called a murmuration, so Jules makes up a murmuring sort of poem. 

Maybe birds don't have holidays.
Maybe they are always celebrating. 

Jules is pretty sure she would be, if she could fly.

And what do you think Jules’ gran did when they came in with the tree?  

She almost dropped her coffee cup. 

But Jules’ gran is used to the idea now,
and she says it will be perfect. “Perfectly Jules.”

Books!

No Two Alike - Keith Baker

Birds of Bethlehem - Tomie DePaola

Bea and Jules, Day 4

Day 4: Snowflakes

Bea is impatient for snow. She really, really wants it to snow. 

So, she gets out paper and scissors. 

Fold. Fold. Fold. Fold. 

She folds her paper into a nice, pizza triangle. 

Snip. 

Paper wedges drift to the floor. 

almost like snow.
The hardest part is knowing when to stop cutting.
Maybe Bea's snowflakes will give the sky a hint!

Snow Books!

The Snow Blew Inn - Dian Curtis Regan, Doug Cushman
Winter Bees, and Other Poems of the Cold - Joyce Sidman, Rick Allen
Over and Under the Snow - Kate Messner

Bea and Jules, Day 3

Day 3:

Charlie wants to write a letter to Santa. Jules is happy to help. 

“Dear Santa, Happy December! Charlie wants ANOTHER train! This is okay with me, but pleeeese not one that SINGS!!! His old one that sings is hiding under my bed because it was ANNOYING! Also, I  think Charlie wants extra candy to give to his sister (me). And if you can make Gran feel better, we will even be okay without the candy. 

Love, Charlie (and Jules!!)”

Books!

The Jolly Christmas Postman, Janet & Allan Ahlberg 

The Dove's Letter, by Keith Baker

I can't wait to read "How Winston Delivered Christmas," by Alex T. Smith.

Bea and Jules, Day 2

Day 2:

Day 2: 

Today, Bea and Jules set up their workshops - the safest place to make things and keep them secret. 

What does one need in a workshop? 

Bea can give you a list. 

Her workshop has a calendar, pencils, envelopes, glue, tape, scissors, and everything else that’s on her list. 

Jules doesn't have a list, but her workshop is full. 

Full of glitter, full of paper, full of crayons, old holiday cards, tape, glue, paint, and more glitter.
Jules also stocks her workshop with: stacks of books, mittens, a jingle bell, a plastic spoon, mints from her gran’s purse, and three puzzle pieces that she found in her pocket. And a sock bookmark.

Or maybe that’s just a lost sock.

What do your elves keep in their workshops?

Books!

Toot & Puddle, Let it Snow, by Holly Hobbie

Christmas With the Mousekins, by Maggie Smith

The Elves & the Shoemaker, by Jim LaMarche

What are your favorite cozy, crafty, holiday picture books?